5 comments about The Complete Keller: The French Laundry Cookbook & Bouchon.

1. Service was great. I recieved the package 2 days after i ordered it. Everything turned out great and I apprechiate it.



2. These books are outstanding - the level of description, the quality of the books themselves, the full color pictures of what the dishes look like... I gave it as a Valentine's Day gift to my girlfriend who loves them - and keeps calling the books "Food Porn".



3. The Complete Keller is completely wonderful. Beautifully written and photographed, these books are a wonderful escape to Keller-world.



4. So much more than just cookbooks! It's very visual, makes you excited about cooking and partaking. Emphasizes simple flavors of food, don't complicate what can easily achieve perfection on its own.



5. Beautiful coffee table book. Limited is use for an amateur, or even a serious amateur. But it's fun to read and the photography is stunning.

5 comments about Silver Palate Cookbook 25th Anniversary Edition.

1. `The Silver Palate Cookbook, 25th Anniversary Edition' by former caterers and current cookbook authors, Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins is a cookbook classic, of just slightly less stature that `The Joy of Cooking' and Julia Child's `Mastering the Art of French Cooking', and comparable to or superior to the `Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook' and to various Martha Stewart publications. In fact, it is fitting that the 25th anniversaries of both this book and Martha Stewart's empire founding `Entertaining' book both fall at about the same time, as the two books are wonderful compliments to one another. Contrary to what one may think if you read the many blurbs on the cover from such luminaries as Daniel Boulud, Eric Ripert, Thomas Keller, Ina Garten, and Miss Martha herself, this is NOT an all-purpose cookbook like `The Joy of Cooking'. It is a great complement to `Entertaining' simply because it reflects the authors' roots as owners of a successful catering business. Therefore, the overall focus of the entire book is recipes and menus for entertaining, complementing Stewart's book which covers the organization, planning, staffing, and decorating for entertaining functions.
   One of the great pleasures and anticipations to reviewing a book of this pedigree is that there is no pressure to determine if the book is worthy or not, since time and market success have answered that question. My goal is to determine what it is that is good about the book, and try to convey that to you. The second goal is to use this book as a yardstick to evaluate newer books which cover the same topic. For example, this book is clearly superior to Ina Garten's similar early books on cooking for entertaining, which arose out of an identical background of Catering cooking for her Barefoot Contessa firm in the Hamptons. It is also just a bit better than Sheila Lukins' book of a few years ago, `Celebration', which addresses the same general audience, but in a less useful and more highly structured way. All three books are good, but the `Silver Palate Cookbook' is the best, setting the standard for others in the genre. And, it does not hurt one bit to see the 450 page `Silver Palate' coming in at less than $30 list, while Ina's much slimmer books list for $35.
   My appreciation for the book developed slowly, which is odd, since I can generally identify very good and very bad book within five minutes. `Silver Palate' had a few early glitches which created some doubts about its value. For example, the very first recipe for a simple appetizer actually had an easily detected error, where the ingredients list required eight slices of cooked ham, and the procedure called for sixteen. Oops! I was also initially put off a bit by the typical Workman cookbook layout style, which tended to split procedure write-ups between good, but annoyingly placed sidebars. This style may work for a breezier subject, but it gets in the way of a book where you want to lay out the book on your kitchen table on a regular basis and follow the recipes from the text. But then, I've found little mistakes in recipes from some of the very best cookbook writers, and this error was easily detected, so I did not let that taint my overall impression.
   When I appraised the real focus of the book, I began to appreciate its value. It begins with a long chapter on `To begin a great event'. On the face of it, this was simply an opening chapter on appetizers. Not too unusual for any cookbook. But this chapter was over 50 pages. As I read further, I saw many recipes, tips, and menus for entertaining many different functions. One can wish the authors had provided us with a special table of all the menus by event. They do, however, appear in the Index under names such as `Thanksgiving Day Menu'.
   With some important exceptions, the book is not really heavy on technique. It is not a `teaching' cookbook like those from Julia Child or some of Martha's better `Handbooks'. An outstanding exception is the long instruction on how to make an omelet. Just like Elizabeth David, they start by saying that there is too much fuss over how this simple dish is done, and then proceed to give a two page recipe. My favorite part of their description is their statement that an omelet is nothing more than eggs, butter, and body English, and, like bowling or billiards, it takes practice to get that body English right.
   Offsetting some of the annoying aspects of the Workman layout style are the especially good photographs, Ms. Lukins' drawings from the original edition, and the many worthy quotes from notables spread about the book. And, those sidebars are really pretty useful for the primary purpose of information for entertaining. We get better than average surveys of things like olives, charcuterie, and cheeses.
   Most recipes in this book are excellent versions of both international and domestic standards. And, contrary to some of the cover blurbs, there is nothing strongly `American' about the selection of recipes, although there is a strong orientation to recipes from Europe and the Mediterranean. One unusual aspect of the recipe selection is the very high number of recipes, including lots of savory recipes, which use berries, especially blueberries and raspberries. While there is nothing especially `healthy' about the recipe selection, one can do worse for a great selection of blueberry recipes (such as mayonnaise, soup, and chicken dishes) for that anti-oxidant hero.
   For such a cheap, attractive, and useful book, one simply cannot go wrong by adding this to your cookbook library.
   
   I should point out that I have not seen the original book, but another reviewer has, and remarks that the recipes are virtually identical. So, my evaluation stands if you never owned a copy before, or your original copy is in tatters.



2. Long been a Rosso/Lukins fan, especially fond of their New Basics effort, it still is one of my old reliables. So thought I'd give this classic a try and it is a good collection of fun recipes with some good color photos.
   
   Especially fond of such as: Lentil and Walnut Salad; Spinach-And Ricotta-Stuffed Tomatoes; Brie Souffle; Medieval Apple Tart. There are many more like this that are wonderful, unique and full-flavored dishes which are not your everyday sort of fare, but for special occasions where you feel in the mood and have time to do something a little more special that is unique, flavorful and will bring in compliments for enjoyable cuisine.
   
   They provide their standard well done and tested recipes with helpful subject callouts of information.



3. I ordered this book almost a month ago from amazon. It was said to be in stock but after the order I was told it was not and I've still been waiting to get it. I have heard wonderful things though about this cookbook and it's suppose to be a must have for any cooks kitchen. It is especially suppose to be great for entertaining type cooking.
   I only put 3 stars only because I have only heard and read good reviews. The 3 stars are more geared towards Amazon for taking so long to ship it.



4. This has been one of our favorite cookbooks since it first came out. Our family and friends have been wowed for the past twenty-five Thanksgivings by our turkey, which is (closely) based on the recipe in this book. The new edition has all the recipes in the old one and more. We'll use it regularly for the NEXT twent-five years!



5. Recipes I have been borrowing "forever" in this book...time to have my own!

5 comments about Alive in 5: Raw Gourmet Meals in Five Minutes.

1. This little book is great. Gives many great ideas for eating healthy. I just bought a vita-mix and find this book very useful



2. This book is a great place to start for anyone making the transition to raw food. I recommend it to my neophyte raw food friends. It's not overwhelming and most recipes don't have long prep times.



3. I recently purchased three raw cookbooks, this is the first I have tried.
   
   I have tried all but two recipes of the first three days menu plan, plus two extras, sometimes they took a little longer than 5 minutes but I have enjoyed every recipes.
   
   This is my fourth try going raw and I may make it this time because the foods in the book are readily available (except maybe one or two).
   
   There is not a lot planning days ahead to soak, sprout, grind, dehydrate for three days so maybe it will be ready and hopefully you will still want it and remember what you were trying to make in the first place! With this book you see it, you check the frig and find the ingrediants, you make it, you love it!



4. Some really lovely recipes for dressings which we are always looking for to pour on our many salads and wraps. Also, a couple of soups I hadn't tried yet were very good. We don't eat many sweet things, but this book has a great sounding lemon pudding I want to try. A nice investment for the busy raw foodist.



5. I really like this book for it's simplicity and yet great tasting recipes. While some of them may be very simple - such as the cucumber pizza - I would have never tried it without the guidance provided. I made those simple little pizzas and took them to a party and they were not only a hit, but they totally disappeared - and fast!!
   
   I have about 12-15 raw books and find this one to be right at the top of the list (along with Jennifer Cornbleets too) due to the ease of the recipes without a lot of upfront prep time. This is definitely one of my "weekday" recipe books! Granted, on a raw lifetstyle one does have to remember that soaking nuts/seeds is part of the deal so keep that in mind.
   
   Enjoy and eat your veggies!

5 comments about The Gluten-Free Gourmet Bakes Bread: More Than 200 Wheat-Free Recipes.

1. I've been using this book for 8 years. I've served waffles made from Bette's Bean Waffle recipe to everyone in my life and they all love them. That one recipe is worth the price of the book. I've had good luck with many others as well. I do tend to modify them, but as a basic source book it's one of the best. (I modify the waffle recipe by separating the egg yolk and whites, beating the whites with a bit of cream of tartar, and folding them into the batter just before baking. This adds volume and helps them rise.)



2. This book is awesome and thorough for the gluten intolerant or celiac. It's not going to make you a great baker overnight, but at least there's hope. Packaged bread mixes are okay and pre-made bread is awful so accept the challenge and enhance your life. This woman did a lot of work for us and this is the only way to have decent baked goods. She's the best.



3. I'm addicted to baked goods. As a new-found celiac, I thought I was never going to be able to eat them again. Boy, have I been proven wrong!



4. Thanks for the book, thanks for throwing in your two cents. To me, as a hobbyest baker and newly diagnosed Celiac (when I bought it), this book was too complicated. It is TOO MUCH. She uses recipies that use too many difficult to find/undigestable/abnormal ingredients.
   
   GF Baking is not for wusses, but I have yet to find recipe one in this book that I can tolerate. She relies too heavily on Fava flour and nut flours, which are made from complex carbohydrates and are hard for some Celiacs to digest (ie. Celiacs with IBS), besides being insanely expensive (in my area, almond flour is over $13/lb). I don't understand why she's not using flours that are just as easy to come by, like coconut or corn masa, and work as well as those stinking bean flours. Plus, I'm not a fan of anything that is a "replacement" for real food. She uses a lot of egg replacer, powdered milk, etc. Why not use an egg, Bette? Are ya chicken?
   
   All and all, I feel like I wasted my $18.00 on this book. I've found far better and more useful resources on the Celiac related blogs than I have in this book. Just because it has a lot of recipes does not mean there is really much in the way of variation in here. I think we've been taken for a ride.
   
   PS. She's not mentioned this in any of the recipes I've read, but GF doughs are easier to work after a rest in the freezer (just until they're firm, around half an hour). Otherwise, they can be your stickiest nightmare! (My first fight with a GF pizza crust from a mix left me in tears and pizza dough all over the kitchen, me and the utensil in question). Just keep repeating to yourself: "Cold and parchment are my friends... cold and parchment are my friends...." and the sticky factor will be greatly reduced.



5. What I love about this book is that the main recipes can be modified to produce different types of bread (e.g. carrot, lemon poppy seed, etc.) and many start with the same basic stuff. So I made a huge batch of the basic recipe and divided the dry ingredients into 12 (can be different for various recipes) and have made two types of bread while putting the other 10 packages in ziplocks stored in the refrigerator until I am ready to make another loaf. I also enjoy the fact that you can easily adapt the recipes to a bread making machine...life is so much easier for me this way. In addition to the basic and varieties of bread (yeast based), there are non-yeast breads, and other items normally found with a flour base. I have yet to try some of those, but will soon. Being a Type I (insulin dependent) diabetic plus celiac limits my carb intake, so dividing the recipes is the best way to go in order to control my blood sugars...just wish my husband would eat gluten-free products with me as we now buy groceries for two different diets even more so now. Some may say the ingredients are costly, but in order to have better health I feel this is worth the extra effort in order to make the best tasting gluten-free products...but I do miss my wheat bread. Ah well, this book has provided me with more options than I ever thought possible.

5 comments about RAWvolution: Gourmet Living Cuisine.

1. This is an AWESOME raw recipe resource. The author gives helpful, detailed information about the philosophy and benefits of a raw foods diet as well as easy-to-follow recipes. This is the second raw food "cookbook" I've purchased (the other was Ani Phyo's Ani's Raw Foods Kitchen-another great one)and I like them both equally. However, RAWvolution's recipes in general seem to be more simplistic but just as delicious. My favorite recipes so far have been the Seed Cheese Wrap and the Spirulina Pie. So yummy!! Another perk of the book that I love is the section toward the end with different menu plans for different occasions like holidays and birthdays. I would highly recommend this cookbook to any raw foodie, vegan, vegetarian, or anyone that just wants some fun, new, and different recipes to add some variety to their diet.



2. Matt does a great job of including simple, easy to prepare recipes in this book. And he has pictures of just about every recipe! The ingredients he uses aren't too exotic, but I do wish he's use a little less Nama Shoyu over all. His introduction is nice and brief, and the book is very well laid-out.



3. I enjoyed this book very much. The recipes are simple and tend to use more common, less expensive ingredients than many other raw cookbooks. Almost every recipe is beautifully illustrated. It's a very nice selection of recipes, just about everything you might want to make as a vegetarian in a raw version. It's not an overwhelming number of recipes, either, good for a beginner. I give it four stars instead of five because I often have to adjust the seasoning, he'll use way too much for me, and the pictures of someone in patched up blue jeans did not appeal to me.



4. Everything I've made from this book has been delicious so far! It's also very beautifully laid out, great photographs, and easy to read. He has symbols for each recipe which tell u difficulty level, and which appliances will be needed, so u don't have to read through the whole recipe first to know what your getting into. Most recipes are really simple and easy as well as delicious! Great book.



5. I'm relatively new to raw foods, and for a long time my first and only book was Ani's Raw Food Kitchen. I purchased Rawvolution a few months after getting Ani's, but didn't try it out right away. Boy was that a mistake -- especially considering Ani's has been such a hit or miss cookbook for me. I've made 4 recipes from this book recently and all 4 of them have been amazing. The seed cheese actually tastes like cheese; the Corn Chowder doesn't taste like its missing any dairy; the Thai Curry soup is just a simple and phenomenal recipe. I absolutely cannot wait to try other recipes from this book.
   
   I sort of agree with some people who say that he uses a lot of Nama Shoyu -- a little too much. But honestly, do what sounds right to you. If you don't like salty tasting things, don't put a half a cup of Nama Shoyu in something -- adjust it accordingly and you'll be fine. Thats what cooking is all about isn't it?
   
   As far as the physical book, it is very well designed and the photography is also excellent.

5 comments about Bouchon.

1. Don't fear the bistro.
   
   The book contains recipes that, with some forethought and prep, are amazingly approachable for the home cook in the home kitchen. The secret really is in the Basic Prep & Technique section... spending the time to make the good building blocks makes the recipes in the book a breeze to prepare, and the building blocks can be used to elevate some of your own kitchen staples (like the garlic and tomato confit). And the book also contains the recipe for the best, and easiest, roast chicken that I have ever made.



2. I work in the trade - this book is very inspirational.
   As with all books - use moderation in its appliance.
   Adopt the recepies to your own need.
   
   Be well and make food with love
   
   T



3. This was bought as a gift. Rarely do you get a chance to give a gift that keeps on giving. In addition, it shows careful thought. The recipes outlined in the book can be accomplished and make the "chef" who cooks them a star. So the giver is one too!!!



4. My immediate reaction on unpacking this was 'yuck'. This is the book equivalent of a roast chicken with little paper toques on the legs - the target audience looks to be the sort of people who enjoy reading in-flight magazines, and who store the major part of their libraries under the coffee table. This first reaction was immediately reinforced by sentences that told me things like that 'a good quiche is like sex' (or maybe 'a quiche is like good sex' - I'm not sure, I quote from memory), and a general impression that Keller is to Bistro food what Marie-Antoinette was to cheese making.
   
   Nevertheless, if you can muscle your way past the gag reflex, there are a healthy number of good ideas and recipes here within a coherent (if somewhat Baroque) framing perspective.
   
   In summary, technical content is actually very good, but I won't be filing it beside Elizabeth David, where people can see it.
   
   One other thing - does Keller have a watch endorsement deal? A large chunk of expensive looking (but not actually identifiable) steel is on display on his wrist in many of the pictures - I don't think I have ever seen a watch on a chef's wrist before in technique photos, never mind displayed so prominently).
   
   Note added (31.05.08) W.r.t. watches, it appears Keller is just ahead of the curve: I just got Heston Blumenthal's two 'Perfection' books in the mail, and he also sports a large chunk of mechanical timepiece. Blumenthal's books are infinitely more attractive than Keller's - if nothing else, Blumenthal has a well-developed sense of irony, something Keller appears completely to lack.



5. Beautiful book with a special atmosphere and story. The format, pictures, text are really interesting and worth to see and read.

5 comments about The Gluten-Free Gourmet Cooks Comfort Foods: Creating Old Favorites with the New Flours.

1. This book certainly contains gluten free recipes, but many of the recipes are gluten-free recipes to being with, such as "Crockpot Chili", "Fruited Dressing for Pork", "Deviled Eggs", and "Chicken Waldorf Salad".
   
   I already have hoards of recipes that don't call for gluten-containing ingredients. This book is a collection of recipes you can make complete meals from, whether they contain gluten ingredients or not. I expected that it would be a 100% compilation of gluten containing foods you could cook using gluten-free substitutes.
   
   The good points I gave to this book are that it gives you directions for making several types of gluten-free baking mixes to use in the recipes that normally call for flour. And those recipes don't contain any of that awful tasting soy flour.



2. Book was very well written and some good recipes for people needing help with this disease They were easy and manageable for a beginner.



3. my fav and trusted GF cook. guaranteed great results. can trust the texture and flavour of food is wonderful and so similar to 'normal' food the same. much prefer her gluten free flour mixes than packaged stuff from the supermarket.



4. The salmon quiche is fantastic! As a new-found celiac, I thought I'd never be able to eat pasta again. I'm truly looking forward to cooking substantially more from this "life-saving" book.



5. The front cover of this book shows a mouth-watering chicken pot pie with a gorgeous crust. That's what interested me in the book. But guess what, the crust recipe is not included! When I person needs to cook gluten-free, it's pretty simple to figure out what recipes are OK--salad, cheese and eggs, chicken and other meats, etc. What you need a book to teach you is how to make breads, pie crusts, and stuff like that. This book has a few good recipes, but it's definitely not worth what I paid for it -- and I didn't pay full price, I bought a used version that looks totally new... maybe the last owner found out what I did: this cookbook is a disappointment.

5 comments about The Gourmet Slow Cooker: Simple and Sophisticated Meals from Around the World.

1. I used the Beef Burgundy recipe for a recent dinner party where everyone had to bring a dish from around the world. It was a simple recipe but tasted far from simple. I got many praises on my dish.
   
   I can't wait to try some more recipes.



2. These are recipes to use if you're having a dinner party and want to impress your guests with great food, not potluck casserole recipes made with canned soup, salt & pepper and processed cheese, etc. for people who are absolute beginners or are afraid of a little extra prep. I've tried several of the recipes in this book, some more than once, and loved all of them, especially the Indian dishes (in particular, the Chicken in Saffron-Tomato Cream Sauce).



3. Collecting cookbooks is a hobby. I've pored thru many of them and spent a ton of money buying, then discarding them. This is the FIRST one I've loved! I'm not a pork or ham person, I love intricate flavors (but not hot) and for the first time these dishes have all the layers of flavor I was looking for, without being overly calorie or sodium laden.
   Yes it's more work to do the prep but it is a fact that browning the meat makes more layers of flavor, so get up a little earlier or do the prep the night before. I only cook for two or three adults so I halve the recipe and still have alot left over.
   The slow cooker brand is VERY important. The first three recipes I made all burned even when I adjusted the cooking time. So I went online and found customer and magazine reviews of different crock pots. I threw out my Rival and forked over the money for the All Clad. Boy it was worth it! I hardly fill half of the crockpot but the recipes still turn out great! I was praying the author had written another one and I am getting it soon The only books I reach for now are the "Slow Cooker For Dummies" and Lynn Alley's books. None of the other books even come close!



4. This is my favorite slow cooker cookbook. I just made the Tarragon Chicken last night for the first time and I thought it was wonderful! I've liked every recipe I've tried so far, and they have been very very tasty. My husband particularly likes the Italian Pot Roast. I also feel like they are different then a lot of the other dishes I cook regularly so it really breaks things up. I would feel comfortable serving anything from this cookbook that I've made so far to my mother in law, a rather gourmet cook herself (Who I find a little intimidating on the cooking score... Plus you know in-laws, you want to look like you have your stuff together when they come for dinner!).
   
   I will say that I have been somewhat selective about which recipes I have made. The recipes in the England/Ireland sections don't sound as appealing to me so I haven't tried them. (I just don't think the ingredients sound as good)I'm thinking that if you found the ingredients appealing you would probably like the recipe; they are probably lovely recipes for that type of dish, just not my thing.
   
   My one complaint would be that a lot of the dishes require a little bit of "precooking" (example: simmer the sauce, cook the the veggies, or grill the meat before placing it in the slow cooker; nothing that will take a million years to do, but enough extra that not all the dishes are super quick.) I will say that if you have the time they vastly improve the dishes. If you are in a rush this doesn't work so well... it does add a fair bit of time to the cook time. What I like about the slow cooker is that I can toss a few things in quickly, and everything is done when I get home from work. It acts as my back up when I don't really have time to cook, but need to anyway! The author does say that you can skip this a lot of times if you want to, which is ok, it doesn't ever seem to ruin the dish, but as I mentioned it does vastly improve the dish to follow the "precook" instructions.
   
   Over all I think the recipes are yummy yummy yummy! They are well worth the extra effort when you have the time. Just don't expect this to be your quick, dump a few cans into the crock pot any your done type of cookbook, the recipes do involve a little more effort then that. Nothing hideous but a little more effort, but hey if you can serve it to you mother in law you know its a winner!



5. Bought it for a girlfriend of mine for her birthday. She made the a chicken and wine recipe and loved it. Very flavorful!! I will be borrowing it to check it out for myself and maybe get my own copy.

5 comments about The French Laundry Cookbook.

1. even tho i dont cook much, i love giving this gorgeous gift as a special wedding birhday xmas gift. its beautiful on a table, to savored and appreciated as art to eat. and i do love to eat. great combined with some fun kitchen item, gorgeous french towels, cake server or plate, wonderful serving bowl or plate. we are blessed to be able to have chef keller sign ours, an even more special gift



2. Keller steps out and does something amazing with this book. An absolute pleasure to read and learn new ideas from.



3. Beautiful in its design, photography, inspirational story telling and food. There is wonderful attention to detail and accuracy in terms of the recipes and methods. A timeless classic from one of the world's best.



4. Physically speaking, "The French Laundry Cookbook" is dense, somewhat cumbersome, and teetering on intimidating--it will surely be the largest cookbook you'll ever own, and the statement is clear; this is not a cookbook for amateurs. On the contrary, this is a dense, meticulously-structured culinary opera aimed at those courageous enough to attempt to recreate 4-star dishes out of the home kitchen. Visually, the cookbook features countless, beautiful, full-page photographs of food so perfectly conceived that it comes off as easy, although once you read through any one recipe, you're sure to realize the difference between fantasy and reality. Keller is quite obviously a food perfectionist, and takes every extra step, every precaution, every effort, to make every component of every dish as flawless as possible. If this sounds like your cup o' tea, then you should order this cookbook with no delay. Granted, some recipes are on the easier side, but that's on the French Laundry spectrum, where easy is still more difficult than what you're probably used to. On the opposite end of the spectrum, this cookbook features recipes that, despite Keller's obvious and applaudable efforts to make his masterworks' a possibility for the at-home chef, are nearly impossible to pull-off, unless you have skill, patience, and around 4 days with nothing else to do.
   
   If you're very serious about cooking and want to take the difficulty level up quite a bit, then consider this cookbook. Every recipe you complete will make you a more well-rounded, knowledgeable cook, and that's the bottom line--this cookbook is like a portable culinary school. Just be aware that unless you go into the cooking process dedicated, patient, and determined, frustration could take over and the dish might not be worth the effort. If done right, some of the dishes in this cookbook, from sight to taste, are simply stunning, and like nothing else out there.



5. This is book is amazing. It came just as described and shipping was on time. I'm so glad that it was all wrapped up as promised in the original plastic seal.

5 comments about The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution.

1. Love it! Yes it is simple..but that's great because with three kids under seven simple is the order of the day. My favorite thing is it is real food. No processed short cuts. Yet the recipes I've made have been fast-even with beans the actual hands on time was minimal. More importantly my kids love it. Also it is very budget friendly. Her list of staples and the numerous recipes you can make from them are a godsend. It is so great to have a list of dishes I can make from a few different panty.
   It is often said that budget friendly and healthy don't go together, however I find with this book the opposite is true. Seasonal foods are often on sale, and because she has so many simple bean and grain based foods I can cut down on expensive meats.



2. I choose cookbooks very carefully, I take it quite seriously. If I could only keep one, it would be The Art of Simple Food. The best version of everything. Give it as a wedding or house warming gift.



3. I heard about this book in our local newspaper. I don't usually read cook books, but this one is really interesting and readable like a good novel. She describes many ways to use natural ingredients. I haven't cooked with this book yet, but it is good reading.



4. I think the average cookbook reader/cook has really moved beyond these very basic techniques and recipes. It might be a better purchase for someone just starting out. None of the recipes moved me to try them--indeed, it felt as if I'd already done some variation on most of them.



5. I really enjoyed Chez Panisse Fruit. So much so that I have asked my husband for it for my birthday. When I came across this book at the library, I got it out in high anticipation. Having read the reviews and having been so happy with the Fruit book, I can barely describe how disappointing this book is. First of all, Alice really needs to stop being so damn self congratulatory. I should have taken the title "Recipes from a Delicious Revolution" more seriously and realized that mostly the chatty comments are her saying how great she and her restaurant is.
   
   Am I wrong here or is local food pretty much what everyone ate before refrigerated trucks. So Basically she went back to cooking the way people cooked prior to WWII. Congratulations, how innovative.
   
   The book lacks the charm of her Fruit book. There are only small paragraphs at the beginning of each section and not enough comments. I really liked how she would talk about the different fruit or the different recipe. I wish she had done that with this book.
   
   Also, the lack of pictures is also a major pet peeve for me. I didn't try any of the recipes. They just didn't inspire me. You want a good book on how to cook food simply, get something by the folks at Cook's Illustrated.