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

1. All I can say to this author is Many Many Thanks! You must have been through a lot of bad breads to get to this point. I know I have. The featherlight bread and french bread is all I was really interested in. My mom and I couldn't be happier with the taste and texture of this bread. It wasn't easy to compile the flours without the help of the internet, but the results were well worth it. In searching around I learned you sell the mixture already prepared. As soon as I use the ingredients I have I will be purchasing the mix.



2. This cookbook is an earlier addition. I wish I would have paid more attention to puslishing date! I realize now that there is a more updated cookbook by the same author.



3. My mom was diagnosed with Celiac's a few years back. Not having a bread that she can use for sandwiches has been the thing she misses most -- all the store bought stuff falls apart if you use it for a sandwich. I like to bake, so I (recently) purchased this book to see I could make some breads for her that were better than the store bought stuff. So far I have only had time to make the Basic Four Flour Bread. This turned out so well that IMO this single recipe is worth the price of the book. I'm looking forward trying more of the bread recipes.
   
   My local Whole Foods store did not have the Garfava flour, but they did have Bob's Red Mill Garbanzo and Fava Bean mixed flour. I used this instead. Worked just fine. Bob's also makes the sorghum flour that I saw someone else was unable to find. [...]



4. Having lived gluten-free for over six years now, this has to be my most used and most adored cookbook. When I meet newly-diagnosed celiacs I recommend this book first. I prepare the mixes in bulk and use them often to create lovely breads of all types that are satisfying even to those in my family who do not have to eat gluten-free. I have tried over a dozen of the recipes in this book and all have produced wonderful results. My absolute favorite mix is the french-bread/pizza mix. I made two loaves of this french bread for a family dinner once and they were both gone before we sat down to the meal. I have used the featherlight mix as a substitution for regular flour in my family cookie recipes at Christmas time and the cookies turn out perfect. This book has made living gluten-free more manageable than I could have ever imagined.



5. I really don't want to slate this too much, as I haven't actually used it, BUT:
   After using packet mixes for years, I decided i had more time and less money, so I would start to make my own. I spent a fortune on flours etc. and used recipes from the internet - the bread was always a disaster.
   So I ordered this book. This is the fourth gluten free cookery book I have bought since diagnosis 5 years ago. Why oh why does each book and sometimes each recipe within a book use completely different flours? Why do some use yeast, others baking powder, others baking soda... I had already spent a fortune and had a selection of flours, then this book has a list of further different, and I have to agree with the other reviews - totally obscure and very expensive flours.
   I started looking for flour on the internet, then thought "sod this" and ordered mixes instead.
   We aren't stupid, we are celiacs, give us some simple recipes we can work with please.

5 comments about Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet.

1. I purchased this based on the positive reviews and have to say that I'm greatly disappointed in the recipes in this book. They are all way too simple and are directed towards folks who don't like to cook or who are just learning how to read recipes and prepare meals on their own. You could not eat a well balanced vegetarian lifestyle based on these recipes. This would be a good cookbook for someone fresh out of college living on their own or even for a teenager who has decided to be a vegetarian and needs to prepare their own meals separate from the rest of the family. It is not geared towards feeding a family at all. The recipes require little preparation which I"m sure is appealing to some but really you can't call it gourmet by no means! I personally love to cook and I make a real effort to balance my proteins in my meals as a vegetarian and I really just don't feel that this cookbook can meet those needs at all. It's way too simplified for anyone who is comfortable in the kitchen.



2. I absolutely love this cookbook! It has very easy, simple recipes that can be thrown together after work in under 20 minutes. Everything we have tried has been a big hit in our home! I think this is a great addition to any cookbook collection.



3. These recipes may be simple to make and pretty cheap as well, but many of them are mediocre or downright bland. You can tell just by looking at some of the recipes that there's not much flavor. There are a few keepers, such as the Marinated Beans (canned beans, parsley, scallions, vinaigrette, pepper), Black Bean Salad with Feta and Peppers (black beans, red bell peppers, vinaigrette, parsley, feta or goat cheese), Baked Barbecue Tofu and Peppers (tofu, bell peppers, onion, barbecue sauce), and Black Bean Burritos (tortillas, onion, black beans, green chiles, olive oil). Most of the other recipes I've tried are things I would not make again, and many of the recipes I would never make because they just don't appeal to me. The recipes are pretty healthy for the most part, though some of them call for the processed vegetarian "fake meat" products that I try to stay away from. This cookbook might be handy for those without cooking skills, those with very small kitchens, or those on a tight budget. I wouldn't recommend it to others. There are many other vegetarian cookbooks out there that are much better than this one. If you're looking for quick and simple recipes, I'd recommend Donna Klein's "The PDQ (Pretty Darn Quick) Vegetarian Cookbook" or Joanne Stepaniak's "Vegan Deli" over this one.



4. This is a great cookbook with many simple recipes that almost anyone can prepare. We've tried several and all have been pretty good. The best thing I've found is that it has introduced me to some new flavor combinations that I can use when I am making stuff up!



5. Of all the vegetarian cookbooks I've come to own, this is the one I turn to the most. The recipes are all fantastic and you don't have to go hunting for weird ingredients in order to make them. The prep time is usually short since there are only a few ingredients to deal with.

5 comments about Japanese Hot Pots: Comforting One-Pot Meals.

1. I recently bought this cook book and my three kids and I have been having a lot of fun exploring the recipes! At first I was a little scared that we wouldn't have access to the Japanese ingredients needed for some of the recipes but quickly discovered that the authors suggest alternatives for each and every item that may be hard to find in your neck of the woods. (i.e. A small Japanese onion can be replaced with two scallions). I like to make my kids simple, home cooked meals, and these recipes are very easy to follow and make great family meals! I highly recommend this cookbook.



2. The authors' years of experience with Japanese cooking might make you think that this is a book for experts, but they also make it easy for the beginner. A lack of special equipment need not stop you, as the authors tell you how to use tools that you probably have if you cook much at all. There is also a guide to tell you where to find ingredients in your area. They even make it easy for people in outlying areas by suggesting substitutions available at any supermarket. Want to learn about Japanese cooking other than sushi? The best way, short of going to Japan, might be to do it yourself. Great for family meals or dinner parties.



3. It took one hot pot recipe - the one with the hand pulled dumpling to open the door. Then I needed a new hot pot. I have tried these recipes with both my donabe and electric skillet. It has completely converted my meatasaurus husband to eating his vegetables. He was delightfully eating the cabbage!?! I couldn't believe my eyes. Not to mention, it was such a healthy way of cooking that tastes absolutely delicious, fresh and robust at the same time. It truly warms the soul
   
   My one recommendation - Have a couple recipe options available since not all ingredients are readily available. You will find that almost all the ingredients are available at a well-stocked Japanese grocery store.



4. The recipes are easy, the ingredients are a little tricky to find. I've substituted
   some of the ingredients for others I have on hand with out a problem. So far the recipes I've made are pretty simple and incredibly flavorful.



5. I am a huge fan of soups and stews, for breakfast or/and dinner, for winter or/and summer. Of course the problem is the length and work they take to prepare and cook. I have to confess that at first I was a little intimidated by Japanese Hot Pots because of the strenuous work I assumed it implied. Quite the contrary. The recipes are easy to follow, the process itself very concise, creative and quick. The result is a luscious stew that admits almost any thing on it, even while I am already serving it, I remember I have other ingredients in the fridge that might go well in it, and they always do! One of my favorites is the one called "strawberry" to designate balls made of shrimp and ginger, oh my G, those balls are so fine and delicious! Me and my friends keep talking about "the pink balls" and make plans to cook them again and again.
   
   The book is also very beautifully laid out(I love the square format!) with some mouthwatering pictures on it that will not let you to wait any more to taste them. All the basics are very well-explained and illustrated and all of the ingredients are easy to find in the specialized groceries. They are also easy to remember recipes that you can keep on improvising and adding and changing. And the taste of these hot pots... once you have tasted them, you will be hooked for life. There is something quite addictive on it, and you will find yourself daydreaming for another bowl, and another...

5 comments about Bouchon.

1. Bouchon is a beautifully photographed coffee table cookbook. Its 360 pages are filled with some of the restaurant's most popular recipes that have been tested for the home cook. Keller provides detailed instructions, essays and informative tips and techniques to achieve French bistro perfection.
   
   Keller, chef and proprietor of The French Laundry, opened Bouchon in Napa Valley in 1998. Unlike The French Laundry, Bouchon is fashioned after the many bistros in France, with bistro comfort food that Keller truly enjoys. Keller explains in his introduction that "bistro food is not about specialized ingredients, rather it is about precision of technique brought to bear on ordinary ingredients."
   
   Bouchon covers the vast array of classic French bistro fare, everything from hors d'oeuvres, onion soup, frisee salad with bacon and poached egg, quiches, savory tarts, croque madame and other sandwiches, mussels, stews, roasts, and steak frites to crème caramel, chocolate mousse, dessert tarts and even profiteroles. Dishes are stylishly photographed. Close-up photos allow the reader to see proper techniques and results.
   
   Recipes titles are in both English and French. The recipe for My Favorite Simple Chicken-Mon Poulet Roti has only six simple ingredients. Keller explains to salt and pepper the cavity, how to truss the bird, and provides valuable tips and techniques to achieve a crisp, salty and flavorful skin. The adventurous cook will find recipes, like boeuf bourguignon and duck confit, well laid out.
   
   "The Importance of Onion Soup", one of the twelve informational essays, demonstrates Keller's passion for his craft and a true respect for high-quality ingredients. His sidebars, tips and techniques offered throughout the book, explain how the home cook can achieve perfect, satisfying results. A mini cooking lesson captured on each page that will engross the reader.
   
   The last chapter, "Basic Preparation and Techniques", will allow the home cook to lay the foundation that so important to build upon. It includes recipes to prepare stocks, sauces, aioli, butters and sweet dough and creams. How to prepare a bouquet garni or sachet is also covered, as well as, instructions for brining.
   
   Like Julia Child's, Mastering the Art of French Cooking; Keller and his collaborators have created the gold standard for classic French bistro cuisine. This alluring book will have the reader starting at the beginning and working their way through to the end. A must-have for any lover of French food.



2. I got this book for my wife at Christmas, along with its companion French Laundry. Since then I have enjoyed Keller's elegant and classic recipes, especially his Quiche Lorraine. My wife is an excellent cook having grown up around the restaurant business, but as a (very) amateur cook myself I was probably most impressed by Keller's recipe for brioche. Normally this light table bread is considered something of a challenge to make, but Keller guides you right through the process. And, in both French Laundry and Bouchon he provides you with guides to where one can find the more difficult to locate cooking tools and foods (quail eggs, duck confit, rendered duck fat, whole rabbit, and pig's trotters).
   
   Though I did not get this book for myself, I like to think that I have been the primary beneficiary of Keller's extremely well written and beautifully illustrated cookbook - in fact, you'll find it would function equally as well as a coffee table book.



3. This is a great book for anyone looking for some great traditional French bistro recipes. Keller is a true culinary perfectionist!



4. OMG! This book was suggested by a friend at the sports club, I love to cook and have a small appetite but my joy comes from cooking for others. The book, the paper, the photography, the simplicity are all I feel a triple A rating.The pictures and the stories make this an amazing cook book and one your friends will love to glance through if it is on the coffee table.
   
   Amazon shipped so fast although I must say I bought the French Laundry Cook Book at the same time. Both amazing books but Bouchon is a more simpler style



5. This book is a common topic at my Culinary College. The concepts and attention to detail offer insight, methods and techniques used by chefs which are invaluable to the home cook. If you are in interested in learning more than just combinations of ingredients then this book is for you.

5 comments about The Whole Foods Allergy Cookbook: Two Hundred Gourmet & Homestyle Recipes for the Food Allergic Family.

1. I actually picked this up from my library to look through before purchasing and I'm so glad that I did.
   
   Gluten allergy is so very common that I can't believe the author uses so many gluten containing flours in her recipes. Many of the recipes call for spelt but with a note to use barley flour if spelt is not tolerated. Both spelt and barley contain gluten. This book simply won't work for our family.



2. My 7 yr old son is the one who suffers from food allergies in our family. He is allergic to eggs, dairy, soy, tree nuts and wheat. This was the first cookbook I purchased. I rarely use it now that I have acquired 3 other cookbooks. The recipes are more for adults and there are a lot of ingredients, some of which I have trouble finding. Plus, the flours used are a mixture of oat flour and barley. If you have a wheat allergy, you know to stay away from barley. Again, it is a good cookbook. Just not right for us!!



3. This was the first cookbook I bought when my teenage son was diagnosed with EE. Not all recipes were a hit with my family, but it provided the basis with me to come up with meal ideas when I was at a loss. It is still the first cookbook I go to when I'm looking for something new to try.



4. It may be just a problem with Amazon and not the actual book, but this book was on the recommendations for food intolerances (such as gluten intolerance). Every recipe that uses flour calls for oat and barley flour, neither of which can my family eat. Also, I didn't find very good substitution information, either. Just substituting Amaranth flour for Barley flour will not produce the same results in a recipe, due to the lack of gluten.
   
   I was very anxious to receive this book, and was very disheartened upon reading it.



5. Dear Readers:
   
   I don't know how else to get this message out to you other than posting it on a review. If you are looking for a GLUTEN-FREE and ALLERGEN-FREE cookbook, please check out my brand new book, The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook. Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook It is completely GLUTEN-FREE. The Whole Foods Allergy Cookbook is WHEAT-FREE, but NOT GLUTEN-FREE. If you are looking for GLUTEN-FREE RECIPES, TRY MY OTHER BOOK! Thanks! Cybele Pascal

1 comments about Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker: Simple and Sophisticated Meals from Around the World.

1. I haven't been overly impressed with the vegetarian slow cooker cookbooks that I have seen so I was happy to discover the publication of a new one. Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker: Simple and Sophisticated Meals from Around the World doesn't disappoint.
   
   In the introduction, the author discusses how she prefers inexpensive slow cookers over their fancier, more expensive counterparts (which often have more parts, such as digital control panels, that are susceptible to breaking). She mentions that the possible drawback of less expensive models, uneven heating, can easily be addressed by rotating the slow cooker insert midway through cooking.
   
   The author provides a brief overview of ingredients with helpful tips about selecting beans, choosing the specialty salt best suited to a dish (which she recommends but is not a requirement for recipes), and grinding your own spices for maximum freshness. The only equipment suggested is a slow cooker, immersion blender, electric coffee mill (for grinding spices) and a mortar and pestle (another way to grind spices).
   
   Recipes are divided into regions of cuisine: India, Mexico and the Southwest, Asia, Italy, France, Greece, and the Middle East. Recipes are mainly for main dishes and side dishes but there are a few for breakfast, appetizers and desserts.
   
   Of the 57 recipes, 17 are accompanied by a full page color photo of the finished dish.
   
   I liked that the author recommends a beverage for each recipe. For instance, she suggests a hearty red Tuscan wine with the Tuscan White Beans with Sage and Garlic and a "dry, acidic white wine such as an Alsatian Pinot Gris or a Riesling, or a good, fruity mountain red" with the French Alpine Cheese, Tomato, and Onion Soup. For the Barley, Mushroom, and Onion Soup, she suggests a beer.
   
   The first chapter provides the following recipes from India:
   -Spiced Basmati Rice Breakfast Cereal
   -Curried Chickpeas with Fresh Ginger and Cilantro
   -Creamy Dal
   -Dal with Ground Cinnamon, Cloves, Cardamom, and Cumin
   -Stuffed Peppers with Yogurt Sauce
   -Waari Muth
   -Potatoes and Carrots in Coconut Curry
   -Mogul Eggplant
   -Minted Potato and Chickpea Curry
   -Spicy Indian Lentil and Tomato Soup
   -Tomato, Rice, and Coriander Soup
   
   The second chapter includes the following recipes from Mexico and the Southwest:
   -My Favorite Chili
   -Vegetable Amarillo
   -Slow-Cooked Grits with Chili and Cheese
   -Spaghetti Squash with Mexican Spices
   -Mexican Black Bean Soup
   -Rustic Potato and Poblano Gratin
   -Stacked Cauliflower Enchilada with Green Chili Sauce
   -Sopa de Ajo
   -Mexican Chocolate Pudding Cake
   
   The third chapter features the following recipes from Asia:
   -Soy-Braised Potatoes
   -Potatoes and Peas in Red Curry Sauce
   -Margaret Hughes's Green Vegetable Curry
   -Korean-Style Black Beans
   -Butternut Squash in Green Curry Sauce
   -Japanese-Style Braised Tofu
   
   The next chapter includes recipes from Italy including:
   -Cracked Wheat Berries with Honey and Ricotta
   -Risotto with Lentils
   -Polenta Lasagna with Tomato-Mushroom Sauce
   -Barley, Mushroom, and Onion Soup
   -Polenta Gnocchi in Tomato Sauce
   -Tuscan White Beans with Sage and Garlic
   -Fonduta Piemontese
   -Red Wine and Cherry Risotto
   
   The fifth chapter includes recipes from France including:
   -French Alpine Cheese, Tomato, and Onion Soup
   -Cold Provencal White Bean Salad
   -Scalloped Potatoes Auvergnats
   -Smoky Potage Saint-Germain
   -Egg, Cheese, and Onion Quiche
   -Uncle Bob's Green Lentil Salad
   -Steamed Artichokes
   -Walnut and Apple Bread Pudding
   
   The next chapter includes the following recipes from Greece:
   -Greek-Style Fava Beans and Tomatoes
   -Stuffed Greek Onions
   -Greek Lemon, Artichoke and Egg Soup
   -Potato, Artichoke, and Mushroom Stew with Kalamata Olives
   -Stuffed Peppers Florina
   -Moussaka with Artichokes, Tomatoes and Potatoes
   -Wild Mushroom Stew on Noodles
   -Yellow Split Pea and Oregano Puree
   -Baby Limas with Spinach
   
   The last chapter includes recipes from the Middle East including:
   -Lebanese Eggplant Stew
   -Chickpea Fattet "Tostadas"
   -Hot or Cold Lentils in Lemon Juice
   -Armenian Apricot Soup
   -Armenian Khavits
   -Chickpea Harira
   
   Most of the ingredients should be available in Whole Foods and other high-end grocery stores. The exception would be some of the spices (such as galangal, also known as Thai ginger), varieties of dried mushrooms and certain peppers. The author recommends Penzeys Spices for hard to find spices and also recommends five websites for specialty sea salts. I should note that the recipes call for the chef to use salt "to taste" rather than recommending specific salts and/or an amount so cooks can use table salt and/or kosher salt (whatever they have at hand) if they so desire.

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

1. I really should have sent this book back. It is not spiced and seasoned correctly for any of the ethnic foods I know well. Some I would not try just from the name. I mean "Oatmeal Soup"? Why would one make ground beef stuffed bell peppers in a crock pot? Why would anyone cook eggplants in oil in a slow cooker? So they get to be grease balls?
   
   As an experienced ethnic cook, I found this book to be a unusable.



2. I have used this cook book's Eggplant, the Italian stew, Chicken Provencal, the Lamb and Spinach, and the Indian Curry. All 5 have been excellent recipes that have resulted in sumptuous dishes. I have many other cook books. But this small cook book is equal to the others because of its excellent recipes.



3. WONDERFUL recipes in here! Easy to make; this book makes me look like a professional chef and that is a hell of a feat!



4. This book surprised me by having very good, authentic recipes. Yes, sometimes it asks you to brown your meat and/or onions before slow cooking it, but then almost all good slow cooker recipes do because browning adds flavor, and slow cookers do not brown things. They make the note that you can skip this step if it's important to you in the first chapter.



5. The cook book is ok. I'm not sure how much I'll use it but it does have a few receipes that I might try.

5 comments about The French Laundry Cookbook.

1. Acting on the premise that one can never own enough cookbooks (the forty or fifty we own makes only a modest cooking library), we added three new cookbooks this year. All are excellent. And the year before, our son gave me a fourth cookbook that's also excellent.
   
   Let's start with the classiest. Thomas Keller owns and operates The French Laundry restaurant in Yountville, California. "Cooking is not about convenience, and it's not about shortcuts. Take your time. Move slowly and deliberately, and with great attention," writes Keller in The French Laundry Cookbook, co-authored with food writer Michael Ruhlman (Ruhlman's The Soul of a Chef, 2001, is a really good book about what drives professional chefs to seek perfection). Food writers pretty much agree The French Laundry is either the best restaurant in the world, not just America, or if not Number One in the World, then Number Two or Three. If you want to eat there (as we do some day), you must call for a reservation two months ahead of time on the morning of the first day of the month. Call any later and the restaurant bookings for that coming month are all filled.
   
   Keller's inventiveness with foods and his meticulous attention to detail are legendary. They are well documented in this fantastically beautiful book. It includes Keller's recipe for his signature appetizer, Pearls and Oyster, which marries caviar and oysters in a bed of creamy pearl tapioca. There a few -very few- of the 150 recipes in this book that an adventurous chef might try at home -there is an intriguing recipe for gazpacho and one for a lasagne that Keller cooks for the staff meal before the restaurant opens to the public--but most of the recipes are way beyond the capabilities of even the most advance home chef and require expensive, sometimes exotic ingredients. (Keller does a lot with caviar, lobster and foie gras, and where in Modesto do you purchase a pig's head or fresh killed squab?) The desserts sound heavenly but are complicated to make as well. (Doesn't fresh-made banana ice cream with chocolate-banana crepes and chocolate sauce sound good?) But then, The French Laundry Cookbook isn't so much a book to cook from as an inspiration, a work of art, a rollercoaster read. I'm glad we own it but I don't see myself cooking anything from it in the near future ... although there is a recipe involving artichokes that looks good.



2. ... you may want to check out the Carol Cooks Keller blog--- carolcookskeller dot blogspot dot com. In 2007-2008, this young woman cooked her way through this book, although she had young kids, a busy life, friends and neighbors to enjoy, and all the rest. She managed to do this by spreading the elaborate steps of the recipes through the week, doing a bit each day. For a cooking 'hobbyist' like me, that sounds fun--just like a motorcycle mechanic fools around with his bike all the time, or a woodworker likes to slip out to the shop to do a little work. So although this cookbook is not about everyday cooking, but instead a mad adventure with something new, her writings did inspire me to order this cookbook and start with the Gruyere Cheese Gougeres (pardon lack of accents!). Final hint: Carol's near-to-final October 17, 2008 entry lists the recipes from this cookbook that she recommends as Great First Steps. She also includes her Top Ten Favorites from the book. By the way, I have absolutely no connection with this blogger, nor did I read her postings in "real time", as she was writing it. Jus' sayin'-- if you REALLY want to get a feel for what it's like to cook these French Laundry recipes, Carol jotted down her step by step experience of every single recipe, as she cooked them, month by month, and included many helpful photos, comments from friends who tasted the food, and did a great job documenting both great successes, along with some total failures.



3. A book to read from a to z before even cooking anything! Thomas Keller shares his passion and experience with a genuine interest to make us better cooks with respect to the food. No 21 minutes meal fixes...



4. I bought this book online from Amazon.com for my grandson for Christmas. He is a Chef and has won awards for his creations. I only glanced through it, but it is, indeed, a handsome looking book. The cover is wonderful, and my "quick read" before wrapping it for Christmas was most favorable.
   When he called to thank me for it, it was obvious he was impressed as well as proud. Thomas Keller is his idol as the best Chef in the world.
   I was also impressed with the rapid delivery of this item after I ordered it.



5. I just finished making 'Pan Roasted Striped Bass with Artichoke Ravioli and Barigoule Vinaigrette' for my wife for Valentine's day. I picked this one because it looked like an easier recipe. It was challenging, took two days to make, I had to substitute several items, but it was worth it. Not only was it the best thing I ever made, it was the best I ever ate and I learned a lot in the process.
   
   If you are looking for a challenge, this book is it. I would just give you one piece of advice. Don't feel that you have to do everything verbatim. I didn't make my own Ravioli Pasta and I had to use Haddock since Striped Bass was out of season, but again, this was the best meal I ever had. And I've been to some top restaurants in Boston, New York, Napa Valley and San Francisco.
   
   This book will be worthless for a beginner. But if you've mastered the more difficult recipes from Gourmet magazine and the Food Network, this book is the greatest challenge and will be the greatest reward for you.
   
   I'm too tired to think about trying another recipe for a couple of months, and too broke.
   
   But you can bet I'll be 'window shopping' through the pages to get ahead on my next project.
   
   My sincerest thanks to the authors for sharing their expertise.

5 comments about Asian Dumplings: Mastering Gyoza, Spring Rolls, Samosas, and More.

1. I wish there were more cookbooks like this....because this is not just a delicious collection of comfort food recipes, above all it is a very good cookbook. It is written clearly, and the recipe descriptions are foolproof. What makes it excellent is that recipes go beyond explaining which steps have to be taken; the recipes also include clear indications for when steps are succesfully executed.
   
   For instance, the recipe for shanghai spring rolls (thin doughsheets for deep-frying) explains (p. 81): "stir [the dough mixture] for 4-5 minutes, about 200 strokes. Strands of glutinous, pasty dough will form, attaching themselves to the rim of the bowl as you stir, and become longer as you progress.[...] When done, the thick pasty dough should be elastic enough for you to lift and stretch it 12 to 14 inches from the bottom of the bowl. [...] Gather the finished dough together; it should hold a slightly mounded shape for a few minutes before spreading to touch the walls of the bowl." Wow!...I have never encountered such clear, and spot on, recipe decriptions.
   
   These descriptions may seem over the top, but for the difficult preparations (spring roll skins; glutinous rice dough; rice sheets; translucent dough) there certainly are not. I've tried all the difficult preparations and they all turned out great, after the first try!



2. I started out with the first recipe, a cabbage and pork dumpling. This is very much like the way my mother-in-law makes that very same dish--but instead of actual quantities, she'd say "some of this, some of that." While I had made that particular dish with success before, this recipe is better, as you get the same delicious results every time. As my MIL's approach is very common in Asian cooking, it's little wonder that so few good Asian cookbooks have been written on home-cooked Asian foods! The author here has does a fabulous job of taking imprecise, variable Asian cooking methods and turn it into something that's simple and RELIABLE. I've made 3 recipes so far and hope to make many more. BTW, the dishes are mostly VERY time-consuming--they make ravioli look like convenience food! For the tomato-based sauces, I recommend using whole canned tomatoes and roasting them in the oven with some olive oil to concentrate their flavor to get something with enough body to it to care the flavors.
   
   You an get by without most of the equipment in the book, but do spring for a digital timer. My other recommendation for Chinese, specifically, dumplings is Dim Sum: The Art of Chinese Tea Lunch by Ellen Blonder.



3. I was slightly dismayed on first read that the author's emphasis was so strong about making your own wrappers...until I tried it! It really isn't more difficult than trying to get the unyielding, store bought won ton skins to behave; in fact, it's easier. I was so excited I bought a bamboo steamer after my first batch. This author is very good at explaining all pertinent details in every recipe. I highly recommend this book to any curious, creative cook who would like to master a new cooking skill. I am having so much fun with this book. Oh, and the pictures are so helpful, she shows not only the food, but the package fronts of the special rice flours, etc. she calls for in the various recipes.



4. This is a great book on Dumplings, I am really enjoying it. It would be Five stars but it is not one of my immediate favorites. I would recommend it to any one who loves the dumpling.



5. Andrea Nguyen, Asian Dumplings: Mastering Gyoza, Spring Rolls, Samosas, and More (Ten Speed Press, 2009)
   
   Asian dumplings are almost a staple food for anyone who patronizes Chinese restaurants. In most places, you have a choice of one or two types (even at most buffets), but every once in a while you stumble across a dim sum restaurant, or a place where they've got a gifted dumpling maker in the kitchen, and you get a better survey of the available options. But I have yet to run across a restaurant of any kind that has the variety to be found in Andrea Nguyen's book, which is packed with recipes for just about every type of Asian dumpling you can think of (and some you probably didn't know had been assimilated by Asian cultures, such as empanadas).
   
   At its core, a cookbook is a thing of utility; it should tell you how to cook things. Rare is the cookbook (at least, the cookbook published by a traditional publisher) that doesn't meet this criterion. But on another level, that of reading for pleasure, a cookbook should have another function: the reading of it should make you hungry. And this one qualifies.
   
   The creation of dumplings is a long, intensive process, the kind of thing that Mario Batali likes to refer to as the zen of cooking. As a result, you may well end up preferring to go grab them at a restaurant, but this is good reads anyway. Check it out. *** ½

5 comments about Gourmet Today: More than 1000 All-New Recipes for the Contemporary Kitchen.

1. I purchased this cook book for my wife as a gift. Since that time she has made a number of wonderful meals with recipes from this book. I would highly recommend it to anyone.



2. My wife and I have only had time to make three or four recipes from this magnum opus. After noting the organization, scanning the contents and making those recipes, we must conclude that Gourmet Today has captured for posterity the best of the magazine. After the monthly reader thumbed through all the pages selling stratospherically priced ovens, refrigerators, Lincolns and around-the-hemisphere (at least) cruises, he found that Gourmet always offered some very useful recipes that one found nowhere else. The book captures the best of those!



3. The recipes are perfection and, almost even better, they are written in strong, clean language -- a joy! If you're as lucky as I am, you have your own personal librarian who can add a special library-style mylar sheath over the paper cover. This, and its predecessor Gourmet, look just beautiful together on my shelves! You need both cookbooks. Ruth Reichl is a genius!
   
   My favorites so far are the risotto recipes (try the Hoppin' John version), the gorgeous pastries (check out the tarts), and the cocktails(vodka raspberry lime rickeys). I'm a vegetarian and find it easy to make substitutions in these recipes. There is also an entire section on vegetarian main dishes. As I said, the writing is so good that it makes you feel like okay, this isn't so hard. I can do this. I also recommend Ruth Reichl's memoirs -- I've enjoyed each one.



4. I don't care if the binding is bad or the little ribbon bookmarks don't last. This book is wonderful & "green." I find myself wavering between Gourmet Today and the original Gourmet (also a little tattered and well used, but worth it.) I thought Gourmet was always going to be my go to cookbook- (6 years running) and now they are both always open on my kitchen counter. I think those who have "reviewed" either of these cookbooks with anything but praise have not used them enough. The outcome of the recipes are always delicious and leave my friends and family begging for more. The index is wonderful and I like yellow! Sad that Gourmet magazine is no longer in print.



5. For anyone who loves good cooking and doesn't care about pretty pictures.
   
   This book has more of the excellent quality that we have come to expect from Gourmet. The book is even more precious now that the magazine has ceased publication
   
   Highly recommended!