5 comments about The Sweet Life in Paris: Delicious Adventures in the World's Most Glorious - and Perplexing - City.

1. David is an amazing author. This book is written so well. It is hysterically funny and it has amazing recipes. This is a book that you want to give to everyone you know. I ENJOYED IT ALOT. Thank you David! You ROCK!



2. The book arrived in the condition as mentioned. I would definitely buy from seller again.



3. After traveling to Paris for the first time in February 2009, I often find myself day-dreaming of picking up and moving to the amazing "City of Lights." David Lebovitz shares his experience doing just that in this wonderful book. It's witty, charming, and while reading it you'll taste the foods that Paris is so famous for. He brings the city to life...both the good and the quirky! If you're a foodie or simply love Paris, you'll fall in love with this book...and have plenty of laughs along the way!



4. Chef David Lebovitz dares all by leaving a comfy home and work life in San Francisco, sells everything that won't fit into a suitcase, and moves to Paris! This book is part storybook, part tour book, part gossip, part cautionary tale, part cookbook, and ALL FUN!! This is a very enjoyable "sit on the couch on a rainy day and drink cocoa and read" type of book- the only reason I recommend a rainy day is that reading the book is so cozy, you will not want to put it down!! It is such a fun read! This dear man loves food, people, and Paris!! Makes you want to zip over there for at least a couple of weeks. And if you read this book, you can be sure that you will truly go "well armed!" The book contains tip on particularly enjoyable restaurants, cafes, chocolate shops, and a very bold interpretation on Parisian culture and nuances from a standpoint us Americans can understand and will be GRATEFUL for!! In example, if you've ever been to Paris, you have no doubt been bumped and pushed while waiting in line for...well...ANYTHING! And you've no doubt seen TONS of Parisians simply and boldly cut in front of the head of the line! One of the cultural gems explained in this book is an explanation for this phenomenon, and what one might do about it! This little nugget, and some WONDERFUL and EASY to play with recipes can be found in this wonderful and playful book.



5. This is a riot- a quirky, personal and evocative look at Parisian culture through the eyes of an American pastry chef gone French. David Lebovitz calls it as he sees it, with a carefully controlled cynicism that is wrapped in humor, a veritable puff pastry for the mind...He also shares a number of tantalizing recipes that I have not yet tried. For anyone who has been to Paris, or for anyone contemplating same, this is a fun must-read. Merci beaucoup Daveed!

5 comments about America's Most Wanted Recipes: Delicious Recipes from Your Family's Favorite Restaurants.

1. I thought this is was a great book because it had recipes that I had not seen before in this type of book. Most of the recipes were very doable and easy to follow. I like the low-fat alternatives for making the recipes more figure friendly.



2. I have mixed feelings about books like this, since in some ways it represents the very worst of American restaurant culture -- the dull, homogenized, served-with-a-shovel-and-fake-smile corporate casual dining world. On the one hand, the casual dining chains of today have done a masterful job of taking food that is, at best, adequate and making people feel like they're eating fancy. On the other hand, it would be foolish to claim that there's no creativity there -- yes, it's all being done in a corporate kitchen by a chef who hasn't worked a line in fifteen years, and it's often underseasoned, overfatty and oversalty, but some of these dishes are actually memorable enough to reproduce.
   
   Todd Wilbur has trodden this road before to good effect, so it's not as if Douglas is in unfamiliar territory; he even gives a shout out to Gloria Pitzer, the patron saint of recipe cloners. And he covers quite a lot of ground, possibly (though I wouldn't put money on it) more than Todd Wilbur covers in one of his books. And in one important regard, Douglas seems to have opted for the bazaar over the cathedral in his approach, acknowledging the help of his Secret Recipes Forum, and the selection of recipes is gratifyingly wide-ranging as a result. You definitely get your money's worth of recipes for it.
   
   There is one thing I don't like about it -- compared to its forebears, this book is rather dry. Compared to Wilbur's screwy, slightly surreal sense of humor and Pitzer's insufferably lame puns, Douglas is all business. This isn't a bad thing, but he doesn't add the technical background of, say, a Cook's Illustrated book either. Strictly business. Some people prefer that sort of thing, and I can respect that, but there's already a bit of a standard for the copycat genre, and this doesn't quite live up to it.
   
   Not that this is a bad book; there will of course be overlap with Wilbur's and Pitzer's material, but it's got a bunch of its own stuff going for it as well. It's... adequate.



3. Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! I saw this cookbook, flipped through it, said Wow, and put it in the shopping cart! "America's Most Wanted Recipes: Delicious Recipes from Your Family's Favorite Restaurants" is one of those Must-Have cookbooks!
   
   Except for the cover, there is not a single photo of a single recipe in this 267-page cookbook. Not one, yet one of the most important determiners of buying a cookbook is plenty of photos showing me how the prepared dish should look. In this case, however, photos are not needed. We already know what the dish looks like--it is from one of our favorite restaurants!
   
   An example: MACORONI GRILL, one of my favorite restaurants, has eight recipes in the line-up, one of which is Sesame Shrimp, an Asian-inspired dish, as well as their recipe for Focaccia.
   
   IHOP's Swedish Pancakes, one of only two dishes I always order, is included. Wow! (I don't order anything else because this is what I want every time!) Or Baked Potato Soup by HARD ROCK CAFE.
   
   Basic information:
   Over 200 recipes from 57 restaurants
   
   A website which connects you with Ron Douglas's recipe website.
   How Douglas obtained the recipes
   
   A way to save money is to cook at home
   Eating at home is often healthier than eating in restaurants through substitutions.
   
   Three pages of cooking tips, including "For a juicier hamburger, add a little cold water to the beef before grilling" and "A roast with a bone in will cook faster than a boneless roast. The bone carries the heat to the inside more quickly."
   
   Other pre-cooking topics include: Cooking terms, guidelines for buying fresh vegetables and fruits, description of flavor and use of various spices and herbs, and shelf life for herbs.
   
   The index is most beneficial as well and includes measurements, recipes listed by category (they are arranged alphabetically by restaurant in the book proper), trademarks, and restaurant web sites (a favorite to be sure).
   
   For a complete list of all restaurants and their recipes, refer to the first reviewer's review.
   
   Here are a couple of teasers: CHILI'S Salsa, the SOUP NAZI's Crab Bisque and Cream of Sweet Potato Soup and one more, the famous Indian Mulligatawny Soup (you know, the Soup Nazi, as seen on Jerry Seinfeld), BOSTON MARKET's Meat Loaf, and one more: Meatbals by CARRABBA's ITALIAN GRILL.
   
   No, just one more: My personal all-time favorite recipe in the world: OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE's Marinated Steak. Wow!
   
   See, I told you this is a Wow cookbook!



4. I dont like this book because it doesnt give u the right info i think todd wilbur book is better thank you



5. I love this cook book! It has my absolute favorite dish, fiesta lime chicken, from applebee's in it! and not to mention the scrumptious cheddar biscuits from red lobster!

5 comments about The Fat Duck Cookbook.

1. I don't really like to review books online, as so much of the review is subjective. I'll make an exception for the Fat Duck Cookbook. It's that good.
   
   First off, the recipes are amazing... as they should be, since they are the exact recipes used in Blumethal's world-renowned restaurant. They are also elaborate. If you decide to make one, think of it as a quest rather than as a traditional recipe to be made in an afternoon - most of these will involve a good deal of searching for ingredients, a large amount prep time, and sometimes specific equipment ranging from just hard-to-find to hard-to-find AND really expensive.
   
   Even if you don't make the recipes... even if this book didn't HAVE any recipes, it would still be great. The photos and art are nearly worth the asking price on their own. Huge, glossy, detailed pictures of some of the most intricate and intricately plated dishes I've ever seen. Enough beautiful abstract art to justify it as a coffee table book in this respect alone. Furthermore, each recipe is accompanied by an essay on the development of that recipe and thoughts on exactly what makes that recipe work, or why previous iterations of it did not work as well. You don't have to make the recipes to find this type of commentary useful.
   
   Then there are the other two thirds of the book. One is somewhere between an autobiography and a treatise on the author's culinary formation and thought process. Sound dull? It isn't. In part because of how well it is written - relatable, brisk, to the point. Even more so because of Blumenthal's enormous insight into both the art and science of cooking. He explains his process in creating and perfecting his food using specific examples. He alludes to the science he uses whenever applicable - his explanations are neither dumbed down nor are they a single bit more complicated or hard to understand than need be.
   
   I found myself using a highlighter while reading it to mark things I wanted to look up later.
   
   And as though Blumenthal somehow knew about my highlighter, he included as the last third of the book an index of terms, descriptions of equipment and ingredients, and essays on the scientific aspects of cooking and eating. Essay topics range from emulsions to how taste and pleasure are related via the brain. Most of these essays are not by Blumenthal - they are written by scientists who have influenced Blumenthal and added to his understanding.
   
   I should point out, I guess, that this book is probably not for most culinary novices. The pictures might go over well, but the rest will be like showing calculus to someone who's still learning to add. But for pros and dedicated amateurs, I don't think a cookbook gets much better. It's inspiring, beautiful, and informative. As much as it can teach about the science of cooking, it has just as much insight into the art of cooking - what associations, effects, textures, contexts, and flavors make a dish great. In this way, it is just as invaluable to the classical cook as the cutting edge one. It prompts you to look at a dish and wonder 'In a perfect world, what could make this even better?' And suggests that whatever the answer is, it may well be possible.



2. There is no question that the first edition of Heston Blumenthal's book is an amazing creation; I would go to the point of calling it a work of art given its glorious design, originality and extraordinary photography. I bought the original very expensive version and was so impressed that I returned the next day to buy a copy for a friend, a distinguished chef.
   
   Considering the significant reduction in price from the original release, this reissue represents excellent value. It must be noted however that the quality of the photographic reproduction, while good in itself, does not have the clarity and color definition found in the original. Additionaly the format size is somewhat smaller and the paper quality above average rather than exceptional. I realise that the first issue was very pricey, but my investment has delivered great dividends in enjoying its decadent luxury in private contemplation and impressing as well as sharing it with friends. In acquiring the cheaper edition it will still be possible to marvel at the extraordinarily complicated recipes, interesting text and beautiful photography. But if you can, try save your pennies and buy the original. I guarantee you won't regret the extravagance



3. ...but not, really, a "cook book" as the recipes (lab protocols?) are extremely complex and require ingredients and equipment not likely to be stocked in your local grocery store. That being said, it's a book I'm glad I own.
   
   The first third, at least, isn't a cook book at all--it's an autobiographical history of developing as a molecular-gastronomical chef. The writing is engaging and speaks with a clear personality; you get the sense that you'd really enjoy sitting down for a chat with the chef/author. The second section is recipes, including extremely entertaining back-stories for how they were developed, from the genesis idea to the trials and tribulations of execution. I laughed out loud reading the recipe for the oysters when he described creating a soundtrack (loaded on an ipod chip which was then inserted into a conch shell) to accompany the dish, as well as the "ocean scent" perfume that was developed by a master perfumer and smeared on fan blades to waft the scent of the sea over diners. And I haven't reached the third section, so I can't comment on that at all.
   
   I am an avid home cook who regularly prepares multi-course, plated dinners for my friends and consequently have a neighborhood reputation for excess in the kitchen. I think the stories in this book might put my dabbling into perspective for my non-foodie friends.
   
   The only thing I would have liked more of, since this is a book about inspiration more than instruction, would be more actual photos of the finished dishes. Many times there are only sketches or images the evoke the sense of the dish, but not the actuality. But all-in-all it's a beautiful book that you'll be happy to own.



4. A brilliant effort from all the contributors, it is masterfully done and a piece of art. It gives us some insight into what we take so for granted, "eating". It is not for "home cooks" and "recipe collectors".
   I am sure in the next century Heston will be credited for such an effort.



5. I love this book. There are so many simple ideas on how to cook something easier or better. It opens up the imagination and gets me motivated to be better at cooking. Ice cream with dry ice! Stock in the pressure cooker! I just would not have thought about it. So interesting.

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 Dip Into Something Different: A Collection of Recipes from Our Fondue Pot to Yours.

1. We got this cookbook to go along with the fondue pot we got for Christmas. So far we've only made cheese fondue, but it has been soooooo good. We've made cheese fondue about once a week. FYI- I think the book assumes you have a cheap candle fondue pot because it suggests using a double boiler to cook the fondue, and just use the pot to keep things warm. We have a nice electric fondue pot, so we can cook directly on that with no problems.
   The recipes all look delicious! They even have a recipe for the green goddess. I would definitely buy this book if you have a fondue pot and enjoy eating at the melting pot.



2. I LOVE The Melting Pot. My husband and I go there every chance we get because it's a great experience. I bought The Melting Pot book for my husband for Christmas and we made some of the recipes together. They were so tasty and the dipping sauces turned out just like at the restaurant! I ended up buying another copy of the book for a friend of mine that also loves this restaurant and she was super excited about it.



3. Includes all the loved recipes from the restaurant including coupons at the end of the book!



4. This is a great cookbook with lots of pictures.
   The ingredients are easy to find and allows you to create restaurant style dinners at home. We have had a lot of fun with the recipes and enjoy this for family dinners. Yes - all the great chocolate dessert fondues are there!
   It also includes recipes for many of their signature sauces.



5. We bought this book for someone who loves fondue, and they were delighted. We've done fondue for a long time and thought the recipes looked like fun and offered lots of variety for exploration.

5 comments about Far Flung and Well Fed: The Food Writing of R.W. Apple, Jr..

1. Newly released, this book is a great collection of legendary New York Times writer Johnny Apple's best food pieces from around the world. Apple covered wars, elections, food and travel for the Times for over 40 years and was a judge for the James Beard awards, among many other accomplishments. His captivating writing tells the story of a dish or ingredient in the context of culture, history and the land. Exploring the story of dishes from around the globe, this is a phenomenal example of food and travel writing at their best.
   
   Tim and Nina Zagat (of Zagat's Guide fame) wrote: "As much as Johnny Apple loved politics, he might have loved food even more. He loved searching for it, learning about it, writing about it, and most of all, eating it. This classic collection of food writing from one of The New York Times's most renowned writers deserves to be on the shelf-or kitchen table or in the travel bag-of each and every foodie."



2. R. W. Apple was one of my newpaper heroes; I read every story with his byline with great interest and pleasure and was lucky enough to spend an hour learning about the world during a conversation in a bar in Teheran just before the fall of the Shah. His columns and books are a great pleasure to read, even years later. This extract from his last column gives you a flavor of his approach and appetites:
   
   Extract:
   
   "AFTER half a century of assiduous eating in restaurants around the world, first avocationally and more recently professionally, I have become accustomed to certain questions: "What's your favorite restaurant?" "What will you order for your last meal on earth?" "Which is best -- French cuisine? Italian? Chinese?" All unanswerable, of course. Now comes a more modest proposition: Name 10 restaurants abroad that would be worth boarding a plane to visit, even in these fraught days.
   
   "O.K. Here's my list. Please note, this is neither an enumeration of my favorites (though some of those are included) nor a ranking of the world's best (like those fatuous lists put out each year by Restaurant magazine in London). Rather than reciting a long list of two- and three-star gastronomic temples, I have chosen purlieus both grand and small, better to reflect my own eating habits. And rather than loading up my list with French and Italian addresses, I have arbitrarily restricted my choices to one per country, for much the same reason. I would expect no one else to choose the same 10, but on the other hand, I would be astonished if many of my nominations disappointed.
   
   "FLEURIE, FRANCE Auberge du Cep, Place de l'Église; (33-4) 7404-1077; [web link deleted]
   
   "French country cooking -- or bistro cooking, as its urban variant is called -- deserves, but is not often accorded, a place among the world's culinary glories beside French haute cuisine. Based on regional products, honestly handled, "unfoamed and unfused" in the words of my friend Colman Andrews, late of Saveur magazine, it is the specialty of this small restaurant on the main square of a prettily named village in Beaujolais. It is a specialty unflinchingly embraced by its proprietor, Chantal Chagny, who five years ago banished lobster and truffles from her menu and turned her back on two Michelin stars in favor of the simpler dishes she adores, like herb-crusted, perfectly fried, never-frozen frogs' legs, crisp-edged sweetbreads, soup made of garden herbs, roast wild duck from a local river and rosy tenderloin of regional Charolais beef, France's best.
   
   "Love and skill are lavished on the simplest dishes -- tiny, tender lamb chops, neglected freshwater fish like perch and pike-perch (sander), eggs poached in red wine (oeufs en meurette), toothsome squab, black currant sorbet, even snails -- great fat ones, bubbling happily in their shells, bathed in garlic, parsley, butter and Pernod. Here is the food most of us travel to France to taste, and who can resist it once tasted? Here, too, are the little regional wines we search for -- especially Beaujolais, 60 of them, including 30 from Fleurie itself, one of the 10 designated crus known for excellence."
   
   Apple's range is remarkably wide -- politics, wars, international affairs, travel [he carried his own pepper grinder], bourbon and bacon, potatoes and tomatoes, langoustines and mangosteens, barbecue and Bouillabaisse, New Orleans and New Zealand -- and his other books are equally rewarding for anyone interested in travel:
   
   Apple's America: The Discriminating Traveler's Guide to 40 Great Cities in the United States and Canada. An excellent brief introduction to 40 cities together with additional sources of information.
   
   Apple's Europe: An Uncommon Guide. The predecessor volume to "Apple's America".
   
   Calvin Trilling quoted Mr. Apple's attitude toward his 70th birthday party, and [from "The Times" obituary] "toward the rich, long life and career that produced it: 'It's my understanding that Apple has simplified what could be a terribly difficult choice by telling them to bring everything.'
   
   If you love great food and great writing, this book will satisfy both yearnings.
   
   Robert C. Ross 2009



3. This compilation is a wonderful compendium of Johnny Apple's writing about food. Fans will not be disappointed and readers who newly discover his writing will be enthralled with the stories about chefs, growers, and purveyors of all shapes and sizes. Because the book is made up of individual newspaper and magazine articles, it is an easy read and one that can be put down and picked up without losing a step.



4. //Far Flung and Well Fed// is a collection of "best of" essays written by the late //New York Times// political journalist-cum-food writer, R.W. Apple Jr. Apple was revered for his passionate, enchanting writing, his wry sense of humor, and his unique ability to tell tales (sometimes on the driest of subjects) that left readers clinging to his every word. Themes such as legendary Parisian restaurants and buffalo mozzarella have obvious mainstream appeal, but more obscure topics, such as Danish smorrebrod (open-faced sandwiches) or the history of black pepper, are equally engaging and delightfully informative.
   
   This book chronicles many of Apple's food and travel adventures, covering regions from Kentucky to Budapest and culinary treasures from pho to po' boys. The essays are concise, most averaging around eight pages, but full with detailed stories about quirky food producers, extraordinary meals, unusual ingredients, compelling food histories and a variety of libations. The food writing is descriptive to the point of inducing salivation, yet Apple is equally masterful at captivating the reader with his various characters (home cooks, farmers, shop owners, chefs, mycologists, mixologists, fishermen and restaurateurs) and the other myriad details of his worldly adventures.
   
   Reviewed by Andrea Rappaport



5. Mr. Apple's writings are most enjoyable to read, and the book takes you along on numerous exciting culinary travels. I highly recommend it.

5 comments about More Diners, Drive-ins and Dives: A Drop-Top Culinary Cruise Through America's Finest and Funkiest Joints.

1. Fun book! Along with Fieri's TV show, it makes you want to jump in your car and start exploring these fun places to eat! Recommend it for anyone who likes driving trips and eating.



2. As with his previous book, //More Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives// is in author Guy Fieri's own words, off the hook. If you are a fan of his Food Network TV show of the same name, you will love this book. It's fun to read - even if you never plan to make any of the recipes included in the book. The reader gets a glimpse of the behind-the-scenes anecdotes and people involved in the making of the TV show, and includes Guy's local color comments and recipes from 52 locations around the United States. Some of the offerings are the Lobster Sandwich from Kelly's Diner in Somerville, Mass., The Turducken from Alpine Steakhouse in Sarasota, Fla., the Italian Roast Beef Pizza from The Original Vito & Nick's Pizzeria in Chicago, Ill., and the Gorilla Mac and Cheese from Pacifica, Calif. (not too far down the road from where I live and definitely on my list for my next road trip).
   
   I recommend you get two copies of this book--one to keep in your car and one to keep in your kitchen. As Guy would say, "that's money."
   
   Reviewed by Sharon LeBrun



3. I was amazed how fast we received the book and it was in excellent condition.



4. WONDERFUL, I do hope Guy writes another one, as he conitinues to criss cross America, finding wonderful Family Businesses.
   
   I have now have both Books and will use it as I go on a road trip and try out a few of these places. Wonderful.



5. I enjoy the TV show and during road trips I look for places that made the show. I have found a couple and found them as presented. The book has several of the restaurant's recepies which I'm trying to duplicate. Just my place doesn't have the ambiance.

5 comments about Diners, Drive-ins and Dives: An All-American Road Trip . . . with Recipes! (Food Network).

1. Got this book for my Dad as a gift because he wants to go to the places on the show. He really liked it - as did my Mom, my daughter and me. It's helping Mom and Dad pick out some places to eat when they go away on vacation this spring. And my daughter and I are borrowing it to plan where to eat on a day trip this spring. Great book for fams of the show!



2. My wife and I are currently on a road trip from Delaware to Florida,ahead of the storm. As we did not have the featured book, we did very well by going to Guy's web site and printing a list of all the states we would be visiting, all along I95.
   So far we are doing quite well considering the limits we have placed on ourselves.
   All the states we have traversed have at least 6 places and Florida, the most, at 16 "joints".
   The one place we found at our destination has been our place to go 5 times since the first of February.



3. I love Guy Fieri and want to go to all the restaurants he visits. The book gives you an up close and personal view of Guy and his crew as they travel around the country, as well as great recipes from the places they visit.



4. I AM A GREAT FAN OF TRIPPLE D'S.BOUGHT HIS DVDS FRM TARGET N AM CLOLLECTING HIS BOOKS TOO.HE GOT JOKES N THAT IS WHY HE IS SO ENTERTAINING.



5. We were amazed how fast we received the book and it was in excellent condition.

5 comments about Momofuku.

1. My new favorite on the shelf!! The recipes in this book blow my taste buds to smithereens! If you do not already love cooking and enjoy the different "chef" processes and tricks, don't bother with this book. I wasn't sure what to expect from the other reviews I read, they were either love it or hate it and I think it boils down to the fact that this is book is written for those of us that like to play chef at home. That is why I buy recipe books, so I can learn the tricks of the trade, what it is they do behind the scenes that make food exceptional, this book raises the curtain on the noodle bar how to. The recipes are not over the top hard, actually they are easy and direct however the broth for example takes a series of steps all day, like any good broth would. A lot of the recipes are built upon a series of recipes in the book. So you will need two or three of the sauces in the book to be already prepared for say the pork bun recipe. (I'm not sure if the pork bun recipe needs that, just an example). But the result............ pure heaven. I am buying it for my brother too as he is an at home chef as well!



2. I have almost no interest in this cuisine and I've only heard of the famous NY restaurant. I've never eaten there and tend to think it can't possibly live up to the hype but it's a great book with good stories and well thought out recipes. The noodle dishes are particularly practical but if you're a cookbook fan, you'll enjoy the whole thing.



3. I learned of David Chang through Anthony Bourdain. I am grateful for that because he has become a culinary inspiration for me because I hope one day to be a great chef like him and his cooks.
   
   His recipes are amazingly simple but reward taking the time and not taking shortcuts to complete them. You will be rewarded with great food through it.
   
   Miso butter? So simple yet it is genius for its new combination which I have never seen the likes of before. Something from two ingredients which I normally don't associate with nuttiness somehow created something that instantly screamed nutty to me.
   
   His approach to cook things the way he wants works amazingly well and I look forward to the Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook which will hopefully come out next year as slated.
   
   To those who think the recipes are too complicated, you need to realize that the reason his food is so popular now is because it is simply good as a result from all the effort he and his crew put into the food at Momofuku. If you can't be bothered to do a few steps the day before then dont buy this book. If you want a challenge but is still easy to follow through then buy this book because it will help you see Asian fusion in a new way.



4. I had read a lot of reviews and purchased this based on those. It is not that it is bad in any way, just more pedestrian and definitely over hyped by the press.



5. Very impressed with the dishes in the book but have yet to make any of them. Sawthe chef on Martha Stewart. The technique seems easy to follow.

5 comments about Ad Hoc at Home.

1. This book was the only thing I asked for for my birthday. I love cookbooks, have many, and use quite a lot of those. My batterie de cuisine is extensive, and I am not ashamed of my repertoire. The book finally arrived today, and I sat down and read it. The first thing that struck me was the size of the book. This book is much too big to put in the kitchen and follow the recipe. And it is very heavy. It is sized as a coffee table book.
   
   Then I began to read the book. It starts by suggesting that only the most expensive equipment will be good enough. I know the prices of Mr. Keller's recommendations. Then I moved on to the recipes. They do broaden the mind. But this may be Mr. Keller's idea of home cooking, or cooking for the home, but I doubt it is anyone else's. Many of these recipes would take all day, and perhaps more, to make. Much less to serve a whole meal made from 3 or more recipes. Sandwiches begin with homemade bread. Fried chicken needs to be brined for 12 hours. Chicken pot pie has cooked chicken in it, presumably made before the recipe starts. Many ingredients need to be sent for, or looked for in very rare specialty shops. Now, that is fine, and has a place, but this is not a cookbook for every day. And in today's society, it's not really for cooking even on the weekend. It's made for sitting on the coffee table, and being read. This to me is sad. I probably will try a number of the recipes, just to see if they are worth all the extra work, if the recipe is used in its entirety. But I do expect to adopt some of the ideas included in some of the recipes in my general cooking routine.
   
   I was expecting to be totally inspired by this book, and I am not. These are not home cooking recipes. This is very fancy, high end restaurant cooking trying to disguise itself as home cooking and failing miserably.



2. From Soup to Nuts, this book has it all...literally. If you own one cook book this should be it. Forget about The Joy of Cooking and Julia Child's Art of French Cooking, this is it!



3. 
   Even in Georgia, where folks know a thing or two about fried chicken, my mother's version of this Southern classic was considered exceptional. So when I taste someone else's recipe, I ask myself, "What would my mother have said about this?" I can almost hear her comment about the fried chicken in Thomas Keller's latest cookbook, ad hoc at home.
   
   "This is very good," she would have agreed. "But it doesn't taste like fried chicken."
   
   There in a nutshell is the problem with this cookbook and with many others from high-end restaurant masters who tackle everyday food. Their concoctions look great and taste fine, but the chefs try so hard to take each dish to a new level of sophistication that they lose essential hominess.
   
   Take Keller's fried chicken recipe. It sparkles in a beautiful crust with good crunch and plenty of flavor. But the meat itself doesn't taste quite right. The problem is that, before cooking, Keller recommends brining chicken pieces for 12 hours in a mixture of salt, herbs, honey and a whole lot of lemon juice. Sure, the chicken turns out good and juicy, but it also acquires an odd lemony flavor that would be more at home at a Chinese take-out than in a Georgia kitchen.
   
   Keller talks about meals from his own childhood as he introduces some of the almost-classics included here. In touting his version of chicken potpie, for example, Keller claims that he grew up eating Swanson's frozen potpies. Maybe, but he missed an important point. A potpie, whether it arrives in a Swanson's box or reaches the table fresh from a home cook's oven, needs big, meaty chunks of chicken. Shredding the chicken, as Keller suggests, simply does not work.
   
   Another case in point: beef stroganoff. Keller claims nostalgia for an all-American version of stroganoff made with Campbell's cream of mushroom soup. I've never tried that dish and eating it ranks with seeing a purple cow among things I hope never to do. If that's what you think of as beef stroganoff, though, you'll be disappointed in Keller's dish. With lots of crimini mushrooms, scads of heavy cream and crème fraiche and homemade pappardelle as the supporting cast for blocks of braised beef short rib meat in the starring role, the chef's version of this iconic dish is exceptional. But it isn't comfort food.
   
   I hasten to add that there is a lot to like in ad hoc at home. Instructions are clear and easy to follow. Nearly all ingredients can be found at local markets in season. Everything I tried from the book was, in its own way, delicious. The book brims with gorgeous graphics and lip-licking photos that plainly show what a finished dish should look like.
   
   Keller also suggests techniques and tools essential to a competent cook. Learn to braise, he urges. Learn to use salt properly. Learn to make one really good soup and learn all the different ways to cook eggs. To dress a salad uniformly, oil the bowl, not the greens. Tear croutons very slowly. Don't cut them.
   Over the last 20 years, a few celebrity chefs have written cookbooks that serve as excellent guides for home cooks seeking to produce the very best of old favorites. Larry Forgione did a fine job in the 1996 cookbook named for his New York City restaurant, An American Place. Food Network star Bobby Flay successfully freshened up American favorites in his work, Bobby Flay Cooks American.
   
   Thomas Keller is, arguably, one of the finest chefs in the United States. At his original West Coast restaurant, The French Laundry, the reservation list is so jammed that it is amazing anyone ever goes there. Per Se in New York City is equally challenging. And his three previous cookbooks, especially The French Laundry Cookbook, are well worth owning. Still, I think Keller ought to leave home cooking to others.
   
   I give ad hoc at home two stars of a possible five.



4. I've worked in restaurants and understand the concept of preparing a "staff meal" in which great ingredients plus last night's leftovers are used imaginatively to make a meal for the employees. Keller explains at one point that is the inspiration for Ad Hoc and for this cookbook, and therein lies the problem.
   
   If you have never baked or fried a chicken or brined a cut of pork, you'll find directions here. But you can find equally good and less fussy recipes in the Joy of Cooking or another more encyclopedic/basic source. Some of what's here is solid home-cooking advice, but other dishes are astonishingly high in fats. If I'm going to clog my arteries I'd rather find a more creative way to do it.
   
   Also, hidden in the recipes are a number of specialty ingredients that make it difficult to reproduce Keller's methods without a lot of advance mail-order shopping. And while some dishes can be made "ad hoc" or on the spur of the moment, others depend on advance preparation of enhancements such as pickled vegetables or spice mixes. Actually I love Keller's pickling section and that, plus the pictures, comes close to justifying the purchase of the book. But understand what you are getting, and not.



5. I have absolutely enjoyed cooking from this book. Its detailed instructions are what work for me. Its creates successful dishes that are making cooking a fun experience.