5 comments about Fast Food Fix: 75+ Amazing Recipe Makeovers of Your Fast Food Restaurant Favorites.

1. This book has so many good recipes, I have made 4 recipes in the month I have had the book and they are all so good! The pizza hut pizza sauce recipe was dead on. I would really recommend this book!!!!!!!!



2. It really is GREAT! The cookbook came yesterday and I've made the In and Out Burger: Double Double with onion on page 24 and the Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino Blended Coffee on page 208. BOTH are dead ringers for the real thing! I quit eating fast food two years ago, with the exception of the occaisional Subway, and to tell the truth I sometimes miss it. This is the perfect answer for me! Those hamburgers were EXCELLENT! Only problem...I ate two of them! I can't wait to try more!



3. I absolutely love this cookbook, I use it most weekends when I'm craving fast food after a long week at work. The recipes are fabulous and really do taste like the fast food you would eat in Mc Donalds, Pizza Hut, Dairy Queen etc. The only difference is that the recipes in this cookbook all are a lower in calories and fat than the original fast food ones. Plus they are all easy to make. I have all of Devin Alexander's cookbooks and I'd have to say that this would be my joint favourite cookbook along with Devin's The Most Decadent Diet ever.
   Highly recommended.



4. This book delivers everything that it promises. The recipes are easy and the food is sooooooooo good. My kids like everything that I have made out of it and my husband makes things from this book too. I recommend it to anyone looking for a healthy alternative to eating out all the time.



5. My wife and I have were already fans of Devin Alexander's work - we had purchased the Biggest Loser cookbook about a year ago. In trying to eat better, I still have cravings for "cheat days." The recipes in Fast Food Fix totally fit the bill when I want something similar to Taco Bell or a serious burger - but they cut out a ton of fat and calories and taste JUST AS GOOD. Anyone out west who is an In 'N Out addict like me will seriously love her recipe for a Double-Double.

No comments about On the Line.

5 comments about No Reservations: Around the World on an Empty Stomach.

1. Yes, this is THE companion book to one of the most awesome shows on television right now. I was slightly disappointed that there was not more commentary, however, one redeeming factor and a reason you should have this book is for the "Best and Worst Bathrooms" around the world. Makes you glad for the dingy porcelain throne you have or jealous you don't live in Japan!
   Chocked full of photos taken during Bourdain's wild tours around the globe, this is a fantastic coffee table book for chefs across the board. Unfortunately, the book does not do the show justice and if you ever have the chance to partake of Bourdain's scathing wit and alcoholic charm, please do so! And yes, I hate Rachel Ray too my friend...I hate her too.



2. I should have perused this in more detail at the bookstore, but alas I got too excited to see another book by Mr. Bourdain. I finally looked at it this weekend and much to my disdain it is primarily pictures. Nice pictures, but only pictures nonetheless. There is some minor text but not enough. I was hoping to find out more back stories about what happened, biting commentary (related to the episode not FoddTV "chefs")maybe lists of places from the show, recommendations of restaurants to eat at, etc.
   
   I am a huge fan of Anthony Bourdain and of No Reservations, this book just didn't cut it for me.



3. If you're new to the works of Anthony Bourdain as well as his Travel Channel TV show "No Reservations" then this book might not be the best place for you to start. While the volume itself is a very handsome and well-produced book with oodles of great photos and minimal text, this particular title was written for the fan of Bourdain's ongoing TV series with plenty of behind-the-scenes glimpses at the adventures in getting his show made as well as snippets of appreciation toward his beloved crew. Fans of the show will find much to like as each country visited in the show's 3 year span is re-visited with familiar still shots of memorable moments we've seen before as well as new material. The highlights of the book though occur at the very end where Bourdain hilariously rates the best and worst toilets he and his crew have encountered in their world travels.



4. Do you like food? Travel? A wiseass chain smoking New York host? Then this is for you! A great book by a really cool guy, about a really cool show. It's an overview of places around the world Tony Bourdain and crew visited and featured on No Reservations, and it's filled with information that never, ever, EVER could have made it on the air. True fans of No Reservations might get more out of this than a reader who has never watched the show but anyone can pick this up and catch the tone and flavor of one of cable TV's most uniquely audacious hour-long events.



5. This book content is composed of mostly still photos from the television show. There is not much written content. I bought the book based on the other reviews expecting some deep written insight and background into each episode. Its not there.
   
   It is a nice coffee table type of illustrated book if you are a big fan of the show. It does have some great photography. I also really respect how he puts his crew on the same level as him.
   
   If you are looking for a good read though I would recommend Bourdain's other books over this one.
   
   update: I just picked up 'The Nasty Bits'. That is the book you should read if you want more background on the people and events behind the television series.
   
   

5 comments about Discovering Korean Cuisine: Recipes from the Best Korean Restaurants in Los Angeles.

1. I just got this book and its the BEST korean cookbook I have found. First of all I'm korean american and I've been looking forever and haven't found one as relevant, with all the recipes you will really use, beautiful colorful photos and how can you beat recipes from the best korean restaurants in LA?? I've been to most of them and this book has picked all the best dishes that these restaurants specialize in. I may stop my chase for anymore cookbooks because it covers all the recipes you need including kimchee! Beautiful, complete, well written like a korean martha stewart cookbook, great job finally!!!!



2. This is the perfect cookbook for everything from everyday home cooking to Korean dinner parties! The recipes are straightfoward and easy to follow - I've even made two of the kimchee recipes with fantastic results! Making kimchee was always like a black-box to me--something only my mother and grandma did. But I just followed the instructions, and voila! KIMCHEE success!
   
   I love the accompanying pictures and the picture-list of common Korean ingredients in the beginning of the book. I finally know the "American" names for some of these ingredients, which makes it easier for me to describe dishes to my friends. Anyway - I highly recommend this book!



3. Having spent two years in Korea and totally fallen in love with the food, I have a keen sense of taste for Korean food. I've tried just a few of the recipes so far and have been pleasantly surprised with all of them. While the recipes do make amazingly delicious food if you follow them exactly, I tend to alter them just a little to achieve the authentic Korean I am accustomed to.
   Recipes are easy to follow and the ingredients can be food at your local Korean market.



4. This Korean cookbook is filled from cover-to-cover with beautiful photographs of all the traditional Korean dishes. The recipes are traditional as well and have not been modified for a Western palate. No Asian fusion here. I have purchased many of the other top-rated Korean cookbooks from Amazon.com but I consider this one probably the best so far.



5. I tried the recipe for the Bagolgi.. didn't come out right. Will try again for the Calbi. I really like Korean food and from Los Angeles. I was hoping that this get me close to what I was used to but this is not the case. Although, it has nice pictures.

5 comments about Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites: Flavorful Recipes for Healthful Meals.

1. The recipes in "Low-Fat Favorites" aren't time-consuming to prepare like the classic Moosewood recipes, making them more weeknight friendly. There are many "tricks" to make a dish seem creamy or cheesy without adding any cream or cheese -- all satisfaction, no fat!
   
   I made Roasted Vegetables Caribbean Style for a potluck the other night to rave reviews. It was easy to prepare and SO good (page 227).
   
   The "Menu Suggestions" feature and the indication of time the recipe takes to prepare are great for planning family dinners or dinner parties, and are included with each recipe.



2. This cookbook has amazing recipes. I just got it as a gift and love every recipe I have tried. There are good descriptions if you want to leave out or swap ingredients, good tips along with the recipes that lead to terrific results. I have seriously impressed my meat-loving husband with the recipes from this book. And they don't taste low fat at all. Love this cookbook. Wish I heard about it years before.



3. One of my 5 favorite cookbooks. Very tasty foods. Easy to follow directions. Recipes are great for everyday or for company.



4. I found the main dishes in this book to be primarily good, although some require a multitude of ingredients that are not normally on hand. Every baked good I tried was awful! The biscotti was so hard I could not even bite into it! The bundt cake was soggy and heavy. I was disappointed and understand why used copies are $4.00!



5. The recipes in this book are wonderful, but the only reason I give this four stars instead of five is because the recipes take a fair amount of time and work to prepare. If you have the time the results are worth it. However, I think the longer I work with the cookbook I'll be able to figure out shortcuts to make the recipies more realistic for weeknight preparation.

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

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



2. 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.



3. 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.



4. The books arrived in excellent condition, they are high quality books. The other reviewer mentioned the quality of the paper isn't high, I disagree, I think it's great. I bought this book for my wife. She is from Hong Kong and already cooks amazing chinese food (her father is head chef at an LA Chinese restaurant). She's now venturing into french food and has made several dishes (more so from Bouchon)
   
   My wife is a former paralegal, now a stay at home mom. She's had no formal training from a cooking school. With that in mind, she can realistically make about 30% of the food from French Laundry and about 50% of Bouchon's recipes. The reason why they are so difficult is that it is tough to find fresh food that is mentioned in the book. You don't find rabbit, frog legs or veal at the local Schnucks or commissary (we're military). Some of the techniques require tools that aren't readily available to regular "non-chef" consumers.
   
   Bouchon - Our favorite has been the flatiron steak and the trout from Bouchon. My wife said it was fairly simple to make. Very little prep time. The french fries came out delicious and they too were easy to make.
   
   French Laundry - The salmon tartare came out nice. Again, the directions were easy to follow. The rest of the dishes in this book however are much more involved. The book itself has great pictures had great write-ups on certain techniques.
   
   While the books were expensive (We normally get $5 cookbooks from the bargain bin), they are well worth it. I am one lucky man . ..



5. This collection is great. pictures of all the dishes, full recipes, as well as good tips while cooking.

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 Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook: Strategies, Recipes, and Techniques of Classic Bistro Cooking.

1. This is a bible and a foundation for anyone interested in seeing good results from their efforts in undertaking french cooking. These recipes are durable and refined for someone who wants to illicit "oh wow" responses from their guests. I can't overstate the social value of enlisting your friends and local grocers and butcher for this journey. This is a book for someone with some time and love to dedicate.



2. I was quite pleased to receive this cookbook as a gift, but disappointed once I started cooking the recipes. Mr. Bourdain's talents as a writer are not to be denied, but it must be said that these recipes are a bit anemic and wanting. While I definitely appreciate his passion for good food, that passion doesn't seem to extend into making the actual food himself. Which is totally fine -- Bourdain's advocacy for top-quality cuisine is definitely appreciated -- but it means I'll look elsewhere for the nuts and bolts of good recipes.



3. Classic cooking done in classic Anthony Bourdain style. If you like his TV show, you'll love this book.



4. The recipes includes are a bit difficult in my opinion (especially finding the right ingredients), but Bourdain's aim is to challenge you and not to dumb down everything, which I appreciate.
   
   His writing style is very approachable and unlike with most cookbooks you feel like he's talking to you as he warns you to not overfill the blender when you are making soup and hold the top down tight unless you want soup all over you.
   
   I've made one thing so far which was mushroom soup and it was delicious, so I can imagine the the rest of the food is equally so.



5. That's a big statement but I can tell you with all honesty. This is the best cookbook I've ever read, more importantly it is the best cookbook I've ever USED. And, do I use it often, YES! Here Tony Bourdain shines not only as an amusing and talented writer but exposes to us all to the REAL principal behind all great dishes, and not just French food, that good, quality ingredients coupled with time-proven methods ARE the best. I have been a cook for many years and I specialise in Italian cookery but Tony's book brought me back to appreciate French-style cookery as never before. But the country of origin doesn't matter, it's the approach. No BS! Tell it like it is. All cookbooks are, to me, guides, but Tony has the nous to say, in places, you MUST do this and that. Little details and quality advice tips that take a good dish to 'great' status. His, utterly correct emphasis on the basics like a good stock or jus, tells us that these are the real fundamentals of good cookery. And, he shows us that which is so true: all great cookery has its origins in 'peasant' food, be it French, Italian, British or Asian. I class this book and Fergus Henderson's, 'Nose To Tail Eating' as two of the most important cookbooks of the 20th Century.
   William Kenneth Halliwell
   Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

5 comments about The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food.

1. As others have said, Ms. Lee writes very well, and most of this was really interesting. But she has a total blind spot about fortune cookies, and for me, there was WAY too much stuff about trying to research exactly who invented them. When I realized that I was starting a THIRD chapter on this same subject -- which she'd already covered exhaustively in two previous chapters -- I groaned inwardly and just skipped to the next chapter. OK, we get it: fortune cookies are not Chinese, any more than General Tso's chicken or chop suey. Except for this one flaw, the book was a lot of fun.



2. When you think about it - it is amazing there aren't any national chains with Chinese restaurants in every town. But this book explains why. It's an amazing story of immigration to probably 99% of the cities and towns in America. No matter where Americans travel in the US - we want Chinese food - and we get it!
   A very interesting story of cultures and their expectations. It makes me wonder how Amerians in China for the Olympics are eating! Are they eating "Real Chinese food" or what we have come to expect of Chinese food!
   Great story, with many interesting things to learn.



3. I found this book really fascinating. I'm really intrigued by food history, and Lee made me think alot about so-called "authentic" food. I recommend this book, and have already to my friends and family.
   Joan



4. Overall a good read. Rather than a continuous narrative the book is broken up into sections that are not entirely complementary but which tell a number of stories related to the origins of Chinese food in America. I was amazed by some of what I read; have repeated a number of the anecdotes already, and found it an overall interesting topic. I think few people are aware of how much Chinese food really does permeate our culture --- and few people are also aware of how intricate, centrally-managed, and lucrative the network of Chinese restaurants in America actually is.



5. Do you like to read? Do you like Chinese food? Then how could you not like to read about Chinese food?!
   
   Jennifer 8 Lee's book is a fascinating collection of essays about Chinese food and the Chinese immigrant experience. Some of the chapters (such as the one where she goes to China to try to determine the origin of General Tso's chicken) are laugh out loud funny. Others are not; in fact, my only criticism of this book is that the tone is somewhat disjointed from chapter to chapter. Some of the profiles of Chinese restaurant owners and workers are downright depressing, and tend to (rather jarringly) follow the lighter chapters. I would have preferred different sections to address the various chapter themes - e.g. food history, immigrant history, personal recollections.
   
   That very minor criticism aside, this is an excellent book about something most of us partake a lot of but think little about.

5 comments about I Am Grateful: Recipes and Lifestyle of Cafe Gratitude.

1. this is an amazing book! the mudslide pie is devine and always a hit.
   thank you for this wonderful book.



2. I live in the Bay Area and love going to Cafe Gratitude. I'm exploring raw foods (presently on a 30-day 100% raw challenge). This recipe book is good. So far I've made the buckwheat crackers, almond toast, mylks, hempseed ranch dressing, cheesecake, cashew ricotta, marina sauce and attempted the cinnamon rolls. The only recipe that did not work well for me was the cinnamon roll recipe. Be sure to use the right kind of salt.
   
   The reason I did not give it 5 stars is because the food tends to be very rich and heavy which isn't always the best for me. Also, if you live in a place where it's difficult to find specialized ingredients (i.e. Irish Moss, Nama Shoyu) and if you do not have a food processor or dehydrator, your choices will be somewhat limited. Also, the portions are fairly large, so I usually half the recipe.



3. The book (i am grateful) was great. Shipping time was great and so was the condition of the product. Thanks!



4. The food is delicious, but be prepared to make some trips to the store for uncommon ingredients and give yourself some time to make the items. A dehydrator is required for many dishes. We have a collection of cookbooks and it's definitely one to try. More importantly you should visit Cafe Gratitude in the San Francisco area to try all the things that are too tricky to make in the book!



5. The recipes provide new healthy choices for tasty meals. But more importantly, their philosophy of being grateful provides a basis for a healthy life. I highly recommend this book. I also recommend another book by the authors titled, "Sacred Commerce: Business As A Path of Awakening".