5 comments about Around the World in 80 Dinners: The Ultimate Culinary Adventure.

1. Another outstanding "can't put it down" book by the Jamisons. It's different than their award winning cookbooks, and shows how truly versatile they are! They travel around the world on frequent flier miles (how lucky is that!), and share their extraordinary adventures along with their culinary experiences. They select their favorites and provide you with recipes to try, while sharing in how much fun they had, even with those unexpected colds that sneak up on you. And the Flat Stanley episodes are a hoot! Who wouldn't dream of having such a wonderful time - and you get to be transported there through their book, with great wit and insight. Bravo to the Jamisons again!



2. The Jamison's have a hit again. I have always enjoyed the Jamison's cookbooks and have found their travel books helpful and spot on with their ratings. Now, their latest book `Around the World in Eighty Dinners' combines the Jamison's in depth knowledge of food, cultures, and world travel much to the reader's delight. `Around the World in Eighty Dinners' is educational, insightful, and humorous.
   
   The Jamison's itinerary included countries with unique national and local cuisines. The two of them saved their frequent flier miles, put together a small basic wardrobe (that would be black), complied all their research and set off. Oh least I forget, there was a third making the trip with them. They had their granddaughter's Flat Stanley along for the adventure. You will find it hilarious as you read about Flat Stanley's demise and reincarnation early on in the journey.
   
   Whether you actually travel the world or vicariously travel the world, you will enjoy the eating adventures and travel escapades as the authors make their way around the world. The detailed descriptions of the dinners will create the visual that may make you green; that is, green with envy or green with the thought of sharing what they were eating!
   
   This book is a must for anyone who loves travel and/or food. So, that includes most of us. I know you will enjoy this book.



3. This is such an enjoyable book!!! It helped me relive good memories from a few places I've already visited and sparked my interest to visit a few new ones. Cheryl & Bill have a wonderful knack for making the story flow with such culinary insights tied in with humor and location highlights. The experiences and flavors of their 3 month journey come alive in the words.



4. I do so love to read about travel and food - so much the better if they're in the same book! I did enjoy the Jamison's book but did have a two minor woes that stole one star from the review.
   
   First, the changing perspective. The narration changes from third person (Bill packed his suitcase, Cheryl chased the monkey...) to first person (we planned our trip...) which I found difficult at the beginning (Who is this mysterious third person on their trip? Who's talking now?) but managed to overcome by about mid-point.
   
   The second sticking point came, unfortunately, at the end which left me frowning instead of closing the book with a bittersweet sigh. The last chapter wraps up the Jamison's return home and plans for the future. A couple of pages in they make some sweeping statements about the food scene here in the US that I thought were unfair and using an awfully wide brush to paint such a big country as ours. I'll bet if the Jamisons spent the same planning time and then three months traveling the US they'd find some of the same high quality, creative food they found abroad. I know I can find it here in my own little corner of Cleveland!
   
   Other than that, it's hard not to be swept up in Bill and Cheryl's enthusiasm for food and travel and their obvious delight in being together on this grand tour.



5. I wanted to love this book. It has all the components that I love-a memoir, food centered, travel centered, but...it wasn't to be. I found the writing to be inconsistent. Many of the descriptions seemed more like lists of food, ingredients or things that they saw rather than a true description. I also found that the descriptions were often a little too snobby sounding rather than helpful (ie a Merlot is described as having "a vigorous structure, backbone, and tannin". I ended up enjoyed the descriptions of people much more than the food. Still, I usually read straight through the books that I check out and I no longer was interested in finishing the book by the time I was half way through. I kept having to read something else for a while and then see if I could get back into it. Maybe I would have been pulled in with color photos --the ones on the cover are very inviting, or fewer lists or??? I'm not sure.

5 comments about French Lessons: Adventures with Knife, Fork, and Corkscrew.

1. I am ready to go back to France after reading this book. Anyone with a love of good France, light humor and beautiful countryside of France, should read this book.



2. In this wonderful look at Gallic Culture and Cuisine, British Francophile Peter Mayle visits several food fairs and celebrations in the French countryside and takes us along for the ride in this tale that is part travelogue/ part food guide. The tales are usually funny, interesting and mouth watering. I nearly drooled on some of the pages reading his description of the elegant dishes that were served.
   
   I've never learned so much about Frog Legs, truffles, snails, or cheeses. I only regret is that he missed the festival celebrating the sausage that my Canjun relatives call Boodat.
   
   Conviently there is an appendix with addresses and phone numbers for anyone contemplating a trip to France to attend one of the festivals themselves.



3. As a former (and once-again) food writer, I must say this book is deliciously entertaining. I'm still in process of devouring the entertaining writing. Very well done. Any serious foodie will enjoy it!



4. This book chronicles the adventures of Peter Mayle through the French country-side armed with knife, fork and corkscrew. His delightful sense of humor is present through out his epicurean journey. He attends amazing food events. There is the religious celebration of the black truffle. the marathon where every stop is hosted by a winery ( complete with tastings through-out the 26.2 miles!!) and the "interesting" fair of the ESCARGOT! You will understand how seriously the French take their food when you read this book..or do they just like to have fun!



5. "It was a pleasure just to be alive." ~ Peter Mayle, on his experience in France
   
   Peter Mayle's "French Lessons" is an engaging book about French cuisine. He takes the reader off the beaten path to vicariously experience new discoveries. Along the way we find cooking advice (what type of pan to use when making an omelette), health spas, festivals, beaches, marathons and cheese eating competitions.
   
   In one adventure Peter Mayle takes the reader to a Catholic mass which celebrates the expensive black truffle (they are auctioned off before lunch). His vivid prose enlivens the imagination. Through his writing we experience all the nuances he is enjoying.
   
   As someone who makes her own croissants I am always eager to read about French cuisine. This is a warm cozy read, the type of book you curl up with in the winter or read in the summer in the shade.
   
   If you love Peter's books I know you will adore: The "A Year in Provence" Movie.
   
   ~The Rebecca Review
   Once I spent a weekend in Paris

No comments about The Parthenon Cookbook: Great Mediterranean Recipes from the Heart of Chicago's Greektown.

5 comments about The Red Cat Cookbook: 125 Recipes from New York City's Favorite Neighborhood Restaurant.

1. My first thought on seeing this book was 'where ever can I find some red cats to cook?' But of course that's not what the book is about. It turns out that The Red Cat is a restaurant in Manhattan. Yet this is not a typical restaurant menu cookbook.
   
   This is a cookbook that takes a lot of food tastes, primarily from the Eastern seaboard (think clam chowder), and Europe (think France, Italy, Germany) and presents them is a clear and easy to understand manner. Although it is not that big a book, it is abook that covers all aspects of a meal from finger foods at the start to home made ice creams at the end.
   
   While a lot of the recipies have a down home simple aspect about them, many of them add higher end ingredients (lobster) and some very tasty sauces.



2. If you're not in the neighborhood to enjoy the gourmet meals at the Red Cat resaurant, this cookbook is the next best alternative. Beautiful photographs and fresh writing make it a joy to peruse. The directions are clear and encouraging to even a novice cook like me. This is the only cookbook I own that I actually read from cover to cover. Try the green beans tempura--you'll be hooked forever. And if you're in NYC, the Red Cat is worth going out of your way for.



3. Wonderful book, and easy to use for an average cook. Great food.



4. Neighborhood restaurants are always a favorite! Warm, friendly, inviting, and great food! The Italian-American foods are delish! If you want more pesto recipes, add Mary El-Baz's "Simply Elegant and Easy Pesto" to your bookshelf. There's a fantastic pesto made with pepperoncini that's just scrumptious on roast-beef or salami sandwiches!



5. I was very pleased with the service and the book
   came to me in excellant condition

5 comments about reFresh: Contemporary Vegan Recipes From the Award Winning Fresh Restaurants.

1. "Refresh" is a fresh twist on vegan cooking. Being in a rural location some of the ingredients are a bit hard to find, but other than that this cookbook is fantastic! Recipes are easy to follow and this book includes numerous photographs of many of its colorful dishes. The Coconut Tempeh was super simple to make and extremely flavorful, but best of all it had the perfect texture. The most difficult thing about this book is having to choose just a few recipes at a time to make. It says a lot that this is my Husband's favorite cookbook and he is NOT even vegan (but he is an incredible cook!) A must have for vegan entertaining!



2. I've eaten at Fresh a few times, and was a bit skeptical about this book - thinking it was probably just promo and that I wouldn't be able to recreate their food.
   
   I was wrong, and am so glad I bought this book! This is the best vegetarian cookbook I've ever used. I am a novice cook, so recipes that are easy to follow (no assumptions) and that are actually tested are important. With a few exceptions (for example, what quantity of dried soba noodles makes 8 cups cooked?), I haven't been disappointed.
   
   I started off making the veggie broth - when you have 10 cups of fresh broth, you start looking for things to use it in! My favourites from the soups section are Sweet Potato and Coconut, Tuscan White Bean with Pesto, and the Marrakesh Curried Stew.
   
   I bought some soba noodles recently and decided to try the Khao San Soba noodle recipe - it is easy and fabulous! We've also made the Buddha Rice Bowl, Marinated Tofu Cubes (these keep well in the fridge and can be used in a variety of recipes). The Thai Peanut Sauce makes a lot, but thankfully I found some other recipes on the internet to use it with (Chinese Peanut Salad).
   
   The main drawback is that I loved the first few recipes I made so much that I wanted to keep making them and didn't explore the book further. While not everything I've made is a favourite, I have been diving into the book more, and I'm really enjoying what I'm discovering.
   
   Don't be put off by this book if you aren't vegan - you will not notice or miss the absence of eggs or dairy products in these recipes. If you're a vegetarian wanting to go that extra step towards a vegan diet, this is a great jumpstart!
   
   Fantastic! Thank you, Ruth Tal.



3. love this book so much that i'm taking a trip to the restaurant!this book is beautiful in it's simplicity and every recipe is easily doable,with delicious results.the rice bowls are inspirational.this is a beautifully photographed book with high quality printing.i love this cook book, and i'm sure i will love the restaurant as well.



4. This book is fantastic for information about cooking tools (explains different types of juicers for example), ingredients, supplements, recipes (smoothies and Asian bowls especially) for the vegan diet. One of the best things about this book is the format is lush with beautiful color pictures but still easy to follow with plenty of information and instruction. I would recommend if you are interested in healthful, fairly light, vitamin-packed foods.



5. Great cookbook! A book full of delicious, fresh recipes! This is one of those cookbooks I want to try every recipe it has! Loved the juice recipes also!

5 comments about The Candle Cafe Cookbook: More Than 150 Enlightened Recipes from New York's Renowned Vegan Restaurant.

1. Some recipes are great, but some are so awful, it seems they were never tested. I really think they failed to edit the book properly. The chocolate macadamia nut cookies, for example, simply don't work. There's not enough liquid, as though an ingredient were missing. At the restaurant, I asked a chef, who said, "just use a food processor to mix it." Obviously, that didn't solve the problem. And recipes repeatedly say to whisk margarine, which is nearly impossible, even if it's at room temperature. Just use an electric mixer! Also, calling for 1/4 tablespoon is absurd--they should know measuring spoons don't come like that--just say 3/4 teaspoon! Stupid errors like this shouldn't be present in a cookbook from such nice restaurant. Still, some recipes, like the cobb salad, are delicious, which is why I give it 3 stars.



2. Something is very wrong with the Chocolate Macademia Nut Cookie recipe on p. 191. There is not enough liquid in the recipe and the cookie dough looks like sand. I added soy milk (~1/2-3/4 cup) till it resembled cookie dough, but the cookies came out a bit cakey. From reading others' reviews, I guess there are other errors as well. I'm sure the restaurant is great but the cookbook is disappointing because you don't know which recipes will turn out right.



3. So far all of the recipes I have tried have been great. The eggplant dish from the Indian Plate is delicious. I have seen some negative reviews on the chocolate macadamian nut cookies but I think people forgot the 2 tablespoons of egg replacer needs to be added to 4 tablespoons of warm water prior to adding it. I made the cookies the weekend and they were great. Hope this helps, you should give th ecookies a second chance. I am giving this book 4 stars because I agree the directions could be a little more clear.



4. A couple of years ago my grandmother took me to lunch at Candle 79 and we loved it so much she bought me the cookbook. It is hands down the best cookbook I have ever had! I have made over half the recipes in it and they all come out incredible! I am a vegetarian and my husband is not-- the recipes are very adaptable to making things non-vegan or even non-vegetarian if you like. (I prefer to keep them vegan though). Unlike other vegan cookbooks, most of the recipes are quite easy to make and you don't have to go on a treasure hunt to find most of the ingredients. I strongly recommend it and hope they come out with another one! Definitely try the ginger-miso stir fry, the lentil chowder, and the summer minestrone soup.
   
   The only concern some might have with it is some of the measurements are off, for example the mushroom barely soup calls for 1 and a half tablespoons of salt, when it clearly should be teaspoons. This is not a detraction for me, when something does not make sense, I alter it, and I also tend to like things rather spicy so I double the spices a lot. This cookbook is probably best for people comfortable with vegetarian cooking and those who don't mine making modifications.



5. Cooking from this cookbook has been a delight. My girlfriend and I have cooked perhaps ten recipes from the pages of this Vegan gem. I can say comfortably that none of the recipes we've cooked are anything less than extremely tasty.
   
   Ingredients can tend towards being expensive; the stroganoff we cooked last night, for instance, would have called for $24 worth of dried porcini mushrooms if we'd followed the recipe exactly. Recipes are not necessarily written for the beginning cook, but are not horribly complicated and have all yielded good results without much deviation from the original recipe.
   
   This is a cookbook that I have recommended to non-Vegans as a way to demonstrate that Vegan food is no less delicious than any other.

3 comments about Remarkable Service: A Guide to Winning and Keeping Customers for Servers, Managers, and Restaurant Owners.

1. As someone that prides themself on customer satisfaction, I have to say this was not a bad little book. A lot is common sense, but some would learn from this. People like to be taken care of from start to finish in any industry and this is a good reminder in service.



2. A big disappointment from a distinguished institute like the Culinary Institute of America. A little book with even less info. Headings with a paragraph or two will not help menager or even servers keep customers coming. This book needs a more explanations and examples - give incites to experiences.



3. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to improve the table service in their establishment. Well thought out and laid out. I really enjoyed the history aspect of the book. It was an interesting read and a very helpful manual.

No comments about Southern Belly: The Ultimate Food Lover's Companion to the South.

2 comments about America's Most Wanted Recipes - Volume 1.

1. I was curious about this cookbook, so I got in touch with the author - Ron Douglas. He began putting together his collection with a web site RecipeSecrets.com and then self published this book and a follow up.
   
   After talking with Ron, I got his books. They are really great. There are recipes to make things like Boston Market Macaroni and Cheese, KFC Honey BBQ wings, and Applebee's Baby Back Ribs. These recipes are developed and then tested out on the web site, so they are very close to the real thing.
   
   The recipe book is small and has around 100 restaurant recipes. There aren't any photos, but these are dishes most people would know from eating out.
   
   I've been enjoying making some of my favorite dishes from restaurants. I showed the cookbook to my Mom, and she wants to try out some dishes too. Many of them are Southern favorites. I asked Ron about that. He is from New York. His Grandma grew up in the South, so that's how he came to especially like Southern cooking.



2. I've tried a bunch of the "secret restaurant recipes" from this cookbook and my friends can't believe I made them myself. They taste just like the restaurants! Last night I made the Applebees Fiesta Lime Chicken and there were no words spoken at the table - only the sound of lips smacking :-).
   
   I highly recommend this cookbook and their Volume 2 version is well worth the money as well.

5 comments about Service Included: Four-Star Secrets of an Eavesdropping Waiter.

1. I took this book camping and finished it in a day's time. Phoebe is really quite funny, and keeps your interest throughout the story.



2. I thought this book was flat-out boring, and a long, long way from what was promised. There is little very singular about Per Se, nor about Keller. There's not much drama, either, and you might expect more given the kind of clientele they have. To compare this to "Kitchen Confidential" is criminal.
   It is a kind-of sweet story about a young woman and her New York job---which could be in almost any upper-end restaurant from the way the book is written. There seemed to be much more about her romantic relationships than about her work, which is fine---except the book is supposed to be about her work.
   She's not a bad writer, and probably has a future writing other chick-lit books. But if you're looking for an entertaining read about this very famous restaurant, you need to look somewhere else.



3. What i really want to say is that someone who is brave enough (not afraid of being blacked-balled in the restaraunt world), needs to write what restaraunt workers are really like.
   
   You get a glimpse of the truth in Bourdain's writings....but the place for the misfits, the addicts, the alcoholics, the nearly homeless: your favorite restaraunt. Doesn't matter what or where it is. That waiter who looks so dapper and well-schooled at 9pm.....will be a buzzed and boozed wreck at 3am.
   
   I know this. Family members are the real eavesdroppers.



4. I really wanted to like this book--and this author. But what started out promisingly ultimately fell flat into a heap of 'who cares about your personal relationship with the sommelier?'. The insight gleaned didn't feel revealing (as the book was so hyped to do) and I ended up actually _disliking_ the author by the end, who, in turns, came across as smug, condescending and even small. I wanted this to be a book I was glad to have in hardcover. Instead I'm just left regretting I dropped the cash and didn't read the Amazon reviews beforehand (instead of just the critics'). At the risk of being cast out of some community, I FAR preferred Amanda Hesser's book about her latte-loving boyfriend to this one, which ended up being, in my mind, a book about Phoebe Damrosch's wine-loving one.



5. I couldn't even make it as far as the romantic part. I suspect the problem lay with the nature of her restaurant; rich people overpaying "to be seen" doesn't do it for me.