5 comments about Chinese Rice and Noodles: With Appetizers, Soups and Sweets (Wei-Chuan Cookbook).

1. I love this cookbook because it contains pictures of every dish that's in the book, the instructions are easy and simple to follow, and most importantly, the dishes are authentic Chinese food from the south to the north of China. We're Cantonese and we're tired of cooking cantonese at home so this book gave us more menu options. I have to say, with some experience in chinese cooking, this book contains some recipes that we already knew. But I think it'll be useful to those who doesn't have much experience in Chinese cooking because it contains basic information about the type of noodles, vegetable herbs and spices.
   I was a bit disappointed with the dessert section as it only contain 10 recipes and we already knew how to cook most of them.



2. This is the latest cookbook from my collection of cookbooks by Mrs. Su-Huei Huang. She makes cooking authentic Chinese food almost effortless. If you have limited time, but enjoy cooking at home, this is the perfect cookbook for you.



3. If you love to cook, this book is worth having. The recipes are written very clearly, the pictures look so great you want to take a bite out of the page. I have tried many different Chinese cookbooks in the past, this one beats them all. Just for the Kung Pao Chicken and the Beef and Pepper Sauce alone makes this book worth having. The author also tells you how some recipes originated, e.g., Kung Pao means "Royal Teacher to the Prince," this recipe was named after Ding Bao Zhen after being promoted to that position in the Qing Dynasty. Little tidbits like this I find fun and fascinating! You don't need a wok to prepare the recipes, I use a nonstick 12-inch skillet and the recipes come out great. Very easy to prepare. The trick is to have all the ingredients measured and handy when you are about to cook, because everything cooks so fast. My husband said he'll never eat take-out again!



4. I purchased this book from Amazon last week and am already using it all the time. I grew up in Taiwan and wanted to make recipes that were genuine chinese. My mother always used the Wei Chuan cookbooks so when I found this one I had to have it. It's been a real treat. My sister and I looked at the recipes and reminisced about our childhood and all the yummy dishes we missed, many of which are in this book. The Kung Pao chicken alone made the book worth buying. The recipes are easy and don't call for a lot of ingredients. There is also lots of variety between the meat dishes, noodles, soups, fried rice and dessert recipes.



5. I am a big fan of the Weichuan cookbook series (maybe because my mom based her cooking on them when I was growing up) but was a little disappointed by this one. I was not expecting such a large section about dishes served over rice, but rather more recipes using rice and noodles as a central ingredient. Having said that, a lot of the staples are in here so it still serves a handy reference manual (I tend to improvise and add more ingredients than suggested, using the recipes in this book just as a general guide).

4 comments about The Ultimate Soup Cookbook (Reader's Digest).

1. If you are a soup lover, this is the book for you. Simple to follow instructions and, generally, easily obtained ingredients. Every recipe I've tried has been excellent, and it includes a wide variety. This is not a "gourmet cookbook" but the results look great when served and won't take all day for you to make them. Only improvement would be if it was bound so it could lie flat.



2. This is certainly a comprehensive book on soups. I am yet to try any of the recipes at the time of this review, however, I could not help notice that if you are not totally familiar with American cooking ingredients, you may find yourself somewhat lost at times. Here's an example, "cannned chicken" along with a few other ingredients, but in saying this I am more than prepared to learn about them. Unfortunately, this book does not have a glossary section, although it does have a brief conversion section on the very back page (with the most common conversions). I have tried googling for subsitutes for these items but have been unable to find any substitutes. So there are possibly some recipes I may never get to try due to this, which is a shame.
   
   This book also mixes both imperial and metric measurements on some of it recipes, which is confusing to say the least.
   
   It certainly does have a wide variety of soups, even quick 30 minute soups (although, these do utilise canned soups to quicken the cooking time). I am impressed with the inclusion of recipes for larger quantities ie; serves 10 or more. These are particular good for dinner parties.
   
   Even though, I feel this book would benefit from an informative glossary section explaning food substitues for non American buyers, I would certainly NOT AVOID BUYING THIS BOOK due to this. I guess this is a common problem in reality when purchasing books from other countries, if only the publishers could see this and make the books more universal (now wouldn't that be nice).



3. Wonderful soups that are healthy and tasteful. Nothing spells love better home made soup on cold day.



4. Great soup cookbook, tons of recipes that are easy and dont require alot of exotic ingredients. Only down point is there aren't alot of pictures.

5 comments about Gifts in a Jar: Soups (Gifts in a Jar, 4).

1. All these In a Jar books are great. Need a gift for anyone or everyone - these are super suggestions.



2. I like to give these soup gifts in a jar to expecting parents just before the baby arrives so they have a ready-to-go homemade meal on hand. I also add a California Corn Bread jar to go with the soup. I also like to include the canned items that need to be added like canned tomatoes, chicken, etc. to make it as easy as possible for them. These jars would make a great welcome gift to a new neighbor or to someone with a cold or recovering from the flu or other illness. I think it's just such a unique gift that is very useful and tasty, too!



3. When I retired from teaching high school, I made gift jars for 11 support staff people who made my job easier - secretaries, guidance staff, attendance office staff, etc. They were thrilled. My favorites are Creamy Cheese Soup and Cheesy Potato Soup. I decorated the lids with circles of fabric and attached the recipe cards with raffia. Easy to do and a nice way to say thanks for 33 great years!



4. Item arrived quickly and in great shape. Very professional business relations. I would recommend this buyer and this book.



5. This is unique in gift giving and making gifts for others. I have tried most of the recipes and find them quite delicious.

2 comments about Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Soup Recipes Signature Vertical Note Cards (Potter Style).

1. With the prevalence of email, the handwritten note is becoming a luxury... something we love to receive, but rarely have the time to send out. Taking that time means more now than ever, and your friends will be thrilled to receive such a fun and useful card. I've made each of the recipes in these cards, and they're all wonderful. My favorite is the fennel soup gratin, it's absolutely sumptuous. Most of the friends I've sent one of these cards to called or emailed shortly thereafter, raving about the recipe. One even invited me over to share. :) They're just a very fun way to keep in touch.



2. I like Ina Garten's recipes so I thought these little notecards would be cute to send to all my food-loving friends and family. There were 4 different soup recipes with a nice picture of the meal on the front of each card. The recipes were all good - esp. the chicken chili!

5 comments about 50 Chowders: One Pot Meals - Clam, Corn, & Beyond.

1. This book is wonderful the recipes and ingredients are exact and the chowders are delicious if your an experienced cook you can variate the ingredients to your style, a wonderful book for those in the cooler regions.Nothing better than a great chowder stewing on a cool afternoon.



2. As an avid cook book collector and amateur chef I found this particular cook book very well organized and easy to follow/use. I have tried some of the recipes and found them to be most flavorful. 50 Chowders is a welcome element to my collection.



3. 50 Chowders by Jasper White; saw the author on Emeril's show and we immediately ordered Summer Shack and this book. Outstanding, no one needs another chowder book.



4. This is a great (understatement) book beyond just the recipes. I grew up in a coastal area in the Northeast, yet despised the common clam chowder that ended up on our dinner table from time to time. The thought of salty milk flavored broth and rubberized clams that I could never bite all the way through gave me a tremendous aversion to the canned stuff. As I grew older and developed a love for good food and fresh ingredients, I stumbled back onto homage chowder and soups. This book is a must have for anyone who makes any kind of soup at home and has at least a passing taste for seafood. As a former Rhode Islander who lived on the east bay, White's references and stories that lead up to most of the recipes serve up some great nostalgia. White's stories are colorful in their subtle detail and provide an appreciation for the casual and organic nature of chowders and seafood based stews. All the recipes I've tried so far, about 8 of them, have been excellent. My all around favorite has been the New England Fish Chowder (pg. 79). There are also great basics like several ways to create different stocks which can be used in a variety of rice dishes, like risotto for example. My wife and I have dozens of cookbooks, and this is by far my favorite and second most frequently used behind Betty Crocker's Cookbook (believe it or not). It's also a generally interesting read.
   
   One side note, over the years I've tried to use salt pork, which White, like other chowder recipe authors recommends for several dishes. I use a cast iron Dutch oven which cooks well and evenly, but I've always found that salt pork didn't cook well for me and the taste, almost metallic, undermined the flavor of any chowder. I try to use good quality smoked bacon for the best results. I only mention it because if I felt that salt pork was a necessity for chowder, I would probably never make it again.



5. I have used a lot of cookbooks and recipes but the ones provided in this book are some of the best I have ever made, eaten or tried. As a "Chowda Head" from way back I give two thumbs up.

5 comments about Cooking Light Soup (Cooking Light).

1. I had seen this book at Meijer for 17.95. I really wanted it. Got a good price and rec'd it very quickly. I have nothing but good things to say.



2. This is an excellent book for the beginner. The recipes are simple and easy to follow. I've made a few recipes from this book and they were wonderful! A must have book if you love soup whether you are a beginner or not.



3. So far I've had this product for a month and everything turns out so nice. My husband is a "meat and potatoes" kind of guy and he has really enjoyed many of the soups as well, as they are filling and tasty! I'm a big fan of all cooking light cookbooks and also purchased their Slow Cooker Recipes book at the same time as this one and it is equally as delicous and quick to prepare. For anyone who likes quick, easy, healthy, or unique - you will enjoy these two books.



4. I ordered this book because I love to make soup, and I wanted healthy recipes. I have already made the "Turkey Provencal" recipe, which was delicious. There is a wide variety of recipes (seafood, turkey, vegetable, etc.). Also, there is a section in the book for making quick and easy soups, which is great for a weeknight meal.



5. I first saw this book at a friend's house. Thought it had many great soup recipes in it so I ordered one for myself. Though I have not created any of the soups yet, I know I will come Fall/Winter. It's a super (no pun intended) little soup book. :)

2 comments about Williams-Sonoma Collection: Soup & Stew (Williams-Sonoma Collection (New York, N.Y.).).

1. This book has been in the Williams Sonoma stores for about a month (at full price) and I drool over it everytime I go into the store. I have been waiting to buy it from Amazon at the reduced price. The book is full of soup and stew recipes that appear yummy without being too complicated (I'm going to try the Coq au Vin immediately) and the illustrations are beautiful.



2. This book has excellent recipes for a wide range of soups and stews. There is a small reference section in the back which is helpful. As with all books in the series, the photography is gorgeous and the recipes are easy to follow.

5 comments about Splendid Soups: Recipes and Master Techniques for Making the World's Best Soups.

1. Every recipe was easy to follow and came with set-by-step instructions. All of my favorite soups are from the Splendid Soup cookbook. Everytime I make a soup from this cookbook (which is once a week) I get a thumbs up from my family, especially from the hard to please little ones!!!



2. First of all I have to say that I am spanish and I am not writing in my mother tongue. So I have to apologise in advance for my poor English skills.
   
   When I read a review I like to know who write it in order to guess what he expected to find in the book and what sort of judgment he is going to give us.
   
   I am an Spanish Food Engineer. I am not a professional chef but, I dare say, I am an advanced amateur cook.
   I read the cookbooks form cover to cover at least twice. I underlain it and even it compare the recipies with other books.
   I dont want a compilation of recipies that I left in my shelves for checking a recipe from time to time.
   
   What I expected to find in this book was:
   
   1-A classification of soups.
   2-A correct description of the techniques for cooking the soups.
   3-A collection of really splendid soups. I dont mind how many recipies the book has, but I mind the quality of each recipe.
   I want a perfect recipe for each soup. Whether I like or not the soup, once I have cooked it, it depends on my personal taste.
   
   
   So with this in mind, here is my review.
   
   1-The book is organized by ingredientes (meat soups, fish soups, vegetable soups..). It makes easier to find a recipe if you have some ingredientes in the refrigerator and you wants to know what to do with them. But it should be arranged by technique as the book "Professional Chef" (CIA) does (consommes, hearty broths, cream soups, puree soups and bisques).You cant remember all the recipies but you can remember the techniques. This is the most didactic way of organize the book if you want to read it from cover to cover.
   
   2-The general description of the techniques are omitted. The author goes straight to the description of the preparation of each recipe. What it is good if you want a compilation of recipies, but it isnt very useful if you really want to learn how to cook soups at your will.
   By the other hand, the description of the preparation of the recipies are detailed and correct. Neither it is "over-detailed" nor ambiguous.
   
   3-At first sight, the number of recipies seems to be huge. But once you have read some chapters you will realise that some recipies are almost the same. Organizing the book by ingredients its easy to repeat recipes because you only need to change an ingredient.For example, "Miso Soup" and "Miso soup with egg plant", the first one appears in the chapter of broths and the second one appears in the chapter of vegetables. But both are the same .Another example "Puree of Artichoke", "Puree of Asparagus", "Puree of Cauliflower"...etc.
   The number of recipies has been falsely increased
   
   4-I cant say the recipies doesnt works, but I cant say the recipies are excellent.In some cases I am sure the recipe is wrong. As I said I am spanish, and I cant assure that Gazpacho doesnt contain neither chicken broth nor lime. I understand the author wants to transform/interpret some exotic/ethnic soups. But the changes should not become the dish into another thing. Another example is the Bisque. He uses vegetable puree to thick the soup. By definition a Bisque is a soup that only contains crustaceans and the vegetables are only use for give a subtle taste and it should not distort the crustacean taste.
   I wouldnt say that from the 400 soups all of them are "splendid". On the contrary, only few ones are good (but not excellent). He should be more concentrated on the quality rather than in the quantity.
   
   5-There are few photographs (8 pages). The "soups" showed by these photos has got so many solids and so few liquid that you would need a fork and a knife for eating it. So it isnt soups, because you dont use a spoon for eating it.
   
   6-The style of writing is a bit arrogant. I agree with other review. He uses a lot the word "I". I think he is too worry about demostrating that he has cooked each soup, because he repeat many times "Each time I cook it..." "I like to eat it.." "I cant image a summer without it.." and so on.
   I dont think he has cooked all the recipies, or at least, I dont think he cook the soups with frequency he try to show.
   The book contains 400 recipies, really do you think that he eats so often all them during the 365 days of the year?.
   On the other hand, he is too precise with very tiny details (add the parsley just 1 minute before serving, for example) but he is too loose with other matters.
   Does he pretend to be exquisite? an epicurean?
   
   7-This book has got some good points. The chapter of ethnic soups is excellent. He describes some ethnic and exotic ingredients and also incorporate soups from Thailand, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, China, India Morocco, Mexico etc...
   After reading the book you will be able to prepare a soup freely just watching what you have got in the refrigerator.
   
   All in all, I doesnt believe its a masterpiece as other reviewers does. The recipies arent totaly perfect and if you are purist the book will disappoint you.
   But if you arent a purist, if you doesnt look for the perfect soup, and if you only want to find a recipe and cook it from time to time, this is your book.



3. The most useful thing about this book is that it teaches you how to make a good stock. I can't tell you how much it has made a difference in my cooking. I do like the recipes in the book, but more often his techniques are being applied to other recipes vastly improved by my new ability to make a good stock. Once you get into the habit of making stock, you will be horrified at the thought of throwing away bones! Use them to make stock now, or freeze them and make stock later. The recipes are loose, but if you read the opening chapters you will not need absolute precision because you will know what you are doing!



4. This book is great. Take my word for it. Every one of the recipes I've tried has produced a great soup. Plus, there are pages upon pages of history, instruction, explanation, etc. -- which you can skip if you don't wish to read it, but which add to the understanding of what makes a great soup.
   
   One example: Spanish garlic soup. It literally takes less than 15 and produces a fine concoction for a winter evening.
   
   Well worth the price. This guy knows his stuff.



5. This book is what every cookbook should be like. It has a great range of soups from all different areas. He has a lot of classics, but he also adds a lot of tips for variety to mix it up a little bit. His directions are very clear, which is really helpful for me since I'm a first time cook. Even if you're an experienced cook, though, it would be helpful because it provides instructions for how to make up your own soups. It got a James Beard Nomination, and I think that really speaks for itself.

5 comments about California Pizza Kitchen Pasta, Salads, Soups, And Sides.

1. This cookbook, California Pizza Kitchen Pasta, Salads, Soups, and Sides, will make a perfect Christmas gift for someone who introduced me to their appetizers at one of their restaurants last year. The salads, soups, and sides should compliment their healthy eating habits. This hard-covered book arrived in a timely manner and in good condition. I can not wait to give this special gift of delicious-sounding recipes.



2. I bought this book for only for the jambalya recipe. It tasted NOTHING like the dish at the restaurant. I haven't tried any of the other recipes.



3. Great recipes... especially my favorite salad that I usually buy when in their restaurants... now I can fix it at home.



4. I found the receipes to be easy to follow and the results were true to my experience in the restaurant. I only wish that the book included the Thai Crunch Salad !



5. I hosted Bunko a couple of weeks ago with a "pizza" theme. After I opted to order some fancy pizzas from CPK (pre-baked - all I had to do was stick them in the oven for 5 minutes), I chose to do the Spinach and Artichoke Dip from this book as well as the Field Greens Salad and the White Balsamic Provencal Salad. Well, the dip was amazing! One of the ladies said: "Just give me a spoon!" to which we all had a good laugh! It was that good!!! The Field Greens Salad (I substituted sugared walnuts and pear for the tomatoes) was a total "hit" as well! I will make these recipes again and again!

5 comments about Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special: More Than 275 Recipes for Soups, Stews, Salads and Extras.

1. The recipes are reliable and easy to follow.

   Personal favorites: Butternut squash soup with sizzled sage, Jamaican tomato soup, Spicy carrot peanut soup, Black bean and chipotle soup, Tortilla soup, Corn chowder, Cream of mushroom, and Creamy herbed potato.

   There's a large chapter on salads. Try the Asparagus and fennel pasta salad, Caesar salad, Chef salad a la Moosewood, Tomato flowers and the Tostada salad.

   At the end of each page it will give menu ideas as to which salads go with which soups. Very helpful. Their salad dressings are very good but my all time favorite which I make once a week is the Moosewood house dressing. A delicious combination of canola oil, cider vinegar, honey, spinach leaves, basil leaves, dijon mustard, a little salt, fresh ground black pepper and buttermilk. All whirled together in a blender and tossed on fresh greens. It will keep in the fridge for about a week.

   Very easy directions. Lovely.




2. Sure, there are two tiny chapters of recipes including seafood, which I never use, not being a seafood lover, and there are recipes that include clam juice or whatever, but I find that those are so easily substituted or simply left out that it doesn't make a difference. This is one of the cookbooks I use most on the fly, when I haven't thought out the menu in advance. Many of the recipes can be prepared without a dash to the store, with just stuff I have in the cupboards. There are many good pairing suggestions, and lots of the recipes go over well with my 4 and 2 year olds. We love the Baked Bean soup, Vegetable Pistou, Artichoke Avgolemono (this is a big hit with everone I've ever made it for), Classic Sichuan noodles, Persian Rice and Pistachio salad, Nepalese Egg salad, North African Roasted Cauliflower, I could go on. My kids favorite snack is the Baked seasoned tofu, we love the spiced paneer, and the shortening-free biscuits are great. This is a good cookbook to have.



3. This book is the best cookbook in my entire collection. NOT because the meals are easy to prepare or the ingredients easy to find -- because frequently these meals take some time and effort, and a little searching to make sure you have all of the ingredients.
   
   But these recipes are absolutely fabulous, and all are well worth the time it takes to prepare them. They are all very unique, and the book is filled with combinations of ingredients I never would have thought to put together myself on a whim, like the Indian Fruit Salad or the Warm Potato Salad. When I was first beginning to learn how to cook, THIS is the cookbook that turned me into a good cook! AND these are all mostly vegetarian, very healthy meals.
   
   Interspersed with the recipes are also little vignettes / ramblings on food, eating, cooking and meal preparation, as well as guides to putting together your own food without a recipe, like what salad greens go well together. If you're not in the mood to cook, you can still sit down and just READ this book, because the little sections are really delightful to chew on. Along the bottoms of pages are menu ideas, complete with page references to the other recipes, and at the end of the book is an extensive index.
   
   If there was a 6 star rating, I would gladly give this book 6 stars! There is nothing like it.



4. Last spring I visited Ithaca, NY and had dinner at the Moosewood Restaurant. It was amazing! We went back for lunch the next day before heading home. Eating there was truly a life-changing experience for me. While there, I picked up this book - my first Moosewood book.
   
   I have always been whole foods minded, but tended to make the same old things over and over. This cookbook really helped to open up my meal repertoire. In a year, I've made a few dozen recipes and so far they have all been winners - they have ranged from good to "holy cow!!!"
   
   While I'm not a vegetarian, I'm a picky eater and generally don't eat much meat. I love this book because I can eat almost every recipe in it with no modification - this is a first for me! I am not into soy products, and unlike many vegetarian cookbooks, the recipes here aren't centered around soy or other meat-replacements. This is such a refreshing change!
   
   Like another reviewer mentioned, most of the salads aren't what you would normally think of as salads, and can really stand on their own as entrees. There are dozens of different soups. Our favorite dishes are the Tibetan Lentil Soup, Balinese Rice Salad, and Orzo Pesto stuffed tomatoes.



5. Although the books are fine, there was a mix-up with the order and delivery.
   I wanted the two Moosewood books to be billed to me but shipped to my friend in Raleigh, North Carolina.
   I realized that you had recorded TWO shipments, one set of books to me, and
   a duplicate set to my friend. When I reported this, you mistakenly cancelled the North
   Carolina shipment and sent the books to me. Moreover, the North Carolina
   shipment would have been free of shipping charge, but the books mistakenly sent to
   me had $4.98 in shipping charges. I took it upon myself to re-ship the books
   to my friend in North Carolina and pay the second shipping charge.