5 comments about Christmas With Southern Living 2006 (Christmas With Southern Living).

1. Like many of you, I collect these books year after year. This year was very disappointing. The book really is mainly recipes. I don't buy them for that, although the few I try are good. I buy this book mainly for the decorating and gift ideas. This year the book is really lacking in them. In years past they've shown how to decorate the outside of your house, the mantle, the table, and just about anywhere in a house that you could put a decoration. This year you basically have one mantle. That's it. Sorry, this book had me saying to myself, "I paid full price for this!!"
   
   If you really want this book, buy it used or look at it first in the library before you make your decision.



2. CHRISTMAS WITH SOUTHERN LIVING 2006 (0848731158, $29.95) isn't strictly a cookbook, though recipes are its core: it combines menus and time-saving holiday plans as well as party ideas with dishes which lend to entertainment and family gatherings. Many are fast, easy editor's picks, with chapters handily divided by type of entertainment: brunch buffet, office party, dinner party, and the like. A winner.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



3. Every year I look forward to the Christmas with Southern Living book. I enjoy them very much and have been collecting them for several years. I've tried the recipes and have never been disappointed. The beautiful color photos offer loads of decorating and entertaining ideas.



4. As always, Southern Living books cannot be beat. Love the decorating ideas and recipes. The pictures are fabulous!!!



5. I collect the Southern Living Christmas books every year and this is my favorite. The decorations are lovely and I've had great success with the receipes. This book sets the standard.

No comments about Nobu Miami: The Party Cookbook.

5 comments about Southern Living 2005 Annual Recipes (Southern Living Annual Recipes).

1. Where else can you find so many recipes all carefully tested in the Southern Living Test Kitchens in Birmingham? This annual volume collects the best recipes from a year's worth of magazines. It's a great collection in a kitchen-friendly format. Of course we especially liked the Thanksgiving recipes excerpted from our own book, "Three Guys From Miami Cook Cuban."
   
   Southern American regional cooking at its best and a nice gift for anyone who loves great food...



2. I bought this as a gift and it was greatly appreciated.Southern Living always has a highly rated product.



3. This cookbook has pretty much anything one would want to prepare. I have not cooked much from it yet, but the recipes look easy enough. The 2005 magazines had so many wonderful recipes, and I love how this book compiles all of them!



4. The recipies in these Southern Living cookbooks are pretty good for the most part, but the organization is a disaster. No sections for types of recipies, such as cakes, vegetables, meat, they just put it all together in "menus" which you then have to read through to find anything. Too much work, its almost an accident when I actually find what I'm looking for. I'm glad I bought them used so that the price was about right for what they are.



5. I received this cookbook as a gift about a year ago. It honestly set on the shelf for months before I really looked at it. I do not read Southern Living magazine and I usually do not like recipes in magazines in general. These recipes are not what you usually see in magazines. All the ones I have tried are very suitable for cooking at home. For the most part the recipes call for everyday ingredients that are easily found in your regular grocery store. It is divided into months of the year, so that's handy for incorporating seasonal produce. I like how recipes are grouped together so all the recipes you would want for a meal are next to each other on the same page. You may like this or not. Another reviewer mentioned that it was hard to find something specific and that is true. However the general index isn't bad as most recipes are listed by their name and their main ingredient. There is also a month-by-month index which seems like a waste of space since it is in the same order as the book itself.

5 comments about The Collard Patch.

1. This sunny and delightful book will guide you along to the collard patch.Not a rushed introduction to the collard green, but a nice long and friendly visit to the rearing up of seedlings and growing up with collard greens in the backyard.
   This is not just a recipe book but a book with lovely and fun farm stories,some Biblical quotes,recipe contributions from some of Mary Lou and Pauls many friends.
   This book features many nutritional facts,fun facts and historical facts on this vegetable.It induces the reader into a relaxed,pleasant smooth ride into the country.
   I read this book slowly,devouring a distinct southern flavor.It is written in a easy friendly style.A book being friendly ? You will quickly grasp the authors love for sharing recipes, stories of their friends meeting at the grocers or at church and exchanging recipes and suggestions for cooking collard greens in recipes they acquired from famous restaurants including appetizers and snacks,which was my favorite.
   This is a book you will want to spend one long,lovely summer afternoon with, maybe beside a brook or under a shady tree.Although I didn't read the book in such a sweetly pleasant environment,I felt as though I had.
   One suggestion I enjoyed and like to share is "don't discard the leftover liquid,instead make the easy soup", since the pot is already flavorful,you don't rinse and waste any precious flavors.
   One of my favorite recipes was The Glorious Collard recipe and The Collard Green Puffs. I am looking forward to baking Apple Collard Raisin Pie.
   This is a quality piece of work and I enjoyed every minute reading it.You'll love it for its healthy recipes,fun stories and joining the authors in a nostalgic look back with their childhood stories and pets.
   Highly recommended ! Read slowly and enjoy.



2. I don't think I've ever had collards the same way twice. I've tried to cook them, and I've been less than happy with the results. Well, here is a book with much about collards (headless cabbage.) There is plenty of lore on growing, cleaning and cooking these healthful and delicious staple of Southern cooking. I am sure if I don't find a way to make them come out to the elusive way I like (cooked down, not greasy, a bit of sweet and sour) then this book wasn't at fault. There are hundreds of recipes, from basic greens a la various Southern cooks to sides like cornbread and biscuit. One thing I didn't know; pot likker (the cooking liquid) is not a feature of collards. That is for turnip or mustard greens. Collards are cooked in a minimum of water. Hmmm.



3. This cook book is great. I'm a guy who struggles when it comes to cooking. But since I've started using The Collard Patch, life in the kitchen has become much more exciting and much easier. I give it two thumbs up!! I also have Flavored with Love. I got that one first. When I saw The Collard Patch I knew I had to get it too.



4. Long a mainstay of America's southern cuisine, collard greens are becoming popular nationwide as it can be grown in many different horticultural zones across the country. Indeed, about half of all commercially available collard greens are now grown in Californian fields. For those unfamiliar with the culinary uses of collard greens there is now available a cookbook dedicated to this nutritious, dark green, leafy vegetable. "The Collard Patch: Collard Country Cookbook and Reader, Collards and Cornbread Y'all Will Love" is the cooperative work of Mary Lou Cheatham and Paul Elliot. The first section explains the history, handling, nutrient values, and other issues relevant to collard greens. Then presented is an impressively diverse series of 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes featuring an Ingredients list, Preparation instructions, and Equipment/Utensils required. Of special note for each recipe is an 'info block' of Nutrition Facts that includes the number of servings, as well as calories, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrates, dietary fiber, protein, and miscellaneous additional information of value to health conscious consumers. From Perfect Collard Greens; Spinach and Collards; Netherland Salad; and Mexican Collard and Black Bean Soup; to Huevos Collards Picantes; Collard and Shrimp Quesadillas; Collard Biscuits; and Apple Collard Raisin Pie, "The Collard Patch" is a compendium of recipes offering gourmet quality dishes suitable for any dining occasion. Of special note are the various cornbread recipes that are also featured, making "The Collard Patch" a very special addition to personal and community library cookbook collections.



5. Here's a culinary reference from two great cooks which opened my eyes to an entirely new realm of cookery; however, before I launch into the details of all that, I wished to spotlight the attractive and noteworthy cover of this splendid cookbook.
   
   The front cover of "The Collard Patch" holds a special appeal for me. It consists of two photographs, one above the other. The bottom photo illustrates a view of perfectly cultivated rows of collard greens in the porous soils of the Deep South. I immediately thought back to my youth when local farmers here in the ancient Teays River Valley of southern Ohio, also a sandy-soil environment, farmed huge fields of turnips. At a distance, the rows of turnip greens looked very much the same. Growing up around those 1950s Appalachian farms were some great days for me and I savor anything that reminds me of that simpler era.
   
   The second photo somewhat blends in with the first - it's a close-up of collard green leaves, the striated natural colors of which recall an artist's palette. The chief hue is what might be regarded as blue-green or perhaps sea-foam green. The color features of this picture reminded me of an ethereal view of surfer-quality waves along a Pacific shoreline as the evening rays of the sun shine back through them. Conceptually, it's really just several great aquamarine shades which manifest a peaceful ambiance, reminiscent of a slow-paced existence of the Old South.
   
   The crux of the book is, of course, focused upon collard greens, a staple dish of the southern United States as much as are fatback, grits, pecan pie, and cornbread. Mary Lou Cheatham and Paul Elliott have achieved a superb final product by assembling both collard recipes as well as dishes related to that notable southern relative of spinach and kale. I guess I've never previously considered that collard greens could be used in casseroles; to supplement risotto; as a creamed veggie; in soufflés, in omelettes and crepes; in crock pot dishes; in soups; in breads; in dips; in desserts, and; even as a pizza topping!
   
   There are also lots of "associated" recipes in the book such as:
   
   Peach Salsa (page 71)
   Sauce Mornay with Colby Jack (page 85)
   Ruth's Old-Fashioned Biscuits (page 118)
   Sour Cream Soft Bread (page 240)
   
   The overall content of the work covers quite a bit of territory. There are mini-biographies of local but notable southerners, nostalgic tales of the south, and some general cooking tips. Also, the authors thankfully did not diverge from employing the local vernacular so when they say "...a mess of collards," or make a reference to "[collard]...Pot Likker," I have every reason to believe that the content is quite correct and genuine concerning these tried and tested recipes.
   
   Regarding the collard greens themselves, the book is bulging with every possible aspect of collard lore such as the plant's history, cultivation (including planting and pest control), harvesting, cleaning (a significant concern with collards as soil really sticks to the leaves!), cooking, storage, and kitchen equipment used to maximize the flavor and appearance of collards. Elliott, himself a physician, also discusses the numerous health benefits of collards and has thus contributed many heart healthy recipes. He mentions that collards are a great source for beta carotene, vitamin C, calcium, fiber, niacin, and vitamin E. Apparently, the substitution of Splenda for sugar works well in the cooking of collard greens, making these dishes notably more diet-friendly.
   
   Finally, Elliott has injected his considerable story-telling abilities into an entire chapter devoted to personal reminiscences of his family's Texas farm ("Collard Country"), some of which exude the "Mississipus peccadillus" aspect of the often dubious activities of teen boys everywhere. His co-author, Mary Lou Cheatham has also sprinkled spiritual quotations throughout the text.
   
   This softcover edition of "The Collard Patch" contains nearly 200 great recipes (there are 31 "guest contributors" of recipes who have presented some of their top culinary creations here!) and the text runs 288 pages in length, broken down into 14 chapters. To accommodate the nice readable fonts the outer dimensions are 8 ½" x 11". There's generally one recipe per page which makes it convenient to read recipe details and cook at the same time. The cover is a slick material which facilitates the wiping away of any spills, an actuality which certainly seems to always occur in my kitchen.
   
   Also by Mary Lou Cheatham (aka Jane Riley): Flavored with Love: Mary Lou's Family and Friends Can Cook
   
   In summary, if you enjoy southern culture, southern cooking, and/or short humorous anecdotes, "The Collard Patch" is probably right up your alley. Highly recommended.

No comments about Paula Deen's Kitchen Wisdom and Recipe Journal.

5 comments about The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Cookery.

1. I am a serious cook with a large cookbook library. I am a Southerner who made my first biscuits and gravy at age 5. This book is a not-so-well done re-hash of other Foxfires and sorely disappointing. It is difficult to use as a cookbook-more poignant than useful. Also a tad light on recipes. A much better book from North Georgia (Southern Appalachia, like the Foxfire series) is Smokehouse Ham, Spoon Bread & Scuppernong Wine: The Folklore and Art of Southern Appalachian Cooking. I use this one a lot, enjoy reading the stories, and frequently give it as gift to visiting Yankees. Plus it has the wit, charm, and authenticity so sadly missing from the Foxfire Cookbook.



2. THIS BOOK HAD LOTS OF GREAT OLD FASHIONED COOKING SEGMENTS. I WAS WELL PLEASED WITH IT.



3. If a person has read the "Foxfire" series of books, they will enjoy this compilation of all the recipes from each of the books. The book is very well put together with lots of pictures and intersting facts from the people who gave the recipes. Enjoy!



4. This is a great addition to the Foxfire book family. On a personal note, I was raised on many of the recipes noted here. The food of the Missouri/Arkansas Ozarks is quite similar to the Appalachians. This book gives a great representation of the "way it was," and the delightful writing and personal stories and interviews just add to the fun and usefulness of this work. One needs to note though, that this is not a "cookie cutter" cook book. If you are looking for a recipe book with standard, boring directions, then you need to probably look elsewhere. There are dozens and dozens of that type of book out there and they are not all that difficult to find. No one book can do it all...that fact is pretty much a no brainer. This is a history book, a book about a vanished or vanishing culture, even more than it is a cook book. This is quite important to remember.
   
   That being said, this work is an absolute delight to read. From the preparation of the animal being cooked all the way to the making of sauerkraut, the book is filled with wonderful facts and insights to a time long past. One of the things that I found most interesting was the ingenious methods used to be sure that everything, and I mean everything, was used. These folks of past generations did not leave much to waste.
   
   The reading is easy, but do be warned, that you must get use to the dialect used here. It may throw some off, but once you get use to it, it adds so much to the story being told. The book has plenty of black and white photographs, gives around 300 recipes and absolutely hundreds of bits of trivia. This is one of those works you will probably want to add to your library because it is one that deserves rereads. Highly recommend this one along with the entire series.



5. This book is fun to read. It contains so many good recipes and cultural stories. If the Appalchian Mountains are as special to you as they are to me, you will love this book.

5 comments about White Trash Cooking II: Recipes for Gatherin's.

1. I have both White Trash Cookin' Books and have given them as gifts. The stories as well as the recipes will have you in stitches. The recipes are good eats too. Highly recommend this book.



2. Just as in the original "White Trash Cooking", there are recipes here, but more of an emphasis on cooking for groups. The various situations that call for group food are presented -- quilting bees, funerals, reunions, obligatory holidays. Each chapter is prefaced by a short story illustrating the heart of white trash. The photos are truly astounding, and as in the first book, a big part of the book's appeal. These people don't ever apologize for being white-trash -- they're simple, unvarnished, and neighborly. So is their food.

   The recipes are even more outrageously white-trashy than in the first book -- while there are several recipes I tried from the first, there aren't as many that I'd call accessible in this one. I also find dialect-writing difficult to follow. Still, the last chapter is truly touching: An eloquent plea for people to cook with their own hands, instead of relying on store-bought "mummafied" food. Well said!




3. Wonderfully funny and good recipes,too. I have both White Trash cookbooks and will not trade them or lend them to anyone. I just buy them one.



4. 
   I received this book in good condition, and the
   shipping was fast. I would buy from this dealer
   again.



5. I was tired of getting my mom the typical Mother's Day gifts, so I turned to cookbooks. Instead of typical cookbooks, I got my mother White Trash Cooking and White Trash Cooking II to play on the fact that she and my father relocated to Mississippi in recent years.
   
   While I myself have not had the pleasure of reading these, they were a huge hit. We're just wondering where to get our hands on a cooter to cook up....

1 comments about Southern Living Homestyle Cookbook.

1. This is a great cookbook. It has so many wonderful things in it to try. It is great quiality with lots of pictures.

4 comments about BBQ Joints.

1. The true and dedicated barbecue connoisseur well knows and appreciates the complexities and subtleties involved in this very special culinary genre. Ordinary folk just know that barbeque tastes good! In either case, "BBQ Joints: Stories And Secret Recipes From The Barbeque Belt" by David Gelin will prove to be a source of fascination, inspiration, and great eating. Alphabetically organized by southern states ranging from Alabama to Texas, "BBQ Joints" is a compendium of restaurants and eateries that are presented with anecdotal stories, addresses, phone numbers, monochromatic photographs, and terrific recipes that showcase the variety and diversity of the barbeque -- including some legendary side dishes and desserts! From Woody's Barbecued Rice (Woody's Bar-B-Que, Arkansas); Simmie Nichols' B-B-Q King Pig Ear Sandwich (B-B-Q King, Georgia); and Smokehouse Bob's Patricia Newton's Sweet Potato Pie (Smokehouse Bob's, Oklahoma); to Katy Garner's Hog Heaven Fruit Cobbler (Hog Heaven, Tennessee); Denice Janow's Austin's BBQ Macaroni Salad (Austin's BBQ & Catering, Texas); and Elvis's Pound Cake (Starlight Grill, Alabama), "BBQ Joints" ably serves as a tour guide planner for the true and traveling barbeque enthusiast. Of special note is the 'Build Your Own Pit' chapter. "BBQ Joints" is a unique, informative, and highly recommended addition to the cookbook collection of any and all barbecue fans.



2. From Texas to North Carolina, the author, David Gelin, captures the true spirit of Southern Barbeque. This book highlights the heart and soul of the good folks that make Barbeque almost a religion in the South. It's not so much a book about food, but it is also about the craft itself and the wonderful people behind those mouth-watering dishes. The stories behind the food are rich in detail and the gorgeous photographs illuminate the people and places that make these little joints a piece of heaven. Reading this book left me hungry for some old fashioned "cue". This book is a must have for any Barbeque enthusiast, just don't read it if you are hungry!



3. I actually liked this book but there was a feeling of deja vu while reading it. There should be; a book like this has been written before, and it was bigger and better. For the life of me I can not remember the name of it, but I bought it on Amazon. It is now out of print.
   
   In any case this book does a nice job of telling us about the BBQ joints the author visited. I always enjoy stories like these. They inspire me to the point of "almost" opening my own BBQ place.
   
   My problem with this book is what caused me to take away one star, and that is the title is rather misleading. It mentions "Secret Recipes" on the cover. Well, yes and no. Most of the included recipes are SIMILAR to the ones that these BBQ joints use, but not EXACTLY the recipe they use. And many of the recipes provided are pretty standard fare. Of all the recipes included, I am only tempted to make 2 or 3 of them. I guess what I am saying is DO NOT buy this book for the recipes; buy it for the stories behind the BBQ joints.
   
   Had the recipes been better - or complete - I would have given this book 4 stars instead of 3. Oh, and there is ONE floor plan for building a smoker, and while I didn't exactly study the plans, on first glance, they look like they may be incomplete, or at least in need of further explanation.
   
   It was a fun book to read. I read the whole thing in 2 days, but it is not the best book of its kind.



4. I'm a family member of Hite's BBQ located in West Columbia, SC. Hite's is one of the BBQ places featured in the book. My mother and father have been in business since 1957 and I appreciate Mr. Gelin for putting us in his book. As for the "secret recipes", I think it is hard for BBQ places to give their recipes out for the whole world to see. I hope you'll stop by to see us when you're in SC. We are a take out only establishment and we are only open on Friday and Saturday of each week. We've been on the news channels, SCETV, and on the front page of the State paper on July 4th 2007. We have a write up about us in the McKissick Museum and now we're in a book. I hope you enjoy reading the book.

5 comments about Southern Living Slow-Cooker Cookbook (Southern Living).

1. Nearly every recipe relies heavily on canned soup, processed cheese, bottled sauce, etc. Not my idea of home cooking. I'm donating this one to the library book sale.



2. Since I went back to working full time, I thought, "hey, what a great opportunity to really use my crockpot." So I bought this cookbook, banking on the Southern Living name. The recipes are OK, but there are way too many that require you to cook at high for 1 hour, then switch to low for 4 hours, etc. These are mostly meat dishes. Others say cook the first 5 ingredients for 3 hours, then add such & such and continue cooking for 2 more hours. Well, if I'm at work, how am I supposed to switch the temperature or add ingredients? Even the "programmable" crockpots won't let you change temps after x number of hours. And the book tells you that to avoid the temperature change, you can brown the meat first, etc. Well, when I'm trying to get ready for work and get three kids ready for school and daycare at 6:30 in the morning, what I really DON'T need is to have to precook my crockpot meal. The beauty of the thing is that you're supposed to throw everything in and let it go all day (not 4-5 hrs) and then it's done when you come home. These recipes need too much attention.



3. I have a lot of cookbooks, but this has to be one of the best. I have used the Southern Living Slow cooker cookbook almost everyday since I purchased it in November and every meals has received wonderful reviews.



4. Love the recipes, the layout, and the results! Good food with little effort and less electricity.



5. As a commuter of 80+ mi/day and someone who wants to put a good meal on the table at night, this book saves me every time! I have had it for over 3 years, I have never had a bad experience with any of the recipes in this book (which I cannot say that for my Betty Crocker Slow-Cooker Cookbook) and I still discover new treasures. Plus, we always have enough leftovers for at least one lunch--much better than cafeteria food!
   
   The variety is excellent and there's a chapter on "Living Light" which both my husband and I have enjoyed at least as much as the full-up recipes. If you buy one cookbook, make it this one. And if you have trouble getting home in time to turn off the pot, get a Slow-Cooker with the built in timer--it's worth every pennny.