3 comments about Spice of Life : The Recipes and Cooking Culture of Thailand (book with CD Rom in presentation case).

1. Absolutely fantastic. The book and cd-rom is beautifully presented, and the recipes are not at all difficult to follow. I would really recommend this book/cd-rom to anybody and everybody - a must if you're looking for authentic Thai taste.



2. I've been looking for a good easy-to-read modern Thai cook book for long time. This is the best so far, especially for a beginner like me. The presentation of the entire book is well packaged ready for a gift. THIS IS THE BOOK TO BUY. The introduction of this book will show you what each ingredient look like with useful detail. Then it talks about Thailand and its regions and food. Then bunch of good easy-to-follow recipes.

   I ended up purchased the second one for a birthday gift. The book is durable for everyday kitchen use with nice plastic cover. You can search for recipes from the Interactive CD Rom. The software organize the menu set for you depending on the event you will cook for. Every recipes present with a beautiful presentation of each dish. It's a little pricey, but well worth it to have on your Thai cooking collection. I can just keep on bragging about this book.




3. I bought this package at a hotel in Thailand because I love the food there and I want to cook it. I am a novice cook but I love this package. The production values are outstanding. Each Thai ingredient is pictured and explained in detail which is really helpful to those like me who aren't sure what fish sauce or bale fruit is. There is a section on Thai culture that gives you the big picture for these dishes. The CDRom is really fun and is a model of how to do this beautifully, simply, and informatively. If you've ever eaten Thai food and want to cook it but have no idea where to start then this is perfect. It's in depth and extensive enough for experienced cooks too.

No comments about Thai Cooking Made Easy: Discover the exotic tastes of Thailand with over 75 fabulous step-by-step recipes.

2 comments about Introduction To Asian Cooking (Nitty Gritty Cookbooks).

1. In Rotisserie Oven Cooking, freelance food writer and recipe developer Sandra Rudloff showcases 125 unique and delicious recipes for a rotisserie oven that can be enjoyed any time, any where, and all year long. From Herbed Turkey Burgers, Spring Lamb Shish Kabobs, and Hot Honey Chicken, to Salmon with Avocado Salsa, Swordfish with Rosemary Butter, and Herbed Sirloin Roast, Rotisserie Oven Cooking will quickly become a counter-top rotisserie themed, family mealtime planning favorite.



2. I am the author of this cookbook.
   
   First of all, although the description does not mention it, this book also contains a detailed sushi section. It gives clear instructions on how to make great sushi at home, including how to make sushi rice, how to cut sushi, and how to make several different rolls. A detailed glossary explains different kinds of sushi, and the book also tells where someone can get great quality sushi on-line.
   
   The book also contains traditional recipes from China (stir fries and dim sum), Thailand, Vietnam, & Japan.
   
   Recipes include:
   How to make great white rice
   Red Bean Sesame Ball (Dim Sum)
   Shao Mai (Dim Sum)
   Pad Thai (Thailand)
   Larb (Thailand)
   Sticky Rice (Thailand)
   Bun Bo Hue (Vietnam)
   Bun Rieu (Vietnam)
   Fresh Spring Rolls & 2 sauces (Vietnam)
   Catfish in a Claypot (Vietnam)
   Pho (Vietnam)
   Sushi Rice
   
   Detailed glossaries explain ingredients and often brand names are suggested. There is a list of websites of where to get ingredients, including fresh ones like fresh lemongrass & galanga, as well as equipment.
   
   The recipes are written so that the novice Asian cook can immediately cook good Asian food. The more experienced Asian chef will appreciate the combination of recipes given.
   
   The recipes are not "Americanized"- they use traditional, authentic ingredients such as galanga (galangal), lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and fish sauce. Again, websites of where to get all of this are listed.

No comments about WHATS COOKING-THAI.

4 comments about Food of Thailand (H) (Food of the World Cookbooks).

1. A book that is both lovely and practical, with a mouth-watering selection of do-able recipes, 64 in all. It includes brief chapters on the history of the food, regional cooking, palace cuisine, and more; and an informative chapter on Thai ingredients describes 48 exotic ingredients, some with photos, from 'agar-agar' to 'water spinach'. The recipe directions are concise and clearly written. I like the fact that the recipes are not overly complicated and the number of ingredients called for in most of the recipes is fairly small. Many of the recipes are simple and in my opinion authentic and non-westernized. One thing they do not tell you is how spicy the resulting dish will be. "Red Chicken Curry with Bamboo Shoots" and "Pumpking Custard" are my favorites. Last but not least, if you are like me and love the visuals, sumptuous color photos abound, with exquisitely presented food in beautiful (table) settings, some with fascinating antiques or objets-d'art.



2. I started with the Food of Asia, which I think is excellent. I decided to check into some specific cuisines, such as Thailand, of the seven cuisines that are presented in the Food of Asia. I am a little torn about many of the other cuisines, but not for Thailand.

   The individual books in the "Food of" series by Periplus have extensive introductions. There are not as many recipes as I had hoped for. The ingredients list, along with the accompanying commentaries, are about the same, with an equivalent number of photos, as the Food of Asia. The Food of Asia contains many of the recipes, however, some do not have a photo.

   The variety of main ingredients here is quite good, including chicken, duck, fish, beef, pork, all the shellfish, a couple of specific vegetables such as kale and green beans that go with a meat, and a general vegatable stir-fry that can be used with any vegetable.

   The ingredients list is thourough, and there is little need for substitutions or omissions. Also, many of the spice pastes can easily be purchased pre-mixed. Some of the ingredients are obtainable primarily online, but unlike many of the other cuisines in the "Food of" series, Thai and Indian online stores are plenty.

   In the case of "Food of Thailand", I think it is definitely worth the purchase if you really like Thai food, rather than my general suggestion that "Food of Asia" is the place to start. "Food of Asia" contains many of the recipes that are in "Food of Thailand", but the extra ones in "Food of Thailand" are worth purchasing this cuisine separately.

   Hope this helps.




3. As cookbooks go, this series is lackluster. The photography seems to have a yellowish cast - and the food does not look very appetizing. The recipes are complicated and the writing is dry. I had purchased quite a few titles in this series and sent them all back.



4. This book is a shocker. Don't waste your money. Save it up and buy David Thompson's excellent Thai Food, and the recent Quick and Easy Thai.

No comments about Thai Cooking (The Essential Asian Kitchen).

No comments about A Vegan Taste of Thailand (Vegan Cookbooks).

2 comments about Thai Cooking Made Easy: Delectable Thai Meals in Minutes (Learn to Cook Series).

1. I have only made 3 of the recipes from this cookbook, but those i made came out absolutely perfect. The "Thai sweet and Sour shrimp" recipe was the best sweet and sour dish I've ever tasted. I've already made this one a couple of times with other meats. The Fragrant Beef Panang Curry" was delicious. It was the first time I could get this dish to come out as good or better than in a restaurant. There isn't many recipes in this cookbook, but many of the classic Thai recipes can be found here. The author only gives the Thai names for some of the recipes, so if you have a favorite Thai dish and only know it's Thai name you may be out of luck. On the plus side every recipe has a good full page color photo, so you can shop for a dish by browsing through the recipes. The author does give a short introduction to Thai ingredients, but it is incomplete compared to other Thai cookbooks such as "Thai Home-Cooking from Kamolmal's Kitchen".
   
   Don Egger



2. I love cooking, and I love Thai food, but attempts to make my favorite dishes at home always seem to come up short. The flavors aren't quite right, it doesn't look the way it is supposed to, and all the recipes I try don't quite cut it.
   
   Good, authentic Thai cooking is never really that easy, as evidenced by this book. "Thai Cooking Made Easy" does an admirable job making Thai cooking accessible. The directions are easy to follow, the spiral bound format is perfect for the kitchen,, and all of the recipes have great pictures to help you pick your challenge. But...
   
   While it says "delectable Thai meals in minutes," almost every recipe has substantial prep time, with an hour being standard, and several being much longer. Possibly the biggest barricade is the ingredients required by the recipes. You will either need a specialty store, or else a truly excellent supermarket before you attempt these dishes. How many of you have roasted rice powder, galanga root, kaffir lime leaves, tamarind juice and roasted grated coconut in your pantries?
   
   Attempts at shortcutting on ingredients or preparation account for the second-rate dishes that I have been eating. If you want that magical taste, you have to be prepared to work for it! "Thai Cooking Made Easy" is a great guide and a solid cookbook, but don't expect to be whipping up authentic Yum Pla Muk or Tom Som Pla in the same way you would dash off a grilled cheese sandwich.

No comments about Home Cooking Hot & Spice: Sizzling Dishes Made Easy.

5 comments about Death by Pad Thai: And Other Unforgettable Meals.

1. The quirky title was enough for me to pick up this entertaining and often penetrating collection of twenty essays by renowned writers who look fondly back on their personal culinary experiences. Some are better than others, but editor and author Douglas Bauer has recruited an irrefutably impressive roster of talent from professional food writers Jane and Michael Stern to acclaimed novelists like Richard Russo, Sue Miller and Claire Messud. His starting point is appropriately himself as he describes a week when he accompanied food essayist M.F.K. Fisher on a gourmet adventure in New Orleans as part of an assignment for Playboy. Their journey comes down to the hunt for the perfect Ramos gin fizz which they discover unexpectedly at a local dive. From there, we learn from Russo that even a glamorous restaurant in Manhattan is not immune to the compromising view of a man urinating off a neighboring rooftop. The irony of this sight comes just after the acceptance of his first novel, and he and his wife decide to celebrate in a place they can barely afford.
   
   Miller reflects on the fast food that was her constant staple growing up and how that contrasts with the sophisticated dishes she has tried to concoct ever since. She celebrates the imperfections of the meals she has prepared and makes us acutely aware that hunger is never just about food. In her adroit essay, Messud revisits a French meal so incredible that her selective memory of it is at odds with the reality of what it was, while in contrast, Scottish-born novelist Margot Livesey writes emphatically of her distaste for mutton and mint sauce. Lan Samantha Chang, a short story writer specializing in the Chinese-American immigrant experience, goes into the details of an enormous feast that follows sudden revelations during a palm reading; and fellow essayist Steve Almond brings an infectious tone to his lively account of the day-long effort behind a homemade pad thai with Maine lobster.
   
   Not too surprisingly, the writers closest to food professionally provide the most insightful stories. For example, Michael Gorra, the son of a New England produce broker, provides a meticulous but vivid description of an Italian immigrant worker who made do with what he could afford, which translated into a feast of fried peppers and Parmesan cheese for his co-workers. My favorite of the bunch is Jane Stern's account of her first Thanksgiving dinner, a comedy of errors beginning with a too-small oven and an array of canned goods served as side dishes and ending with her bulldog refusing to partake of the table scraps. With this anthology, Bauer has really brought together a set of stories that reflect shrewd observations and a good sense of humor but not at the expense of the very human experience that food creates for people. He even includes a recipe for each essay.



2. "Death by Pad Thai: And Other Unforgettable Meals" consists of 20 short stories that focused on stories of the experiences of different individuals which revolved around food. Most of the contributors are names in the literary world - poets, novelist, professors, and others, who wrote about his/her most memorable experience or sometimes, encounter with food. Some stories were more memorable than others, such as the case of this individual who was always envious of her friend's food, or the experience of a couple trying to impress their Swedish friends in a shabby restaurant in New Jersey. The focus of the book was not so much of the food itself but how food relates to each individual's life. The was an interesting read for me as the 20 stories in "Death by Pad Thai" were diverse and very much different from one another, but were all memorable to read, and it reminded me once again to think of food as more than just something to eat to sustain ourselves.



3. This is a book in which authors, some well known and others not so well known (at least to me) were asked to write about a memorable meal, whether in a positive or a negative light. Almost all of the resulting essays are, as the book's cover notes, not really so much about food, but rather about romance, disappointment, family and celebration. Highlights for me were the title story -- an operatic essay about creating lobster pad thai in an orgy of male cooking, by Steve Almond; a tragicomic story about a first Thanksgiving dinner by Jane Stern; and a hilarious tale of trying to impress visitors from Switzerland (friends of Andy Warhol, no less) in New York, by Michael Stern (husband of Jane). I recommend this book most wholeheartedly not just to food mavens, but to anyone who enjoys top-shelf writing about a subject which, after all, is near and dear to all of us -- food.



4. Twenty short works using a particular meal as a catalyst to memory, some which relate an incident amusing in retrospect, some which illuminate a life, all written to the point and with skill. I highly recommend this collection of original works.



5. This book is extraordinary not only because it does entertain and delight with its insightful foodie short stories, but it also sends you on a nostalgic excursion of your own past gustatory experiences, seeing that the human brain is designed in such a way that food sensations are so closely linked to memory synapses! I literally went into a dream state after each story, remembering similar situations in my past: unforgettable bright crimson whole shrimp grill-roasted on the beach in Corfu that we ate with our fingers, my mother's "galettes surprises" which I always requested on my birthday (see recipe below), my first dinner in a French restaurant when I was seven years old tasting rubbery, garlicky Escargots a la Bourgogne and loving it! All these memories and more flooded my mind and gave me such marvelous Proustian moments...
   
   Galettes Surprises
   Take about 2-3 cups left-over mashed potatoes, and knead a couple of beaten eggs and some grated Gruyere cheese into it. Take balls of this mixture about the size of an egg and form flat pancakes about half an inch thick and put them on a greased cookie sheet. With your thumb, make an indentation in the middle of each galette, and fill with a mixture of crumbled cooked bacon, finely chopped onions and garlic, parsley, and grated Gruyere cheese. Sprinkle more Gruyere over everything, and bake in a hot oven for about 20 minutes until the cheese starts to melt and brown. Yum! I didn't realize as a child that this was my mom's way of preparing a really inexpensive meal into a festive creation!