5 comments about Colorado Collage (Celebrating Twenty Five Years of Culinary Artistry).

1. I received this cookbook in 1997 as a bridal shower gift. I have yet to make anything that doesn't turn out well! This year I have bought if for 2 other friends who just married - and know that they will love it too! Just the Heavenly Potatoes are worth the price of the book. I also love the "pantry" section in the back of the book - comes in really handy for shopping lists - and always having the basic ingredients on hand. Highly recommend!!!



2. I am a lover of cookbooks, but this is the one that I use the most. Every recipe I have tried out of this book is fantastic. It is also beautiful and durable. The recipe instructions are very clear. And although you may not have every ingredient already in your cabinet, they can all be found at any good, well-stocked grocery store - no trips to "specialty" markets. I highly recommend this book.



3. I am very impressed with this cookbook. I've lived in Colorado for nearly a decade and had seen this cookbook in lots of homes and stores. It seemed like a 'tourist' attraction... boy, was I wrong. I love this cookbook for a number of reasons. One, my food is devoured by family and friends and they actually 'ask' for my recipes! (A secret dream of mine). Secondly, my kitchen seems to be readily stocked with the items these recipes require...how often does that happen? So, I love this cookbook. I've even sent my mother-in-law recipes.... another secret dream of mine. Enjoy.



4. I gave this book to my friends as a college graduation present. I went with this as the present because a) the food it produces is great, b) the reviews for this cookbook were steller, and c) the food it produces is great! My friends have given rave reviews, which makes me feel good.
   
   Also, my family uses this book frequently and loves it.



5. This is one of our favorite cookbooks...it is wonderful! We have given it for gifts and those people also love it. Every recipe we have made is superb.

5 comments about Big Sky Cooking.

1. The authors experienced a frantic Manhattan lifestyle tempered by visits to Montana until they bought a ranch and become involved in the food traditions of the area. When passionate cook Ellen Wright discovered the area's blend of fresh game and ingredients, she joined them and BIG SKY COOKING WITH REFLECTIONS features a fine blend of full-page color photos, recipes, and dishes steeped in Montana ingredients. Sesame-Soy Venison Chops, Elk Pepper Steaks, and Bison Osso Busco aren't dishes you'll find many other places, either.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



2. Interesting book to read as well as some really good recipes



3. This book is filled with excellent recipes that are different from your every day common recipes. An excellent addition to my wife's cook book collection.
   One recipe in the book "McCleod's Hot Mustard" is worth the price of the book.
   Carl Robinson



4. Beautifully done. Pictures magnificent. Recipes unique. I gave this book as a gift to a friend who grew up in Montana... she was thrilled!!!!



5. I love cookbooks that live...Big Sky does just that...it lives in all families. The recipes take you to a family dinner or a friendly get together. Big Sky brings wonderful recipes together with family and friends. What else is there.

2 comments about Home Grown Indiana: A Food Lover's Guide to Good Eating in the Hoosier State (Quarry Books).

1. I have been eagerly awaiting the release of this book for a few months. My copy arrived this morning and I can enthusiastically say, "The wait was worth it and the book is even more than I had hoped it would be!"
   Unlike many of the books published today, the quality of the book far exceeds the price in terms of both the quality of the book itself and the content.
   
   The book is divided into seven regions. For each region Christine Barbour and Scott Hutcheson introduce the reader to Indiana places where food is produced with a personal and local touch. They go far beyond the basic facts (e.g., address, website URL, hours, etc.) and introduce the reader to the people that put heart and soul into their product and the places that make that food homegrown.
   
   This personalization and connection is sometimes accomplished through stories and biographical snippets. For example, the entry for Cook's Bison Ranch begins, "In 1939,Everett Cook invested %5,000 in 83 acres with a house and a barn." Sometimes the entries are made personal through the inclusion of a recipe such as that for "Wild American Persimmon Pudding" which brings back childhood memories for Duane Smith of Walnut Grove Spring Water Persimmon Valley Farm. In other cases it is the observations of the authors that add spice to the entries. The combined effect is the feeling you might have at the end of an evening that included an excellent meal and even better conversation and laughter shared with good friends.
   
   In some books the extra stories and observations might come at the cost of depth or breadth in covering the subject matter. This is NOT the case in Home Grown Indiana. Along with sharing the specifics about the producers of everything from caviar to cheese and popcorn to bison, Scott Hutcheson and Christine Barbour offer additional information on topics such as: ideas for eating local year round, the meaning of the label "organic," what is meant by a CSA, and some of the issues surrounding raw milk. They also include lists of farmer's markets, wineries, microbreweries/brewpubs, places to eat local while dining out, and food festivals that can be found in each region.
   
   The book feels polished and complete in large part because of the way it is indexed. The book closes with a list of recipes, a index by county, and an index by product.
   
   I was pleased to see several producers I know and rely on listed for Northwest Indiana but I found several new places to explore here in Northwest Indiana. The book's size is small enough to carry easily or keep in the car for unexpected foodie adventures and making the most of local foods when I find myself in other parts of the state. I expect that like my nature field guides this book will soon be well-loved and personalized through notes and much use.
   
   While the content of the book would have been reason to celebrate in any form, I appreciate the actual quality of printing as well. The paper is crisp and the clarity of the typeface is clear and easy to read. The text fills the pages but with adequate space in the margins for making notes. The page edges are coded to make it easy to locate the section pertaining to a specific region of the state. Within each region the main entries are arranged alphabetically making it easy to look up the hours of a favorite producer.
   
   Thank you Scott and Christine for creating this wonderful resource. Now if someone would just do the same for Southwest Michigan.



2. Indiana is rich in agricultural heritage and independent, local farmers dig in their heels against soulless agribusiness. Until the past few years, though, Indiana lacked consumers willing to appreciate and pay for this bounty.
   
   With the publication of Scott's and Christine's book, Home Grown Indiana, those of us passionate about local and sustainable food have a reliable resource guide to farms, markets, restaurants and shops with high-quality food produced in our state. Home Grown is a watershed in our awareness of the table of communion all around us.
   
   The book is practical, sensible. Protected by its plastic cover from tomato sauce stains in the kitchen or dust from the glove compartment of the car, the authors divide Indiana into geographic regions. Special stories about those creating local cornucopia teach us to wander away from the megastores and onto the backroads.
   
   The book has an added attraction. I no longer have to worry about what I'm going to buy for Christmas. Everybody's getting a copy of the book this holiday.

5 comments about Texas Cowboy Cooking.

1. Wonderful in all respects- the recipes are excellent ways to fix good substantial food, written understandably. Outstanding pictures and commentary. I have been a Texas Panhandle cowboy and New Mexico rancher.
   Have cooked for hunters and working crews and own an extensive array of gourmet cookbooks. This is the one used for our recent holiday, and I have given 3 of them to friends since. Don't think this is rough food - it's the kind that everybody loves.



2. This is the best cookbook I've ever used. Everything is so simple and delicious. Tom Perini really knows his stuff!



3. Absolutely wonderful. The recipes are easy and tasty. The pictures are beautiful. I would recommend this to anyone. I have eaten at Perini Ranch and the recipies are just like those they serve.



4. This truly is cowboy fare...not Texas fare so if you are looking for very basic recipes, this is the book for you.



5. My first encounter with Tom Perini was shortly after moving to San Angelo, Texas. I was told I had to make the journey an hour and a half north to the small, out-of-the-way town of Buffalo Gap, Texas. Turns out there was a great steakhouse there by the name of Perini's. I went there, somewhat skeptically because of the hype... and fell in love.
   
   My visit was even more special because I got to chat with Tom himself. He's quite an interesting character, and I was surprised to actually see him hanging around the ranch, involved with the customers and striking up conversations. I bought a copy of this book during that visit, and he was kind enough to sign it! It's been a constant source of delicious concoctions ever since, and Tom's style of writing is very down to earth and measured. He tells you why cowboys would've cooked or eaten that particular dish, how to cook it, and why it matters.
   
   I recently ordered another copy because my seven month old decided to take an interest in my previous one, and I decided that one needed to go up on the mantle as decoration. And perhaps I'll let my inlaws finally borrow this copy- but then they'll finally catch on to what "calf fries" are.
   
   If you like real cowboy cookin', don't let this one pass you by!

5 comments about The All-American Cowboy Cookbook: Over 300 Recipes From the World's Greatest Cowboys.

1. I just love this cookbook! It has great recipes with directions that are easy to follow. Only trouble is I enjoy reading all the stories and comments so much that I forget I'm looking for something good to cook up!
   I'm ordering 2 more as gifts for my trail riding buddies!



2. I absolutely LOVED this book. I'm a big fan of Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, and was delighted to see pictures of them in there, and actual recipes from the real people! Not only are the recipes real cowboy food, but the facts, trivia, and other neat stuff in the book is just as much part of the book as the recipes! The sections are labeled in a very western-y style: Appetizers are "The Frontier", Beverages are "Watering Hole", Soups and stews are "Stir-ups", and so on.
   There's a whole section on chili, one of my favorite foods! I was very excited to find "Gene Autry's Texas Chili", and several from Roy Rogers too. There's recipes from all the greatest cowboys in there; from TV stars to rodeo champions, to just ranches who still love the American cowboy and his great food. There's a recipe from the show Gunsmoke, called "Gun-smokin' Chili", which I thought was really neat! The desserts are great as well (just like everything else in the book!). From pies to cakes to cookies and ice cream, it's got it all! I really love cowboys, and I am a cowgirl myself. I have my own horse, and wear a cowboy hat, boots, a leather belt and a big belt buckle with a horse on it every day. This All American Cowboy Cookbook really hit the spot! I can't wait to show it to my friend, who is also a cowgirl.



3. My husband bought this for me for Christmas. Since then I have bought several for gifts to friends from the old cowboy movie era. What a hit!



4. We use this all of the time. It has recipes that you can actually prepare and they really taste good.



5. A great book....even if you don't cook. Huge amount of history tidbits on all our favorite cowboys and cowgirls come along with these great recipes. Most recipes are very easy to use with ingredients you generally have on hand. Five stars!

1 comments about Wines and Wineries of California's Central Coast: A Complete Guide from Monterey to Santa Barbara.

1. Let me start by saying that I am a little biased toward this book because the photograph on the cover is the view from my parents' living room. I did not take the picture but the oak tree and the grapevines in that picture have been a familiar sight for many years. This is a good overview of the wines and wineries of the Central Coast. It is a good place to start to build your own "Sideways" trip. I have my favorites as I am sure others have theirs. The Central Coast is often overlooked by many as a serious wine country but those who actually know what they are talking about know this region as the real wine country in California, not our Napa neighbors up north.

5 comments about Cooking from Quilt Country : Hearty Recipes from Amish and Mennonite Kitchens.

1. Cooking From Quilt Country is by far the best cookbook (and I have many) that I have ever seen. Whether you want to lose weight or gain weight , recipies can be adapted for your own use and taste . Best of all, recipies can be done "by the book itself". I would honestly say this could be the only cookbook one woulld ever need and definitely would make a lovely gift!



2. book received in great shape and took less then four days to receive



3. COOKING FROM QUILT COUNTRY is a pleasure to read. The title comes from the fact that Amish and Mennonite people are famous for their quilt making skills.
   
   This book gives a little background of the Mennonite and Amish sects and how they came into existence. The roots of the two groups originated with the Protestant Reformation and the Swiss Anabaptist movement. The leader was a Dutch priest by the name of Menno Simons.
   
   This very informative book is filled with wonderful recipes and many photographs. Because the Mennonites and Amish have traditionally been farmers, they're also known for their wonderful foods. There are recipes for everyone here, but I was especially interested in the different vegetable dishes that are presented.



4. The recipes are hearty and filling, taste and look great too. My husband raves each time something new comes from this book!



5. What can I say I'm perpetually busy with three small boys and cooking always seems to allude me culminating in constant eating out.
   
   I have several cookbooks, either the kids won't eat the recipes I make, they taste awful, or it's to expensive with all the ingredients.
   
   This book is an absolute jem for the mother who needs to be able to fix a simple meal, quickly, and without all the ingredient fuss. Most of the recipes in here call for flour, butter, oil, lard, sugar. You know your basic staples.
   
   My kids love these recipes. The apples I made in brown sugar, fantastic. Tastes just like Cracker Barrels. I also like the fact that when your cooking this way the preservatives are at a absolute minimum, which is great.
   
   For those of you who commented on how healthy this book is please look into your history books or pictures of your grandparents. You can't find the fat person. I've been to several countries and America is by far the fattest. The other countries all lacked skim milk, low fat this, fat free this, and corn syrup in everything.
   
   I am by the way overweight and haven't gained a pound from this book. Moderation my dear. I've actually lost weight. Great book, I highly recommend.

5 comments about The Berghoff Family Cookbook: From Our Table to Yours, Celebrating a Century of Entertaining.

1. I just had to update some of you. The Berghoff Restaurant has reopened under the name '17 West at the Berghoff'. It is run by Carolyn Berghoff in the same location. I have been there twice. Much of it is the same. There are some things that have been 'modernized' if you will. But the ambience is the same. The waiters are young college kids. That is probably the biggest change. I heard that the name will return to Berghoff but not sure when.
   
   I haven't tried the recipes in this book yet but they look good. I have enjoyed reading the Berghoff story.



2. Was one of my favorite restaurants and I was surprised that the book had all my favorite recipes and more. Great book - better than I had imagined and full of wonderful German recipes and the addition of new ones from the catering business. Explained things better than most books. All around great buy.



3. I too grew up with the Berghoff Restaurant. Trips with my Dad on business often led to lunch there. I was VERY disappointed in the book. I wanted a walk down memory lane. The first part of the text did that, but the old favorite recipies just petered out too fast. I have my own catering co. in Ca. and have for 20 years. Just what I didn't want was HER catering book. I wanted to celebrate "The Berghoff" . Just because she is a Berghoff doean't mean the cookbook was about "The Berghoff". Should have written your own catering cookbook, not sailed in on your ancestors coat tails. (Plus, you don't cut corned beef with the grain as it said. Against the grain! If not, you've got strings, which I never had at "The Berghoff" Maybe she cuts it with the grain.



4. I bought it as a gift for my sisters birthday who in turn also gave it to me as a gift for christmas in December 2007. Excellent recipes and nostalgia.



5. The Berghoff Family Cookbook: From Our Table to Yours, Celebrating a Century of Entertaining
   
   Although the authors added some non-authentic recipes, the originals which are included are spot on. Try the creamed spinach - follow exactly. Lovely!

5 comments about Creme De Colorado Cookbook (Celebrating Twenty Five Years of Culinary Artistry).

1. This cookbook is one of the best all around cookbooks ever.
   I use this one for so many dinners and I love how it gives
   you suggestions on what to serve with the entries.



2. I have over 200 cookbooks, I often times go to sleep reading cookbooks and I relate to the world in many aspects through my stomach. I love food and cooking. This is definitely my most-used cookbook, I don't know how many times I've looked for a recipe, finally gotten this book out and there it was all the time. I consult this book first. I have several Junior League cookbooks, this is my favorite. Everything I have cooked out of this book has been good. Don't even think about it, just buy this book. You won't be diappointed.



3. Likely you too have scanned or even invested in those recipe collections to fund a worthy effort, either not expecting to use the recipes or had to search through to find those that one even would want to attempt. Not the case with this collection of the Jr. League of Denver! And over half-a-million in print to date! You'll want one before it goes out of print!

   This is large, rich colleciton that is well thought out, organized and bursts forth with uniqueness, creativity and breadth.

   Some unique features are its individual sections on Colorado Wild, Mexican and HealthMark Modifications. For example, the game section using Colorado abundance of wildlife is buy a doctor who is in to this, who gives recommendations on preparing to remove gaminess and to improve flavor and maintain health.
   How about Wild Pheasant Stroganoff! Indicative of the stuff you'll love finding here and trying.

   Also a plus to this delight is notes which accompany most all of the recipes that tell about alternatives, serving suggestions, history where the dish came from, etc. Adds zest for us foodphiles!

   One can easily see why so many other reviewers have raved about this -- it enticed me to try it. I think you will enjoy using this collection too!




4. This was the first cookbook my parents bought me when I moved out. It's the cookbook I turn to when entertaining. Favorites include the mustard chicken in phyllo and maroon bell cheese spread. Guests always ask for the recipes.



5. I have purchased book for a cousin as I've had tremendous success with
   many recipes in this book and value it.

5 comments about Simply Classic: A Collection of Recipes to Celebrate the Northwest.

1. This is a GREAT cookbook. I have had it for 5+ years, and I still use it all the time. I can vouch for the salads, soups, and entrees especially. I have not made many of the desserts, but I would not hesitate since everything else I have made from the cookbook has been so successful.



2. If there is a bad recipe in this book, I've yet to find it. You can always count on whatever you make being a hit. I've given this cookbook to several friends. They agree. The recipes are easy to follow with results you can depend on. This book should be a basic in every cook's kitchen. A perfect gift, too.



3. I grew up in the Northwest and live in Arizona. I love this cookbook and decided to share it with friends this year so I purchased 3 for gifts. Every recipe I have tried has been a hit with my family and friends. Simply Classic - The perfect title.



4. I've had this cookbook for years, and it remains at the very top of all the cookbooks I own for being used again and again. I can't even count all the recipes I make regularly from this book (we're talking weeknight meals!): Mount Rainier Chili, Harvest Bisque, Spinach Salad with Warmed Shallot Vinaigrette, Blue Cheese Potato Salad, (extensive salad section - all amazing), Tortellini Picnic Salad, Pasta with Grilled Chicken and Peanut Sauce, Salmon and Salmon Chowder, Salmon with Cilantro Pesto, Rosemary Walnut Chicken, Apple Blackberry Crisp... I could go on and on, and I just picked a few of the recipes we use all the time. Rarely is there a cookbook where you actually cook most of the recipes in it. The recipes are all sophisticated and unique and so yummy. They are not full of difficult ingredients, just good basic stuff with a better twist. This is pretty much my desert island cookbook - if I could only take one cookbook with me to a desert island, this would be it. The only problem is that around here, almost everyone I know owns and worships this cookbook. I once brought Tortellini Picnic Salad to a potluck lunch, and someone else brought it too!
   Bottom line: Amazing, amazing cookbook. You will never regret having it. I predict it will become your favorite!
   
   (By the way, it is much better than Celebrate the Rain, the Seattle JL's next cookbook - which is good, but I don't think anything could live up to Simply Classic.)



5. This is a really wonderful cookbook which I have owned for years. I often go back to it to discover new recipes, as well as my tried-and-true favorites. Add it to your cookbook library! A+