No comments about What the Big Island Likes to Eat.

5 comments about The Chocolate Snowball: and Other Fabulous Pastries from Deer Valley Bakery.

1. I bought this book for my mother as a gift. Before she even made her first dessert, she read the book cover to cover. She said she enjoyed the friendly manner in which it was written. My mother has been baking for 35 years so I trust her judgment. She has told me it's the best dessert cookbook she's ever seen. Highly recommended as a gift.



2. Not only are the recipes wonderful, directions for the appropriate adjustments to make for high altitude are given--and they work!



3. I live in the same town as this author, and have experienced first-hand her delectible creations. Not only are these recipes extraordinary, they are makable and edible. True gourmet without requiring ingredients from unknown Mediterranean villages. It is very difficult to bake at 7000+ feet, and these work (each recipe has altitude instructions if necessary). Amazingly, I emailed Letty for help with cream puffs (not in the book; mine were collapsing--not only did she return my email, she offered to taste-test them. Top notch chef, person, book. If live at altitude and love refined sugar, you need this book. Wherever you live, this book will not disappoint.



4. I had a snowshoe Tommy Bar on a visit to Deer Valley and thought it was the best cookie. Once I found out the recipe was in "Chocolate Snowball" I had to buy the book. I've made many of the recipes in the book, and all have been fantastic. Personal favorites: snowshoe Tommy bars (of course), deep powder carrot cake, and sunshine muffins.



5. I stumbled upon this cookbook at the library and was immediately taken by it even though I have never been to Deer Valley Bakery. What impressed me about this book was the sheer variety of unique recipes. I own a lot of cookbooks and check even more out of the library so seeing similar recipes from cookbook to cookbook is not unusual. This cookbook surprised me by containing so many unique and mouthwatering recipes that I hadn't seen elsewhere. My mouth watered when I stumbled upon recipes like Roasted Banana Panna Cotta, Caramel Cashew Tart, and Fat-Free McHenergy Bars. Many of the recipes are also accompanied by beautiful color photos which inspire you to try recipes that you might have otherwise overlooked. The cookbook also has much more than sweet pastries, despite what the name suggests. Inside you will find the expected sweet treats like cookies, cakes, and tarts, but there are also savory yeast breads and even a great basic recipe for a sourdough starter.
   
   Not only does this book have unique recipes it also excels in many other areas. As others have mentioned, it's pretty helpful when it comes to high altitude baking. Beyond having the expected instructions at the end of each recipe for baking at high altitude, there is also a separate section in the back with tips and tricks. Even if you're not a high altitude baker Flatt finds a way to educate you with `The Baker's Pantry' a section that includes a glossary of ingredients, terms, tools, techniques and resources. This proves invaluable to the beginning baker and is also a handy quick resource for more experienced bakers.
   
   It's also a cookbook that has a lot of versatility regardless of your level. Flatt uses the clever method of categorizing her recipes like ski trails into green, blue, black diamond, and double black diamond. As a result, it's easy to tell at a glance what is simple to make and what takes a bit more skill. Regardless of where you are at there are a good mix of recipes at all skill levels.
   
   As if all of the above isn't reason enough to check out this cookbook the results of the recipes are. So far everything I have made has been met with compliments. The Peanut Butter Lover's Cake went quickly when I made it for my boyfriend's birthday and the Almost Sinless Brownies were a perfect weekday treat.
   
   Overall the sheer variety of sweet and savory recipes in this book and the tips for beginning and high altitude bakers make it worth the cover price. I highly recommend it.

3 comments about Trail Boss's Cowboy Cookbook.

1. I once bought this book at a Ranch in the South Dakota Black Hills. It has since been misplaced, so I just ordered a replacement copy. The book was outstanding, as the recipe's were framed in vivid historical anecdotes about how they fit into everyday Cowboy life. As you prepare dishes, you can almost envision the Cowboys hungrily waiting! Most of the recipes are also delicious!



2. A wonderful set of recipies that show how they do, and did, cooking on the ranch and trail. Many of the recipies include background material about their origin. Especially interesting were the western and cowboy lore interspersed througout the book.



3. This book brings back the memories of beans and bacon around a campfire. And a lot more. Whether you really were once a cowboy, or just watched them on TV and imagined you were on a cattle drive rustling up to the chuck wagon, you will love these recipes....Happy Trails!!

No comments about Minnesota Bound : Fish Cookbook.

2 comments about Hawaii Diet Cookbook.

1. Once again Dr. Shintani gives us the benefit of his knowledge and experimentation. Hawaii Diet Cookbook takes Dr. Shintani's Eat More Weigh Less Diet into a tropical paradise and provides us with a book of wonderful Polynesian and Asian meals. Each recipe is easy to fix and very tasteful. In this book, Dr. Shintani offers testimony from people who followed this diet and decreased their blood pressure, were able to discontinue medications for diabetes and dropped weight. It is a great book for those who love to cook and eat. I have recommended this book to friends and relatives. Thank you, Dr. Shintani.



2. I found it difficult to acquire the ingredients from this book on the mainland. They are either non-existant here or very expensive if they are available.

3 comments about The Cafe Brenda Cookbook: Seafood and Vegetarian Cuisine.

1. I spent a brief time working at Cafe Brenda, and I bought the cookbook while working there. I've worked my way through just about every recipe, and 90% of them were wonderful - the recipes are full of flavor, interesting, satisfying, and a great place to begin exploring a variety of international flavors. I particularly love the soup and dessert recipes. The almond cake with chocolate ganache makes a wonderful birthday cake, the maple pot de creme is a wonderful and easy way to end a dinner party with friends, and the variety of soup recipes make use of all the seasons with wonderful results. I do have to say that the fish recipes are generally a bit more creative than the vegetarian entrees, though I've made the vegetarian and vegan croquette recipes (Brenda's signature creations) many times and received enthusiastic feedback from my family and friends. I've given this book as a gift many times with a lot of good feedback. It's also a plus that not many people know about the book, so the recipes aren't dishes that are made over and over again by people who cook primarily vegetarian and have worn out the books by Deborah Madison and Molly Katzen, great though they may be. Hope you enjoy it.



2. I have been using this cookbook on a regular basis for over 3 years. The vegetarian entrees and hot soups are to die for. Some of them are rather elaborate, involving numerous sub-steps, but the results are well worth the effort. The authors have developed flavor combinations that work with a beautiful mix of color and texture. I've personnaly given this cookbook to all my best friends. If you don't mind a little work, you won't be disappointed.



3. In this fast-paced world of fast-food and pre-packaged convenience foods, Brenda Langton and Margaret Stuart show us recipes on how delicious healthy food is and how easy it is to prepare!
   
   Brenda Langton is the chef and owner to Cafe Brenda, one of Minneapolis's favorite restaurants and an innovator of gourmet vegetarian cuisine. She currently runs her restaurant and a natural foods business with her husband. Margaret Stuart is a pastry chef, natural foods expert, as well as a horticulturalist in the Twin Cities.
   
   Using whole foods and natural ingredients, this book is filled with delicious, nutritious recipes that have been adapted from international recipes to accomodate a more healthy lifestyle. This book has been marked as the "twenty-fifth anniversary edition". People who have not frequented the restaurant, Cafe Brenda, will not understand that this means that this is the 25th year that Cafe Brenda has been in business serving these exact recipes to her customers!
   
   There are no photographs in this book, yet the recipes are easy-to-read and understand.
   
   Chapters in this book include: Appetizers & Salads; Soups; Breads; Seafood & Fish Entrees; Vegetable Entrees; and Desserts. Some of the more delicious recipes in this book are: Japanese Soba Noodle Salad With Spicy Tahini-Ginger Dressing, Roasted Potato & Garlic Soup, Blueberry-Lemon Bread, Spiced Almond Tart and Basmati Rice, Red Bean & Vegetable with Roasted Onion-Miso Sauce.
   
   If you are looking for gourmet recipes that are healthier for you, then pick up this book. Brenda Langton and Margaret Stuart have released a classy book to enjoy.

5 comments about California Home Cooking.

1. I picked up this cookbook as I left California. It has become my favorite with each recipe a winner with cook and guest. I especially enjoy the emphasis on fresh ingredients and the ethnic food selections that we were accustomed to in the restaurants in the San Francisco North Bay area. Highly recommend.



2. I cook alot and I have many cookbooks, but this one has become
   my favorite. Of the many recipes I've tried from this book,
   all have been successful and required very little tampering
   to adjust to my personal taste. My husband and I now make
   Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Sauce every week, although in the
   winter we saute the shrimp instead of grilling. Other recipes
   we've enjoyed include Asian Cucumber Salad, Ginger Beef Stir-Fry,
   Lima Beans baked Baked with Jack Cheese and Chiles, and Linguine
   with Chevre Herbs and Tomatoes. Next on the list is probably
   Roasted Salmon with Thai Chile Sauce. I have no financial
   interest in this book, but of you like simple recipes that use
   a variety of flavors and fresh ingredients, you should buy this
   cookbook. It will keep you busy for a long time trying out all
   the different recipes and you'll probably find a few favorites
   of your own.



3. I fell in love with this cookbook in 1997, when I met Michele Anna Jordan at Johnson & Wales University, where I was attending culinary school. She was there for a book signing, and was the most open, kind and bright chef I had met in a very long time. California Home Cooking not only has inventive recipes, but bits of history tucked in the margins about California's wonderful culinary background. Jordan is quite skilled at utilizing the freshest ingredients while holding true to the state's wealth of cultural influences. This can be used in everyday cooking, or for a dinner party - my husband and I find ourselves returning to it again and again.



4. I have been a fan of Michele Anna Jordan's writing for a long, long time. Her recipes resonate with me as we have similar tastes and cooking styles, but I love this book for much more than the recipes. All throughout the book are little sidebars filled with delicious little tidbits of information about California, both past and present. One may read about the first canned chile produced in Ventura or mid-1800's recipes from Senora Benecia Vallejo, the wife of General Mariano Vallejo. Ms. Jordan has produced a book that is filled with good things to eat, but is also filled with a wealth of information that makes ourcooking and dining experiences even richer.



5. I got the book in the mail today and disappointed as the book left out alot of typical California recipes. I lived in California all my life and this is missing some good ol Tri Tip recipes that the centeral coast is known for. Some good recipes but not what I was looking for. Had trouble connecting with these recipes not what I was use to cooking all my life.
   This seems to be high end cooking with things I've never heard of. Having said that I am willing to try new things and will try some. It just isn't California typical for me Sorry wouldn't recommend for the one looking for a down to earth California cook book. No pictures either. I'm going to check out a different book. Maybe Best of the Best from California.
   This Maybe a good cookbook with the wrong name. I am looking for down to earth California cooking.

No comments about The Best Places Northwest Cookbook: Recipes from the Outstanding Restaurants and Inns of Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia.

4 comments about Farm Recipes and Food Secrets from the Norske Nook.

1. There is a small-town cafe in Osseo, Wisconsin, called the Norske Nook which has earned a reputation for outstanding cooking and great eating. It was founded by Helen Myhre who, with the collaborative help of Mona Vold, now presents an outstanding cookbook that showcases all of the gustatory reasons why the Norske Nook became a regional Wisconsin success. This outstanding compendium of recipes is presented in sections devoted to Brads, Rolls and Sweet Dough Treats; Assorted Meats and Gravies; Fresh and Canned Treasures from the Garden and Wild Patches; Farm Meals; Pies, Tortes, Pan Desserts, and Puddings; Cakes, Bars, and Frostings; Cookies and Fry Cakes; Homemade Ice Creams and Toppings; Old-Fashioned Beverages and New-Fangled Punches; Scandinavian Specialities; Good Kitchen Tools and Mail-Order Products. No personal or community library Wisconsin oriented cookbook collection can be considered complete without the prominent inclusion of Helen Myhre and Mona Vold's Farm Recipes And Food Secrets From The Norske Nook!



2. If this doesn't improve your cooking, you are either one phenomenal cook, or you need to just start ordering in. Everything is fantastic in this book. I have had it for over a year, now, and I haven't had a bad batch of anything yet. Helen Myhre has tips and techniques that I wouldn't have ever used, but they've work so well that I'd no sooner give them up than give away my favorite pot. I'd been looking for a good pie crust recipe for about twenty years and finally found it here. The recipe was fantastic, something I would have never tried, and everyone compliments my pie crusts. I wish I could spend a day in this gal's kitchen; she is really something else. I don't give a review unless I'm pretty strongly for or against something. This one had to be written. Buy two copies - one for yourself, and one for the person who feeds you most (besides yourself). I've actually travelled to the Norske Nook (on my way elsewhere, believe it or not), and even the french fries are uncommonly good. Warning: recipes contain copious amounts of butter, LOL!



3. I grew up with a grandfather who was born in 1889, who survived the first world war, married his wife at the age of 30, had 5 kids, survived the Great Depression, and made a living as a dairy farmer in Mid-Western Wisconsin. He participated in the old-time threshing crews, which meant 15-20 neighbors (read: big strapping men from other farms) would congregate to help each other harvest their crops from the fields. Who fed all of these burly men? The women! Helen Myhers is the real-deal. She has compiled a cookbook full of recipes that are the actual farm recipes used by the women who fed the threshing crews on hot summer days. You'll find classic menus for holidays, Norwegian favorites, old-time baking from scratch, and my personal favorite- a killer Blueberry Bluff Cake. I'd recommend buying this book in hardcover, because you'll have it forever and return to it over and over again. I can attest to that. Mine is already ragged and very well used. There is also a very sentimental aspect to this cookbook. Helen writes about her memories too and gives readers a background about each chapter and each recipe. Her stories resonated with me and the memories I had about growing up on my grandparents farm near Helen's restaurant, so I cherish the book for its authenticity.



4. i actually have a question. is the recipe for their chocolate peaunut butter pie in there? because that was THE BEST!

5 comments about DK's Sushi Chronicles from Hawai'i: Recipes from Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar.

1. For beginners, there's a nice introduction to different basic japanese foods and rolling techniques with pictures. There are recipes for sushi, and small and large entrees. I've been to one of the two Sansei restaurants on Maui and the recipes from this book definately cover some of the best things on their menu. The only minor change I could see to make it better is more information about using pre-made grocery store sauces instead of making everything from scratch.



2. I've been to his restaurant in Maui and the food was fabulous. So good in fact that I bought this book. While I could use more examples of fish to swap for things only a Hawaiian can get I find the recipes so easy a beginner can use them to make some fantastic food. I highly recommend this book.



3. We purchased this book after eating at Sansei in Maui and Oahu our first time to Hawaii and love the book. If you have never eaten at Sansei you are really missing out. Chef DK has created an amazing menu. Everything is delicious. If you are heading to Maui or Oahu, make sure you put Sansei down as a "to-do" while you are there. On Sunday and Monday night they open at 5PM and everything on the menu is 50% off for one hour. You have to get their by 4PM or so in order to get in, but it is well worth the wait.
   
   Chef Kodama and Bonnie Friedman share all of Chef Kodama's secrets and do a great job illustrating how to create traditional and contemporary Japanese cuisine. They explain how and why each ingredient is used and translate ingredients throughout the book so you don't have to keep looking up terms when trying a new recipe. The book is simple enough for beginners to follow, yet offers some contemporary (and slightly more complex) dishes for the advanced chef.
   
   If you love sushi and want to start making it at home, by this book.



4. This book took really long to come in...almost a month. But it's good if you have company alot and want to impress them.



5. Cookbook was shipped quickly...however, was shipped in a soft package envelope so ended up bent and tattered by the time I received. They should ship in cardboard box to avoid damage and if that is an extra charge they should offer the option to the customer. Very unprofessional!!!!!