1 comments about Foodservice Organizations: A Managerial and Systems Approach (6th Edition).

1. Need text for course, but actually interesting content. Would recommend to those going into food service/management.

5 comments about Mushrooms Demystified: A Comprehensive Guide to the Fleshy Fungi.

1. One of, if not thee, most comprehensive field guide for wild mushrooming ever published. Amazing work.



2. Superb field guide for the mushroom greenhorn and connoisseur alike. Great color photos with all sorts of information about the little guys that you could ever imagine. They also warn about which ones to stay away from - always a good thing. Even if you're not into them that much, it's still a great book to have around the house just in case you ever want to know what kind of mushrooms are growing in your neighborhood. This would be an excellent book for a classroom or a great gift for a kid who's into being outdoors. Boy & Girl Scouts and groups like that would find this book indispensable for outings and general knowledge.
   *Note* There is also a pocket guide that I own that is great too, and much more easy to lug around than this compendium.



3. It's an excellent book, but could be perfect if it has color spore charts, one of the most important taxonomic features are spore color and Arora recognize this on his book, why let that out?



4. This book is amazing, and is my husband's new found hobby book and is already well-read. It is extremely thick for being a mere paperback, and arrived damaged. My only complaint is that it seems to not be ready for the hard wear and tear these mycologists will surely be exuding. The book itself is even more than we hoped for, and is an amazing resource.



5. For anyone interested in learning about mushrooms, this book is the mushroom bible for species in the United States. It's not really a book for beginners, because the information can be somewhat overwhelming, but if you want a positive ID on something you've found, there's no better resource to do it. Then again, Arora injects a dose of unexpected hilarity that a mushroom-hunter with any level of experience can appreciate.

5 comments about Weber's Big Book of Grilling.

1. Excellent book on grilling, I wanted a book on Charcoal but found this book full of good information that can be used by both gas and woodl



2. I have to bow down to this book as the best grilling book EVER. We've tried many of the recipes and never been disappointed. Plus, it's entertaining to read with great pictures. Can't ask for much more than that.



3. This is a great guide to a first time owner of a Weber Grill.The recipes are easy to make and the tips and anecdotle information are great!!!



4. This is not only a great book of recipes, but the high quality paper and the beautiful pictures make this a perfect coffee table book. Leaf through it when you have a few minutes to get inspired for the next grilled meal.
   
   I cook for myself and I like to keep things simple. When I see interesting recipes that list two or three ingredients that I know I would never have at the same time, I cease to consider making that meal. Most recipes in this book list fairly basic ingredients that most kitchens would have on hand.
   
   The author doesn't just use terms for techniques that many more experienced cooks would know, but gives a little detail on how to do the procedure for the novice. Besides the recipes, many topics on basics are covered in the front of the book. Humor is used on occasion, which can lighten the mood for the harried grill-master with hungry guests to feed.
   
   I liked this book so much, I purchased two more for friends who don't eat to live, but live to eat.



5. I have the WORST time ordering on Amazon.com. I ended up with two of these cookbooks (one new and one used). That was after I was told they were out of stock/unavailable. I DON'T want to pay to ship it back!! I have ordered from Amazon.com before and had problems. I will avoid this website in the future!

5 comments about Designing Great Beers: The Ultimate Guide to Brewing Classic Beer Styles.

1. It is a very technical book with lots of graphs and charts. If I ever have any technical homebrew questions, I will pull out this book. I might need to go back to college and get a masters degree to understand it, but I do now own it. Until I need it, it will just collect dust as part of my homebrew book collection.



2. gives a great base to create your own recipes based on the style you are looking for. should be easy to adjust your second and third batches if need be



3. This is my number one reference book for designing my new batches of beer, but I'm looking for a better one. This is the book I pick up when I decide to brew a new batch. It has excellent technical info in the first half of the book (*however, I'd prefer an even more in depth discussion of mathematics, since I like to calculate these things for my beers - I end up struggling with converting the equations to ways that I can use - I wish there were more equations and a more complicated discussion of mathematical things such as calculating hop utilization, controlling mash techniques for sugar profiles, fermentation temperature control, and brew chemistry). The second half has a short, well written history and background for each of beer discussed, and compares many recipes within a given style, providing the reader an adequite understanding of the style so that you can design one for yourself. Useful tables and graphs are available for every type of beer discussed, such as the percentage of beers that used a particular type of grain, and the range of % malt bill for each grain. **I wish the 2nd half of the book would have a seperate section for each of the 20-something beer style categories. I highly recommend this book. I wish he would design a 2nd volume that would delve a little deeper, though.



4. This book is concise and broken into two major sections, the science and the styles.
   
   The first part, dealing with the math & science of brewing, goes through all of the critical calculations for creating your own recipes, and provides and excellent reference for hitting a target gravity or a desired hop level.
   
   The second part goes through the major styles of beer (focused on the styles as they are seen in competitive brewing), giving a history and summarizing each style as to major constituents (from a grain & hops perspective) as well as good target gravities, bitterness & characteristics.
   
   This book has helped me to create many batches of excellent beer. At this point, I've forgone recipes not my own...



5. This book is best regarded as a recipe guide for the competitive brewer. While the styles presented are regrettably limited, the styles that are presented are wonderful. Each style section presents the ingredient incidence and range of ingredient percentages for both commercial examples as well as 2nd round National Homebrew Competition entries. There are very helpful comments on each style as well - mash approaches, comments on the different malt bills, etc. I have to stress the notion that this is a recipe guide - no actual recipes are presented. Rather, the focus is on the different approaches commercial brewers and homebrewers use to brew to style as well as how they are perceived in judging.
   
   As an example, for Scottish Ale, you'll find comments on the use of smoked malts - right down to rauch vs. peat-smoked, roast malt vs crystal, residual sugar levels in different style sub-types, etc. What you won't find is a suggested malt and hops bill along with a mash schedule. Thus the audience is the competitive brewer looking to divine what his competitors are doing, how, why, and how it's being perceived in judging.
   
   The shortcomings of the book are its limited style and sub-style coverage. I also found the upfront chapters (i.e., those preceeding the style sections) of limited value. Finally, I'd like a lot more on mash schedules. The information presented in the style sections is priceless, however. If you are interested in even a single style or two in the book - two primary styles interested me - it's well worth the price. To my knowledge, the comparative recipe information is found nowhere else.
   
   I give it 5 stars for its unique information. I'm tempted to downgrade it for its limitations, particularly since there are some really egregious style omissions, but it's just too valuable in terms of what it does cover.

1 comments about Student Companion to Accompany Biochemistry, 6th Ed..

1. Not what I expected. Though well outlined it could have given more details.

5 comments about Let it Rot!: The Gardener's Guide to Composting (Third Edition) (Storey's Down-to-Earth Guides).

1. Great book for those who have a compost system going. We are on Cape Cod and recycle everything! This book tells us how to compost everything.



2. Composting, in case you aren't terribly familiar with it yet, is simply the practice of allowing waste matter to rot and decompose until it's fit to be tilled right into the soil. However, while the basic concept is as old as mother nature and often very easy to execute, it also helps to know more about it. What materials should you compost, and which should you avoid? Do you have to worry about animals or flies in your compost? How do you make sure your compost will turn into dirt and not a slimy, stinky sludge?
   
   While nearly every gardening book these days has a section on composting and most of these are enough to get you by, Stu Campbell's Let It Rot! is an entertaining, folksy and in-depth take on the art that will see you through nearly any foreseeable difficulty. I was certainly able to successfully compost with the simpler directions in other books, but there's information in here I wish I'd had back when I first started. For instance, now I know the cobweb-like stuff that I feared was mold was the natural activity of Actinomycetes, a part-bacteria, part-fungus organism that aids decomposition in certain parts of a compost pile.
   
   Mr. Campbell's book also introduces a great many different types of compost piles and composters that you can use, depending on what you're trying to accomplish, what area you have to work with, or what you're trying to decompose. He also suggests many ways to use compost in and around your garden, and how to get the most out of it. I'm glad I picked up Mr. Campbell's book, because I learned an incredible amount of new material!



3. I bought this for my husband as he went crazy on composting. I read it as well. And it provided more info. A must read for anyone wanting to start or even seasoned rotters. Good book to leave on the table gets lots of funny looks



4. This book is a quick crash course on composting. I learned things about composting that I never new before. The other great thing, it is an easy to read book! Totally satisfied!



5. I have never tried composting before, so I wanted the big picture. I researched online and this seems to be the undisputed classic book on the subject. It seems to tell ALL you need to know to manage your composting, and in as few words as possible.

5 comments about The House of Mondavi: The Rise and Fall of an American Wine Dynasty.

1. The author is to be commended for making this story so fascinating to read. What a treacherous family!



2. This book was disappointing, if only because with decent editing it would have been much more enjoyable to read. The author appeared to write this as a series of stories, rather than a single work of non-fiction, as evidenced by her insistence on re-identifying many major players and events throughout the story. And like many authors these days, tightening up the book by 75 pages or so would have trimmed the fat yet left the full flavor of a compelling saga.



3. This is a great book to read if you have interest in the Mondavi wine business. My interest was piqued after a recent trip to the Napa/Sonoma wine region and visiting the Opus Winery, amongst others. Mondavi is a legend in the California wine business and after reading Robert Mondavi's book entitled Harvests of Joy: How the Good Life Became Great Business I was further drawn to learn more about the family story. In Harvests of Joy: How the Good Life Became Great Business Robert Mondavi tells his side of the story but in this meticulously researched book the big picture is further explained and goes deep into the demise of the wine empire. The ins and outs of the busines, complete with sordid stories, success and faillures, makes this book an epic tale of a family in turmoil. The conflicts between the elder brothers, the Robert Mondavi heir brothers, Michael and Timothy is given an impartial reporting that is refreshing. The book does focus primarily on the fall of the Mondavi empire but it is done in such a way that the background information on the rise of the empire puts everything into perspective. The contributions to the wine industry cannot be denied and the author acknowledges the innovations and techniques the Mondavi family brought to making wine, as well as making Caifornia wine world renowned and mass consumed. The expansion of the business to other parts of the world is quite interesting. It is a tragic story in the end as big business takes over the Mondavi name but not before many years of drama, which Julia Flynn Siler so eloquently describes. If you are interested in the Mondavi story this book is without question the one to read. The book has two sets of pictures that put faces on the characters in this real life soap opera. It is a very satisfying read that leaves you thirsting for more every time you stop reading it. Check it out, highly recommended, especially if you are a wine enthusiast or a person involved in business.



4. THis is a great book about the early fine wine industry in California. The TV show "Falcon Crest" pales when compared to the real life story of the Mondavis. This book was a best-seller for a reason. Read it an enjoy.



5. An interesting in-depth review of a famous family, from success to downfall. This book navigates the ascendacy of this dynasty to the top of the California wine industry, hindered by the breakdown of personal relations and the final fiasco of the business. Sad, but fascinating.

5 comments about The Backyard Beekeeper: An Absolute Beginner's Guide to Keeping Bees in Your Yard and Garden.

1. What a great book to get started on a new hobby. Simple but with details at the same time.



2. This bee book is well worth having if you are bran-new to beekeeping. It has a little bit of everything needed to get going. Simplicity and clarity are it's hallmarks.It is not the book for an experienced large scale producer...that is a significantly different world. I love it and it is an excellent resource to start the photos are fantastic and very useful. A few more photos detailing the extracting process would have made it better. Since I am very nearsighted the very small print is no problem I just take off my glasses. I think the author is on the right track and I would advise him to produce a large-print edition with many more descriptive photos and drawings also additional recipes. But what is here, as is, is great. One shock...the low price for the book considering the quality of the book and it's photography I would have expected to pay ten dollars more so the reasonable cost was also very nice.



3. I bought this book last month. I had hoped that it would be a complete guide for bee-keeping. It is not a complete guide but it is a complete introduction.
   
   So, now I am looking for a bee-keeping guide with more detail. And I think that anyone who seriously wishes to pursue keeping bees will want additional resources beyond this book. As its title suggests, this work is just the "bare bones" of beekeeping and lacks the detail or depth that a beekeeper will need. Still, overall, I found this a good introduction and would recommend it to others starting up a backyard apiary hobby!
   
   The Backyard Beekeeper: An Absolute Beginner's Guide ... gives the beginner an overall feel for what he can expect from bee-keeping, both the hard work and the fun.



4. This was hard for me to put down, and appeared to cover all the things a beginning bee keeper should know and included recipes for using honey. It was well written and interesting. However, after reading it, I did decide not to try to keep bees in the city, as I don't want to create problems for my neighbors. I will wait til we have our homestead in the country.
   
   The bee diseases were addressed in what appeared to me to be a conventional, western medical model. I am interested in learning if there are effective alternative 'holistic' approaches to managing bees, so have also purchased a book on natural bee keeping. I have heard that some natural bee keepers address some diseases by using paper towels soaked in coconut oil. I would like to learn how to produce our own honey without exposing my bees and family to chemicals.
   
   Vicki



5. This is a well-written, extremely accessible edition for lay beekeepers who want to get to know their creatures, and take first steps to caring for and cultivating the bees' magical harvest.
   Great photos, helpful tips and concise essays on the art of apitherapy too.

5 comments about Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal.

1. You might think you know what this guy has to say, but rest assured that this book as full of surprises! It is also very interesting in a way that makes you read deep into the night.
   The book doesn't only cover what fast food is doing to our health and families, but also at how it is changing industries across the world. It contains a shocking section on how minorities are being exploited, especially in the US meat industry.
   
   It becomes more and more obvious how much research must have gone into the book, and it is refreshing, and maybe a little ironic, to see a product into which a lot of care and time was invested, especially in this fast-everything culture.
   
   I recommend this book wholeheartedly, because it is interesting, well-researched, well-written, relevant and good value for money.
   
   You'll never look at McDonalds the same way!



2. If you eat fast food, you need to read this book to understand what you're really putting into your body. Even if you don't eat fast food, this is an important read for the sake of understanding how the fast food industry has changed what we are as a country, and what we're becoming. It is a remarkable reality check.



3. In Eric Schlosser's first devastating book on the malpractices of the fast food industry, he pieces together history, facts, and numerous sources to reveal some disturbing truths about their nature.
   
   Fast Food Nation is less an expose` on how unhealthy junk food is than a look into the operations of the food industry, specifically McDonalds. The book is divided into two sections: the first, "The American Way," is concerned primarily with the growth and development of the fast food chains, beginning around the 40s in southern California and soon burgeoning into multiple restaurants across the US. Schlosser details the rise of the Speedee Service System, advertising techniques the emphasis on conformity by the chains, and their consolidation of power. The next section, "Meat and Potatoes," details various specifics about the machinations of the incredibly powerful fast food corporations. To the terrible conditions of workers in filthy (and dangerous) slaughterhouses, the employment of thousands of illegal immigrants in these buildings throughout the Midwest, and the diehard attempts by the corporations against possibilities of lawsuits by these workers after receiving any number of injuries. The companies further fight against the right to unionize.
   
   While Schlosser doesn't focus on the naturally unhealthy nature of fast food, he does describe the abundant diseases that can be found in the meat, such as E. coli O157:H7. The causes for these pathogens are the environments in the above-mentioned slaughterhouses, particularly the fact that feces often finds its way into the processed animals, or sick cattle are used along with healthy ones. Near the end of the book, fast food's spread around the globe and its effects on the societies of foreign nations are described. This and much more are brought up and examined by the determined author.
   
   As for the writing style, Schlosser has a great ability for scene setting, as in the first pages of the introduction where he describes the Cheyenne Mountain base, where it feels like it's some sort of sci-fi novel. This book never really drags, although in the epilogue his writing abruptly seems to become more lackluster. Other than that and repeating E. coli O157:H7 one too many times, this book can be a useful weapon against the fast food empire. I still plan to eat McDonalds, but I'll definitely be thinking more when I bite into one of their products.
   
   
   A note: many people will likely believe this book to be biased against the Republican party. But the fact is that the conservatives have all to often aided the corporations in their power grabs and take over of rivals. The Republicans are always accusing the Democrats of striking down competition in the free market, but it should be blatantly obvious that by buying off their other powerful competitors the corporations suppress any "free market" activity.



4. The author offers reader a book behind the fast food industry which mushrooms around the county with their joints which the majority of working class rely on for their quick meals.
   
   His research on the growers, suppliers, processors, laborers, politics and health issue behind the smiling teenager order takers leads reader to the composition of the hamburger in blood, tears and sweat from thousands of cattle, handled by the chain of workers before going to your mouth. It also makes you wonder who is eating the steaks and leaving the "residue of fats, noses, ears, trims" grounded into a mixture enhanced with artificial favor - a virtue"100% beef".
   
   Does fast food industry cost you an arm and a leg? By eating the cheap fast food, we may pay a dear price for healthcare later!
   
   This book illustrates the Tao of food: good and bad, healthy and junk, natural and artificial, slow and fast, traditional and modern, real and illusion.
   
   Who program the population in acting "the allegiance to the flag of fast food industry, one fast food nation under God with franchises around 50 states in offering cheap hamburgers and freedom fries for all"?



5. received the book quicker than expected. the book was in excellent condition. I highly recommend this seller

3 comments about Slow Food Nation: Why Our Food Should Be Good, Clean, And Fair.

1. Carlo Petrini gave a lecture at NCSU in Raleigh earlier this year. His talk was in Italian, but his ideas were universal: if we want happiness and peace, we're going to have to change the way we eat.
   
   The book is fantastic. It is beautifully written, powerful, and balances scientific data and understanding with cultural histories and sensible aestheics. His proposal of a new branch of science, gastronomy, is as revolutionary as Freud's proposal to study the human psyche or David Kelley's efforts to study design as a science.
   
   This book is The Inconvenient Truth for those who eat. But it is also a far more optimistic book, for the solution to the problem of industrial agriculture is to seek out good food, to meet and learn about the farms and farmers who grow it, and the reward is pleasure.
   
   The Introduction by Alice Waters is, like the food at Chez Panisse, a sensual as well as a sensible delight.
   
   This is a great book to buy, read, and then share with others, all around the world.



2. More than a reaction to Fast Food's arrival in Italy, Slow Food
   has evolved into a global movement encompassing many different actions to improve what we all taste and eat.
   It's not about eating well in the privileged, Michelin-starred table sense. It's about recognizing everyone's barriers to eating well and judging the quality of our food on three levels, asking whether it is good, clean and fair. (The book's original title is just that: Buono, pulito e Giusto).
   The movement's founder wrote this book to set out a new definition of gastronomy, enumerating some of the issues facing our food supply and helping to turn a thinking eater to positive action.
   Beautifully translated, Slow Food Nation is a cogent & readable introduction to what Slow Food is about. Highly recommended!



3. Carlo Petrini has been attempting to preserve a more traditional view of food for a long time, this book lays out his current thinking in a clear and concise layering of understanding food in culture (gastronomy), understanding quality (good, clean, fair food), and the tools to put these ideas to work in the world going forward.
   As we reconstitute a food culture based on transparency and quality in the USA and hopefully across the globe, this book provides key ideas related to respect for diversity of food products, respect for food in culture, and respect for the work associated with food that can serve to guide us. This book made me think and laugh, and I recommend it highly.