Editorial Review

Reviews

An extraordinary book!, October 12, 2008
I recently added this book to my cookbook collection, which numbers more than 1,000 volumes (probably more like 1200 but I'm still cataloging). It has immediately become one of my favorites (and definitely my #1 favorite in English). If you are a serious cook, love to read cookbooks like novels, and view recipes as suggestions rather than as requiring strict adherence to precise measurements, then this is the book for you! (Did I say I LOVE this book?)

I make all of the desserts for my husband's restaurant. If I snag some particularly luscious fruit and want to make it into a dessert, this is the book I reach for first. I don't WANT to be told how to make a fruit sorbet. I already know how. But I love having a list of suggested flavors and products that go with what I already have. It's like having an uber-creative friend at your side saying "hey, why not try THIS?"

And if you are not an experienced cook, this book provides invaluable guidance that a recipe book never could. It is wholly different from every food book I have ever read.

The book is clever, useful, and obviously the product of prodigious research. To the authors, I send my humble gratitude. You have made my life immeasurably easier, and my dishes far more interesting than ever before.

This book is a must-read if you love to eat or love to cook. I have already bought six copies and have given two as gifts. It's THAT good.

Amazing Answer to a Prayer, October 15, 2008
Bought this book w/o a whole lot of information about it. Can't believe it -- I now have the resource I've been looking for --

I'm a cook with some years of experience, a huge cookbook collection, a list of classes taught by renowned experts and cookbook writers, and still I yearned for a reference that gave me the info on what goes with what (w/o me researching my whole library or classnotes. I guess I need "permissions" and this book gave it to me.

Tonight I made redfish (snapper in the book) with a crust of almonds, chives, parsley and dill (methodology learned in all those classes). Served w a favorite zuchinni recipe that included the "go-to" ingredients for snapper, and roasted potatoes with light sprinkling of rosemary and salt (again, a "go-to" herb for the main dish).

It wasn't overkill (my worry) -- it just plain worked and I did it w/o a single recipe. Cut my cooking time in half and raised my personal culinary "thermometer" by a ton of degrees.

If you cook, know methodology and are looking for a silent but knowledgeable help in the kitchen, buy this book. It's a gem!!!

Flavor, because you can't live on Bread and Water alone, September 16, 2008
Flavor is the basis for all food, without it, the world would seem less colorful, lifeless, and bland. Food isn't just about what you can taste in your mouth but also what you can see with your eyes, what you smell with your nose and what you feel in your heart. That's what is presented in this book. (The authors wrote two other acclaimed books, Culinary Artistry and What to Drink with What You Eat.)

Culinary Artistry showcased was that food can be art. That colors structure on a plate can evoke emotions the same as any other art work. And like any art work, is in the eye of the beholder.

What to Drink with What You Eat gave us the understanding that beverages (not just wine) can be paired and should be thought of as a condiment rather than an afterthought

The Flavor Bible talks about, well, flavor; but more then that, it talks about what flavor is and how we perceive it, receive it, balance it and emphasize it. All coming to the climax which is a very in depth list (3/4ths of the book) of ingredients detailing its profile (weak, strong), seasonality, and every herb, spice, fruit, vegetable, meat, fish, poultry and alcoholic related item and what would go exceptionally well with it.

So, if it is so good, why did I give it only 4 stars? The list for the most part is just an update from Culinary Artistry; most flavor companions haven't change since the days of Escoffier. The "new" list does give mention of the seasonality of produce and also the break down of different cuts of meat such as beef, lamb, pork, and poultry into their respected parts and given their own listings.

Culinary Artistry was my best friend going through culinary school and now I have a great addition that I am sure I'll end up burning through as well. I look to this book every time I cook to add that extra something to a dish. So if you are even the slightest bit interested in cooking or making good food taste even better then you can't go wrong buying this book.

Great reference when experimenting with flavors, December 3, 2008
I absolutely love this book! I first discovered it when it was cited as a reference for a cookbook and am glad I did. While I am not a trained chef, I am an avid home cook that enjoys writing my own recipes, experimenting with foods, and as of late, entering recipe contests. This book helps me be more daring in my flavor combinations and has inspired new recipes.

The first section of the book is a great introduction to flavor. It talks about what is perceived by the mouth, what is perceived by the nose, and my personal favorite, what is perceived by the heart, mind, and spirit. It has great passages from chefs from all over the country talking about things like balancing flavor.

The second section expands on this further by talking about things like seasonality, taste, weight, volume, function, region, and flavor affinities. This helps set up the flavor matching chart since many of these dimensions are used to describe key aspects of each ingredient.

The final section, and bulk of the book, is comprised of matchmaking charts. Simply look up a listing alphabetically and you will be presented with a list of ingredients that pair well with it as well as 'flavor affinities' that include the featured ingredient with more than two additional ingredients. This book gives you the ability to look up cheeses, chile peppers, cuisines, fishes, flavorings, fruits, herbs, ingredients, meats, oils, peppers, salts, spices, tastes, vegetables, vinegars and more! Overall these charts are very extensive and include a variety of ingredients from around the world. If you are interested in an ingredient there is a good chance you will find it in here. Also in this section you will find different tips and comments from Chefs that relate to the ingredients as well as examples of dishes (without recipes) that incorporate the ingredient. These can be great in bringing the combinations to life and jump starting ideas.

It is also worth noting that this is really a reference book. There are no recipes in this book. However, this does not bother me at all as I have tons of cookbooks and come to this book when I want to create something on my own.

This is quite a fantastic reference book that I cannot say enough about! I believe it is something that an avid cook who likes to experiment and create their own recipes would find not only helpful, but enjoyable to have in the kitchen.

Interesting combinations...., January 10, 2009
This book has a short introduction with comments from many great chef's giving snippets of sundry approaches to balancing taste. It contains an overview of what goes into "flavor": taste, mouth feel, aroma, plus "the x-factor"(our emotional reaction including presentation, associations, etc.). But the "meat" (pardon the pun) of the book is a listing of most of the common flavorings with lists of flavors that compliment each other. The listings are also interspersed with advice from famous chefs. The authors are not fans of traditional recipes so do not expect "cook by numbers". However, the authors are students of flavoring, so do expect many suggestions for ways to be more creative (or, more systematic and sophisticated in your creativity).

Positives: the introduction is a fun and quickly read, the advice from the chefs is excellent, the flavor combinations are very helpful (I have several new developments underway) and the listings are quite comprehensive (there are a few ingredients missing -- like one quoted chef recommends palm sugar which is not listed, but as it is not available locally either that may make little difference).

Negatives: lack of an index. The flavors are alphabetical, but good luck finding a specific tidbit from a favorite chef. It glances on, but only glances on technique. It would be helpful to flesh out how to get different flavors out of the same ingredients by changing technique.

Overall: a fun book that spurs creativity. I recommend it -- but will not give five stars to any reference without an index.

The next step in the evolution of a cook, August 17, 2009
I started learning to cook by following recipes that were either handed down to me or that I got out of a cookbook or magazine. When comparing this method to professional chefs who pull together wonderful, creative dishes with seemingly effortless ease it seems amateurish and simplistic, however it is a necessary phase. By following recipes I learned crucial techniques as well as what a well prepared meal should look and taste like.

The next phase started when I tried to create my own recipes by first substituting one ingredient for another and later by going off the reservation completely by trying food combinations that I had never encountered in my recipes. Sometimes this worked, sometimes it led to disaster. Enter The Flavor Bible.

A few reviewers have criticized this book for being a mere collection of lists of ingredients. Far from that, I see it as the Rosetta Stone for serious home cooks and professional chefs alike. As I have learned to use fresh, locally grown foods more I am often searching for a way to combine them. Trying to find a recipe that allows me to take advantage of a bumper crop of artichokes, sweet onions and garden grown thyme can be challenging. By using The Flavor Bible I look up artichokes and I can see what ingredients compliment it and I can put together a great tasting dish. However, this is only one element of the book.

Beside listing ingredients and pairing them with other flavors the book also lists cuisines that make use of the ingredient in question. You may also look up a specific cuisine (Indian, Thai, Tex-Mex, Moroccan, etc.) and find commonly used ingredients, Flavor Affinities and often, a paragraph or two from a professional chef. Something else that I liked was that you could look up seasons (summer, winter, etc.) and find what foods are best served when it is hot or cold outside.

The photographs (by Barry Salzman) are top notch and very inspirational. There are not very many of them but I don't think that there needs to be since this is not a cookbook you don't need to see what a particular dish is supposed to look like when completed.

If you are still a little rusty on technique and are unsure about relative proportions you may not be ready for this book. If however you have graduated from only using the recipes of others and would like to explore unique and wonderful flavor combinations, I couldn't recommend this book any higher.

A Great Reference for Experimental Cooking, March 24, 2009
This book is for the person who wants to understand flavor combinations, and a good assist toward cullinary creativity. It's definitely for the more experienced chef - it is assumed that the reader has an understanding of how to work with ingredients to make the classic flavor combinations that are recommended in the book. For example, the book will tell you that carrots and lime go well together. It does not tell you whether to chop, puree or juice the carrots, use lime juice or zest, or what other ingredients to combine with them. That's the part that's up to your creativity as a chef. Get into the kitchen and go wild!

Love Love this book, September 18, 2008
This book is the answer to most of your combination questions.I have created my own recipes from just looking up what I have on hand (anything from a meat to veggies and the book helps you combine just the right flavors.Have already given it as gifts!Love love this book,I spend time just dreaming up new dinners for my family.

The Perfect Book for Real Cooks, October 11, 2008
The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs This is a book for real cooks who want to explore new tastes. It's for people who love to play around in the kitchen, who go to their local farmer's market and find fresh romaine lettuce or chanterelle mushrooms and want to create something different. It's for individualists who don't want to be bound by someone else's recipe, but want to make an original dish of their own, guided by the world's great chefs.

I love this book, even though its not really a book!, September 4, 2010
It's more of a compendium of alphabetical listings of foods that are paired together. The format basically goes something like this:

Blueberries
Season: spring-summer
Taste: sour-sweet
Botanical relatives: huckleberries
Weight: light
Volume: quiet-moderate
Techniques: cooked, raw
Tips: Can subtitute huckleberries

allspice
almonds
apricots
bananas
blackberries
butter, unsalted
buttermilk
chocolate, white
CINNAMON
cinnamon basil
cloves...


It is like a book that is a giant index, which refers you to things that can pair well. This book is more for people who have a willingness to experiment. It gives pointers on what other people think might go good with an item, such as blueberries. You have to figure out your own proportions. Of course, responsible cooks probably want to taste the food they serve beforehand anyways. ;)
... Read more

Editorial Review

The only book for home cooks offering a completeintroduction to the craft.CHARCUTERIE—a culinary specialty that originally referred to the creation of pork products such as salami, sausages, and prosciutto—is true food craftsmanship, the art of turning preserved food into items of beauty and taste. Today the term encompasses a vast range of preparations, most of which involve salting, cooking, smoking, and drying. In addition to providing classic recipes for sausages, terrines, and pâtés, Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn expand the definition to include anything preserved or prepared ahead such as Mediterranean olive and vegetable rillettes, duck confit, and pickles and sauerkraut. Ruhlman, coauthor of The French Laundry Cookbook, and Polcyn, an expert charcuterie instructor at Schoolcraft College in Livonia, Michigan, present 125 recipes that are both intriguing to professionals and accessible to home cooks, including salted, airdried ham; Maryland crab, scallop, and saffron terrine; Da Bomb breakfast sausage; mortadella and soppressata; and even spicy smoked almonds. 50 line drawings ... Read more

Reviews

From Oscar Meyer to Galantine de Canard., June 14, 2006
Jane Grigson wrote the fundamental overview of charcuterie, and, under her influence, Fergus Henderson shared a handful of incredibly delicious recipes out of the charcuterie tradition. Filling the gap between them, as I see it, is Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn's Charcuterie, an excellent, balanced, enthusiastic cookbook that steers home cooks into the fundamentals of meat preparations. The book is encouraging evidence that a significant number of Americans have awakened to the pleasures of well-prepared meat. This isn't a fringe publication: it is a beautifully-designed, well-written, premium production. And it's about time.

This book does something fundamentally right: it completely eschews the Joy of Cooking model of everything-under-one-roof cookbooks. It assumes that the reader has focused interests and is dedicated to food. It acknowledges that the food trades were [and sometimes still are] highly technical, and best performed by specialists. Though we might as well give up the possibility of becoming first-class charcutiers unless we're willing to give up our careers and pursue it full-time, we can find some real satisfaction in a book like this. It presents, in a clear, well-organized, concise format, the wisdom of a great charcutier, explained by a great writer. That wisdom, those years of experience, is evident in the clearest way once you begin using this book: the recipes are easy to follow, well-suited to the home kitchen, and, happily, result in meat products that are better than anything you can buy in an American supermarket. Far better. Even the more daunting preparations, the ones involving aging and cold-smoking, for example, prove to be remarkably accessible and easy. Some will take more space than you or I have in the kitchen, but there are many recipes that produce amazing food with surprisingly little effort. The beef Chicago-style hot dogs are pretty quick once you have everything lined up, and they are so much better than store-bought dogs that you will hardly believe the difference. Some other recipes require more elaborate set-ups, even dedicated smokers and dedicated meat grinders, but there is plenty here that's accessible to the average home cook with the average kitchen. The biggest challenge, as usual, is finding the right cuts of meat to do these recipes justice. Count on making substitutions, and hope that some young person finds this book in time to begin his apprenticeship to the likes of Brian Polcyn, and returns to open shop in your neighborhood. Have the cardiologist over to dinner. Live a little.

If you order this book, be sure to consider Jane Grigson's Charcuterie and French Pork Cookery and Fergus Henderson's The Whole Beast, both of which I have reviewed for Amazon.

Excellent Coverage of a Very Important technique. Buy It!, November 18, 2005
`Charcuterie' by leading culinary journalist Michael Ruhlman and Charcuterie expert and chef, Brian Poleyn is the sort of book foodies should really be buying instead of the long parade of celebrity chef cookbooks to which we have been treated for the last several years. This joins on my shelf some other recent books on specialized cooking techniques such as Beth Hensperger's `Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook' and James Peterson's classic work on `Sauces'.

Before we go any further, you may want to get permission from your cardiologist to even open this book, as it is dedicated almost exclusively to techniques which make heavy use of both salt and fat. But even if both of these things are `streng verboten' from your diet, you will still get great pleasure from learning about this very, very old technique for food preservation and flavoring.

It struck me that the range of mastery with this technique seems to be almost the same as that of leavened bread. More exactly, it's greatest range lies in a band running through the center of Europe, sandwiched between the northern dominance of butter and the southern realm of king olive. One can almost plot a line from Spanish hams (Serrano) to Bayonne hams and other Charcuterie of southwestern France (see Paula Wolfert's great book on the subject) to the procuitto of Parma and San Daniele and the great Salume techniques of northern Italy to the sausages of Germany and their Westphalian hams. I hypothesize that this all arose out of the conjunction of the European hog raising tradition with the availability of salt from the Mediterranean. All this is pure conjecture, but it certainly frames the issue neatly, as the primacy of pork stops dead at the borders of Islam with their prohibitions against eating pork and their access to less abundant salt sources (The Mediterranean happens to be a lot saltier than the broader oceans beyond Europe).

One of the more interesting facts I discovered in this book is that pig husbandry originated with the Celts who taught it to the Romans. While other meats such as poultry and fatty fish have been traditionally raw material of Charcuterie techniques, it is the pig that rules in this world. This is because lard is much lighter (less saturated) than suet (beef fat) and there is a greater variety of flavor in the meat from one cut of the pig to the next. One aspect of the difference between lard and suet is that the former is really healthier since it is less highly saturated, but don't quote me as an authority on this to your doctor.

The heart and soul of Charcuterie is in the preparation of fresh and cured sausages, cured ham, terrines, pates, and confits. The stars are the pig and the duck. The lingua franca is fat, salt, and smoke. I will not argue with these experts on the sense of the word `Charcuterie', but I suspect they bring in a lot more material than many other authorities would include. The Larousse Gastronomique, for example, defines `Charcuterie' as techniques applied to products based on pork meat of offal. The authors choose to extend the term to include virtually all preservation techniques based on fat, salt, and smoke such as smoked and salted fish. They even take it so far as to include some products based on fermentation such as pickles and sauerkraut. None of this diminishes the value of the book. In fact, it makes the book more interesting, albeit just a tad less true to tradition. This drawing outside the lines also includes a very good essay on the techniques of brining that not only involves non-piggy meats; they also involve techniques that have nothing to do with preservation.

In other ways the authors, especially wordsmith Ruhlman, also show that they are relying heavily on the writings of others rather than having become an expert in the field themselves. For example, much of the chapter on salt is taken, with full credit being given, from Mark Kurlansky's excellent books on `Salt' and `Cod'. I was especially tickled when Ruhlman described salt as an especially concentrated form of the elements sodium and chloride. Chloride is not an element, but the ionized form of chlorine. And, aside from health concerns, the fact that salt is composed of sodium and chlorine is virtually irrelevant to culinary discussions. Salt, from a culinary point of view, is a basic ingredient.

I was positively tickled when Ruhlman stated that the methods of Charcuterie are NOT meant for quick cooking. He makes no bones about the fact that almost all Charcuterie techniques take a lot of time and a lot of attention to detail. This reinforces my analogy between Charcuterie and yeast baking.

The authors make a great case for the important answer to the question on why Charcuterie techniques are still used today in the age of freezing, vacuum packing, and refrigeration. The long and the short of it is the fact that sausages and ham and bacon and terrines and pates and confits taste so darn good. One may also ask the question of the survival of this technique an environment where fat and salt are tools of the devil. Like caffinated coffee, chocolate, and wine, deep research would probably show that Charcuterie products in moderation are also good for you. The only aspect of the Charcuterie technique that may have real health concerns is the substance hiding behind the innocent name `yellow salt'. This is not sodium chloride, but a combination of nitrates and nitrites, added to maintain color in preserved meats.

As I said at the outset, this book is probably more valuable to the dedicated foodie than two Nobu cookbooks and the collected works of Brillat-Savarin. The recipes for terrines and pates and the great technique illustrations are worth the price of admission. Both will become immediately more familiar if you realize that a meat loaf is merely an example of these techniques.

Excellent reading, too!

A fascinating read, very comprehensive, April 17, 2006
This review is written from the perspective of a very serious home cook that has been studying food and cooking for 25 years. If food is your hobby you will love this book.

The book is laid out in the following chapters:
1. Introduction
2. Recipes for Salt-Cured Food
3. Recipes for Smoked Food
4. Sausages
5. Recipes for Dry-Cured Food
6. Pates and Terrines
7. The Confit Technique
8. Recipes to accompany Charcuterie: sauces and condiments

Why does anyone need this book? No one does need it. But in my world there is a distinction between need and want. You will want this book once you see what is inside.

Mario Batali's "Molto Italiano" peaked my interest in curing meat with his recipe for Pancetta. This book covers any kind or cured meat that you can think of. It includes recipes for Pancetta, Salt Cod, Prosciutto, Corned Beef, Pastrami, Tasso Ham, Smoked Salmon and Mortadella just to name a few. With each turn of the page there is a new recipe to drool over. This book is almost addicting just to read.

The book covers the history of curing, gives many warnings about cleanliness and keeping foods cold. It even gives you sources for supplies, some of which might be difficult to find on your own.

My only complaint of this book is the lack of glossy photos that I have become so accustomed to in other books. This minor complaint is not enough to reduce the rating of this otherwise stellar effort.

In short I think this is a fabulous book. I read this book like most read a novel, only I think I enjoyed it more than that. If you ever wanted to know how to cure your own meat, this is the book for you. HIGHLY recommend.

Needs work., January 17, 2006
Note: This review is based on my specific interests for buying this book, and may not be relevant to all readers. I was looking for information about making cured and smoked products such as bacon, smoked pork hocks, corned beef etc - foods that require sodium nitrites. Little has been published for the home cook regarding this topic - specifically, the minimum amounts needed for a given recipe without risking botulism.

If you're concerned about nitrite intake and are a kitchen novice, I wouldn't recommend this book. Although I feel it contains worthy information to rate 5 stars, accessing and interpreting that information can be confusing:

Information is illogically laid out and confusing, such as:
- the informative chapter on salt, starts on page 30, then on page 35 suddenly discusses buying a whole pig, then returns back to salt on page 38.
- The recipe for Cured Salmon (pp. 50-52) is illustrated with a page for preparing Smoked Salmon, but that recipe is on pg. 96.

There is contradictory and confusing information, such as:
- a reference to Bruce Aidell's procedure for Canadian Bacon, suggesting adding 2 teaspoons of cure (nitrite mix) to an All Purpose Brine recipe found on pg. 60. But on page 88, the recipe actually calls for 8 teaspoons - a 4x difference. [Note: Aidell's recipe in Complete Book of Pork calls for 2 1/2 tablespoons.]
- The recipes call for cooking pork to an internal temperature of 150 degrees. But the Recommended Temperatures (pg. 62) states "130-140 degrees... for a finished temp. of 140-145." And the 150 degrees doesn't refer to stop-cooking temp or finished temp.

The recipes tend to be overly generic: Do ham hocks (almost all bone) really require the same amount of nitrites as boneless pork loin (all meat and with water content which dilutes the nitrites)? If yes, why?

While I would not hesitate to buy this book again, I would recommend reading it completely, taking notes as you go, and compiling the information that you need. In other words, you become the book editor. My own copy is littered with post-its.

If you do buy this book, I would also recommend: Paul Bertolli's "Cooking by Hand", which contains a specific how-and-why discussion on using nitrites; and Aidell's "Complete Book of Pork", so that you can make your own conclusions.

Move over Abe Frohman, Brian Polcyn is the Sausage King!, December 10, 2005
My husband and I have been patrons of Chef Brian Polcyn's Five Lakes Grill in Milford, MI for over a decade. The restaurant excels at the kind of full-flavored slow food that's found in this cookbook, and since we have sampled most of these SPECTACULAR recipes at the restaurant I was thrilled to get my hands on them in this book.

Containing recipes from simple cured meats like bacon and corned beef to elaborate terrines and dry-cured sausages to zingy condiments and accompaniments, this book is a veritable bible of salty, smoky, fatty deliciousness. If "Charcuterie" were simply a collection of recipes, it would still be a treasure, but what sets this cookbook apart is its readability. Even if you never intend to attempt any of these recipes on your own, it is still a dream of a read for foodies thanks to Michael Ruhlman's elegant yet accessible prose. I had to grin at his page-long tribute to the food-preservation techniques described in Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House in the Big Woods", since as a food fanatic this is the chapter I remember most fondly from one of my favorite childhood reads.

You also shouldn't hesitate to buy this book because you think charcuterie is too difficult. This is the only charcuterie cookbook I've found that is designed explicitly for the home cook, and there are plenty of simple recipes that require, to quote Chef Brian, "just pork and salt and time." More adventurous cooks will find options for smoking and dry curing. The detailed illustrations of various techniques and equipment (reminiscent of those in Cook's Illustrated) show you exactly what you need to do and what the food should look like. There are also tons of helpful hints that are missing from other charcuterie recipes I've tried (that have, not surprisingly, failed) to ensure success. For example, the book describes the necessity of aggressively seasoning meat destined for terrines because cold food tastes blander than hot food, as well as techniques for testing seasoning that best approximate what the finished product will taste like.

I haven't yet attempted any of these recipes, but I have worked with Brian's recipes in the past and had nothing but success. I expect the same for these. In fact, I'm headed to the store today in search of duck breast to try out the duck prosciutto recipe for the holidays. Calories and fat grams be damned, vive "Charcuterie"!

YUMMY, December 25, 2005
I've been making my own sausage, bacon, pancetta and smoked salmon for about a year now, and I've read several good books, some for the home cook and some for professionals. This is, far and away, the best I've seen. The authors clearly love their subject (but then who wouldn't!), and they lay out the details of charcuterie clearly, and with a sense of love and humour. The book progresses from basic salt curing through smoking (hot and cold), sausage making, Pate and terrines, and finally confit. The recipes are clear, _accurate_, and easy to follow. And they produce exceptional results. While I prefer my own recipe for Keilbasa (though theirs is excellent it doesn't have the near toxic levels of fresh garlic that my family favours), Ruhlman and Polcyn's recipes for Andouille (one hot smoked, one cold) are outstanding. When my wife had the hot smoked version today, she declared it the best sausage I had ever made.

Even though I've been doing this for a while, I learned a lot from this book. Rhulman is superb at giving you the science and technique you'll need in a clear and easy to follow style, with drawings where needed. If you're an experienced charcuterie cook, you'll still learn things, and you'll love the recipes. If you're just getting started, you won't get left behind by highly technical crap that doesn't make any sense. His explanation of pellicle, for example, is clear, concise, and accurate and makes it easy for you to understand what it is and why you care.

traditionalists be warned, February 7, 2008
I bought this book as I have embarked on a slow food adventure of my own - it is a book filled with great recipes for sausage, terrine, salami and all sorts of great sounding and mouthwatering meaty tidbits - however, and this is a big however, it suffers from stagefright. Why because it only delivers one verdict in the area of food safety - that nitrites and nitrates rule - it fails to give the educated consumer a choice in approach. I fail to see how, when amongst many others the acknowledged King of hams in Parma or its moot equal Iberico can deliver such gems without the use of nitrates,the art of charchuterie can be considered complete for dismissing their non use so quickly. Many will deservedly love this book but for the adventurous among us it falls short.

Close, but, March 19, 2007
I bought this book due to the glossy photo on the cover and the extensive positive reviews. Now I suspect some of the reviews were written by friends in the industry. While this book carries many recipes, the photo on the cover is the only one you will see. The others are drawings. Also, one of the major benefits of making things at home is to avoid all the preservatives, (neurotoxins) and additives that are used in commercial meat processing. This book will not get you away from those. The authors freely admit that nitrites can cause cancer, but recommend using it in the majority of the recipes anyway. (To say this cannot be done safely without ignores a culinary history in this country that includes centuries of ham and other preservation without nititres). I used to have neighbors who had been curing their own hams without nitrites for six decades, their hams where safe and had a lovely rosey color, a color that the authors insist can only be had with nitrites added. Other additives that they freely endorse are soy protein concentrate and dextrose (corn syrup solids, please see [...] to see the effects of both corn syrup and unfermented soy on the body). "Fermento" is a flavoring they advocate using instead of the authentic lactic fermentation that would occur in the historically correct processes, and they recommend buying "bateria" for that. I was hoping to get pure recipes to improve the quality of the food for my family. With these recipes, I can keep buying the proscuitto from the grocery store with no difference. If you want to make these meats available to your family without the widespread use of neurotoxins, I recommend A.D. Livingstons books, as he shows methods to do these processes without. And for those who will want to contradict the safety of this, please note that the majority for food poisonings from cured meat in this country occur (especialy Listeria monocytogenes) from commercial plants that use plenty of nitrites among many other and often unpronouncable additives.

Offering contemporary techniques expanding on traditional concepts, and making the art accessible to the average home cook, March 2, 2006
Relatively few cookbooks cover all the basics of charcuterie, which involve curing: that's why the comprehensive Charcuterie: The Craft Of Salting, Smoking And Curing is so important for any serious cook or cookbook collection. It reflects the author's passion for these techniques of preservation and provides the only comprehensive book on the topic, including all the classic charcuterie recipes for sausages, poultry, and meats under one cover, offering contemporary techniques expanding on traditional concepts, and making the art accessible to the average home cook. No color photos, but the focus here is on instruction and recipes, not glitz - and Charcuterie's importance doesn't lack for color.

If you are really into culinary cooking!, July 6, 2007
I prepare meals for more than 5,000 people a day, and food has been my life for over 40 years. A good cookbook is hard to find, a great cookbook is almost imposable to find. Well I have to say, I could not put this book down, and I read it cover to cover! This is a very comprehensive and well presented book. You will learn the how and why of salting, curing and smoking almost everything. Not only that the recipes are five stars! A great addition to any cooks set of reference books! Another job well done to Mr. Ruhlman! If you are really into cooking or just knowing about food, you will love this book. ... Read more

Editorial Review

How do you boil pasta? How much water and salt do you need? Should you add oil to the water? How well should you drain it? (Turn to page viii for the answers.)

One part cooking course, one part kitchen reference, and one part foolproof recipes, The Complete Book of Pasta and Noodles tells the story of flour and water like no other book on the market. Extensively covering the basics of pasta and noodles, this thoroughly researched and taste-tested guide is dedicated to the home cook who needs practical advice on everything from penne to pad thai. The experts at Cook's Illustrated present their knowledge and techniques in a hands-on way so that each and every step of the cooking process can be understood and easily executed. The authors leave room for interpretation and taste, of course, but you will not walk away from this book without knowing which olive oil to buy, why egg pastas tend to complement cream sauces, or how to mince garlic.

The book is arranged in four sections, exploring first dried semolina pasta, then fresh Italian-style pasta, Mediterranean pasta and European dumplings, and finally, Asian noodles. There are thirteen chapters devoted to sauces alone, and recipes are included with the type of pasta with which they work best -- from the simplest to the complex, but all within reach of the home cook. As a bonus, the book includes excellent photographs of the various pasta and noodle shapes, and impeccable illustrations clearly depict each step of key techniques. Special sections are devoted to such specific topics as "Are Electric Pasta Machines Worth the Money?" and "A Guide to Popular Cheeses."

"Cook's has always been the definitive word on any subject it tackles," says The Post and Courier, and The Complete Book of Pasta and Noodles will serve as the definitive reference volume for pasta lovers.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Reviews

Excellent Survey of all Things Noodle. Buy It!, May 15, 2007
`The Complete Book of Pasta and Noodles' by the Editors of `Cooks Illustrated' Magazine is one of those books whose outstanding value is obvious almost immediately upon opening to the Table of Contents. This was surprising to me, as this is not the case with most other `Cooks Illustrated' books. There is just something about the meeting of this subject with the classic `Cooks Illustrated' approach to things which comes up a winner.

The first positive impression is the excellent organization of the chapters into different types of pastas, noodles, and sauces for same. While there are many excellent books about on pasta dishes, most especially `The Top100 Best Pasta Sauces' by Diane Seed and just about any book by Marcella Hazan, Lidia Bastianich, or Ruth Rodgers and Rose Gray of London's River Caf�, this `Cooks Illustrated' volume organizes our thinking about the sauces to make us all much better at improvising our own pasta sauces. It divides pasta sauces into:

Olive Oil based sauces, both cooked and uncooked.
Pesto and other pureed sauces.
Butter and Cheese sauces, such as spaghetti alla Carbonara
Cream Sauces, such as Fettuccine Alfredo
Sauces with Bread Crumbs
Cooked Sauces with Fresh Tomatoes
Canned Tomato Sauces, such as Pasta Puttanesca and Vodka Cream sauce
Sauces with Vegetables, such as `cabbage and noodles' and `pasta Primavera'
Sauces with Beans and Lentils
Sauces with Meat, such as the classic Bolognese sauce
Sauces with Seafood, such as clam and other shellfish sauces.

Like Seed's book and virtually any other book on pasta and noodles, the subject really is pasta and noodle dishes, although this volume, true to its title, gives as much about actually making a wide variety of pastas. It also covers just about every conceivable form of noodle, including the German spatzle, the North African couscous, gnocchis (the bridge between the Italian and the German forms of dumpling), Japanese noodles (soba, somen, ramen, and udon) and Chinese noodles, especially rice and cellophane noodles.

The book can easily be forgiven for spending more time on the Italian noodle than on any other subject, as this is the primary interest of most English speaking readers. To this end, the book includes excellently detailed tutorials on making fresh pastas, with and without egg, with vegetable and herb additions, spatzle, and several varieties of gnocchi. It does not, however, teach us how to make couscous or any of the oriental noodle types, which is fine with me, as I believe they are techniques which require far more practice and patience than the classic Italian or German noodle.

I love a cookbook that sheds new light on a dish I've made a dozen times and consider `my own'. This is what happens here when I read the material on combining cabbage and noodles in a dish. It reminds me of how to best cut the cabbage, but it significantly adds to my knowledge of how to braise the cabbage and combine it with the noodles at just the right time.

`Cooks Illustrated' tends to squeeze a lot of the `joie de vivre' out of cooking in their articles by starting off with a clean slate, as if no one had ever made the dish they are discussing in an article. Cooking is one of those crafts where centuries of practice have pretty much arrived at the best way to do most things without loading us up with all the paraphernalia of experimental science. But, with this subject, proper respect is given to tradition, and to the recommendations of such culinary sages as Paula Wolfert on couscous and Marcella Hazan on pasta.

Their finest contributions are the sidebarred tutorials on everything from preparing artichokes to opening clams. This makes the book superb for the novices who happen to enjoy experimenting with their own variations of pasta dishes.

I must also mention that as a trade paperback, this manual of riches lists for less than $20, about half the cost of a book of recipes from an A-List culinary writer.

A Must For Pasta Lovers!, August 5, 2001
I'm an avid cook and, while I no longer subscribe to "Cooks Illustrated" magazine, I respect editor Christopher Kimball and his expert "Cook's Illustrated" kitchen crew and have had good luck, more or less, with their recipes which, if followed exactly, are virtually foolproof. I also never fail to learn something from their informative kitchen commentary. All in all, Kimball's recipes and advice are beneficial to both novice and experienced cooks.

That having been I have to point out that taste is, of course, subjective. For instance, I've found, from trying a number of Kimball's recipes, that he is a salt-a-holic. I prefer to cook with little or no salt, as I find the taste harsh and unpleasant, and if I followed Kimbell's recipes exactly I'd be drowning in the stuff. I prefer pepper and tend to double or triple the often meager amounts Kimbell calls for in his recipes (usually he calls for four or fives times more salt than pepper, and I almost reverse that ratio). But, if your taste is the same as Kimball's when it comes to a particular food, his well-researched and thoroughly-tested recipes will be amazing!

I must also warn cooks that Kimball's cookbooks are books not necessarily made for cooking (odd, isn't it?). They are standard-bound hardcover editions that rarely lie flat (the latest, "The Best Recipe," is a little better than the others) and the index is dreadful--a fairly major gripe when you consider how important an index is to a cookbook when, say, you quickly want to find a recipe for "Chicken Soup" and you can't even decipher where the "Cs" start! There may be six or seven pages under the tiny heading "entrees," five of which may start with "chicken," leading you to believe you're in the "Cs" when you're actually in the "Es." It's very confusing. Many other people have recommended putting dictionary like letter headers (for example "CHI-CLA") at the top of each index page and, after trying it, I have to say I highly recommend this method.

All of Kimball's "Cook's Illustrated" cookbooks follow the same basic format: a long-winded, but often interesting, discourse on how Kimball views the "perfect" version of whatever it is he's showing you how to cook, including a lengthy explanation of variations he has tried, followed by his "Master Recipe" for the food, including common variations. In "The Complete Book of Pasta and Noodles," Kimball covers everything from homemade pasta (surprisingly, he doesn't stress it's necessity, saying dried pasta is almost as good and a whole lot easier) to every type of sauce and other topping--Italian, Chinese, Mediterranean, etc.--imaginable.

Usually my biggest problem with Kimball cookbooks is this: If you have one, you have them all. He lifts whole passages and recipes and uses them in multiple books. "The Yellow Farmhouse Cookbook," and the "Cook's Bible," for instance, have at least 50 identical recipes, not to mention verbatim introductions to each section and cookware recommendations repeated word-for-word. "The Best Recipe" features ALL of the recipes (as far as I can tell) from the "Cook's Bible," with the same commentary, which is, in turn, lifted in whole chunks from past issues of "Cooks Illustrated." I'm sure this saves Mr. Kimball a great deal of time when compiling his cookbooks but it leaves little reason to own more than one edition of his work. The "Pasta and Noodle" cookbook though, is an exception to this rule. While it does contain exact repeats from other books, it also adds a wealth of new recipes and information, making it more than worth your while for anyone who cooks pasta regularly. There is literally a lifetime worth of pasta recipes in this small book!

A Masterpiece!, August 31, 2000
How can we say it, other than they did it again. This is the most comprehensive book on pasta that I have seen yet to date. The folks at Cooking Illustrated are known for their tedious testing of recipes, ingredients, and everything else imaginable. This book follows their long line of other fantastic cookbooks put out by the people at Cooking Illustrated. The book goes into great dept about making of pasta, ingredients to use, how to best prepare the pasta, and then has more recipes than one could ever imagine exsisted on using of the pastas. This book is rich in detail and scope of the subject of pasta. If you are a pasta lover, you will treasure this book.

Simple Guide To Create Art, January 12, 2006
This book is so comprehensive and yet so simple. I recommend this book for every cook no matter what financial stage you're in. If I had this book during my college/ art student days I would have churned out an elegant, simple meal for friends for under $10. But honestly, with the Kitchenaid mixer/ pasta attachments I got for Christmas and this book I will be elbow deep in fresh pasta making heaven. BTW: Vegans, there are eggless, dairy free recipes to be found.

Buy ThisIf You Want A Wide Variety of Flawless Pasta Recipes, May 14, 2004
Do you love all kinds of pasta: Italian, Asian, spatzle, salads, soups, gnocchi and more? Do you find yourself in a rut? Do you want some truly wonderful dishes?

This is the cookbook for you! Everything I've tried- from the pumpkin ravioli, lasagne, home-made (food processor pasta), to the asian peanut noodles - has been excellent. The sauces are wide ranging and also excellent: tomato, vegetables, bean/lentil, poultry, seafood, pesto, and much more provide you

Fantastic book for fast sauce recipies and homemade pasta, May 31, 2002
This has simple but really good recipies for sauces that can be made while the water is boiling along with instructions and how-tos for sophisticated recipies and techniques. I liked the approach of explaining why particular methods work or are preferred by the author rather than just being told to do it. If I could have only two cookbooks, it would be this and Joy of Cooking. I received this book as a gift along with a pasta machine, but people compliment me on even the simplest sauces with bought pasta. They really go crazy over the homemade stuff!

Title fools you, March 6, 2010
I purchased this book to learn how to make pasta and noodles, but the only thing in this book is basicly food recipes that use a pasta, doesnt tell you how to make the different pastas. so the title is misleading.

Perfect Companion, February 24, 2006
I love Cooks Illustrated, and this has some wonderful stuff as well as the tricks and tips that set them appart from on-line sites and other cook books. I got this to go with a pasta maker I received for Christmas, and the only thing I wish this has has the in-depth pictorial that covers making pasta from scratch that is in America's Test Kitchen Family Cook book. Then it would be a 5-star

Best pasta, June 1, 2008
Best pasta selection for creativity - learned alot about pasta pesto sauces whatever goes with it- I now make all my own pasta KitchenAid KPRA Pasta Roller Attachment for Stand Mixerswith my kitchenaid and makes a big difference in budget and how I view my meals. Great recipes with alot of information not just on Italian but Chinese as well.

Will enhance any aspiring chef's abilities, November 5, 2002
Comprised of more than 400 diverse and easy-to-follow recipes, techniques and kitchen tips, The Complete Book Of Pasta And Noodles offers clear, concise, step-by-step instructions that make even the most exotic recipes easily accessible to the most novice kitchen cook. Beginning with "A Guide to Pasta and Noodles", The Complete Book Of Pasta And Noodles covers every conceivable aspect of pasta and noodle dish preparation. From sauces to lasagne, from ravioli to couscous, from spatzle to soba, The Complete Book Of Pasta And Noodles is a definitive and highly recommended culinary cookbook and guide that will enhance any aspiring chef's abilities to serve delicious, nutritious, noodle and pasta based cuisines. ... Read more

Editorial Review

BACKYARD BBQ The Art of Smokology is in it's Fourth Printing This book covers all the barbecue basics of Backyard Smoking, as taught in Chef McPeake's barbecue classes. Hence the name: The Art of Smokology. From starting your fire, to buying, selecting, trimming and smoking meats. Also chapters covering terms, rub making, sauce making, brining and the proper procedures for smoking seafood.
Plus some of his favorite recipes like: Hell Fire Brisket , Sweet & Spicy Cherry Ribs, Duck Pastrami, Oriental Smoked Porkloin, Twice Smoked Pulled Pork, Take Your Breath BBQ Sauce, Passion BBQ Sauce, Mustard & Pepper Spiced Beef Tenderloin, Honey Maple Brine for Salmon, Honey Marinated Lobster Tails, Coconut Curried Scallops, Margarita Mop for Chicken,
Nawlins' Butter Mop, Warm Jalapeno Corn Relish, Gazpacho Salsa, Zesty Backyard Baked Beans, Wisconsin Cheddar Potato Salad Jambalaya Rice ............and much more! No stone is left unturn in this book ... Read more

Reviews

SMOKOLOGY 101, June 22, 2005
Just so were on the same page, this book is on smoking, as opposed to be purely another book on BBQ. Smoking is a technique that takes time and patience and don't expect to get things perfect the first several tries. McPeake opens the book by discussing different types of smokers. McPeake says bigger is not better. I would also add that more expensive is not necessarily better either as you can achieve great results with an inexpensive water smoker. No smoker? No problem. McPeake also explains how you can use your kettle grill...even your gas grill for smoking and still make great smoked BBQ. It does work well with a gas grill once you get your technique down. McPeake provides a list of different wood types and the tastes they will provide. I love apple wood with chicken, it gives it a great flavor. In additon to the techniques which I consider the most valuable section, there's chapters on meat selection, temperatures, rubs, etc. Fully 1/2 the book is technique oriented before te 2nd half gets into some recipes. Very good, funamental and advanced smoking book.

Finally a book on just Smoking, one of the Best!, November 3, 2005
Since getting into the bbq world, I have purchased many books on this subject. I can honestly say that this book, since receiving it, is a gem! The whole book is all about smoking, not any stories about himself or grilling. It is truely a book about the art of smoking. He does a great job in breaking down the things to do before you get to the smoker, what happens during the process and how to change or improve your results, and what to do after the process.

I have even email the chef and received a respond to one of my questions and in a timely manner.

The book covers all the basic meats of smoking and then touches on the harder to do items, like expensive cuts of meats and the always hard to do seafood. His section on seafood brining and smoking is one of my favorite chapters.

If you are looking for a book that cuts through all the hype and stories about themselves and just focues on the Art, this is the book for you!! It is not a pretty book, but it is a great book for producing some awesome bbq!

If you are going to smoke, you must have this book, November 5, 2006
The recipes are the best, but the insight on smoking techiniques is why you have to have this book. It teaches you so much. From the meals I've made, I've had so many people tell me it's the best meal they've ever eaten. How often does that happen? Because of this book, I know I could win BBQ contests. It's amazing.

There's even recipes for sides and learning how to make the smoked bacon & onion baked beans is worth the price of the book. I don't usually write reviews, but this book is so good that I felt compelled to do so. Enjoy.

Taking the guesswork out of the smoking process, September 1, 2007
Smoking meat is not a trivial process, as I learned when I bought my first smoker. My first attempt was a disaster, producing a burned, woody, unpleasant product. In fact, it was so bad, I had thoughts of never firing up my smoker again. But, after my wife bought this book for me, and I read the "basics" chapters, I immediately realized the several mistakes I made. While my second attempt wasn't nearly as bad as the first, it wasn't what I was hoping for. By reading and following Richard's instructions, tips and following his basic recipes, the third attempt at producing brisket turned out wonderful. What I like about this book is that it's written for both the beginning novice as well as the advanced smoker, with great, easy to follow recipes for rubs, mops, and sauces. And, it's not just dedicated to smoking brisket and ribs, but all sorts of other meats including seafood and poultry. If you struggle to produce a well-smoked product or are interested in improving your technique, I highly recommend this book! No other book has been as helpful as this one for me.

GREAT INFORMATION BOOK!, July 13, 2006
I have been producing much improved smoked bbq since recieving my book. The information and techniques are very sound and taught me things that I would never have know as a beginner. I believe the book has help me to shave years of trial and error from my learning. I am also enjoying all the different recipes on sauces, rubs, marinades, meats and the side dishes. The "Zesty" backyard Beans are awesome.

My smoked fish products have improved greatly, since learning about the important steps to take before smoking your seafood.


I would recommend this book to all beginners and newbie's of this cookikng method. You can't go wrong!

Clear and Useful, October 3, 2005
Since getting excited about smoking and BBQueing, I have picked up 8 to 10 different books. This book is by far the best. It goes straight to the point, is clear and easily understood, and does not try to be cute or folksie.

The recipies are tasty, but the organization of the sub recepies are a bit cumbersome; not enough to detract from the excellent reference that the book represents.

Basic explainations of the "how to" are matched with the "why to" giving the reader the foundations to grow their understanding of what works when.

Some good references, but not much for the beginner., December 24, 2006
Not a good first book for smokers; this book provides precious little information for the beginning smoker. While the author starts off with basic information, he quickly skips to advanced recipes. There are very few basic recipes for the beginner found on these pages. I also find the author to be a bit jaded and unwilling to accept any methods of cooking other than his own.
If you're a curious cook who likes to start with some basic guidelines and go from there, this book is not for you. If you are an experienced smoker looking to pick up a few new recipes, you may benefit from this book.

A Quality Book!, August 11, 2005
This book is a super reference book to have on your shelf...the recipes have been terrific across the board...I even e-mailed the author and he answered back with advice...it's a BBQ book to buy and there's not many I'd say that about...enjoy!

The How To and Bible of Smoking. This is the only book you will ever need to learn the craft., June 6, 2006
I cannot say enough about this book. It is not your typical cookbook. It is definitely not your typical bbq book. This book focuses on Smoking. The science of smoking, the technical aspects of smoking, the hobby of smoking, how to smoke, different woods, different grills (yes, even how to use your gas grill as a smoker), and of course tried and true recipes.
This book will introduce your into the world of smoking, for me it was a book that has taken me to a new level of smoking. I am the envy of the block. It is easy to follow. I understand better now why the flavors turn out the way they do, how to repeat good batches and how best to test new ideas. This book focuses on the technology and science behind smoking. This is the how to and bible on smoking. And Chef McPeake proves he is truly the master of his craft.
I would also recommend purchasing the rubs right from his site. That saved me a lot of time of making my own batch, plus his are award winning and tasty. In reference to the other review "Very basic instructions and recipes can be found in Weber, BBQ University or just about any BBQ book." I have not found anything in weber or other BBQ books that address the hobby of smoking like Chef McPeake's book. Also, his recipes are original and tasty and not tested on a grill but through smoking techniques (I have tried many successfully).
So if you want a sure proof no nonsense way of learning about using a smoker or to take your game to a whole new level this book is for you. (I also use it to impress my friends and show up the other smokers I know).

Why are these reviews so positive?, June 4, 2006
This is not a very good book:

(1) Very basic instructions and recipes can be found in Weber, BBQ University or just about any BBQ book; I bought this book for better knowledge of smoking and despite all the glowing reviews, I just didn't find it in this book.

(2) Not a single picture of food in the book (except the front cover)

(3) Redundant, boring writing style

(4) The book contains grammer errors and typo's - ususual for a published book. If the book was not published as another review indicates, its not too hard to figure out why it wasn't.

Definitely not recommended. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook proves there's more to this popular appliance than a convenient way to cook a pot of rice. Complete with tips on buying and using a rice cooker, as well as selecting and preparing every kind of rice, grain, and dried bean, this book includes 250 recipes for everything from hot breakfast cereals and creamy desserts and puddings to classic vegetable, bean, and rice combinations and savory whole meal cuisines. ... Read more

Reviews

One thing to consider...SMELLS, March 25, 2005
I have owned rice cookers for many years. My latest, the Zojirushi NS-ZAC10, is the best I have ever used. I figured it would be a good idea to branch out from using the rice cooker to cook only rice, so I purchased this highly recommended book.

While the book is very good, and the recipes I have tried so far have all been quite tasty, there is a major consideration that you should be aware of when making many of the recipes in this book: residual odors.

Yes, when you use your rice cooker to make the delicious "creamy breakfast oatmeal" with steel-cut oats, bear in mind that your steamed white rice will smell of cinnamon for at least three or four batches afterwards. My 11-year old (a steamed rice 'purist') noticed the cinnamon 'essence' immediately and complained that 'something was wrong with the rice.'

Similarly with any of the dishes which call for sauteing onions in the rice cooker, or adding other strongly aromatic ingredients. If you use your rice cooker primarily for preparing perfect (and I mean PERFECT) steamed rice, you may not want any other flavors mingling in there.

Just something to keep in mind.

Otherwise, the book is a great resource. There are a few minor inconsistencies (try finding 'congee' in the index), and the resource materials can be a bit confusing (to be fair, the number of rice varieties is quite daunting). And if you are an experienced cook you may get tired of being told the exact procedure for washing rice in every recipe, but all in all, the sheer variety alone is easily worth the price. Also, it is worth noting that if you have a fuzzy logic rice cooker, you will not be able to use it for any of the recipes that employ steaming (which is a fair number of dishes), but you can easily adapt these recipes to any another stovetop steaming setup you may have.

Just remember to plan your rice cooker experiments around your need for 'un-tainted' steamed rice, and you will enjoy "The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook"

We use this cookbook at least 3 times a week (usually more), November 20, 2002
I bought a rice cooker, learned the basics of preparing rice and then wanted to expand my skills. So I bought a few cookbooks but this is the ONLY one that has recipes my whole family loves, so much so that we use it at least 3-5 times a week and never feel like we're eating the same thing.
The recipes aren't just for rice but for all sorts of grains and vegetables and fruits as well. In fact, I'm ready to throw out my crockpot because the meals prepared in the rice cooker are much better, don't have that overcooked, stewed taste you can get with a crockpot and have all the convenience and ease that I need with my busy schedule. The directions are clear and the recipes range from the simple (plain cooked grains) to the more complex (rice with coconut and currants... or grits with cheese and spices )
The ultimate test of a good cookbook, of course, is getting compliments and raves about the food. Every time I've made a recipe from this book, the food has been devoured quickly. We rarely have leftovers and my son's friends even make a point of looking in the kitchen to see if the rice cooker is turned on ( yes, the recipes in this cookbook are THAT good).

turns a rice cooker into a major kitchen appliance, April 28, 2003
I used to use my rice cooker several times a week. With this cook book and my new fuzzy logic rice cooker, I use it several times a day. It will appeal to cooks of all levels. For cooks experienced with rice and whole grains, the most important part of the book will probably be recipes for the porridge cycle of a fuzzy logic cooker: rice porridge, puddings, custards, and hot cereals. Even for experienced rice cooks, however, this book has excellent information on different varieties of rice and different types of dishes. In addition to many styles of rice dishes, it includes recipes for other grains such as couscous, bulgur and grits. It is well laid out and has commentaries on grains and dishes that will enable creative cooks to invent their own recipes as well as using the very tasty recipes included in the book. Although the recipes suggest the size of the cooker to be used, you need to use some common sense. I have a small cooker and have successfully made recipes suggested for other size cookers. This book is utterly clear and easy to follow. All the recipes work, and all taste wonderful. If you have a rice cooker, especially a fuzzy logic cooker, you need this book.

Don't buy unless your cooker is a "fuzzy logic" one, March 2, 2006
After reading all the reviews of this cookbook, I decided to purchase it. I've been looking for a good rice pudding recipe to be made in a rice cooker.

However, the book is nearly useless to me. Every single recipe in the pudding section calls for using a "fuzzy logic only" cooker. I checked the oatmeal and porridge section as well -- and found the same.

So, it might be a good cookbook for people who own $200 rice cookers, but for the majority of us, the book is just not worth it. There are too few recipes for regular old rice cookers.

(And I find it disingenuous that, when the authors talk about the differences in cookers in the beginning, they fail to note that the majority of their recipes only work in the expensive machine.)

Great, But Not Foolproof, July 23, 2006
While I love this cookbook, I'm going to tell you about the problems so you can get better results from it.

1. Measuring is a challenge! Depending on your rice cooker, liquids can be measured three ways: using the rice cooker cup, by the marks inside your rice cooker bowl, and by a standard measuring cup [8 fl oz.]. Dry ingredients can be measured by either the rice cooker cup or by a standard dry ingredients measuring cup. Before beginning any recipe, make sure you know what measures are being used, and do not make any recipe for the first time when company is coming over, in case you need to adjust it. Based on numerous recipe failures, I think the writers sometimes mixed up the measurements. They definitely could have made the information clearer in each recipe. How about a revised edition? ;)

2. Some recipes, polenta for example, have overly long cooking times, such as two porridge cycles back to back, or 90 minutes. Polenta cooks on the stovetop in 20 minutes; even a single porridge cycle is too long. Feel free to cut cooking times short.

3. When cooking oatmeal, polenta, grits, etc. with the porridge cycle, open the cover up, and leave it up, once the contents reach a simmer. If you don't, starchy lava will flow out of the vent and make a horrible mess, hot liquid may shoot out, and the recipe may be ruined as a result. If your rice cooker starts to spit, use extreme caution when you open the lid, as the hot contents may splash and burn you.

4. If a recipe says you can skip pre-soaking for tapioca, beans, etc., don't. Your final results will be much better using a traditional overnight soak in cold water.

5. When making risotto, don't perform the first step, briefly saut�ing the rice in oil, in the rice cooker. Because rice cooker bowls are narrow and deep, the rice will be steamed, and your risotto will be mush. Instead, saut� the rice as usual in a large flat frying pan, then transfer the contents to the rice cooker bowl. Also, use the variety of Arborio called Carnaroli, as it holds up the best.

6. Use an easy to clean rice cooker; mine is the Panasonic from Williams Sonoma. You can avoid lingering odors--even from cinnamon and curry--if you can take the top completely apart and wash it each time. Soak the parts in cool water, not hot, and they should clean up easily. If odors remain, put two or three cups of cold water in the rice cooker and run it through the regular cycle, taking care that it doesn't cook dry. By cups, I mean 8 fluid ounces. ;) Then let it cool, take it apart as much as you can, and let the pieces dry completely in a dish rack.

7. No recipe is foolproof! Variances in rice crops, local water, and rice cookers will affect the outcome. If it doesn't work the first time, make adjustments and try again.

Just Plain Comprehensive, October 6, 2002
I got this book as a gift after debating whether to buy it for about six months. I have a fuzzy logic cooker and wasn't sure if the recipes in the book were for regular rice cookers or the fuzzy logic type. Turns out its for all kinds of rice cookers. In fact the book basically is a reference guide to rice, rice cookers, rice recipes and anything else eatable the authors attempted to cook in the appliance. The only thing that fuzzy logic cookers get left out of is steamed items. Each recipe tells you if it is appropriate for the rice cooker you have. Most of the recipes seem to work for all cookers.

Comprehensive is the word that came to mind the first time I sat down with this cook book. The first section deals with rice cookers and describes each kind in detail and how to use it. That takes 16 pages. Then they move on to every type of rice you are might encounter in the whole rice loving world. That's another 16 pages. Included in that section is a page devoted to how to make packaged rice mixes in the cooker; things like rice-a-roni or some of the new orleans red beans and rice mixes or casbah brand.

The recipes start appearing on page 34 and one thing to know is that THERE ARE NO ILLUSTRATIONS. The recipes are separated into chapters like pilafs, risottos, deserts, and other unlikely items, like little meals, dim sum and grains. What is convenient is that at the start of each chapter is a little table of contents for that chapter listing the name and page of each recipe. What a great idea. In each chapter if there is any step of a recipe that can't be done in a cooker that gets its own little recipe. The recipes are laid out well; the ingredients are listed in a different color type than the directions.

There are some things they want you to do that seem weird, like melting butter and sauteing things in the cooker using the quick cook cycle with the lid open. I haven't tried that yet. One day, but not today. Making different breakfast oatmeals and porridges seems like high adventure to me.

There are lots of side items about rice or other ingredients, including a list of useful items found in asian markets. Things like that are printed on different colored paper. Even a amall history of rice.

...

WoW, December 4, 2003
I bought this book before I purchased my rice cooker. I really wanted to prepare beans and whole grains, not just rice. I learned that I could use this appliance in many ways. It made me so excited to purchase a rice cooker. All questions are answered. You CAN use this book to prepare many healthful foods in the basic on off rice cooker. There are only a few recipes that require the fuzzy logic rice cooker. I don't think I have ever had a cookbook that was so well written and entertaining to read, or easy to follow.

A suggestion, December 25, 2008
I borrowed this book from a friend and loved it so much that I'm going to buy it from Amazon, but I noticed that many people have left reviews saying that some recipes leave lingering aromas in their cookers. With that in mind, I'd like to leave some helpful advice for people who are planning on making "aromatic" recipes in their cookers:

To rid your cooker of most smells, put a little bit of baking powder in the bottom (1 or 2 tbsp. I think) and about 1-2 inches of warm water. Leave it for a few minutes, wash the sides with the baking powder mixture (just to be sure you got all the smelly parts :D) and then wash normally.

I know this doesn't directly pertain to the book, but I hope it helps.

Great Recipes and Intro but..., March 16, 2006
First of all, this is a great book that everyone with a rice cooker should own (although if you don't have one, obviously save your money). I've only just begun to explore the recipes, but they are quite good. I haven't found any other rice cooker cookbooks near this quality, depth, etc., basically this book fills a empty spot on my shelf. So thanks Beth Hensperger!

The two disappoints in this book were:
1) Most recipes work with only an on/off cooker OR a fuzzy logic cooker, not either! I thought my sanyo ecj-d100s did everything. In fact, I was happy to note the introduction claims that no fuzzy logic cookers can steam food, only of/off. My sanyo can steam, but it still can't make any of the 5 custards apparently.
2) The book itself is bound in a way that does not let it lie flat on the countertop when open. This is true for most paperbacks though and even some hardbacks. Most recipes however, are simple enough that you don't need to refer to the book more than a few times.

(...)
Oh and if you're looking for recommendations on a rice cooker, this book will not advise. Though I'd suggest a zojirushi zcc, myc or the sanyo ecj-d100s.

If you use a rice cooker, this book is very helpful., March 14, 2004
I have been using a rice cooker at least 3x/week for over 16 years, but only to make white rice. I bought this cookbook so that I could explore other ways to use this "must-have" kitchen appliance. I think the book is well worth the price, even if you don't own a "fuzzy logic" rice cooker. There are not too many recipes that call for "fuzzy logic" cookers only. Most recipes can be done with either the "on/off" type (like I have) or the "fuzzy logic" type. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Demystify the sushi bar experience

Stuffed with tips and tricks -- you’ll roll, press, and mold sushi like a pro!

From rolling sushi properly to presenting it with pizzazz, thisbook has everything you need to know to impress your friends withhomemade maki-sushi (rolls) and nigiri-sushi (individualpieces). You’ll find over 55 recipes from Tuna Sushi Rice Ballsto Rainbow Rolls, plus handy techniques to demystify the art of sushimaking -- and make it fun!

Discover how to:

• Find the right equipment and ingredients
• Understand the special language of sushi
• Make fragrant sushi rice
• Prepare vegetarian and fish-free recipes
• Dish up sushi-friendly drinks and side dishes

Reviews

Everything about sushi, from A to Z!, April 1, 2004
Wow. I just finished reading Sushi For Dummies, and was amazed at just how much I learned. The authors have created what must be THE most complete and detailed guide to sushi available anywhere at any price -- and they have done so in a highly readable way, with just the right amount of humor. If you've ever been curious about sushi -- all the different ingredients and styles of sushi, how to make proper sushi rice (an important step in the process, which merits an entire chapter in this book), safe handling techniques, cutting and storing, history and traditions, proper sushi bar etiquette, and much, much more, then you will do no better than buying this book. Five stars!

The best sushi making instructions, June 9, 2005
After getting tired of spending $8 for two pieces of sushi at the local sushi bar, I decided to learn to make sushi at home.

I was not interested in spending the next 20 years learning to become a master sushi chef (or "itamae" in Japanese). I just wanted to have some good sushi without paying a fortune for what was basically nothing more than a couple tablespoons of rice and salmon roe.

I ordered and read several sushi books, including Sushi for Dummies. As a basic primer for learning how make sushi, this book can't be beat. Sushi is all about the rice, and hands down, the author has the clearest and easiest description of how to accomplish this task. It is like she is right there in your kitchen telling you exactly how to cook the rice (including soaking it beforehand, something other books neglected to mention) and what proportion of vinegar/sake to use.

The other instructions are equally superb. How to roll both traditional nori covered, and "inside out" sushi, and how to form cone sushi are all easy to understand and follow along.

Because I just wanted to learn how to make sushi, I skipped all the intro and history stuff. However, this information is included in case anyone else is interested.

Once you learn how make and roll sushi, it's time to look at some recipes. Admittedly, I have not yet tried any of the sushi recipes in this book, but intend to do so in the future. In the meantime, I did try some of the exotic recipes in D.K.'s Sansei Sushi from Hawaii, a book which I highly recommend.

Look out! Here comes the Sushi expert..., April 14, 2004
After purchasing the book and reading a few of the recipes, I decided to give some of them a try for dinner. The instructions were so easy that I pulled off a sushi dinner for my family that they thought I had practiced making for days. I have taken a sushi making course before, but having the book with me while making dinner proved to be a much needed aid and I am glad I made the small investment. I have also been enjoying the other areas of the book that talk about Sushi Bar manners/etiquette, terms and definitions, and sushi party planning. Most cookbooks I have purchased are just used for recipies and not for reading or cultural education. This dummies book is actually interesting to read from cover to cover and gives the reader more depth than other cookbooks.

Sushi demystified, April 9, 2004
This book actually gives you enough information to go to a sushi bar and NOT be a barbarian. It's easy to read and understand, and well organized. If you want to go the extra mile and prepare your own sushi, the directions are clear and easy to follow, with tons of side information (like how to know if the fish is REALLY fresh) and fun ideas. I found the part on correctly making the vinegared rice especially helpful, and the diagrams on how to cut things are great! There is also a section on manners which I found fascinating. This book is interesting as well as useful!

Simply the best, May 16, 2004
As a sushi fan and amateur chef, I've struggled with this simple but challenging fare for years. This is the handbook I've always wanted. Concise, user friendly, smart and entertaining - here is the book that we've been waiting for.
I'm giving copies to friends and keeping mine right by my chopping block and rice cooker.

I don't feel so dumb any more!, April 27, 2004
This book is terrific. Sushi is all about technique and the authors have managed to convey those techniques clearly and simply. It demystifies the process and explains all those Japanese terms that I can never remember. I only wish it were bigger (next edition, Wiley???)

No Longer A Dummy!, April 10, 2004
I have been a sushi lover for some time now and have just recently realized that I have been a dummy when it came to how vast and versatile sushi really is. (I never thought about having fruit, cheese, or guacamole as ingredients). This book has so many great recipes, I can't try them fast enough. And who would have thought that it is this easy? Beyond the recipes I love all the history and information on Japanese culture. This book was truely enjoyable to read and will be of permanent use in my kitchen!

"For Dummies" marches on!, May 30, 2007
This is the first "For Dummies" book I've seen with pictures. It's a nice try, but I wouldn't make this my only sushi cookbook. The explanations are pretty good and well in keeping with the "for dummies" tradition. I think sometimes they waffle a little bit on principles (saying one thing, but then admitting that they do it another way).

After reading reviews for this rather unlikely book and for another book with reputedly superb photography, I elected to purchase both and I wasn't disappointed: the other book with the amazing illustrations wasn't expensive and the two really complement each other: The Complete Book Of Sushi! The price is right: buy both.

Like having a teacher right with you, November 9, 2006
I loved this book. I have bought other sushi books that SAY they can teach you sushi, but end up just being picture books of one style. This book has all of the favourites from the restaurants and an outstanding set of directions for how to CUT the sashimi! This is the only book you will ever need.

Well-written and informative, April 3, 2007
I used this book to make sushi over the weekend and found it to be very instructive and simple to use (as well as humorous and pleasant to read). I followed the directions for making the rice on the stove top and it turned out perfect! The detailed maki-rolling instructions/diagrams were easy to follow, and my rolls ended up looking (and tasting) great! My friends were all impressed. I also learned a ton about the cultural aspects of sushi that I didn't know before, and I considered myself fairly knowledgable.

The only reason I give four stars instead of five is that I didn't feel there were enough recipes for different types of rolls, or nearly enough pictures. But the focus of this book is on technique and the process of making sushi (not necessarily recipes) and for that it was invaluable. I plan to purchase another book to use solely for recipes.

Side Note: The only other special equipment I purchased was the Joyce Chen Sushi Mat and Rice Paddle Set. You can make great sushi using the techniques in this book without buying a lot of extra kitchen gadgets. I turned my rice out onto a large plastic bowl and it worked great. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Impress your guests and take home entertaining to a new level with the recipes from Great Party Fondues, a guide to everything you need to know about preparing and serving great-tasting fondue with expert advice on fondue pots, ingredients, safety, and even etiquette. Whether they prefer cheese, savory, or dessert fondues, your guests will devour traditional favorites like Classic Swiss Fondue, international dishes like Rumaki, and innovative new recipes like Chipotle Sweet Potato Fondue. Twenty-eight stylish color photographs show will inspire you to follow the straightforward advice and no-fuss recipes. ... Read more

Reviews

Fondue Fun, January 3, 2009
We had so much fun fonduing on New Years. All of the recipes we used were delicious and so easy to follow. We chose not to do the traditional cheese and chocolate fondues and did the sweet potato, mushroom, and tomato vodka for appetizers. For our main course we did the hot pot with chicken and fish fry with shrimp, scallops and swordfish. For dessert we did the very berry and sweet wine and cheese. It was great. We all made different dipping sauces. We had 4 fondue pots going and lots of laughter. Don't think twice about buying this book.

This book is wonderful, November 16, 2008
This book is pleasing to the eye and culinary imagination, is easy to execute recipes from, and produces downright delicious results. We are already planning a holiday get-together based off the multitude of fondue recipes (savory and sweet) offered in this delicious fondue cookbook!

fabululoso!!!!!!!!!, October 21, 2008
This book is incredible and simple to use. I have enjoyed the come back of fondue, it is a great food source and heathy for us. thank you peggy fallon

Fabulous book., March 16, 2010
I tried fondue cooking for the first time and I used this book to get all of my recipes. The items I made were the swiss cheese fondue, midnight chocolate and 4 dips for dipping cooked meat and vegetables into (ponsu sauce, bernaise, peanut butter and mustard). Everthing was absolutely delicious. It was such a success that I actually felt like I was at a fondue restaurant. I'm usually very critical of my own cooking yet I couldn't find a bad thing about any of the recipes I tried. I look forward to another fondue day with new recipes. Also very good information about various types of pots and recommendations on ingredients. Highly recommend this book for beginners or experts.

Great Party Fondues, February 2, 2009
I had forgotten how much fun sharing fondu was in the 70's and 80's. The writer of this book somehow has updated Fondue with enough knowledge about today's food and health obsessions and interest in international flavors to make it more than a nod to nostalgia. I know for sure that we never tried Cauliflower Fondue with asiago and smoked paprika back then.... there may have been smoked something-- but it wasn't paprika. What an improvement on the 70's!

I love the tips on what to serve it with and the very specific instructions for making it come out "right". That Tomato Vodka Fondue is off the charts delicious and Chocolate Midnight fondue is what I hope to be eating at the moment i die.

Fab Fondue, December 31, 2008
This book is a knock out winner. The recipes in this book include both novel and traditional types so there is something for everybody. I have given this book to several friends who love it. Fondue is back!

Fonduliscious, February 17, 2009
Wow! What a fabulous variety of flavors and types of fondues.
All the classics followed up with truly imaginative creations.
It makes you want more than one fondue pot!

Everything is excellent, November 18, 2009
Every fondue and sauce I've made from this book has been delicious, and I've made a bunch. The cauliflower fondue was a nice surprise. I can't wait to make the sweet potato fondue. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants varied fondue recipes. This has cheese, other savory, meat, chocolate, and other sweet fondues.

Great party fondues, February 2, 2009
Great Party Fondue wakes up the 60's and 70's fondue with flavors and foods of today. Every recipe is easy to follow and delicious. Peggy Fallon infuses each recipe with tidbits of information and tips for success.

Great party Fondues, February 1, 2009
I purchased 12 "Great Party Fondues" books by Peggy Fallon as Christmas gifts...the book was a great hit with everyone on my list. A couple of people have had a "fondue dinner party" already and all seem to be
enjoying the variety of recipes in the book. ... Read more

Editorial Review

HOME SAUSAGE MAKING is the classic in the field. Now completely revised and updated to comply with current USDA safety standards, this new edition features 150 recipes. Included in the lineup are 100 recipes for sausages (cased and uncased) and 50 recipes for cooking with sausage, all written for contemporary tastes and cooking styles. There are instructions for making sausages with beef and pork, fish and shellfish, chicken and turkey, and game meats. Ethnic favorites include German specialties such as Bratwurst, Mettwurst, and Vienna Sausage; Italian Cotechino and Luganega; Polish Fresh and Smoked Kielbasa; and Spanish-Style Chorizo, Potatis Korv (Swedish Potato Sausage), Kosher Salami, and Czech Yirtrnicky. On top of all the meat varieties, there is an entirely new section on vegetarian sausage options. ... Read more

Reviews

EXCELLENT INTRODUCTION FOR HOME SAUSAGE MAKERS, October 23, 1999
This is an excellent introduction to sausage making. It has tips on technique, ingredients and equipment and is also chock full of recipes, many of which have been geared to the production of "healthy" product--including sections on fish and poultry. It's only weakness is that it doesn't discuss any particular topic in great depth--but that can (most likely) be forgiven in a text designed to be an introduction, albeit a complete one. If you're going to make sausage on an occasional basis, this would be an excellent book to have as your only text on sausage making.

Good Coaching, weak sausage, July 15, 2004
I've had this book for a while now, and have made a few different sausage recipes from it. First off, the book is very good on encouraging readers to try making their own sausages, and it gives a lot of detail on what's involved in the process for various styles of sausage (smoked, loose, dried, links, etc.). The information about dealing with casings was right on the money and very easy to follow--I'm not sure I'd have gotten the good results I have without this particular section. Overall, the instructions are very clear, accurate, and really encouraging and helpful for beginners.

Unfortunately, this is kind of where the good news ends. So far, I've found the recipes to be kind of wanting. They're clever, and it's a comprehensive selection of sausages, but all the ones I've made have been pretty weakly spiced. I'm not talking about them not being hot enough--I like spicy food, but I don't think everything needs to be spicy--I'm talking about not having sufficient quantities of spices. For example, the bratwurst I made from their recipe didn't taste much like anything except meat. This is a fairly subtle sausage at the best of times, but as recommended in the book it's flavorless.

I have consistently found that I need to greatly increase the amount of spices in the sausages beyond what the recipes call for to get a flavor that seems appropriate. I'm a serious and very experienced cook, so I don't think it's a problem on my end. But your mileage may vary.

With that said, though, I still can recommend the book as a good starter into the concepts and techniques of sausage making. Would I buy it again? Maybe not. Will I refer to it again now that I have it? Definitely--on the technical side, it won't steer you wrong, and it's very user-friendly.

Excellent book for hands on advice. Buy It., January 5, 2006
`Home Sausage Making' by Susan Mahnke Peery and Charles G. Reavis is a great small book in its third edition since it was originally published in 1981 by the very small publishing house, Storey, which specializes in culinary titles. Reading this book shows up the dangers to a reviewer in reviewing the very first book one encounters on a specialized subject such as home sausage making. Just three days ago, I reviewed `Bruce Aidells' Complete Sausage Book' by meat and sausage experts Aidells and Denis Kelly, published by cookbook behemoth, 10 Speed Press. Naturally, with Aidells' reputation and my liking the previous two books this pair have done, I gave the book a very complementary review.

Now, I read another book on exactly the same subject and I find an even better book that addresses all of the criticisms I had of the Aidells and Kelly book. Specifically, it makes liberal use of illustrations of both equipment and technique, with the added bonus of being very specific about health hazards and the means for avoiding them, by being clear about cooking, aging, and smoking temperatures. Thankfully, there is enough difference between the two books and they are both inexpensive enough to make it worth your while to own both. If you really need to limit yourself to one, the Aidells / Kelly book is better for the armchair sausage buff, who is more interested in things to do with sausage and with the scoop on what is in the sausage he buys at the deli, megamart, or specialty meat store. Peery / Reavis is better for people who are really interested in actually making sausage, based on the much better illustration of sausage making equipment and technique, and fewer recipes, compared to Aidells / Kelly on what to make with sausage.

Peery / Reavis also has a much broader interpretation of what constitutes sausage. In addition to all the obvious preparations, this book includes recipes for making scrapple (2 recipes) and other American favorites. While both books include lots of famous international recipes for fresh and cured sausage, Aidells / Kelly presents these recipes is a more organized fashion which is better suited if you happen to want to make a Spanish or Cajun or oriental sausage.

I compared the recipes for `basic breakfast sausage' in both books and found the ingredients to be virtually identical. The only difference in ingredients is the presence of dried marjoram in Peery / Reavis and their substitution of brown sugar for granulated white sugar. Peery / Reavis' procedure was also more detailed, especially since it was oriented toward making sausage in casings while Aidells / Kelly refers you the general technique on filling casings without repeating the instructions for the specific recipe.

While Aidells / Kelly organizes their recipes by region, Peery / Reavis organizes their recipes by ingredients, giving us chapters on:

Pork Sausages
Beef, Lamb, and Veal Sausages
Combination Sausages
Game Sausages
Poultry Sausages
Seafood Sausages
Vegetarian Sausages

Both books have lots of sidebars on the origins and trivia about sausages. The introduction giving the history seems like one of them cribbed from the other, as they both seem to touch on the same bases, right down to the references to sausage in Homer's `Odyssey'. Aidells / Kelly is just a bit more interesting in this background information; however the charm of Peery / Reavis' background from U.S. bratwurst central in Sheboygan, Wisconsin is not lost in their obvious love of their subject.

As a trivial aside, I must object to Peery / Reavis' comment on Otto von Bismarck's comparison of sausage making and lawmaking, as Bismarck's intent was clearly to illuminate the nature of lawmaking and politics and not to make a culinary comment.

Both books are very good. Get both, but get Peery / Reavis first if you really want to make sausage yourself.

Underwhelming, June 7, 2006
While the book is informative and provides good instruction about some of the basics of sausage making, it is nonetheless lacking in many respects. First, most of the book's recipes that I've made come out under-salted and under-spiced. While this is something that you can test for and adjust during production, it would have been better for the authors to simply provide quantities that produced sufficiently seasoned sausages. In short, most of the sausages end up bland, tasting more like plain ground meat than sausage.

Furthermore, the recipes utilizing sausage are unimpressive as well. Most cooks experienced enough to make fresh sausage probably don't need a recipe for a sausage omelette or sausage pizza.

Finally, and most importantly, the book misses some important techniques that are essential to proper sausage making. While they do make mention of freezing meats for 30 min. before stuffing, they don't sufficiently emphasize how essential it is to maintain near-freezing temperatures throghout the process until the casings or stuffed. Failure to do so will result in dry, crumbly sausages, something I learned the hard way. Additionally, there is no discussion of the "primary bind," an essential step in sausage making whereby the ground & spiced meat mixture is beaten (either by hand with a wooden spoon or with a paddle attachement in a stand mixer) for a couple of minutes before stuffing. This allows the meat to bind together, preventing a loose & crumbly sausage, yet this essential step is entirely absent from the book.

My recommendation would be to look at "Charcuterie" by Michael Ruhlman & Brian Polcyn. Not only does that book provide all the ins & outs of sausage making (plus the reasoning behind them) from award-winning professionals, the recipes are perfectly seasoned every time. The book has the added benefit of providing information on some more exotic things to do with meat as well, such as dry-curing hams, prosciutto, salami, etc.

a really helpful guide, March 8, 2000
I bought this book because I wanted an introduction to sausage making, something that I didn't know much about and very much wanted to learn how to do. I haven't tried any of the recipes yet, ( I just got the book a few hours ago ) but I am already really glad I chose this book. Not only are there a lot of recipes for various sausages, both fresh and smoked, there is also a lot of basic sausage-making information perfect for a beginner like myself. There are some great sounding recipes (including how to make your own salami, pepperoni and hot dogs)as well as recipes for dishes that use your homemade sausage.

The only thing that is missing from this book is a more detailed discussion of the various sausage casings available and how to store and use them. All the recipes use natural hog casings (intestines).

Very good survey of the basic techniques., September 25, 2005
This book proves to be outstanding in introducing a person who is completely unfamiliar with the basics of sausage making. After reading this book one will know everything that one needs to know to confidently procure the right equipment, shop for the right ingrdients, and how to get started. The tips on food hygene were helpful, but the dangers of poisoning related mishandling meat seem overstated, and may spook some people from untaking a tradition that was for centuries carried out before refridgerators and certainly in less clean circumstances than the modern kitchen. All in all, it's a clear simply written introduction to the craft of sausage making and that makes it ultimately a success.

My Second Favorite Sausage Book, November 22, 2010
This is one of my go-to books for sausage recipes. My favorite is Bruce Aidells's Complete Sausage Book, but this book is a close second.

The instructions are good for beginners and the recipes are good for all skill levels.

My favorite recipe in this book is the Garlic Sausage. I love garlic, so I bump up the quantities of fresh garlic. I also increase the fresh ginger a little bit (don't tell my wife--she hates ginger). The results are phenomenal.

So here's the dirty secret about sausage cookbooks: There are really only about ten or so recipes that the average DIY sausage maker wants to cook. That won't sell a book though. So they have to fill the pages with goofy recipes you'll never try (like Duck Sausage!). I ignore those recipes when I judge the book, because I know they have to fill the pages and maybe there's some guy out there who really wants to make duck sausage. I think there's a rabbit recipe too, so if Bugs and Daffy ever settle things once & for all, the winner will know what to do with the loser's corpse to hide the evidence.

My only real gripe about this book is that the recipes are organized by meat type instead of by recipe type. I think the recipes should be organized regionally (German, Italian, Mediterranean, Asian, etc.) or by type (breakfast, etc.). I have to skip through the book to find the one I'm looking for, because I know the varieties better than I know the meat contents. ("Is Bockwurst pork, veal, chicken, or mixed?").

I've noticed complaints from some of the other reviewers about the bland spices. I guess that's sort of true, but I assume that from most cookbooks and I usually bump up the seasonings per my own taste preferences.

Great recipes, just be careful with the seasonings, October 13, 2008
I just purchased this book. Yesterday, I was ambitious and wanted to try out some of the recipes. I started out with the portabella sausage for a nice lunch meal. Easy and fantastic. A real keeper of a recipe.

Next, I wanted to try the cotechino. We hosted an exchange student from Reggio Emilia and I wanted to try this recipe from her home town. The results were good. A touch too much cloves for my taste, but passable. I'll cut the cloves to half the amount next time.

The third recipe was the chorizo. A very good recipe for a mildly hot version. It was perfect for my wife. It can easily be spiced up by just increasing the red pepper. The fennel seed was just right and I would not adjust that. Another keeper.

Finally, I made the bockwurst. I noted the quantity of cloves and was concerned. However, the first recipe for the portabella sausage was so good that I was going to trust the author. That was a mistake. Unfortunately, I did not sample any of the meat sausages until I had prepared and mixed all three. If I had sampled them as I went along, I would have never used the quantity of cloves specified in the bockwurst recipe. Three-quarters of a teaspoon of cloves was about three-quarters of a teaspoon too much. A pinch would have been right. Mace would have been maybe a better choice. It is disappointing since everything else with the recipe was very good.

The bockwurst is going to be edible only if it is included with other stronger flavors. The veal is a light flavor to start with and any spicing should be in moderation. I wasted $15 in ingredients. I will make this recipe again with only a pinch of cloves.

So, how do I rate this recipe book? I will give it four stars. The recipes look good and relatively easy with readily available ingredients. The negative is the author's fondness for cloves.

I will experiment with more of the recipes and will be more careful in following the prescribed seasoning. The levels of salt and pepper, so far, are just right. I have followed recipes for sausages from other sources and had batches that were much too salty. I plan to cut the quantities of suspect spices in all first-time future recipes and will sample the mix. I can always add additional seasoning before stuffing.

I would recommend this recipe book with the caveat that one needs to be initially conservative with following the spice quantities. You can always add more to suit. You can never remove or counter excessive seasoning.

Home Sausage Making, February 19, 2010
Home Sausage Making : How-To Techniques for Making and Enjoying 100 Sausages at Home

The book is great. You can't put it down. It gives information on equipment, choices, sources for spices, different casings and more. It gives stories on histories on various sausages, recipies on veal, pork, chicken, game, vegetarian and more. A great find that inspires you.

Great for the beginner., January 9, 2010
This book came with a sausage making/stuffing kit I purchased from Lem Products. (5 lb stuffer kit.) It gives you just enough information to get started safely, without overwhelming you with all of the details and nice-to-know stuff you can learn later when you find yourself addicted to sausage making. I have made several of the recipes and they turned out great! While this book is not the definitive text on the subject, it gets you making sausage.

I recommend this book to any beginner. With a handful of useful tips and solid recipes the authors have insured that you will be successfully making great, fresh sausage in no time. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The New Yorker said it best: "For aspiring gourmets of the grill, there is only one book: The Barbecue! Bible." An IACP/Julia Child Cookbook Award-winner with over 210,000 copies in print, The Barbecue! Bible is Steven Raichlen's highly successful, far-reaching version of Grilling 101.

Well, now comes Grilling 201-the grilling guru's seminar in the flavor boosters, dry and wet, that give grilled food its character, personality, and soul. Echoing the master book in its energetic design and in-depth perspective, Barbecue Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades presents over 200 recipes for global flavoring techniques. There are rubs and spice mixes: Memphis Rub, Chesapeake Fish Powder, Santa Fe Spice Mix, Bombay Blast, Powdered Hellfire. Marinades and spice pastes: Moroccan Charmoula, Gaucho Beef Marinade, Thai Lemon Chili Marinade, Yucatan Black Recado. Plus sauces and salsas, mops, bastes, and butters, ketchups, mustards, chutneys, and relishes. The author gives a quick overview of barbecue essentials, explains what each flavoring technique does and how it works with different recipes and ingredients, and offers dozens of grilling and cooking tips-including how to build your own signature barbecue sauce. You'll graduate to a new level of grilling expertise. ... Read more

Reviews

Barbecue For Yuppies, July 11, 2001
Mr. Raichlen has become an industry onto himself, complete with retail website. This book will sell a ton of copies no matter what I say, but I have some serious reservations about this cookbook.

The author has the gift of gab, which is a very good thing in this case. He has spent considerable time with the best of the barbecue pros, and it shows. Just reading through this one picks up a wealth of information, and you can't help but learn.

One problem is the recipes. A dirty trick is to present a fantastic recipe that relies on an obscure or hard to get ingredient, and this book is full of them. Most of these recipes will not become a part of your cooking repetoire. Another problem is that the majority of the recipes cover a wide range of international recipes. Traditional, american barbecue gets a scant 50 pages of the nearly 300 pages of this book. Even here, he favors the upscale and chic.

There is a tendency to favor the trendy, like flavor injectors and chutneys. He also goes through topics such as compound butters and flavored oils. Also, if you believe his side comments, all of his recipes go with all types of meats, seafoods and vegetables. In one of the more interesting sections, he has some rare recipes for mustards, ketchup, and hot sauces.

I also have one beef with the graphics of this book: many pages have a sidebar that is colored brown. As a result, it is hard to read the text in them.

This book seems to have been aimed at people who will probably never get within a country mile of a smoker. It covers a lot of ancillary subjects, and the topics covered range all over the place. This makes for very good reading, but little hard information. This book is closer to a personal diary than a cookbook. I can recommend this book because it is so interesting. However, if you are serious about barbecue, you will need a few other books beside this one in your collection. It certainly is not a "bible".

Good for grillers looking to step up, January 18, 2004
If you are have a metal charcoal or gas grill, and are looking to expand your horizons beyond basic grilling, this is a good book. If you own an offset firebox or ceramic kamado type smoker, but are still buying your rub and sauces, `Smoke & Spice' is a better investment. If you already own 'Smoke & Spice' you have better versions of all of the traditional recipes already.

The author includes Liquid Smoke in many of his sauce recipes, something that would make most experienced pitmasters cringe. Why put artificial tasting smoke flavor in a sauce when the food is being smoked already? There are indeed some interesting recipes from other cultures, and there is a useful though somewhat out of date listing for shopping sources for some of the more exotic ingredients. The chart of the effects of various common ingredients is very good, and would be very useful to any newcomer I should think. It is also a nice reference to have even for experienced pitmasters when thinking over new recipes.

In general however, I found that the recipes make use of too many ingredients, and yet when prepared tasted no better than traditional recipes I've been using for years and that are considerably less complicated. The reason is simple. Good barbecue gets it's flavor from being slow cooked at low temperatures with just the right amount of smoke, not because the cook used a dozen ingredients in the rub and another two dozen in the sauce. Everything from the cover layout to the number of ingredients called for and the sheer number of recipes makes me feel the author went for quantity rather than balance or quality.

Try out the BBQ sauces, February 4, 2003
I previously purchased the BBQ Bible. This is a great companion book to that. I never made my own BBQ sauce before but now I make it as much as I can. Everyone goes crazy over the sauces in this book. It was a pretty funny scene when I was trying to make two of the sauces at the same time. One was the Jack Daniel's one that hot and the other was the smokey one. Well don't try making two at once because I getting shot from two sides with bubbling sauce and you have to stir it for the whole 20 minutes. I have made some of the butters and some of the rubs. The best rub I have used was the one for the BBQ ribs that is part of a feature page in the book. I can't say enough about this book. You will enjoy it.

Essential to advance from Neanderthal cooking, May 1, 2001
Once you get this book, you will look back on your grilling and barbecuing with sheepish embarrassment if all you do is slather store-bought sauce on a piece of meat and fiddle with it over a flame. This book will show you how to add the missing ingredient in the latter method -- love.

Steven Raichlin takes barbecuing seriously, to the point where he actually goes to barbecue competitions to interview top teams and seeks different styles of barbecue in his world travels. He dispenses with all his knowledge in the following chapters:

1. Introduction: Building Better Barbecue -- The Flavor Factor 2. A Refresher Course: Everything You Need to Know About Barbecuing and Grilling 3. Seasonings and Rubs 4. Marinades, Wet Rubs, and Spice Pastes 5. Bastes, Mops, Glazes, Oils, Finishing Sauces, and Butters 6. American Barbecue Sauces 7. World Barbecue Sauces 8. Slather Sauces 9. Salsas, Relishes, Sambals, and Chutneys

Don't worry if you live in a rural area where fresh spices and ingredients may be lacking. Raichlin also provides internet and mail order contacts for the essentials. This book will transform the House of Bland into a culinary temple. Be sure to have plenty of napkins with you so you don't drool over all the pages.

another winner entry from Raichlen and Workman Press, July 3, 2000
This book is a barbecue cooks' dream. If you just know bbq sauce from the grocery or Grandpa's recipe, here is your chance to put that right. Dozens of wonderful sounding recipes. The perfect companion to the former 'Barbecue Bible'. Recipes from every corner of the world. Your grill will never be the same.

Throw away those old bottles of BBQ sauces in your kitchen!, June 27, 2000
Steven Raichlen followup book to the BBQ Bible is a great recipe and reference guide for all lovers of grilling or BBQing. The new book follows the same great format as the "Bible" with cooking tips, interesting background info on the recipes, and most of all practical, easy to prepare recipes with tons of flavors from the United States and around the world. Favorites already are the "lean and mean texas bbq sauce", the different but flavorful "lemonade chili rub" and the "chimichurri" sauce from south america. I will be trying the more exotic recipes from around the world such as "puerto rican pig powder" soon. If you already have the first book, buying this one is a given. if you are a bbq lover or grill master, you will have a hard time getting to the grill before reading this one cover to cover. And after making your first homemade sauce, those old bottles of sauce will be out of the kitchen!

A Great Accompaniment, July 19, 2003
You're wrong if you think Barbecue! Bible : Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades, Bastes, Butters, and Glazes is just a comilation of recipes garnered from Raichlen's BBQ Bible. The recipes are not in his other books for the most part and are great additions to the fantasic dishes in the Bible!
Because of Raichlen's recipes for Tandoori Chicken and other Indian dishes, I am now cooking these on my grill. The meat is great! But wait until you add some authentic chutneys, sambals and raita to accompany your main dish. This book is filled with Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades, Bastes, Butters, and Glazes ( duh) that MAKE everything I've cooked even more authentic and delicious.
As far as I'm concerned no one writes a better cook book on BBQ, grilling, etc Raichlen is the god of fire!
People rave over my Indian food and traditional bbq - chicken, beef,etc. The secrets are in THIS book and the rest of the BBQ Bible / BBQ USA / How to Grill series.
If you bbq, you need Raichlen's cook books.
This book is full of delicious accompaniments. And has made everything I grill so much tastier to eat.
I'm happy with this purchase!
John Row

Upgrade your grilling/smoking TODAY!, January 28, 2003
This is one of the best books you should buy if you are into grilling and/or smoking foods. It is the one I use the most (I own about 6-8 books). If you want to upgrade the flavor of anything you cook, this is the book for you. I commonly keep some of the rubs in the pantry and usually have at least one of the barbeque sauces in the fridge. My pepper grinder has the six-pepper blend in it all the time. I have even tried a mustard and ketchup from the book with great success! You don't have to be a good chef to use this book (how hard is it to mix spices?).

A previous reviewer listed that many of the recipes contain a "hard to find" ingredient. I don't think that is an entirely fair assesment. The book author provides links in the back of the book to numerous mail order houses where you can buy all the ingredients you need. It is well worth it. I found that for a relatively modest investment in 4-6 spices (~[$$]) I have been able to make everything I have been interested in.

I really really really like this book.

A wonderful compendium of savory, easy-to-use recipes!, July 4, 2000
Barbecue! Bible Sauces, Rubs And Marinades, Bastes, Butters & Glazes provides the aspiring chef with an single volume, in-depth education on transforming common grilled meats and seafood into exceptional barbecues that will delight even the most discriminating palates and satisfy the most robust appetites. From Irish Whiskey Glaze, Honey-Pepper Barbecue Sauce, and Cambodian Barbecue Dipping Sauce, to Green Peppercorn Mustard, Flame-Charred Salsa Verde, and Peach-Pecan Chutney, Barbecue! Bible Sauces, Rubs And Marinades, Bastes, Butters & Glazes offers more than two hundred savory, easy to use recipes.

Raichlen overcomplicates everything, as usual., January 1, 2007
BBQ is all about simplicity and basic techniques. Knowing your "core" ingredients and what to add for "style". What can be substituted for what. Etc. Of course following that approach, Rubs could probably be explained in about three pages. Most BBQ cookbooks, Raichlen's other books included, have taken this approach.

But here, he resorts to the use of obscure and sometimes irrelevant ingredients to fill yet another book. Most of the recipes have far more Raichlen-style introductory blather than actual recipe. Every recipe is presented anew, instead of as a tweak to something more basic. As another reviewer noted, his use of nasty ingredients like liquid smoke is disappointing.

_Sauces, Rubs and Marinades_ is a totally unnecessary book - most of its recipes can be found in the existing cookbooks. Its only possible benefit is to have all the rub and sauce recipes consolidated in one place. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

A great starter book for the beginning juicer, May 20, 2005
I recently inherited a lower end store bought juicer ( Juiceman, it is a very nice starter model, btw.). I ordered up a handful of juicing books through my library system and 'The Big Book of Juices & Smoothes' came in first not only to my house but the first for ease of use, layout & design and understanding. It is layed out according to the main product you want to use, say you have a bunch of carrots as the main ingredient, you go to that section. It is all well thought out.

After just a week of juicing for breakfast and an afternoon snack, I have to say that I am hooked and look forward to trying veggies and fruits of the exotic nature that were eschewed before due to the " How do I prepare this?" factor.

Natalie Savona has a way of mixing together fruits and veggies that would normally make you think, " Ugh...that sounds awful." but after trying a few root veggies and citrus fruit combos of hers, I've found her little comments about each drink are spot on.

Under every recipe is a Star Chart that rates the following:
Energy, Detox, Immuinity, Digestion and Skin. One to Five star rating of what exactly that recipe will help you in whatever area you feel you need. This is very nice as you can flip right through the book when you have a raging cold and look for the 5 Star Ratings on Immunity to see what produce you have on hand to help nourish your body.

An example of a recipe: #130 Easy Morning

3 carrots
1 apple
1/2 orange
1 stick of celery
1/2 inch of ginger root.

I prefer this now over regular orange or apple juice in the morning. So do my kids, who are 7 and 5. They also enjoy putting the fruit into the juicer and watching it get pulverized. YAY!

The plus side of juicing is taking out the pulp mush and putting it into your compost. It's a win-win situation, really. Good for you. Good for the Earth. YMMV :)

I liked this book so much, I am buying it after a very satisfying test drive from the library system.

This book, January 12, 2007
Is a lifesaver. From getting so overwhelmed with the exotic concoctions in the juice/smoothie books which sit on my shelf, I happened to pick this one up at the local juice bar. The girl there apologetically said it wasn't for sale, but from what I read whilst standing there, I have to say I have never had a book impress me so much in so few seconds. I ordered one, and the rest is history.
1. Brilliant,logical layout
2. Non overwhelming recipes (for those of us who don't want to live in the kitchen)
3. Surprisingly informative, from the basic fruit/ veg nutritional facts at the start to the 1 to 5 star rating after each recipe. Brilliant.
I love this book. It is my favourite, and as a raw foodist, I have stacks of books.
If you buy it, you'll see what I mean.

Very few ingredients needed for tasty smoothies, October 1, 2005
Originally I bought this book for my father in law, who is a cancer survivor and on a liquid diet. I thought the immunity and energy smoothies would help. He loves the book, b/c he was trying to create his own smoothies, with some gross results. (not to mention a huge waste of money on the ingredients!) Then I decided to buy the book for myself. Last year I had purchased a $$ vita-mix blender from a home show and had never used it..(which pissed my husband off immensely) The book of recipes it came with had so many ingredients, some, in which my opinion werent the healthiest. This book is excellent, with most smoothies having just 3-4 ingredients! Our fave is Morning Mash, with an orange, 2 bananas, a pear and 8 tbsp of apple juice! Delicious!

Try this for 2 weeks, January 8, 2005
No one likes to eat vegatables and this is such an easy way to do it! The book shows you certain combinations of vegetables and fruits to detox, cleanse and add energy to your body. I FELT results in 2 days. I bought a juicer at Wal-Mart for $50.00 and left it on the counter and once or twice a day I would juice a meal instead of eating empty caloeries and I felt INSTANT results I had energy and was not slugish in the late afternoon.
This is also a great way to get kids to get more nutrious things in their body. The drinks look gross sometimes BUT when you follow the combinations on the book the fruits overpower the vegatables in taste and you do not taste them especially the BEETS!
Anyone who wants to make an easy change in their diet can do this it takes 5 mins to do and clean up and the benefits are so wonderful!

Excellent Juicing book in EVERY aspect, August 14, 2008
I wont ever need another juicing book (nor do i want one). This book has everything a newcommer to juicing, like myself, or even an experienced juicer could use.
The recipes aren't too simple to where its like, "Duh, i know you juice lemons to make lemon juice.", but they aren't too complicated either. There is such variety in here that anyone is likely to find something that they would like. Natalie Savona even leaves helpful litle descriptions on each recpie of the juice (or smoothie) and even goes so far as to leave the vitamins in each recipie as well as a rating of 0 to 5 stars of the value it has pertaining to; energy, detoxification, immunity, skin health, and digestive health.
If you are into to juicing PICK THIS UP. I have read enough crappy reviews of other juicing books to fill this lengthy post up 100 times. Don't waste your money on anything else.

Wonderful!, July 9, 2008
I just love this book. The first great thing is that it is spiral bound so you can leave it open to the recipe while you make it. There are hundreds of recipes for juices, smoothies, frozen fruit slushes, fizzy quenchers and even some fruit infused teas. Every drink has a side bar on the things it is good for ie: detox, energy etc. and in the back it lists various ailments and which drinks are good for them.On top of this all the drinks I have tried so far have been wonderful. I am very pleased with this book.

excellent juices, January 4, 2006
I recently bought this book and so far I really love it and enjoy every juice I make. I love the idea that she arranged the juices by the kinds of fruits and veggies you want to use and that every juice has ratings for immunity, detox, skin, energy and digestion.
I higly reccomend this book.

Great for beginners, July 24, 2010
This was the first recipe book that I bought on juicing, and I really enjoy it. It gives a great and easy to understand introduction on juicing and why it is so beneficial. Another great point of the book is the star ratings based on skin, immunity, energy, etc. The back of the book even gives lists of ailments and then tells you corresponding recipes that are good to alleviate the symptoms.

The only downside to this book is it is mostly fruit and doesn't have many vegetable juicing recipes. Carrots are used, but for the main ingredients there isn't celery, spinach, parsley, etc. If you're looking for an introduction to juicing and want to get into it slowly, I would recommend starting with this because the fruit mixtures are great and tasty and then you mix a little carrot in them and as you continue, experiment and include more vegetables.

Overall, great book!

Great book but could be a little better, December 11, 2008
Definitely a great book for a beginner juicer! You CANNOT imagine how great some juices taste! The recipes are simple and straightforward to make and after you see some of the recipes, you almost feel like trying new ones on your own. For those of you who have never tried anything other than bottled juice, this will definitely be a pleasant change. The only thing I find missing in this book (which is why I gave it 4 stars) is some kind of calorie count for the juices. It is certain that the primary source of calories for all juices (not smoothies) will be only carbs and they may not be too much but it will be definitely a lot easy to add a juice to your diet plan if only you knew how many calories the glass of juice contains. Since there is very little information for each of the juices given in the book (and a lot of empty space around it), it will be a real plus if approximate calorie count is added (since calorie count will depend on the quantity of juice extracted which in turn depends on the size of the fruit or vegetable). But otherwise, definitely recommended!

Great Layout !, September 29, 2007
Great layout, great pictures, and great information! This book has a nice selection of fruit drinks and vegetable drinks as well. Each drink has a 5 section, 5 star rating. There is a spot on nutrition so you know the vitamins and minerals you are getting. A great book to keep you healthy! ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Italians have a secret. Over the centuries, they have pioneered more than 300 shapes of pasta, each with a history, a story to tell, and an affinity for particular foods. These shapes have evolved alongside the flavors of local ingredients, and the perfect combination can turn an ordinary dish into something sublime. The Geometry of Pasta pairs more than one hundred authentic recipes from critically acclaimed chef Jacob Kenedy with award-winning designer Caz Hildebrand's stunning black-and-white designs to reveal the science, history, and philosophy behind spectacular pasta dishes from all over Italy.

Packaged in a crisply designed black-and-white hardcover (complete with a dust jacket that unfolds into a poster of pasta shapes and patterns), The Geometry of Pasta is a one-of-a-kind cookbook unlike anything you've ever seen! ... Read more

Reviews

A Pasta Anthropology ... and then Dinner :), August 21, 2010
As the full title states, "The Perfect Shape + The Perfect Sauce = THE GEOMETRY OF PASTA," so the talents of book designer Caz Hildebrand + London chef Jacob Kenedy = this terrific book.

Part history-of-pasta and part cookbook, it begins with an overview of pastas (southern Italian peasants' plain semolina to wealthy northerners' incorporation of egg and different starches) and tomato sauces (also varying from light to rich), and the concept of matching the delicacy/sturdiness of a pasta to that of a sauce. And then comes that geometry -- the actual pairings of those shapes and sauces via a 270-page alphabetic encyclopedia of dozens and dozens of pasta shapes, including:

* A short history of each pasta (referencing climate, culture and politics/economics), for example that intricate pastas were made "when housewives had to fill long winter evenings," and the delicate and haughty pastas of the Renaissance, which "specialist nuns would make in their convents";
* A b/w graphic of its shape (see page samples near the book's cover image, above);
* In some cases, recipes for making that shape of pasta at home;
* In all cases, recipes for sauces/fillings suited to that shape;
* Suggestions for other sauces (an Index makes it easy to locate sauce recipes).

I'd expected this book to be glossy and slightly oversized, so was surprised to find it the size and construction of a hardcover novel. While that doesn't sound like a book to be taken into the kitchen and later wiped down, you'll want to do so -- it contains recipes for every level of cook, from quick sauces with a few common ingredients, to sauces involving a dozen ingredients and progressive steps that are mini-tutorials in cooking technique. They include olive oil and/or butter and a wide range of fish, fowl and meat. Most serve 2-4 people as a main course; some serve 6-8 and a few feed a crowd. But even if you're an armchair foodie with little intention of preparing the recipes, this book's design and interesting (even amusing) discussion make it a delightful read.

Very useful and entertaining!, November 1, 2010
I had an abundance of ripe tomatoes, which I wasn't sure what to do with. After making loads of salsa this summer, I thought I'd try to make my very own fresh tomato sauce, and this book came in very handy for that! I looked for a fresh, simple sauce and decided on the Penne All'arrabbiata (Spicy Tomato Sauce). It was very simple, and had no canned ingredients whatsoever, which was exactly what I wanted. And it was delicious! I can't wait to try another sauce to go with the random types of pasta I have in the cabinet. And I love the funny comments by the author, such as "Best served without cheese in my opinion, rather a drizzle of oil. Some would disagree (they should use pecorino Romano, but given their dubious taste are probably sprinkling Parmesan)."

There is no need for the slick photos most cookbooks are using these days. I think it's very easy to just pick the type of pasta you want, and then there are several recipes for the sauces that will go perfectly with them. Or the other way around. Its design is, likewise, simple and cool-looking. It makes me feel like I look like a serious cook, when I'm really only an amateur.

A bit Austere but FULL in information and good recipes, December 13, 2010
The book is in black and while, exclusively. There are no photos of the food you are reading about, nor of the recipes you are cooking from. The book DOES, however have an extraordinary WEALTH in information on the forms and kinds of pasta available (or not) to you. The information was easy to read, clear and amazing.

What I loved about reading this was how GREAT and KNOWLEDGEABLE if made me feel at every cocktail and dinner part I have attended this holiday season. Food is very popular talk at these functions and knowing these small and obscure facts made me the "go to", almost the "Martha Stewart" of the soiree.

I also thought the dishes presented have been very good, although I have only cooked maybe 5 so far. But don't think this is the throw-all-you-other-cookbooks-away book. The recipes are PART of this book, not really the focus.

The best take-away from the book is the information you can fall back on when you are standing in front of an obnoxiously-large array of pasta choices at your grocers. Now I don't just stand there and "eaney, meaney, miney, moe" with my eyes closed. I can actually make a decision and it will be delicious.

Patricia

the geometry of pasta, November 18, 2010
this cook book has earned a revered place on the self. if you lean towards this sort of book, owning the geomtry of pasta (and reading it) will be rewarding. Oh, the under 13 thing reflects more of a developemental issue than a chronological reality.

Another reason to hate geometry, October 9, 2010
After hearing the author of The Geometry of Pasta on public radio, I was interested enough to order the book. What I was hoping for was a book that would teach me about the various pastas and how to use them. While the recipes look like they could be fun, I have no idea what the pastas look like. The graphic images are artsy, but useless. They are black and white, not gray-scale, and look like art deco wallpaper or bed sheets I saw at Target. If I want to know what the pasta looks like, I will need to do a Google image search to help me figure out what the book is showing. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Rachel Saunders's The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook is the definitive jam and marmalade cookbook of the 21st century. In addition to offering more than 100 original jam, jelly, and marmalade recipes, master jam artisan Rachel Saunders shares all of her technical preserving knowledge, as well as her unique jam maker's perspective on fruit.

Rachel combines nostalgia with a modern, sustainable approach to creating fresh and vividly flavored preserves. The recipes are divided into chapters based on the seasons, and each chapter is organized by month and type of fruit. Sample recipes include Strawberry-Marsala Jam with Rosemary, Italian Lemon Marmalade, and Early Girl Tomato Jam.

More than 100 stunning photographs by Sara Remington illustrate each part of the preserving process--from the different stages of cooking to testing for doneness to the final canning stage. Each recipe includes an approximate yield and a suggested shelf life, in addition to details on recommended equipment, including Rachel's beloved copper jam pot. The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook gives all measurements by weight rather than volume, making it the most exact and reliable American jam book on the market. More than 20 recipe variations are provided, along with detailed information about common and rare fruits, hybrid varieties, and flavor combinations. Nothing is left to chance or overlooked; Rachel explains every aspect of jam and marmalade making in step-by-step detail. The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook is a one-of-a-kind, must-have resource for home and professional cooks alike. ... Read more

Reviews

A Very Pleasant Suprise!, September 18, 2010
My wife and I just got our copy. We are both cooks and we thought this might be interesting. Well, it's much more than I anticipated. First of all it's one of the most beautiful food books I've seen. It has every recipe you might need for working with fruit as well as some approaches I had never even considered. But it's also filled with facts and information that reads more like a book than just food recipes. It's the type of book we'll enjoy curling up with on a winter's evening long after there's no fruit left to process.

A DEFINITIVE GUIDE FOR PREPARING JAMS AND MARMALADES, October 24, 2010

Who can resist the honeyed taste of jam? Certainly not one of Lewis Carroll's characters who laments, "The rule is, jam to-morrow and jam yesterday - but never jam today." Not to worry with the wonderfully comprehensive guide, THE BLUE CHAIR JAM COOKBOOK, we can have jam every day in an apparent endless variety of that sweet spread. Whether your preference is for a plain lemon marmalade or strawberry jam you'll find variations of these and so much more in this 364 page tribute to preserves.

Founder of the Bay Area jam company Blue Chair Fruit Rachel Saunders has a passion for fruit which is evidenced in every recipe and mouth-watering illustration in this remarkable collection. She presents a loving, detailed discussions of various fruits, a technical section and, of course, her incomparable original recipes organized around the seasons of the year.

Okay, I admit it - initially I was intimidated by the thought of making jam. But soon happy memories of my grandmother's kitchen filled my mind, and I could see her stove covered with kettles and glistening jars of jams covering the kitchen counter. This is one of those "If I can do it, anyone can" comments: For me, the directions found with the recipes are step-by-step clear and precise. As in the recipe for Early Summer Peach Jam with Green Almonds, which begins with Day 1 and the preparation of the peaches. (To be placed in sugar and lemon juice and left to macerate in the refrigerator overnight.) Then on to Day 2 and the final steps. She specifies the type of utensils to be used ("...a copper preserving pan or two smaller rnonreactive kettles.") No need for guess-work when following her directions - even individual yields and shelf life are included. Clearly, this is someone who is dedicated to her craft and is happy to share the joy and fun of jam preparation with all.

While certainly precise in her recipes Saunders is far from a stickler for her preferences - she encourages cooks to prepare their own unique jams by following their preferences and tastes.

THE BLUE CHAIR JAM COOKBOOK is the ultimate definitive guide for preparing jam and marmalade throughout the year.

And, Blue Chair Fruit Co. is the ultimate place to find the fresh and distinctly flavored jams and marmalades prepared by Rachel and her team. We've been fortunate enough to try Damson Jam and Strawberry-Blood Orange Marmalade with Rosemary. Made from organic plums Damson Jam has a just-picked distinctive flavor and is filled with whole pieces of fruit - this is jam at its finest. The Marmalade glitters with colors of deep gold and orange slivers, while the flavor is robust, hearty, distinguished by a hint of rosemary - in a class of its own. These delights and many more may be found at www.bluechairfruit.com.

Highly recommended.

- Gail Cooke

Exceptional Book, October 20, 2010
I am a professional chef with a collection of more than 5000 cookbooks. This book easily rates in the top 10 cookbooks I own. Much more than I expected. Encyclopedic in scope and beautifully illustrated, I fully expect to see a James Beard Award sticker on next years printing.

Who knew that you did not have to boil those jelly jars, November 7, 2010

I saw the Author on the Martha Stewart Show. I was so impressed with her jelly making technique that I bought the book on Amazon after I went to the Blue Chair Jam sight and discovered that the book was not available.

I received the book in a timely manner and was surprised to find that the book was so big. Many more pages then I expected.

Who knew that you did not have to boil those jelly jars on the stove but you can use the oven. This is such a good tip.

Besides that tip, the book has the technique for making jelly and jams. This book is great for beginners but has enough recipes for the advanced jelly makers.

I am not in the stage of my life where I would make a batch of jelly so I gifted the book to my daughter who was delighted and I am confident she will try to make some jelly or jam. It was the perfect gift for her.

Be confident that I read the book before I gifted it.

Love Blue Chair Fruit Jams!, November 11, 2010
I am a huge fan of blue chair fruit, and was a frequent customer at the farmer's market in Oakland. Because I loved the jams so much I took a class on jam making from Rachel and the jams I made were amazing, which I was really excited about since I had never made jam before. I really appreciate that there is no need for additional pectin... it's just fruit, sugar, lemon, and whatever additional herb or liqueur you wish to add to for something a little extra. Sterilizing the jars in the oven made the whole process a lot easier than the traditional water bath method. I also happened to have a copper pot that I purchased in Mexico that worked great... so if you don't want to fork out the money for the french version, the Mexican copper pot worked great (Caso de cobre... traditionally for making carnitas, I believe). I am really looking forward to trying the recipes in the book!!!

Insightful, Encyclopedic!, November 18, 2010
I've been making jam, jelly, marmalade and chutney for over 50 years! Some summers I've made over 1,000 jars! But here I am, only on page 9 of this fabulous book, and already I've learned so many things I didn't know, like straining for jelly twice; once through a coarse strainer and then, only then, through the cheesecloth. Up to now, I've only done the cheesecloth strain. This ways makes so much more sense.

I'll Post-It flag the pages with useful hints and refer back to them in future.

I love this HUGE book!

Now to find some winter quince!

.Kathy, Portland, OR

Best Jams in a long time!, November 29, 2010
I love this book. After having many preserves/jam books, this one really interested me. I've made both the Concord Grape Jam and the Early Girl Tomato Jam. They are both super delicious and out of the box. I've never seen a concord jam recipe that KEEPS the grape skins in, and boy, was this the ticket! This is by far, the BEST concord grape jam I've ever tasted or made! I'm not lying here! Try it! The Tomato Jam was the bomb! Who'd think that tomato jam would be so killer??? I gave both jams to friends and neighbors, and every comment I got was on the "wow" factor! I even was told by one neighbor that I'd "miss my calling" and should make jams for a living. But I owe the credit all to the book and it's wonderfully inventive author! Buy this book. You won't regret it, and it will become one of your favorites, for sure!

Excellent Jamming Experience, October 27, 2010
After a snafu with the Kindle version of this book, which the author and publisher were very quick to address, I have had the pleasure of reviewing the hard copy of The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook. All I can say is wow; I am so inspired! This book is absolutely wonderful. It is so informative and I love the way the recipes are broken down by season. I made the Strawberry, balsamic and black pepper jam and the Pear, vanilla and elderflower jam. Both are heavenly and I love the texture and the fact that they are free of added pectin. I can't wait to make my next batch, which I think will be one of the lemon marmalades.

If you are at all interested in making your own jam, this book is a must have! The only down side is that now I really, really want a Mauviel preserving pan!

Advocates an unsafe canning method, December 17, 2010
This book advocates oven canning which is an unsafe method of home preserving. The author covers herself by stating that the items should be processed according to manufacturer directions, or by following the steps outlined on page 42 which are the directions for oven canning. I presume that by "manufacturer directions," the author means the manufacturer of the canning jars used. In most cases, that would be Jarden Home brands, makers of Ball and Kerr jars and those directions would be for water bath canning.

Many universities have done in-depth studies of safe canning methods and have found that water bath and pressure canning are the only safe methods for home preserving. Water bath canning can be used only for high-acid foods such as jams, jellies, pickles and salsa. Pressure canning can be used for either high or low acid foods.

Often, the home canner can "get away" with using unsafe methods for canning because it is possible that harmful bacteria were not present on the food to be canned. However, you cannot safely assume that harmful bacteria aren't present. MSN recently had an article about this very problem regarding homemade Christmas gifts.

The following is taken from the University of Georgia National Center for Home Preserving.

"Only boiling water or pressure canning methods are recommended for canning foods. Older methods, such as oven canning and open-kettle canning, have been discredited and can be hazardous (Equipment and Methods Not Recommended from the USDA Complete Guide to Canning 1994). The risk of botulism poisoning determines the choice of either boiling water or pressure canners for canning foods. In foods that are acid (pH 4.6 or lower) the microorganism that causes botulism cannot grow. Therefore it is safe to use a boiling water bath canner. All other foods must be canned using tested pressure canning processes (Ensuring Safe Canned Foods)."

The University of North Dakota Extension has a more in-depth discussion of why oven canning is unsafe.

Since the author advocated an unsafe canning method, I am worried that the levels of acid specified in her recipes are not sufficient for home canning so I doubt that I'll be using any of these recipes and feel that I wasted my money.

Lovely, useful book, December 13, 2010
Just got this book and it's absolutely lovely. The book itself is weighty and has beautiful pictures. My boyfriend is totally not into cookbooks but immediately admired the design of the book. Saunders' recipes are fantastic - I've had her jams at the farmer's market many times and I made my first recipe from the book this weekend (meyer lemon mandarin marmalade). Delicious! I will use this book again and again.

A couple caveats. First, as lovely as the book is, I wish the pages were more traditional cookbook pages. These are that sort of thick, pulpy paper, and if you spill on them (which, duh, happens all the time with cookbooks), they soak up the water really fast and the paper pills up as you try to blot the book clean. Also, despite what a couple other reviewers have said, this is definitely not a beginner's jam-making book. The recipes, particularly for the marmalades, are quite complex and Saunders doesn't always explain the "why" of doing things a certain way or she leaves out basic steps or safety info that you only know from having made jams before. I think I would have been terribly intimidated if this was my first exposure to the how-to of making jam. And keep in mind, her methods don't always meet USDA food safety recommendations (e.g. processing filled jars in the oven to seal them rather than in a hot water bath). ... Read more

Editorial Review

Legendary chef and food writer James Beard wrote of bacon, "There are few sights that appeal to me more than the streaks of lean and fat in a good side of bacon, or the lovely round of pinkish meat framed in delicate white fat that is Canadian bacon." Whether you crave its flavorful crunch in the morning, the salty taste it lends to a Mediterranean BLT, or the way it transforms Spaghetti Carbonara, you'll never be disappointed by bacon.

In I Love Bacon, Jayne Rockmill presents more than 50 bacon-themed recipes from some of America's hottest chefs--from Cat Cora to Rick Tramonto, Ming Tsai, Jasper White, Andy Husbands and Joe Yonan, Pichet Ong, Bradford Thompson, John Besh, and many others--along with mouthwatering photography.

With instructions on how to make bacon from scratch and how to feature bacon in brunch dishes, small bites, soups, salads, sides, entrees, and even cocktails and desserts, this full-color cookbook proves that bacon isn't just for breakfast anymore. ... Read more

Reviews

I LOVE BACON - LET ME COUNT THE WAYS, November 11, 2010




If you're enjoying bacon only as a partner for your breakfast eggs or to build a noontime BLT, take a look at I LOVE BACON. This yummily illustrated cookbook is not only a tribute to those delicious crispy strips but a chronicle of bacon's versatility with over 50 favorite recipes from acclaimed chefs. The variety is amazing and mouth-watering - everything from brunch dishes to entrees to soups to salads to cocktails to desserts, yes desserts!

For instance, Chef Bill McDaniel in New York City offers "Smoked Bacon Tempura with Grilled Corn Salad." Wonderful for lunch or supper this Salad is enlivened with snap peas, onion, and red bell pepper, served with Chipotle Mayonnaise for dipping the Smoked Bacon Tempura. Another plus about this cookbook is that the chefs include a Note, either a bit of advice or a recommendation. In Chef McDaniel's case he makes clear his preference for bacon from North Country Smokehouse in Claremont, New Hampshire (www.ncsmokehouse.com). We second that recommendation - absolutely terrific applewood smoked bacon!

Chef Sandra Stefani in Miami suggests "Spaghetti Carbonara," pasta lovers heaven. The pasta is al dente, as she says, "Cooked through but with a little resistance to the bite," enhanced with crispy pancetta. For those with a sweet tooth Chef Cory Barrett in Cleveland presents "Maple-Bacon Ice Cream."

Before dinner? A Bakon Mary Cocktail. As an Olympic gold Medalist has said, "Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon." Yes, while we already have good reason to relish bacon I LOVE BACON gives us 50 reasons more.

Enjoy!

- Gail Cooke

Too many pages of "end credits", December 22, 2010
The recipes are wonderful - some very different and interesting..I like the book very much - however - this book which is "144 pages" in length..is actually 106 pages of recipes...and the remaining pages - are page after page after page of Contributors Biographies, followed by Acknowledgments, Conversions and then the Index.....could have done without the overly lengthy biographies of every chef....each chef already receives a credit at the top of each recipe. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Expand your ramen repertoire with an amazingly inventive and unique addition to the million-copy-selling "101" series:101 Things to do with Ramen Noodles.

Ramen is fast, easy, and filling, but what can be done to spruce it up and give it a whole new life?

How about recipes like:

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

Summer Garden Soup

Zucchini Salad

Creamy Beef and Broccoli Noodles

Corny Cheese Noodles

Reviews

INEXPENSIVE AND SURPRISINGLY TASTY, August 23, 2005
i used to be one of those people that ate out for lunch every day. But I've come to the realization that the $100 to $125 a month i'm spending eating out fast food can be better spent on other things. Ramen Noodles have stepped up to become a quick, and cheap way to have lunch, especially in a busy office such as the one I work in. They come in so many flavors now to boot. I laughed when I saw this book but how can you go wrong for $10?

Regular Ramen noodles are just fine by me but Toni patrick puts a charge into them with some amazingly creative additions. For example, spice up a plain can of tomato soup with some noodles or add some fresh veggies to make a Ramen vegetable soup. Not all of them will work for your office lunch as some will require baking and a bit of cook time. I personally love the parmesan Noodles or the Alfredo Noodles which are very quick and easy to make. Or there is the one person Ramen Lasagna with just a cup of sauce, and some ricotta and mozzarella that can be made in a 4" x 4" pan. perfect for a toaster oven if you have one at work.

I really can't get into some of the breakfast recipes but perhaps the kids might. But this book did help spice up lunch a little bit and turn more boring, but cheap Ramen Noodles into something more.

Great for Couples on a Budget, too, April 4, 2007
At first glance, one might think this book is geared solely toward the college crowd. While it is certainly useful for them, its also very useful in our house of 30-somethings on a budget. Many of the recipes don't use the seasoning packet, so those with sodium concerns can relax. Most of the recipes are very easy and simple with cheap things you're likely to have on hand (i.e. hamburger, cheese, onion, sour cream, soup) and a lot of variety (soups, salads, beef, chicken, pork, etc.). Most of the recipes are for 2 servings, making it nice for couples, though certainly you could double it for a larger household. The book even has a plastic cover (to protect from splatters) and is spiral bound so you can lay it flat on the counter and read the recipes while you cook. There is plenty of space on each page to make notes (i.e. "next time add more onions"). The only negative thing is that most of these recipes use several pans -- you need one to boil the noodles in (why are there no microwave directions for Ramen Noodles?) while you're making the bulk of the recipe in another pan, then you have to drain the noodles with the strainer ... you get the idea. Totally worth 10 bucks, though.

Cheap and practically gourmet at the same time!, May 26, 2006
These recipies are so creative! I've never even thought about any of them, but they are delicious! Some of them even have multiple servings for under a dollar!

I love the wide variety of recipies they have to choose from... vegetarian, soups... in fact there are alot of categories. You can try several of these recipies and never get tired of Top Ramen again! In fact, I think I like it even more now! They are easy to make as well, and easy for a teen like me to understand.

The one thing I would change if I could would be to insert pictures of what the recipies look like when they are done, or at least a brief description. But even without those features, I still love this book. VERY AFFORDABLE! Once I go to college I'm hauling this thing with me!

Great gift for college students, September 10, 2007
I bought this book for my 18 year old college bound niece. She is a freshman at Loyola Marymount in L.A. and is on her own for the first time. I sent this book and a case of Ramen through Amazon to her at school. She loved the book and said 99% of the recipes are really simple and actually taste great. There is Parmesean Noodles, Alfredo noodles, mexican spaghetti and a chocolate crunchy noodle recipe. This is a definite buy for any college student or anyone looking for affordable ways to make meals, considering Ramen is like 10 cents a bag.

top ramen can do that?, October 3, 2005
being a broke college student sucks, but this little book has provided me with something to look foreward to each week. even on my miniscule budget i can afford the ingredients for most of the recipes in here. this book rocks hardcore.

Lifesaver for a novice in the kitchen on a budget!, May 27, 2008
Don't look down your nose on kitchen newbies. They have to eat, too -- therefore, they are willing to learn or they will starve! And, with little or nothing in your pocket, the decision to learn is made for you by the Kitchen Gods!

101 Things to Do With Ramen Noodles is an excellent, spiral-bound (WHY aren't all cooking and craft books designed this way???), nicely written and informative guide to lots and lots of stuff to do with those cheap noodles that can be found in every supermarket and discount store. The last time I was in a college book store, they had them there, as well.

If you are looking for something to do with this stuff rather than blend it with boiling water, this is the book for you. Surprise! You DON'T have to use all of that "flavor" packet (salt, salt, salt and more salt) and there are recipes that will turn your Ramen Noodles into a more solid meal! You can also use it to whip up a dessert. (Definitely hold the "flavor" packet for that one!)

More experienced cooks will roll their eyes complaining, "Oh, I could have told you how to do this..." However, it's not for those of us who have been cooking for half a century or more. For the target audience, 101 Things to Do With Ramen Noodles is a wonderful guide to saving a bundle. And, it's sure a step up from going to "that Scottish restaurant."

Highly recommended.

Fun with ramen, September 29, 2005
I bought this for my 14-yr-old son, who loves ramen noodles. He has made a few recipes so far, and they're pretty good! Plus, he eats more vegetables mixed in with the ramen, which always makes Mom happy!

Great ideas!, January 6, 2008
This book has some great ideas on using ordinary ramen from simple to sophisticated. You have to watch the calories/fat on some of these recipes though. I made the "Chicken Alfredo" recipe and it called for one cup of butter and one cup of cream! That is overkill for 2 packages of ramen! I made a skinny version of the sauce instead. Other recipes like "Garlic Shrimp 'n' Veggies" are very easy and much healthier.

I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!, October 9, 2009
I'm a big "foodie", and love hitting up all the local hotspots in the city. But it's a big drain on my wallet, and so I decided to cut out going out to lunch everyday. I heard about this book from so many people and decided to go to my local Borders and buy it.

One of the best decisions I ever made.

I just finished making the creamy mushroom soup, and I love it. Just thumbing through the book, you notice how simple these recipes are, and it's so easy to make something your own by adding extra seasoning or fresh scallions here and there. Yea it's not filet mignon, but if that's what you're looking for I suggest you look elsewhere. This book is for people who are on a BUDGET, who want something relatively quick and simple. I only wish I would have discovered this little book while I was in college, would have saved me some major moolah.

The Popcorn and Ramen Noodle Diet, April 24, 2008
This book is perfect for the low budget group that just moved out of the house and is looking for things to eat that are cheap and easy. (As a decent cook of many years, some of the recipes did make me gag, but I'm not the audience for this book now, am I?) The recipes are surprisingly creative and, in reality, a lot of people do love ramen noodles. accompaniment to this book as a housewarming or graduation gift for a young friend or relative. Everyone who's ever lived on a tight budget - and probably with at least a couple of roommates - has experienced the popcorn and ramen noodle diet, a chapter in the survival of the fittest (and most broke)! 50 Ways to Leave Your Mother ... Read more

Editorial Review

If you don't have a turkey fryer yourself, you know someone who does. And, odds are, it sits empty and unused in the corner of your garage or basement until Turkey Day rolls around once a year. Well, it's now time to dust it off as you discover the 103 NEW recipes and ideas we have for your turkey fryer! Some of the NEW ideas and recipes on the pages of this book include making maple syrup, canning fruits and vegetables, a Southern Lobster Boil and Delicious Prime Rib. These clever and useful suggestionswill keep your fryer heated up for the OTHER 364 days of the year, leaving you wondering why you didn't think of this before! ... Read more

Reviews

Great Cookbook!!!, January 1, 2006
I have to say that I was amazed at the variety of recipes that are in this book. It even shows how to can food with the turkey fryer (who knew that it was possible?). This is a very cool book with a wide variety of different recipes and uses for the fryer. It is not just for cooking a turkey!!

Great cookbook!, January 7, 2008
we recently bought a turkey fryer with no idea how to use it, or how to cook a turkey. this cookbook gives good tips and step by step instructions on how to fry a turkey. also we had no idea the variety of foods that can be fried. this cookbook gave us a lot of ideas!

Time to Cook, December 8, 2009
Great little add on if you purchased the Bayou Classic 3066A 30-Quart Outdoor Turkey Fryer Kit. I actually used one of the recipes from it for my Turkey for thanksgiving. The turkey came out amazing and everyone thought it was perfect. Thanks for the suggestion :)

Definitely 103 way to use a Turkey Fryer, January 6, 2009
I bought the book as a gift for a relative that was having a hard time getting good recipes off of the internet. The last recipe he got left us hungry with a raw turkey on Thanksgiving. This book, however, has more then enough ideas. Along with a few turkey recipes it also has a few side dishes, other dishes, and even extra uses like all natural tie-dye. While it only has a few recipes for each idea, it has enough ideas to help give any Turkey Fryer a good start for coming up with a few of their own.

great gift, January 12, 2009
I bought this book for my dad for his birthday, which falls right after Christmas. I first searched Border's for it and they didn't have it. When I searched for it on their computer, a used copy was for sale for $54! It's a paperback book! When I searched Amazon...there it was. My dad frequently goes to camp with his buddies and uses his turkey fryer often. Now he can use it 102 other ways!

Worth the Money!, May 23, 2010
Bought it for my husband for Christmas. At first he was skeptical but he "warmed up" to right fast when he finally used it. Much nicer without the leftover expensive oil problem. And the cook book is very handy and helpful.

A must companion for the infrared fryer, February 11, 2010
Got my husband the infrared turkey fryer for Christmas.... )best present ever) this is a great companion book full of great ideas for use besides "Just Turkey"

oops...wrong suggestioin, April 28, 2009
Was suggested with a purchase of the Big Easy Infared Cooker. This book is for fryers! Good recipe ideas...wrong piece of equipment match.

Just Okay, September 30, 2010
Not bad. Not great. It's just okay. Paid a little more then what it's worth. I'm still in the hunt for that perfect Turkey Cook Book

COOK BOOK, June 11, 2009
I WAS SKEPTICAL AT FIRST BUT THIS IS REALLY VERY EYE OPENING AT ALL THE USES FOR THE DEEP FRYER ... Read more

Editorial Review

Mark Bitterman is a man truly possessed by salt. As “selmelier� at The Meadow, the internationally recognized artisan-product boutique, Bitterman explains the promise and allure of salt to thousands of visitors from across the country who flock to his showstopping collection. “Salt can be a revelation,� he urges, “no food is more potent, more nutritionally essential, more universal, or more ancient. No other food displays salt’s crystalline beauty, is as varied, or as storied.�

In Salted, Bitterman traces the mineral’s history, from humankind’s first salty bite to its use in modern industry to the resurgent interest in artisan salts. Featuring more than 50 recipes that showcase this versatile and marvelous ingredient, Salted also includes a field guide to artisan salts profiling 80 varieties and exploring their dazzling characters, unique stories, production methods, and uses in cooking; plus a quick-reference guide covering over 150 salts. Salting is one of the more ingrained habits in cooking, and according to Bitterman, all habits need to be questioned. He challenges you to think creatively about salting, promising that by understanding and mastering the principles behind it—and becoming familiar with the primary types of artisanal salts available—you will be better equipped to get the best results for your individual cooking style and personal taste. Whether he’s detailing the glistening staccato crunch of fleur de sel harvested from millennia-old Celtic saltmaking settlements in France or the brooding sizzle of forgotten rock salts transported by the Tauregs across the Sahara, Bitterman’s mission is to encourage us to explore the dazzling world of salt beyond the iodized curtain.

Reviews

Worth your salt (of course), October 19, 2010
This is an interesting book especially if you have had a life long love affair with salt and everyone looks at you askance that you are using something horrid. It is really not a cookbook even though it has about 50 recipes in it. Is deals more with what salt is; its discovery, the history, and harvesting salt. Artisan salt is covered, as well as tasting, advice on salt, how to shop for salt, serving and storing.

This is all you could want to know, explained in an interesting manner with several charts and a 20 page salt reference guide. There are pictures, including illustrations of the different salt crystals described and listed.

The recipes included are a few for each one of the following: those for uncooked foods, curing, grilling, brining, roasting, frying boiling, baking, salt crust, cooking on a salt block, saucing, confections and drinks.
There could have been a source guide with some addresses and recommended web sites, but this would still be ideal for cooks and those interested in the world around us, and one of the most important ingredients throughout history.

A gorgeous book that will forever change the way you approach salt, November 19, 2010
I grew up in a household that used nothing but iodized, supermarket brand salt. Truly, for years I didn't know that it came any other way. In my early twenties, when I moved out into the world on my own, I discovered kosher salt and thought I had reached the pinnacle of flavor and sophistication. Then, right around the time I turned 30, I discovered Mark Bitterman's store, The Meadow, and the world of miraculous salts contained therein. My food was soon changed forever.

I learned that salt could have flavor beyond basic, bland saltiness and that large, crunchy crystals could make a buttered piece of toast absolutely transcendent. I even gave up my previously beloved kosher salt, swapping in a lovely, irregular everyday sea salt for my scrambled eggs and sauteed greens.

My salt education is still in its early days and thanks to Bitterman, I now have a glorious textbook with which I can enhance my studies. I am so impressed by this volume and the obvious love and care that went into its creation. In some ways, it is the author's autobiography, told through salt. In others, it is a highly useful primer on the many different varieties of salt available in the world. In all ways, it is delightful.

Catalogue, yes; education, less so, December 6, 2010
I got my history of salt from Kurlansky's wonderful book, Salt. I bought this one for the cultural and culinary education.

The first part of the book attempts to place salt in an anthropological and archeological perspective, but instead makes great big sloppy inferences that were unsupported. It would have read better if it just said "imagine if..." The narrative on medicine also made me cringe, as it had the same rigor as the anthropology section. Term papers that wouldn't have gotten strong grades.

Where the author comes into his own is where he describes the traditional methods for saltmaking and his rather extensive catalogue of artisan salts.

Had thumbed through the book in a store, I might not have purchased.

Review of SALTED by Mark Bitterman, November 20, 2010
Bitterman has created a serious and tempting treatise on SALT. He brings salt to life. When I received this book I was compelled to feel its delicious smooth matte cover. I waited for just the right moment to savor the contents of SALTED. The author caught my interest immediately, from his story of motorcycling on the "salt road" to Mark and Jennifer's inspiration for plunging into a small business featuring flowers, wine, chocolate, and salt--that beautiful finger-sifting enhancer of foods.
We quickly realize that Bitterman is a mad salt jeweler surrounded by sun-bent crystals of rose, gray, white, black and topaz that he cradles in his hands, and lovingly gifts to his listeners. He educates the reader with a passion for writing that is exceeded only by his passion for the subject. Mark's energetic style fuses a complete education on salt with folksy yet always artful and eloquent narrative. He brings the ancient peasant craft of harvesting salt to tables of the average family and to the elegant presentations of world-renowned chefs.
And yes, you will discover that salts of the desert in Timbuktu, salts quarried in Bolivia, and salts of the sea surrounding Portugal--pure, natural and sun-kissed--all are a necessary and healthy part of our lives. This book is fun!

LB, December 4, 2010
A very painful start to the book with the author employing way too much pseudo-archeology and anthropology, imagined history, and the PC jibberish use of BCE dates instead of the conventional date system! The author settled down and provided some very interesting "actual" historical data and science. For beginners the actual history and science is a must read and for the more experienced an excellent review.

The artisan salt making section is excellent as is the salting strategically guidance. The salt guide is truly superb.

Recipes are interesting: Radishes with butter and Fleur De Sel was simple and very tasty. Hamburgers with Sel Gris, how can you go wrong salting hamburger? Roasted peaches in Bourbon syrup with smoked salt has too many great flavor combinations to describe, simply marvelous!

Even allowing for the politically correct BCE dates and the overreaching new world preachy bits start, the book is actually quite good. I highly recommend it to any one who enjoys eating or preparing food. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The classic home cheese making primer has been updated and revised to reflect the increased interest in artisanal-quality cheeses and the availability of cheese making supplies and equipment.

Here are 85 recipes for cheeses and other dairy products that require basic cheese making techniques and the freshest of ingredients, offering the satisfaction of turning out a coveted delicacy. Among the step-by-step tested recipes for cheese varieties are farmhouse cheddar, gouda, fromage blanc, queso blanco, marscarpone, ricotta, and 30-minute mozzarella. Recipes for dairy products include crème fraíche, sour cream, yogurt, keifer, buttermilk, and clotted cream. There are also 60 recipes for cooking with cheese, including such treats as Ricotta Pancakes with Banana Pecan Syrup, Cream Cheese Muffins, Broiled Pears and Vermont Shepherd Cheese, Prosciutto and Cheese Calzones, and Grilled Vegetable Stacks with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce. Profiles of home cheese makers and artisan cheese makers scattered throughout the text share the stories of people who love to make and eat good cheese. Plus information on how to enjoy homemade cheeses, how to serve a cheese course at home, cheese tips, lore, quotes, cheese making glossary, and more. ... Read more

Reviews

Cheese Gromit!, March 19, 2006
I had tried to make cheese from recipies I had found online with little success. I was rather frustrated and decided to buy this book and see what I was doing wrong. My first batch was a chedder cheese which came out exactly as the book promiced first time. My second batch was a gouda cheese which I upsized to a 3 gallon batch from the 2 gallon recipie using the instructions in the book and once again it came out perfect.

For the money it has to be the best aid to a home cheesemaker that one can buy. I highly recomend this book to anyone who wants to start out making cheese.

Not bad, but there's better out there., June 21, 2003
After much experience with wine and beermaking, I decided to try making my own cheese. Well, it is defiantely not a trivial matter. We are not making pasta here... This book was not bad, and helped me understand the process of making cheese but the actual recipes were confusing and hard to follow. If you have never made cheese before, try another book. There are better ones out there by Shane Sokol & Barbara Ciletti for beginners. In summary: a nice book if you want some insight into the cheesemaking process, but on the "how-to" side, the book is of limited use once you have gone past your first steps.

Excellent Foodie Background Reading. Good cheese too, April 25, 2005
`Home Cheese Making', 3rd Edition, formerly `Cheesemaking Made Easy' by cheesemaking equipment supplier, Ricki Carroll is one of those books like Sandor Ellix Katz's book `Wild Fermentation' and Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions' which a dedicated foodie should read, if only to appreciate exactly how cheese is made and to thereby appreciate the differences between hard and soft cheeses as well as cheeses made from cow, goat, buffalo, and sheep milk. The procedures for cheesemaking can give us a much closer connection between everyday cooking and the transformations which turn milk into cheese than can be achieved by even a close reading of Harold McGee's chapter on milk in `On Food and Cooking'.

Aside from dedicated foodies and the armchair foodies whose experience is largely from Food Network travelogues, there is the hard core cheese hobbyist and unregenerated counterculture `Whole Earth Catalogue Hippie' who grows a lot of their own food and makes their own wine or beer to foster an independence from commercial products. This book is really for you.

The first thing which both pleased and surprised me about the book is that it does not limit itself to soft, fresh cheeses such as queso blanco, mozzarella, cream cheese, mascarpone and mozzarella. It doesn't even stop at cured mozzarella, giving provolone. It goes all the way to the hard grana cheeses such as Romano and Parmesan, plus cheddar, blue cheeses, and the soft cured cheeses (Brie, Camembert, Limburger) along the way.

One thing I should not minimize is that while the learning curve from conventional cooking to cheesemaking is not very steep, the investment in time, equipment, and special techniques for cleaning and sterilization may be a bit more than you will encounter when you get into some new culinary fields such as bread baking, souffles, and preserves. While buttermilk and cr�me fraiche may be pretty easy, even a product as simple as cottage cheese requires at least two specialized ingredients not carried by your local megamart.

In fact, if you are already familiar with the techniques involved in home beer brewing, canning, pickling, or wine making, you are probably already halfway to having the necessary skills and space needed to do serious cheesemaking. Unfortunately, this does not give you a leg up to access to the best raw materials. I suspect that serious cheesemaking for most types of cheeses may be beyond the resources of a typical city apartment or condo dweller, unless you have the time to take regular trips to farms to obtain the right kinds of milk. While I have not looked for them in New York City, I suspect that even Zabars doesn't have a lot of the raw materials you will need for recipes in this book.

While my favorite megamart does have only conventionally pasteurized cow's milk, it has no goat's milk, sheep's milk, unpasteurized milk, or single pasteurized cream. The very best location for getting into serious cheesemaking is probably in a standalone house and garage located close to goodly supply of dairy farmers. Living close to people like the Amish or Mennonites who just may do this on a regular basis, not to mention have a handy supply of raw cow's milk may be the very best venue for mastering cheesemaking.

It occurs to me that I have not given this book enough credit. In addition to many recipes for some very, very serious long-term cheese making, there are a number of recipes for things such as buttermilk, cr�me fraiche, sour cream, kefir, yogurt, butter, ghee, paskha and clotted cream. Unlike recipes you may find in most general cookbooks, the recipes for buttermilk, sour cream, and cr�me fraiche are not `approximations' or close substitutes. They are the real deal, which means that the recipes call for the kind of starter culture that can only be bought from a speciality mail order source.

Note that while the book does cover some simple yogurt recipes, I would not push it as a book on yogurt making. If that is your real interest, look for a title specializing in yogurt.

The general utility of the book is further enhanced by Chapter 11 that includes a quick course on the proper techniques for cutting and serving cheese. This same chapter contains several recipes for staple products using buttermilk, ricotta, fromage blanc, and yogurt. These are mostly breads, muffins and biscuits. It also has several recipes for dairy-based dips, spreads, dressings, appetizers, salads, pizzas, and veggie dishes. Personally, if I ever wanted to go beyond the fringe with foodie mania, I would much sooner go in the direction of cheese making and artisinal breads than towards the raw food doctrines. Those ancient Greeks and Romans knew a good thing when they saw it!

It will probably not be lost on you that the book's author happens to be in the business (New England Cheesemaking Supply Company) of selling equipment for making cheese in small batches, so the book is pretty self serving, but it is still an excellent introduction to the craft with several references to sources other than the author's own company. The end of the book also gives a generous number of references to artisinal cheesemakers, cheesemaking journals, and a very nice bibliography with some more advanced texts.

Confusing and inconsistent directions, September 4, 2008
As a beginner cheese-maker, I bought this book to learn how to make cheese. Also bought Ricki's 30-min mozzarella kit. Figured I'd start with a basic mozzarella cheese, and it might be tasty with all the tomatoes in my garden. Well, things got a bit complicated.

While there was a lot of useful and interesting info in the book, the directions on how to make this 30-min mozz did not jive with her kit directions, nor did they even jive with the directions offered on her website (and there are two sets of slightly diffeent directions on the site!!). So, four sets of directions, each a little different (including target temperatures!!!), this beginner was frustrated from moment 1.

First batch failed entirely, probably due to the milk used. Bought another brand, dug around in the bin for the freshest one...this time things went better, BUT the curds did NOT form in the time she tells you....nor a half-hr later. Nearly an hour later, got soft curds and was never sure if they were "right"....they seemed too soft. Did manage to make 2 balls of cheese, but they tasted a little cooked.

I wrote to her website asking for help understanding what happened and for process clarification. No response a week later. I also wrote to this guy Steve who has his own cheese making website. He promptly answered, explaining that when he sells the Ricki kit he actually includes HIS OWN DIRECTIONS. Apparently the curd will often take up to an hour to set and tablet rennet (in the kit) can take a bit longer than liquid rennet. He offered a few other notes that very effectively explained what I was experiencing.

I am hesitant to make other cheeses from this book. I will probably compare the recipes/directions in the book vs online just for better understanding before starting the next trial. Part of me regrets this purchase because who needs to do all this homework? Ok, ok, it was just one recipe, but I bought the book thinking it would offer everything I'd need to just get started...and it failed to deliver on the first cheese!

A Standard for Cheese Making, January 26, 2007
I got interested in making cheese after I meet the artisan cheesemaker at a local winery near Herman, Missouri. She told me that she had started in her kitchen and had developed the hobby into a professional culinary skill, after further education in Europe and Israel on the fine art of cheesemaking. She enthusiastically recommended this book, and I received it for Christmas. It is very well written, with logical chapter layout for ingredients, equipment, and techniques, followed by lots of recipes for the different families of cheeses (hard, soft, Italian, etc.) The beginning establishes the cheese makers vocabulary, which is then used throughout the book. A great book for a beginning cheese maker.

I think is a wonderful book, March 16, 2004
I am very disapointed to read a negative comment about this book of Ricki Carroll, because being myself a dairy microbiologist and working everyday with cheeses, as Mrs. Carroll, I really find her book a great reference for anyone who wants to start making cheese from home from the very begining, or even for proffesionals to clarify some general concepts. You will find in this book good and precise explanations about a difficult topic, not always easy to explain, what she masters well. Is an affordable book for anyone interested in making our own cheese.

Missing Quantities, November 6, 2008
I bought this book after having purchased starter, lipase and rennet from another cheese supply company. Ricki owns and operates New England Cheesemaking and sells everything one needs to make cheese including starter in pre-measured packets. I was terribly disappointed to find that in her book, every recipe gives the measurement for starter in packets!

I wrote in to her website only to receive no answer. My next step is a phone call. I have the book and unless I find out how much starter is in each package, it's useless.

The recipes look nice, the book is well laid out and easy to understand, but I take issue with her attempting to get me to buy supplies only from her. There is more than one kind of lipase available, she only discusses the one she sells. What about us folks who have already purchased starter from someone else? How about a measurement in teaspoons? Or a conversion chart - not too difficult to do.

My advice? If you are planning to buy this book, plan to buy starter from Ricki. It's more expensive, but you won't have the headache of trying to figure out the conversions.

One of life's greatest pleasures, February 19, 2004
I have read this book very carefully from cover to cover and find the information very accurate and easy to follow. It takes you in a very easy step by step manner through this most ancient art. Start small by trying the easiest recipes and making the cheeses you like and then as you start to become better, you can slowly try your own little variations.

Using this book, I have made Cheddars, Goudas and even Blue cheese that has won my Bed and Breakfast quite a reputation.

Find out a little bit about the cheeses I make by visiting
www.geocities.com/cinnabarfarm

More popular than it shoudl be, April 17, 2009
This book is interesting and it does get you excited about what you can make with the moo juice in the grocery store, but as other people mention, it does not give the best instructions. I wouldn't classify this as a beginner's cheese making book at all. One problem is that, well, you're going to have problems and other than a brief troubleshooting guide there is really no help. It's as if the author just expects that if you follow her steps all will turn out perfect. It doesn't

She also barely mentions the need to add calcium chloride to store bought milk (needed due to processing of the milk) and doesn't include it in her recipes. If you forget her mention of this in the beginning of the book your cheese is not going to turn out. Other books have the calcium chloride in the ingredient list for each recipe and tell you when to add it.

It would be nice to have an explanation of the whys and hows and what can be adjusted. Other books mention that you can let a certain step go for longer if needed or the temperature can be within a range instead of exactly X degrees. Other books also mention HOW to raise your pot of curds by 2 degrees every 5 minutes, she just tells you to do it. I was lost the first time I read this until I found another book that told me what setting to put my stove at. I just feel alot is missing from this books that should be there if you are going to market it as a beginning cheese making book.

The recipes? Well there aren't really 75 cheeses. There's several recipes for cream cheese, ricotta, mozarella, cheddar and I felt several cheeses I would have wanted weren't in here - feta is pretty basic, why isn't it in here. I like how other books rank the recipes from easiest to hardest and also tell you a total time the whole process will take.

All in all I refer to this book when I make my cheese but I will no longer use it as my sole source for a recipe. Even her famous 30 minute mozarella is a hit or miss affair but when I used another company's recipe it came out perfect the first time. Buy this book, but plan on needing others to get a clear idea of the process and to have success in cheese making.

Excellent purchase!, May 14, 2007
This book is very detailed yet easy to understand. We have recently purchased cheese making kits for making cheeses at home since where we live, they are quite expensive and not readily available, especially for the goat cheeses in Australia.

THe 1st book we bought was good enough for beginners (if you are afraid of making cheeses, don't. Everything we did came perfectly all right). But this one goes into more details and explanations. So we recommend it! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Winner of the 1991 James Beard Cookbook of the Year Award.

"James Peterson has done for sauces that which Escoffier did for the cuisine of La Belle Epoque...Sauces is a manual for the professional cook and, as such, it will rapidly become a classic and indispensable reference."—Richard Olney, from the Foreword.

"...another cookbook that can stand among the best reference works."—Gourmet Magazine.

"This is a book I wish I had written myself...Every few decades a book is written that says all there is say on a subject, or has all the information and passion that sets the standard for professional and amateurs alike. Sauces is one of the best culinary books of this century in English."—Jeremiah Tower, Stars Restaurant.

The ultimate reference for sauce making is now better than ever. This updated and expanded edition includes more than 500 recipes, including traditional and contemporary versions of almost every sauce imaginable. You'll find classic white and brown sauces, both starch-thickened and flourless; popular meat and fish sauces made with drippings and juices; sauces based on egg yolks, including bearnaise, hollandaise, mayonnaise, and their variations; sauces made with butter, including the beurre blanc-based sauces that revolutionized modern cookingl vegetable purees, dessert sauces, and many more.

The new edition features all-new chapters on Asian sauces and pasta sauces, plus nearly 50 new recipes, many that cater to lighter, contemporary fare. And a new 32-page color insert clearly and brilliantly illustrate the fundamentals of good sauce making. More than just a compendium of recipes, Sauces explains how and why the ingredients of a sauce are combined.

James Peterson is a chef and cooking instructor. He is also the author of Fish and Shellfish and Splendid Soup, which was nominated for a James Beard Foundation Award. ... Read more

Reviews

A cookbook that actually teaches how to cook., November 27, 1998
I've been dabbeling in sauces for a number of years in my home kitchen. In my considerable collection of cookbooks none attempt to teach a culinary subject with the thoroughness of this effort. The book assumes a general knowledge of cooking, such as what temperature to roast your chicken at, and focuses on the theory behind what your sauce should do. While the book contains many recipes, they are presented as illustrations of various types of classic sauces. The author encourages the reader to experiment and fine tune their sauce efforts by illustrating the classic techniques and recipes.

In all my years cooking and collecting cookbooks this is the first cookbook that I have read cover to cover. While you can simply peruse the recipes and use the book as a reference it really shines when read in its entirety. If one is really interested in French sauces and the theory and technique behind them, this book is all that will ever be needed on the subject. And if you're wondering what kind of sauce to make with those lamb chops tonight...

Breathtakingly thorough, February 24, 1999
"Sauces" is a book for professionals and serious home chefs and is the first book I've seen that compares and contrasts both classical and modern sauce-making methods. The author emphasizes the importance of quality stocks in sauce-making and points out that a stock appropriate for older, roux-based techniques is often inappropriate for more modern, reduction techniques. This explains why the stocks formulated in, say, the French Culinary Institute's "Salute to Healthy Cooking" are so much more concentrated than those in Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" and other classic French cooking texts. Peterson also includes methods for pan-prepared (integral) sauces that offer the professional and home cook alike a rapid way to prepare an impressive array of fine foods.

Easily the most important recipe reference for your kitchen, January 28, 2005
`Sauces, 2nd Edition ' by leading food teacher and writer James Peterson is high on my list of important, valuable single subject cookbooks which should be in the kitchen library of any serious amateur chef or professional chef in training.

The very first impression is the very large number of named sauces listed in the table of contents. And, it should be no surprise at all that almost every one of these sauces has a French name, even if the sauce is based on a non-French ingredient such as Sauce Hongroise based on paprika and Sauce Porto based on Port (originating in Portugal). Of the chapters covering eighteen different kinds of sauce, only one, the chapter on `Salad Sauces, Vinaigrettes, Salsas, and Relishes' has even the slimmest majority of recipes with a non-French cant, with its large selection of Spanish and New World salsas, south Asian chutneys, Greek mint lamb sauce, and American cranberry sauce.

The book opens with a short history of sauces, which becomes more interesting the more you know about Medieval and Renaissance cooking. The book even gives something missing from books on medieval cooking, the outline of an actual recipe for the ubiquitous verjuice, which was the Medieval and Renaissance source for sour tastes, which could be prepared from either grapes or apples. Just for fun, Peterson gives a few samples of Medieval and Renaissance recipes. The most interesting observation I found for culinary history was the statement that in the Middle Ages, sauces were thickened by pureeing meat, which is not at all surprising, as Medieval nobility looked down on all vegetable products (such as flour?) and preferred animal ingredients and spices in their dishes. The high point of the last three centuries for sauce making was the advent of more broadly based cookbooks for regional and bourgeois cooking and the systemization of classic sauce making by Antonin Careme, the `father of modern French cooking' (See Ian Kelly's biography of Careme, `Cooking for Kings').

After the historical chapter and two better than average chapters on equipment and ingredients come the fifteen (15) chapters of recipes on:

Stocks, glaces, and essences
Liaisons: An Overview
White Sauces for Meat and Vegetables
Brown Sauces
Stock-Based and NonIntegral Fish Sauces
Integral Meat Sauces
Integral Fish and Shellfish Sauces
Crustacean Sauces
Jellies and Chauds-Froids
Hot Emulsified Egg Yolk Sauces
Mayonnaise Based Sauces
Butter Sauces
Salad Sauces, Vinaigrettes, Salsas, and Relishes
Purees and Puree Thickened Sauces
Dessert Sauces

The quality and authority of this book, especially with the added weight of a second enlarged and corrected edition is such that it is much more useful to state why you need this book rather than try to criticize it or find improvements.

First, this book is the very best reference I can think of when you need a sauce and don't remember how to make it or want to improve on the last time you made it. This use is valuable even if you never make any sauces other than vinaigrettes, marinara sauce, gravies, and bechamel sauces for Mac and cheese or creamed chipped beef. This book is my standard reference for all such purposes and it has NEVER let me down! The existence of this book always makes me wonder why restaurant chefs always include a chapter of pantry recipes for stocks and sauces. Except for the really finicky writers such as Judy Rodgers (Zuni Caf�) and Thomas Keller (French Laundry, Bouchon), Peterson's recipes will be about as good as you will find in any restaurant chef's book. So, you may prefer coming to this book even when an author gives us his version, as this will mean that all your stocks and sauces will be made from a common point of view and a common palate. This book is better than any other source in that it simply has everything you can possibly need.

Second, this book gives excellent recipes for sauce-based dishes, especially for seafood such as lobster, shrimp, salmon, clams, and scallops. For many fish dishes, the sauce is the dish, as cooking the fish is usually no more than the ten minutes it takes to poach, broil, bake, sautee, or fry the little critter(s).

Third, the book is an excellent source when you need alternatives. You need a fancy sauce for lobster, but you don't have time to create a stock from lobster shells and go through all the other steps needed for a good shellfish sauce. If you really need to impress, consider a homemade remoulade or aioli (variations on mayonnaise), which can be done in a few minutes in a food processor with eggs, oil, and a little mustard, plus flavorings.

Fourth, this book is simply the very best source I can think of to enlarge your repertoire of basic dishes and elements of dishes which can be swapped in to change a simple steamed vegetable into an elegant side dish. I am constantly pleased with the power of serendipity, that chance encounter with a great, easy recipe which enables you to cook up a yummy dish without having to consult a cookbook, let alone remember in which book the recipe was. My very first use of this book produced such an encounter when I was looking up the recipe for beurre blanc and discovered beurre citron (lemon butter sauce). This encounter also revealed that there is a considerable mystique connected with beurre blanc, as it is considered difficult to make. As I make it regularly as a dressing for fish, I can assure you that it is relatively easy and worth the small difficulty involved. It is also interesting to learn from this book that beurre blanc was also one of the sharpest weapons of Nouvelle Cuisine in banishing flour based sauces from restaurant sauces. So, with one fell swoop, you can be trendy, healthy, and haute cuisine with a single recipe. Wow!

If you wish to be a serious cook, you need this book!

Improve every Meal, September 30, 2005
When I was in grade school I observed that the food with the best flavor always ended up stuck to the pan. Over decades of reading cookbooks this became the emperor's clothes of cooking to me. It was in reading Peterson's Sauces that I had my epiphany: Continental chefs had been taking advantage of this fact for centuries in their preparation of tasty sauces. For me this turned the world of cooking on its ear. In my own experience, Sauces was the single most important cookbook I could ever have bought.

In this book Peterson meticulously explores every style of sauce, starting with the backbone ingredients and working through the flavoring additions. He develops the topic of 'integral' sauces beautifully. And this alone is worth the full price of the book. Gravies, flavored mayonaises, the classic French white sauces, purees of vegetables, gelees, and more are to be found here. The book is encyclopedic in scope, meticulous in its explanations, brimming with love of the topic.

While every good cook must one day master the ideas in this book, not every cook is ready for this book. Peterson was trained as a chemist before he was trained as a chef. And as a chef he works as a teacher. So he is much more interested in teaching you to think about sauces for yourself than in giving you a list of specific recipes for specific sauces. Many of the recipes are written for commercial kitchens, making translation to home use even more difficult. If you are a 'recipe cook' and are just interested in 1000 detailed step-by-step recipes for 1000 specific sauces, this book will disappoint. Nor is this an ideal book for anyone who has less than half a dozen good cookbooks and as many years of kitchen experience - unless one is training as a chef.

For those who wish to internalize the principles of sauce-making and to improve every single savory dish they might cook, it is impossible to imagine a better book. Those who invent food for themselves and seek ever better flavor in dishes will find this book to be among the most impactful and valuable cooking books they own.

The BEST, April 9, 2001
This book is for the professional or SERIOUS hobby cook. It is NOT for someone coming home from a long, hard day at work looking for a quick sauce to slosh over the overcooked maccaroni. It is to be read as a book from beginning to end and kept as a reference tool. The stocks and sauces take time to make, but the results are fabulous. James Peterson is THE master...

almost overkill, September 20, 2002
If you ever wanted to know the inner workings of sauces this it the book for you. Everything you could possibly want to know about making a sauce is in this book. Although it isn't completly obvious from looking at this web page this book is enormous(could be used for killing mice), and thorough. You will learn many different styles and techniques. There are only two complaints I have about this book. It caters more to expensive restaurant chefs than to inexpensive home cooked meals. This isn't entirely true, it let's you know what shortcuts you can take, but it berates you for taking them. The other complaint, It is overkill, unless you are a proffesional chef there is very little chance you will everyone of the techniques discussed. This book is full of recipies, but I feel that they are only there as an example. A chapter will talk about a technique and then show recipies, that do exactly what the chapter talked about. Don't buy this book for recipies, but buy it because you really want to learn how to cook. I haven't followed any of the recipies in this book to the letter, but because I read about the theory I modified/improvised some seriously good sauces. If you want recipes there are better things out there for that.

Listen: NOT for recipe cooks, April 7, 2002
This is a great book, but it's not for recipe cooks. If you're looking for recipes, go to allrecipes.com and get a bunch. I think this is one of the best cooking books I have ever read, it sits right next to the Oxford Companion To Food. Both are encyclopedic, really explaining what is what, the history, giving you insight into real processes and techniques for doing things. To me this book is for learning the basic in-depth skills, giving you background, etc, so that you can innovate and create things on your own with whatever you happen to have around you. I really love this book. But again, if the reader is looking for a book that is going to give them recipes for tartar sauces, best look elsewhere! This is NOT the book for you! However, if you want to learn just what a sauce is, the ways they are thickened, the various ingredients that go into them, their purpose in the meal, etc, then you've just found what is possible the only book on the shelves that is going to give you a clear answer. I really like this book, can you tell ?

Amazing. The best., September 23, 2004
I LOVE all of James Peterson's books, but this one is in a class by itself. It doesn't matter if you're the Chef de Cuisine in a top restaurant, an ambitious home cook, or just a food nut, you'll appreciate this book.

This is not a list of recipes. Mr. Peterson doesn't want to tell you what to do; he wants to teach you how to cook. Be prepared for history, food science, analysis of ingredients and techniques, notes on substitutions and further ideas for exploration, and eventually ... recipes that illustrate all of the above.

If you're interested in recipes only, look elsewhere--you'll be annoyed that these are measured out in restaurant quantities by weight (this is a professional book at heart) and you'll likely be annoyed that they're hard to make, since without the background knowledge of the rest of the book you won't know what you're doing. You'll also likely remain in the dark, glued to your Betty Crocker, toiling in the kitchen following the minutia of lists of instructions you don't even understand. But why hide from life? Throw off the shackles, buy some Peterson, and learn how to cook. My friends are amazed after dinners when they learn that I made up all the recipes. The credit belongs to Mr. Peterson. He taught me how to do it--how to go from thinking "hmmm, maybe apples and basil would taste good together ..." to knowing how to make a sauce and build a dish around it.

A great feature of this new edition is the photographs. He shows clear pictures of many important sauces at different steps along the way, so you can see how they're supposed to look. This removes a lot of the stress of trying something completely new. Amazingly, Peterson took all the pictures himself, and they're brilliant. I'm a photographer, and do not how to take food pictures as well as he does.

So what else can I say? His Essentials of Cooking is also excellent. A great reference for the basics. So is his Glorious French Food, if you're looking for a phone book sized primer on French dishes, ingredients, and techniques. Fish and Shellfish and Splendid Soups are the best in their class. Vegetables is good, although I don't feel it's in the same league as his others. I'm waiting for a more thorough and authoritative update.

Anyway, in short: buy this book! It would be a bargain at $100.00.

Very detailed, April 8, 2006
This book covers everything that you might ever want to know about sauce making. I have given the chapter titles below to help you to understand what is covered in the book.

The chapters are as follows:
1. History of Sauce Making
2. Equipment
3. Ingredient
4. Stocks, Glaces, and Essences
5. Liaisons
6. White Sauces for Meats and Vegetables
7. Brown Sauces
8. Stock Based and Nonintegral Fish Sauces
9. Integral Meat Sauces
10. Integral Fish and Shellfish Sauces
11. Crustacean Sauces
12. Jellies and Chaud-Froids
13. Hot-Emulsified Egg yolk Sauces
14. Mayonnaise-based Sauces
15. Butter Sauces
16. Salad Sauces, Vinaigrettes, Salsas and Relishes
17. Purees and Puree-thickened Sauces
18. Pasta Sauces
19. Asian Sauces
20. Dessert Sauces

The author gives you not only recipes for sauces but he tells you want to do and not to do and how to fix broken sauces if that was not your intent. The recipes are given in US and European increments.

The does more than just give sauce recipes. There are many recipes included in this book that are much more than just sauce. I will list just a few to give you an idea of content:

Coq Au Vin (Rooster Braised in Red Wine)
Lobster a la nage (Lobster in a Lobster Court Bouillon)
Steamed Bass Fillets with Yogurt Curry Sauce
Salmon en Papillote with Julienned Vegetables.

My only compliant of the book is that there could be more pictures of the various stages like they included in "The Professional Chef" by the Culinary Institute of America.

All in all I think this is a wonderful book.

An academic book about cooking!, January 31, 2004
The book:
In twenty chapters, Mr. James Peterson reviews, details, lists, describes and definitely reveals all topics and aspects related to the essence of cooking: Sauces.
You start with a brief, joyful and full-of-information chapter about the history of Sauce making. Equipments to follow, with smart advises to have you avoiding spending money on the wrong piece. Three chapters after this give you the basic of the sauce which are (3) Ingredients, (4) Stock, Glaces [, Jus] and Essences and (5) Liaison. You would plunge endlessly after this in recipes of sauces in fifteen beautiful and delicious chapters leaving no information behind, and covering sauces of all kinds and for all types of food, from white sauce, through meat and fish sauces, salad sauces, puree sauces, pasta sauces, Asian sauces and finally dessert sauces.
In hardcover, more than 600 pages in total, 32 colored pages with clear useful photos, and 7 appendixes that include Glossary of terms and full Index, the presentation of this book is excellent.
Opinion:
One can argue that you do not need such "deep" book for cooking. Well, this is incorrect, since the book is well chaptered, enabling using it for (a) getting quick recipe for the dinner tonight; (b) reading completes chapters for academic research (?); (c) or enjoying few hours of quiet and entertaining readings. The "Recipe Contents" index in the beginning is very helpful for the amateur of cooking, the indexes and appendixes are of similar value for the researching work and the reading of chapter-by-chapter is adequate for reading hobby. The style of writing is excellent considering the subject. One minor defect is the absence of clear picture and separate chapter (or chapters) about the Arabian and Middle Eastern sauces, since it is embedded unnoticeably in the contents and not separately detailed for obtaining its unique tastes (try Nigella Lawson books on this topics). However, the well-structured contents and the wide knowledge that you would obtain from this book waive off any serious critics. The book is definitely nothing like cold and technical "the complete book of..." series.
Reading the first three chapters would give you a strong command on cooking in general and in preparing sauces in particular, although it is not necessary if you are simply looking for recipes. Some titles like "The Relative Thickening Power of Liaison" might be offensive, but do not be troubled, since it is rather useless for home cooking, and followed by titles like "A Few Thoughts about Wine", would definitely calm you and give you good idea about the character of the writer.
In few words, it is great book, a valuable assistance and guide for new pleasures of cooking and enjoying foods and really deserves to purchase and embellish your bookshelf or library for long time. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Curing and smoking meat using natural and synthetic casings
Selecting and storing meat and choosing other ingredients
Fresh Italian Sausage, Dried Beef, Andouille Sausage, Kippered Salmon

Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing is the most comprehensive book available on sausage making and meat curing and has sold more than 500,000 copies worldwide. It is easily understood, contains a wide variety of recipes, and is very effective in helping solve common problems. It is written by a man who learned the art of sausage making and meat curing at a very young age and who made a living smoking and curing meats.

... Read more

Reviews

Everything you need to know to make your own sausages!, July 18, 1998
This is definitely the definitive book on sausage making. The explanation of how cures work and what they are for is worth the price of the book. I haven't found this information anywhere else. Add all of the other details on every possible aspect of home or professional sausage making and the book becomes a bargain! Several hints on working with the recipes: 1) I like to increase the spices from the proportions listed. Mix and then fry a bit and adjust thhe spices until you get the taste you want. 2) You can leave out the more exotic, "professional" ingredients such as soy protein concentrate. 3) You also might want to cut the recipes down. The smallest quantity the recipes are for is 10 pounds. I usually make 5 pounds at a time. If you are just starting out in sausage-making, this should be the first book you buy. There is an accompanying video that Kutas produced that is also a tremendous help.

I've Used this Book for Years, November 21, 2000
As a professional chef, I have taught sausage making and charcuterie to students and other professionals throughout the U.S. This is the book I use for reference. It is easy to follow and very comprehensive.

I like the fact that Rytek is a second generation cuiseur-de-chair and draws his knowledge from practical experience. The resources in his book are from his mail-order house- "The Sausage Maker" in Buffalo, N.Y which carries everything you could imagine to make any kind of sausage.

Handy guide for a small-scale butcher or more, June 5, 2007
Being a meat technologist and having spent twenty years in the meat seasoning business I bought this book for curiosity and to enlarge my library of professional cookbooks. I couldn't have made a better choice. The Kutases (originally Latvian?) have a very practical approach in their book. Anyone who plans to set up a butchershop can benefit from their handy hints. On the other hand even the seasoning suggestions for a variety of sausages seem useful.

Great book but skip the video!!!, March 18, 1999
This is a textbook on sausage making. It is very complete covering all aspects of the subject. It is equally helpful to a beginner or a professional.

Nevertheless I would not buy the video since the book covers the subject so well that the video does not add to the learning process. The book can be purchased without the video for much less!

If Amazon.com can't help with it the Sausage Maker in Buffalo, NY carries the book without the video!

I doubt there is any book more complete than this one.

The definitive textbook of sausage making., February 12, 1997
Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing is the most complete source of information on the preparation of smoked and cured meat and sausage making published. This book, written by a professional sausage maker, has a wealth of information for the home chef and is a valuable resource for the experienced and professional alike. Covering materials and machinery, Rytek Kutas explains the simple processes for curing meat and fish through the complex mixtures and techniques of sausage making for professional results. Over one hundred recipes, from simple breakfast sausages to exotic venison salami, are explained in detail. From 5 pounds to 50. Construction of dryers and smokers are explained as are resources for the purchase of grinders, stuffers, and equipment to open your own sausage shop. Great detail is given to the types and use of casings and chapters are devoted to safety in handling meat, proper additives, butchering, and cures, as well as the histories of these meats. Many of the "secret" recipes to popular meats are explained as are tricks of the trade only a professional sausage maker could know. A great textbook for professional and novice sausage makers alike.

THE Definitive Sausage-Making Guide, October 25, 1999
More than a cookbook, sausage guru Rytek Kutas gives the background information important for processing and curing meats. Since meat curing is potentially a dangerous undertaking, it is important to have the facts at one's disposal. Kutas was a professional sausage maker for years and learned his lessons the hard way. The book is written simply in the authors voice--you will get to know the author and you will be educated.

Since reading this book, I have read other sausage making books that suggest salt peter (gunpowder) and citric acid are acceptable cures. Simply, they are not. Had I not read this sausage making book first, my family would probably be dead.

You can get a better deal...., February 7, 2005
If you will go to http://www.sausagemaker.com you can buy this book 3rd edition brand new for $29.95 and the book with DVD for $39.95. I paid what everyone was asking here on Amazon as a used book, it's insane what they are asking for...over $100. I did not do enough research, save yourself some money, unless you are looking for a vintage gift, first edition, buy it from the source. This book is fantastic and the best resource for this topic. If anyone knows where you can get food grade sodium acetate though, please share your knowledge. Thanks!

An excellent handbook for beginner or experienced home cook., January 18, 1999
Mr. Kutas' style and knowledge is clearly based on his own experience, and he shares all of this freely to the reader. He explains all the steps in this process in down-to-earth language which is easily understood by novices, while experienced home sausage makers can learn new tips. He takes the fear out of trying something new. The questioning reader can relate his instructions to his reasoning as to why he takes a particular step in the process. He practices what he preaches. An added bonus is the inclusion of tons of GOOD recipes (we've tried many of them with success).

the best specialty cook book yet, January 24, 1999
I have many books on cooking and I can't believe how well this book explains a seemingly complex subject with enough clarity that you will try any recipe or preperation it may present. My succes rate has been 100%. Rytek also gives enough understanding if the theories that I have gone off the beaten path and tried some of my own ideas.

The best, most comprehensive, instructional sausagemaking book I have seen!, January 24, 2009
Like many others I purchased this book because in large part the reviews I saw at Amazon.com. I have ground and used a wood fired smoker for years, but had never tried sausage making. I have been a member of a historical reenacting group (SCA), and wanted a book that had authentic recipes, but as my mother is a nurse (RN) I have a firm grounding in the need for strict food safety. There are plenty of books out there that will give you some good recipes but few have anything like the detailed instructions with explanation of the reasoning and the science behind the current safety beliefs/accepted rules of food safety. Also included are instructions and color pictures for each step in sausage making, enough maintenance for all the equipment I might to use, and an explanation of what ingredients purpose is. This information is about the first third of the book.

The only qualification is that as MSG is known to cause brain cell damage, and I know someone who gets psychotic episodes when ingesting it (I am a witness) so why include it, so as to lessen the salt needed? Also I would never any potassium salt to anything as my mother is a retired nursing professor, and has heart problems (with a sensitive enough heart or meds you could have some real health incidents and not know why). I also know that I need not add soy because it's just in food to help prevent unsightly shrinkage (and increase the profits of the sausage maker) and as a filer, and If I want I have options with similar binding effects.

The rest of the book contains a few various charts (meat cuts, how much do you get for various weights of casings natural or collagen or other various helpful tidbits. Mostly its all variations of sausages (the same sausage but fresh and with nitrates are different and have different preparation methods. there is a good breadth of types of recipes and even a few (blood sausage) that are really hard to get someone willing to sell you the ingredients.

I cannot recommend this comprehensive book enough. It's not just another small thin book with some recipes and next to no explanations of why we should do things, and what ingredients/procedures are optional or absolutely must not be disregarded. This book is a thick tome of useful knowledge right up to the closing pages of the index. If you want to make sausage and need to know how to do it without risking death (from food poisoning/botulism) this is the book for you!

Ambre' ... Read more

Editorial Review

The first illustrated guide to cover the whole spectrum of herbs and spices for culinary use.

Herbs & Spices is an indispensable reference that shows how to prepare fresh and dried herbs, how to use herbs and spices in cooking, and details everything that other books on the subject leave out. Containing a unique collection of recipes, from herb and spice mixes to rubs, pastes, salsas, and marinades, these authentic formulas will encourage cooks to think creatively and experiment on their own. Grouped by aroma and taste, with step-by-step preparation techniques and beautiful full-color photography, this book describes 60 herbs and the benefits of using them fresh or dried, and focuses on 60 spices from around the world, with a look at the early spice trade and how cross-cultural fusion has impacted on contemporary cooking. ... Read more

Reviews

Something for everyone, February 24, 2004
This book has appeal for not only home and professional cooks, but also for gardeners and anyone who just wants to sit back and admire the lovely photographic illustrations. The sidebar for each herb/spice that lists what parts are used, where it can be bought, how to grow it and how it is harvested is invaluable. The book also goes into detail on the flavor profile of the herbs and spices, a little history, common cooking techniques, recipes, herb blends and food pairings, and features recipes at the end for herb/spice blends as well as salads, entrees, etc. (I especially recommend the pork chops with juniper and rosemary.)

Probably my favorite thing about this book is that it divides the herbs and spices up by flavor profile, so that "citrus" herbs are one section, "oniony" or "bitter and astringent" herbs another, and so on. This organization really helps you pay attention to the flavors of the aromatics and how they relate to other herbs and spices and to food.

The one down side of this book is that it mentions a lot of herbs that are very difficult to get ahold of in North America - Vietnamese balm, for example. However, it still addresses pretty much all of the herbs and spices that are commonly available here, so it's not that much of a problem.

This is a MUST HAVE if you love making your own recipes, July 18, 2005
I am a backyard BBQ fanatic who has started competing at local BBQ competitions. Outside of heat, smoke and meat, the most important part of making good BBQ is in your seasonings. Whether it is making a rub, a baste, or sauce, it is important to balance the flavors and recognize what flavors are needed to take your recipe to the next level. This book has all of the information I need to do exactly that. This book gets a LOT of use and abuse in my house, and I have used it as a reference to help me blend/enhance flavors for SO many recipes. I can not recommend this book highly enough. If you want to know about the flavors, uses and pairings of spices, this book will take care of you. The thing I like most about this book is how for each spice it mentions what other spices are typically used with it. This is very helpful when trying to narrow the search for another flavor to add to your recipes.

Only book you need on herbs and spices, November 15, 2005
`herbs & spices, the cook's reference' is the latest of eight different books on either herbs or spices by noted culinary editor and author, Jill Norman, one of the more influential disciples of the great English culinary writer, Elizabeth David, who contributed two books of her own to this subject.

I chose this book to review since I had a backlog of herb and spice books to review, and I wanted to start with one I could assume to be a standard against which all other books can be measured. The problem with starting with the standard is I'm assuming this role purely on the basis of the author's reputation in the field. I am happy to say that I find virtually nothing in this book to invalidate my holding it up as a standard against which other books on the subject may be judged.

For starters, Ms. Norman convinces us at the outset that the difference between an herb and a spice is vague enough around the world to require that we treat the two together, thereby eliminating any chance of leaving something out because it was not thought to be a spice or an herb. Part of this ambiguity is her statement that in the United States, a dried herb is considered a spice. Since Ms. Norman is an expert on the subject, I must assume that there is a faction in America that believes this. She states this to make it clear that her basis for distinguishing herbs from spices is based on the current British thinking on the subject. But, since she is covering both, the issue is academic in this book.

Much more interesting is Ms. Norman's separation of the various herbs and spices into a large number of categories based on flavor. Herbs are divided into `Fresh and mild herbs' featuring parsley, `Sweet Herbs' featuring lavender, `Citrus or tart herbs' featuring lemon balm, `Licorice or anise herbs' featuring dill and fennel, `Minty herbs' featuring mint, `Onion herbs' featuring garlic, `Bitter or astringent herbs' featuring celery, `Pungent and spicy herbs' featuring sage, thyme, and cilantro. This division alone is a great service, as it gives us a sound basis for substituting one herb for the other, as when we may need borage, and see that it's in the same class as parsley.

A deeper look at this lineup of herbs shows that Ms. Norman is covering a far broader range of species and varieties within species than most other books or sections of books on herbs. Most of us know of two or three varieties of basil. Ms. Norman shows us fourteen, divided between three groups, Genoese and purple basil (Ocimum basilicum), `other basils', and Asian basils. The inclusion of the scientific name is essential in a work like this. The most important need is when you wish to buy seeds to grow these plants, the scientific name is the only way you have to guarantee getting the species or variety you want. If you happen to see seeds for `Asian Basil', know that this could be any one of seven different species or varieties! Within sections such as those for the Asian basils, the pictures in this book really shine, as the pictures of these seven varieties are all on the same page, including stems and flowers in many cases, as many of the leaves from two different varieties are almost identical in appearance.

We are especially happy that Ms. Norman has drawn outside the lines in her including several plant species which border on what we think as teas (such as sassafras), salad greens (such as sorrel and celery), or root vegetable (such as horseradish and wasabi). The only lapse I can find in all the material on herbs is that the distinction between the Mediterranean bay is not clearly made from the New World plants often called `bay'.

Spices get an equally thorough treatment, being divided between `Nutty spices' such as sesame, `Sweet spices' such as vanilla, `Acidic and fruity spices' such as tamarind, `Citrus spices' such as lemon grass, `Licorice or anise spices' such as anise, `Warm and earthy spices such as saffron, `Bitter or astringent spices such as capers, `Pungent spices' such as chiles, ginger, mustard, and pepper. One of my fondest discoveries in this book is that not only are ginger and galangal shown to belong to two different biological genus, they are categorized as in two different taste classes. These two are commonly mistakenly lumped together.

The sections on chilis (genus capsicum) are as vividly colorful as all the others, with a surprise in that the heat in a chili species is rated on a scale of 1 to 10 rather than the better known (in the U.S. at least) Scoville scale.

The chapter in this book which makes it the only book you should need on herbs and spices is the one on recipes, featuring combinations for all the world famous herb and spice mixes, and lots you may never have heard of. The very best aspect of this section is that it provides not one recipe for things such as bouquet garni, but seven, for beef, pork, lamb, poultry, game, fish, and vegetables.

The very last chapter on general recipes could have easily been left out, as what comes before is more than enough to justify this as the only book you will need on herb and spice usage. One thing some readers may miss and the one thing that may justify a second book in you library dedicated to herbs and spices is one that deals with the history and geography of herb and spice origins. This book will not satisfy your curiosity over how New World Tomatoes joined up with their soul mates, Mediterranean basil.

An excellent book and a `must have' for a foodie library.

The ultimate spice dictionary and reference, August 31, 2007
The book is organized to make using it a dream. It is divided into three sections Herbs, Spices and Recipes.

The first two sections are organized identically; an introduction, categories/groupings of herbs or spices and a section on preparing herbs or spices. Herb groupings are Fresh and mild herbs, Sweet herbs Citrus or tart herbs, Licorice or anise herbs, Minty herbs, Oniony herbs, Bitter or astringent herbs, Pungent and spicy herbs. Spice groupings are Nutty spices, Sweet spices, Acidic and fruity spices, Citrus spices, Licorice or anise spices, Warm and earthy spices, Bitter or astringent spices, pungent spices.

Each individual herb or spice has a page that includes pictures, history, notes on flavor use how it is harvested, culinary uses, other spices/herbs it combines with. The pictures and information combine to make this a top notch reference.

Recipes section is divided into two main sub-sections Blending herbs and spices and Cooking with herbs and spices. There is also a bibliography, sources and an index.

The Recipes for herb blends is shorter than expected but nice and represent other cultures. The spice blends are from around the globe and a longer more comprehensive list there are also recipies for sauces and marinades. Both herb and spice blend Recipes include suggestions and notes on how to use them and the best food pairings.

Cooking with herbs and spices has a good range of Recipes and the author packs a lot into this small section; soups and light dishes, fish, meat (includes three chicken recipes), vegetables, pasta noodles & grains, desserts and drinks ( including ice cream, Pineapple ginger cooler, Mojito).

The bibliography gives a detailed and exhaustive list of sources should you need to do further research. The source section gives contact information on places to purchase herbs and spices it is also a long and detailed contact information many including, addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers and web sites, and e-mail if available.

If you are a beginner and want to learn more about how to use herbs and spices or if you are an experienced cook and want to expand your flavor palate this is a great reference for you.

Put some spice into your life, buy this book!, February 2, 2009
I wish that "Herbs & Spices: The Cook's Reference" by Jill Norman had been the first book (on this subject) that I had purchased. I have several other books on herbs and spices which are now gathering dust on my bookshelf. I am going to donate them to my local library as I find Ms. Norman's book is the one that I turn to whenever I want to know more about a specific herb or spice. The book is well organized and beautifully illustrated.

from a canned-soup cook, November 7, 2004
OK, I'll admit it -- I was a terrible cook. My meals were nutritious, sure -- but spices eluded me -- and so the food was only suitable for monks who have taken a vow of pleasurelessness.
This book changed my cooking forever. Not only is the book pregnant with spectacular images of spices from their natural to processed state, but very thoughtful information is provided on complimentary herbs and spices that would inspire any on-the-fly cooking adventurer! You will guard this book like it was your tax information once it's on your shelf. But it won't sit on your shelf very much -- Mine is on my coffee table. The book is impressive in it's scope and aesthetics. Get it!

Herbs & Spices: The Cook's Reference, January 26, 2004
This herb and spice book is fun to read! It is well organized and provides a great library addition to the Oxford Companion of Food. Of all the herb and spice books I reviewed, this one was the book most suited for a curious novice cook. In addition, the photography is outstanding.

A must have kitchen reference, August 22, 2007
This is a phenomenal addition to the world of culinary reference books. Every spice, herb, and seasoning component there is can be found in here each with clear color photos, tasting notes, and information on its history, culinary uses, buying and storing, parts of the plant used, and even harvesting tips.

I originally bought this book several years ago when I started growing my own herbs and vegetables so that I would better understand how to grow them and how to best utilize my crops. At that time, the book was very helpful by explaining how to strip, dry, or freeze herbs, how to make flavored vinegars and oils, and even how to make herb or spice butters. There's also a section on fresh and dried chili peppers that explains everything from roasting or toasting to freezing or grinding.

A few years after buying this book, I finally ventured off to culinary school, and found it to be one of my greatest tools for research papers. The back of the book also has a small recipe section for spice mixes, sauces, condiments and soups that helped me better understand the different combinations of seasonings based on regional cuisines.

I guess the only people I would not recommend this book to are those who don't have or care to have much in the line kitchen spices or the knowledge of possible food seasonings, and would much rather limit their time in the kitchen to quick family meals or semi homemade foods. If any of the above is true, there are many better books out there for you than this. Otherwise, what are you waiting for?

very good, August 14, 2005
This book is easy to use and the photos are really nice. The information is easy to understand and helps someone like me that is just getting into using fresh herbs and starting to mix my own spice blends. Enjoy to All.

Greatest Herb book ever, May 2, 2005
This book is the greatest. We have a lot of herbs and spices in the cupboard but some of them we had no idea what to use them in. This book clears up any confusion. the photos are great and the information is supberb. we loved ours so much we purchased one for my mother who grows her own herbs. This book has so much info for novice cooks as well a professional cooks ... Read more