Book Description
David Rakoff takes us on a bitingly funny grand tour of our culture of excess. Whether he is contrasting the elegance of one of the last flights of the supersonic Concorde with the good-times-and-chicken-wings populism of Hooters Air; working as a cabana boy at a South Beach hotel; or traveling to a private island off the coast of Belize to watch a soft-core video shoot—where he is provided with his very own personal manservant—rarely have greed, vanity, selfishness, and vapidity been so mercilessly skewered. Somewhere along the line, our healthy self-regard has exploded into obliterating narcissism; our manic getting and spending have now become celebrated as moral virtues. Simultaneously a Wildean satire and a plea for a little human decency, Don’t Get Too Comfortable shows that far from being bobos in paradise, we’re in a special circle of gilded-age hell.
Customer Reviews:
Very Funny.......2007-09-07
This book's writer has some very humorous insights into how the luxury we all live in is often taken for granted and he finds a great way to portray that in his essays. I also like Lloyd Dangle's latest book "Troubletown" as it presents the misguided adventures of our current leadership in a humorous yet insightful fashion as well. Troubletown Told You So: Comics that Could've Saved Us from this Mess
A quick read. Entertaining.......2007-08-10
If your looking for a book that's a quick read, light and entertaining...this is it. Some of the stories were a little too avant garde for my tastes but the book, overall, was funny and poignant and insightful.
I don't know that I would get his other book, Fraud, but this one was worth the price and the time.
Having Fun with the English Language!.......2007-07-18
I am in love with this guy's sense of humor and wit! And he tells these hysterical tales with such a mastery of the english language and sentence structure as to be absolutely AMAZING! You know those books that have one long fabulous sentence which begins in one place and ends at a particularly surprising and devastating conclusion? Well, this guy does it over and over. And by the way, get the AUDIO version. His reading, the pauses, the deadpan voice are spectacular.
Last night, I listened to his take on Paris fashion shows. His material on Chanel and Karl Lagerfield is deadly. I truly gasped. I can't believe he got away with it. I've replayed it at least 10 times.
I "discovered" David Rakoff by listening to NPR's "This American Life". This is great stuff!
Amusing.......2007-07-13
My wife and I listened to it on a long drive and enjoyed it. Entertaining and insightful. It is well narrated, but the sound is not ideal for our car (too great a volume range for all the wind noise we experience at 75mph.) Red states may not enjoy it.
Sit back and relax........2007-03-26
What can one say about runway models, applying for US citizenship and making creative gifts for friends that haven't been said before? Well a lot apparently. Seemingly mundane and special events are given the Rakoff touch of both humour and keen observation. I would bet that some of his insomnia-filled nights were spent refining the words to their present artisan-like state. This was my first foray into the world of David Rakoff but I doubt my last.
Don't Get Too Comfortable: The Indignities of Coach Class, The Torments of Low Thread Count, The Never- Ending Quest for Artisanal Olive Oil, and Other First World Problems
Book Description
Grandmother's remedies may have been the best, and this encyclopedia identifies which old fashioned cures have been proven effective by modern medical research, and which ones may be bogus.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting herb lore.......2007-10-03
This is an interesting compilation of herb lore and common remedies that were routinely used to treat a plethora of symptoms and ailments before the advent of patent medicines. The book gives listings for common ailments, the herbal and natural remedies used to treat them and interesting information about the different ingredients used. Even if you don't try any of the remedies, it's entertaining to read about what our ancestors used to treat the maladies with which mankind is afflicted.
Folk Remedy Review..........2007-02-21
This book is not what I expected. I thought I would be getting advice on what natural ingredient to use for a specific malady. It is not like that at all. It is a common sense guide on to get/stay healthy. I gave it 3 stars cause it is well-written, it just isn't what I wanted.
Review.......2007-01-13
I like this book a lot, not only for the remedy tips, but also for the bits of trivia and other information. Easy to read. i like the fact that other health-related websites are also offered for additional information.
The Folk Remedy Encyclopedia.......2006-03-20
This was a gift for my mother. She uses the book daily for helpful tips for the entire family. I recommend this book to anyone that believes in old folk remedies.
Book Description
When Carol Drinkwater and her fiancé, Michel, are given the opportunity to purchase ten acres of an abandoned olive farm in the South of France, they find the region's splendor impossible to resist. Using their entire savings as a down payment, the couple embark on an adventure that brings them in contact with the charming countryside of Provence, its querulous personalities, petty bureaucracies, and extraordinary wildlife. From the glamour of Cannes and the Isles of Lérins to the charm of her own small plot of land-which she transforms from overgrown weeds into a thriving farm-Drinkwater triumphantly relates how she realized her dream of a peaceful, meaningful life.
"A fantasy come true, as it will be for many of the readers who yearn to experience the magic of southern France." (Austin Chronicle)
"Good-humored and well written." (The Washington Post Book World)
"Following [Drinkwater's] engaging story is like driving the hairpin turns that climb the hills above the French Riviera: the views are breathtaking, the blind curves frightening, and the safe arrival to the top a joyous relief." (Library Journal)
Customer Reviews:
Delightful Read.......2007-01-29
The other night I was listening to an audio commentary which featured Robert Hardy and Carol Drinkwater. During the commentary Carol mentioned she had authored a series of books about she and her husbands experience rennovating/operating an olive farm in the south of France. Intriged by what Carol had said I checked the first book "The Olive Farm" out from the public library and began to read. First of all I must say the book is a delightful read. Carol has the ability to communicate on paper in the form of easy conversation, as two friends would have over a cup of tea. You will laugh and cry along with Carol as you read her story of restoring "Appassionata" to its former glory. I would love to see the BBC make a television series out of her books, they are a total delight!
Helen Harriot goes south.......2006-11-11
This is a wonderful book. If you have ever dreamed of running off and creating a brand new life filled with love, laughter and more than a few bumps along the way then this is a book that you'll love. In fact, I recommend all her books-they are that good.
Lyrical Tribute to Life in Cannes.......2006-07-05
The Olive Farm is a well-executed memoir in the fashion of Under the Tuscan Sun and A Year in Provence. In it, actress Carol Drinkwater and her fiance, Michel, a film producer, impetuously purchase a rundown olive farm in the south of France and begin the process of restoring it to comfort and fecundity.
This memoir will not disappoint-- Carol and her fiance face the difficulties of limited finances, needed repairs well in excess of initial estimates, and frustrations with the local workforce. All of these, of course, are transcended by the satisfactions of nursing the olive trees into production and the triumphs of beginning to restore the farmhouse to its previous grandeur.
This ground has been trodden before, but Carol Drinkwater tells her tale engagingly, drawing likable portraits of her family, friends and neighbors in Cannes. Sit back, relax and enjoy the journey to Drinkwater's Cannes.
The Olive Farm: A Memoir of Life, Love, and Olive Oil in the South of France.......2006-02-22
Ms Drinkwater writes a uncomplicated and enjoyable tale of her adventures in old houses,the French, olive oil and love. She brings the same pleasantness to the written word that she did to the small screen in All Creatures Great and Small.
More than just the South of France and Olives!.......2004-09-27
Initially, this book caught my eye because the story takes place in the French town where I was born and raised.
While I found interesting and informative to re-discover my hometown through the eyes of the writer, I was totally captured by the many sides to this book: the story about a foreigner adapting to a different culture (which I can relate to, having made my home in the USA...), a international love story between a French man and an English woman (I am French and my husband American), the author learning to become a stepmother, the huge task of nursing back to life a beautiful property which had been abandoned by its previous owners....
There are lots of stories within the main story... All so well written, I lost track of time a lot while reading this book...
I also, through her descriptions, recognized some of the characters!! (small town... VERY small town!!)
It was a true feast and I am ordering the sequel as soon as I am finished writing this review!!
Get this book, it will literally absorb you into its own world... Getting a glimpse of the South of France without leaving your armchair should be enticing enough... I could smell the lavender in the breeze, hear the ciccadas, and almost taste the local foods I so miss here in the US...
I recommend it to you all without any reservation!
Average customer rating:
- Essential guide to creating and using infused oil.
- PERFECT GIFTS
|
Flavored Oils: 50 Recipes for Cooking with Infused Oils
Michael Chiarello , and
Penelope Wisner
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Baking
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Fruits
| Cooking by Ingredient
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
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Flavored Vinegars: 50 Recipes for Cooking with Infused Vinegars
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The Best 50 Flavored Oils and Vinegars (Best 50)
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Herbal Vinegar: Flavored Vinegars, Mustards, Chutneys, Preserves, Conserves, Salsas, Cosmetic Uses, Household Tips
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Gourmet Vinegars: The How-To's of Making and Cooking with Vinegars (Creative Cooking (Sibyl Publications))
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Herb Mixtures & Spicy Blends: Ethnic Flavorings, No-Salt Blends, Marinades/Dressings, Butters/Spreads, Dessert Mixtures, Teas/Mulling Spices
ASIN: 081180898X |
Book Description
This elegant and practical cookbook reveals how oils enhanced with the essence of herbs, spices, fruits, and vegetables captured at their peak can add an aromatic, gourmet touch to practically any dish. Low in saturated fats and easy to use, flavored oils make healthful alternatives to mayonnaises and sauces in everything from marinades and vinaigrettes to appetizers and entrees. Written by Michael Chiarello, renowned chef and creator of a popular line of infused oils, Flavored Oils presents a dazzling array of tempting recipes, from a heady Rosemary and Roasted Lemon Marinade to a delicate Beet Salad with Tarragon and Orange Oil to a savory Pork Tenderloin with Molasses, Bacon, and Porcini Vinaigrette. Brimming with inventive ideas and lavishly illustrated with full-color photographs, this unique volume makes a welcome companion for the home cook, as well as a lovely gift.
Customer Reviews:
Essential guide to creating and using infused oil........2004-12-28
As an avid chef, herb gardener and creator of my own decorative oil bottles, I found this book serves as an excellent companion to Michael Chiarello's "Flavored Vinegars". It covers the basics like the definition of "extra virgin" vs. "virgin" olive oil as well as the different processes for infusing: heat vs. cold. The recipes are not as extensive as other books I've read, but it is a good starting point. For other sources I would highly recommend The Flavors of Olive Oil by Deborah Krasner.
Beth Powanda
www.impressedglasswaredesigns.com
PERFECT GIFTS.......2003-03-29
I bought this book to make oils as gifts for special occasions...it proved to be one of the best books for this! It has many recipes, that are easy, detailed, and with variety!! A must for any home.
Average customer rating:
- The Good Eating Bible
- WHEN THE VERY BEST MAKES SENSE
- Proves There's Always Room For Another Book
- Simply delicious read!
- Good eating
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Zingerman's Guide to Good Eating: How to Choose the Best Bread, Cheeses, Olive Oil, Pasta, Chocolate, and Much More
Ari Weinzweig
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Reference
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Healthy
| Diets
| Diets & Weight Loss
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Healthy Living
| Personal Health
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
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ZINGERMAN'S GUIDE TO GIVING GREAT SERVICE
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The Cheese Companion: A Connoisseurs Guide (Connoisseur's Guides)
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The Cheese Lover's Cookbook and Guide: Over 150 Recipes with Instructions on How to Buy, Store, and Serve All Your Favorite Cheeses
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Essentials of Cooking
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Cheese Primer
ASIN: 0395926165 |
Amazon.com
Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Zingerman's is a food emporium specializing in top-quality products. One of the store's founding partners, Ari Weinzweig, is also the author of Zingerman's Guide to Good Eating, a key to the pleasures of the best breads, cheeses, olive oil, chocolate, and more, complete with 130 recipes. Like his store (whose name is a fanciful evocation of old-world delis), Weinzweig is committed to the best. Why? "Ultimately, I could care less whether food is fancy," he writes. "I just want it to taste good." The better food tastes," he says, "the more zing [in your] daily routine." A too modest claim for the pleasures of getting to know your food
Beginning with an exploration of the why and how of better ingredients (if you think you can't recognize them, Weinzweig offers "eating experiments," such as trying supermarket Swiss cheese versus a well-aged Gruyère), and other help (like "Saffron Superstitions Skewered"). He then presents food profiles--such as those for oils, olives, and vinegars, and grains and rices--with notes on production and exemplary types, brand information and other what-to-look for info, plus suggestions for use. For example, readers learn about Italian rices such as arborio and carnaroli; discover how to recognize their impostors (look for the seal of the rice growers consortium); take a visit to a venerable rice grower; then receive thorough advice on risotto making. Simple, flavorful recipes that highlight food items, such as Roquefort and Potato Salad, Pasta with Pepper and Pecorino, and Buckwheat Honey Cake, follow. In addition, Weinzweig also offers timelines like that for chocolate, plus technical tips such as those for brewing tea successfully. As sensible as it's informative, the book's a true blueprint for discovery. --Arthur Boehm
Book Description
Hailed by the New York Times, Esquire, and the Atlantic Monthly as one of the best delicatessens in the country, Zingerman's is a trusted source for superior ingredients and an equally dependable supplier of information about food. Now, Ari Weinzweig, the founder of Zingerman's, shares two decades of knowledge gained in his pursuit of the world's finest food products: oils, vinegar, and olives; bread, pasta, and rice; cheeses and cured meats; seasonings like salt, pepper, and saffron; vanilla, chocolate, and tea.
Customer Reviews:
The Good Eating Bible.......2007-02-12
When it comes to food and cooking, this is one of my top 3 favorite and most used books. Though this has recipes, that is not where its value lies. This book is a guide to understanding and appreciating quality in your food. Some of the foods covered are olive oils, vinegars (balsamic and others), cheese, bread, pasta, chocolate, etc. Each section tells you what makes for quality and recommends brands to try. If you love good food, this is a MUST HAVE!
WHEN THE VERY BEST MAKES SENSE.......2004-07-15
Zingerman's Guide to Good Eating:
A Zinger from Zingerman
(When the very best makes sense)
"How to choose the best bread, cheeses, olive oil, pasta, chocolate and much more ..."
By Marty Martindale
Illustrations by Ian Nagy and colleagues
This book is a foodie's joy and a hoot! It's also a very quick catchup if you have been totally out of the kitchen for the last decade or two. It's the Mediterranean scene, not the Asian scene, however. The book contains many recipes, great ones, too.
Author, Ari Weinzweig, no not Ari Zingerman, taught himself to be very food savvy, and he's graciously willing to share his self-taught connoisseurship methods through this book. Though a Chicago native, Ari went to the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Michigan where he had to decide on a major and stumbled into the food business at a the lowest end. Finally he and a partner thought the Ann Arbor area could support another deli, for who doesn't hate to leave their college town!
Many think the original delicatessens were markets selling Jewish/Kosher foods, the loxes, earliest sour creams, delightful pickles and to-die-for hot pastrami. Not so. It seems Germans, not Eastern European Jews, opened New York's earliest deli. Actually, the dictionary definition of a deli is: "a small shop that sells high quality foods, such as types of cheese and cold cooked meat, which come from many countries."
Naming the new Ann Arbor deli was a challenge for the new partners. Ari knew "Weinzweig" would be difficult for customers to pronounce much less remember. After a fashion, they agreed on "Zingerman's" for their Jewish-sounding store name, vendor of Mediterranean delights. They laughed, because the name had, "Zing," and they opened their new market in 1982.
When Weinzweig works to make you a greater discerning connoisseur, he calms you with, "How to overcome your fear of the guy behind the counter." Most of this means, "feel entitled to the sample you are offered," or downright ask for one (else how will you ever learn?). Then he gets scientific and devotes sections to:
1. Introduce yourself to the new food (this can be done silently)
2. Look at it, describe its color (privately).
3. Smell it, "The nose knows what it's doing," he claims.
4. Taste it. Move it around in your mouth, discover how it tastes differently in different part of your mouth. (think like a wine taster ... Legs? Woody? Bold?)
5. Next he admonishes, Afford the best"," (he's not paying).
Weinzweig winds up his connoisseur training with, "Go wild. Taste early, taste often, and above all, have fun!" He then gets serious and confesses, "I'm convinced that smaller quantities of better-tasting raw materials will buy you more satisfaction for the same, or even less, outlay."
Ari devotes 23 pages to olive oils opening with a Greek proverb: "Without oil, without vinegar, how can we take a trip?" His quick olive history is a world adventure. Nut oils are also in, and he gives careful particulars for Pumpkin Seed Oil "Green Gold from the Austrian Alps." His recipes for Tuscan Pecorino Salad with Pears and Provencal Mashed Potatoes are only two of the recipes in this chapter.
When it comes to breads, Ari Weinzweig waxes almost romatically. Crusts are a big thing with him, and he's totally opposed to plastic bags for bread. He even lines out all the basics and fixin's for a fun bruschetta party. His defense of anchovies (two pages) is noble. He offers his Bread and Tomato Salad recipe. It calls for pine nuts, sea salt, Banyuls wine vinegar, toasted almonds, piquillo peppers and other delicious ingredients. Of the special vinegar from French Pyrenees, he states, "It's subtly sweet, softly spicy with a touch of almond, almost a whisper of dark chocolate and a hint of aged sherry."
Ari's section on pasta is as entertaining as it is informative. He ponders your choices between dried pasta and fresh pasta. All pasta shapes have a reason, and he helps you decide what you need for a particular dish. His visual glossary is handy, too. He explains pasta's cousin, polenta, and his recipes take the mystery out of it. No lesser cousin is risotto, or Spanish rices, and he detours a bit for Minnesota's Ojibway wild, wild rice compared with latter-day paddy rice.
Cheeses run the gambit from parmigiano-regiano, cheddar, mountain, blue and goat cheeses. He looks at "Cows and Curds," and the knotty area of aging. He explains Mountain cheeses as "... were created out of a common struggle to deal with the difficulty of life at high altitudes, ... huge snowfalls in Switzerland, Italy eastern and western France and Greece." He expounds on their personality and character. He also answers that thorney question, "What makes blue cheese blue?" He defines many blues from many countries.
Ari's big on Prosciutto de Parma and Spanish Serrano Ham. Besides these and Salamis, he addresses salmon, both of farmed and non-farmed origins. He defines Lox and smoked salmon, as well.
When it comes to seasonings, Zingerman's gets very basic: Pepper-milled pepper, sea salt and that very expensive stuff, Saffron. That's it. Ari makes Saffron read lore like an Italian fairy tale: "Seeing the Saffron harvest..." "Field of Dreams, From Bulb to Stigma, Culling the Crocus, At Home with the Strippers, Toasting" and finally, "Lunch With the Man Of Lamancha."
Vanilla and chocolate get their due. The book includes a very interesting two-and one-half-page chocolate timeline and a section, "Turning Beans into Bars: How Chocolate is Made." Zingerman's Guide to Good Eating gives us much to digest. At the end Ari Weinzweig teases the teas he mentions with three trendy Chai recipes. The recipes in the Guide are excellent and earn their own index.
Zingerman's: www.Zingermans.com
You can contact Marty Martindale at www.FoodSiteoftheDay.com.
Proves There's Always Room For Another Book.......2004-07-06
As a buff who hunts down ingredients and luxury foods in order to get out of the house, Ari Weinzweig's compendium of product lore is an invaluable asset. It is true that the availability of high-end, interesting prepared foods and ingredients is exploding in the United States, and Ari goes a long way toward making sense of them. There is nothing like treatment in depth when it comes to the foods that make our lives so much richer. We need that kind of detail in order to fill both our larders and our bellies with the best.
Food writer Elliot Essman's other reviews and food articles are available at www.stylegourmet.com
Simply delicious read!.......2004-05-20
When you are bought up on packaged mac and cheese, Wonderbread and Twinkies it's hard to know what good food really is.
But after you have experienced a balsamic vinaigrette salad with pine nuts and smoked chicken or a pan seared tuna glazed in fresh orange and basil you realize that there is a wealth of delicious food out there once you start looking past the boxes of Hamburger Helper and Lucky Charms.
That's where Ari Weinzweig author of Zingerman's Guide to Good Eating comes in. Ari doesn't care about fancy food. He cares about simple, good tasting food. And the best food begins with the freshest ingredients.
In this book Ari shares his wealth of knowledge about food. He teaches you how to select the best food items and how to really experience your food by learning how to taste.
Yes he teaches you how to taste. You will fine tune your palate.
But think about it, many of us gobble our food so quickly we don't taste it. So we eat more. We eat processed foods rats would turn away from. And some of us become fat and unhealthy.
In this book Ari educates us. You will learn how to select the best bread, cheese, olive oil, pasta, chocolate and more. Take chocolate for example. Ari explains how to check the sheen of the bon bon, the sound of it breaking, the texture of it and the ingredients to look for, so your selection is a delicious choice. He goes on to give the history of cocoa and describes how chocolate bars are made. He also names specific brands to look for like Valrhona, Scharffen Berger and Michel Cluizel. He even details how to taste chocolate so you can truly assess the flavors. Yum. Ari, I think I will try to figure that one out myself!
The book also includes a number of tasty recipes such pasta with pepper and percorino, mashed sweet potatoes with vanilla, dark chocolate granita and miguel's mother's macaroni.
Other tidbits in the book include brewing tea for the best cuppa, when to buy certain cheeses , spotting a good wine vinegar, and much more.
A fabulous read, one you will savor and learn from.
Lee Mellott
Good eating.......2004-04-21
Nestled in one of the cooler parts of Ann Arbor, on a brick-covered road near some little shops and slightly peeling houses, is deli/restaurant Zingerman's, known for its amazingly high-quality food. Now in "Zingerman's Guide To Good Eating," Ari Weinzweig offers a glimpse into the best foods available.
"Guide" is half cookbook, half gourmet bible. Weinzweig offers some good recipes (like gazpacho with sherry vinegar, or grilled Tuscan pecorino cheese), but the core of this book is what goes into those. And it's enough to drive a devoted foodie insane -- olive oils, vinegars and oils; pasta and grains; meats; cheeses, and seasonings.
And Weinzweig doesn't skimp on the details either. Within every chapter, he describes the different kinds of... whatever he's talking about. For cheeses, he provides a buying guide, then the different kinds: Parmigiano-Reggiano, cheddar, mountain, blue, et cetera. For deli meat, it's salami, Serrano ham, prosciutto, and smoked salmon. As a bonus, he describes the history and making-of each product.
Warning: Do not read this book on an empty stomach. The descriptions of food will make you drool -- especially the people who have tasted Zingermans' food before. Even the less savory ideas (salmon anemia) can't kill the response this book will provoke. (And a certain feeling of confidence is inspired by the radio hosts and cookbook authors quoted on the back, as well as restauranteur Mario Batali of "Babbo")
A lot of food books can be condescending to the non-gourmet. But Weinzweig avoids that. His style is almost conversational, like having a chat with a gourmet chef. He talks about his own experiences, his own likes, and descriptions of his chats with people who know best. (Including a conversation that compares selecting prosciutto-pigs to dating)
So for those who can't experience Zingerman's itself, the "Zingerman's Guide To Good Eating" is a must-have -- both for recipes and info about fine food in general. Just don't read through on an empty stomach.
Book Description
This luscious cookbook -- full of glorious recipes for making the most of extra-virgin olive oil -- is a feast for both the eyes and the palate. In 1991 Nan McEvoy planted 1,000 olive tree seedlings on her ranch in Northern California. Today, 18,000 trees later, McEvoy Ranch is highly respected for its fine extra-virgin olive oil. Also producing lavender and honey, and maintaining an extensive kitchen garden, the ranch -- entirely organic -- has evolved into a virtual paradise, replete with heirloom vegetables, fruits, and olive groves as far as the eye can see. With this wealth of ingredients, ranch chef Gerald Gass has created more than 70 recipes combining extra-virgin olive oil with the best the garden has to offer. Comforting soups of winter squash with honey and sage; hearty pasta dishes with olives and tomatoes; savory pork tenderloin flavored with red cherries and spices; crunchy lemon biscotti -- these olive oil-infused recipes are simple to prepare and draw on the fruits of nature as their main ingredients. Stunning photographs of the olive groves, gardens, and recipes make The Olive Harvest Cookbook a lovely gift for anyone who has ever dreamed of living off the land in their own little piece of Eden.
Customer Reviews:
An appetizing cookbook to simply page through.......2005-02-13
Written by the executive chef of McEvoy Ranch, a place renowned for its organic extra virgin olive oil, The Olive Harvest is a sumptuous cookbook of recipes that showcase the flavors and delights that can be created with olive oil, or that use olive oil as a garnish. Full color photographs by Maren Caruso and explicit step-by-step instructions walk the amateur to professional chef through the steps of creating such delicacies as Lemon-Tarragon Gazpacho; Warm White Bean Salad; Salt Cod with Potatoes, Leeks, and Saffron; Walnut-Olive Oil Cake, and much more. An appetizing cookbook to simply page through, offering succulent and memorable dishes.
Just average. Unispired and unoriginal........2004-12-31
As an avid chef and artisan who creates my own decorative olive oil bottles, I am immersed in the olive and olive oil culture and I have to say I expected more from this book considering the McEvoy ranch's reputation. I thought the recipes were uninspired and unoriginal and nothing I hadn't seen somewhere before. Who needs a recipe for mashed potatoes or lemon roasted chicken? If you are looking for more unique fare, I would suggest you check out Mustards Grill by Cindy Pawlcyn. In there you will find recipes for butternut squash and goat cheese risotto and salmon roulade with kalamata olive, orange and celery relish.
Beth Powanda
www.impressedglasswaredesigns.com
Book Description
For more than four thousand years, the olive tree has been a symbol of abundance, peace, and longevity. Gifted by a goddess, revered by ancient cultures, and protected by emperors, the olive tree and its precious fruit have played important roles in civilization.
Dubbed “liquid gold” by Homer, olive oil has been used for food, medicine, magic, beauty, and divine rituals. Baseball star Joe DiMaggio is even said to have soaked his bat in olive oil. And while it is no longer drawn upon to treat leprosy or massage elephants, the use of this versatile product is growing by leaps and bounds around the world.
The Passionate Olive is the ultimate guide to this natural marvel. Along with olive legends and fascinating history, Carol Firenze shares the myriad practical uses of olive oil through the telling of her favorite family stories and by offering unique formulas and recipes.
Restore luster to your pearls . . . curb your cat’s hair-ball problems . . . silence squeaky doors hinges . . . soothe your sore throat and dry lips . . . replace artery-clogging butter in your favorite dishes with . . . can you guess?
The Passionate Olive reveals the secrets of how to enhance your life, love, and health with olive oil and merits a front-and-center spot among your most cherished books. It makes a beautiful gift, too, for just about everyone and every occasion. In fact, you and your friends will want to keep The Passionate Olive and a bottle of olive oil in your kitchen, your bathroom, and even your bedroom.
Customer Reviews:
A great read . . ........2007-08-15
Very educational, fun, interesting . . . However, I find that I'm not reading this book as I would a novel . . . I'm reading it more as a reference book! I have jumped all over the chapters to see how olives can make a difference in my life in whatever areas interest me at the time. I never would have dreamed that olive oil could be such a part of one's life -- other than enjoying the flavor of it in foods! Wow! Was I ever wrong.
Is it all too good to be true?.......2007-08-01
The answer is yes. The actual olive oil information in this book is fairly light, but most of all I recommend taking the usage information with a grain of salt. Many of the uses presented sound more like family lore than something that could be backed up by modern chemistry or biology -- and some of them are dead wrong. The worst example for me is when Ms. Firenze advises us to use olive oil to "treat" a flea infested pet (what she means is to soothe the skin where the animal has licked or scratched it raw). This is unbelievably misguided and irresponsible advice. There are modern treatments that not just soothe the skin, but actually and reliably get rid of fleas. Indeed, not everything that modern technology and science has brought us is evil and killing us. The flea treatment is just one example however -- there are garlic-olive oil ear treatments, olive oil enemas and such, and I doubt that shaving using olive oil is very comfortable or practical.
For sure, olive oil is delicious, healthy and has many wonderful properties for uses besides cooking. I love it more than I do most other foods. But the answer to pretty much all of what ails us, it is not -- so it shouldn't be presented that way.
Everything you need to know about olives.......2007-05-13
I bought this book for myself and a friend. It has so many easy everyday uses for olive oil. I made my friend a birthday basket with this book, olive oil and olive oil soap. She loved it.
Everything you wanted to know about olive oil and more..........2007-05-01
Beginning with a brief history of olive oil and ending with great recipes this book has useful and fun ideas throughout. Easy, delightful reading.
Just Wonderful-a keeper!.......2007-01-12
There is so many uses for oilve oil in this book.This book will also save you money.It has replaced many products in my home.
Amazon.com
Whether you cook with olive oil because it is healthful or simply enjoy its enriching flavor, Peggy Knickerbocker's Olive Oil: From Tree to Table will increase your interest in this ancient and beneficent oil. Knickerbocker provides the complete story of olive oil, taking you firsthand to witness the harvesting, pressing, and grading of the oil. Color photos by Laurie Smith make you feel as if you were witnessing the process. Shots of some the 112 recipes in this book prove how irresistible the dishes are. Look for Spaghetti with Garlic, Olive Oil and Chili, Pinzimonio (a kind of Italian crudités), Roasted Chicken Breasts stuffed with Salsa Verde, Garlicky Romesco Sauce, and Orange Ginger Cake.
Book Description
Olive oil has always played an essential culinary role in the Mediterranean, where olives have been cultivated for thousands of years. Today this healthful, versatile ingredient is a beloved staple throughout the world. In Olive Oil: From Tree to Tahle, Peggy Knickerbocker and Laurie Smith trace the birth and voyage of the oil of the gods. They take us to the rustic orchards of Greece, Spain, Italy, North Africa, and California; show us the fascinating process of harvesting the fruit and extracting the shimmering essence; and let us taste the exquisite results through their own favorite recipes. From a simple midday snack of toast with tapenade to a lavish Provencal feast, here are countless ways to enjoy the fruity savor of pure olive oil. A transporting culinary adventure, Olive Oil: From Tree to Table is a graceful homage to this divine elixir.
Olive Oil is a 1998 IACP Award nominee.
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful!.......2000-09-18
I came across this book while killing some time at a local bookstore. This is an incredible book to have in your collection, if, for nothing else, the reasons below:
Incredible graphic design. A general rule of thumb--if Chronicle are the publishers of the book, it'll have a fantastic layout. These are the guys who brought to life Michael's devastatingly good vision in the "Tra Vigne" cookbook. Likewise, they also published Georgeanne Brennan's "Potager" and "Mediterranean Herb" cookbooks. The layouts are ALWAYS superb, and each and every release has beautiful photographs and dialogue. Which brings me to my next point.
Great dialogue. Offers a surprisingly thorough history of olive oil. Likewise, it offers a good summary on how to pick, store, and use different types of olive oils, as well as offering a mini glossary of olive oil colloquialisms (i.e., "extra-virgin" and "first-cold pressed", etc.). Also, Peggy's personality and humor come across very well and make the text quite an enjoyable read. This is something that just isn't normally found in many cookbooks who only see things through a step-by-step, color-by-numbers approach to cooking.
Of course, importantly,
Very good recipes. The recipes are extremely tasty. Most are amazingly simple, yet turn out spectacular. The approach is very simple, yet home-y...including ingredients typically found (or readily available) to the novice, home cook.
Get this book and I guarantee that you will not regret its inclusion in your collection!
Fantastic recipes.......1999-01-01
I came here looking for another book by Peggy knickerbocker! The recipes in Olive Oil are terrific. You don't have to be an Olive Oil expert to love every single salad or dressing she writes about. Even if you are a three thumbed guy like me you can turn out a five star meal with this book. Thanks Peggy!
Book Description
The first complete, illustrated guide to the world's olive oil and olive products, this country by country, region by region tour, includes the major producers-from the Mediterranean to Australia- along with locator maps, information about each olive-growing area, vintage guides, and tasting notes.
Customer Reviews:
I've been waiting for this book..........2006-10-23
This is an excellent reference that describes the history of olive oil production, and provides a blow-by-blow description of literally hundreds of top quality oils categorized by country and region. It also demonstrates what makes a good oil and how to find one. I've looked for years for a reference like this and finally found it in the library.
Book Description
The Food Network's Michael Chiarello knows the secret for making great food that is as simple as it is delicious. These 100 innovative recipes for both making and using flavored oils and vinegars capture the essence of herbs, fruits, vegetables, and spices and instantly improve whatever dish they touch. Whether it s a sweet splash f Raspberry Vinegar as a finishing touch to a Crisp Pancetta and Fresh Fig Salad, or a spoonful of spicy Brodetto of Manila Clams and Dried Sausage with its comforting touch of chili oil, each recipe is enhanced by the simple addition of these easy to make flavored oils and vinegars. Combining two classic books (over 250,000 sold!), with an enticing new design and cover, Michael Chiarello's Flavored Oils and Vinegars is a sure-fire crowd pleaser.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent and easy resource for the inventive home cook/home chef.......2007-04-03
If you like cooking and/or Michael Chiarello, this is a great book to add to your collection. Much of the material was actually produced not too long after his tenure at Napa wine country's marvelous Tra Vigne, where he built the restaurant's excellent reputation as its chef before moving on to his current interests. As a result, there are a lot of references to Tra Vigne and his experiences there peppered throughout. That is not a bad thing; just a point to be aware of as, although this joint edition of "Oils and Vinegars" (formerly produced as 2 seperate books) predates his later cookbooks even thought it has a later publication date.
Anyway, if you are interested in making and cooking with your own infused oils and vinegars, he has demystified this and made it very accessible and user-friendly - something basically anyone can do at home without a lot of special equipment. His directions on process are right to the point and spare....just the info that is needed to do this succussfully based on his very estimed experience. His info on vinegar making is scattered throughout the various topical sections on vinegar and is sufficient to help you get it; if you want a serious artisan treatise on how to make and age fine vinegars, this is not the book and you would be better going to one of the early Chez Panisse cookbooks in which Alice Water's partner (sorry, I forget which one but I think it is the Chez P. Cafe cookbook...or else the Chez P. "Menus") provides such an in-depth artisan instruction on vinegar making using little oak casks and such that it frankly scared me away! That is why I say that Michael Chiarello's material in these volume is very accessible, practical and useful, oh, and a bit fun as well!
There are some very excellent recipes here as well, although if you want a recipe goldmine, go to his "NapaStyle" website (an unbelievably rich recipe resource!), or, buy his other cookbooks, all of which are among my favorites in my rather huge cookbook collection. Didn't rate this book a 5 (although I was tempted) only because I felt that he could have dug just a tad deeper in a few areas (herbal vinegars, for instance, but what he does provide works!) and I am not so sure that overall the info/contents are as well organized as they could be. That said....it is worth the buy!
A good addition to a large cookbook library.......2006-11-06
If you have many cookbooks, you are probably looking for unusual things, and this fits the bill. The price is reasonable, and you'll find at least a few infused recipes you like. If you've ever seen Chiarello's show "Easy Entertaining" on Food Network you know that he really uses his own recipes to add layers of flavor and subtle hints to his dishes. I recommend this book, but only if you're seriously into cooking.
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