Book Description
Brie and apricot jam on a baguette; spinach and goat cheese on a croissant; blue cheese and fresh figs on crusty Italian bread: this is not your mother's grilled cheese sandwich. In Great Grilled Cheese, cheese expert and award-winning cookbook author Laura Werlin presents 50 scrumptious grilled cheese and panini recipes that range from the traditional to the contemporary. In addition to the more inventive combinations, including grilled cheese for dessert, there's always room at the table for the classics: grilled American on white, or apple, ham, and cheddar on sourdough.
Werlin discusses techniques-nonstick versus cast-iron pan, whether to cover during cooking, how to use the ultrapopular panini machine. Maren Caruso's tantalizing photographs perfectly convey the appeal of creamy melted cheese pressed between two slices of crisp, buttery bread. For cheese aficionados, parents whose kids insist on grilled cheese at every meal, and the kid in all of us who craves comfort food, Great Grilled Cheese will satisfy everyone's cheese dreams. AUTHOR BIO: LAURA WERLIN, who won a 2004 James Beard Award for her book The All American Cheese and Wine Book, is a food journalist and cheese expert whose articles have appeared in Saveur, Cooking Light, and Country Living. In addition to having written two books on cheese, The New American Cheese (2000) and The All American Cheese and Wine Book (2003), Werlin writes a biweekly syndicated column on cheese.
MAREN CARUSO is a San Francisco-based photographer who specializes in food photography. Her work has appeared in Wine and Spirits, Chocolatier, and Taste magazines, and in more than ten books, including Grilling and Barbecuing (STC).
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding recipes!.......2006-12-14
This is my favorite of my 5 panini recipe books. I bought it when I got my Cuisinart Griddler with Panini Grill. These sandwiches are truly fantastic. Some of the other books have some really wierd combinations and only a few recipes that sound appetizing, but this book is a real winner. These hot sandwiches are very addicting...delicious and so fast and easy to make!
A cheese addict's bible.......2006-06-24
The recipes are imaginative, the directions are clear, the results are sublime. My only question is, I look at her photograph and ask, how can the author look so slender?!
Yum!.......2005-12-11
Some of the most delicious grilled cheese sandwiches and quesadillas I've ever had. I use this book every weekend.
Amazon.com
The popularity of restaurant cheese platters, offered after the main course and before dessert, leads many of us to consider a similar home presentation. But how to go about it? Part guide, part recipe book, Janet Fletcher's The Cheese Course offers a deft introduction to choosing and presenting cheese for mealtime enjoyment. The book doesn't pretend to be comprehensive; you won't find cheese-by-cheese descriptions, for example. But it does offer a sensible survey of the issues involved in choosing the best cheeses--domestic and foreign--for home entertaining. Beginning with a discussion of the cheese course itself, the book then explores cheese purchasing, platter composition, cheese accompaniments, and complementary drinks. This latter discussion, which offers pairings based on cheese age and type, is particularly well handled and offers interesting suggestions such as serving rich triple crèmes with sparkling wine or pungent cheeses with fruit brandy. After the sections on cheese etiquette and storage (Fletcher is against plastic wrap for all but the hardest cheeses), the book offers 40 recipes for cheese accompaniments, organized by milk type. These include Fresh Ricotta with Chestnut Honey, Chestnuts, and Pears, Marinated Pecorino with Orange Peel and Herbs, and Grape Focaccia with Homemade Goat Fromage Blanc. A concluding recipe section on themed cheese platters offers such delights as American Artisan Cheeses with Figs and Field Greens Salad. Illustrated with color photos throughout, the book is a small treasure of information and good taste, and should appeal to all who love cheese and want to share it with friends and family. --Arthur Boehm
Book Description
Nothing complements a good meal with friends like a rustic oak table laden with an exquisite selection of fine cheeses: a grape leaf-lined platter of ricotta with honey, red pears, and roasted chestnuts, or a decorative Spanish tile topped with sheep's milk cheeses, toasted almonds, and oven-dried tomatoes, or a simple Italian salad of crostini dripping with melted fontina and white truffle oil. The elegant tradition of the after-dinner cheese course is rapidly gaining popularity as a part of home entertaining. Written by best-selling author and award-winning food writer Janet Fletcher, The Cheese Course decribes the wonderful array of artisanal cheeses now available, offering suggestions for presentations as well as wine pairings and fruit and nut accompaniments. The Cheese Course is rounded out with 50 sweet and savory recipes for salads, breads, and desserts that match deliciously with cheese.
Customer Reviews:
Enjoying Cheese at Your Table.......2005-01-05
Case of subtitle should have been title. "The Cheese Course" as other reviewers have pointed out does not adequately describe the contents. The subtitle: Enjoying the World's Best Cheeses at Your Table" does.
This is about utilizing cheese in more than macaroni casseroles or nachos et al. This is about nice pairings with salad, torta, galette, etc.
While there is nice section on storing and purchasing, I refer those wanting to know more about this and various cheeses consult two fine sources such as: "The Cheese Primer" and "The Cheese Plate." These will provide more thorough info on cheese shopping and more detail on world's fromage wealth.
This little book (just over 100 pages) provides a much different yet important reference, ways of utilizing cheese from cow's milk, goat's milk, sheep's milk, and mixed milk sources.
There are some great opportunities here for presenting new tastes, the likes of: Three French Cheeses with an Apple, Fennel and Walnut Salad; Cabecou with Honey and Walnuts; Aged Gouda with Apple Galette;
What's nice about these offerings is that with each she suggests where in the menu this recipe might be offered, what accompaniments would go well, plus options such as wine/beverage.
Nice format and color photos.
Title as bit of a misnomer.......2000-09-18
This is a book carefully produced, the photographs and the introductions to the recipes add to the fun of using the recipes. The book begins with a personal introduction including information on buying and storing cheese, on the selection and presentation of cheeses on a cheese platter, instruments for cutting cheese etc. This introduction is followed by four chapters of recipes using cheese: cow's milk cheeses, goat's milk cheeses, sheep's milk cheeses, and mixed milk cheeses and cheese platters.
While the recipes are excellent, they are why I take exception to the title - many of the recipes are for the salad course. Other recipes are for breads or cookies to accompany the cheese course, some are for excellent marinades for soft cheeses, some for marinades fruits to accompany the cheeses - items like goat gouda with roasted hazelnuts and sherried figs with five alternative cheeses listed make this volume well worth owning.
This is not a book that will introduce you to a wide variety of cheeses, however, it will provide you with many excellent pairings of cheese and fruit, as well as many salads for which a cheese is a necessary ingredient.
Beyond Brie en Croute.......2000-08-29
This book, beautifully photographed and in the attractive format typical for Chronicle books, is a thoughtful, modern guide that will inspire you to serve cheese. The recipe for the classic party favorite, brie en croute (brie wrapped in pastry) may be missing, but maybe it doesn't even belong in a book that is guided by a love for artisanal cheeses from all over the world that would be smothered by such a preparation. I've tried two recipes from this book so far this summer, the marinated bocconcini (they're miniature balls of mozzarella marinated in oil, oregano, red pepper flakes, capers, parsley, and garlic) and the arugala salad with watermelon and feta, and both were wonderful and easy. If you've looked at your local cheeseshop's selection longingly, wondering how to confidently serve everything from goat cheese (such as the recipe on the cover), to an aged sheep's milk cheese, to trying something new with ricotta, then this is the book for you. It's a good starting point for learning about cheeses, or a good addition to a cook's library that already contains Steven Jenkin's encylopedic Cheese Primer.
Book Description
Toasted golden in a pan or browned to melty perfection under the broiler, grilled cheese is the ultimate comfort food -- and a meal in itself. And believe it or not, it just got better. Author Marlena Spieler has created 50 mouthwatering new takes on this fromagophile's favorite. Her tantalizing pairings range from hearty Sage Sausage and Jack Cheese with Preserved Lemon to Melted Alpenzell, Emmentaler, Pear, and Cumin. There are also plenty of new twists on the tried and true, such as Smoky Bacon and Cheddar with Chipotle Relish or Fresh Mozzarella, Prosciutto, and Fig Jam. Oozing with cheese suggestions, an array of quick-to-make mustards, and tips on choosing the perfect bread for each sandwich, this cookbook will make anyone stand up and say "cheese!"
Customer Reviews:
I'm hungry just writing this review..........2007-03-08
First of all, I'm amused by the bizarrely aggressive reviewer above. Umm, it's grilled cheese - relax.
Trust me, this book oozes with great content. The recipes include the relatively simple- putting together a special grilled cheese with one of the many well-thought out selections of breads, cheeses, seasonings and accompaniments (like chutney, spicy greens or pickles). Even the simple ones are not combos that I would have thought of, like the tasty Panini Inglese, built from classically English treats like Stilton, watercress, and roast beef.
The book also includes some recipes that are a bit more involved, like the Hot Muffaletta or the Sage, Sausage and Jack Cheese Sandwich with preserved lemons. It's a wonderful exploration of grilled cheese, and I think you will be impressed. I'm certainly enjoying it.
A Very Cheesy Cookbook.......2006-11-22
Who doesn't love a warm, comforting grilled cheese sammich when the weather gets cold? Some good bread, a few slices of cheddar, butter, and a big crunchy pickle is heaven to me! Throw in a side of tomato soup and we got a winning combination!
I always thought I was creative when I took spinach, pears, and brie and made a very classy little grilled cheese pressed between some heavy skillets. However, Marlena Spieler - a long time writer for Bon Appetit and author of many cookbooks - has brought grilled cheese to a new level. Her book Grilled Cheese: 50 Recipes to Make You Melt is just the thing to bring a creative comfort to your kitchen during the cold season.
The book starts out with a comprehensive review and introduction. She begins by covering various types of cheeses (blue viened, soft, cow, goat, semi-hard, spiced, bloomy rind, smoked and so on in extremely specifc subcategories) and how each can be perfectly utilized and paired for your own creative uses. All are accompanied by a short description describing their general flavors and properties. Since one may not be able to eat a whole wedge of cheese, Spieler also considers the proper storage and handling of cheeses. To further aide the grilled cheese selection process, a section covering breads, meats, fuits, chutneys and so on are all covered so that your experience with her recipes and your own home concoctions! At the back is even a resource guide on where to find good cheese stores or markets, and suggestions on finding local cheeses.
But how do the recipes stand up? Perfectly. Rob and I have already found a few favorites, ensuring that we now keep a few select cheeses on hand, and nudging us to always experiment with a new piece of stinky goodness. Rob's current favorite is the Mediterranean Meltdown; tomatoes, Mahon cheese, and fresh thyme on olive bread. We threw in some sauteed red onions as well for a truly filling and rustic sammich!
I've become partial to the fresh mozarella, fig jam, and prosciutto for it's sweet and salty sensations. The raddicchio, Roquefort and toasted pecans on pain au levain is another delectible tid-bit that goes well next to a blazing heater or roaring fire place.
Breaking out the heavy skillet is definetly part of the charm, but don't think that some of these don't mix it up. Classics such as the tuna melt are revamped. Recipes calling for home made chili aioli, and fruity chutneys make for a flavorful and fun experience and a perfect excuse to visit local farmer's markets. Desserts, salads, and a classic accompaniments also adorn the book, and well as a small section for a few homemade mustards to keep things spicy!
The book is filled to the brim with gorgeous photos any photographer would envy. Sheri Giblin, a local San Francisco food photographer, has done an excellent job bring each and every recipe to life. Luckilly with grilled cheese being such a simple fare, many times yours will look much like the photo. Mine have to my total surprise.
[...] I highly suggest you go order a bargain book copy. Mine has one or two stickers on it, but really, who cares? The book has tons of great ideas, and will fill you with inspiration for simple meals, and fun lunches with friends.
Overall, the book is shibby, affordable, and truly cheesy.
Great Mac and Cheese.......2006-03-23
I am of the opinion that if you get one good receipe, that is worth repeating, out of a cook book you got your money's worth. This cook book is much better than that. The concept of using multiple cheeses when making macaroni and cheese was revelatory! Macaroni and cheese is the ultimate comfort food and this book takes that to a new level.
You've got to be kidding me.......2006-03-13
Folks - let me tell you that I cook, that I own many cookbooks, and I really LOVE talking about cooking. I might not be the best, but I truly enjoy spending time in the kitchen.
With that said, I would like to share an ACTUAL 'recipe' from this soon-to-be-dollar-bin book: Quality white bread, cheddar cheese, and a dill pickle. That's a RECIPE. Wow! I hope I haven't given away too much...
...cooking is about experimentation and having fun, right? hey - if you need a book to tell you how to make GRILLED CHEESE SANWICHES then you probably need a book about how to make the ultimate glass of icewater... $16 for a book you could figure out on your own a thousand times over? Hoo-boy - I guess desktop publishing has come a REALLLLY long way....
Mouthwateringly Good.......2004-08-25
Marlena Spieler's new book is just fabulous. Not just the recipes but the mouthwatering photography by Sheri Giblin. In addition to the grilled cheese recipes, there's a detailed discussion of which cheeses and breads to use, and an accompaniments section with recipes for homemade tomato soup and zucchini pickles, as well as a salad summary.
I know what I'm having for lunch, grilled American cheese on white bread with tomato soup. Although, that may disappoint the author, as she says, "American cheese is probably the most famous processed cheese. Don't expect to find it in this book. Why choose processed cheese when there are so many fabulous cheeses to choose from?" (p. 17) Well, first off, I'm in a reminiscent mood. Second, I have the ingredients in the house. But I promise, next time I hit my local cheese shop, I'll have to get some Telleggio and make the "Austin Powers' Shag-a-delic 1970s Grilled Ham, Cheese and Pineapple" or some Gruyere for a classic "Croque Monsieur."
Book Description
When a tiny cheese shop opened for business on a quaint Berkeley street in 1967, there was little hint of what the shop—and the neighborhood—would grow into over the next 30 years. The Cheese Board became a collective a few years later, and Chez Panisse opened across the street, giving birth to one of the country's most vibrant food neighborhoods, the epicenter of California's culinary revolution. Known and loved by locals and travelers alike, the Cheese Board is equal parts bakery, cheese store, pizzeria, and gathering place—a patchwork of the local community, where a passion for good food runs deep. For the first time ever, THE CHEESE BOARD presents the classic recipes that have made the store one of the San Francisco Bay Area's most acclaimed gourmet destinations. Complete with a history of the shop and neighborhood, a cheese primer, and all the classic recipes—including the corn-cherry scones, cheese rolls, and zampanos, all of which have a cult following—THE CHEESE BOARD is as rich and varied as the institution that inspired it.
Customer Reviews:
Best Scones Ever.......2007-01-10
I love this book. I have been searching for the perfect scones for 25 years. I have found them in the Cheese Board's new book, along with myriad other phenomenal recipes (brioche, shortbread, pizza, etc.). The humor and affection of the bakers/writers for each other and the subject matter are also infectious.
Awesome Little Book.......2006-01-04
I spent 6 years in Berkeley and I still go back occasionally. The one stop I always make is the Cheeseboard. Not only are they famous for wide cheese and olive selection, but their bakery is out of this world. I remember the days where I would get Brioche and munch on it on the way to class. Or getting the fresh baked sourdough baguettes on the way home from the market. This cookbook describes in detail how to work with the dough, measure out ingredients, and how to bake bread properly. I learned a great deal about baking from this book. I have made a few things (such as the shortbread, sourdough baguette, brioche, muffins, etc) from the book and was very satisfied. Now, this is not for the beginner bakers, I don't think. Also, this is not a speed baking book. I would rate this book as a medium skill book, but with a help of Kitchen Aid mixer and patience, you will be able to get the same great products you find at the Cheeseboard Collective. Definitely recommended for anybody and everybody.
Baking Voyeurism.......2005-08-10
This book is worthwhile for the mouth watering stories and recipes alone! As someone who went to Berkeley shortly after the Cheese Board was established, the "old" quotes from former members concerning the joys and travails of working at the Cheese Board brought back memories of Berkeley in that era in a pleasantly nostalgic manner.
Although the bread recipes are far beyond my abilities, all of the morning breakfast food recipes can be produced successfully by someone with limited baking experience (and limited patience!).
Definitely work buying, even if you never bake any of the breads.
great read.......2004-12-01
I read it cover to cover, great fun, lots of fascinating history of the collective. The pizza recipe I tried was excellent. But if you are looking for a book with lots of detailed information on different cheeses and what to serve them with, note that you won't find that here -- the food focus is on baking.
Fun book with some great recipes.......2004-07-06
If you ever been to the Cheese Board in Berkeley, you've experienced how fun, and delicious it is. It's a destination, not just a food store.
The book is the same way. The recipes are delicious, and actually work. But it's filled with fun facts and info on the Cheese Board history and culture.
So far, I've made the challah (Excellent!), banana muffins (very good), ginger shortbread (good), and simple whole wheat bread (bit of a disaster).
The only criticism I have is its overemphasis on sourdough. Many of the recipes assume creating sourdough with their recipe, so if that's not to your taste, it's not clear exactly how to proceed.
Customer Reviews:
wine and cheese pairing.......2007-05-12
gave this book to cheeseexpert within chain of gourmet stores. he will recomend all cheese dep have copys.
Readers are encouraged to understand why they like different flavors, for optimum pairing of the two........2006-11-07
There's over a thousand wines and a thousand cheeses in the world with many possible taste combinations: if you want to take the guesswork out of the process, be sure WINE & CHEESE PAIRING GUIDE: YOUR EXCITING SEARCH FOR WOW! COMBINATIONS is close at hand. It doesn't just recommend specific pairings - though this is included amply in a series of charts - but provides a formula for wine and cheese separately which encourages personal assessment and taste development. Readers are encouraged to understand why they like different flavors, for optimum pairing of the two.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
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
|
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
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ASIN: 0618411089 |
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 â and an equally dependable supplier of reliable 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.
In this fascinating resource guide, he tells you everything you need to know about how to choose top-quality basics that can transform every meal from ordinary to memorable: oils, vinegars, and olives; bread, pasta, and rice; cheeses and cured meats; seasonings like salt, pepper, and saffron; vanilla, chocolate, and tea.
How do you tell the difference between a great aged balsamic vinegar and a caramel-flavored impostor? How do you select an extraordinary olive oil from the bewildering array of bottles on the grocery shelf? Which Italian rice makes the creamiest risotto (and what are the tricks to making a terrific one)? Is there a difference between traditionally made pastas and commercial brands? How do English and American Cheddars compare? How do you make sense of the thousands of teas in the world to find one you love? What should you look for on the label of a good chocolate?
In Zingerman's Guide to Good Eating, Ari Weinzweig provides the answers -- and includes approximately 100 recipes, many collected from artisan food makers, from Miguel's Mother's Macaroni to "LEO" (lox, eggs, and onions) to Funky, Chunky Dark Chocolate Cookies.
This book is not only an indispensable guide to pantry essentials, it's an enthralling read. You'll visit artisan food producers, learn fascinating facts, find sources for the best brands and food suppliers, and get valuable advice that will change the way you cook forever.
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
With almost thirty easy-to-follow recipes and complete instructions, And That’s How You Make Cheese! is the definitive guide for making fresh and aged cheeses right in your kitchen. With just a little effort, anyone can make fresh and aged cheeses such as Swiss, Feta, Monterey Jack or even an aged Stilton. Read about the history of your favorite cheese and the follow the recipes to make it yourself without additives, preservatives or chemicals. Your family and friends deserve the best and now you can give it to them with And That’s How You Make Cheese!
Customer Reviews:
A new hobby that's fun for kids too........2006-05-18
I am not even sure how I happened upon this book, but I ended up buying it out of curiosity. It's been a great little guide to making some great cheeses. The best part is that I was able to get our kids involved and make some of their favorite cheeses. Most Americans have no idea how cheese is made. But, my kids now do and they ask all the time when the last cheese we made will be ready to eat. Everything we've made has been excellent so far. If value is the most important thing, this is worth far more than its price in toys or knowledge.
A must try! Plenty of fun, easy and tasty!.......2006-02-16
A great title to get for the whole family. Fun to try. The cheeses we made came out excellent. Very impressive! The kids loved to see how cheese was made and we are making more right now. Truly a lost art!
Awesome little book for beginners.......2005-08-25
I have the propensity to buy "How to make..." books only to find them in an unused collection on my kitchen shelf. This book, however, was actually used and enjoyed by myself, my family, and friends that received "Cheese and wine" gift baskets for special occasions.
This book is a very easy read. (There may be a typo here and there, but unless you are phonetically challenged, it's not that big a deal. It's infomative, not Hemmingway). This book is precise and to the point. There is no fluff or unnecessary information that can make one easily bored. (This problem, I have found in many other books that hold their own architectural position on my kitchen shelf.)
In addition, in spite of some of the contrary remarks made about this book, I did not find it to be a ," Grocery store pamphlet" style read at all. I think you get what you pay for, which is much more than I expected when I purchased it.
If you want to learn a short and sweet way to make cheese, buy this book. I highly recommend the Gouda recipe!
New Meaning to the Word Cheesy .......2005-06-29
This is a low budget, skinny (one-third inch thickness), small format, paperback that is both short on content and effort. The paper is newsprint quality. The mostly impertinent, blurred, grainy, black and white snap shots are homegrown. Surely, this is not the same book receiving so many accolades.
It was not surprising to locate type-o's and errors during the most vague, and cursory of editorial glances. I cannot explain what value meticulous chefs or those with a respect for their ingredients will find for this imprecise, loose effort.
I found objection to the book's predilection towards choosing the fullest fats, added fats, or heavy creams when they are not essential (in many cases) to an excellent result. Alternative suggestions to moderate or reduce the heavy fat content are not given.
Another personal objection is the unnecessary addition (in some cases) of chemicals/ingredients not commonly found in natural recipes.
Too many errors.......2005-01-06
I learned to make cheese with this book, so it couldn't be all bad, but I found myself going to the internet to check out proportions that looked wrong, going to another recipe in the book when the one I was using said, "Add salt," but there had been no salt in the ingredients list (I assumed that I could use the amount listed in another 2-gallon recipe), and making Muenster with no starter culture since it was not listed in the ingredients or referred to in the process description. I got cheese, but it sure wasn't like any other Meunster I ever ate. Wasn't too good, and an experienced cheese maker told me you have to use a starter culture in Meunster.
The book gave equivalents in some recipes (rennet tablets vs. liquid rennet / powdered starter cultures vs. fresh cultures), in others it gave only one and in some it didn't tell you which it was listing. If anyone made the Colby first and put in three ounces of powdered starter culture, you would have an expensive cheese to say the least. Also, I checked with my supplier and found out the 1/2 tsp. mesophilic starter culture the author lists in two-gallon recipes was twice what is necessary, which cranks up the cost a good bit. But now I know and I'm buying only half as much starter culture.
I am puzzled when I read these good reviews. Did they just do a batch of chevre or cottage cheese and call it quits? If you follow these recipes exactly, you will have many failures.
Average customer rating:
- Kudos from a Contributor to Beat That
- Beat That! Really is unbeatable.
- Almost impossible to beat
- Beat That! beats all - the best cookbook ever cooked up.
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Beat That! Cookbook: The Very, Very Best Recipe for Apple Crisp, Baked Beans, Cheese Souffle, English Muffin Bread, Flank Steak, Hot Chocolate, Key
Ann Hodgman
Manufacturer: Chapters Pub Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Desserts
| Baking
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
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General
| Baking
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Muffins
| Baking
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Beat This! Cookbook
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One Bite Won't Kill You
ASIN: 1881527921 |
Customer Reviews:
Kudos from a Contributor to Beat That.......2007-08-13
I contributed the recipe for orange buttermilk sherbet that is in "Beat That", Ann Hodgman's second volume of the very best recipes in existence (get vol. 1 "Beat This" as well). This is a cookbook you'll really cook out of and will tell all your friends about, not only because the recipes are great, but because she's also a hilarious writer. And in the hot dog days of summer, don't forget to make a batch of my fabulous orange buttermilk sherbet. You'll love it.
Beat That! Really is unbeatable........1998-10-20
How do we, as people who love practical and fun cookbooks, go about getting the first Hodgman cookbook, "Beat This!" back into print? It is a must for cooks who are serious about good food but not into creating new religions around spices and cuisines. "Beat That" is a continuation of the fun -- and Hodgman is the best of all possible cookbook writers, one who doesn't take herself seriously ALL the time. Actually, I want to BE Ann Hodgman.
Almost impossible to beat.......1998-09-29
What a shame Ann Hodgman's first cookbook, Beat This, is now out of print. Coupled with its newer sister, the duo would have made the perfect bridal shower gift for a dear friend. The recipies are great, and often feature unusual twists on old favorites, that really do make the recipies unbeatable. Equally as important, they do not involve esoteric ingredients, over complicated or fussy cooking techniques. Just plain good eating without unnecessary fuss.
Beat That! beats all - the best cookbook ever cooked up........1997-03-25
I have about a million cookbooks. Most of them sit forlornly on the shelf, like last year's Tickle Me Elmo, as they see "Beat That" (and its predecessor, "Beat This) used time and time again. Every time I see either of these cookbooks in a store, I buy it, knowing that I'm going to find someone to give it to - and that that person will subsequently be indebted to me forever for introducing them to such completely, wonderfully swoon-able food. YOU MUST BUY THIS COOKBOOK
Book Description
This colorful and light-hearted cookbook has everything you need to serve up a tantalizing variety of Macaroni & Cheese dishes. It'ss all here, from in-depth instruction on making homemade Macaroni & Cheese, to many creative recipes for boxed Mac & Cheese. This book is loaded with recipes and spiced with cartoons -- sure to keep the happy thoughts cooking.
Customer Reviews:
amazing organization and charts!.......2006-08-17
I am giving this book five stars without having made a single recipe. As another reviewer pointed out, the 'Easy Recipe Finder' is an awesome way to browse through the recipes real quick to find a recipe to suit your needs or your fancy. If only all cookbooks were this handy to use! On top of that great list, there are comparisons of the baking techniques, cheese, pastas, spices, and toppings. This cookbook will be a handy reference for years to come!
Do you Love Mac & Cheese?.......2006-04-09
I picked up this book because both of my kids love Macaroni & Cheese. I loved the section that talked about different pastas, cheese, and additions to "spice" up regular Mac & Cheese. It also gave 11 different baking styles to make this comfort food.
My kids especially loved the Mega Lasagna (a nice change of pace from regular lasagna), the Grilled Mac & Cheese Sandwhich, Baked Rigatoni, and the Cheesy Pasta.
If your kids like Macaroni and Cheese, and you feel like you will scream if you have to eat it one more time, give this book a try. Enjoy!
Buy This Book!! Your Kids Will Thank You Over and Over!!!.......2004-05-05
This book appeals to me on several levels: I teach elementary school students (computers), I like to collect cookbooks, and I love Mac & Cheese. It's hard to classify this book so I will just use one word: Fun! The initial section of the book called the Easy Recipe Finder is one of the clearest and most extensive that I have ever seen, but the kids will understand it too as it is done with graphics. Also of interest on pages 6 and 7 is a comparison of the eleven ways to cook Mac & Cheese in which level of difficulty, time, taste, texture, calories and tasting notes are listed. There are two additional `Comparison' sections that discuss a wide variety of cheeses and how to use them, and a section labeled, `What Goes On Top'.
The recipes? Creative, versatile and wonderfully illustrated. I mentioned the recipe for Mac & Cheese pizza on a usergroup and a nice lady from Virginia emailed me asking for the recipe since she couldn't afford the book, but thought that her two grandchildren would like it. I sent it to her and she replied that she was sure that it was going to be a hit!
My favorites? Too early to decide, but the Stuffed Baked Potatoes (did I say that I love potatoes too?) and the Baked Rigatoni are definitely 'keepers'. I haven't tried the pizza yet, but I think I'll wait to serve that to guests.
This is however, a children's book! It is replete with illustrations that will appeal to the kids. It also includes a picture of every recipe. This is a wonderful opportunity to involve children in making decisions and menu planning. Cooking is a tremendously powerful teaching/learning experience for young children and this book is a treasure trove of culinary delights. I showed it to our school librarian and she is going to purchase it for the cooking section. She is also buying a copy for her mother and for herself, as her kids like Mac & Cheese too!
If this review hasn't convinced you, you can get more information at maccheese.com. You can order shirts and hats etc. The authors and the publisher seem assured that this book is a hit...I wholeheartedly agree!
Full-color illustrations & easy-to-follow instructions.......2003-11-15
The Collaborative effort of Deanna Keahey and Steve Kilner, More, Please! Macaroni & Cheese presents 111 delicious dishes suitable for the whole family. An easy-to-follow chart at the beginning enables the browser to determine at a glance which recipes are vegetarian, which can be prepared with boxed macaroni, which are good for leftovers, and more. Full-color illustrations, easy-to-follow instructions, and a smattering of humorous cartoons distinguish this first-rate cookbook for macaroni and cheese lovers everywhere. If your family members are Mac & Cheese fans, then More, Please! Macaroni & Cheese is the perfect addition to your kitchen cookbook collection!
Love the book...fun, easy and entertaining!!!!.......2003-10-20
My nieces and nephews love mac & cheese, so I bought the book to surprise them with some new recipes. So far I've made 5 recipes and each one has been delicious. Now they argue over which mac and cheese I should make. They all have a different favorite. I'll probably surprise them by trying a new recipe each time they come over. The book is not only full of great recipes, it is charming to read. I especially appreciate the witty quotes and wonderful cartoons.
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Macaroni And Cheese
