Fruits and Vegetables/Frutas y vegetales (English and Spanish Foundation Series) (Book #10) (Bilingual)

Book Description

Fruits and Vegetables
You won't have trouble getting children to appreciate fruits and vegetables with this vividly illustrated learning book in English and Spanish. Each page introduces the reader to a wide range of fresh fruits and vegetables using carefully selected mouthwatering words. A complete pronunciation guide is included in the back of the book for quick and easy reference. Healthy and nutritious foods have never been made more appealing to children. They'll eat it up! 22 pages, 4.75" x 5.875"

Frutas y vegetales
Es fácil hacer que los niños aprecien el valor de las frutas y los vegetales con este libro de aprendizaje en inglés y español de animadas ilustraciones. Cada página presenta al lector una amplia gama de frutas y vegetales frescos usando provocativas palabras que han sido cuidadosamente seleccionadas. Al respaldo del libro hay una guía de pronunciación que sirve como consulta rápida y fácil. Los alimentos saludables y nutritivos nunca antes habían resultado tan apetitosos para los niños. ¡Sin duda se los comerán todos! 22 páginas, 4.75" x 5.875"

The Benefits and Features of the English • Spanish Foundations series include:
• Helps teach vocabulary and other oral language concepts
• Summary page at the end to recap and instruct
• Helps kids get ready to read
• Helps develop phonemic, print, and numeric awareness
• Large bright colorful pictures to keep kids engaged
• Rounded corners for children's safety
• Laminated to protect from spills
• Board book so they can last
• Great size for little hands
• Simple but engaging text
• Useful for beginning Spanish at any level
• Useful for beginning English at any level

Customer Reviews:

Fruits and Vegetables.......2006-08-09

The thing that I really like about this book was that all the sentences weren't the same. It did not just say "these are bananas, these are tomatoes" all the time, but integrated questions, and even characteristics of the fruits and vegetables. The pictures are bright and colorful, and made me want to go buy a piece of fruit right then. I would highly recommend this book as a useful and practical tool for learning the names of basic fruits and vegetables in both English and Spanish. It is very likely that you will find yourself practicing these words at home when you are eating a piece of watermelon, or chopping a pepper for dinner.

Tamales 101: A Beginner's Guide to Making Traditional Tamales

Average customer rating:

GOOD BOOK
Best that's out there on the subject...I love this book!
Greatly disappointed
Good, but the definitive guide is yet to be written
Yes, you *can* become a tamalista!

Tamales 101: A Beginner's Guide to Making Traditional Tamales
Alice Guadalupe Tapp
Manufacturer: Ten Speed Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Culinary Arts & Techniques | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Mexican | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

jp-unknown3 | Specialty Stores | Books
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ASIN: 1580084281

Book Description

Tamales 101

A Beginner's Guide to Making Traditional Tamales by Alice Guadalupe Tapp

Corn-husked bundles of fresh masa plump with wonderful combinations of sauces, meats, and vegetables—tamales are a simple and delicious staple of Mexican and Southwestern cuisine. Alice Guadalupe Tapp has perfected the art of tamale making, and in TAMALES 101 imparts her knowledge and passion for this comforting treat. TAMALES 101 will show beginners how to make masa dough as well as fold and steam tamales to perfection. Then, once you've mastered the basics, you'll be whipping up batches of Chicken Tomatillo, Chorizo Potato, Vegetable Curry, and Greek tamales in no time. With recipes for nearly 100 traditional, vegetarian, vegan, and specialty tamales and sauces, TAMALES 101 will send you on a culinary adventure that's sure to delight and impress your guests.

Customer Reviews:

GOOD BOOK.......2007-01-18

Saw book at Indio Tamale Festival and got it at Amazon cheaper

Best that's out there on the subject...I love this book!.......2005-01-05

I love this book. The author brings enormous experience from her own highly beloved tamalaria in S. Calif. and makes it possible to create excellent tamales on your own. Not as easy a subject as it might seem. I found her presentation thoughtful, with clear, thorough explanations and instructions that are well-presented. Her detailed description of the different types of masa and masa prep., of tamale wrappers and wrapping techniques, of ratio of filling to masa, of the tradition versus popular taste in saucing tamales, of all matters related to general preparation, cooking, storing etc. are all excellent, especially considering that it is a rather small book. Unlike another tamale book out now by a famous chef, these recipes are down to earth and wonderful, and span a wide range of tamales...including adaptations for vegetarians, special occasion tamales and much more. Great sauce recipes. Different versions of many recipes (such as mole sauces, chicken tamales, and much more). The author has a nice personable style, sharing customs and her own family lore along with her valuable insights from running a tamaleria in a trendy So. Cal beach town...and that is a really daunting challenge: to appeal to everything from a large solid Mexicano population to surfers to L.A.'s celeb-types etc. etc.

This is really a great recipe collection, well-presented for the experienced and novice tamale-maker (which I was...), and it is a really pretty publication - rich in colors and beautiful photos. I love this book...I have a very large cookbook collection that I use pretty extensively, and this little book has really endeared itself to me. I think it is a great value.

Greatly disappointed.......2004-10-04

I am an experienced cook and baker, and followed the recipe for Masa Harina Masa. I bought the correct dry corn flour from an hispanic market, and made some excellent chicken stock. The ingredients list called for 12 cups of the corn flour and 7 cups of stock, mixed in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. and when I placed these ingredients in the mixer and turned it on, it was too much for the mixer to hold. I emptied out the contents of the bowl into another bowl, mixed the contents with my hands to distribute the stock and corn flour evenly, and returned half of the ingredients to the mixer bowl and began to mix. The mixture never reached the "firm pudding" stage as described in the recipe. I had to add more than an additional 4 cups of stock to get to this stage. I don't think the author carefully measured the ingredients when she recorded the recipes. Since this is a recipe that many people will make (the masa is the main part of a tamale) she should have been more careful. However, when I made the Red Pork Chile Tamales the sauce was delicous and my family liked the flavor and texture of the tamales.

Good, but the definitive guide is yet to be written.......2004-03-12

This is a nice little book with lots of traditional recipes and the author is enthusiastic but her fat of choice is margarine, a fact I have trouble digesting, if you know what I mean.

Yes, you *can* become a tamalista!.......2003-12-21

A couple of weeks before Christmas, I found myself facing a luncheon for 15 foodie friends for which I'd promised fresh tamales--and my promised helper, the only person I knew who had made them before, came down with the flu! I was on my own.

Fortunately, I had Tamales 101 in hand. Got a few tips from a guy at the local Tamale Festival, but mostly I just devoured this book, took a deep breath, and started. My masa floated, the corn husks peeled off my tamales easily, and they were firm and delicious! I spent over three days cooking and ended up with a cornucopia of Red Chile Pork, Chorizo-Potato, Jalapeno and Cheese, and two kinds of dessert tamales, plus all the salsa and other trimmings. (I'd made enough to take to three other events, it turned out.) And I *enjoyed* myself doing it.

Making tamales is both harder and easier than you might think. What's hard is the amount of time and effort, but what's easy is the routine you get into after making a few. The day of the luncheon, I taught an early guest how to fill and fold them (using the very easy foldover method illustrated in the book), and she taught everyone else who wanted to try a few. As they say, a good time was had by all.

My tips and observations for those who want to give this a try:

Get *very* organized in advance: ingredients list, timetable, list of accompaniments, etc. A large steamer is a must (I used an oriental two-level steel one, but a Mexican one that looks like a canning kettle works well, too, and both are fairly inexpensive). An electric mixer is also a must. I used a hand mixer, but a stand mixer would have been easier. You *must* maintain several inches of boiling water in the pan (I just about burned mine out at one point), and it is possible to burn both hands at once if you use potholders instead of oven mitts to pick up the upper pan to check the water level.

From the festival tamale maker, I learned that it's important to use all the lard called for (part can be butter or margarine) and also all the salt called for. I read somewhere else that much of the lard is absorbed by the husks, and I hope this is true. From the book, I learned to use fresh masa (easily available here in the southwest) rather than dry, and to whip the lard for at least 5 minutes and then the worked-in masa and broth for another 10 to 15 minutes, and also to use an ice cream scoop to measure the right amount of masa onto the husks/leaves.

I won't be waiting until next Christmas to make more tamales, now that I know how easy and good they are. Just thinking of all the varieties in Tamales 101 that I haven't tried yet has me drooling. Give it a try!

Average customer rating:

A Wonderful Cookbook

Spanish Food and Cooking
Pepita Aris
Manufacturer: Lorenz Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Spanish | European | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

My Kitchen in Spain: 225 Authentic Regional Recipes

Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America

Tapas (Revised): The Little Dishes of Spain

The New Spanish Table

Cooking from the Heart of Spain: Food of La Mancha

ASIN: 0754813010

Book Description

Over 150 step-by-step recipes that allow you to relive a magical Spanish holiday or simply bring some Spanish sunshine into your kitchen.

Customer Reviews:

A Wonderful Cookbook.......2005-09-08

With its rich history and traditions, cooking techniques and world-famous dishes, Spanish cuisine is simply delicious. You will get an extraordinary look at it in this book from Pepita Aris, an authority who's written a half-dozen volumes on the subject. A must-have for home cooks and armchair travelers, it takes you on a sweeping tour of the regions with informative text and lush, color photographs. Once you've had a taste of what each region is all about, you'll be ready to try any of the 150 mouthwatering recipes. From bar-style tapas to everyday meals and festival dishes to celebrate every occasion, this is a "taste of Spain" you'll savor for years to come.

Average customer rating:

Unclear pictures, Odd Choices
Great as a supplement or review
Some issues with some of the Spanish Words
Basic, brief intro to Spanish

My Food/ Mi Comida
Rebecca Emberley
Manufacturer: L,B Kids
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

General | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Cooking | Sports & Activities | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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General | Infantil y juvenil | Libros en español | Formats | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0316177180

Customer Reviews:

Unclear pictures, Odd Choices.......2007-03-27

Emberley has some odd pictures making this book a bit useless. Soup looks like a cheese wheel. Other food items like berries are recognizable, but not as clear as I feel they should be. Also, some items are a bit odd - like a radish - what child is eating radishes on a regular basis? There are alot of better choices for a child's book. I would likely not buy her books again.

Great as a supplement or review.......2005-09-02

This brightly colored book is great to use as an addition to a Spanish curriculum like the workbook Flip Flop Spanish. The sturdy pages continue to wow my classes of ages 3 all the way to 12 years old. If you'd like to introduce your child to Spanish, I might choose an animal, colors, or shapes book before this one.

The changes in words based on region, as another reviewer stated, are hard to get around - the problems she had with the words are less common where we live - so I think it's great to know ANY word when you're trying to introduce a second language to your child. It's a big endeavor, and this book helps!

Some issues with some of the Spanish Words.......2003-07-22

As a native Spanish speaker, it is very important for me that my son learn Spanish. My son loves all of the books in this series, but this one causes me a few problems. Part of the problem is the Spanish words used (which is an issue for my dialect). For example, "bananas" is translated as "las bananas" instead of "los platanos" and peas are translated as "las guisantes" instead of "los chicharros" and "broccolli" is "el brecol" instead of "el broculi" (sorry my keyboard is not set to do accents). The other issue is some of the foods selected. For example, "soup" is one of the foods, but it is hard to draw in a way that children really understand that is is soup. "Radish" is anothert choice, but since it is such an uncommon vegetable, I am not sure why she didn't use someting like a potato or a bell pepper, which are more common. So, I would recommend this book, but be prepared to change some of the words around using your computer, printer, and some glue.

Basic, brief intro to Spanish.......2003-07-19

I wanted to introduce Spanish to my infant son so I bought this and "Mi Ropa/My Clothes" by the same author. I like this one the best. Both have very simple pictures labeled with the English and Spanish word. My son is 5 months old and seems to enjoy the pictures.

Tapas: Authentic appetizers and finger food from the bars and restaurants of Spain

Average customer rating:

Tapas: Authentic appetizers and finger food from the bars and restaurants of Spain
Pepita Aris
Manufacturer: Southwater
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1844761576

Book Description

Written by one of the world's leading experts in Spainish cuisine, an introductory section explains the role of these versatile little dishes in Spanish culinary culture.

Average customer rating:

A great cookbook in every way
BEST. COOKBOOK. EVER!
Essential Reference on Spanish Cuisine and Wines
Great recipes, murky directions
It might be realistic...

The Foods and Wines of Spain
Penelope Casas
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Spirits | Drinks & Beverages | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0394513487
Release Date: 1982-10-12

Book Description

400 superb recipes--a delicious gathering of the traditional cooking of Spain with new ways of using exotic seasonings and unusual combinations, plus a comprehensive survey of Spain's excellent wines and sherries.

Customer Reviews:

A great cookbook in every way.......2006-11-10

This book is full of a dynamic range of Spanish recipes, all of which are both tasty and easy to prepare. Every recipe I've made has come out perfect, I have never had a failure. Ms. Casas has clearly gone to great lengths to capture authentic, well tested recipes that anyone can prepare.

This book is so diverse in its scope that it would take a long time to tire of using it. I can hardly bare to cook anything else. Spanish flavor with its simplicity and freshness of flavors could not be better presented then in this perfect book. Highly reccomended!

BEST. COOKBOOK. EVER!.......2006-10-23

This book is one of my favorites books in the world. The recipes range from simple to slightly complicated, but there isn't one of these recipes that cannot be duplicated in your kitchen -- and to absolutely deligthful results! The instructions are clear, the chapters are well balanced and the index is thorough. The food is exquisite. But then so are the stories accompanying each chapter and each recipe.

This book is an excellent travel book, filled with all the wonders of Spain. There have been times, when looking for a recipe to cook for a special ocassion, I have taken it off the shelf and found myself completely engrossed, hours later, reading the stories. Even the writing engages all your senses.

Penepole Casas also does something I especially appreciated. She gives you a glossary and a list of substitutions. She goes further and lists mail order suppliers of hard to find ingredients.

In culinary terms this book is truly a gem. It also serves as an indispendable resource to the history and culture of Spain for those who hope to one day stroll through its lands.

Essential Reference on Spanish Cuisine and Wines.......2005-04-19

`The Foods and Wines of Spain' by culinary journalist Penelope Casas was the only comprehensive coverage of Spanish cuisine when it was published at the urging of Craig Claiborne in 1979 and it is probably still the only book in English which aims at covering the entire range of Spanish cuisine. As such, it stands among some of the other notable American books on national cuisines such as Diane Kochilas `The Glorious Foods of Greece', Jean Anderson's smaller book on `The Food of Portugal', Marcella Hazan's `Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking' and the granddaddy of them all, Julia Child's `Mastering the Art of French Cooking'. Casas shares in this tradition by being published by Child's publisher, Knopf, and having the same distinguished cookbook editor, Judith Jones. Since I have never seen an unattractive book published by Alfred E. Knopf, I am certain this book benefits from this association.

Casas organizes her book by types of dishes, using the usual hodgepodge of type meaning when served and type meaning principle ingredient. The fourteen chapters on ingredients / servings are:

`Tapas', slightly misleading, as classic tapas dishes such as the famous `tortilla Espanola' appears under egg dishes. If your primary interest is in Tapas, get Casas recent book devoted entirely to this subject.
`Embutidos, Pasteles Y Empanadas', or sausages pates, and pies is one of the most convincing arguments that this book covers the whole range of Spanish cooking, as it includes doable recipes for making many classic Spanish Charcuterie such as chorizo. It also contains several very nice empanada recipes that show off one of many differences between Spanish and Mexican cooking. In Mexico, judging by a recipe by Rick Bayless, `empanadas' are just a bit larger than raviolis. In Spain, `empanadas' are much more like calzones.
`Ensaladas' Salads, including a claim that it was the Spanish and not the French who invented Mayonnaise.
`Verduras Y Legumbres' Vegetables, showing the importance of potatoes in Spanish cooking. This is historically obvious, as the Spanish brought potatoes along with all the other New World produce back to Europe.
`Sopas Y Potajes' Soups and Meals in a Pot, very similar to the northern Italian love of ministre.
`Huevos Y Tortillas' Eggs and Egg dishes. Evidence that there are many great Spanish frittatas.
`Arroces' Rice dishes, including several types of Paella. `Please use Spanish Rice'
`Mariscos' Shellfish, with as much love of mussels as the French, it seems.
`Pescados' Fish, including several bacalo (dried, salted cod) recipes and fish steaks.
`Aves Y Caza', Poultry and Game, with the usual European love of rabbit, partridge, and other wild things.
`Carnes' Almost a copy of the Italian cuisine with pork, lamb, and veal. Maybe a bit more lamb than Italia.
`Panes, Bollos Y Masas', Breads and Pastries. While I am sure this is not a complete survey of Spanish bread baking, I am just a little surprised that there is no mention of baking with wild yeasts so popular in French and Italian baking. On the other hand, there is the distinction, as in France, between bakeries that specialize in bread and shops that specialize in pastries. While almonds run through all of Spanish cuisine, it is in baking where it comes together with egg whites and puff pastry to form an especially strong affinity with Austrian baking traditions. I am not sure whether this is because these two countries shared interaction with Moorish culture or whether the countries shared the same royal house, the Hapsburgs, for many generations, or a combination of both, but it is little discoveries like this which make culinary anthropology really fascinating.
`Postres' Desserts, sharing the Italian interest in sweetened fruits above most other dishes, plus marzipan and many other almond preparations.
`Bebidas' Sangria, almonds, coffee, citrus, and almonds.

Almost all main course protein dishes include a suggestion pairing the dish with an appropriate Spanish wine. This includes the egg dishes, but not other tapas dishes. The last chapter deals in great depth with the wines of Spain, including the famous Andalusian sherries. Two of the more interesting facts here is the statement that the Italian Marsala is really a form of sherry and that a bottle of sherry may contain wine from grapes harvested over many years. So much for the James Bond quote about giving the vintage of the `underlying wine fortified to create the sherry'. Not only does this chapter give lots of details about regional wine centers; it gives extensive tables of high quality vintage wine and sherry labels and the author's opinion on their quality. Since this book was published in 1979 and not revised since 1982, there may be some question on whether this information on wineries is still valuable. I will venture a guess that it is probably as good as anything else you may find, since the lists are long and most vintners endure, especially since the fortunes of Spanish businesses have improved greatly since the restoration of the Spanish republic after the death of Franco.

Like the recipes in Casas later book on Tapas, I find all the recipes in this volume to be very good, almost as extensive as my favorites from Julia Child and Marcella Hazan. This is a real foodie book, as the discussion of regionality and authenticity of the recipes is a great pleasure to read, even if you never make any of the recipes. It is also great background for understanding the cuisine of Ferran Adria, the great modern Spanish chef working just outside Barcelona. This book also humbled my conceit at criticizing Daniel Boulud's recipe for baby eels. While they may be hard to come by, apparently the Spanish really love them.

Even if you are not a foodie, this is a great source of recipes for eggs, rice, sweet peppers, almonds, lamb, and fish. It is also a great resource if you are not familiar with Spanish wines.

Great recipes, murky directions.......2004-12-22

This book is at the same time my favorite Spanish cookbook and the most frustrating. The recipes are terrific. I also have Casas' Delicioso! (which I highly recommend as well), but I prefer this book because it is better organized, with more of the standard Spanish recipes I crave (seafood with green sauce, scallops with sherry sauce, etc.-- fantastic). But with her later books such as Delicioso, Casas (or her editor) has learned to provide clearer, more accurate cooking instructions. In The Foods and Wines of Spain, the instructions are much more vague. How high should the heat be on the stove? How long should you sautee the onions? What does it mean exactly to "dust" something with flour? These things are often not spelled out. I am a pretty experienced cook but I would definitely benefit from some better instructions in some of the recipes. I can see how this book would be confusing for the novice cook or someone fairly new to Spanish cuisine-- if you are in this category you might want to start out with Delicioso!.

It might be realistic..........2003-07-29

...but all the recipes come out very bland. I've tried a few of them and there's really nothing that stands out. I'll try a few more before I sell this one. It's a shame, because the book is put together rather well and is easy to follow.

Stainless Steel Translations...English to Spanish for Restaurants and Commercial Kitchens

Average customer rating:

Good work and it's about time
Very Disappointed
Wow, What a help!
A big help, but.......
I expected more!

Stainless Steel Translations...English to Spanish for Restaurants and Commercial Kitchens
Jason Holben
Manufacturer: Stock Pot Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

Professional | Professional Cooking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

English (All) | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Cocina Profesional | Cocina | Libros en español | Formats | Books

ASIN: 0965971708

Book Description

Provides over 1600 words and phrases that are specific to the foodservice / restaurant industry translated from English to Spanish. The book is a "point-and-shoot" type format, making common phrases and words easily communicable between English-only and Spanish-only restaurant employees.

Covers Hiring, Training, Food Prep and Food Service and Safety plus complete lists of food and equipment.

Customer Reviews:

Good work and it's about time.......2003-05-21

I've worked in the restaurant industry as a waitress for years and never knew a word of spanish. This made communication with the kitchen staff very difficult for me. After years of playing charades and mime to get what I needed I can finally ask for what I want. I found the book very easy to use and the phonetics very helpful. I was pleasantly surprised by the wide variety and range of the phrases and words listed in the book. In particular I was impressed by the waitstaff section. Good job Jason, it's about time someone wrote this book.

Very Disappointed.......2002-05-01

I was really hoping that this book would help me, but it's just not doing the job. It's so complicated and the stuff I need isn't in there. The kitchen is a really fast paced place to be in and this book is good if you can sit down and study it but in the kitchen, it's a waste. That's what it is to me, a total waste of money.

Wow, What a help!.......2002-02-09

Intuitive lay-out, meets all my kitchen needs, easy to use, and a must to get through the day!

A big help, but..............2002-01-28

This book has been a tremendous help in helping me train in my restaraunt. How about a south of the border book? There are distinctly different dialects. I found Mexican is very different than Spanish. Does anyone else agree?

Dee

I expected more!.......2001-12-19

This a reference book for someone with basic knowledge of the Spanish language. Most of the words can be found in a regular English- Spanish dictionary. The book is divided into sections (Hiring, Food, Front of the House, etc), which is very good, but unfortunately the words are not listed in alphabetical order. I would not recommend it to a translator.

The Food of Northern Spain: Recipes from the Gastronomic Heartland of Spain

Average customer rating:

Cooking Pleasure
Major Addition to Spanish Culinary Writing. Buy It.
Mouthwateringly entertaining

The Food of Northern Spain: Recipes from the Gastronomic Heartland of Spain
Jenny Chandler
Manufacturer: Pavilion Books, Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Drinks & Beverages | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 186205679X

Book Description

This sumptuous cookbook amply demonstrates why Spanish food is the new inspiration of the culinary world.

Customer Reviews:

Cooking Pleasure.......2006-08-05

This is a small, but very choice cookbook, simply chock full of the most delicious looking recipes. It is simply perfect for cooks - at any skill level - who like to cook healthy, home-made food without spending twelve hours in the kitchen. It also has a lovely, well written guide to the rarely mentioned northern provinces of Spain - Galicia and Asturias, especially - which has now made it my ambition to visit them for myself. However, if your idea of "Spanish" cooking is Mexican or Central American, let this one alone; it is traditional European home cooking with enough of a gourmet touch that you can serve a formal dinner party but not so complicated that you cannot make it for the family. I think this is one book that everyone who likes to cook should have on their kitchen shelf.

Major Addition to Spanish Culinary Writing. Buy It........2006-07-27

`The Food of Northern Spain' by culinary writer, Jenny Chandler contributes much to achieving parity between writings on regional cuisines in Spain and Italy. This is such a popular genre nowadays, there have been a few less than luminary titles recently, but this one is a real winner.

It will take a close look at the map of Spain to understand the region of which Senorita Chandler is writing. It is easy to think of it as only the northern Atlantic coast of Spain, west of the Pyrenees, but she is really taking the entire line, virtually all along the same meridian of latitude, from northwestern, Celtic Galacia to the very urban and modern Catalonia on the Mediterranean coast, including the landlocked Navarre and parts of Aragon.

The appropriateness of this choice is clear once one has read important recent books on both the Basque and Catalan cuisines, both of which tout their subject as Spain's culinary center. Senorita Chandler makes the excellent case that this entire region, distinguished primarily by deep valleys in mountainous terrain and rough seacoasts, taken together, is the culinary heart of Spain.

While this does not appear on the surface to be a very scholarly study, a la Coleman Andrews or Paula Wolfert, of this cuisine it is really much more studied and revealing of the soul of its subject than other recent oversized travelogues of Spanish cuisine.

The author begins with a chapter of Background on each of the regions comprising her chosen territory. While giving us not much more than two pages per province, she manages to evoke the spirit and resources of the region as brightly and as passionately as a much longer discourse.

Next, is an excellent chapter on the Storecupboard and Cellar on the principle ingredients of the regions. I am taken by the fact that she begins not with olives and olive oil, but with peppers. It is crystal clear from every book I've read on Spanish cuisine that the great variety of peppers arriving from the New World are as much an influence on the food of northern Spain as the tomato is for the cuisine of southern Italy. A bit of reflection tells me that peppers as a class are a far richer addition than tomatoes, as the range of colors, sizes, and flavors of peppers is far greater than the similar range for tomatoes. There is just so much variety you can squeeze out of a plum tomato, even if it was grown in the shadow of Vesuvius. This little essay on peppers also reveals something about Spain that I have known for years about far-flung former Spanish colonies such as the Philippines, but which never came to the fore in other books. This is the fact that to Spaniards, canned produce is just as good as fresh, it's just different, not inferior. This will become obvious to you the next time you pass the 30-foot long Goya section of your supermarket. The Goya brand is Spanish, not Mexican, as I was want to jump to before actually looking at a can of Goya beans and a bottle of highly regarded Goya olive oil.

Next in importance, especially for the northern marches, is cheese. I was delighted to discover here that the famous Spanish Cabrales cheese is actually a mix of milk from cows, sheep, AND goats. The catalogue of cheeses is not as large or renowned as the great Italian or French cheese kingdoms, but it is pretty important and sizable. This section is rounded out with essays on Olives and olive oil, Pork, Pulses (legumes, beans), salt cod, Crustaceans, Mollusks, Cephalopods and Wild Mushrooms.

In the land of tapas and pinchos (very characteristic of the north), you would expect the next section on matching Spanish food and wine. This is not as exhaustive as Penelope Casas' coverage in `The Food and Wine of Spain', but it is illuminating and very easy to read.

The recipes are organized as one would a traditional cookbook, by type of dish or course. These are:

Light Bites and Tapas, featuring pinchos of olives, anchovies, foie gras, chorizo, and croquettes. The obvious centerpiece is the recipe for tortilla espanola. The description is lovingly given, but may be just a bit less detailed than Senora Casas' recipe in her book `Tapas'. Senorita Chandler also doesn't give us the scoop on how it is served (usually in wedges in the South and cut into cubes and stuck on skewers in the North). I am especially happy to see her recipes for empanadas, with both tuna and pork fillings.

Soups and Starters, featuring a gazpacho with asparagus and a gazpacho with beetroot, a blended mushroom soup, a squid soup, tuna tartar, grilled scallops, and Escabeche.

Salads and Vegetable Dishes, featuring a tuna mixed salad, a spinach and ham salad, and vegetable stews reminiscent of Ratatouille.

Rice and Pulses, featuring two of the most famous Spanish dishes, Cocido and Paella. Interestingly, Ms. Chandler agrees with most others that it is Cocido and not Paella that is the apple of most Spaniard's culinary soul.

Fish and Shellfish, with lots of salmon and salt cod dishes. Hake is very popular here, and Sea Bass is as common here as on the Chilean coast.

Poultry, Meat, and Game, featuring some really surprising combinations such as chicken and prawns and partridge with chocolate. And, some of the steak recipes are gorgeous.

Sauces and Seasonings, with Allioli (with no egg!) et al.

Desserts, with fritters, flans, and coulis.

This book succeeds in its task of really making you interested in the cuisine of the author's chosen regions. While the author doesn't push scholarship, there is both learning and passion aplenty here, all appropriate to its subject.

An excellent foodie read AND cookbook.

Mouthwateringly entertaining.......2005-11-10

Jenny Chandler's style is truly unique. She combines the most enticing dishes and mouthwatering photography with a fabulously dry wit. Indulge your senses!

Mr. Food's Comida Rapida y Facil Para Personas con Diabetes

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Mr. Food's Comida Rapida y Facil Para Personas con Diabetes
American Diabetes Association
Manufacturer: American Diabetes Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Quick & Easy | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Diabetic & Sugar-Free | Special Diet | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

American Diabetes Association | Nutrition | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Rápido y Fácil | Cocina | Libros en español | Formats | Books

General | Salud, mente y cuerpo | Libros en español | Formats | Books

Nutrición | Salud, mente y cuerpo | Libros en español | Formats | Books

ASIN: 1580401465

Book Description

From famous chef and television show host Mr. Food® (Art Ginsburg)--with special recipe contributions and daily diabetes living tips from Miss America 1999 Nicole Johnson, Mr. Food®'s Cocina Rapida y Facil Para Personas con Diabetes features more than 150 recipes in Spanish, including snacks, salads, soups, poultry, meat, seafood, vegetarian fare, and desserts.

Cooking in the Lowcountry from The Old Post Office Restaurant: Spanish Moss, Warm Carolina Nights, and Fabulous Southern Food (Roadfood Cookbook)

Average customer rating:

FIVE STAR DINING IN YOUR OWN HOME

Cooking in the Lowcountry from The Old Post Office Restaurant: Spanish Moss, Warm Carolina Nights, and Fabulous Southern Food (Roadfood Cookbook)
Jane Stern , and Michael Stern
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1401601464
Release Date: 2004-06-16

Book Description

The exquisite menu at The Old Post Office Restaurant on Edisto Island, SC, has garnered this one-of-a-kind establishment legions of fans from around the country. It has been written up in the New York Times, Travel and Leisure, USA Today, Wine Spectator and Gourmet.

This exciting new cookbook is part of the Roadfood Cookbook Series by Jane and Michael Stern, two of the most popular and successful food writers in America. Like a visit to this historic Southern island (less than an hour from Charleston), Lowcountry Cooking from The Old Post Office Restaurant contains more than 150 favorite recipes for Southern dishes with a classical twist, such as Fussed-Over Pork Chop, P.B.'s Ultimate Filet Mignon, Coca Cola Cake, and Key Lime Mousse. It includes an 8-page color insert.

Chef Philip Bardin says, "Breads and desserts are prepared daily and all of the produce and seafood are local and the freshest available in the area. Our stone-ground grits - milled to our specifications - have been a specialty since 1988."

Previous Roadfood cookbooks include: Blue Willow Inn Cookbook (1-55853-991-3), El Charo Cookbook (1-55853-992-1), Durgin-Park Cookbook (1-4016-0028-X), Harry Carey's Cookbook (1-4016-0095-6), Louie's Backyard Cookbook (1-4016-0038-7), Carbone's Cookbook (1-4016-0122-7), and The Famous Dutch Kitchen Restaurant Cookbook (1-4016-0138-3).

Customer Reviews:

FIVE STAR DINING IN YOUR OWN HOME.......2004-06-16

Having dined at The Old Post Office Restaurant on many occassions, I was thrilled to discover that Chef Philip Bardin has put some of his culinary creations to pen and paper for all of us to try at home. I'm blessed to live in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, near The Old Post Office Restaurant, and therefore I have access to some of the same sources of fresh produce, fresh seafood, and quality meats and poultry that the restaurant does. Chef Bardin emphasizes that you have to start with quality ingredients like they use in the restaurant to achieve the best results. With my already having access to quality ingredients, this book provides the final piece of the puzzle and allows me, and my friends, to create some of the same dishes we crave at The Old Post Office Restaurant. This book also provides a wonderful glimpse of our local culture on and around Edisto Island, South Carolina. Living near Edisto Island, I can say that the book gets it right when talking about the local culture, and if you're not from this area the book does an excellent job of introducing you to our wonderful, unique, paradise. If you don't think you'd enjoy the taste of "The Lowcountry" then you haven't tried our food or you haven't been able to try it done right. This book from Chef Bardin of The Old Post Office Restaurant will help you do do southern food right.

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