Secondly, the book is a long overdue portrait of the real Mario Batali and of the real Marco Pierre White--two complicated and brilliant chefs whose coverage in the press--while appropriately fawning--has never described them in their fully debauched, delightful glory. Buford has--for the first time--managed to explain White's peculiar--almost freakish brilliance--while humanizing a man known for terrorizing cooks, customers (and Batali). As for Mario--he is finally revealed for the Falstaffian, larger than life, mercurial, frighteningly intelligent chef/enterpreneur he really is. No small accomplishment. Other cooks, chefs, butchers, artisans and restaurant lifers are described with similar insight.
Thirdly, Heat reveals a dead-on understanding--rare among non-chef writers--of the pleasures of "making" food; the real human cost, the real requirements and the real adrenelin-rush-inducing pleasures of cranking out hundreds of high quality meals. One is left with a truly unique appreciation of not only what is truly good about food--but as importantly, who cooks--and why. I can't think of another book which takes such an unsparing, uncompromising and ultimately thrilling look at the quest for culinary excellence. Heat brims with fascinating observations on cooking, incredible characters, useful discourse and argument-ending arcania. I read my copy and immediately started reading it again. It's going right in between Orwell's Down and Out in Paris and London and Zola's The Belly of Paris on my bookshelf. --Anthony Bourdain
Book Description
Bill Buford—author of the highly acclaimed best-selling Among the Thugs—had long thought of himself as a reasonably comfortable cook when in 2002 he finally decided to answer a question that had nagged him every time he prepared a meal: What kind of cook could he be if he worked in a professional kitchen? When the opportunity arose to train in the kitchen of Mario Batali’s three-star New York restaurant, Babbo, Buford grabbed it. Heat is the chronicle—sharp, funny, wonderfully exuberant—of his time spent as Batali’s “slave” and of his far-flung apprenticeships with culinary masters in Italy.
In a fast-paced, candid narrative, Buford describes the frenetic experience of working in Babbo’s kitchen: the trials and errors (and more errors), humiliations and hopes, disappointments and triumphs as he worked his way up the ladder from slave to cook. He talks about his relationships with his kitchen colleagues and with the larger-than-life, hard-living Batali, whose story he learns as their friendship grows through (and sometimes despite) kitchen encounters and after-work all-nighters.
Buford takes us to the restaurant in a remote Appennine village where Batali first apprenticed in Italy and where Buford learns the intricacies of handmade pasta . . . the hill town in Chianti where he is tutored in the art of butchery by Italy’s most famous butcher, a man who insists that his meat is an expression of the Italian soul . . . to London, where he is instructed in the preparation of game by Marco Pierre White, one of England’s most celebrated (or perhaps notorious) chefs. And throughout, we follow the thread of Buford’s fascinating reflections on food as a bearer of culture, on the history and development of a few special dishes (Is the shape of tortellini really based on a woman’s navel? And just what is a short rib?), and on the what and why of the foods we eat today.
Heat is a marvelous hybrid: a richly evocative memoir of Buford’s kitchen adventure, the story of Batali’s amazing rise to culinary (and extra-culinary) fame, a dazzling behind-the-scenes look at the workings of a famous restaurant, and an illuminating exploration of why food matters.
It is a book to delight in—and to savor.
Customer Reviews:
Fun, fun fun in the bowels of the kitchen.......2007-10-12
I read Bourdain's book and loved it. I also liked this one. Raw, honest talk from someone who has been there.
The autobiography part was fascinating (can such characters really populate elite restaurants!?) and the lowdown on furiously making food night after night was priceless. The last section was too blah blah about Mario Batali, although the scenes of Italy were intriguing. A must read for real food lovers.
A humorous read that made me hungry!.......2007-10-07
Who wouldn't want to go on Buford's journey? He's a great tour guide on his gasto-tour of the kitchens of the Mario Batali and Pierre Marco White. He shows that kitchens can be places that are filled with potential dangers and loads of passion. It took me awhile to get through this book, in part because I kept getting hungry and had to go make something to eat! I'm ready to go clamp the pasta machine to the counter and whip up some fresh pasta.
It's a pretty dense book to get through, and the author wanders away from the main story often. Most of the time, it's to an interesting place, but sometimes, it's just a tangent. But aside from a few of those as a distraction, I thought this was a great book.
Interesting but not what I thought it was going to be.......2007-09-19
I got this book because my husband heard an interview on the radio and thought I would like it since I love to cook. It was interesting but spent too much time, for me, on the politics of working in a restaurant kitchen and not enough on the workings of food in a restaurant. I bored with the personalities and gave up trying to figure out who was who.
I think I made the pages soggy..........2007-09-17
This guy, Bill Buford, is pretty amazing. Despite the danger of slicing off his hands entirely (an accident that he somehow manages to repeat) under various huge, sharp, professional knives, he insisted going (back again and again) to Italy to learn about things so obscure even professional chefs wouldn't have much idea about.
If you're looking for a book about Batali, this isn't the most comprehensive one, but it's scathingly honest and if you really live and breathe food, you'll gain a whole lot more than goss about the inner workings of Batali's businesses. It gets a bit soppy at times - a bit too "Tuscany is beautiful, and Provence is the ultimate foodie heaven", but only fleetingly, and all can be forgiven once you read about the author's hilarious effort to cook a whole pig...
ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.......2007-09-11
The chapters on Mario Batali and the dynamics of his kitchen were really interesting and engaging. I was intrigud by the sections on Marco Pierre White as I had just read Gordon Ramsey's autobiography in which his tempestuous relationship with White plays a significant role. The rest of Buford's book is just too tediously, self-indulgently written to the point where it killed my interest in the underlying subjects of pasta making and butchery (I ended up skimming page after page as I just couldn't take it). It reminded me of a computer spitting forth every bit of information in its memory regardless of relevance or interest. Just too many tedious, boorish details.
Amazon.com
Most diners believe that their sublime sliver of seared foie gras, topped with an ethereal buckwheat blini and a drizzle of piquant huckleberry sauce, was created by a culinary artist of the highest order, a sensitive, highly refined executive chef. The truth is more brutal. More likely, writes Anthony Bourdain in Kitchen Confidential, that elegant three-star concoction is the collaborative effort of a team of "wacked-out moral degenerates, dope fiends, refugees, a thuggish assortment of drunks, sneak thieves, sluts, and psychopaths," in all likelihood pierced or tattooed and incapable of uttering a sentence without an expletive or a foreign phrase. Such is the muscular view of the culinary trenches from one who's been groveling in them, with obvious sadomasochistic pleasure, for more than 20 years. CIA-trained Bourdain, currently the executive chef of the celebrated Les Halles, wrote two culinary mysteries before his first (and infamous) New Yorker essay launched this frank confessional about the lusty and larcenous real lives of cooks and restaurateurs. He is obscenely eloquent, unapologetically opinionated, and a damn fine storyteller--a Jack Kerouac of the kitchen. Those without the stomach for this kind of joyride should note his opening caveat: "There will be horror stories. Heavy drinking, drugs, screwing in the dry-goods area, unappetizing industry-wide practices. Talking about why you probably shouldn't order fish on a Monday, why those who favor well-done get the scrapings from the bottom of the barrel, and why seafood frittata is not a wise brunch selection.... But I'm simply not going to deceive anybody about the life as I've seen it." --Sumi Hahn
Book Description
A deliciously funny, delectably shocking banquet of wild-but-true tales of life in the culinary trade from Chef Anthony Bourdain, laying out his more than a quarter-century of drugs, sex, and haute cuisine—now with all-new, never-before-published material
Customer Reviews:
sex and drugs in the kitchen.......2007-10-06
I thought I was going to read some "kitchen secrets" rather than "secrets" that occurred in the kitchen.If I wanted to read about how a drug addict became famous, there are a lot more autobiographies I'd rather read about. Bourdain's arrogant behaviour and kitchen antics didn't impress me. The message I got was in order to be a successful chef, you have to use obscene language, have loose morals and do drugs. I'm a chef instructor in a culinary arts school in Europe.....is this what I'm supposed to be like to inspire my students????
FUNNY.......2007-10-02
I would have never thought to pick up this book... I actually would have never thought he took writing serious enough to write a book! On TV, I love his style... his crass personality... and how his humility shines through when you least expect it! This book is the exact same way! My co worker let me read it and I have not been able to put it down. Classically written ... personal and professional about the business without being all over the place... 5 STARS!
Did I Need to Know?.......2007-10-01
Now that Bourdain is featured on TV, this book will probably get a new life. A mind-blowing look at life in the restaurant kitchen - crazier than we could have ever imagined. Lots of really good insight. Anybody thinking of following the culinary profession must read it.
Kitchen Confidential audio book.......2007-09-27
Loved this raunchy rip of a tour through the world of (upscale) restaurant meal creation. And what a view it is of the unique characters who wield chef's knives! Bourdain is a great writer as well as obviously a superior/successful chef, and to top it off, his baritone voice is perfect for the audio format....great inflection, drama, humor.
The Birth of Classic Bourdain.......2007-09-15
Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain is funny, irreverent, acerbic & just mildly obscene. It's classic Bourdain. Tony's first non-fiction work, orignally published in 2000, explodes to life as read by the author himself. This really launched his media career, and is far more engrossing that the rather tame Fox TV series based on this memoir.
If you have a fascination with fine food, contemporary restaurants, smart-a** sarcasm, or really conscise descriptions of acid, heroin or cocaine abuse-- you really need to read or listen to this terrific book.
Average customer rating:
- Mitford cooks
- MITFORD COOKBOOK - A DELIGHTFUL RECIPE
- Jan Karon's Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader: Recipes from Mitford Cooks, Favorite Tales from Mitford Books (Mitford)
- Mitford Cookbook
- Jan Karon's Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader
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Jan Karon's Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader: Recipes from Mitford Cooks, Favorite Tales from Mitford Books (Mitford)
Jan Karon , and
Martha McIntosh
Manufacturer: Viking Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
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Culinary Arts & Techniques
| Cooking, Food & Wine
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General
| Karon, Jan
| ( K )
| Authors, A-Z
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
Hardcover
| Karon, Jan
| ( K )
| Authors, A-Z
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
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ASIN: 0670032395
Release Date: 2004-10-21 |
Book Description
Millions of Mitford fans around the world will agree—it's easy to put on a pound or two reading a Mitford novel. Scene after scene of the bestselling series' colorful characters enjoying tantalizing dishes can immediately start a craving. Then, before you know it, you've read several pages by the glow of the refrigerator lightbulb.
Packed with more than 150 recipes from the Mitford novels and from the author's own recipe box, Jan Karon's Mitford Cook-book & Kitchen Reader is loaded with tips, hints, jokes, culinary quotes, and delightful side-dish sidebars guaranteed to start a stomach rumbling. From Miss Sadie's Apple Pie to Puny's Cornbread, from Emma's Pork Roast to Marge's Sweet Tea with Peppermint, beloved characters come alive through their own favorite recipes. Here, too, are Karon's reminiscences of her own family's food traditions and—as dessert—four stories never before published in her books.
Jan Karon's Mitford Cookbook & Kitchen Reader is a charming companion to the Mitford series that will have readers clamoring to bring into their own kitchens the aromas and flavors that swirl within the little town with the big heart.
Customer Reviews:
Mitford cooks.......2007-10-08
I truly enjoy buying cookbooks, more for the stories and the history than for the actual recipe. This book is very entertaining. I simply had to re-read the entire series again, to re-aquaint myself with the characters that contributed the recipies. I spent one entire day reading the cookbook. Have made two of the recipes so far.
The presentation of story then recipe is a terrific idea, the family photo album at the back of the book is wonderful.
To be honest, the review I read did not tell me if the Orange-Marmalade cake recipe was in the book or not. I bought it in the high hopes that it was. Very happy to read her story about that particular recipe. Great book for reading even if you do not bake or cook.
This makes Mitford come alive in a brand new way.
I'm writting a family history cookbook, her cookbook gave me some great presentation ideas. It never crossed my mind that I should include pictures of the food on family heriloom china.
MITFORD COOKBOOK - A DELIGHTFUL RECIPE.......2007-09-28
This cookbook is a wonderful addition to the other Mitford books by Jan Karon. With over 150 recipes taken from all of the books it brings back the charm and memories of the stories. The puns, and side bar remarks are precious and it is a delight to read and reread. The recipes are very good too. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It makes a great gift for Christmas.
Jan Karon's Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader: Recipes from Mitford Cooks, Favorite Tales from Mitford Books (Mitford).......2007-09-24
Jan Karon's Mitford Coodbook and Kitchen Reader combines good cooking with a visit to the delightful "town" of Mitford. The book includes dishes by some of the best cooks in town and serves up a delicious compilation of recipies, feeding the body and warming the soul.
Mitford Cookbook.......2007-08-14
Orange Marmalade cake was awesome. It was a lot of work but my sister-in-law made it for my birthday and it was wonderful!!!
Jan Karon's Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader.......2007-05-13
After reading several of the Mitford Books, this edition finalized the bond between me, the reader, and the characters who populated the pages. In reading the different volumes, the reader becomes aware of the place that food occupies in the daily lives of the characters. Many times I marveled at Karon's ability to incorporate the preparation of meals to the story line. I was often tempted to seek out the recipes mentioned in her stories. Now that I own the Cookbook I enjoy preparing and sharing some of the very dishes that are attributed to the wonderful characters filling the Mitford Books.
Book Description
Bold. Unfussy. Irresistible. Real.
That’s the kind of food that comes out of Tyler Florence’s kitchen. With a culinary sensibility refined in some of New York’s most high-profile restaurants, and a down-home practicality gained as the cooking guru of Food 911, Tyler cooks food that’s fresh, flavorful, and totally doable. In
Tyler Florence’s Real Kitchen, he’ll show you how to cook simple meals that taste amazing, from comfort-food to classics to vibrantly new dishes.
Tyler’s long-awaited first cookbook stays true to his cooking philosophy—use great, simple ingredients and then let the natural flavors speak for themselves. He offers can’t-miss recipes for all the crowd-pleasing dishes that you crave—cold fried chicken, a perfect meatloaf, or drop-dead lasagna. Tyler’s bold, uncomplicated style even makes sophisticated food easy, with recipes like Pan-Roasted Sirloin with Arugula, Sweet Peppers, and Olive Salad or Steamed Mussels with Saffron and Tomato. He’ll show you how to get a great meal from the grocery bag to the table with the least fuss and the most flavor, or how to throw a barbecue with the best burgers (spiced up with horseradish and Havarti cheese) that your friends have ever had. From weekend brunch (including Soft Scrambled Eggs with Salmon and Avocado and an assortment of dim sum) to quick weeknight dinners for two (like Hong Kong Crab Cakes with Baby Bok Choy), and a selection of great party food and cocktails, this is a cookbook you’ll use again and again and rely on for every occasion.
With helpful notes on essential pantry staples and a list of the kitchen equipment you really need,
Tyler Florence’s Real Kitchen is a fresh, creative exploration of just how fun (and delicious) your cooking can be.
Customer Reviews:
my most-used cookbook........2007-08-23
We've all got a bunch of cookbooks, but how many do you keep coming back to? How many are getting so beat up from use that you've got to handle it carefully to keep it from falling apart? For me, it's this book. This is great food you can count on. Some reviewers seem to think it's too advanced or uses hard-to-find ingredients. Huh? I bought this book when it first came out and I'm telling you, it's never let me down - better structure than his next one, easier to get around in. We just made the chicken pot pies - my only criticism is Tyler's use of puff pastry - try using a lard/butter crust and you'll happier; more flavor - but his chicken tastes great.
While I love Tyler and his cooking..........2006-12-16
This book was a little too advanced for me. I enjoy all of Tyler's shows and the recipes he presents on the Food Network - I have made several. This book, while written beautifully, uses too many rare ingredients that I simply can't FIND in my town! The concept of the recipes is fine - he explains all techniques perfectly, but even at our "gourmet" supermarket here in town, I know I can't find lemon grass or foie gras.
However, like I said, this book is presented beautifully. The introduction alone would make a great book. Tyler goes through important cookware to have, different price ranges of said cookware, different spices that you should have to create Spanish, Italian, Asian, etc recipes and other very basic guidelines to get your kitchen stocked and ready to cook! So, he still deserves four stars for this part of the book.
This Book Is A Huge Surprise!.......2006-08-01
To me, next to Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa, Tyler's Ultimate is the best show on FOOD NETWORK. Don't know why it took me so long to purchase one of his cookbooks. But really worth the wait! You see a young Tyler in the photos, but the recipes are mature, well thought out, and beautifully photographed. This little treasure has something for everyone's tastebuds. The beauty of this book is that almost every one of the recipes are easy enough for me to make. And believe me, that is saying something. While Mr. Florence and I hail from the South, I will never know my way around food, cooking and the kitchen the way he does. I wish I had purchased this book earlier. As soon as the temperature drops below 100 degrees this week here in NYC, (not soon it appears) I am hittin' the kitchin' (Southern for kitchen) for some terrific Tyler recipes! BUY THIS BOOK!!!
Reluctant to Try Another Recipe.......2006-04-23
I really enjoy watching Tyler Florence on the Food Network, and the other recipes of his that I've tried from the Food Network website have turned out well. However, I've just finished making the Arroz con Pollo recipe in this book, and I'm so annoyed that I had to write. The cookbook really could've used more careful editing. The rice to liquid ratio was so off that the rice ended up a gloppy mess. I know I shouldn't have followed the recipe blindly, since if I had stopped to think about it for a second, I would've realized that there was no way that the proportions were correct, especially when compared with the Arroz con Pollo recipe on Epicurious.com. What's even more frustrating is that the flavors of the dish were excellent, and the dish had the potential to be outstanding. Thus, I'm wary of trying another recipe in the book, but if I do, I'll be a lot less blindly trusting.
Inspiring, unpretentious cooking.......2005-11-29
Simply put, this book is the reason I enjoy cooking today.
Other reviewers have claimed, correctly, that the ingredients may be difficult to find for certain recipes, or that the instructions may occasionally be complicated, even confusing.
These claims are true, but I want to say as respectfully and humbly as I possibly can that these reviewers may be missing the point of Tyler's cooking, which is to create a child-like (and I mean that in a very positive way) curiosity and passion for food, and to make meals that are so delicious that you'll forget your own name while savoring the flavors.
Tyler cooks for excellence. He doesn't want to make just pork chops; he wants to make the best pork chops you've ever had in your life. And the recipe in this book, "Thick Pork Chops with Spiced Apples and Raisins," will make the best pork chops you've ever had in your life, guaranteed.
The recipes are hard but far from impossible; some of them are time-consuming, but over time they get easier and easier. I don't even need to look at the recipe for the pork chops any more, and considering how many ingredients there are, that's an accomplishment.
But that's the beauty of these recipes - they're so consistently excellent that you'll keep coming back for more, and as you do, you'll start picking up the little things that make up each flavor, and before you even realize it, you'll find yourself a better cook than you ever were before, excited about food rather than just stuffing something down your throat three times a day.
Before I read this book, I couldn't tell the difference between thyme and sage, or anything else leafy and green. Now I don't even have to look; my nose can tell the difference immediately.
Again, I don't mean any disrespect to the other reviewers who didn't care for this book, because it isn't for everybody. But if you want to be genuinely excited about dinner again, or if you want to inspire a really healthy love for food amongst your friends and family, then I recommend this book. Tyler loves food because he loves life, and it shows.
Amazon.com
Diet schemes come and go. Successful plans, backed by powerful media machines, become bestsellers with sequels and food-product lines. But with so many diet books on the market, how do you decide which plan is right for you? According to Peter D'Adamo, the answer depends on your blood type. In his first book, Eat Right 4 Your Type, D'Adamo, a naturopathic physician and researcher, makes interesting and unique connections between human evolution, blood type, diet, exercise, and health. Now, in Cook Right 4 Your Type: The Practical Kitchen Companion to Eat Right 4 Your Type, D'Adamo provides readers with:
- Road maps and charts for each of the four blood types, detailing which foods and beverages to consume and which to avoid
- Tips for starting and sticking with the diet and matching your menu to your blood type
- Thirty-day meal plans to help you stay healthy, live longer, and achieve your ideal weight
- More than 200 healthy and easy recipes keyed to blood type
While D'Adamo's theories challenge common nutrition wisdom and his diet can be difficult to follow, Cook Right 4 Your Type will make his advice a little easier to swallow. --Ellen Albertson
Book Description
Individualized for your blood type--more than 200 original recipes, as well as 30-day meal plans, for staying healthy, living longer, and achieving your ideal weight.
After nearly twenty years of research, Dr. Peter J. D'Adamo revealed the connection between blood type, diet, and health in Eat Right 4 Your Type. Now, with a team of chefs, he helps you design a total health program that's right for your blood type. Cook Right 4 Your Type is the essential guide for living with a sensible diet individualized for you that allows you to eat food that seems like a major indulgence. With possibilities ranging from lamb stew to lemon squares, and braised vegetables to delicious soups, you'll barely notice you've started a regimen designed to optimize your health, your weight, and your total well-being.
Cook Right 4 Your Type includes:
Individualized 30-day meal plans for each blood type
More than 200 great-tasting recipes
Food lists and shopping guides
An easy-to-follow food program
With Eat Right 4 Your Type, Dr. Peter J. D'Adamo started a diet revolution. Now, after establishing a connection between blood type and diet, he offers a practical guide for incorporating that knowledge into your lifestyle.
Customer Reviews:
Great Guidance.......2007-10-08
This is an excellent source if you are new to eating right for your blood type. Handy food charts identify which foods are beneficial, neutral or bad for your body. Also, there are suggested 30 day menus plans as well as suggestions about exercise plans for each blood type. Advice is practical such as fresh veggies are best but if cannot buy fresh, buy frozen and not canned...recipes are simple and turn out delicious...they range from meats to pasta/pizza, soups, salads, dressings/sauces,frittatas, to snacks, treats and munchies. If you have bought Dr. D'Adamo's book "Eat Right For Your Type", this companion book, "Cook Right For Your Type" is a must.
Great book.......2007-07-12
I am really enjoying this book, its helpful because not everyone in my family has the same blood type. This book is easy to use. My only grip about it is that sometimes on the thirty day meal plans, the recipes are not listed in the book. I also do not like the fact that on the meal plans they do not have the page numbers on where to find the recipes. Other than that I really enjoy the eating right for you type books and highly recommend them to everyone.
Eat Right 4 Your Type.......2007-05-26
Intriguing book, very well written, holds your interest. Everything explained so that you can understand it. Borrowed it from a relative and then bought it for myself to refer to and read again. Bought one for my son, too. Am reccommending to people I work with.
blood type diet.......2007-05-13
If you buy into the possibilities, it can be beneficial. Both my husband and I have felt better since trying to follow this. I can't say any real weight loss, but definitely feel much better!
good guide.......2007-04-11
This cookbook gives a lot of ideas for cooking by blood type. I have not read the original book but if i had to choose between the two, this book gives plenty of tools to get started.
Product Description
Green boards wtih gilt lettering. No
dust jacket.
Customer Reviews:
A Must-Have Series.......2007-08-08
Every serious cook should subscribe to Cook's Illustrated. It's reviews on products, recipes, and technique are exhaustively thorough and the lack of paid advertising leaves little doubt that no bias exists.
Book Description
The acclaimed author of The Soul of a Chef explores the allure of the celebrity chef in modern America
Michael Ruhlman has enjoyed a long love affair with cooking and food. His explorations of kitchens and the professionals who call them home led Anthony Bourdain to call him "the greatest living writer on the subject of chefs—and on the business of preparing food." But even his vast experience couldn't have prepared him for the profound shift that has occurred in the chef's place in society.
Beginning at Per Se, the newest and most expensive of Manhattan's four-star restaurants, Ruhlman takes readers into some of America's most illustrious—and most innovative—kitchens. Throughout his travels, he seeks new trends and phenomena, like Las Vegas's recent elevation to the country's food Gomorrah with the addition of Picasso and Aureole to the Strip's already formidable selection, and returns to legendary haunts like The French Laundry, Le Bernardin, and Café Gray to see what's changed. A dispatch from a new world where chefs are celebrities and culinary school classes are burgeoning, The Reach of a Chef looks at the state of professional cooking in the post-Child, Food Network era. In the end, an audience who loves to talk about, read about, and dine in the finest restaurants in America gets an in-the-trenches look at the professionals whose very life's work is to feed us.
Customer Reviews:
Ruhlman Does It Again.......2007-10-11
I've read everything Ruhlman has authored about Chefs, Kitchens, etc. and this book is definitely "up there"... a good read. I liked The Making Of A Chef as my first choice. Then, The Reach Of A Chef. I know this book was a followup to The Soul Of A Chef, and having read them in order I admit you can't fully appreciate THE REACH OF A CHEF unless you do so... but as an enjoyable read this one is definitely my number two choice. I hope more are to come from this author. Who is this author? Watch the TV show, The Next Iron Chef!
Engaging, thoughtful and tasty prose.......2007-07-30
Ruhlman does it again! His smart, sensible and timely book deserves readers and a paperback edition. I admire his finesse and his honesty. He writes the way the best chefs cook, with passion, restraint and precision. And he's witty, too. I'll never see Rachael Ray quite the same way again -- he's fair, but he makes the point, which is why I grit my teeth when I see her bouncing around and shouting. At least Martha is calm.
More, please, Mike! His blog is great, BTW.
Just can't beat "Soul of a Chef".......2007-03-07
I've become quite a fan of Ruhlman's writing, having first read his "Soul of a Chef" three years ago -- I couldn't put it down, and I continue to read it once a year. Hungry for more, I found "The Making of a Chef" at my local library, which I enjoyed, but the book (his first on the subject) definitely felt like he was still finding his culinary-literary feet. When I learned of "The Reach of a Chef," I was positively giddy and snatched up a copy. It was fun being reintroduced to the world of Keller, learning about the author's experiences with Bourdain and Ripert, and discovering seasonal Maine cooking at Primo, but ultimately I was disappointed: "Reach" doesn't capture the same refined emotion and passion as "Soul" by any means.
But perhaps it's just an accurate reflection of the subject -- how far does a chef's reach extend in America? The vast majority of our cooks aren't fascinating stars like Keller, Symon, Polcyn. They are instead the mediocre, spotlight-seeking Cat Coras and Rachael Rays who slither into our living rooms.
Like the over-commercialized culinary world, "Reach of a Chef" is crowded and a bit confused. Choose Ruhlman's superb earlier works for a more satisfying read.
Mature writing on an ever-evolving subject.......2007-01-17
Michael Ruhlman has been our companion and guide as we've been the guides for our son, a recent graduate of the CIA's Culinary Program. Back when we were reading "The Making of a Chef," our son was working lowly jobs in local restaurants. By the time we were reading "The Soul of a Chef", he was working for his first CIA grad, Paul Trujillo, who just happens to have been in Ruhlman's first class and is mentioned in this book. Ruhlman opened the door to this fascinating school, Trujillo told us that our son had the talent and drive to succeed in this demanding school, and a truly outstanding CIA grad, Chef Eric Erway, became our son's mentor at Job Corps. They all paved the way for a crazy kid to find out what he was really made of.
This book is so rewarding on so many levels. Other reviewers have written eloquently about the chefs we meet in this book. For me, though, it's the return to the CIA that is most personally significant. Through this book, we get to see the school through an older man's eyes, one who knows how to ask even better questions. We can see how the CIA has evolved along with the profession. Most of all, though, we get to enjoy what I believe to be the evolution of Ruhlman's writing itself. The maturity he brings to this book is most evident toward the end - don't miss it!
All I can say is "thank you, Michael Ruhlman" for continuing to shed light on this fascinating and confusing profession as our son wends his way through the journey of becoming a chef. He just started the Baking and Pastry program. Can't wait to see what comes next!
The Brand of a Chef: Is a Food Network Show More Important than Learning to Cook?.......2007-01-12
That question is perhaps the major leit motif of Ruhlman's latest work. "Reach" spends significant time revisiting the CIA instructors and classes that Ruhlman wrote about in "Soul of a Chef", noting the "wussification" (my word) of current students vs. those from just a few years ago.
Ruhlman makes the point that the CIA is no longer simply about cooking, but also about the restaurant business. And the restaurant business is no longer simply about food. It's now about celebrity and riches.
Despite this premise being threaded through the vignettes Ruhlman presents at restaurants such as Primo, Per Se and Alinea, as well as insider's views of Emeril and Rachael Ray, when Ruhlman gets to discussing the incredible Masa, the superficiality of any student designing a path toward celebrity seems an empty pursuit.
The yin-yang of presenting Keller's Per Se story right before Masa's is genius on Ruhlman's part - and that the two restaurants are next-door neighbors in NYC is all the more amazing.
At the end, we're left perhaps with a little more respect for Ray, a bit of sadness for Keller, a desire to drop $430 at Masa and a curiosity as to where Grant Aschatz is headed next - perhaps right past Ferran Adria as the most compelling working chef today.
It's a great read. I'm in the business, but I think even those who aren't but just like food will love this book.
Amazon.com
Julie & Julia is the story of Julie Powell's attempt to revitalize her marriage, restore her ambition, and save her soul by cooking all 524 recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume I, in a period of 365 days. The result is a masterful medley of Bridget Jones' Diary meets Like Water for Chocolate, mixed with a healthy dose of original wit, warmth, and inspiration that sets this memoir apart from most tales of personal redemption.
When we first meet Julie, she's a frustrated temp-to-perm secretary who slaves away at a thankless job, only to return to an equally demoralizing apartment in the outer boroughs of Manhattan each evening. At the urging of Eric, her devoted and slightly geeky husband, she decides to start a blog that will chronicle what she dubs the "Julie/Julia Project." What follows is a year of butter-drenched meals that will both necessitate the wearing of an unbearably uncomfortable girdle on the hottest night of the year, as well as the realization that life is what you make of it and joy is not as impossible a quest as it may seem, even when it's -10 degrees out and your pipes are frozen.
Powell is a natural when it comes to connecting with her readers, which is probably why her blog generated so much buzz, both from readers and media alike. And while her self-deprecating sense of humor can sometimes dissolve into whininess, she never really loses her edge, or her sense of purpose. Even on day 365, she's working her way through Mayonnaise Collee and ending the evening "back exactly where we started--just Eric and me, three cats and Buffy...sitting on a couch in the outer boroughs, eating, with Julia chortling alongside us...."
Inspired and encouraging, Julie and Julia is a unique opportunity to join one woman's attempt to change her life, and have a laugh, or ten, along the way. --Gisele Toueg
Book Description
Julie Julia is the story of Julie Powell's attempt to revitalizeher marriage, restore her ambition, and save her soul by cooking all 524recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, VolumeI, in a period of 365 days.The result is a masterful medley of BridgetJones' Diary meets Like Water for Chocolate, mixed with a healthy dose oforiginal wit, warmth, and inspiration that sets this memoir apart from mosttales of personal redemption.When we first meet Julie, she's a frustrated temp-to-perm secretary whoslaves away at a thankless job, only to return to an equally demoralizingapartment in the outer boroughs of Manhattan each evening. At the urging ofEric, her devoted and slightly geeky husband, she decides to start a blogthat will chronicle what she dubs the "Julie/Julia Project." What follows isa year of butter-drenched meals that will both necessitate the wearing of anunbearably uncomfortable girdle on the hottest night of the year, as well asthe realization that life is what you make of it and joy is not asimpossible a quest as it may seem, even when it's -10 degrees out and yourpipes are frozen.Powell is a natural when it comes to connecting with her readers, which isprobably why her blog generated so much buzz, both from readers and mediaalike. And while her self-deprecating sense of humor can sometimes dissolveinto whininess, she never really loses her edge, or her sense of purpose.Even on day 365, she's working her way through Mayonnaise Collee and endingthe evening "back exactly where we started--just Eric and me, three cats andBuffy...sitting on a couch in the outer boroughs, eating, with Juliachortling alongside us...."Inspired and encouraging, Julie and Julia is a unique opportunity tojoin one woman's attempt to change her life, and have a laugh, or ten, alongthe way. --Gisele Toueg
Customer Reviews:
Barely discuess cooking!.......2007-10-09
I picked up the audio book version of this unfortunate tome hoping to hear something in the Ruth Riechl vein, but instead was treated to the self obsessed ramblings of a bored secretary with family issues. The novel bore very little relation to its title. Additionally, my wife who is more sensitive to obscene or "adult" topics found this book very offensive, and whenever I vainly attempted to fast forward past the offending passage, I inevitably encountered another. Don't buy this book!
Entertaining and thoughtful memoir.......2007-09-10
A lot of people were turned off by Julie Powell's sailor mouth and irreverence. However, neither of these things bothered me. I thought she had an engaging voice and an admirable quest. Even though I'm vegetarian and the thought of boiling a lobster alive sickens me, I liked the idea of a downtrodden secretary taking the reins and finding some meaning in her life.
Powell does ramble sometimes, but the book has plenty of laugh-out-loud moments to make up for it. And her stick-to-it-iveness makes her a fun protagonist to root for.
I would recommend this to anyone who has a sense of humor and is not Republican (she does whale on the GOP a lot).
Slow service!!!!!!.......2007-08-23
It took almost a month to get the book and it was not quite what I expected. I was hoping for a fun book to read and its borderline boring!!
I did not like this book.......2007-08-05
After reading some of the reviews I see that there seem to be two sets of camps regarding this book: folks either loved it or hated it. I guess I'll have hang out with the haters. Julie Powell comes off as an extremely unpleasant, immature little princess. It's a good idea: a year cooking from Julia Child's French cooking book but it's just so hard to read. The whole thing is snark and whine and it tiresome after a few chapters.
Made me cry.......2007-07-28
Mastering the Art of French Cooking was an important part of my childhood. My Mom had a copy that was always on the shelf in the kitchen, and it turns out she gave copies to all her friends when I was little. I was visiting one set of godparents recently and they showed me their copy, which was actually inscribed from me, aged about 1 1/2, saying "Thank you for babysitting me." And when other other godparents both passed away last year, my sister inherited the dining table, china and cookbook, including a copy from my Mom saying, "Thank you for being such a gracious hostess."
So we could relate to Julie - a second-generation inheriter of the book but hapless cook and confused about the direction of her life. I thought it was rollicking good fun all the way through, but then as she got closer to her goal and talked about the impact it had on her, I found myself weeping uncontrollably. I cry all the time at movies, but almost never when reading a book. I found this book not just funny, but an inspiring tale about pursuing excellence and conquering difficult challenges, and about giving meaning to your life at a time when you're feeling lost.
Book Description
From one of the leading lights of contemporary gastronomy comes an irresistible collection of slow-cooked, flavor-drenched dishes from the cuisines of the Mediterranean
Who can resist the sensuous delights of a slow-simmered stew, salmon fillet slow-roasted until it is soft as silk, or leg of lamb braised until it is meltingly tender? Slow cooking is the hottest new trend in food, and no one better captures the art of sumptuous, unhurried cooking than renowned food writer Paula Wolfert. In The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen, she returns to her favorite culinary regions and shares an enticing treasure trove of more than 150 authentic recipes that wend their way from North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean to Italy, Spain, and the South of France. With her trademark passion for detail and curiosity about cultural traditions and innovations, she offers loyal fans and new converts the secrets to simmering, slow roasting, braising, poaching, and marinating their way to flavor-drenched dishes that capture the enchanting tastes and aromas of the Mediterranean table. Perfect for anyone who loves to cook, this rich resource is a must-have for the bookshelf of everyone who is serious about food.
Paula Wolfert (Sonoma, CA) is widely acknowledged to be the premier food writer in America. Her writing has received many awards, including the Julia Child Award, the M.F.K. Fisher Award, and the James Beard Award. She has a regular column in Food & Wine magazine, and her articles have appeared in such major publications as the New York Times, Saveur, Bon Appétit, and Cook's Illustrated. She is the author of six other cookbooks, including Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco, Mediterranean Cooking, and The Cooking of South-West France.
Customer Reviews:
Paula Wolfert is Sublime.......2007-09-27
It can be no mistake that this book is addressed to the passionate cook. As others have stated, most recipes are labors of love, requiring hours and often days to complete. This passionate cook states emphatically that they are worth it.
Those who dislike or are not willing to devote the time and patience and sometimes lengthy ingredient lists needed to create her dishes should look elsewhere for cooking inspiration - this book is not for them. If, however, you have the time, passion, and slower outlook and lifestyle which are the hallmarks of Mediterranean cooks, then this book is a jewel.
I will single out a few recipes of the many I have made and the one I come back to time and again is the Gazpacho With Melon. I have never tasted a more beautifully complex cold soup. Both light and deep, it sings on the tongue and will dazzle anyone lucky enough to taste it. Spicy Mussels with Herbs and Feta Cheese and eaten like a soup are the only way I serve mussels now. Greek and Moroccan lamb stews, braised veal, slow-cooked duck and chicken - every recipe delights.
This book takes me back to time spent around the Mediterranean, time that was slower, more fully experienced, and far better flavoured than anywhere else. Time filled with passion :)
This cookbook is a good read.......2007-03-30
I have enjoyed just sitting down and reading this cookbook. I look forward to trying many of the recipes included in the book.
I've only tried two recipes so far..........2007-02-28
...but both were disappointing. The "Fall-Apart Lamb Shanks" were good--but after marinating overnight and more than seven hours of careful prep and cooking (to say nothing of the expense), they should have been grrrreatt! The "Golden Potato Gratin" was bland. The recipe suggested using one of three cheeses; I used Buffalo mozzarella because I couldn't find either of the other two suggestions. Maybe if I'd used one of them, the flavor would have been brighter--but the third cheese suggestion WAS mozzarella! I am glad I tried this on my patient, forgiving husband first rather than serving it to company.
Transforming.......2005-10-20
I never thought I would consider a cook book to be transforming, but that has been my experience with The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen. It has changed my cooking habits more than any cookbook I own (some 40 - 50 at this point, and still growing).
Cooking has been a long haul for me. I used to not like it at all, and considered anything that took longer than 10 minutes to prepare from start to finish as being way too involved! But by the time I have reached Wolfert's Mediterranean masterpiece, maybe I was ready to be picked. I absolutely savored Wolfert's long leisurely approach to preparing food. Now I'm somewhat disappointed if a dish doesn't take at least a whole day to prepare (cutting the amount of time one can enjoy making the dish.) Cooking a complicated recipe (not that these recipes are all that comlicated) now seems like an invigorating puzzle, the challenge being to get the pieces to go together just right.
I've learned so much from this book. First, how to roast a perfect chicken! That in itself is worth kajillions. Second, the very best way to roast rack of lamb. Also, one recipe involved a two hour preparation of carmelized onions. I always wanted to know how to properly do that. I guess, in the final analysis, this book has contributed more than any other book in making me a passionate cook, or at least pointing me in that direction. Introducing me to a very interesting cuisine is frosting on the cake.
Typos, major steps left out, dead ends........2005-05-12
My wife and I are on our third recipe. We are experienced amatures, so we knew a few instructions were being left out here and there, but, what do you do with the ingredients that are never brought back into the dish. The ideas are great and I'm sure dinner at the authors home would be quite thrilling, but forget this book if you want to prepare food without a lot of guess work.
Customer Reviews:
Great Resource For Losing Weight.......2004-01-07
I've had this cookbook for over a year and it is without doubt the best one in my collection. The recipes are easy to follow and taste great. I've tried numerous ones over the year and every one I've tried has come out perfectly! In addition, there are pages of tips on how to prepare foods that any cook can find helpful. As part of a total weight loss program, this book is a must!
A Treasury of Tips, Charts and Yummy Recipes!.......2002-07-03
This is a great reference for people wanting to cook a little healthier. There are a host of suggestions on how to convert existing recipes to a lower fat menu and there are many illustrations to support the many tips and charts. You will learn how to substitute lower fat ingredients for butter and oil without compromising the taste of your food. The authors discuss the many types of rice, flour, grains, herbs, spices etc. and guide you in selecting the appropriate one for your particular needs. In short, this book is a cooking class in healthy living. Buy this one...you will use it often!
P.S. Weight Watchers' clients will particularly like this book. The nutritional information necessary for calculating Winning Points is included with every recipe and you will have a huge number of dishes that you may prepare within your program.
Low-fat Gourmet cooking?.......2001-12-29
This book is fantastic. Everything tastes like gourmet cooking.
Some of the recipes are fairly simple while others are not. This book is great for people who love to cook and want low-fat alternatives that taste great. Fair warning though this isn't one of those quickie meal recipe books. It is the best cookbook I own, regardless of the low-fat. It gives tons of information on exotic as well as common ingredients. It is a great gourment recipe book as well as instructional cooking book. Not only does this book tell you how to cook everything (poultry, seafood, vegetables, desserts, etc.) it also includes a nice sampling of international recipes for added flair, Spinach/cheese enchiladas, Greek Moussaka, Squash stuffed with Mediterranean grains, to name just a few. You won't get bored.
Low-fat Gourmet cooking?.......2001-12-29
This book is fantastic. Everything tastes like gourmet cooking.
Some of the recipes are fairly simple while others are not. This book is great for people who love to cook and want low-fat alternatives that taste great. Fair warning though this isn't one of those quickie meal recipe books. It is the best cookbook I own, regardless of the low-fat. It gives tons of information on exotic as well as common ingredients. It is a great gourment recipe book as well as instructional cooking book.
Most Healthy and Helpful Cookbook Ever.......2001-03-29
This cookbook takes recipes ever one likes-- and makes it healthy-- I love this cookbook-- use it every day.. the baking , main meals and desserts are good-- the fat has been cut but still there is lots of favor in the food. You feel like you are doing something right for your family. Highly recommend for beginner cooks also--has lots of helpful hints..
Books:
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- Hot Rock Sax - Techniques, Licks And Effects
- How to Grill: The Complete Illustrated Book of Barbecue Techniques
- How To Pronounce French, German, and Italian Wine Names (Let's Learn!)
- If You Give a Moose a Muffin (If You Give...)
- Into the Woods (Vocal Score)
- Kaiseki: The Exquisite Cuisine of Kyoto's Kikunoi Restaurant
- Lean and Luscious Favorites: The World's Best 301 Lowfat Recipes: Delicious, Easy to Prepare, Fun, and Healthful! (Lean and Luscious)
- Life Is Meals: A Food Lover's Book of Days
- Mangoes & Curry Leaves: Culinary Travels Through the Great Subcontinent
Books Index
Books Home
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- Untitled
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The Nasty Bits: Collected Varietal Cuts, Usable Trim, Scraps, and Bones
Kitchen Confidential Updated Ed: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly (P.S.)
My Life in France
Suite Francaise
The Reach of a Chef: Beyond the Kitchen
