Amazon.com
Fans of Tender at the Bone and Comfort Me with Apples know that Ruth Reichl is a wonderful memoirist--a funny, poignant, and candid storyteller whose books contain a happy mix of memories, recipes, and personal revelations.
Amazon.com Interview
We chewed the fat with Ruth. Read our interview. | |
What they might not fully appreciate is that Reichl is an absolute marvel when it comes to writing about food--she can describe a dish in such satisfying detail that it becomes unnecessary for readers to eat. In her third memoir, Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise, Reichl focuses on her life as a food critic, dishing up a feast of fabulous meals enjoyed during her tenure at The New York Times. As a critic, Reichl was determined to review the "true" nature of each restaurant she visited, so she often dined incognito--each chapter of her book highlights a new disguise, a different restaurant (including the original reviews from the Times), and a fresh culinary adventure. Garlic and Sapphires is another delicious and delightful book, sure to satisfy Reichl's foodie fans and leave admirerers looking forward to her next book, hopefully about her life with Gourmet. --Daphne Durham
More from Ruth Reichl
Tender at the Bone |
Comfort Me with Apples |
The Gourmet Cookbook |
Remembrance of Things Paris |
Endless Feasts |
Gourmet magazine |
Amazon.com's The Significant Seven
Ruth Reichl answers the seven questions we ask every author.
Q: What book has had the most significant impact on your life?
A: Kate Simon's New York Places and Pleasures. I read it as a little girl and then went out and wandered the city. She was a wonderful writer, and she taught me not only to see New York in a whole new way, but to look, and taste, beneath the surface.
Q: You are stranded on a desert island with only one book, one CD, and one DVD--what are they?
A: Ulysses by James Joyce. What better place to finally get through it?
Keith Jarrett's The Köln Concert. If you're going to listen to one piece over and over, this is one that doesn't get tiresome.
How to Build a Boat in Five Easy Steps. Since I'm going to be watching one movie over and over, it might as well be useful.
Q: What is the worst lie you've ever told?
A: I'm such a good liar, I wouldn't know where to begin.
Q: Describe the perfect writing environment.
A: I can write pretty much anywhere. But I prefer small, cozy spaces, with a good view over a lake or a forest, and room for the cats to curl up.
Q: If you could write your own epitaph, what would it say?
A: "She'll be right back."
Q: Who is the one person living or dead that you would like to have dinner with?
A: Elizabeth I. She fascinates me. She had a great mind, enormous appetites--and she was a survivor. The most interesting woman of an interesting time, and I have a million questions I'd like to ask her.
Q: If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
A: You mean after creating world peace? This is a hard one. But I've always wanted to be able to fly.
Book Description
Ruth Reichl, world-renowned food critic and editor in chief of Gourmet magazine, knows a thing or two about food. She also knows that as the most important food critic in the country, you need to be anonymous when reviewing some of the most high-profile establishments in the biggest restaurant town in the world—a charge she took very seriously, taking on the guise of a series of eccentric personalities. In Garlic and Sapphires, Reichl reveals the comic absurdity, artifice, and excellence to be found in the sumptuously appointed stages of the epicurean world and gives us—along with some of her favorite recipes and reviews—her remarkable reflections on how one's outer appearance can influence one's inner character, expectations, and appetites, not to mention the quality of service one receives.
“This wonderful book is funny—at times laugh-out-loud funny—and smart and wise.” —The Washington Post
“Reichl is so gifted . . . the reader remains hungry for more.” —USA Today
“Expansive and funny.” —Entertainment Weekly
Customer Reviews:
Made me happy!!!!!.......2007-10-09
This book made me so happy! It was just such a fun read. Anyone who's into food will love this book. She's a very clever writer. I didn't want the book to end!!!
food service for the high and mighty.......2007-09-14
I like the book til about 3/4 of the book. It was cute in the beginning, but it was getting tiresome. There were parts of the book that was funny. But, if you don't go to expensive restaurants, and know about gourmet foods and restaurants. It becomes tedious. I had a hard time relating since I don't go to pricy reataurants. But, it did give you a different outlook on the restaurant business. How they treat you. I go to my local restaurant, or coffe shop any day. They know my name, and it is personal. But, in these xpensive restaurants you have the status if you are somebody, and they will seat at the best table in the house. Getting back to the book, The best part were the disguises, how her family felt when she had all the disguises, now that was funny. The treatments of the customers if you were famous. They would get the best table in the house. And when she was found out to be the food critic of TNYT. Then they gave her the best table, the best wines, made sure she had a full glass of wine. I never even thought of going to a restaurant and being a social event.
Outstanding!! I Didn't want it to end!.......2007-09-12
The title of Gourmet magazine editor Ruth Reichl's third food memoir comes from TS Eliot's Four Quartets and is courtesy Ruth's husband, Michael but the reader doesn't understand his reasoning for the quote until near the end of this delightful collection of tales of Reichl's time as food editor of the New York Times.
Filled with stories of her life as a critic, reviews of New York restaurants--well known and some not as well known, as well as recipes, this book is absolutely unputdownable. Imagine, if you will, how Ruth discovers, on a trip to NYC that her photo is plastered on bulletin boards in restaurants all over the city and decides that that she's not going to be able to go to restaurants as herself and fairly do a critique. Instead she devises a plan. She will go incognito. Ruth enlists an old friend of her mother's who was an acting coach and with her help she becomes Molly, a middle aged woman from the Midwest; Brenda a vivacious and friendly woman; the sexy Chloe; Betty a plain elderly woman, and even Miriam her own cantankerous mother. As one can well imagine, these women get very different treatment from one another and VERY different treatment from Ruth Reichl, the food critic.
My mouth was watering as I read of Ruth's experiences in restaurants that I can only dream of eating at in NYC (although I do admit that I will attempt some good sushi again after reading how it is properly eaten) and I know that many a fine eating experience will be enhanced.
I borrowed the three Ruth Reichl books from the library, but will be buying copies of my own for my keeper shelf. I am not sure if I will eventually try any of the recipes, but I sure want to. The only thing that disappointed me was that after reading these three books, one right after another, that there are no more Ruth Reichl books to read. I guess I am going to have to satisfy myself with a subscription to Gourmet magazine and hope she has another book in her future with which to entertain her legions of fans.
Hysterical undercover foray into upper crust elitism.......2007-08-09
This is Ruth Reichl's third book in her witty autobiographical series chronicling life from food poisoned youth to New York's most esteemed food critic. This book describes in hilarious detail the many disguises she assumed to turn the world of food critiquing into a reality show of epic proportions! Laugh out loud good. One should really start with her first book, "Tender to the Bone", to get the full effect of this writer's charm.
Conspicuous Consumption.......2007-07-15
This book left me feeling like I consumed too much, uncomfortable and wondering why I spent so much time doing it. It's a little interesting in the way that it's a little interesting to know what Paris Hilton is saying and doing. In fact it may be exactly the same as reading this book. The author is good at describing food but not that wonderful at making the stories involving. Her fascination with herself bleeds into bizarre as she dons disguises at various times. I found her reviews and the peek at the underbelly of the New York Times fairly intriguing. However, the uncomfortable feeling comes from my understanding of how the privileged in this country have taken conspicuous consumption to obscene levels and we all become participants by glorify them. I don't want to know any more about Paris Hilton or read any more food orgies thank you very much.
Amazon.com
Anne Fletcher is a registered dietician who studied 208 "masters" who succeeded in losing an average of 64 pounds and keeping the weight off. She revealed their keys to success in Thin for Life. In Eating Thin for Life, Fletcher explores the eating habits and recipes of these weight-control successes. They share how they ate when they were heavy, how they motivated themselves to change, what eating plans helped them lose weight, and how they continue to keep their weight low. The masters share the strategies that help them stick to healthy, slimming eating choices--and enjoy the foods they choose. The book is particularly remarkable because there isn't some celebrity or expert telling you what to eat: The people who have accomplished their goals in diverse ways describe how they did it, with Fletcher filling in nutritional information to supplement the masters' points.
Eating Thin for Life is divided into food secrets (such as how to control binge eating and how to eat in restaurants), menu plans (with calorie and fat analysis), and 122 favorite recipes (with nutritional breakdowns). Quotes and stories from the masters make you feel that if they could do it, so can you. --Joan Price
Book Description
In Eating Thin For Life, the real experts-hundreds of people from all walks of life who have shed unwanted pounds permanently-reveal how they manage their food lives: in the kitchen, at the table and in restaurants. From these 'masters' of weight loss, you'll learn how to enjoy food without being a slave to calorie counting. How to handle the tough times, from quitting smoking to having babies to dealing with pushy people. In short, you'll learn how these 'masters of weight control' get themselves to do the things we all know we should do-but can't seem to get ourselves to do-to lose weight permanently. Plus: --An easy weight-loss plan: 21 days of breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks from the masters. --122 of the masters' favorite low-fat recipes-from Pineapple Right-side-Up Coffee Cake to Oven-Fried Chicken to Rich Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Sauce.
Customer Reviews:
Fast service.......2007-10-11
Thank you very much for the fast and friendly service. Would recommend to others and buy again from you myself. Thank You.
fantastic follow-up to Thin for Life.......2007-05-06
This book is a great sequel to Anne Fletcher's previous book, Thin for Life on eating healthy and losing weight. While I recommend reading Thin for Life first for a lot of great tips on motivation and long-term strategies, Eating Thin for Life has inspiring stories from people who lost weight and a number of strategies as well.
The best aspects of this book are its recipes. It has a short section with suggestions of quick, balanced meals and snacks of set calorie value that you can put together with little to no cooking. Additionally, it has a longer section containing tons of recipes of all kinds - salads, main dishes, breakfasts, quick breads, desserts, etc. The recipes are surprisingly delicious and satisfying for how healthy they are, and I've already learned new cooking techniques for creating healthier recipes of my own. This book has helped me make a permanent switch to a better lifestyle and lose weight in the process!
Outstanding resource!.......2002-12-31
If you are a life-long yo-yo dieter like me, this is a book that will give you hope for your future efforts in the weight loss struggle. Anne Fletcher has provided helpful weight loss and maintenance tips and strategies from the "masters"...those folks who have lost weight and kept it off for years. It's a "must read" for anyone who is tired of the weight loss merry-go-round. Very encouraging!
Should be Eating Healthy for Life!.......2001-10-01
I hate the idea that being thin is healthy. Just because you are thin doesn't mean you are healthy. That said I wanted to say that I really enjoyed this book! I read it in two days, it usually takes me a month or so to read diet books. Diet books are so boring! This isn't really a diet book but a motivating to be healthy book!
The ideas behind the book are so simple, to lose weight and to maintain that weight. There are tips in here that seem so obvious but we tend to forget, we beat ourselves up and then start the process all over again.
This book will really help you lose all the weight you want!.......2001-08-14
This is the first diet book I have read that I really feel I can do it. It teaches you a new way of eating that is healthy, but good and the same time. This is something I plan on continuing the rest of my life. She explained everything wonderfully. I would recommend this book to anyone who is having trouble losing weight. I have accually bought the book for friends who wanted help with weight. She also provides tons of quick and easy recipes you will love. This will be the last diet book you ever buy!
Average customer rating:
- RAW TO RADIANT
- Rawsome!
- Great Introduction to Raw
- Inspiring to improve health
- What a disappointment!
|
Raw To Radiant: The Secrets to a Long Life of Radiant Health through Raw Foods
Kim Cohen
Manufacturer: Lulu.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Family Health
| Parenting & Families
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Parenting & Families
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
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ASIN: 1847285015 |
Book Description
Like no raw foods book you will ever read! This book will change the way you look at food for the rest of your life. You will learn the truth about how cooked foods contribute to disease in the body and how a raw diet can assist in the detoxification and rebuilding process. This is not a book about sprouting, soaking, dehydrating or pulverizing and reshaping foods to trying to get them to resemble something like pizza. It provides evidence that humans are meat eaters and tells how a diet of raw meats, raw fats (including raw diary products), raw fruit and vegetable juices, raw nuts/seeds and their oils provide us with all the nutrients we need for a long life of radiant health. How does Wild Salmon Ceviche' and Banana/Ginger ice cream sound? Raw to Radiant will truly change your life! You will no longer fear disease and growing older. You will look and feel younger and healthier. Your food addictions will gradually fade away and you will be able to live your life with health and vitality.
Customer Reviews:
RAW TO RADIANT .......2007-10-06
Think twice before you purchase Kim Cohen's Raw to Radiant. For $19.95 you receive a generic book printed with large print, large margins, with many pages double spaced. Also some of the pages are totally blank on the back side. This book is a waste of money. If Kim printed this book like normal authors this book could have been published as 25 pages. Most of her comments are the works of someone else. Just elementary tidbits we have all read before. Beware!!!This is not a raw vegan book. She advocates adding 2-3 raw eggs in your smoothie. Thats right 2-3 raw eggs. Drink this before you eat her raw chicken recipe. I gave Kim one star because she uses a Green Star Juicer.
Rawsome!.......2007-07-08
A fantastic intro to the world of raw food lifestyles. Transcending the tired old raw foodie fixation on sprouts, fruit smoothies and carrot juice (not that there is anything wrong with that) Kim Cohen opens up the wide world of raw ANIMAL foods.
From the familiar raw milk, sashemi and steak tartare that are so popular today in California and fashionable eateries everyhwere, to a sober discussion about why we can also enjoy raw cheese, eggs, cream and honey in a smorgasbord of sensational healthful recipes, Raw to Radiant is the real deal.
Building on the pioneering nutritional work done by the likes of Price, Pottenger, Vonderplanitz and Mercola, Cohen surfs the final frontier of food lifestyles in a fun, refreshing, accessible and easy to read book.
Great Introduction to Raw.......2007-02-03
This is a great book to get you started on a healing raw food diet. Kim Cohen has a common sense approach and step-by-step recommendations to transitioning into eating raw. Many people are turned off by this idea, partly because of the bombardment of information from the mainstream medical community and the pharmaceutical industry regarding the dangers of bacteria from eating raw foods. But we are the only species to eat cooked food, and even that is relatively recent in the history of our species. We need bacteria to survive, and many phobias about eating raw meat are misconstrued. Kim describes how cooking our food destroys necessary enzymes for digestion, and how raw fats can help absorb toxins in our body and flush them out.
If you are interested in a more extensive overview of the subject, see the books written by Aajonus Vonderplanitz. But Kim Cohen's book is a good way to introduce you to these concepts and is a wonderful companion book to anyone wanting to learn about how to get well through eating whole foods, and not by taking drugs or supplements which just introduce more toxins into our already toxin-infested bodies.
After only a week on this diet I was amazed at how my body felt like it was finally getting what it needed. Cravings went away. The cookies stayed in the cupboard uneaten. I have a friend who has been on this diet for over a year, and her health has improved considerably. After only three months I am already seeing chronic symptoms such as lymph tenderness and painful arthritic joints disappear. Kim Cohen's book was my first step in this direction.
Inspiring to improve health.......2007-01-13
This book helped me decide that I can change to all raw foods.There are some nice recipes to get started
What a disappointment!.......2006-12-06
This book was a real disappointment. Not only is it filled with inaccuracies, this woman can't even spell right! I've never seen so many typos in a book. I'm sorry I wasted my money on this. There are MUCH better raw food books out there. I was also disgusted that she pushes raw animal flesh. That's a disaster waiting to happen. I'm hoping to get my money back.
Book Description
A culinary travel odyssey in which the reader is introduced to a wide variety of exotic, yet obtainable ingredients and then initiated into their usage in the greatest street cuisine on the planet. An accompanying MAC and PC compatible CD-ROM includes hours of movies, music and sound that provide the viewer with a window into everyday Indonesian cultural and culinary life.
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful presentation throughout - authentic food.......2006-03-22
I love the way Miller presents his stories, pictures and foods on this book.
I do notice that Miller uses substitution. For example,he indicated green onion as garnish to 'Soto Ayam'. In most parts of Indonesia, the garnish is actually Chinese eelery, not green onion. Chinese celery is usually readily available in many Asian grocery stores in the West Coast.
Title: No "secrets", but plenty of good recipes.......2005-12-29
This is a wonderful book for fans of Indonesian culture and cuisine. It comes with an interactive CD-ROM that augments the content with music, videos, scalable recipes and ingredient pronunciations! Any Indonesian traveler will immediately recognize favorites such as gado-gado, tempe kering and opor ayam. The recipes are easy to follow and result in authentic-tasting food.
On the downside, the CD-ROM has a few minor problems. Navigation is slow and cumbersome, the graphics are grainy and there are spurious characters in some of the descriptions. (Perhaps due to my running it on a PC.) The content focuses mainly on Central Java, the cultural heartland of Indonesia, interesting for beginners but leaving many other areas, such as Bali, barely touched. Hardcore Indonesiaphiles will be disappointed. This also goes for the recipes - few from Lombok, Nusa Tenggara, Sulawesi, Kalimantan or the Moluccas. Some of the photos in the book are grainy, poorly reproduced or just not very good.
Despite the downsides, the book is well worth the price. Enjoy!
This is the real thing!.......2005-03-10
Having spent eight months living in Bali, I have a homesick spot for the food I ate there. This is the first Indonesian cookbook I've seen that contains recipes for just about all the dishes I actually ate while I was there. Not foofie, fancy food, this what I, and the Balinese, ate day in and day out, whether bought from the warungs and bakso carts or served by Ibu at family dinners with friends. I haven't tried any of the recipes yet (I just got the book and CD) but from those I already make, I can say the recipes are authentic, and I want to try just about every one of them! Well done!
An impressive compilation of ethic family recipes.......2003-05-17
Indonesia is the fourth largest country in the world and home to the largest Islamic population on earth. Indonesian Street Food Secrets: A Culinary Travel Odyssey is an impressive compilation of ethic family recipes that are prepared right on the sidewalk by Indonesian food vendors. Enhanced with 230 color photographs of the food and culture, Indonesian Street Food Secrets also includes an accompanying CD-ROM providing hours of movies, sounds and recipes that are customizable for their degree of "hotness" and party size. With its collection of authentic recipes, Indonesian Street Food Secrets will prove to be a unique addition to kitchen cookbook collections and is especially recommended to dining clubs wanting to celebrate the culinary traditions of the Indonesian archipelago!
A Beautiful Book.......2003-02-25
Although I have never been to Indonesia, nor am I an experienced cook, I found this book fascinating. It really is about the Indonesian culture as it is represented by its food. The photos are outstanding and give the reader a non-tourist view of of this intriguing land. The recipes are easy to follow and the author gives substitute ingredients if the more exotic foods can not be found. I very much enjoyed reading the information sections and can't wait to try some of the recipes.
Book Description
We read Genesis 1 and know that God's creation is a masterpiece, but do we realize
how good His creation is? Do we realize that the vitamins, minerals, and fibers in the foods He created so intimately coincide with the needs of our bodies that to live without them is impossible? Vegetables, grains, fruits, honey, milk, meats, oils, water--all are essential for a healthy existence.
To encourage proper stewardship of God's gifts of health and life, Joyce Rogers introduces you to the world of natural foods, a world where nutrition not only provides the basic elements for life, but also becomes the basis for many of the images within the Christian life. The Bread of Life, the Living Water, the Blood of Christ--all take on even greater significance as Rogers explains the nutritional value of natural foods and their effect upon our bodies.
With information like this, Rogers impresses you with the need for healthy consumption. With spiritual applications, she challenges you to evaluate your own eating habits. And with tips and recipes, she inspires you to experiment and form new culinary customs and traditions. When you appreciate the intricate relationship between food and life, then you will see in a new way all that God has made and know that it is good.
Customer Reviews:
Good Foundation.......2007-09-10
As a previous reviewer stated, this is a great book for beginners. If you have already done research on Biblical Based nutrition, this book will just reiterate items you have already learned. It was an easy read, but it gave lots of valuable information, and more importantly, it gave great references to expound on all topics. One of the books she references a few times is Rex Russell's "What the Bible Says About Healthy Living". I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone interested in Biblical Nutrition. There are several subjects addressed in both Rex Russell's book and Mrs. Rogers book that I want to explore further, and Joyce listed many of those books which I will look into.
And, there is a section in the back that has some good recipes. So, all in all, a great book to use as a spring board into the wonderful world of Nutrition--not as much detail as some would like, but the resources to find the wanted detail.
Good for Beginners.......2007-06-09
This book is alright if you're just beginning to look into eating healthier. I did enjoy the Scriptural insight. However, you can tell this is a nice lady who has done a lot of reading and tried to capsulize everything she's learned into one tiny little book. She says as much herself.
With good intentions she makes many statements without much backing - relying on common knowledge from what the media pumps out - and lots of other statements quoted directly from doctors, books, etc. Several foundational statements she makes I rejected, because in my research and reading I found information that shows the opposite. I just did my best to eat all the good hay and spit out the few sticks.
I thought the book would focus mainly on Scripture, and in many ways it did. However, many of the foundational principles were still taken from doctors or research or other books, without biblical basis. It just depends what you are looking for. If you are just starting out on the healthy eating journey, this is a great jumping off point. The author includes a lot of wonderful self-examining questions and suggestions for how to start from where you are today.
There were also several subjects left out that I wish had been covered, i.e. sprouting, soaking, fermentation, etc.
Little book with lots of information!.......2005-01-07
Joyce Rogers does a great job of explaining some basic principles of healthy foods. I really enjoyed the biblical examples she used in it also. This book was the starting point of some major changes in my diet. It wasn't to overwhelming, and she also has ideas for small steps towards the dietary changes, instead of shocking your family with lots of sudden ones. I love Joyce Rogers too...she is such a wonderful sweet woman!
Hold it RIGHT there!...drop that bag of chips..........2002-04-18
For a long time I've had something of a general interest in nutrition and, more recently, have been interested in knowing what the Bible has to say about nutrition and certain foods. I'd been recently exposed to some who feel that God intended for folks to eat the way they did in the Garden of Eden (all raw fruits and vegetables). I think that's commendable when folks are led that way, but what I really want in my life is balance. This author really presents that balance in this book. She takes many categories of food (dairy, meat, oil, fruits, veggies and grains) and examines what the Bible has to say on each. She gives various scriptural references (I had my Bible right beside me, checking this stuff out for myself) on the foods mentioned and, best of all, she gives practical and spiritual applications that cause us to examine how and what we are eating. Moreover, on a spiritual level, she asks us to examine what it is we are hungry for, or what it is we are thirsting for. What are our spiritual diets like? Are we eating what cannot satisfy and drinking what cannot truly quench?
The author gives insights and suggestions I can live with, and that's really important to me. Also, I could eat raw fruits and vegetables all day long, but if that isn't the desire of my family, I need to come up with a balanced plan that will work for all of us. This book gives helpful references and some good, healthy recipes that even my husband could go for (wishful thinking?)...anyway, I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who is ready to embrace a healthier lifestyle through good nutrition. Forget about trying to lose weight and getting skinny for the summer --- this is not that kind of book. Why not do something different? Instead of starting from the outside in, why not start from the inside out?
Back to Basics.......2001-08-27
This book is easy to read as well as interesting and informative. It compares the Biblical laws about foods with what our society is telling us today. You may be surprised to learn some facts about your current diet and what it is doing to your body. God has given us an abundance of good foods, but we in America tend to reject them in favor of junk foods and processed foods with all the nutrients taken out. Without being too pushy, it makes you want to eat healthier. It contains a number of recipes and other helpful resources. Also included are some spiritual principles related to food.
Book Description
IN 1945, FORTUNE MAGAZINE named Betty Crocker the second most popular American woman, right behind Eleanor Roosevelt, and dubbed Betty America's First Lady of Food. Not bad for a gal who never actually existed.
"Born" in 1921 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to proud corporate parents, Betty Crocker has grown, over eight decades, into one of the most successful branding campaigns the world has ever known. Now, at long last, she has her own biography. Finding Betty Crocker draws on six years of research plus an unprecedented look into the General Mills archives to reveal how a fictitious spokesperson was enthusiastically welcomed into kitchens and shopping carts across the nation.
The Washburn Crosby Company (one of the forerunners to General Mills) chose the cheery all-American "Betty" as a first name and paired it with Crocker, after William Crocker, a well-loved company director. Betty was to be the newest member of the Home Service Department, where she would be a "friend" to consumers in search of advice on baking -- and, in an unexpected twist, their personal lives.
Soon Betty Crocker had her own national radio show, which, during the Great Depression and World War II, broadcast money-saving recipes, rationing tips, and messages of hope. Over 700,000 women joined Betty's wartime Home Legion program, while more than one million women -- and men -- registered for the Betty Crocker Cooking School of the Air during its twenty-seven-year run.
At the height of Betty Crocker's popularity in the 1940s, she received as many as four to five thousand letters daily, care of General Mills. When her first full-scale cookbook, Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book, or "Big Red," as it is affectionately known, was released in 1950, first-year sales rivaled those of the Bible. Today, over two hundred products bear her name, along with thousands of recipe booklets and cookbooks, an interactive website, and a newspaper column.
What is it about Betty? In answering the question of why everyone was buying what she was selling, author Susan Marks offers an entertaining, charming, and utterly unique look -- through words and images -- at an American icon situated between profound symbolism and classic kitchen kitsch.
Customer Reviews:
An amazing look at an enduring culinary and marketing history figure.......2007-10-05
Finding Betty Crocker: The Secret Life of America's First Lady of Food is the true story behind a commercial icon of 1950's homemaking - Betty Crocker. Created in 1921 as a "friend to homemakers" for the Washburn Crosby Company (a forerunner of modern-day General Mills), "Betty Crocker" was in fact the collective women of the Home Service Department who signed Betty's name. Betty Crocker's local radio show on WCCO expanded, as audiences across the nation learned to appreciate her money-saving recipes and wrote her nearly 5,000 fan letters a day. An amazing look at an enduring culinary and marketing history figure, illustrated with vintage black-and-white photographs.
Found Her.......2007-06-17
This is a delightful book! Susan Marks has researched it well, and tells the story of the selling of American women with clarity and humor. That our mothers were so shamelessly manipulated is appalling, but many good meals came out of it, and, in all honesty, Betty Crocker inspired many women to branch out and create their own recipes using mixes and prepared foods as a basis. It was a very pleasant read and a marvelous depiction of a period in the evolution of American women.
What a waste of time..........2005-12-01
I suppose there's a book coming out for the male counterpart to Betty Crocker, Mr. Duncan Hines. What, there's no Duncan Hines? Well, then surely we'll get biographies of Mr. Clean or the Tidy Bowl Man next then. As if decades of fooling a guillible mass-consumer market weren't enough, here "she" goes again by getting those to buy into "her" biography hook, line and sinker. What fun. Enjoy this garbage if you are into it. Otherwise, avoid.
A tribute to an American icon.......2005-11-26
Over eight decades, Betty Crocker has been one of the most recognizable American advertising icons. Marks' book focuses not just on the image of Betty Crocker, but on her relationship with the American housewife and how she shaped the face of American homemaking. Betty's recipes revolutionized homemaking, and she called for standard pan size and baking temperatures while recommending that only high quality Gold Medal flour be used in baking. Later, Betty's mixes made the homemaker move away from scratch cooking and toward a standard, pre-packaged baking product.
I was fascinated by the Betty Crocker radio program and by the letters from homemakers to Betty. Marks' book is comprehensive, full of excellent illustrations of advertisements, recipes, magazine spreads, letters, and more, and it makes for gripping reading.
Marks skimps on the criticism.......2005-07-07
While Susan Marks' liberal use of uppity prose in this book helped keep my mind from my lackluster summer, I don't think "Finding Betty Crocker" performs to its fullest capacity. Marks goes to great lengths showing how Betty Crocker was a staple of '50s kitchen kitsch who served a greater purpose: helping millions of everyday women cope during the Depression and World War II. I walked away from this book with a greater understanding of why my grandmother and great-aunts spoke so fondly of their favorite anonymous homemaker. Marks' prose, however cheery, walks the fine line between nonfiction and public relations: she never mentions the role Betty Crocker and General Mills played in telling millions of U.S. housewives that culinary perfection would equal marital bliss during the mid-20th century or covering up a scientific study that showed white bread to be less healthy than perceived. If Marks had gone deeper with these issues and scrapped a 20-page chapter describing the various Betty Crocker Test Kitchens, I think this book would have been much stronger. That said, however, I could really go for some Devil's Food right now! I guess Susan has done her job.
Amazon.com
Clare Crespo's delightful debut, The Secret Life of Food will spark children's imaginations in the kitchen and give playful grownups a host of ideas for hip and colorful concoctions to serve at their next dinner party. In the quirky tradition of Play with Your Food and the whimsical work of "Surreal Gourmet" Bob Blumer , The Secret Life of Food presents 46 fun recipes--including Tarantula Cookies, Monkey Pops, and Spaghetti with Eyeballs--destined to be hits on the children's birthday and Halloween party circuit.
Some of the recipes are amazingly simple: Caterpillar Cake calls for 10 Hostess Sno Balls, two google eyes, and a handful of artfully arranged pipe cleaners; the Football Meatloaf is--you guessed it--a football-shaped meatloaf with onion slices for stitching. Standouts include Pond Pie (a plastic frog resting on the surface of a mint-green vanilla pudding pie with assorted fresh herbs peeking over the chocolate-cookie-crust perimeter), Jell-O Aquarium (a small fishbowl with Berry Blue Jell-O "water," Swedish fish, and fruit cocktail "gravel"), Flower Pot Cakes (chocolate cake baked in individual terra cotta pots, each with a single long-stemmed flower poking through the "dirt"), and Sushi Cupcakes (green Fruit Roll-Ups for seaweed, coconut frosting for rice, and dried mangoes for ginger).
Eric Staudenmaier's colorful photography and Lisa Barnett's artful food styling really makes this book sing. But would the Cherry Roses look as tempting sitting on a dessert plate as they do peeking out of a real floral bouquet? Probably not. And, granted, many of the recipes are intended as blueprints for your imagination, but more detailed instructions would have been helpful in some recipes. ("Shape the dough into insect shapes and decorate with small candies or mixed nuts" is miles away from the fanciful finished Candy Bugs flittering in the photograph on the opposite page.) Overall, though, Crespo's collection will provide hours of culinary exploration for kids and grownups alike. --Brad Thomas Parsons
Book Description
Clare Crespo's delightful debut, The Secret Life of Food will spark children's imaginations in the kitchen and give playful grownups a host of ideas for hip and colorful concoctions to serve at their next dinner party. In the quirky tradition of Play with Your Food and the whimsical work of "Surreal Gourmet" Bob Blumer , The Secret Life of Food presents 46 fun recipes--including Tarantula Cookies, Monkey Pops, and Spaghetti with Eyeballs--destined to be hits on the children's birthday and Halloween party circuit.Some of the recipes are amazingly simple: Caterpillar Cake calls for 10 Hostess Sno Balls, two google eyes, and a handful of artfully arranged pipe cleaners; the Football Meatloaf is--you guessed it--a football-shaped meatloaf with onion slices for stitching. Standouts include Pond Pie (a plastic frog resting on the surface of a mint-green vanilla pudding pie with assorted fresh herbs peeking over the chocolate-cookie-crust perimeter), Jell-O Aquarium (a small fishbowl with Berry Blue Jell-O "water," Swedish fish, and fruit cocktail "gravel"), Flower Pot Cakes (chocolate cake baked in individual terra cotta pots, each with a single long-stemmed flower poking through the "dirt"), and Sushi Cupcakes (green Fruit Roll-Ups for seaweed, coconut frosting for rice, and dried mangoes for ginger). Eric Staudenmaier's colorful photography and Lisa Barnett's artful food styling really makes this book sing. But would the Cherry Roses look as tempting sitting on a dessert plate as they do peeking out of a real floral bouquet? Probably not. And, granted, many of the recipes are intended as blueprints for your imagination, but more detailed instructions would have been helpful in some recipes. ("Shape the dough into insect shapes and decorate with small candies or mixed nuts" is miles away from the fanciful finished Candy Bugs flittering in the photograph on the opposite page.) Overall, though, Crespo's collection will provide hours of culinary exploration for kids and grownups alike. --Brad Thomas Parsons
Customer Reviews:
Creative and Fun, but Ms. Crespo keeps her trade secrets to herself........2007-03-12
There are loads of beautiful photos and great ideas in this book. However, the instructions are vague and in some cases, just don't work as planned.
The jello fish bowl is a great example of this. The recipe calls for Berry Blue jello, which is too dark and cloudy to see through. You will never have something that looks like the photograph. Time and again fruit salad does not sink to the bottom to create the gravel.
In this book as well as Hello Cupcake, it seems that certain secrets to making photo perfect treats are left out. While you will find loads of inspiration, you may also find frustration with these recipes.
Sahweet!.......2006-03-20
Clare Crespo is a genius! This book is "gold Jerry, gold!" As an instructor teaching "edible art" this book is a one-stop-shop for ideas and an inspiring spring board for new ones. My supervisor has raved about this book and is lobbying her colleagues and members of the school board to purchase this book for their own programs. My kids are always pestering me whether I brought "the book"; they never grow tired of looking at the eye candy images or reading the goofy and spunky copy! This book is a winner for anyone who teaches kids or enjoys working with new media!
Very Fun........2003-10-05
If you are a creative person you might be able to come up with some of these recipes on your own. Also, some of these are listed on her webpage with the same name.
So, if you are looking for just one cute idea to take to a party, you might skip the book and visit the author's website.
If you teach young children or stay at home with them, you might find that this book is a true winner. My son loves looking at htis book. We have made some of these recipes. They are very easy to make and require mostly on hand ingredients. Some do require things we don't normally have on hand (like pink marshmellow coconut cakes.)
Everything is very easy to make. Some of the items are made from already prepared foods and just arranged to look like something else.
Very creative, very fun.
Enjoy.
Food, Art and Fun............2002-08-09
As Clare Crespo tells us in her introduction: "...For me, food is an art supply. I hope that these recipes will be an inspiration. Don't be afraid to come up with your own food art pieces. When you are reading a recipe, be creative. Let your cooking tell the world who you are..." Each of these 46 recipes not only offers a tasty treat, but also a feast for the eyes. Try the simple and inventive Caterpillar Cake for birthday party fun, or the Spider Web Soup on a cold or rainy night. Make lunchtime extra fun with Handwiches or Burrito Presents, and dinner more exciting with Football Meatloaf or Mutant Chicken. Kids will go gaga for Chocolate Moose, Monkey Pops, Licorice Records, Fruit Pizza, and Jell-O Aquarium. Each recipe includes a list of ingredients, simple step-by-step instructions, and marvelous photographs that are sure to whet the appetite, and get your creative juices flowing. Great for holidays, parties, and especially family fun, The Secret Life Of Food is an adventurous, no-holds-barred cookbook that makes a wonderful gift, and will delight not only the diners, but the cooks as well.
Blue Ribbon Winner.......2002-07-02
I loved this book. It helped my 10 year old friend win hir first ribbon in a county fair. She was able to do the recipe all by herself. Have bought 2, am buying more for my grandchildren.
Book Description
More than half of America's processed grocery products — from corn flakes to granola bars to diet drinks — contain genetically altered ingredients. They are unlabeled and untested, and we are eating them. Your Right to Know is a complete, full-color reference guide outlining how unmarked genetically modified foods go from the factory to the family dining table, and what consumers can do about the health risks they present. This accessible guide is for concerned parents — as well as anyone concerned about genetically altered foods — who want to know more about the potential health risks, the organic alternatives, and the methods available to counter the corporate takeover of the food we eat.
Average customer rating:
- Great overview
- How to find spiritual life through understanding money
|
The Secret Life of Money: How Money Can Be Food for the Soul
Tad Crawford
Manufacturer: Allworth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Popular Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Money & Monetary Policy
| Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Culture
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 188055951X |
Book Description
The Secret Life of Money leads readers on a fascinating journey to uncover the sources of our monetary desires and, by understanding why money has the power to obsess us, free ourselves from destructive patterns and discover riches of the soul.
This wide-ranging treatment of how money secretly influences our lives includes chapters on the many forms of money, why money is so easily worshipped, why money sometimes feels more important than life, hoarding money, the source of riches, inheritance, and the stock market. Crawford, a teller of entertaining tales, gathers stories and myths from around the world that help us understand why money is so much more than the useful tool that we may think it to be.
Customer Reviews:
Great overview.......2005-12-01
This is a casual but deep reflection on the meaning of money. Too often people start thinking about this question as if money were pure greed. To really wrap your mind around such a complex concept find a copy of this book and read it. The antecdotes really bring out some of the more subtle meanings between the way people react to one another, which is the basic role of money. From aztec human sacrifice to modern unemployment there is a connection which explains how society makes difficult choices.
How to find spiritual life through understanding money.......1999-10-11
A fascinating look at the spiritual, mythological, and psychological aspects of money, replete with terrific stories, that leads the reader on a journey that places money in service to life and not vice versa. An outstanding book!
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- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
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- Inspirations
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