Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Cake Decorating Books For the Beginner

I have always enjoyed watching the cake decorating challenges on TLC, the talent these individuals have is amazing. I realized though that all of these contestants had to be a beginner cake decorator at one time or another. A few years ago I decided I too would like to learn how to decorate cakes, but since I live in a smaller city we did not have any classes nearby. I decided I would try to teach myself how to decorate a cake with the help of cake decorating books.

The key to buying a good cake decorating book if you are just beginning your new hobby is to find the right one. There are so many cake decorating books available that is can become overwhelming. I am going to try and make it a little less overwhelming for you. I have reviewed many cake decorating books, which I will discuss in further detail, and tell you which ones I liked the best, and why.

If you have looked at any cake decorating supplies in your local stores, you have most likely seen the Wilton products. The Wilton company is a large company which is located in Woodridge Illinois. They make all kinds of cake decorating tools and supplies, and they even publish books. My favorite books for learning the basics are the Wilton books, I liked these the most because they are very easy to understand even for the person that has never baked a cake before. The three books I am going to be telling you about are, Course I Discover Cake Decorating, Course II Flowers and Borders, and finally Course III Fondant and Tiered Cakes.

The book, Course I Discover Cake Decorating is an excellent book for the learning the basic techniques that you will need so that you can advance to the more advanced techniques. The course I book starts out by walking you through the steps of baking a cake that will be a good canvas for decorating, including how to make the cake bake flat, rather than having that round mound on the top. It also talks about what types of frosting to use for the different decorating aspects. This is a great book for anyone that wants to learn the basics.

The second book Course II Flowers and Borders, builds on the skills you learned from the Course I book. It focuses on the different types of flowers and borders you can make and what types of tools you will need to make these different flowers and borders. Like everything practice will be necessary, but you first need to know the techniques of making these decorations.

The third book Course III talks about using fondant and making tiered cakes, which are multi-level cakes, much like the cakes you have probably seen at weddings. This was my favorite book of the series, mainly because you can make some really smooth cakes by using fondant.

If you are someone that wants to learn the basics, but don't know where to start, I would highly recommend the Wilton cake decorating books, you will get a lot of helpful information but won't have to spend much money on them. I was even able to create a cake for my sister's wedding, by using the information I learned in these books.

[http://www.cakedecoratingbookstore.com/]


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Saturday, July 16, 2011

Cake Decorating Books - What to Look For When Choosing a Cake Decorating Book

If you want to learn more about cake decorating, to impress at family gatherings, or maybe think about starting a business of your own, cake decorating books can be a good way to learn. You want a book that you will return to over and over again, as you improve your skills.

The best books for you will be clearly written, with plenty of easy-to-follow instructions and decorations. Not everyone will agree about the clearest and best way to learn about is from a book, so pick the one that makes the best sense to you. If you are new to cake making, you will want books that focus on the basic skills of cake decorating. If you have a specific goal or theme in mind, like learning to decorate a wedding cake, or a birthday cake your cartoon-obsessed nephew will adore, you will want to make sure to choose books geared towards those topics.

Don't be swayed by a celebrity author of a decorating book. If you scour the bookstore for books featuring Martha or Rachel Ray, you might miss out on some great books. While Duff Goldman of Ace of Cakes has become famous, thanks to the Food Network show, the book that includes his decorating tips might not be the right one for you. Maybe the designs aren't the ones you want to learn. And if you get enticed by the marketing of a big name, or a tie-in to a famous bakery, you'll miss out on cake design books that focus where you can develop the best skills. And if you focus on celebrities you know from the Food Network or the media, you'll miss out on cake decorating books by people who are celebrities in the cake decorating world, like renowned British sugarcrafting artist Maisie Parrish, whose cake decorating books showcase whimsical, original designs, with decently easy instructions.

The Cake Decorator's Motif Bible: 150 Fabulous Fondant Designs with Easy-to-Follow Charts and Photographs, by Sheila Lampkin (Firefly Books, 2007) is full of photographs, teaches basic skills, and is spiral bound, so it would be one of the better books for someone who wanted to master the basic skills. A spiral binding makes it easier to have the book open on your counter as you learn and practice new decorating techniques. Cakes for Kids: 35 Colorful Recipes With Easy to Follow Tips and Techniques, by Matthew Mead, (Chronicle Books 2008) focuses on designs that will appeal to young children, without cartoon media tie-ins.

When you're picking from among the vast array of cake design books, you want to make sure that the cakes you create will be as delicious as they are beautifully decorated. The Whimsical Bakehouse: Fun-to-Make Cakes that Taste As Good as They Look, written by the mother-daughter team of Kaye and Liv Hanson, focuses on keeping the ingredients of their brightly colored cakes simple and tasty, so it's a great place to learn the delicious basics of getting creative with cake decorating staples like butter cream.

Get a lot more information and a complete guide to cake design and decoration by visiting our cake design and decoration site at http://www.wherecaniget.net/best-birthday-cakes-designs/effortless-cake-decorating-themes-and-ideas you can find cake design and decoration tips and start producing professional. cake design and decorations


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Cake Books - Recipes and Ideas For Wedding Cakes

Are you a cake decorator looking for inspiration? Do you want to know how to make your own wedding cake? Are you a bride who would like to check out the latest trends and get new ideas that will wow your guests? How about a baker searching for great cake recipes and techniques?

My advice to you is to start with the old standby Wilton books which are are a great resource. The basics are covered on how to make a wedding cake and what cake decorating supplies you will need to make them with. Plus there are lots of photos of wedding cakes and all occasion cakes to look at for ideas.

An all time favorite cake book for inspiration is a book called Cakewalk by Margaret Braun. Her cake ideas are unconventional and artistic. Her book is so beautiful that you can use it as a coffee table book. A book that should be in every bakers library is The Bakers Manual by the late Joseph Amendola who was a beloved teacher at the Culinary Institute of America since the 1950's. I have an old beat up copy of the manual from the 70's and refer to it often. There is a new updated version on the market now, maybe It's time I get one. The book is written for the student as well as professionals.

Three of the best books for recipes and ideas for wedding cakes in my opinion are The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Berenbaum, A Piece of Cake by Susan Purdy and The Simple Art Of Perfect Baking by Flo Braker. Each book has fantastic recipes and ideas for cakes. From how to bake the cakes, construction and boxing them for delivery and mailing as well.

Now if you are a complete foodie or know someone that is then Larouusse Gastronomique is the perfect gift to give yourself or someone else. It will answer every question you have ever had about anything cooking or baking related, including historical facts. The world's Greatest Cookery Encyclopedia is chock full of information and so heavy you could use it as a form of weight training every time you go to pick it up.
The best recipes for wedding cakes are cakes that are firm yet moist. If you wanted to use a less firm cake I do have tips for you.Always work with a very cold or frozen cake when putting a tiered cake togetherUse a filling that will firm up when cooled such as a buttercream or a mousse that contains butter.Avoid creamy and slippery wet fillings or frostings or you may end up with a cake wreck on your hands.

If you would like to learn more about cake books, recipes and get cake decorating ideas then visit my wedding cake website. You will find complete reviews of all of the cake books in my collection and can leave a review of your own there as well and check out what other people are saying about their favorite baking books.

Lorelie Carvey's website http://www.wedding-cakes-for-you.com/, shares her expertise with aspiring cake decorators how to make a wedding cake. Bridesmaids and brides get free resources to help plan your unique wedding and shower celebration. Lorelie invites you to submit your baking book reviews and wedding cake book reviews. Go to http://www.wedding-cakes-for-you.com/baking-books.html


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5 Books To Keep You Healthy With Vegetable Cooking

Neal Barnard and Robyn Webb team up to write The Get Healthy, Go Vegan Cookbook: 125 Easy and Delicious Recipes to Jump-Start Weight Loss and Help You Feel Great. The book with the length title offers many suggestions and great recipes that are intended for people who wish to lose some weight, lower their cholesterol levels, or reverse the symptoms of their type 2 diabetes. The book includes some useful scientific data that outlines the importance of having this low fat diet, and then offers many healthy, and easy to make recipes to have delicious meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. No matter what kind of plate you seek, this book will have the recipes that allow for you to make great meals with only vegetables, containing important information about calories, saturated fat, as well as vitamins and minerals.

John La Puma and Rebecca Powell Marx write ChefMD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine: A Food Lover's Road Map to Losing Weight, Preventing Disease, and Getting Really Healthy. In this book, there is plenty of medical experience, from an actual doctor's point of view, so there is plenty of science to back up the claims of the importance of eating well, but there is also great cooking suggestions that will allow you to make wonderful food that not only tastes great but also keeps you young and fit, as well. He is like doctor merged with chef so you will not only be taking care of yourself but you will be eating well, too.

Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Matthew Ruscigno write Appetite for Reduction: 125 Fast and Filling Low-Fat Vegan Recipes, a book that offers 125 recipes for a low-fat diet. You will be able to make a number of healthy dishes like Tamarind BBQ and Sweet Potatoes, Chipotle Lentil Burgers, and Onion Rings that are Oven Baked for extra healthy aspects and no fatty, greasy additives.

Daniel G. Amen brings you Change Your Brain, Change your Body Cookbook, a book specially designed to eat right by using wonderful, fresh recipes that will help you make things like spaghetti squash pasta and mushroom sauce, or sweet potato soup, or salmon curry chowder soup, or southwestern tacos, or tuna with avocado sauce, or veggie burgers, or pomegranate walnut salad, or veggie wraps, or turkey chili. All kinds of things will be able to be brought to the table with this book and also keep you and your family healthy and fit, as well.

Finally, Sally Fallon writes Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and Diet Dictocrats. This book contradicts a lot of the others, as it insists that animal fats and cholesterol are really important and cannot be ignored if you mean to reproduce and grow properly and have a well functioning brain and nervous system. In order to stay healthy and fit, the author provides a diet that moderately balances the foods to eat without totally banning anything so that you get in the proper amount without overdoing it to the point where it does really become unhealthy and detrimental. This way, you get a balanced diet.

Roberto Sedycias works as an IT consultant for PoloMercantil


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Friday, July 15, 2011

Diet Books Versus Cookbooks

(I made an interesting observation today, and I cannot wait to hear your feedback. I think I'm onto something.)

I love bookstores. In fact, when I die, I would love to have the "sitting up," a Southern thang, in the window of a small boutique bookstore. It would definitely draw in some business. However, my mortality is not the point of this post. I want to discuss energy.

Bookstores are full of all types of energy, ranging from depression to over the top excitement. As a coach, I'm really good at reading the energy of others, and today, I was like a kid in a candy shop, tapping into the diverse moods and spirits that pervaded the place.

I walked from section to section - fiction, World History, poetry, children's, New Age - but when I rounded the corner to walk through the dieting aisle, I felt a sudden drop in energy. I didn't just feel it on a superficial level, but it was a feeling that started in my gut and rose into my throat.

I watched a few women pick up different books that presented opposing theories. One woman held a copy of Skinny Bitch in one hand and The Atkins Diet in another. Her face screamed desperation and confusion. Another lady was holding a book on eating disorders. (It is not a coincidence that the dieting books are adjacent to the recovery/addiction section.)

I began to think back to my days of dieting, and the toxic cycle that I was caught in. With each failing diet, I became more desperate to find the next promised miracle. On a 0-10 energy scale, dieting was about a -99.

I quickly walked through the aisle and rounded another corner to the shelves that were adorned with beautiful cookbooks from all over the world. What I experienced was fascinating. So fascinating, that I could not wait to get home and write about it. When I started walking down the cookbook section, my spirit lifted. I became lighter amidst the covers of beautiful, artisan breads and bountiful fruits and vegetables.

I also experienced other shifts in emotions:

-fear to peace
-heavy to light
-lack to abundance
-sadness to joy
-self-consciousness to confidence
-negative self talk to self-love
-frustration to calm
-confusion to trust

I also noticed the difference between the women perusing the cookbooks compared to ladies who were trying to decide whether to go raw or eat right for their blood type. The "cookbook" women seemed relaxed with a bit of excitement. I listened to a couple of them discuss their favorite recipes from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

I picked up one of my favorite cookbooks, Country Cooking in France, and felt the excitement in my stomach, much different from the nauseating feeling that I had felt earlier when I was caught between the addiction and dieting shelves.

Interestingly, the women in the cookbook section were all thin. Yes, the women who were thumbing through recipes made with real butter, sugar, and flour were all thin, while the women who were looking for their next diet were not.

So, what does my observation mean? I believe that if a person allows herself to enjoy all types of foods that feels good in her own body, she will operate at a much higher energy level, which attracts a naturally slender body. She does not possess the fear of deprivation or lack as those who are living from diet to diet or those who don't diet but live with low energy levels.

Women who are relaxed don't usually binge. Women who allow themselves to enjoy the occasional treat don't feel the need to eat the whole bag of Oreos. Women who love themselves find other ways to feed their hungry heart. Women who possess higher energies, such as happiness, joy, excitement, optimism, and love, attract more of those powers into their lives.

The universe is abundant, and she relaxes into this abundance, not feeling like she must devour whatever comes her way, whether it is food or her self.

She simply listens to her body, feeds it a variety of delicious foods and trusts the natural process of eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full.

If you struggle with your weight, ask yourself the following:

-Do diet books excite me? -Do I gain clarity or collect more confusion from diet books? -Would I rather cook (and eat) from a beautifully crafted cookbook with fresh, delicious ingredients or adhere to a strict plan that requires rigid rules and keeping up with a bunch of numbers?

If your answers were not positive, then your body is most likely telling you that dieting is not your answer. In fact, science has proven that dieting leads to more disordered eating and, in most cases, weight gain. Dieting is very low energy, which conflicts with the energy required to lose weight.

Here is a hint: weight loss comes when you learn to connect with your body and make peace with it. That means providing it with delicious foods, dropping the rules of others, and loving yourself as your ideal body emerges.

After making my bookstore observation, I grabbed a new cookbook to add to my collection and went out of my way to avoid the draining dieting aisle that continues to suck the energy (and life) out of women.

Tonya Leigh Williams is a coach, speaker, and writer. She is dedicated to empowering women to create amazing lives and bodies without dieting, deprivation and drama. Her passion is helping women find freedom from body image, weight, and food issues. Tonya teaches the secrets of naturally slender people, coaches women on normal eating without deprivation, and shows women how to simultaneously transform their bodies while also living at peace within them. She has helped women lose weight, gain clarity and purpose, and step into a new life free of struggle. If you are interested in learning more about coaching with Tonya Leigh, please email her at info@tonyaleigh.com.


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Different Grilling Books For Weber Grills

A good Weber grill book is your best resource for good recipes with the complete instruction for cooking the foods. There are books that are helpful for beginners and books for the advanced cooks. A Weber grill book should give you the right steps so you can cook with the charcoal or the gas grill properly.

1. The Thrill of the Grill: Techniques, Recipes, & Down-Home Barbecue - This was written by John Willoughby and Chris Schlesinger. They are known for being excellent grillers. They have been grilling steaks and other meats in their backyard for many years. This is ideal for masters in grilling as well as beginners.

2. Weber's Real Grilling - This is another Weber grill book you can buy. This was written by Jamie Purviance and Tim Turner. This offers two hundred recipes as well as the right instructions on how to grill any kind of food. This also offers complete information on different grilling styles. It also includes several recipes for rubs and marinades.

3. Weber's Art of the Grill - This is another Weber grill book created by Jamie Purviance. This is a book for those who like barbecuing. This book offers new recipes using fresh ingredients. This offers recipes for poultry, fish, beef and vegetables. You can make delicious main dishes and tasty desserts. You can also use this book for making sauces. There is also a suggested drink after each recipe. This book gives value for money because each page is colored. The photos are also quite enticing. Beginners can easily follow the recipes contained in this book.

4. Weber's Charcoal Grilling - This is another Weber grill book written by Chef Jamie Purviance. This has recipes for the Weber charcoal grill. This is a good book for those who are interested to learn more recipes using their charcoal grill. It also offers good techniques for cooking with the charcoal grill. You can use this book even if you are a beginner.

5. Weber Big Book of Grilling - This is another Weber grill book also written by Jamie Purviance. This book has been hailed as one of the best books for grilling ever made. This book has a complete collection of recipes for poultry, beef, vegetables and pork. There are three hundred fifty recipes. There are pages dedicated for recipes using herbs. You can also see explanations why kosher salt is preferred.

6. Weber's Way to Grill: The Step-by-Step Guide to Expert Grilling - This book contains one hundred sixty recipes. This has recipes for marinades, sauces and rubs as well. This offers different styles of cooking food like the right ways to smoke turkey. You get a good idea of how to cook with direct fire and charcoal grill by reading this book. This also gives all the reasons why a flare up can happen. There are also suggestions in this book on how to properly handle foods that tend to stick on the grill. You can also read suggestions on how you can check doneness even without the right tools.

Please click these links if you want to know more about Webers Big Book of Grilling or Weber Grill 8006 in general.


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Food and Drink Books

The decision to learn how to cook and plan meals & menus can be an intimidating one. There are so many dishes and there is just so much to know. Plus, Food Writers make it seem so difficult. The important thing is to not feel overwhelmed. Focus on one category of cooking at a time. You can master specific dishes and build your confidence. At the beginning of your cooking studies, you will have many questions about food, cooking, and health in general. You can consult old cookbooks, Bestsellers, family, friends, and of course, the internet resources available to you.

o Is flavor more important than health concerns?
o Should organic foods be purchased, even if they cost more?
o What foods will please an entire family?
o Do I need to take a class or can I learn by trial and error?
o Is there a career for me in the culinary arts?
o How can Fish & Seafood be prepared safely?

The Basics of Cooking: Knowledge and Cooking Equipment

Before you even begin learning how to cook, you will have to make sure your kitchen is properly outfitted. Once you have the basic cooking equipment you can start collecting cookbooks that will increase your cooking knowledge. Eventually you will want to amass a large collection of Reference & Gastronomy cookbooks and Restaurant Cookbooks. Food & Travel Writing books are great reads. There are even cookbooks available that focus on a specific piece of kitchen equipment. When you purchase a cookbook that specific, like Slow Cooker (Pyramid Paperbacks) by Sara Lewis, you can be sure to make the most out of your kitchen device. A piece of kitchen equipment that sits unused in the back of the cupboard is just a waste of space.

o What are the basic kitchen tools needed to make most meals?
o If one is just starting out and trying to save money, what tools can he hold off on purchasing?
o Are fancy blenders and mixers really necessary?

Baking Delicious Treats

Few things are more delicious than a loaf of fresh bread pulled out of the oven. The smell of freshly-baked bread will bring your entire family into the kitchen, their mouths watering. Bread-making is not hard. There is some work involved, certainly, but if you follow the instructions and tips carefully you can certainly do it. When you master a few basic cooking skills, there will be no stopping you in the kitchen. You will, of course, need a basic manual to help you. Bake by Rachel Allen is an excellent text that can help you master some baking skills. Rachel Allen has some excellent cupcake recipes, especially. Baking is an almost entirely separate science from cooking and will raise its own queries.

o How do baking and cooking differ?
o Can I make substitutions in a recipe?
o Why do I need to mix wet and dry ingredients separately?
o What is the difference between cake flour, all purpose flour, and bread flour?

Baking can be a challenge but the treats you will learn to bake are worth the effort.

Barbecue: The Perfect Foods for Entertaining & Special Occasions

If you love to entertain, you should make mastering barbecue recipes a high priority. Everyone loves a backyard party in the summer. A plate of ribs, a few Drinks & Beverages, and a warm summer evening make for great memories. You will need some special equipment to barbecue successfully. A grill is a definite must have and a smoker is wonderful for imparting flavor into your cuts of meat. You will also want a set of basic grill tools, such as a grill spatula, brush, and tongs. For a complete list of barbecue tools, see Weber's Way to Grill: The Step-By-Step Guide to Expert Grilling (Sunset Books) by Jamie Purviance. This cookbook is sponsored by a grilling company that has been around for generations. It will certainly help answer your general grilling questions such as:

o Are cheap grills suitable for casual barbecuing?
o How do I control the temperature on a grill?
o What foods grill well?
o Are there any Puddings & Desserts that can be grilled?

Books are not the only place to get answers about barbecuing or cooking in general. Ask your friends and neighbors for their advice as well. One of the great things about cooking is that it brings people together. Barbecue specifically appeals to individuals of both genders. Even people who do not grill out personally have favorite dishes they would love to share with you. Grilling can bring together an entire neighborhood for food and fun.

Making Quick & Easy Meals For You and Your Family

Cooking every night when you get home from work can be exhausting. Eating out for dinner every night, however, is both expensive and unhealthful. What you need to master then, are quick, healthy meals that you can throw together on a weekday night. Ainsley Harriott's Low Fat Meals in Minutes by Ainsley Harriott is a great combination of quick and healthy. Diets & Healthy Eating do not have to suck up all your free time. You can also learn how to prepare healthy foods for baby quickly. Top 100 Baby Purees: 100 Quick and Easy Meals for a Healthy and Happy Baby.

Annabel Karmel is a great baby food manual for a new parent. Once you master some basic cooking techniques such as blanching and steaming vegetables, you can make healthy pureed dishes for your baby while you cook for yourself and the rest of your family. Healthy cooking, especially healthy Cooking for Babies & Children, raises a lot of questions.

o Does introducing an infant to a diverse array of foods prevent him from being a picky eater?
o What are easy, healthy meals that I can feed to an infant?
o Can I afford the fresh fruits and vegetables needed to be healthy?
o Are there healthy lunch options for taking to work?
o Are Vegetarian & Vegan meals more time consuming?

Cooking As a Way to Enjoy Life More Fully

Cooking is more than just a way to fill your belly. It is a way to enhance your enjoyment of life. The basics of cooking are really just the beginning. Soon you will be on your way to National & International Cookery, Wine & Winemaking and a world of culinary delight.


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Cake Decorating Books - Three Best Methods

When looking at various cake decorating books I discovered that there are many options available ranging from very detailed technical books to ones that included simple how to instructions. These books ranged from the level of culinary textbooks on sugar crafting to ones that were no more than coffee table books full of beautiful pictures of cakes.

When researching the various books describing cake decoration and outlining the various techniques to decorate a cake, I found that three main books came highly recommended for any aspiring cake decorator.

The most expensive of these books was "The Lambeau Method" which I came to find out was a highly detailed book that is used primarily by students studying culinary arts. It is for more advanced decorators and gives really good instructions but it was way above what I was looking for.

Another book that I kept reading about was the "Australian Method" which is also an advanced book and this one is hard to find. From the description of the book, it was also not what I was looking for.

The one that I finally settled on was the "Wilton Cake Decorating Course" that is designed to take beginners to an advanced level of cake decorating skills. It comes in a three volume set and is updated with a new yearbook every year that provides new techniques and cake decorating designs every year.

Another great resource I stumbled across was an on line course "The Art of Cake Decorating" that had a lot of good information and also discussed all of the three methods mentioned above. What I really liked about it was that it had a lifetime membership to an extensive forum for cake decorators and sugar crafters. It is one thing to get information from a book and it is another to have people to ask when you have a question about something you have read and are trying to implement.

This course also included instructional videos and extra recipes for making candy and other confections, cookies, and puddings which could come in useful. There is also a section that is on taking the skill of decorating cakes to the next level and how to start your own business doing this. It sounds like it could be profitable, I am just not there yet.

To have a better look at these cake decorating books and courses, visit this page on Cake Decorating Books which includes more pictures and further reviews.


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Thursday, July 14, 2011

Miami's Best Cook Books

The unique blend of cultures in Miami has resulted in a unique style of cooking that blends Cuban, Jamaican, American, Haitian and other Caribbean flavours to create a new kind of flavour that you will not find anywhere else in the world. This style of cooking has become so popular that there are now a number of cookbooks emerging that detail recipes to try to re-create these amazing flavours. Here are the top 5 currently available.

Miami Spice; The New Florida Cuisine; as a Julia Child Cookbook Award winner, this book offers up a great variety of recipes to try to re-create the unique blend of Cuban, Latin and Caribbean flavours that has become so synonymous with Miami's food in recent years. The book also offers details of how to deal with some of the less-well-known ingredients used in the recipes, as well as addresses and information on where you can find some of them.

Mmmmiami; Tempting Tropical Tastes for Home Cooks Everywhere; written by a cooking teacher and the editor of the food section of the Miami Herald, this book offers up recipes that combine Cuban, Jamaican and Haitian cuisine with an infusion of some Jewish flavours to offer up a variety of exciting recipes that are easily re-created by readers. The book also offers a number of variations (up to eight on some dishes) on many of the recipes, which mean that there is something in here for even the fussiest of eaters.

The Food of Miami; Authentic Recipes from South Florida and the Keys; not only does this book offer up a variety of Miami's most famous recipes, it also has input from some of Miami's most renowned local chefs who each put their own twist on dishes. The authors enthusiasm for the food also shows through in this book and offers added inspiration for would be chefs to give their utmost when attempting to re-create the dishes in the book.

Cuba Cocina!; The Tantalizing World of Cuban Cooking; The book offers recipes for both traditional Cuban dishes, as well as more modern twists and concoctions from the Caribbean. It also contains a complete glossary detailing information on ingredients, preparation methods and terms, as well as more traditional information.

Tropic Cooking; The New Cuisine from Florida and the Islands; termed 'Floribbean' this book offers up a new and unique blend of recipes, combing the best of food that the Caribbean and Florida can offer up. This book is probably the most exotic, using a great variety of interesting ingredients to really create some heat. The fact it also has over 30 pages of drink recipes is a nice little incentive to get you warmed up before the real cooking begins.

Whilst these books offer a great opportunity for you to re-create some of the best cuisine Miami can offer, nothing quite compares to the real thing. Therefore why not get looking for cheap flights to Miami and book your trip today.

Whether you seek out Little Havana or just some of the more traditional restaurants in the city, there is sure to be a variety of flavours that tingle the taste buds and inspire you to pick up your book once you get home.


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The Top 4 Books on Juicing - Recommended Juicing Books

As far as books on juicing go, these four are the cream of the crop. When it comes to learning more about juicing, read these books first. They're all very well written and they are packed with loads of great information.

These books on juicing are ranked in no particular order. They're all good, so either pick one or read them all!

1. Complete Book of Juicing - Michael T. Murray
One of the best things about this book is that it references plenty of reputable scientific publications. So if you're interested in the science behind juicing, this book is an excellent choice!

Like a few other authors, Murray highlights the link between the western diet and modern health problems. As we've consumed more fatty food our cancer, heart disease and stroke rates have gone through the roof.

Murray takes a good look at how juicing can solve this problem. It's a great read, and it's packed with some awesome recipes. However, some of the recipes are pretty extreme and might make you a little queasy. They are however, good for you anyway.

2. The Juicing Book - Stephen Blauer
Of the various books on juicing, this one is probably one of the oldest. It's from 1989 so you'd expect some outdated fluff to be contained inside.

This could not be further from the truth. Blauer gives nutritional information as well as makes some great recommendations for specific health conditions.

Find out how to design a good juice program and get the best juicer to meet your needs.

3. Total Juicing - Elaine LaLanne
Again, a wonderful book. Along with the standard nutritional information, LaLanne goes beyond the call of duty and explains how to use the pulp in cooking. Yes, that means never wasting a drop of what you make.

This book on juicing is actually written by Jack LaLanne's wife. Jack LaLanne is known by many as the godfather of fitness and health, and his wife is no different.

Out of the books on juicing present here, this one has the craziest recipes. You'll read it and wonder how a certain combination could even taste good. It's well worth the read.

4. Juicing for Life - Cherie Calbom
This is probably one of the most practical books on juicing around. It's super easy to take anything from this book and put it to practice in the kitchen immediately.

Along with the basics, it's packed with extensive information on juicing for specific disorders, modifying your diet to suit, what nutrients you need to be getting and more.

If you're looking for practical info, go no further than this book.

Out of the recommended books on juicing here, none of them stands out as the very best. They're all slightly different and will help you in different areas. Grab a mug of coffee and sit down in a comfortable spot, because you'll be reading for a while now.

For more reviews of books on juicing, go to: http://www.healthy-juicing.com/juicing-books.html. If you're looking for more information about juicing, including refreshing recipes and great benefits, check out: http://www.healthy-juicing.com/.


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Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Vegetarian Cook Books - How to Choose a Good Vegetarian Cookbook

Are you looking for the first time to cook something vegetarian? In this case I would suggest to look for cookbooks with the "quick vegetarian recipes" in the title. This will help you to get started, and make quick meals, that will not take a lot of time and are simple to make. If starting I would also suggest to see if they have a good introductory about vegetarianism, that helps a lot to get you into the right mindset.

For all others, a good vegetarian cookbook has to have some nice pictures; I want to see how the meal looks like that I am going to make. I also look if by most of the recipes you have ingredients that you can find any were. Not that you have to go to India to get something you need for your recipe. Usually though in every big city you will find everything you need, even to make the most extravagant meal. You might have to look for some specialty stores, like Indian or Chinese shops. If you never have been in one of those stores; take a look, it's amazing what you will find there. The first vegetarian cookbook that I got, was a book with all these credentials. Although it was a cook book made up of Indian recipes, I found every thing in the shops in my neighborhood. At the time I was living in Vienna, Austria, and that was about 20 years ago.

Something else what I find important, well I guess, everybody would find that important, is easy to follow instructions. Seems logical, but there are some books out there were you just wonder how they made it into the bookstores. Sometimes the authors just assume you know how to do certain things; like how to make tofu... By the way, you can make your own tofu, but just to save you some time; just buy it in the store. I like to keep things simple.

So to recap, what does a good vegetarian cookbook (Yes, also a vegan cookbook), have to have?

1. Easy to follow instructions
2. Pictures
3. Easy to find ingredients
4. A good introductory.

That's basically it. If you take these factors into consideration you should not have any problems finding a good vegetarian (or vegan) cookbook.

Chris Hergenroeder has been a vegetarian since 20 years. He is very passionate about everything that has to do with vegetarianism. As Albert Einstein once said; "Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet." Get two free "starter kits" at this site; http://vegetariancookbooks.biz/healthy-vegetarian-diet


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Kitchen Remodeling Books Facts

Annually, thousands, if not millions, of American citizens make the decision to remodel their kitchens. Cooking area remodeling may include some thing as easy as swapping your cooking area sink, but it can likewise include one thing extravagant, like changing all-around your whole kitchen area, from the lights all the way down to your flooring. As wonderful as it is always to have your cooking area remodeled, it can get fairly costly. That is why a large amount of home owners make the choice to do their own remodeling. When accomplishing so, several turn to cooking area improvement guides for assistance, but are they truly well worth the cash?

Before you are able start to figure out if kitchen area remodel books are truly really worth the money, it is essential to look at precisely what they're. Kitchen remodeling guides, also typically remarked as kitchen area remodeling how-to guides, are textbooks that are designed to support readers know as significantly as they can about improving their kitchens. It truly is not uncommon for any cooking area remodeling e book to become overflowing with directions, which includes gradual photos, lists of materials needed, in addition to safety tips. Home improvement textbooks also arrive inside a number of different formats. It is not unusual to find a cooking improving guide that concentrates on several home remodeling projects or a novel that just focuses on 1 undertaking.

Now which you know what home remodel catalogs or kitchen improvement how-to guides are, you are able to start to examine if they are really well worth the cash. Possibly, the best way to do this is to determine what you need to learn to do. For example, when you would only prefer to remodel your kitchen by switching your kitchen countertops, it may be worthless to buy a big cooking area upgrading e book, one that concentrates on a number of different improvement projects. Your cash may be much better spent buying a kitchen upgrading book that has a particular concentrate on cooking countertop installations. When installing your new counters, or simply anything else for that matter, you will often find that there is a lot more than one way to do one thing. If thorough cooking remodel guide, a person that focuses on one particular project in particular, might help to present you much more alternatives.

When determining whether or not cooking area upgrading textbooks are worth the money, it is also focus on what can be found inside them. Lots of times, you will discover that most home remodel books accompany written directions, in addition to graduated photographs. Despite the fact that gradual pics are nice, not all publications have them. If you need to see pics of what you are carrying out, you won't want to waste your money on a cooking remodeling how-to guide that does not contain images. Also if you are searching for directions on how to perform a certain venture, such as exchanging your sink, you will want to make sure that the book you're going to buy has precisely what you need. Unfortunately, as well many householders mistakenly think that a cooking area remodel e book has exactly what they require inside of it. That is why it truly is essential that you know what you are buying.

The price of a home improvement guide will also have an impact on if it is worthwhile. Dependent on where you shop, you should be able to discover an accumulation affordable and reasonably priced kitchen area how-to guides. Cooking area improving how-to guides can be bought on-line, from most book stores and home improvement stores. You can simply discover kitchen area remodeling books that market for as little as ten dollars and some that market for as tall as fifty. What is nice about buying kitchen area improvement guides is that you can choose what you choose to buy, as well as how much you're willing to pay for it.

Because you will find a number of disadvantages and benefits to employing cooking area upgrading books, you will have to create your own determination. When you have very little or no kitchen improvement experience, you might discover that a kitchen remodel how-to guide is additional than worthy of the money.

If you found this article useful, you may also visit cooking101.org to read more about some of the best free cooking tips and have a look at healthy chicken recipes.


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Tuesday, July 12, 2011

The Art of Cake Decorating - A Beginners Recommendation For Cake Decorating Books

I am a relative newcomer to the art of cake decorating. However it's something I've been interested in from since I was a little girl and I baked my first cup cake.

Since picking up my icing pallet and fondant I've discovered that sugar craft is a creative outlet that has the capacity to delight, not only myself when decorating cakes, but also the recipients. It's a fun, exciting and challenging hobby which I find continually stimulating and my head is full of ideas of cakes yet to come!

As I said, I am a newcomer to the world of cake decorating so I've taken a few starter courses. These have been very helpful, but I've discovered that trial and error has served me best. Nothing is more rewarding that sitting down and trying to recreate some cake details that I have seen on-line or in a magazine. After I had completed a few basic courses in sugar crafting I went and bought myself a few cake decorating books which have proved to be a great inspiration to me. Not only in terms of exciting and visually stunning cake decoration, but also techniques and tips that the pros use to create their towering masterpieces.

If you are thinking about taking up this wonderful and fulfilling hobby, here are four cake decorating books that I have found useful so far:

1. "Cakes to Dream On" by Colette Peters

This book is top of the list, simply for it's 'wow' factor. This is a fantastical collection of original, whimsical and artistically detailed cakes. While the book is more geared towards the skilled baker, it does serve as a great source of inspiration with it's colour combinations and unsual techniques. It is truly a feast for the eyes and something to aspire to.

2. "Cake Chic" by Peggy Porschen

Peggy's cake work is contemporary, yet classic. With it's surprising detail and sophisticated lines this book showcases her effortless flair when creating cakes like they are fashion outfits. A wide range of ideas and recipes ensures that there is something for everyone in this cake decorating book.

3. "The Complete Book of Cake Decorating With Sugarpaste" by Sylvia Coward

A good, straightforward cake decorating technique book is worth it's weight in gold. This handy and uncomplicated book is ideal for beginners. Covering a wide range of techniques which are presented in a project form, it is easy to follow and starts with a number of basics that will be ideal for the beginner.

4. "The Well Decorated Cake" by Toba Garrett

This book is well worth a mention here. Ms Garrett presents easy to follow chapters with wonderful direction which help to build up your confidence. I've managed to expand my skill base at a realistic pace with this book and the results have been certainly worth it!

Well, there you are, four cake decorating books which I have found very useful as I have started my journey into this fascinating hobby.

I hope you find them as useful and enjoyable as I have.

Since starting my course in sugarcraft I have found that nothing has been more useful to me that these books. I would recommend that, if you can you take a few basic classes in the starter techniques which will allow you to implement some of the slight more advanced techniques outlined in these books above.

There is no substitute for practice, so even if you are just beginning, get yourself a cake,some fondant and fire up your imagination!

Shana Kilbee recently discovered that cake decorating is not a mystical science, but a fulfilling and wonderful hobby.

Through her cake decorating blog she shares her successes (and failures!) as she learns this amazing craft.


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