Cooking on the Light Side - By: Dr Thienna Ho, Ph D - Book Review

Everyone wants to look and feel good. "Cooking on the Light Side: Smart Recipes for Bright Skin and Vitality" is a revolutionary cookbook that blends health, nutrition and beauty all in one package. Dr. Thienna Ho writes in a truly modern style, not like The Joy of Cooking that mom used to own. Meet the new and improved cookbook that is in tune with the needs for the contemporary society we are living in. It is a visual feast for all of your senses. The photographs are stunning, the recipes are simple to understand, and the tips are actually very helpful.

Learn from the world's leading expert in nutritional skin care health. Thienna Ho, Ph.D., has created a diet plan with foods high in sulfur to enhance beauty, health, and well-being. I discovered a lot of information regarding sulfur; it is an essential mineral that provides the body with many fundamental building blocks. She writes about all of the benefits including the "detoxifying" effects on the cells within the human body. She further explains in her book that sulfur aids in healthy skin production and reduces fine lines and wrinkles. It also has been linked for possible anti-cancer effects. Because of the oxygenation of the cells and tissues, which creates an aerobic environment, cancer cells cannot survive. There are many other benefits regarding sulfur mentioned in this remarkable cookbook and she furthermore provides an extensive list of all sulfur-rich vegetables.

I found Dr. Thienna Ho's recipes to be deliciously scrumptious and satisfyingly nutritious without tasting healthy. There are so many wonderful recipes to choose from. Coconut-Banana Shirataki Porridge, would make a wonderful breakfast, I can't wait to try. Anything with coconut grabs my attention like Coconut Chicken and Bean Soup, or White Bean Coconut Cake. Although coconut isn't the predominate ingredient in her recipes she is diversified in what she chooses for her recipes. There is an extensive list of healthy recipes categorized into breakfasts, salads, soups, sandwiches, dinners, stemmed breads, cakes, pies, and pastries. Dr. Thienna Ho has also included her 30-day diet plan: Experience renewed vigor and amazing skin in just 30 days! In addition, revealed for the first time ever: How Bruce Lee's diet helped him become a martial arts legend. I found the recipe index is quite helpful as are the menu suggestions.

Thienna Ho has carefully chosen the ingredients for flavor, nutrition and ease of preparation, yielding some very appealing entrees. She gives you marvelous tips throughout her book such as to choose less ripe fruit over more ripe, and choose raw or uncooked whenever possible. Make sure to avoid deep dark green leaves. Dr. Thienna Ho recommends steaming as a healthy alternative to cooking and can be a healthy substitute instead of frying, grilling, or broiling a sausage for example.

My commendations go out to Dr. Thienna Ho for creating "Cooking on the Light Side: Smart Recipes for Bright Skin and Vitality" and giving us the alternative to healthier eating, not only by using sulfur-rich foods but also using unprocessed pure ingredients. The recipes are simple and all the ingredients may be purchased at any local grocery store if they aren't already in your pantry. Thank you Dr. Thienna Ho. I'm grateful for your recipe book. Dr. Thienna Ho was able to break four Guinness World Records after 40. She contributes her physical stamina to her diet, which has not only helped her succeed in life, but has made her a healthy more vibrant person. I encourage everyone to read this book and reap the benefits. What a delicious read!

Nicole Sorkin is the Managing Book Review editor for Pacific Book Review:

http://www.pacificbookreview.com/

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'Ayurvedic Cooking For Self-Healing' by Usha Lad and Dr Vasant Lad - Book Review

There is a quote, from the scriptures about Ayurveda, in one of the web pages of Dr. Vasant Lad's site. It is given as follows: "Ayurveda is beyond beginning and ending. A science of eternal healing, it is compared to a vast ocean, and studying Ayurveda to swimming across. A true teacher can teach one how to swim, but the swimming is up to the student;...it is a lifelong journey."

From using it as a heart-warming cookbook, I succeeded to experiment and then appreciate the simple and natural ways of healing some common ailments, such as fever and cold. But as I open myself to the depths of learning that has been designed into this work, the book reveals the microcosmic journey of swimming the seas of Ayurveda. The fundamental principles that make-up a human body, like the five elements, the three bodily humors or doshas, the step-by-step processes of digestion according to Ayurveda, and much more are covered in this book.

This book has been written by Dr.Vasant Lad and his wife, Usha Lad. Vasant Lad, BAMS, MASc, 'is a world-renowned Ayurvedic Physician from India with more than 40 years of Indian medicine clinical experience.' He is also the founder of the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The book shows the painstaking work of the authors to present to readers the complex details of food and cooking, uniquely derived from the fundamentals of Ayurveda. Even those readers who have little background in this ancient method, will find it easy to understand because of the simplicity and clarity in the presentation.

Tables are used wherever possible, making it easy to look things up. Sketches drawn by Dr.Lad himself, lend a distinct attraction for readers. It tends to unburden the reader from feeling any kind of heaviness while going through the exhaustive information provided. It would be beneficial to also consider publishing a 'large print' version of the book, which I have not come across as yet.

If you are not a healer, particularly not familiar to the Ancient Indian system of Ayurveda, this book can make an excellent introduction to other life enhancing works of Dr. Lad. Another book of Dr. Lad's called, 'The Complete book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies', covers the same details of the foundational principles of Ayurveda given in this text, 'Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-healing'. But I found this work as a gentler introduction to this ancient system of healing. Both the works are extensively packed with details, but have their own unique focus.

One of the issues in the process of changing one's diet to vegetarian food is said to be, according to a Q&A section with Dr. Weil, getting enough protein. If you are one among those trying to adapt to vegetarian diet, this book can give you the wholesome picture required to keep your health in balance. It provides an ample amount of recipes and an exhaustive list of simple fruits, vegetables and spices. Dr. Weil mentions this as 'varied vegetarian diet' and also as a healthier alternative.

One of the works of Andrew Weil, M.D., that I first read was, 'Spontaneous Healing'. The works of Dr. Weil and Dr. Lad are quite comparable in the distinct field of healing, predominantly through natural means. Years before I was introduced to the works of Dr. Vasant Lad, I was using the works of Andrew Weil, M.D. Dr. Weil's website is a well of resource, and the information that is provided is from his unique expertise in the field of health, healing, food and more.

I also learn that many of us have a longing for connection with the ways of our ancestors to live our lives better. 'Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing' is definitely a book that renders such wisdom. It also contains in it an ambiance that caters to readers from both the Eastern (India) and the Western (U.S.) countries. A copy of this book, which I have, has become antiquated in appearance. It has been kept open several times, on my kitchen counter.

254 pages; The Ayurvedic Press (N.M.); 2nd ed., 1997; $19.50; http://www.ayurveda.com

About me: I was certified completion in the 'Sacred Contracts' course, by the Caroline Myss Educational (CMED) Institute in 2008. If you think you would like to use 'Sacred Contracts' for your personal growth, please look for information on my archetypal consulting service at http://www.intentionanddirections.com/

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5 Bestsellers In Fine Wine And Cooking

Lisa Lillien writes Hungry Girl 300 Under 300: 300 Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner Dishes Under 300 Calories, intended to keep you healthy but also savoring some tasty dishes. Including some recipes for all the major meals, as well as some great tips for starters and sides, you can find a recipe that will be suitable to your taste buds fast. You can find some recipes like PB and J Oatmeal, Creamy Crab Cakes Benedict, Classic Cheese steak Salad, Dreamy Butternut Chicken Foil Pack, Burger-ific Mushroom Melt, some Big Apple Butternut Squash Soup, as well as some bacon wrapped hot dogs that will have your mouth watering in no time. Stay fit and healthy with these recipes, as they are not only easy on the taste buds but also easy on the diet, too, as they are all under 300 calories.

Gabrielle Hamilton write Blood, Bones and Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef. This story of a chef tells the story of a budding chef who always dreamed of cooking but worked at a catering company without any flavor, was often starving, cooked at a summer camp, and was often fed by strangers, till she learned the importance of fear and hunger and the importance of sharing food with others. A chef and owner now of her own restaurant, as well as a trained writer, this story tells of the rise of a chef from harsh circumstances and her unique perspective on the importance of sharing food and recipes to others.

Neal Barnard writes 21-Day Weight Loss Kickstart, a book written by a doctor meant to help with lifestyle choices, and helps teach about the benefits of a vegan diet, and the ways in which fatty animal based products can be replaced with things like vegetables and legumes and other things that can sustain a person and give them a properly balanced diet, as well. Also, the author insists upon strategies for quick results and allows you to have quick weight loss without depriving yourself.

The Editors at America's Test Kitchen present Slow Cooker Revolution, a book that contains 200 recipes, that allow you to throw things into the slow cooker and then intensify the flavor of it by adding different ingredients, such as various spices and garlic. The book even hones in on details, such as microwaving various spices to really get the most out of the flavor and gives little tips that really improve a meal by enhancing the flavors of the dish and making things even richer and better than ever.

Gary Taubes writes Why We Get Fat and What to Do About it, a book about staying fit and questioning the reasons and factors that have led to American obesity. He also examines how various diets have failed to reduce this high level and proposes some solutions that are meant to help people lose weight, stay fit, try to lower their cholesterol and do so in a way that will keep people healthy and fit for a long time. That way, you can stay fit and stay healthy with a great book of tips.

Roberto Sedycias works as an IT consultant for PoloMercantil

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"French Cooking in Ten Minutes" (by Edouard De Pomiane) Is a Charming Little Cookbook

French cooking in ten minutes? Yes, it can be done! Our modern life moves fast. Yet in 1930, Edouard de Pomiane - scientist, doctor, cooking show host, food author - wrote a little French cookbook called "French Cooking in Ten Minutes" because life was so hectic back then. (Oh, how we grow nostalgic for what we think of as the "quieter, simpler" past!)

Just finding time to eat, let alone preparing a meal, is sometimes a challenge. So here we are in a busy world eating fast food, take-out food or a quick microwave meal when what we really want is a good old fashioned home cooked meal made with fresh ingredients. Cooking quick and delicious home cooked meals can be done with a little planning, and Dr. de Pomiane shows us how. He writes for those who have only an hour for lunch or dinner, giving them the chance to eat a delicious meal and still have time to enjoy a good cup of coffee and a nice chat.

Edouard de Pomiane was born in 1875 and raised in Paris. He was a medical doctor whose specialty was gastroenterology - digestion and stomach juices. This led him to an interest in preparing food. So his writing occasionally includes bits about how and why food is cooked the way it is.

The best part of this gem of a French cook book, though, is that we are taken by the hand and shown how to prepare the basics. Dr. de Pomiane explains how to make a simple white sauce, then takes us further to transform it into a Bearnaise sauce or a Mornay sauce. He gives us the confidence to cook! And he does so with clear, simple instructions infused with a light humor.

How would you like to be able to put together the following meals in ten minutes or less?

- Noodles Czechoslovakian style, rib steak with onions, cucumbers with sour cream, cheese, fruit
- Smoked sausage and olives, loin lamb chops, sauteed potatoes, green salad, cheese, fruit
- Mussels with saffron, buttered spinach, tomato salad, omelet flambe, fruit
- Creme of mushroom soup, frankfurter sausages, potato salad, cheese, coeur a la creme

Many of his foods begin with pre-cooked meat and canned food. After all, you can't roast a chicken in ten minutes. But you can bring home a rotisserie chicken from the deli and use it to prepare a delicious lunch or dinner using a recipe from "French Cooking in Ten Minutes." Even if you never make any of these recipes, you will enjoy reading this book for its sensible ideas and friendly style.

I must admit there are a few ingredients in "French Cooking in Ten Minutes" that seem odd today, such as Larks and Hare Steak, but you can substitute more commonly available items for the recipes. The ingredients may vary but the premise is unchanged - creating delicious and quick French food.

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Book Review of Semi Home Made Cooking

Sandraorite Lee has taught the domestically challenged how to cook by coordinating her television show with her cookbooks. She not only makes cooking easy, but shows how to entertain dinner guests by using themed table settings. Her recipes are fail proof. Anyone can learn to cook with Sandra Lee.

There are about twenty cookbooks in the Semi Home Made collections. Many of the recipes have been demonstrated on her show. Sandra's method is using seventy percent store bought products with thirty percent fresh products.

Each book begins with photographs and descriptions of tools and spices you will need on hand and how to use them. I have actually learned from this. Each recipe is coordinated with other dishes to complete the meal. The end of the book gives table setting tips for entertaining.

There are a few basic tips I have learned that have helped. One is to add extracts to cake mixes for an enhanced flavor. Another trick for cake mixes is to use applesauce in place of oil for moisture. When water is called for in use fruit juice or broth instead for flavor.

Once you've learned some of these tricks, you get creative and think of your own shortcuts. I recycled pineapple cans by cooking pineapple upside down cake in them. I collected twelve and made individual cakes. It worked out perfectly.

Sandra actually tried cooking school that the gourmet recipes were not used by the every day person on a budget, with time spread thin, She wrote down the ways she survived when growing up and throwing whatever was in the pantry.

My favorite recipe, is stuffed peepers cooked in the crock pot with a Mexican twist. They are peppers with a kick! You literally dump everything from the can to the bow and mix it with hamburger and rice. A few hours later they've cooked themselves and you just eat. Her serving tip is to use a bundt cake pan for transporting and serving because they will keep their shape and not fall over.

There are even international food themes that are fun.

If you admit to being like me and not being a domestic goddess, this book is for you. After trying a few of Sandran's recipes, you will be able to contribute to any potluck like a pro. Never again will you bring bagged salad or chips. You will become the life of the party.

Author, Laura Schroeder, has experienced life change first hand. To join an online community of care, visit her website at http://lauramschroeder.com/ There, you will see the blog, hear podcast stories and see offered available products. To contact Laura, email at laura@lauramschroeder.com.

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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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Cooking Made Easy With Appliance Focused Cookbooks

Cooking is an art and people who are well versed in this art enjoy it. But for some, it is really a tedious exercise which takes up too much time and energy. Cooking can become an enjoyable experience if one has the right equipments of the trade.

A kitchen looks good if it has all the required equipments and vessels in place. Kitchen appliances are most useful during the process of preparing a dish. A good kitchen appliance can be used in many different ways.

Culinary skills are not only limited to preparing the daily food. It also involves cooking for various occasions too. For each special occasion, there is a different set of cooking appliances and tools to be used. Things become much easier if there are appliances related cook books at hand. These books can help in exploring the versatility of the appliance and bring out new facets which are a bonus on your investment.

Bread machine related cook books are a source of culinary treasure for both the occasional and the regular bakers. These books are very helpful to the people who have a bread making machine and enjoy the pleasures of the freshly baked bread. With the advent of such kind of a machine, the whole process of making the bread was revolutionized. It proved to be a boon both for people who knew how to bake from scratch and for those who didn't have too much time to spare. Various writers have written books focusing on the recipes which are easily made with this machine. Some of the more prominent cookbooks for bread machine recipes are The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook by Beth Hensperger, Bread Machine Magic by Linda Rehberg & Tom Lacalamita and Rustic European Breads from Your Bread Machine by Linda W. Eckhardt and Diana C. Butts.

Slow Cooker or Crock Pot is a counter top electrical appliance which maintains a relatively low temperature for many hours. The design of the slow cooker is such that it is much safer than the regular pressure cooker and has a lesser chance of exploding. It consists of a lidded round or oval cooking pot which is made of glazed ceramic or porcelain. The lid of the slow cooker is made up of transparent glass which fits into the groove in the pot edge. There are many different books which feature recipes for the slow cooker specially. Some of the more prominent ones are Slow Cooker Cooking by Lora Brody, Crockery Cookery by Mabel Hoffman, A Potful of Recipes by Joanna Lund, and Betty Crocker's Slow Cooker Cookbook.

One of the more common forms of cooking is deep frying which gives the dishes a definite tangier taste. There are many recipes for deep fried cooking. Several authors have contributed to this field of culinary art and brought books which feature recipes dedicated to deep frying. One of the most prominent books is The Best Fryer Cookbook Ever by Phyllis Kohn which features various deep fry recipes.

For more information on Maryland Crab Cakes and Chalupas Recipes please visit our website.

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"On Food and Cooking" Cookbook Review - Harold McGee's "Science and Lore of the Kitchen"

If you've ever wondered what a scientist might say about food, here is your answer. Harold McGee's "On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen" is a 900-page behemoth filled to the brim with excellent information. Its charm is in its depth of knowledge but highly readable simplicity. This book has something for everyone, from the seasoned chef to the budding home cook.

The best place to start with this book is the final chapter, "The Four Basic Food Molecules" and the short appendix entitled, "A Chemistry Primer". For bakers especially, the information included here is essential. I know, I know, you're never supposed to jump to the end of a book before you finish it! But these two sections will help give you a solid foundation so that the rest of the book is a breeze (and a great joy) to read.

From there you'll find a world ready to open up to you, from how soy sauce is made to how egg whites turn stiff when beaten. This is not exactly a cookbook, but rather a reference for any cooking-related question you could ever dream up. Making your way through this book is like drawing back the veil on the wonders lurking behind the mundane in the foods we eat. If you are serious about cooking at all, or if you are just interested in learning more about your favorite foods, this book is a must-have. It is an essential reference, yes, but more than that, it is a fascinating and magical read.

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Cooking Vegetables With Waterless Cookware - Part 1

Many of us like to follow a recipe when cooking. While there are thousands of cookbooks available with a myriad of recipes to follow, there are very few waterless cookbooks out there. Charles and David Knight have published "Healthy Meat and Potatoes," providing not only lots of good recipes but also helpful tips for waterless cookware owners. Following is a summary of some of the tips Charles Knight offers for cooking vegetables the waterless, greaseless way.

Scrub Root Vegetables

Clean your root vegetables with a vegetable brush under cold running water. Remove any surface blemishes you see. Peeling is not necessary.

Refresh Vegetables

Vegetables, especially root vegetables, tend to lose some of their natural moisture after they are harvested. To replenish some of this lost moisture, place the vegetables in the pan, fill the pan with water, add 1 Tbsp. white distilled vinegar and soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Soaking will also remove chemical sprays, preservatives and any other substances the vegetable may have come in contact with as a result of transit and storage. Pour the water off, rinse, and then cook according to the recipe.

Use the Right-Sized Pan

When cooking vegetables the waterless way, it is important to use a size pan that the vegetables almost completely fill. This is critical in forming the vapor seal. The fewer vegetables in the pan, the more air, which can possibly result in oxidation. When pans are not full enough, a high temperature is required to create a vapor seal. This can cause scorching or burning.

Form the Vapor Seal

In heating, the moist air expands and is forced out between the rim and the cover of the pan. Around the rim there is a well, or reservoir, that collect the moisture. The covers are angled down to fit in line with well. As the heated air continues to escape, the well fills with moisture, forming the vapor seal. This process usually takes 3 to 5 minutes.

Find the Right Temperature Setting

Despite the wide variety of gas and electric ranges available, waterless cooking takes the guesswork out of the cooking process. Here are two tips:

If the rim or well spits moisture, the temperature is too high.If the lid does not spin freely on a cushion of water after forming the seal, the temperature is too low.

You may need to experiment with finding the right temperature for a time or two, but once you find that perfect temperature, cooking with waterless cookware will be simple and easy.

Reestablish the Vapor Seal

Do not peek during the waterless cooking process. Removing the cover destroys the vapor seal, lengthens the cooking time and can possibly cause the vegetables to burn. If, for any reason, the cover is taken off, cover the pan again, close the vent and add 2 Tbsp. to the rim to reestablish the vapor seal. Add 3 to 5 minutes to the designated cooking time.

Don't let the concept of cooking waterless scare you. When you try it, you will soon discover how easy it is to actually use waterless cookware if you follow the above principles. Yes, cooking with waterless cookware is healthy because vegetables cook in their own natural juices, but you will soon discover how tasty and uniquely flavorful your prepared meals are. The Gourmet's Cookware offers a wide variety of quality waterless stainless steel products along with tips and healthy recipes that can be adapted to your waterless cookware.

Marcia Klun is the owner and webmaster of [http://www.thegourmetscookware.com], a site that offers quality stainless steel products, such as waterless cookware sets, stockpots, cutlery, skillets, flatware, and other gourmet cooking essentials. In addition, the site offers relevant information about waterless cooking and provides a variety of healthy recipes that can be adapted to waterless cookware.

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Fresh and Healthy Cooking!

The Harvest Eating Cookbook
BY KEITH SNOW
RUNNING PRESS. 296P $29.95

Towns and garden centers everywhere are hosting farmer's markets for local growers to showcase and sell their produce directly to neighborhood families. This is the perfect time for cookbooks to offer new recipes and ways of preparing the food that can be found at these venues. Not only is The Harvest Eating Cookbook full of delectable photos but the recipes are reasonable in length, simple to prepare, tasty and nutritious. The author, Kevin Snow, also includes recipes for making your own healthy pancake mix and homemade yogurt, and salad dressings as well as canning tips and other ways to avoid store bought products. Snow shares his own family's efforts to make the majority of the food they eat. Depending on how dedicated one is to cooking their own food, this cookbook will appeal to many types of cooks. A simple key is provided to indicate what seasons might be best to find the fresh ingredients for the dish. Luckily, many of the recipes can be easily made all four seasons.

The recipes for flour less chocolate cake and Parmesan crisps do require a knowledge of technique, but this is not true for the majority of the recipes. The tomato pie recipe, for instance, is a delightful new way to use up the abundance of summer tomatoes using a sweet pie crust, or pate brise, that is the same as the crust used for many tarts. Some of the recipes may be familiar but with Snow's help they are transformed into healthier versions. His homemade pancake mix, for example, ups its fiber content by substituting all white flour for a mixture of white, wheat, and rye flour. The result are pancakes that have the expected taste but added nutritional value. This is a cookbook that should be kept on hand in the kitchen.

Karen M. Mallozzi - May 6, 2010

Karen M. Mallozzi lives in New England and is a member of her local garden club. She grows her own vegetables every year and tries new recipes and techniques whenever she gets a chance.

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Cooking For Friends by Gordon Ramsay - A Must Have For Your Cookbook Collection

Most people will no doubt know Gordon Ramsay from either Hell's Kitchen or Kitchen Nightmares. In these shows he tries to get the best out of chefs. In Hell's Kitchen he tries to develop people with a passion into real chefs that can run their kitchens, and in Kitchen Nightmares he tries to kick those who have lost their passion back into operative mode.

Some dislike Gordon for his straightforward way of saying things, but I truly like his leadership style because I see the effect it has upon people.

His books are a real revelation in the world of cooking. Where others focus on fine dining or impossible recipes with lots of strange ingredients, Gordon is exactly the opposite. He uses straightforward ingredients and shows decent meals that anyone can cook.

You could say that Gordon Ramsay has already make all the possible mistakes anyone has done in his early years. He knows what is difficult and what is simple. When he says something is simple, you can trust him. He knows his audience, and that has made him a real best seller in the world of cookbooks.

In the book "Cooking for Friends", Gordon Ramsay has again shown his enthusiasm for good raw materials and a deep passion for allowing all to succeed in cooking well at all times. Whenever there is something that could be an obstacle for his readers to perform, he explains how to avoid things getting out of order, and you truly feel at home with a guide that wants you to succeed.

Gordon has built a million-dollar business around the concept of decent food for a decent price prepared in a suitable time - yet always seasoned well, and always at a standard that you would eat it yourself.

All recipes in Cooking for Friends have that special touch that allows you to think: "this is exactly the dish I want to make next time our friends come by." And it is that very talent of bringing both image and description together with such clarity that wins him a lot of extra sales. Once you have the first cookbook you want more. We already have three of his books, and they are worth every dime.

The recipe I would recommend most is the smoked salmon and horseradish cream tartlets This is one of the many favorites, and I believe anyone can emulate this recipe. Happy reading.

Thanks for reading this article. I hope you enjoyed the information, and I would welcome your feedback if you were helped by this article or need any clarification. It would also be nice to know if you have questions that could give ideas for new articles on a similar subject.
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The Joy of Cooking Book Review - Irma Rombauer Cookbook Review

The Joy of Cooking has become one of the most well known cookbooks in existence and for good reason. If followed properly, the recipes in this cookbook are sure-fire successes, and the recipes are made easy to follow. The Joy of Cooking is a staple cookbook for anyone from the beginning cook to the master chef. It's a resource to learn not only about cooking, but about food itself.

This book has recipes for just about everything there is, including beverages, appetizers, snacks, candies, jellies, desserts, sauces/toppings, stuffings, and entrees from simple to multi-course meals. Rombauer makes the recipes extremely easy to understand and follow even for a beginner. The multitude of illustrations also help to make the recipes fun and simple.

The thing that makes this cookbook special is that it not only includes detailed recipes, but also tips and techniques for everything that has to do with cooking from how to keep foods fresh and how to cut your ingredients. You'll learn about all the different kinds of wine, the various cuts of beef, and how to properly set your table.

The Joy of Cooking is a fun cookbook to read. The writing is enthusiastic and passionate and that joy of cooking really does come through on these pages. You'll read this book feeling inspired as the author's true love of all things food comes through. Fun stories and side anecdotes give you extra insight into the simplest details of certain foods and dishes and truly makes this book a gem.

To see the new Top 5 Must Have Cookbooks list, follow me to Globetrotter Diaries.

Globetrotter Diaries is an international food blog that explores the culinary cultures around the world by cooking a local dish each week and providing tips and techniques to help you in the kitchen. We hope you'll join us on our adventures!

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Joy of Cooking 75th Anniversary Edition - The Only Cookbook You Need

Originally self published in 1931, by creator, Irma Rombauer, Joy of Cooking has been uplifting kitchens ever since. This staple of American kitchens is now in it's eight version with the 75th Anniversary Edition. I have been actively cooking for my family now going on five years and have many different types of cookbooks. I always come back to the Joy of Cooking though, for many reasons.

Proper Food Handling - this culinary masterpiece will walk you through proper handling procedures for any ingredient you could ever hope to work with. No more guess work about what is safe. Also, if you have been in the kitchen for some time, you might learn a thing or two about what you might have been doing wrong. you will gain all the knowledge you need to make sure everyone stays healthy and to be able to produce the best tasting recipes ever!Range of Topics Covered - if you can think of doing it in the kitchen, Joy has the answer! General nutrition, menus for various holidays, Joy breaks it down for you every step of the way. From candies, confections and baked goods, to veggies, pasta, soups, sauces, and meats, Joy shows you what ingredients you need, what you need to do with them once you bring them home, how to prepare and cook them and how to store them afterward. There is even step by step guides on how to treat cuts, burns and stains of all kinds. Joy will even guide you in getting the best cookware for your needs and how to keep it lasting a long, long time!Simplicity - despite it's 1072 pages, not including the very well laid out index, all the instructions, recipes and guidelines are developed with simplicity in mind. What I have found is this 75th Anniversary Edition gives me a great baseline to start from and as I get more confident in my skills, I'm able to slowly expand on Joy's recommendations and begin to create my own masterpieces for my family.

Especially if you are just starting out in the kitchen and wondering which cookbook you should acquire first, Joy of Cooking 75th Anniversary Edition will give you all you need for years to come and is one of those things that will become a family tradition, one of those things your kids will always remember you working with and will one day appreciate getting from you for Christmas one year!

Joel Robert Champe loves cooking great tasting food for his wife and son. He invites you to come to his new blog about his kitchen and grilling adventures hoping he can be of help to you and looks forward to reading your comments: http://joelrobertchampe.blogspot.com/

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Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Cooking by Susan O'Brien Review

When you want to lose weight it can be very hard to find recipes that are as nice as your mother used to make, but not quite so fattening. With 200 recipes, this book holds out a lot of promise for diabetics or people like me who want to lose weight. Now, by sugar-free it doesn't mean that the food produced will be entirely sugar-free, merely that you don't add unnatural sugars.

My first impressions of this book are great. It looks good, and is certainly easy to read. The instructions are, I think, also very easy to follow. As cookbooks go it is also reasonably entertaining.

The recipes cover all the main meals, and even some snacks to keep you going through the long day.

If you have to avoid certain foods because of medical conditions it is ideal. In fact, recipes are generally free of gluten, sugar and usually dairy.

I haven't found another recipe book that is both gluten and sugar free, so it is an ideal choice of book for most dieters.

But the real question is: are the recipes easy to eat, delicious, and easy to make?

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not a great cook. Most of the food I made was not presented with the same flair as the pictures. But while I am not a great cook I found it easy to make most of these recipes. Although they were easy to make since I live in the countryside, sometimes some of the more unusual ingredients are hard to find (they wouldn't be if you lived in a reasonable sized town with a health store nearby). But I was still able to make a good selection of meals.

It's fair to say, this book contains enough variety to be able to have regular sugar-free meals without too much pain, and with a lot of gain.

It is an ideal book for a nutritionists, a dieter, or someone with medical conditions that require them to avoid certain foods.

The best thing about this book is it isn't a weird book that you need to be worried about your health, if you use the recipes contained in this book sensibly it is obvious that you would be eating a healthy diet.

A lot of books offer healthy but boring food.

This book offers healthy and delicious meals, which are not too hard to make.

One particular section that I liked was the recipes on breads, cakes and muffins. Being able to make them healthily is a real bonus. I think you could easily live on the food in this book, which is more than the case with a lot of new age diets.

So I guess my basic review is... this is a great book.

OK, you will still have to exercise discipline and do those horrible exercises to lose weight, but at least you won't have to eat horrible food to do it.

In addition to this review, I have written about the health benefits of orange juice, and a hurom slow juicer review, because the Hurom Slow Juicer can make delicious, healthy orange juice that will help you lose weight without all the sugar shops put into their juice.

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Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," a Timeless Classic!

If you're trying to recreate the savory taste of classic French cooking, that elusive mouth-watering aroma of a meal you once had, that recipe you lost and could never find another that was exactly right, then this may be the perfect cookbook for you. With beautiful illustrations, Mastering The Art Of French Cooking serves beginners and old pros alike.

To paraphrase the authors, if you have the right instructions, anyone can make these recipes. There's no real secret, other than the sequence. The step-by-step instructions are plain, from purchasing all your ingredients, then the easiest assembly order, through the finished creation result. By the time you've finished one or two of these recipes you may even surprise yourself at how well they turn out!

The recipes are organized by major themes together with nearly endless variations. In a sensible order the key recipes are presented so that anyone can quickly become proficient with the basics, leading to any number of elaborations. When practical, classic techniques are converted to the conveniences available today in modern America and elsewhere.

Lessons are included free of charge. How to buy the right cuts of meat, for example, the right beans or perhaps seafood and fish to replicate the precise texture and taste of the original French food items. Suggestions for the proper sides for each dish, the correct and permissible wines, whatever you may be unsure of, this cookbook is here to help. How's your cordon bleu? The secrets of famous recipes are right here.

Kids will even appreciate this food, and ask for it! Once you get comfortable with the book you'll see the recipes are mostly easy to do, and if you like a challenge there are some that are a bit more difficult. A lot of thought went into this book and each recipe it contains. The illustrations take you by the hand and walk you through easily.

Another benefit is all the ingredients can be found at a typical grocery store. No need to shop the pricey specialty shops, (unless you want to), ethnic markets, and so forth. Just write your list and go!

From omelets, to soups, to roasts, and more, Mastering The Art Of French Cooking will be a reference you'll turn to again and again. Oh and desserts? You bet! Once you start on these you'll wonder how you ever lived without them. Okay, maybe not really, but you might! Ahhhh, French bread? Sorry, but that's in volume II.

Also, "Julie & Julia" is now a major motion picture (released in August 2009) starring Meryl Streep as Julia Child. It is partially based on Julia Child's memoir, My Life in France.

To read more of my review and compare other French cookbooks, go here. Thanks for reading my review!

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Get Passionate About Cooking - Even If You Don't Like to Cook!

Are you always finding excuses to order pizza or go out for a meal? That can get pretty expensive, but in today's hectic world, you don't always have energy to spend preparing a meal that everyone will enjoy. Let's Cook Tonight: Real Food, Real Flavor, Real Easy, written by Gigi Centaro, provides easy and fun recipes that your whole family is sure to have fun making and even more fun eating!

Let's Cook Tonight is not a cookbook for those who love to cook and are always perusing cooking websites for new recipes and techniques. It's for those who avoid the kitchen at all cost - living on takeout and expensive restaurant meals.

Now is the time for Let's Cook Tonight. More people these days have to cook because of economic reasons or simply to offer their families healthier meals. But, where do you start? How do you begin to stock a kitchen with staples you'll need for almost every meal? Let's Cook Tonight will get you started - and you may even have fun and develop a confidence in cooking that you didn't know was possible.

All the years that some of us have successfully avoided the kitchen are now coming to a fast halt. We may be extremely successful in our careers, but most cookbooks look as if they're written in a foreign language and we're intimidated by the whole process. But, now, there's Let's Cook Tonight - and we can look at cooking as a whole new adventure in our lives.

Gigi Centaro proves that cooking is easier than you think and that the advantages of cooking good and nutritious meals for your family outweighs the work involved. Let's Cook Tonight contains humorous stories and recipes, written in a way that's easy to understand. You'll quickly realize that the health benefits of learning to cook are enormous - but, better yet - the memories created while preparing and sharing a meal are priceless.

You'll learn how to lessen the stress of shopping for and preparing a meal and that it doesn't take a great deal of time, once you know how. You'll also learn how the freezer can be your best friend. Simply prepare enough food for two meals during one cooking session and pop the other meal into the freezer for later.

Let's Cook Tonight isn't merely a recipe cookbook. Centaro provides shopping lists for the recipes that constitute an entire meal. You don't even have to think when you shop - each meal's quantity and quality has been thought out beforehand. You'll know exactly how much prep and cook time is involved too.

Let's Cook Tonight: Real Food, Real Flavor, Real Easy, by Gigi Centaro, takes all the guesswork and stress out of preparing great and tasty meals for you and your family. Who knows - maybe you'll actually come to love the art of cooking!

Lauren Smith is editor for the Virtual Book Review Network - reviews books by well known bestselling authors and books by soon to be recognized names. For more information, visit: http://virtualbookreviewnetwork.com/. This review covers "Let's Cook Tonight," by Gigi Centaro.

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Mastering the Art of French Cooking

Many people enjoy cooking and love to spend hours in the kitchen recreating dishes that they have had in restaurants or abroad. Trying to ensure that the dish tastes as it did when you first experienced can be difficult, but with the right recipe books it is far easier. One cuisine that is cooked over and over again is French food; people love the taste of it and always have fond memories of where they first tasted it. Mastering The Art of French Cooking is a timeless cook book which many chefs will have on their bookshelves and use time and time again.

With beautiful illustrations, and easy to follow techniques this book is simply fantastic. It suits professional chefs and amateurs alike, everyone can recreate something new and exciting once you have read Mastering The Art of French Cooking. The key to any good cookbook is the way it is laid out, any meal can be recreated if the instructions on how to do it are clear, and simply laid out. There are no secrets to good cooking and all it takes is the ability to read a recipe. The ideas and step by step guides are great in this cookbook; they guide you through every element from going to the store to actually buy your produce, right up to the finished meal.

Mastering The Art of French Cooking is a chef's bible to other useful tips and hints. It advises you what are the best cuts of meat to buy and even offers advise if you can't find the exact French ingredients. It tells you what you can substitute for another item, and this is invaluable advice when trying to cook a meal. The book also suggests what to serve with your meal, including what side dishes will compliment it, and what wine to drink with it.

The book is laid out easily, and is based around themes although it offers countless variations to cook. The recipes are in a sensible order, and once you have got the confidence then you can move through the book cooking better and better meals. All of the recipes have been adapted to allow for the modern conveniences of today, the classic ways of doing things are approached in a new style. All of the ingredients can be found at your local store, and there is no need to worry that you won't find an ingredient.

Mastering The Art of French Cooking really is the bible of cookbooks; it has everything you could possibly want in a book. Once you have read the book a few times, and tried the recipes you will gain confidence within yourself. You will begin to realize that cooking isn't difficult; with the right recipes and instructions supplied you can achieve great things. This cookbook guides you through the world of food, from breakfasts, soups and so much more, you can create delicious meal after meal with this book. Your family and friends will never tire of you cooking from this great cookbook-- Mastering The Art of French Cooking!.

Paul Rosenthal is an accomplished cook who feeds 6 kids per day, everyday while working full time. However daunting this task may seem, it is surprisingly easy after learning the easy way to cook with Julia Child's Mastering The Art Of French Cooking

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