The Pasta Bible: The Definitive Sourcebook, With Over 1,000 Illustrations Review

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(More customer reviews)This is an absolutely essential book for anyone who loves pasta. It is packed with wonderful color photos. The recipes are delicious. Some are quite involved and require exotic ingredients.
Being so much more than a cookbook, it starts out with a brief history of pasta. It then discusses grain in detail. Pictures of each flour type & an illustration of a wheat grain are included here. There are also pictures all the of pasta tools.
Next, dry pasta is covered. There are great photos of over 125 different pastas, including Asian noodles. It also demonstrates step by step how to make, & shape fresh pasta doughs from scratch.
I loved the inclusion of colored, flavored pastas. The sweet pastas including chocolate noodles are divine. Other great recipes focused on pasta sauces, soups, dumplings, gnocchi, baked pastas and stuffed dishes.

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Every conceivable type of Italian pasta or Asian noodle is presented, and we mean every conceivable this comprehensive volume includes dried, fresh, gnocchi, dumplings and even chocolate pasta. Featuring step-by-step instructions for making and cutting fresh dough; recipes incorporating cheese, fish, meat, game and poultries; and homemade soups and sauces. This book is a James Beard Cookbook Winner.

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The Cooking Contest Cookbook: More Than 120 Prize Winning Recipes Review

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(More customer reviews)Over 10 years ago Joyce Campagna started the popular Cooking Contest Newsletter. Now, at the urging of her readers, she and her husband Don have written a cookbook. The Cooking Contest Cookbook is a collection of prize-winning recipes, original recipes using readily available ingredients. It is a handy source of new things to try, plus different approaches to old favorites. The part I like best is the desserts. GREAT CHOCOLATE RECIPES! YUM! If you have considered entering cooking contests but you don't know where to start, this cookbook will give you a look of what kind of things win. For people who read cookbooks like other people read novels, this is the perfect gift, but it is also a wonderful present for anyone who likes to cook, or wants to learn.

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The Soup Bible Review

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(More customer reviews)I was never so disappointed in a book as I with this one. Can someone tell me what the soup on the cover is? Can't find it referenced anywhere.
I was looking forward to learning about making soups, not just the generic - this soup consists of water, leeks, etc. If you want to know the name of every consomme possible, than this is for you. I was very disappointed especially after purchasing "The Sauce Bible". I expected more than this book delivered.

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The Splendid Table: Recipes from Emilia-Romagna, the Heartland of Northern Italian Food Review

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(More customer reviews)I've owned this book since it first came out in 1992, and it occupies a special place in my cooking library -- eye-level shelf for easy reach. The salad of tart greens with prosciutto and warm balsamic dressing has been my first course for many outstanding dinner parties, including several on New Year's Eve. Other particular favorites - the lamb, garlic & potato roast, maccheroni with baked grilled vegetables, torta barozzi, and chestnut ricotta cheesecake. Ms. Kasper's outstanding knowledge of this regional Italian cuisine is equally matched by her understanding of how a home chef times and assembles a multi-course meal. I'm now ordering her new book, The Italian Country Table, and hope to be just as impressed.

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Everyday Pasta Review

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(More customer reviews)Giada's third entry into the cookbook theater is as good as her first two, and there seems to be no end to her culinary offerings to us. This time, she immerses herself into the somewhat crazy world of pasta and the many "clothes" it wears. Delicious to say the least!
I have to admit that one of the first things that grabs my attention when looking at cookbooks is its presentation; does it make me want to look at because it invites me with with something comfortable and familiar? Or is it something that jazzes up that same familiar look? With it's sharp, fresh, and detailed photography and simple, yet inviting writing, Giada brings to you a compendium of sorts in her ode to pasta.
She begins her introduction with "The Origins of Pasta" then goes into her "Top 10 Pasta-Cooking Tips" which is followed by "Matching Pasta Shapes to Sauces" (I never really thought of how the shape of the pasta actually influences the flavor depending how it attaches to the shape). The book then breaks down into 3 sections: Pasta Go-Withs, Pasta for All Seasons, and Pasta Basics.(Pasta Go-Withs)
ANTIPASTI and APPETIZERS
Baked Caprese Salad (baguette slices w/ tomatoes, mozzarella)
Goat Cheese Toasts
Bruschetta w/ Frisee, Prosciutto, and Mozzarella
Toasted Ciabetta w/ Balsamic Syrup
Crostini w. Anchovy Butter and Cheese
Parmesan Popovers (definitely a big hit w/dinner)
Fried Ravioli (these were EXCELLENT!)
Zucchini and Carrot a Scapece (pickled veggies)
Fried Zucchini
Prosciutto-Wrapped Veggies w/ Parmesan
SOMETHING ON THE SIDE:
Cornbread Panzanella
Arugula Salad w/ Fried Gorgonzola
Spinach Salad w/ Citrus Vinaigrette and Frico (very light and healthy)
Insalata Mista w/ Basil Dressing
Hearty Winter Salad w/ Sherry Vinaigrette
Greens w/ Gorgonzola Dressing
Asparagus w/ Vin Santo Vinaigrette
Anytime Veggie Salad
Sauteed Spinach w/ Red Onion(Pasta for All Seasons)
SOUPS AND PASTA SALADS
Italian White Bean, Pancetta, and Tortelini Soup
Pasta e Ceci (garbanzo beans)
*a small info section on "grating" types of cheese for the soup/pasta's
Italian Veggie Soup (perfect during winter!!)
Ribollita (soup)
Tuna, Green Bean, and Orzo Salad
Fusilli Salad w/ Seared Shrimp and Parsley Sauce
Neapolitan Calamari and Shrimp Salad
*tips for a perfect pasta salad
Mediterranean Salad
Antipasto Salad
Italian Chicken Salad in Lettuce Crisps
HEARTY PASTAS
Baked Penne w/ Roasted Veggies
Venetian "Mac and Cheese"
Crab and Ricotta Manicotti
Rigatoni w/ Sausage, Peppers, and Onions
Roman-Style Fettucine w/ Chicken
Farfalle w/ Creamy Mushroom Gorgonzola Sauce
Pappardelle w/ Lamb Stew
Cinnamon-Scented Ricotta Raviolo w/ Beef Ragu (very different/tasty)
Proscuitto Raviolo
Turkey and Artichoke Stuffed Shells (the artichokes add a nice twist)
Gnocchi with Thyme Butter Sauce
Ricotta Gnudi in Parmesan Broth
Tagliatelle w/ Short Rib Ragu
Penne w/ Swordfish and Eggplant
Baked Pastina Casserole
Baked Gnocchi (these are heavenly little dumplings)
ON THE LIGHTER SIDE
Linguine w/ Better, Pecorini, Arugula, & Black Pepper
*no-cook pasta sauces
Saffron Orzo w/ Shrimp
Penne w/ Spicy Tomato Sauce
Spaghetti w/ Sauteed Onions and Marjoram
Eggplant Mezzaluna Ravioli
*stuffed pastas
Orecchiette w/ Mixed Greens and Goat Cheese
Capellini Piedmontese
Spaghetti alla Pirata
Spaghetti w/ Red and Yellow Peppers
Swordfish and Spaghetti w/ Citrus Pesto
Conghilie w/ Clams, Mussels, and Broccoli
Rotini w/ Salmon and Roasted Garlic
Rigatoni w/ Red Pepper, Almonds, and Bread Crumbs
Angel Hair Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Goat Cheese
QUICK AND EASY WEEKNIGHT PASTAS
Chicken in Lemon Cream w/ Penne
Little Stars w/ Butter and parmesan
Breakfast Scramble w/ Orzo, pancetta, and Asparagus
Creamy Orzo
Farfalle w/ Broccoli
Wagon Wheels w/ Artichoke Pesto
*flavored pastas
Spinach Fettuccine w/ a Quick Sugo or Salsa
Spicy Angel Hair Pasta
Rotelli w/ Walnut Sauce
Cheesy Baked Tortellini
Cinnamon Pancetta Carbonara
Rigatoni w/ Sausage, Artichokes, and Asparagus
Linguine w/ Turkey Meatballs and Quick Sauce
Ditalini w/ Mushrooms and Artichokes
Mini Penne w/ Parmesan Chicken (this is very tasty and very filling)
Farfalle w/ Spicy Sausage and Kale
Penne w/ Beef and Arugula
Capellini w/ Tomato and Peas
PASTA FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS:
Spicy Baked macaroni
Tagliatelle and Duck Ragu
Spaghetti w/ Eggplant, Butternut Squash, and hrimp
Crab Salad Napoleans w/ Fresh Pasta
Shrimp Lasagna Rolls w/ Creamy Marinara
Pork and Lemon Orzotto
Spaghetti w/ Pinot Grigio and Seafood (very romantic indeed)
Butternut Squash Tortelloni w/ Cranberry Walnut Sauce
Pappardelle w/ Seafood Cream Sauce
Champagne Risotto (light and flavorful)
*reimagining risotto
Linguine and Lobster Fra Diavolo
Corn Agnolotti w/ Tarragon Butter
Turkey and Cranberry Ravioli
*dried pasta versus fresh
Sweet Fresh Fettucine
PASTA BASICS (basic recipes):
Fresh Pasta
Basic Marinara Sauce
Bechamel Sauce
Arrabbiata Sauce
Chili Oil
Citrus Olive Oil
Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette
Red Wine Vinaigreet
Parmesan Frico (for the Spinach & Citrus Salad; they're pretty & tasty)
Italian Wine Course by Christian Navarro
Topic Menu's
This was a delight to go through in my initial run of cooking; I plan on going through more as the list of requests continues from those who know Giada from TV. Funny how I never seem to run out of volunteer taste-testers with her recipes! Enjoy!


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Teens Cook: How to Cook What You Want to Eat Review

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(More customer reviews)Great book for teens who don't know how to make anything and love to eat or teens who think they know how to make it all. The books s just as it's sub-title, "how to cook what you want to eat." It has great recipe alternatives to eating in instead of dining out--and learning something new while you're at it!
Receipes include sections of breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, desserts. Most food that you go out to eat, you can find the receipe in here!

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Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours Review

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(More customer reviews)First, what this book is NOT: an introduction to classical French cuisine. Or even modern French cuisine. As Greenspan herself points out in a post at the eGullet forums,
"Here's what the book isn't: It's not Escoffier. It's not Mastering the Art of French Cooking. It's not a by-the-rules book. It's not a textbook. It's too personal to be any of those things."
This is a collection of recipes that feels like it comes straight out of Greenspan's kitchen: which means that if your cooking style and tastes run with hers, you will like this book. If they don't, you won't. So despite my four-star rating, that is purely a reflection of how well my cooking style agrees with Ms. Greenspan's. I strongly encourage you to check out the table of contents before clicking "Buy" on this one. There are a lot of braises, including three different recipes for what amount to roast chicken. There are two veal stews, and two beef daubes. If that's the food you like to eat, you would be hard-pressed to find clearer, better-written recipes. Naturally Greenspan is not breaking any new culinary ground here: if you have even a medium-sized cookbook collection, you probably already have most of the recipes she presents. What you probably don't have is the exquisite photography (by Alan Richardson), or the extremely well-written recipe instructions. The production values of this book are very high indeed: I am astonished at how low the price is all things considered.
A few favorite recipes of the dozen or so I've made so far: Chicken Breasts Diable, Veal Marengo, Lamb and Dried Apricot Tagine, and the Chard-Stuffed Pork Roast are all very good. In particular I think that the Lamb and Dried Apricot Tagine would be a wonderful dish for an evening with guests: just exotic enough on the US palate to be different, without being totally out of left field. But all of those dishes would go over very well on a typical US dinner table, and some, like the Chicken Diable, are quick-and-easy weeknight meals.
Pros:
* Exceptionally well-written recipes
* High percentage of excellent dishes
* Fantastic production qualities
Cons:
* Not a "learn to cook French Cuisine" book (it doesn't try to be, though)
* Three roast chickens? Really?

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The Complete Book of Pasta and Noodles Review

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(More customer reviews)`The Complete Book of Pasta and Noodles' by the Editors of `Cooks Illustrated' Magazine is one of those books whose outstanding value is obvious almost immediately upon opening to the Table of Contents. This was surprising to me, as this is not the case with most other `Cooks Illustrated' books. There is just something about the meeting of this subject with the classic `Cooks Illustrated' approach to things which comes up a winner.
The first positive impression is the excellent organization of the chapters into different types of pastas, noodles, and sauces for same. While there are many excellent books about on pasta dishes, most especially `The Top100 Best Pasta Sauces' by Diane Seed and just about any book by Marcella Hazan, Lidia Bastianich, or Ruth Rodgers and Rose Gray of London's River Café, this `Cooks Illustrated' volume organizes our thinking about the sauces to make us all much better at improvising our own pasta sauces. It divides pasta sauces into:
Olive Oil based sauces, both cooked and uncooked.
Pesto and other pureed sauces.
Butter and Cheese sauces, such as spaghetti alla Carbonara
Cream Sauces, such as Fettuccine Alfredo
Sauces with Bread Crumbs
Cooked Sauces with Fresh Tomatoes
Canned Tomato Sauces, such as Pasta Puttanesca and Vodka Cream sauce
Sauces with Vegetables, such as `cabbage and noodles' and `pasta Primavera'
Sauces with Beans and Lentils
Sauces with Meat, such as the classic Bolognese sauce
Sauces with Seafood, such as clam and other shellfish sauces.
Like Seed's book and virtually any other book on pasta and noodles, the subject really is pasta and noodle dishes, although this volume, true to its title, gives as much about actually making a wide variety of pastas. It also covers just about every conceivable form of noodle, including the German spatzle, the North African couscous, gnocchis (the bridge between the Italian and the German forms of dumpling), Japanese noodles (soba, somen, ramen, and udon) and Chinese noodles, especially rice and cellophane noodles.
The book can easily be forgiven for spending more time on the Italian noodle than on any other subject, as this is the primary interest of most English speaking readers. To this end, the book includes excellently detailed tutorials on making fresh pastas, with and without egg, with vegetable and herb additions, spatzle, and several varieties of gnocchi. It does not, however, teach us how to make couscous or any of the oriental noodle types, which is fine with me, as I believe they are techniques which require far more practice and patience than the classic Italian or German noodle.
I love a cookbook that sheds new light on a dish I've made a dozen times and consider `my own'. This is what happens here when I read the material on combining cabbage and noodles in a dish. It reminds me of how to best cut the cabbage, but it significantly adds to my knowledge of how to braise the cabbage and combine it with the noodles at just the right time.
`Cooks Illustrated' tends to squeeze a lot of the `joie de vivre' out of cooking in their articles by starting off with a clean slate, as if no one had ever made the dish they are discussing in an article. Cooking is one of those crafts where centuries of practice have pretty much arrived at the best way to do most things without loading us up with all the paraphernalia of experimental science. But, with this subject, proper respect is given to tradition, and to the recommendations of such culinary sages as Paula Wolfert on couscous and Marcella Hazan on pasta.
Their finest contributions are the sidebarred tutorials on everything from preparing artichokes to opening clams. This makes the book superb for the novices who happen to enjoy experimenting with their own variations of pasta dishes.
I must also mention that as a trade paperback, this manual of riches lists for less than $20, about half the cost of a book of recipes from an A-List culinary writer.


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Taste of Home: Winning Recipes: 645 Recipes from National Cooking Contests Review

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(More customer reviews)The title really says it all. Wonderfully put together, and filled with good home style cooking meals. This is no means a cookbook of sophisticated cuisines, but for everyday living which is so appealing to the average household. Great ideas for quick throw togethers when the day is too hectic, and many many pictures for those who insist they will only buy cookbooks with pictures. Not all recipes are 1st place prize winners, but they are nice incentives to try the dishes along with all the other mouthwatering dishes published in this winner of a cookbook.

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For the first time, in one comprehensive collection, Taste of Home brings you 645 ribbon-winning recipes—all easy to make with step-by-step instructions and everyday ingredients. Thousands of recipes from great home cooks were submitted, sorted, screened, tested and judged in national cooking contests by the food editors and test kitchen professionals of the world's #1 cooking magazine, Taste of Home. Enjoy the very best of these prize-winning recipes, all gathered into this comprehensive collection of Taste of Home Winning Recipes. Peek inside and discover... *645 ribbon-winning recipes, all made with everyday ingredients and easy-to-follow step-by- step instructions *Full-color, mouth-watering photo with every recipe *17 scrumptious chapters, including world-class appetizers, soups and entrées, plus top- rated breads, desserts, and sweet treats *At-a-glance icons highlight the first-place winners in each chapter *Handy tab dividers make it easy to find and flip to the chapter you want—an alphabetical index on each tab divider allows you to quickly preview each prize-winning recipe *Practical reference section includes a food substitution chart, food equivalent chart, spice and herb information, and a food storage chart Whatever the occasion...whatever the meal...with Taste of Home Winning Recipes in hand, you'll have 645 top-honor recipes.

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