Reviews (6)

Jiggle-icious!
As a college graduate, I had the distinct pleasure of enjoying many "gelatin shots" throughout my undergraduate career.I thought my friends and I were fairly inventive but this book shows us for the frauds we were!
Gelatin Shots for the serious shotmaster
Gelatin shots have moved beyond the college campuses and into the home of creative partygivers. Now, three friends who enjoy the creative end of gelatin have complied a book of some pretty interesting flavors.
Amazing!
Jiggelo plays on the fact that gelatin shots were once a staple only for college student.As a student, I must say this book is wonderful, especially for college students.My next party will most definately jiggelo oriented.Way to go Mary! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bartending    2. Beverages - Bartending    3. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    4. Cocktails    5. Cookery (Gelatin)    6. Cooking    7. Cooking / Wine    8. Entertaining - General    9. Food & Drink / Cookery   

Reviews (2)

A Campy, Kitschy Delight
By Bill Marsano. Trader Vic's Tiki Party!: Cocktails & Food to Share with Friends," by Stephen Siegelman, is perfect for retro theme parties. Trader Vic, with his famous rival Don the Beachcomber, ushered in the Tiki Bar Era of American partying, which centered mainly on the 1950s and 1960s (which of these two men actually invented the Mai Tai, signature drink of the epoch, remains in dispute--both claim it.) Those were days of restaurants blanketed with faux-Polynesian decor, when pupu platters were the rage and drinks came in bowls serving four or more and were decorated with paper umbrellas, which folks later learned to call parasols. Relive that glorious and joyously ridiculous time with this collection of tropical cocktails and food recipes for everything from finger food to entrees. The recipes are interesting, mostly pretty easy to make, and generally fun to eat or drink. The photos are very nice but the main appeal is that the recipes are clearly presented and easy to follow.--Bill Marsano is an award-winning writer on wines and spirits.
Let's Hula
The book contains "recipes for 100 of the restaurant's best loved tropical cocktails like the Samoan Fog Cutter, Potted Parrot, and of course, The Original Mai Tai, invented by Trader Vic himself in 1944." (summary from Buch Gourmet)
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Subjects:  1. Appetizers    2. Bartending    3. Beverages - Bartending    4. Cocktails    5. Cooking    6. Cooking / Wine    7. Courses & Dishes - Appetizers    8. Entertaining - General    9. Quantity Food Production And Service    10. Main courses   

Reviews (1)

Presents a complete method of learning pronunciation
Diana Belucci's newest reference title isn't just a another dictionary of pronunciation as might be anticipated: rather, How To Pronounce French, German And Italian Wine Names creates and presents a complete method of learning pronunciation to provide keys to the phonetic pronunciation of over 15,000 wine terms, regions, and grape varieties in five different languages. How To Pronounce French, German And Italian Wine Names could've appeared in our 'Literary' or 'Languages' section but deserves mention here for its in-depth interest to wine buffs. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    2. Cooking    3. Entertaining - General    4. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books    5. France    6. General    7. Germany    8. Italy    9. Pronunciation    10. Reference    11. Terminology    12. Wine and wine making    13. Names, French    14. Names, German    15. Names, Italian    16. Names, Portuguese    17. Names, Spanish   

Reviews (2)

downhill
I have been collecting the Best of Gourmet series since the annuals began in the early 80s.Even though I subscribe to the magazine and clip recipes I still buy the annuals.I'm sorry to say that this volume doesn't live up to the rest of my collection.I thought that maybe last year was an anomaly as I would have barely given that volume 4 stars.This year the book just has not lived up to my expectations.The layout is poor and merely pickup from the pictured recipes in the magazine, the food photography does not match the recipes on the page, the photos are randomly placed.This was a work that was put together carelessly and looks like the work of a committee.Sorry, I just can't recommend the book this year.

A very good source for serious entertaining.
`The Best of Gourmet 2006' by the editors and writing staff of `Gourmet' Magazine appears better to me than I was expecting, especially if you are fond of entertaining between 8 and 12 people at a clip. If you are a regular subscriber to `Gourmet', I guess this book can be something of a tough decision, as virtually all the material herein is from the magazine. In fact, I would be willing to bet that practically all the recipes from the magazine in the last year are in this volume. I suspect it should be labelled `Everything but the Duds'.
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Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Entertaining - General    5. Methods - Gourmet    6. Regional & Ethnic - Italian    7. Cooking / General   

Editorial Review

This opulent collection of fine recipes and impressive menu ideas is a collaboration between esteemed food writer Joyce Goldstein and Chuck Williams, the founder of the Williams-Sonoma kitchen stores. Their collective culinary know-how pays off in a big way--not only do their dishes look stunning on paper but they are also recipes that can be prepared with relative ease in the home kitchen. Read more

Reviews (5)

beautiful photos, but.....
I bought this book on the strength of the other Amazon.com reviews and looked forward to receiving it.However, when I started reading it, I felt that there was very little in it that I actually wanted to cook.I am an accomplished cook and baker, own over 600 cookbooks, and not afraid to try new recipes.But some of the combinations in here seemed a bit unnatural, and the menus appear to be comprised of items which all require a fair amount of time and preparation.In my experience, the key to successful entertaining is striking a balance between a few showstopping dishes and those items which are of sufficient quality and freshness to be prepared and served simply, with a minimum of unneccessary flourishes.As much as I love to cook, I don't want to spend a week in the kitchen before a dinner party, do you? However, the photography is gorgeous and very inspiring, and there are a lot of tips which are worth reading.Although I will consult this book for certain things, like table decoration and the dessert recipes, I think the recipes out of the Southern Living books on the whole are better.

This is the best reference book ever for entertaining !
This book is the perfect combination of elegant entertaining ideas and "how-to's". I just love the themed menus--there is everything from a formal tea, a holiday (Hannukah) buffet, a Mediterranean Easter feast to a romantic dinner for just two. If you don't want to reproduce the exact menu, you still get some great ideas as starting material for any kind of party you might want to give. The recipes are not overly elaborate. In fact, they are pretty easy yet well-chosen. I particularly like the salads. I also found this book useful for progressive dinner ideas. more than you pay for.
I entertain very often, and that's why I originally purchased this book.As it turns out, I use it several times a week just for the family.It's not only beautiful it's full of information.All of the recipes have color picures and many recipes have alternatives if it's the wrong season for some of the ingredients.I'm very pleased with the book and the price is fantastic for what you get. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Entertaining    5. Entertaining - General    6. Menus    7. Sale Books   

Subjects:  1. Cooking / Wine    2. Entertaining - General    3. Regional & Ethnic - American - General   

Editorial Review

We have witnessed a reemergence of cigar culture--everyone is doing it, in popular movies, TV, and in the many cigar-friendly clubs which have sprung up. Read more

Reviews (5)

It's Fidel-icious! It's Fidel-ectable!
A detailed and richly illustrated tome discussing the finer points of cigar selection and enjoyment. As the title suggests, this is a guide for the connoisseur, not the novice. The perfect gift for anyone urbane enough to let a trash fire burn three inches from the tip of his nose.

A great little book.
This book is packed full of useful information. A Good Work, but is getting dated
This is a good reference work for cigar lovers, but it is becoming dated. An update would be appreciated. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Entertaining - General    3. Sale Adult - Cooking / Wine    4. Tobacco-Related    5. Cooking / Entertaining    6. Etiquette & entertaining    7. Food & Drink / Cookery    8. Sale Books    9. Reference    10. SALE BOOKS-ADULT    11. Entertaining    12. Cigars   

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Entertaining - General    4. Methods - Outdoor    5. Outdoor cookery    6. Picnicking    7. Seasonal    8. Tailgate parties    9. Cooking / General   

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Courses & Dishes - Soups & Stews    5. Entertaining - General    6. General    7. Holiday - General   

Reviews (5)

Surprisingly good!
Flavorful recipes and dishy chef come together in bill's food. The recipes are simple, turn out surprisingly well and are quite forgiving. The two main strengths of the content are that the book has lots of contemporary ideas (the yogurt pannacotta, for example) and recipes with multiple possibilities (corn cakes work as appetizer / brunch entree). The layout and pictures are attractive, instructions are simple, very much in keeping with the theme of the book: slow down and enjoy your food :-)

Cooking made Simple
Bill's cooking book is very simply written and it doesn't contain any difficult language used sometimes by famous chef. The one disapointing thing is that the book is mostly seafood and if you are not a fan you just bought the book that might not offer much to you. Overall, great book to learn from.

Simply wonderful
I just bought this book and spent the weekend making a selection the recipes - the tomato soup made by roasting tomatoes, garlic etc and whizzing it up in a blender (no water, no stock...), crispy skinned salmon with a sesame soy glaze and lime slice (as opposed to the lemon slice) as desert. Bill's recipes seem to achieve the same great results with at least half the effort. Compare his recipe for cheesecake with that in the Joy of Cooking and you will see what I mean. His version involves no baking at all and I can't wait to try it out. When I made the base for the lime slices in the food processor while the tomatoes roasted for the soup I was struck several times by a feeling that everything was easier than I was expecting. I will definately buy Bill's other books when I am through with this one. The photography and layout are inspiring and accurate of the results, which I always think is the measure of a good recipe book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Courses & Dishes - General    5. Entertaining - General    6. Methods - Professional    7. Cooking / Entertaining   

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Decorating    4. Entertaining - General    5. Floral decorations    6. Flower Arranging    7. Flower arrangement    8. Hobbies/Crafts    9. Floral crafts   

Reviews (7)

Reliable & Delicious
There are few cookbook authors whose recipes I use without testing them ahead of time, usually several times.Marlene Sorosky is actually the ONLY one.This book is no exception. Everything I have tried is marvelous, the first time and every time thereafter.Try it, you'll like it!

Must have for everyone
Everything in this book is wonderful and, if you follow her directions, turns out.We give this book to all our friends and family because it's so wonderful!Steak in a bag is to die for and I'm not a steak fan.Moby mellon is great,Chocolate Mouse cake is wonderful.Liver Pate is always a hit.Can't go wrong with this one.

Excellent, easy recipes
Instructions are easy to follow.Chili cheese bites are a favorite with my guests.Nice color pictures.Too bad it is out of print. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking / Wine    2. Entertaining - General    3. Tablesetting   

Reviews (6)

USE CAKE FLOUR!
My husband bought this as a gift for me since I LOVE CUPCAKES!I have never baked anything that didn't come from a box, so I was excited to try it.We have tried a few of the recipes and the only suggestion I have is to use cake flour instead of the flours they recommend.When we followed the recipes exactly, the cupcakes didn't seem to be as fluffy as boxed cakes.However, once someone told me to try the cake flour, it made a huge difference.I recommend this book because of the varieties and its is cute too :)PS:I don't like the 500 Cookies book as much.

Misleading title -- but good recipes
There really aren't "500 recipes" in this book -- a lot of recipes they say "take the base and change it slightly" to get a new flavor, which is fine.But then there's an entire chapter on "special occasion" cupcakes for birthdays, Christmas, etc. that all use the same base cupcake recipe, but uses different color frostings and somehow that makes it a "different" cupcake to add to the total.
Fantastic Cupcake Recipes
Excellent starter book for people wanting to make really different cupcakes. So many recipes for interesting flavours. Designs aren't the most creative I have seen, but the flavours and recipes are certainly imaginative. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cake    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Courses & Dishes - Cookies    5. Courses & Dishes - Desserts    6. Entertaining - General    7. Methods - Baking   

Reviews (2)

Sorry, it's a beautiful presentation, but...
I agree the book is visually well presented and appealing, but the content is not suitable for home cooks, nor aspiring chefs.I admit I am 'flexible' in the use of 'fusion' cooking and terms, but I had definite ideas in mind when I read "Asian TAPAS".The (Spanish) tapas I know and love are not so labor intensive, nor contain such large shopping lists of ingredients.Elegant food?Absolutely.Flavorful and interesting food?Without a doubt."Tapas", as I know them?Absolutely not - the French influence of intense preparation and manipulation (not a bad thing, don't misunderstand me), is inappropriate here - frustratingly intense efforts for 'tapas'.Also, where in the U.S. does a typical home cook/aspiring chef find, or more importantly, Afford, abalone??It's my understanding that the finest North American source of abalone was California, and, greedy folks as they are, they overfished their abalone to extinction.Do you have the staff required to do all the mise en place and prep work for these works of art?Some cookbooks are more the display of the talents of the author chefs, rather than a source of encouragement and teaching to home chefs.This is the second time I have bought a cookbook without visual inspection - I will not do it again.

A beautiful recipe book that blurs cultural lines
Co-written by an executive chef, Asian Tapas: Small Bites, Big Flavors is a beautiful recipe book that blurs cultural lines in its presentation of exciting flavors from Bali, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, China, and more. From Flaky Cashew Nut Puff Pastry Squares, to Summer Green Tea Noodles with Mussels, to Spicy Crab Salad Sandwiches and more, the preparations within combine traditional ingredients to create inventive and mouth-watering, succulent dishes. Each recipe is accompanied by a full-page color photograph that captures the dish with the precision of a skilled artist. A beautiful, captivating compendium recommended for kitchen cooks of all skill and experience levels who want to try preparing something a little different.
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Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Courses & Dishes - Appetizers    4. Entertaining - General    5. Regional & Ethnic - Asian    6. ASIA    7. Cookery dishes & courses    8. National & regional cuisine   

Editorial Review

Cheryl and Bill Jamison, authors of Read more

Reviews (4)

Authoritative, thorough and friendly
With 850 recipes, including 200 sauces and rubs, big and thorough are the operative words for this James Beard Award-winning team's latest (after "Good times, Good Grilling").
terrific book
Have not by any means read, or tried, the whole book. But the section on equipment is very helpful. The entire book looks really very good, as are all of their books. This is one of the 2 weeks of the year in which it is nice, as opposed to cooking ON the sidewalk sort of heat where I live. So outdoors is great.
Satisfy your hunger for the best
The Jamisons have done it again. If anyone knows grilling and bbq-ing and entertaining it's this amazing couple. This book is a great collection of classic recipes, many with an unsual twist. Not to mention the drinks, the rubs, marinades. Ilove to entertain out int he backyard, and I think it's the best book on outdoor entertaining perhaps ever. It's a party from the very first page. I can't recommend it enough. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Barbecue cookery    2. Cookery    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Entertaining    6. Entertaining - General    7. Methods - Barbecue & Grilling    8. Methods - Outdoor    9. Outdoor Life    10. Cooking / Outdoor   

Reviews (6)

Fine, if you're a snob with an unlimited budget.And you care more about what people think than how much fun they're having.
This book should be entitled, "How to Plan the Ultimate Party where money is no object if you can afford everything except the party planner".Or "Party Planning for rich jerks by snobby designers."
Awesome Party Planning
This book gets down to the nitty gritty of party planning. What an amazing help it was!

Perfect guide for the perfect party!!
This book successfully answers all party planning questions for all types of parties and all types of planners.Great recipies, fun ideas....perfect reference!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blank Books / Diaries / Memory Books    2. Blank Books/Journals    3. Cookery    4. Cooking    5. Entertaining    6. Entertaining - General    7. Home Management    8. Methods - General    9. Non-Classifiable    10. Parties    11. Party decorations    12. Planning    13. Cooking / Entertaining   

Reviews (1)

Great and Easy
Good recipes, easy for anyone to follow.I manage a senior citizen facility and they are enjoying the change to our menu! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Entertaining - General    5. General    6. Methods - Quantity    7. Quantity Food Production And Service    8. Cooking / General    9. Hospitality industry   

Reviews (5)

A waste of time
"Try The $50 Dinner Party" by Sally Sampson.Sally's book is super and we used for a very elegant party at our large beautiful home.

Awesome Book - pick it up
This is one of my favorite books on entertaining.I love all of Martha's stuff and this one is one of my favorites.Anyone considering entertaining on any scale should pick this up and read it!!

Terrific book filled with "good things"!
In spite of Martha Stewart's recent troubles, her legacy continues with this splendid book. It is fresh, intelligent and packed full of great tips and ideas for the entertainer who wants to make a splash without spending a fortune. The thing I like about Martha Stewart's approach is her emphasis on simple abundance--the notion that you can achieve good results through creativity and ingenuity. I think those who want to criticize Ms. Stewart should consider how many people she has inspired through this approach to good living! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Entertaining    4. Entertaining - General    5. Menus    6. Party decorations    7. Table setting and decoration    8. Tablesetting    9. Cooking / Entertaining    10. General cookery   

Reviews (30)

Very Useful Tool Even For small Budgets
The number one thing I love about this book is does not give a cookie cutter approach to party planning. The ideas in the book are edgy, original and very doable. Yes, there are some very large budget ideas in here but any of them can be scaled down for someone hosting a party at their home. The book is very to the point, not wordy and it is really a great tool. Lots of bullets and lists so you can grab what you want to know. The stories about the celebrity parties they threw are meant to inspire you to think out the box when it comes to food, decor and venue.

WHAT A PARTY!
An amazing way to scheme, design and create an amazing party! So many fun and dazzling ideas to trump yourself the ultimate hostess! Chic tips are cool and interesting with many tips you would never consider. Chapter 5 (We'll drink to that) was so useful. Loved it!

Highly Recommend!
For a guy who knows nothing about planning an event, I felt that this book was truly helpful. I bought this book because I decided to throw a birthday party for a friend of mine and while I pride myself on being able to pick a great wine I don't know the first thing about throwing a creative party. Fete Accompli helped me come up with a theme, create a cool invite and throw a great party...within my budget. For someone who needs guidance with all aspects of an event this is the book for you .. The best part is you can pick & choose what you need help with ..
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Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Entertaining    5. Entertaining - General    6. Menus    7. Tablesetting    8. Cooking / Entertaining   

Reviews (11)

Best Recipes from Marilu
I have all of Marilu's books, and if you're looking for great recipes, this is the one for you.It has dishes that are more gourmet/restaurant quality.Grilled Tuna with Washabi Whip was on the menu this week, as was Tofu Olive Wraps (sun-dried tomatoes, olive spread, watercress, fresh rosemary, carmalized onions).Everytime I cook from this book, my hubby can't stop raving.
A FABULOUS guide to celebrating special days!
Marilu Henner has a winner here!This book is packed with ideas to help us plan special parties and celebrations throughout the year.New Year's, Super Bowl Sunday, Valentine's, - even an Academy Awards Party!Name a special day - Marilu covers it. She explains the tradition of each holiday.She offers delicious and healthy menu suggestions and recipes.She also helps to plan the invitations, set the atmosphere, create activities, and propose the toast!And she makes it all so much fun with great personal stories along the way.This is a great book for anyone planning a special celebraton day - Marilu shows us how to do it all!

delicious, healthy recipes
I wanted to add a good review for this book because people have written negative things about it. The recipes are so good! I made several for different parties and everyone loved them. There's lots of other info, but if you're not interested, don't read it! Yes, it's true that the index is not thorough enough for a book that's organized differently like this one is, but that's the only drawback to this healthy cookbook. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Diets - General    4. Entertaining    5. Health & Fitness    6. Health & Healing - General    7. Health/Fitness    8. Holiday - General    9. Holiday cookery    10. Health & Fitness / Diets