Book Reviews
Marcella Hazan’s tips for making delicious pasta
I am falling in love with Marcella Hazan and her cookbook, “Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking” (Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.. New York, 2003). Not only are the recipes that I have tried delicious, using simple-yet-beautiful flavors combinations, but the book contains helpful tips for making Italian food. I have said it a million times: one … Continue reading
Book Review: “Quick & Easy Thai” by Nancie McDermott
For all of the culinary successes we’ve have been lucky enough to have in the kitchen, we have most definitely had some failures. One sticks out in my mind: when we attempted Indian cuisine for the first time using a fairly technical Indian cookbook. To our credit, we wanted “authentic” flavors and thought that a … Continue reading
Book Review: “A Very Good Year” by Mike Weiss
An expose on the relationships between the people behind a winery? We’re in. In “A Very Good Year: The Journey of a California Wine from Vine to Table”, San Francisco Chronicle journalist Mike Weiss spends one year of his life following winery Ferrari Carano as owners Don and Rhonda Carano, vineyard manager Steve Domenchelli, winemaker … Continue reading
Book review: Jacques Pepin’s “The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen”
Even I get tired of cooking (I never tire of eating, but at times, of cooking). During these slumps I need something new: a new recipe, a new ingredient… something to inspire me. During the latest of my culinary “slumps”, I picked up an old favorite: Jacques Pepin’s “The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen.” … Continue reading
Book Review: Patricia Wells’ “Trattoria”
“No culture better understands simplicity and the magic of culinary understatement: only the Italians can manage to slice a few tomatoes, drizzle them with olive oil, sprinkle them with sea salt and basil, and convince you to make a meal of it.” -Patricia Wells, “Trattoria” Patricia Wells could not have better summarized my love and … Continue reading
Book Review: "The Wine Bible" by Karen MacNeil
There could not be a more appropriate name for the book which I consider to be the leader in wine literature. Wine buffs and beginners alike will learn a fascinating thing or two from Mrs. MacNeil, who spent ten years penning the book that changed the wine world. If you are a bit of a … Continue reading