Amazon.com
Long before scientists in Scotland cloned Dolly the sheep, Todd Wilbur was hard at work replicating recipes from some of America's favorite restaurant chains. Armed with Ziploc bags for transporting leftovers and plenty of questions for his servers, Wilbur has combined the skills of a private eye and a research scientist to devise the tasty clones included in Top Secret Restaurant Recipes. Wilbur honed his technique on convenience food, creating exact duplicates of everything from a Big Mac to a Twinkie; in this book, however, he sets his sights on slightly more sophisticated fare. Within these pages you'll find sure-fire recipes for such chain favorites as Hard Rock Cafe's Famous Baby Rock Watermelon Ribs, Cheese Blintzes from the International House of Pancakes, and The Olive Garden's Hot Artichoke-Spinach Dip. Denny's, Shoney's, The Cheesecake Factory, and Pizza Hut are just a few of the many chain restaurants from which popular menu items have been "cloned." So the next time you have a hankering for Tony Roma's World Famous Ribs or a slice of Red Robin's Mountain High Mud Pie, don't bother to go out--instead, eat in with Top Secret Restaurant Recipes.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful Recipes Especially the Cheesecake Factory Jambalya.......2007-10-09
I have only tried the Cheesecake Factory Jambalya but have read the other recipes. The jambalya tasted EXACTLY like that at the restaurant. I have been looking for this recipe for a long time. I have only read the others but they all look promising.
Good recipes.......2007-07-26
The recipes are good. You know how much salt and fat really goes into good restaurant food. I made two recipes and they turned out just like the restaurant type.
Top Secret Restaurant Recipes.......2007-03-10
The book was exactly what I expected. I have been busy so I only had time to make one recipe, but it did taste just like the restaurant and was easy to make.
Top Secret Restaurant Recipes.......2007-01-15
I really loved the recipes I have used. I received the book just before the holidays and have had lots of company to practice on. Everyone loved everything I have fixed. Thanks Todd Wilber.
Bon Appetite right at your own table!.......2006-07-31
Todd Wilbur has compiled a collection of recipes from many of the popular national and regional chains throughout the US. No doubt, eating out can be fun. . .no mess in the kitchen, no dishes to wash, but there are times when eating out is just not practical or affordable. Wilbur solves that problem by providing a book full of restaurant recipes, which he has "cloned." One of the main plusses of the book is that, in general, he uses ingredients found easily at home. After all, if you have to run out to buy the ingredients at the last minute, you might as well go to the restaurant instead. Wilbur also includes a brief history of each restaurant, which adds to the enjoyment of the book. The recipes included are perfect for family dinners, parties or special occasions. What are you waiting for???? Let's get cooking!
Amazon.com
Todd Wilbur has baked, boiled, digested, fried, and tested--all in the name of duplicating some of America's favorite convenience foods. He now shares 41 of these naughty but nice gastronomical delights in Top Secret Recipes. If you've ever craved a McDonald's Big Mac at 3:00 A.M. on a Sunday morning, then Wilbur has just the recipe for satisfying your junk-food desires. Even better, no cordon-bleu expertise is needed for this particular clone--just simple frying and chopping skills! Simplicity is the key to all of Wilbur's replicated recipes--all are composed of rudimentary ingredients available at any store, needing only minimal preparation. These recipes are fun and fast--two dozen Snickers Bars in less than 10 minutes (plus cooling time), a delicious Orange Julius in less than 60 seconds (that's considerably quicker than waiting in line for the real thing)! These culinary creations are organized in alphabetical order by manufacturer or restaurant, and illustrated with simple pencil drawings. Top Secret Recipes is a chatty and informative guide to recreating the burgers, candy bars, and cookies of your strip-mall dreams. --Naomi Gesinger
Customer Reviews:
Non Fiction.......2007-09-03
A fun book that looks at how to make your own home made facsimile versions of some famous junk food. At least famous in America, some of them some other people probably will not have heard of. If you want some cooking silliness, this one is definitely for you, or to throw a version of something passable by way of some of those mini-humans.
Fun recipies.......2007-02-01
I've had a lot of fun with some of the recipes in this book. People have asked for the recipies of items I've taken to potlucks and BBQ's. There are a few items that don't quite hit the mark, but overall it's a good cookbook.
Hit and miss oversimplified clone recipes.......2006-10-21
I bought this book out of intrigue to find out the secret sauce behind famous recipes. While there are a few select recipes where the secret sauce is let out, there are dozens of others where the recipes are plain oversimplifications and superficial replicas. What should be an exciting book is mostly common sense.
The book was frustrating because the clone recipes produced average mimics at best. Detail is replaced by simplicity as most recipes seem embarassingly easy and unrefined, lacking the clarity that makes a famous fast food recipe truly unique. I didn't buy this book to be told that a Quarter Pounder with Cheese recipe requires 1/4 lb ground beef and a Kraft cheese slice. Each recipe comes with pointless engineering diagrams showing the assembly, with notes showing the reader to place the cooked hamburger patty in between the top and bottom of the bun.
The book does contain some interesting fast food history with each recipe. However, 95% of the recipes are common sense that could have been derived by the most casual of cooks. For a book that appeared to have a lot of promise, it hasn't turned my hamburgers into Big Macs or my milkshakes into Blizzards.
AWSOME cookbook!.......2006-01-02
I love to cook, hope to go to college at the Culinary.
My sis' Laura, got this for me for Christmas.
The book is sooooo cool!
The hint on it was 'no more fast food!!"
LOVE IT!!!
I will let everone have my e-mail; svgypson@yahoo.com
Todd Wilbur is KING!.......2002-11-19
I made my own Twinkies and Reese's cups!! They were pretty darn close, that's good enough for me because everything was delicious!! (My hips aren't crazy about the book.) It's fun to impress people as well as make their mouths water when you tell them what you have accomplished. If you like to have fun in the kitchen, this book will not disappoint you. Then again, I do not know you. Enjoy!! :o)
Amazon.com
Todd Wilbur, the master of fast food replication, is back, and accompanying him are 37 new recipes. More Top Secret Recipes follows triumphantly in the footsteps of his first tryout with kitchen clones, Top Secret Recipes. Included in this new collection are recipes that fans steadfastly demanded--including A&W Root Beer and an easy concoction for creating the perfect Oreo in less than an hour. All that's needed for this magical cookie is cake mix, shortening, sugar, and vanilla. Simplicity is the key to success for all of Wilbur's duplicates--nothing more than simple ingredients and basic cooking skills are required. Other culinary clones include Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls, Little Caesar's Crazy Bread, and a divine recipe for Bailey's Original Irish Cream. Quirky diagrams of these tempting bites illustrate the book throughout. Snack time has never been this much fun! --Naomi Gesinger
Customer Reviews:
Awesome!!!!.......2007-04-06
What a great book! I actually had it before and lost it in a divorce. I really missed this book.
Check the table of contents first!.......2006-10-19
I LOVE this book simply because I've been trying to recreate popeye's fried chicken on my own and failed miserably! I checked the table of contents and found it was there and that alone was worth the $9 investment. I'm not going to make everything but its fun to see how you could make Mary Jane's. :D
Check the table of contents first, then if there's a recipe you would like, take a chance. Most times, its pretty good!
Oh and the chicken recipe? Its not exactly right but it's pretty darn close and makes really good spicy fried chicken!
Thrallz.......2006-03-13
This is a very cool cook book, lots of fun recipes to try and of favorites. My husband and I had fun just flipping through it when it first arrived planning what we could fix.
The Olive Garden Alfredo is yummy and so close to the original chain version.
Are Charles Holcomb and Melissa actually Douglas Hensley (and Pattie Hensley's husband)?.......2006-01-07
A reviewer, "Charles Holcomb", has reviewed all the books written by Douglas Hensley and Pattie Hensley. Reviewer "Melissa" is also now curiously reviewing the same list as "Charles Holcomb". He has also reviewed several competing books -- such as this one -- and used those reviews as an opportunity to mention the "superior quality" of the book written by Douglas Hensley or Pattie Hensley. The Hensley titles are as follows:
- "Lost Stories From Hell" by Douglas Hensley
- "Magic Voodoo Spells" by Douglas Hensley
- "Hell's Gate: Terror at Bobby Mackey's Music World" by Douglas Hensley
- "Automobile Sales Training and Tips From The Pros" by Douglas Hensley
- "Book of Dreams & Dream Interpretations" by Douglas Hensley
- "Bloody Bones" by Douglas Hensley
- "Grandma's Cook Book and Recipes" by Pattie Hensley
- "Grandma's Country Recipes" by Pattie Hensley
- "Copycat Restaurant and Bakery Recipes" by Pattie Hensley
My Wife says pass on this one.......2006-01-01
JUST OK. My wife says to look under COPYCAT RESTAURANT RECIPES or COPYCAT RESTAURANT COOK BOOKS here on Amazon to find a better selection.
Customer Reviews:
Fun Book With Great Duplicates.......2006-08-03
This is a superb way to duplicate some of your favorite snack items like Cinnabon CinnabonStix , KFC Honey BBQ Wings, and Cheese Nips. I've tried several recipes and all of them came out great.
The Boston Market Meatloaf, one of my favorite take-out foods, was right on the money. I also recreated Cheese Nips and got them to taste just like the original, though the color was off slightly. The KFC wings were perfect and delicious (as is his cloned recipe of KFC original recipe chicken in an earlier boook). The recipe for Devil Dogs came out as dry as the actual Devil Dogs you can get in a store. So I made a few slight changes and produced a wonderfully moist version. They're also good with a chocolate glaze and/or a chocolate cream filling.
That's one of the reasons why people want to have these recipes even though you can buy most of these products quite easily. We like to make slight changes or additions that make them more fun. I've made Twinkies with a ton of different fillings, extra-large thin mints, Cinnabon buns with chocolate chips, and a host of other personal variations of popular dishes. It's for cooks who like to have fun. I recommend this highly, along with all of his other books.
Fun and interesting, but I got mixed results.......2004-08-02
If the poor condition of the library copy is any indication, Even More Top Secret Recipes is a very popular book!
Todd Wilbur has a number of books, and it can be a little confusing sorting them out. There are three "Top Secret Recipes" books, Top Secret Recipes, More Top Secret Recipes (this book) and Even More Top Secret Recipes. These books focus on what Wilbur calls "convenience foods." That is, most packaged sweets and fast food. He also has a book Top Secret Restaurant Recipes, in which he attempts to duplicate the foods of mostly casual dining restaurants like Chili's and Applebee's. He also has a book solely on drinks.
Wilbur explains in the Introduction of More Top Secret Recipes that these are not the actual recipes used by restaurants, and he did not obtain them through bribery, theft other illegal or illicit means. He starts with the ingredient list on packages of food and modifies the relative amounts, or with fast food, tries to identify the ingredients by taste. He admits that the real producers of these foods often use custom ingredients unavailable to the consumer, and that the goal was to match the texture and flavor of the food, and appearance is secondary.
So why try to clone commercially-available food? In both More Top Secret Recipes and Even More Top Secret Recipes, the author mentions availability. Some of the foods are regional, and you may not get them where you live. In the introduction to More Top Secret Recipes, he gives a list of reasons including low cost and curiosity. I'm not so sure about the cost argument, since I have to sacrifice two boxes of Macaroni and Cheese to make half a box of Cheese Nips, but the curiosity is what applied to me. I just wanted to know, "Can I really duplicate these commercial foods at home?"
This book contains 88 recipes, a big increase over the 37 of the previous book. The recipes clone the likes of McDonald's, Nabisco, Carl's Jr. and Taco Bell. Every recipe includes a history of the food item, something alone which makes this book valuable, and a dimensioned engineering graphic of the product. Even More Top Secret Recipes includes an interesting introduction discussing the fast food industry, and gives some tips on creating the clones. The recipes make as much use as possible of premade food and mixes. For example, most candy bars are coated with melted chocolate chips, so you will not find that you have to crush cocoa beans, or perform any such low-level task.
From this book, so far, I attempted to make Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies, (I AM a Girl Scout after all. Really. My wife signed me up. It was a surprise to me, too!) and Nabisco Cheese Nips. The thin mints turned out pretty good. The flavor and texture were pretty close. The only problem is that the chocolate was a little thick. Applying it to a desired thickness is difficult. Also, the chocolate remained quite soft. A little more experimentation with cookie thickness and baking time and temperature might make the centers a little more consistent, too. The Cheese Nips are made using the cheese packets from Kraft Macaroni and Cheese (Cheese and Macaroni?). They turned out crispy, and although bright orange like the real thing before baking, turned out grayish-tan when done. Although crispy, they weren't light and bubbly like the real thing, but were more like crispy cookies. They needed to be cheesier. They tasted like the flour and shortening. They weren't bad, though, and my wife liked them, but they weren't much like Cheese Nips. A lot of recipes would benefit from the use of rolling pin rings to establish uniform dough thickness.
I also had mixed results with the recipes from More Top Secret Recipes. You can read my amazingly similar review on that book for more details.
Using this book was fun and informative. I've had mixed results using these books. In short, have fun, but don't expect miracles with every recipe.
Save your money.......2003-09-30
The recipes in this book are mostly on the website and are nothing special.
Worst of the series.......2003-04-06
I own all of the Top Secret books from Tood Wilbur, and this one is the absolute worst of the series. Contains repeats from previous books, and some from his website. A few new, but I was not impressed. If you are new to the Top Secret series, I would recommend the Restaurant Recipes, and the Soda/Smoothies one. They are the best of the series.
Enjoy the dash of humor added to the recipes.......2003-03-08
These recipes cover common brand-name favorites which are now reproducible in the home kitchen, from Girl Scout cookies and Cinnabon to candy bars and Wendy's chicken filet sandwich. Even More Top Secret Recipes will prove particularly intriguing to fans of brand name items and fast foods, who will enjoy the dash of humor added to the recipes and food descriptions.
Book Description
From the author of Secrets from a Caterer's Kitchen, the only 55 recipes you'll ever need to entertain with style and confidence.
Features:
€ 55 essential dishes with lots of variations for every occasion
€ 38 versatile menus-from casual meals to elegant repasts
€ The basics of how to roast, grill, or steam meat, fish, and vegetables
€ From napkins to utensils-what every home entertainer needs
€ Hints and tips from the professionals to make every gathering as much a pleasure for the host as it is for the guests
€ Crowd favorites and exotic cocktails
€ Expert wine selections
Customer Reviews:
bought as gift.......2007-10-04
sent to africa to a friend who was doing catering. was thanked over and again but am unsure of how useful it was.
Some good information, some problems.......2007-04-11
Overall a good resource, especially for the price.
Pros:
-- excellent lists and tips for making lists
-- good section on portions and quantities
-- interesting menu ideas
-- tips on how to find help and when to use hired help
-- good decoration ideas
Cons:
-- some of the recipes don't work
-- most recipes serve 8 people. If your party is for 50 it would be helpful to have recipes that serve more people or more specific information on how to scale the recipes (both those in her books and favorites from other sources).
-- could use more sketches/diagrams on table settings. The few she has are good. Possible layouts for rooms and buffets would be helpful as well
-- some information is obvious or redundant
Indispensable.......2006-07-12
I'm a private chef who occasionally caters specialty workshops. I appreciated all the information in this book.
Be an Instant Catering Star!.......2005-07-31
I enjoy cooking for 2 to over 20 people, and there can be so much to remember to have the entertaining/dining event turn out "just right".
Perhaps you have been to some terrific parties, many "ok" ones, and rarely to some you would uh, rather forget as well... so following this book's advice will better ensure that your event is among the memorable fun events!
This book has the commonsense keys to planning and carrying out all plans for the event, from scheduling the event, writing out clear and occasionally fun invitations, budgeting dollarwise for a simple picnic lunch or 7 course dinner's expense ($6 or $60 per person), budgeting for the right quantity of each food, whether it's lobster tails at a buffet, or ounces of turkey for a sit-down meal... it's all in here!
Learn correct place settings, kitchen equipment to bring along, bar setups and liquor amounts, rental of extra chairs and tables, where to put the buffet for best effect, ah, it goes on and on!
Did you remember to order flowers, when appropriate? Hire a bartender and or a DJ for larger gatherings, so you can mingle with your guests? Freeze and make flavored ice cubes, instead of diluting drinks with melted water from regular ice? Think of fun ways to "theme" decorate your event?"
Timelines are included so everything is prepared and placed in order, and making having your list to follow ensures that nothing is forgotten until the end, because it was "hidden in the refrigerator", or "left in the shopping bag".
Don't want to be embarassed halfway through the event by "Why didn't we think of that?" Well, get this book, and profit from Nicole Aloni's many years of great parties, and learn from her rare bloopers.
And, it has an ample number of over 150 "tried and true" recipes, as a bonus.
This is THE book for party planning!.......2004-02-14
I am planning on catering my own wedding with the help of a acquintance who does catering on the side. I have been looking for books that could help me plan a meal for 200 people, but without cheesy boring recipes. The reason I'm doing the cooking is we wanted some original and tasty menu items without breaking the bank. I also needed some practical information on how to pull off cooking for a large crowd without going crazy. This book is it, and it's the only catering book I found that fit the bill. Every other book I found had recipes like chicken kiev and casseroles. Snore! Even if you're having 10 people to your home, you can't go wrong with the tips and techniques mentioned in this book. It gives ingredient quantities as well as fabulous recipes and tips. There are even decorating and presentation techniques as well along with ratios for stocking the bar. The writing is crisp and intelligent without being stuffy and dull. All in all, a great book. A must buy for anyone planning a dinner party to hosting a large reception.
Book Description
What if there were a land where people lived longer than anywhere else on earth, the obesity rate was the lowest in the developed world, and women in their forties still looked like they were in their twenties? Wouldn't you want to know their extraordinary secret?
Japanese-born Naomi Moriyama reveals the secret to her own high-energy, successful lifestyle–and the key to the enduring health and beauty of Japanese women–in this exciting new book. The Japanese have the pleasure of eating one of the most delicious, nutritious, and naturally satisfying cuisines in the world without denial, without guilt…and, yes, without getting fat or looking old.
As a young girl living in Tokyo, Naomi Moriyama grew up in the food utopia of the world, where fresh, simple, wholesome fare is prized as one of the greatest joys of life. She also spent much time basking in that other great center of Japanese food culture: her mother Chizuko's Tokyo kitchen. Now she brings the traditional secrets of her mother's kitchen to you in a book that embodies the perfect marriage of nature and culinary wisdom–Japanese home-style cooking.
If you think you've eaten Japanese food, you haven't tasted anything yet. Japanese home-style cooking isn't just about sushi and raw fish but good, old-fashioned everyday-Japanese-mom's cooking that's stood the test of time–and waistlines–for decades. Reflected in this unique way of cooking are the age-old traditional values of family and the abiding Japanese love of simplicity, nature, and good health. It's the kind of food that millions of Japanese women like Naomi eat every day to stay healthy, slim, and youthful while pursuing an energetic, successful, on-the-go lifestyle. Even better, it's fast, it's easy, and you can start with something as simple as introducing brown rice to your diet. You'll begin feeling the benefits that keep Japanese women among the youngest-looking in the world after your very next meal!
If you're tired of counting calories, counting carbs, and counting on being disappointed with diets that don't work and don't satisfy, it's time to discover one of the best-kept and most delicious secrets for a healthier, slimmer, and long-living lifestyle. It's time to discover the Japanese fountain of youth….
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Not true.......2007-09-26
Can I just say that Japanese women do get old , and not as fat as in other countries, but they do not sustain the figure of their youth. Immediately after marriage and after the desired number kids they usual turn into a obasan. Live life as it happens, and accept what you are.
Not my cup of (green) tea.......2007-06-24
I picked this book up in a Japanese food store because I'm interested in Japanese cuisine and lifestyles.
I need to address the writing style in my review as I never got over it: I agree with what another review wrote about the smarmy writing style of Ms. Moriyama. There's a lot of unnecessary, self-righteous fluff in there where she touts statistics and ideals repeatedly; oftentimes, the same information appears twice on the same page! Her affluent background also doesn't seem to make the everyday Japanese woman that she keeps mentioning feel credible. She implies that all japanese mothers cook naturally and with wholesome ingredients 100% of the time. What about the aisles and aisles of prepackaged curry and hayashi rice sauce and ramen in the Japanese supermarkets? Would there be so many of these products if Japanese mothers are still cooking these traditional meals she writes about every day? I really find that hard to believe...
Writing-style aside, the recipes seem easy enough to follow and are backed up by plentiful (at times superfluous) factual support. I haven't tried out any yet, but I may.
Overall, this book wasn't really my cup of (green) tea.
Impressive.......2007-05-10
What an amazing book. Cool recipes, actual facts and japanese history, probably one of the best books for introducing japanese food in it's best way.
This book does not accurately reflect Japan.......2007-03-27
I agree that this book is out of touch with modern day Japan. I've been living in Japan for quite a while and `healthy' is the last word I would use to describe most meals that I've eaten here. Products containing wheat and grains are nowhere to be found while starchy foods such as white rice, white bread, processed flours, and loads of potatoes dominate the palette, not to mention the prevalence of fried/oily foods and fatty meats which appear in almost every Japanese meal I eat.
While the recipes listed in this book are great, they in no way reflect reality.
The people I know who lost weight in Japan were college students whose diets in America consisted mostly of greasy pizza and French fries.
I on the other hand had a relatively healthy diet in the States and have actually really struggled because I GAINED weight eating traditional Japanese meals.
I personally found the portions here larger (never-ending bowls of white rice and ramen). I am often constipated and lethargic. The way I feel after these meals is the same if not worse than how I feel after those (rare) occasions when I've eaten a supersized BigMac meal.
I also must concur that eating disorders and the use of diet pills here are rampant (and there is very little being done to help out the girls with these problems). Their image if an ideal woman's body puts Hollywood to shame, and the men here tease their wives and girlfriends viciously if their abdomens are not perfectly concave, ribs visible.
No one exercises. Granted, this food is better than American fast-food, but that's how it is with all home-cooked meals. Almost all of the negative reviews of this book are from people who've actually lived in Japan. By all means try the wonderful recipes in this book, eat smaller portions, but listen to the people who've been there (a country with flaws no better no worse than the rest of us) rather than forming idealized images that this is how Japan is.
As for that myth about Japanese women not growing old, I've seen some evidence but not nearly to the extent that it is purported to be. The large amounts of Green Tea that they drink contains anti-oxidants which helps prevent cancer and aging. But I've seen plenty of girls in their mid-20s and 30s whose skin is beginning to wrinkle. Smooth acne free skin among the youth is just as common as where I come from. The girls who don't have perfect skin cover it up with 5 pounds of make-up...Actually everybody wears five pounds of make-up regardless of skin. I say that the ultimate beauty secret: protecting your skin from the sun, is the best piece any of us can follow.
Real Japanese eating habit.... NOT.......2007-03-21
First of all, this book is interesting because it contains unique anecdotes and information about the history of certain Asian food. i.e. how tofu was made...
I am a 22-year-old who has been living in Tokyo for many years and I found the content of the book very UNREALISTIC and INAPPLICABLE to most Japanese busy lifestyle today. The author is definitely NOT an average Japanese and she has been living in a privileged lifestyle her whole life. The Japanese cannot even identify with her, let alone an American.
I am not against the idea of learning more about Japanese food and eating habit but if you're getting this book to be "thin" like the Japanese, please read this first:
The sad truth is 24 out of 29 of my Japanese acquaintances in her 20s to 30s are constantly taking DIET PILLS to lose weight; more than half of these girls are underweight. It feels rather odd to be normal there. Try browsing through a Japanese lifestyle magazine and look at the advertisements, you'll understand~ [Please look at the review on this book made on 22 March 2006; I completely agree with that what that person wrote]. Maybe... there are some older Japanese mothers who are still living these idealized Japanese eating habit.
Also, being slim or youthful is not exclusive to Japanese. Many European and Asian countries also have healthy eating habits that are laudable. i.e. the Scandinavians?
Hence, I am not sure if you want to read this book if you want to understand more about the REAL Japanese eating habit/ lifestyle today. But it is an entertaining FICTION.
If you are more interested to learn about about delicious and healthy Japanese recipes, I strongly recommend "Quick and Easy Japanese Cook Book" by the lady who won IRON CHEF. Simple Instructions & great pictures- and definitely more REAL.
Product Description
This latest mouthwatering compilation includes 133 brand-new versions of restaurant recipes, 30 bonus recipes never before published in book form, and 26 of the author's own favorites from his previous book. Easy-to-follow numbered steps and Wilbur's special blueprints help you recreate a variety of chain cuisine, fast-food fare, and more tasty treats like a pro. The spiral-bound, hardcover format lies flat on your countertop or cookbook holder, and includes tabbed and labeled sections for quick reference.
Customer Reviews:
YUMMY.......2007-05-13
This book is great. It has a lot of recipies in it that look delicious and sound easy to make. It is layed out nicely and is easy to follow. I can't wait to get started!
Average customer rating:
- First book I grab for ideas
- A useful volume providing both recipes and hints on cooking
- Great resource for all chefs
- Really Helpful for Even the Davnaced Cook
- My favorite and most used cookbook!
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Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks: 5,000 Ingenious Kitchen Hints, Secrets, Shortcuts, and Solutions
David Joachim
Manufacturer: Rodale Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Book Description
'Move over Joy of Cooking. Make way for Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks. There's enough culinary wisdom and savvy food tips packed into this book to keep you cooking and eating well for a lifetime.'-Steven Raichlen, author of the award-winning Barbecue Bible and Healthy Latin Cooking 'Do you want to cook like a pro? Then Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks is your answer. This exhaustively researched, masterfully organized book will help you be a faster, smarter, better cook. And isn't that what we all want?'-Pam Anderson, author of How to Cook without a Book Whether you cook a little or a lot, plain or fancy, healthy or hearty, for your family or just for fun, this is the one book that does it all-faster and easier than you ever dreamed. Find out how to choose the juiciest oranges, perk up limp asparagus, rescue any oversalted dish, and crack an egg with one hand. Get down-to-earth answers to the cooking questions that you face every day. Or, if you're simply tired of the same old meals night after night, discover hundreds of easy recipes that put great-tasting food on your table in a jiffy.
Customer Reviews:
First book I grab for ideas.......2007-08-15
I bought this to replace the copy I shared with my family. I should have ordered several. It is a great first cookbook and a good reference manual for experienced cooks. The alphabetical layout makes more sense and the book is full of good basic ideas for all types of food and methods.
A useful volume providing both recipes and hints on cooking.......2007-01-01
An interesting concept is at the base of this book. It provides hundreds of recipes--as a part of what is described as 5,000 "ingenious kitchen hints, secrets, shortcuts, and solutions."
Coverage is from A to Z. Some examples of helpful hints. On page 3, substitutes for alcohol in recipes are noted. Instead of one tablespoon of sherry or Madeira, use one tablespoon of apple juice. Another item under A is the choice of the right apple for the right purpose. For example, Golden Delicious apples can be used for sauce, baking, salads, and eating; McIntosh apples are best for eating and sauce; and so on. And immediately after these hints, there is a nice recipe for spicy applesauce (using McIntosh apples). On page 75, for those readers addicted to Buffalo Chicken Wings, there is a recipe for Buffalo Hot Sauce. While I would prefer old-fashioned Tabasco Sauce, the recipe calls for somewhat milder hot pepper sauces, for palates that aren't as willing to burn. In addition, there are a couple recipes for using the sauce other than on chicken wings. What about making Mango Salsa? Page 268 features a simple, easy to make recipe. Polenta? Pages 377-378 provide a veritable "how to do it" mini-manual, including what to do if you err in making it (such as burning the bottom of the polenta). On Page 531, you can read how to prepare vegetables for grilling. For asparagus, snap off the tough ends and use direct heat to grill the vegetable. And so on and so on. A to Z? What about getting the zest from oranges to use in recipes? Here is one of the few places that I have run across this "how you do it" tidbit.
All in all, a very nice and useful volume.
Great resource for all chefs.......2006-11-23
I love this book! It's organized alphabetically making it an easy reference for quick questions, yet is written in an easy-to-follow, enjoyable tone that keeps me reading after I've found my answer. Listings include ingredients, techniques, and culinary approaches (ie "Cooking for the Week") and encyclopedic answers are enhanced by recipes, illustrations, "fascinating facts" (onions neutralize paint fumes) and endless tips. I've read many books on kitchen science but I return to this one most often for speedy references. As enjoyable for absolute beginner chefs as it is for seasoned pros.
Really Helpful for Even the Davnaced Cook.......2006-03-01
I love this book. I collect cookbooks and it is really hard to find something that gets me going. Many of the submissions (which are very well organized) also have great recipes. His long, slow oven cheesecake is worth the price of the entire book!!!
Everyone needs this in their culinary library.
My favorite and most used cookbook!.......2004-06-02
If I am about to cook something that I am not completely sure about, I will spend a few seconds looking it up in this book first. My cooking has improved dramatically since I have been using this and Bittman's wonderful "How to Cook Everything," which I find to be more exhaustive than this terse treasure. Brilliant is a joy to leaf through, a reliable reference, and a wonderfully instructive kitchen guide. My dining guests are envious of the skills I have gained from this book and I am constantly tempted to try new dishes and old ones prepared in novel ways. I recommend this as the most rewarding cooking reference to reach for first.
Average customer rating:
- Scarpetta fans rejoice
- Simply Delicious!
- Excellence
- Incredible Cookbook!
- I am dying already
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Food To Die For: Secrets From Kay Scarpetta's Kitchen
Patricia Cornwell
Manufacturer: Berkley Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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| Cornwell, Patricia
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| Cornwell, Patricia
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Similar Items:
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Scarpetta's Winter Table
-
The Last Precinct
-
Predator (Kay Scarpetta Mysteries)
-
From Potter's Field
-
Point of Origin
ASIN: 0425193624
Release Date: 2003-10-07 |
Book Description
The millions of fans who read Patricia Cornwell's bestsellers know that her popular character, Kay Scarpetta, loves to unwind in the kitchen. Book after book finds her tapping into her Italian heritage to create delicious meals for herself and her friends.
Brimming with full-color photographs and inspired by dozens of food scenes in Kay's kitchen and favorite restaurants, Food to Die For is a cookbook tailor-made for Scarpetta fans. Among the criminally good recipes:
€ Miami-Style Chili with Beer (All That Remains)
€ Grilled Grouper with Butter and Key Lime Juice (Cruel and Unusual)
€ Jack Daniel's Chocolate Pecan Pie (The Body Farm)
€ Lasagna with Marinara Sauce and Porcini Mushrooms (Cause of Death)
€ Bev's Lump Crab Cakes (Unnatural Exposure)
€ Kay's Grilled Pizza with Sausage, Pepperoni, and Three Cheeses (Black Notice)
Customer Reviews:
Scarpetta fans rejoice.......2007-01-10
This cookbook is great for the Kay Scarpetta fan or even your everyday Italian foodie. Beautiful pictures and amazing receipes.
Simply Delicious!.......2007-01-10
Havving read all the Patricia Cornwell 'Scarpetta' novels, I was intrigued to find a related cook book. I was delighted to be able to find a copy at Amazon, and with the usual prompt service, it wasn't long before my book arrived.
I must admit, the food sounded very tempting even though the cases involved in the novels are horrendous!
The recipes are relatively simple, the only drawback being that in England,some ingredients are unavailable. Improvisation doesn't spoil the end results though and my husband and son are thoroughly enjoying the new menus!
If you enjoy having fun cooking, I recommend Food To Die For.
By the way, the Jack Daniels Chocolate Pecan Pie nearly started a riot on New Years Eve...I had to bake two more!
Excellence.......2004-07-25
Anything Patricia Cornwell writes is excellent. I have tried most of the recipes in this book and all are fantastic.
Incredible Cookbook!.......2003-09-21
I checked the book out from the library because I am a huge Dr. Scarpetta fan. I was hesitant to make the recipies due to the lengthy list of ingredients in most of them, but the 4 recipies I have tried were amazing! I just made one of them tonight and I am still drooling over it. The fresh pasta is the BEST recipie I have tried (and I have tried a lot), and it makes a HUGE difference! The stew was soooo good, granted, it took a while, but it was worth it!!! I love this book, I plan to buy it. Worth the investment for the cook who loves great recipies!
I am dying already.......2003-05-19
This is a great cook book and really does make my mouth water just thinking about it. I really enjoyed the Crab cakes and would recommend them to anyone. Most of her recipies are pretty simple and they are all delicious. I say... Dive in!
Book Description
In her nine previous cookbook bestsellers, Sandra Woodruff proved that fat-free cooking is as easy and delicious as it is nutritious. Now, in a book that's destined to become the kitchen bible for health- conscious cooks everywhere, she's collected all of her best fat-free and low-fat recipes in a single volume.
Each of these recipes is a winner - a table-tested favorite that will please even the pickiest eaters. From Creamy Mushroom Soup to Chocolate Cherry Tunnel Cake, this is the only cookbook people need for a lifetime of healthy eating.
Customer Reviews:
excellent gift for new (and old) cooks.......2007-01-14
I use this book in my household extensively and have since it came out. I also use this book in my private practice to teach my patients how to cook healthy. There is a section on how to buy meats, cheeses etc and why using whole grains and lean meats is a better option than processed, high fat versions. I use Sandra's recipes for patients suffering from diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, high cholesterol and for weight loss. There are 600 recipes so it does not become boring. The best part is that once you realize just how simple healthful cooking can be, you can adapt your favorite recipes using Sandra's tips. I say, give this book to a son or daughter moving off to college, or to a newlywed couple, then get a copy for yourself. If you love pizza, lasagna, meatloaf, hamburgers and fries, stroganoff and fettucine alfredo, you need to buy this book.
Stellar Cookbook.......2006-09-06
I have owned this cookbook for years and, regardless of what new cookbook I buy, I always find myself coming back to these easy, healthy, and delicious recipes. The ingredients are readily available; instructions are clear and thorough. My family, even my husband, is particularly fond of the "new" versions of classic dishes (e.g. beef stroganoff, macaroni and cheese) as well as the innovative recipes. I've regularly given this book for wedding showers and house warmings. It is definitely a worthwhile purchase.
Excellent book.......2004-09-08
This book makes more sense than anything I have read in a long time, and I have read just about every low-carb book there is. It adds a new perspective
by tying everything together. The first part describes the theory and science behind all low-carb diets and does a superb job of clarifying the differences between low-carb and reduced-carb diets. There is also an excellent discussion of good carbs and the glycemic index. The "choose how you want to lose" approach with the accompanying menus is both practical and useful. Chapters on stocking the pantry and dining out are outstanding. There are also lots of recipes that are easy, really good, and do not require a lot of exotic or expensive ingredients. All in all, this is a first rate guide to lower-carb living.
The whole office can't be wrong!.......2003-05-23
Most of my dessert recipes are Julia Child-style rich, but I recently got this book from the library to see how well I could make low-fat, whole-wheat baking work (I've been baking since I was 8 and use mostly my own recipes). Yesterday I made my usual white flour, high-fat, high-sugar banana bread for my entire office, which everyone loved. Today I made the whole wheat Brown Sugar Banana Bread from the bread section of this cookbook, without the nuts, and the ENTIRE office is raving about it! Everyone ate both kinds and declared this one just as good, if not better. I also got a number of her other cookbooks and have been VERY impressed with the recipes. Definitely a must-have for any kitchen.
Lowfat and healthy recipes that are easy and taste great.......2003-04-12
This cookbook is great! There are some traditional dishes that have been revamped so they are still flavorful, but lower in fat. The recipes are very easy to make with ingredients that can be found almost anywhere. I have substituted ingredients(like another reviewer), and the results have still been incredible. I have made several recipes including the Pasta with Scallops in Creamy Tomato Sauce, The Pasta with Shrimp Florentine, and a few of the muffin recipes. Everything has turned out very well so far. I am delighted, my husband is delighted, and most likely you will be as well.
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