Book Reviews/Cook Books

Good Reads For Your Adventure Travels

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Please Note: The books and Audios reviewed here are my honest opinions. I received these unsolicited and free for promotional purposes, but I simply do not review the ones I do not believe to be review worthy.

The Pharaoh's Kitchen by Magda Mehdawy and illustrated by Amr Hussein is just fascinating! We have recently returned from a trip to Egypt, so we found this book to be most enlightening as well as entertaining. The authors have deciphered ancient recipes for the foods native historically to Egypt. Both author and artist are archeologists who live in Egypt and the Arabic version of this book won the Gourmand World cookbook Award for the Best Culinary History Book in Africa. Containing almost 100 recipes the book is illustrated by pictographs from the tombs of the Pharaohs and with photos of Egyptology museum exhibits. The ancient traditions and celebrations are described and some of these are still observed. The recipes, authentically derived from details of the hieroglyphics in the tombs, are given in the ancient form with added text describing how these can be prepared today. The book tells about the ancient Egyptian kitchen, utensils, manners, and ways of eating. In the back of the book the hieroglyphs are shown and the Glossary explains many of the terms used in the text. The book has sections with customs, service, explanations and recipes for Beverages, Breads, Birds and Fish, Eggs and Dairy Products, Meat, Poultry, Vegetables, Legumes, Fruit and Desserts. I found it impossible to see how anyone could amass such a fascinating and thorough book of such ancient customs! EXCELLENT!!! Be sure to get this is you are traveling or living in Egypt.

Cooking From Cape To Cairo by Dorah Sitole and True Love Magazine: is not just another cook book. This is one for yur coffee table and for fascinating reading as well. The author traveled throughout Africa, visiting chefs in famous restaurants and visiting in humble native huts to learn what and how the favorite dishes of guests and locals are parepared. She was able to work beside those preparing the local dishes in their kitchens or open hut cook areas and learn just how they make the delicious and exotically seasoned cuisine from locally available produce, fish, foul, and flesh. Many of these dishes are simple to prepare and she lists easy substitutes when ingredients are not readily available where you live. The book contains about ten favorites dishes from each of nineteen African countries. Additionally she has a beautiful color photo of a local woman in her native dress of each area and enticing photographs of many of the dishes. Each chapter tells a bit about the place and its habits, so the book is a brief geography and socialogy lesson, as well. It is a beautiful, collector cookbook you will want to own, display, and use.

Be My Guest by Fay Lewis is another exquisite gourmet dining guide and cook book from one of my favorite entertaining chefs. She has loved preparing for guests since her teen years and has impeccable taste as well as years of experience, which she shares with her readers in a beautiful keepsake book, so pretty you'll want to display it on your coffee table instead of in your cookbook shelf. With an opening guide to easy entertaining and beautiful place settings, Fay has divided the book into sections for various types of entertaining, from brunches to patio suppers. Each recipe page has an opposing, full, color photo page depicting the most exquisite way to serve the dish or set the table for the event. Her table decors are both inspiring and not too difficult to copy. Her recipes are well explained and easy to follow. They use grams for measurement, for international publication, but the conversion chart is in the back of the book. For all cooks and entertainers, this book is a wonderful find!

More Than Samoosas by Nazeeha Abrahams is a lovely cookbook with full color photographs of each dish beside the recipes. All the tempting dishes are easy to make and are favorite Cape Malay cuisine in South Africa, but these recipes have an Indian twist. Abrahams learned how to cook as a desparate measure, after she was married and realized that her own mother, who was an excellent cook and never wanted any help, had not taught her how. Abrahams spent several hours daily with her mom learning how to make the succulent and fragrant dishes her mom was so skilled at preparing, unlike any other Malay dishes. Her mom had learned the normal way of preparing these traditional Malay dishes from her mom, but after moving to Durban she experienced the wonderful Indian spices and how they blended to make each dish more delicious. The three generations of excellent cooks share their secrets in this great book,using international measurements.

A Kitchen Safari by Yvonne Short is a gorgeous book on the Stories and Recipes from the African Wilderness. When &Beyond began safari camps two decades ago they were new to the experience and wonder of the native cuisine and excellent produce, grown without the enhancers that make produce in other parts of the modern world lose some of its natural flavor and goodness. Now the company has many safari ecolodges all over Africa in specially chosen wilderness places, which serve cuisine prepared from local produce, helping the surrounding natives have a steady income. The book is absolutely gorgeous with photos of the table settings at the outdoor safari dining places with locally prepared dishes of most unusual blend of ingredients, colors, flavors, aromas. This is a wonderful safari for the senses for anyone who can never go to Africa or a wonderful memoir for those fortunate enough to make the trip. The photos of the native animals and scenery are on many of the pages. You'll travel with the authors from West to East Africa, and from North to South Africa, learning a lot about each place and its culture as you enjoy the book. BEAUTIFUL!

Cakes to Celebrate Love and Life by Callie Maritz and Mari-Louis Guy (Hardcover) Cakes to Celebrate Love and Life by Callie Maritz and Mari-Louis Guy is a beautiful cookbook you will return to over and over until you wear it out, but it is pretty enough to be a coffee table book. This dessert book has it all...from cupcakes to cheesecake to meringue drops and lollies, each beautifully presented and reasonably easy to make (or so the writers make it sound!) They even feature a delicious chocolate vegan cake! You MUST get this excellent book if you ever go into your kitchen at all!!! Your family and guests will cheer you on any occasion...these teachers cover it all: from family gatherings, to feast days and holy days, from Valentines to weddings. With a beautiful full page photo of each yummy recipe.

At My Table by Fay Lewis is an exquisite, keepsake cookbook, perfect for collectors. Fay is South Africa, so the measurements are in kilos and grams, but the easy conversion table at the back of the book makes it suitable for any cook. The food photos and table settings are absolutely beautiful. Not only does the author give easy to prepare but fancy cuisine for everyday preparation, but she also gives great ideas for table decorations she creates for dinner parties or her daily family table. These elegant but simple decorations are made throw-away items found around the house or simple pickings the garden. This will be every cook's favorite, treasured cookbook. A perfect gift also.

Nibble Munch Chomp by Dr. Sasha Herbert, senior vet at the Lort Smith Animal Hospital, is a delight to read. The wonderful photos of all kinds of pets will bring a smile to any face and compassion to any heart. But the book makes me wonder if some people have too much time on their hands! This is a cook book so your beloved pets can have homemade goodies, made by you with love in your own kitchen! Not only are your dogs and cats pampered by this chef, but also your turtles, lizards, guinea pigs, mice, parrots, bunnies, even snakes and other pets! The recipes will surprise you and delight your immagination because many are suitable for you to eat along with your pet!! And the pictured foods look yummy! I really can't imagine eating the same dish I could prepare especially for my turtle or rodent!! Each recipe lists prep time, ingredients, method of preparation and ways to serve these delectables (how to serve to your pet, and how to serve to people!) This book is a must for anyone who wants to do something special for his or her beloved pet, or just a fun read or thoughtful gift.

The Inner Peace Diet by Aileen McCabe Maucher and Hugo Maucher is an unusual cook book and an unusual diet book and an unusual exercise book, for it covers all three in a most unique and helpful way, IF you are open to the unusual. The authors have excellent qualifications for writing this book, as she is a registered nurse, clinical social worker, and nationally recognized mental health expert. He is a professional chef and former restaurant owner. Together they have combined all the best advice for inner peace by working with your body, opening the chakra system (or energy centers) through yoga and special high energy natural foods. The chakra systems were identified by ancients as the rainbow within each of us, with each powerful and specific location in the body identified by a color and governing specific functions of mind/body/spirit. Simple yoga exercises and thought exercises are given in the book to be practiced for a week while eating foods of the color associated with the particular chakra. Delicious recipes were designed by Hugo for each week's practice. If you follow the six week program in the book you will definitely experience high energy and be well on your way to attaining your proper weight and life enhancing daily practices. EXCELLENT!!

Traditional Irish cooking: The Fare of Old Ireland and Its History by Andy Gravette and Debbie Cook is a small, collectible cook book for anyone with Irish inclinations. Although it has no pictures, the text tells the history of the various types of food, giving great insite to the people, the country, and the history. The recipes are written in easy to follow directions and create excellent fare in centuries tested ways. breads to Guinness, meals beginning to end, this book gives great and interesting information for all things Irish.

High Hampton Hospitality and More High Hampton Hospitality are both excellent cook books which are not only filled with the most popular and delicious authentic Southern recipes for the dishes for which High Hampton Inn is so famous, but also both books have the history of the nearly a century old Inn with photos through the years. This is truly a souvenir guests will want to take home to remind them of the wonderful stay at High Hampton Inn in the mountains of Cashiers, NC. You can also order copies High Hampton.

Tasty Temptations By Connie Bandstra is a collection of recipes inspired by the world famous tearoom "Teacups & Tiaras" in the historic district of West Des Moines, Iowa. As a teen, Bandstra first started baking pies for sale in her mother's beauty shop. She has had several successful careers and always returned to what she loves to do: inspire people to return to the nearly lost art of cooking and eating at home. Her recipes are tested and tried on her thousands of tearoom guests and she is famous for her homestyle cooking, as opposed to gourmet. She believes in using readily available ingredients and making the labor easy. This, her first cookbook, has her favorite recipes which her guests love and they are paired with fun quotes by some of the most famous women of our times like Erma Bombeck and Marilyn Monroe, Dolly Parton, Mae West, etc. The recipes I tried are easy and delicious and impressive to serve. A very good cook book and fun to read!

Savoring Sandestin: Recipes and Memories Sunrise to Sunset

Oyster Dressing for Thanksgiving:

1/2 cup chopped celery, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 stick butter: Saute till tender, then discard bay learf. Add 6 cups herb seasoned stuffing mix & 1 Tbsp. snipped parsley. Drain and Chop one pint of fresh oysters, reserving the liquid. Add 2 beaten eggs and the oysters to the dressing mixture. Season with 1 tsp. each of poultry seasoning and salt and then add pepper to taste. Use reserve oyster liquid and add milk to equal 1/3 cup. Stir enough of this liquid into the stuffing mixture to moisten but not saturate. Spoon into a baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Delicious old southern coastal Thanksgiving to enjoy.

You'll find scores of Southern Coastal recipes for every occasion in this grand cook book complied with memories and reflections many who have enjoyed Sandestin Resort on Florida's Northwestern Gulf Coast during the resorts' thirty years. This Community Effort compilation of favorite recipes is a thank you all who enjoy their special stays or lifestyle at Sandestin Resort. All proceeds this book are donated to the Sacred Heart Hospital, a much needed facility on the Emerald Coast. The book is a perfect souvenir or gift your trip or you can order it

CINNAMON MORNINGS AND CHOCOLATE DREAMS by Pamela Lanier is a unique cookbook/travelers' guidebook. The author has selected her favorite recipe each of scores of Bed and Breakfast Inns she has visited and reviewed in many states and Canada. She gives a small review with a "bird's eye view" of the establishment beside each of the luscious sounding, easy to follow recipes. The book will make you yearn to reserve your stay at some of these B & B's, and it will make even you "I hate to cook" cooks want to try some of these delectable dishes. The author was recently named the Lewis and Clark of modern travel by the Tribune Syndication. She lives in San Francisco. This book will make the perfect Christmas or other occasion

RUSSEL WRIGHT'S MENU COOKBOOK: A GUIDE TO EASIER ENTERTAINING by Ann Wright and Mindy Heiferling is not exactly reading for the road, unless you like to entertain in your RV. But it is definitely a cookbook that will help you when you return home to remenisce and imitate some of the fine dining you enjoyed on your trip. This new cookbook gives excellent advance preparation notes so that you don't have to be worn out on the day you entertain. The food presentation photos are exquisite, the meals simple to prepare and directions easy to follow. Perfect for entertaining in a simple but elegant and unusual way. You'll want this for your kitchen library in time for the holidays. in time for holiday entertaining.

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