Spices of Life Simple and Delicious Recipes for Great Health
February 28, 2010 by Easy Recipes · Leave a Comment
Spices of Life Simple and Delicious Recipes for Great Health
In this groundbreaking cookbook, Nina Simonds offers us more than 175 luscious recipes, along with practical tips for a sensible lifestyle, that demonstrate that health-giving foods not only provide pleasure but can make a huge difference in our lives.
With her emphasis on the tonic properties of a wide variety of foods, herbs, and spices, this book also brings us up to date on the latest scientific research. In every recipe–gathered from cultures around the world in which good eating is a way of life–Simonds gives us dishes that are both irresistible and have a positive effect on one’s well-being. For example:
-Cardamom, a key digestive, subtly seasons her Steamed Asparagus with Cardamom Butter.
-Cinnamon, which strengthens the heart and alleviates nervous tension, adds spice to her Fragrant Cinnamon Pork with Sweet Potatoes.
-Basil has long been used as a healing salve and in teas. So who wouldn’t feel rejuvenated by a delicious bowlful of Sun-Dried Tomato Soup with Fresh Basil?
-Peanuts, which fortify the immune system and lower cholesterol, provide a tasty, crunchy accent in Sichuan Kung Pao Chicken.
-Mint, which has many healing properties, from taming muscle spasms to dissolving gallstones, can be relished in Minty Snap Peas accompanying Pan-Roasted Salmon or in a Pineapple Salsa served with Jerk Pork Cutlets.
-And peaches give us vitamin C, beta carotene, and fiber. So enjoy them in a wonderful Gingery Peach-a-Berry Cobbler.
To help us understand what part these health-restoring foods can play in our lives, Simonds peppers Spices of Life with lively interviews with a variety of experts, including Dr. Jim Duke, who offers anti-aging advice from his Herbal Farmacy; Dr. Andrew Weil, who discusses his latest nutritional findings; and Dr. U. K. Krishna, who explains basic Ayurvedic practices for healthy living. And more.
With its delicious, easy-to-prepare recipes and concise health information, this delightful book opens up a whole new world of tastes for us to enjoy every day and to share with family and friends.
User Ratings and Reviews
2 Stars A Rehash
If you are seeking recipes and information about an array of spices, and herbs, you will find this selection too narrow. There are a handful of European-style recipes that feature Mediterranean herbs, but most are fundamentally Asian. South America, Native North America, and many other cuisines full of exciting flavors are entirely unrepresented. You will, however, find numerous recipes containing ginger, as well as the key spices in Indian curries.
The health claims presented by a series of enthusiasts are a rehash of what is now common knowledge among most of us who have been paying attention to nutrition news over the last decade. Claims are unsubstantiated and, even if substantiated elsewhere, are mixed with those for which claims have been entirely inconclusive, at best.
If you really need a new recipe for ginger cookies or rhubarb-berry crisp, or maybe Asian-style bbq ribs, this is the book for you. Or perhaps if you are rather new to healthful Eastern cuisine, this is a nice introduction.
Sauces Classical and Contemporary Sauce Making
February 26, 2010 by Easy Recipes · Leave a Comment
Sauces Classical and Contemporary Sauce Making
Winner of the 1991 James Beard Cookbook of the Year Award.
“James Peterson has done for sauces that which Escoffier did for the cuisine of La Belle Epoque…Sauces is a manual for the professional cook and, as such, it will rapidly become a classic and indispensable reference.”—Richard Olney, from the Foreword.
“…another cookbook that can stand among the best reference works.”—Gourmet Magazine.
“This is a book I wish I had written myself…Every few decades a book is written that says all there is say on a subject, or has all the information and passion that sets the standard for professional and amateurs alike. Sauces is one of the best culinary books of this century in English.”—Jeremiah Tower, Stars Restaurant.
The ultimate reference for sauce making is now better than ever. This updated and expanded edition includes more than 500 recipes, including traditional and contemporary versions of almost every sauce imaginable. You’ll find classic white and brown sauces, both starch-thickened and flourless; popular meat and fish sauces made with drippings and juices; sauces based on egg yolks, including bearnaise, hollandaise, mayonnaise, and their variations; sauces made with butter, including the beurre blanc-based sauces that revolutionized modern cookingl vegetable purees, dessert sauces, and many more.
The new edition features all-new chapters on Asian sauces and pasta sauces, plus nearly 50 new recipes, many that cater to lighter, contemporary fare. And a new 32-page color insert clearly and brilliantly illustrate the fundamentals of good sauce making. More than just a compendium of recipes, Sauces explains how and why the ingredients of a sauce are combined.
James Peterson is a chef and cooking instructor. He is also the author of Fish and Shellfish and Splendid Soup, which was nominated for a James Beard Foundation Award.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Sauce Cookbook
The book is excellent I would have liked to have seen picture results of the recipe but other than that it is a well designed book. I would recommend this to a friend.
TABASCO An Illustrated History
February 22, 2010 by Easy Recipes · Leave a Comment
TABASCO An Illustrated History
Tabasco
The Garlic Lovers Cookbook Vol II
February 21, 2010 by Easy Recipes · Leave a Comment
The Garlic Lovers Cookbook Vol II
From its humble beginnings more than a quarter century ago, the Gilroy Garlic Festival has exploded into an all-out lovefest of 125,000-plus ravenous ravishers of the fragrant bulb. On the first weekend in July, fun and feasting take over the bustling community of Gilroy, California, as garlic lovers gather to live, breathe, and, of course, taste their favorite clove in a variety of culinary incarnations. The centerpiece of all this aromatic activity is the Great Garlic Cook-Off, a unique venue for amateur cooks and professional chefs from around the country to compete head-to-head. Now back in print, the second volume of the festival’s recipes brims with prizewinners, crowd-pleasers, and palate-teasers, proving the endless possibilities of glorious garlic.
User Ratings and Reviews
1 Star Duplicate recipes of Volume I
I purchased this cookbook for my boyfriend who has the first “Garlic Lovers’ Cookbook” from Gilroy, which he loves and uses all the time. I assumed these would be new recipes, after all they have this festival every year. He found that all of the recipes were repeats of the original cookbook and we ended up returning it. Very disappointing.
The Spice Bible Essential Information and More Than 250 Recipes Using Spice SpiceMixes and Spice Pastes
February 20, 2010 by Easy Recipes · Leave a Comment
Like its companion volume, The Produce Bible, this must-have book also features more than 250 recipes—for appetizers, soups, entrees, side dishes, breads, desserts, and more—that highlight each ingredient’s distinctive taste and character. Carrot soup with caraway butter, seared salmon with sesame and cucumber, and beef filet poached in Asian-spiced broth are among the delectable dishes presented here, all created with flavorful spices and easily mastered by any cook.
The book also includes tips on purchasing and storing spices, along with sections on spice mixes and pastes such as curry, zaatar, and chermoula. Filled with evocative photographs throughout, The Spice Bible is an invaluable resource for anyone looking for a pinch of personality in their cooking—or a dash of inspiration.
User Ratings and Reviews
2 Stars Not really what I was expecting…
This is a beautiful book, and is well made. The problem is, there isn’t much info about the spices themselves. I was hoping for more of an encyclopedia. I mean, I know it had recipes — I had read the description. But recipes is ALL that is has. The descriptions of the spices are one page, and in big type. And the recipes themselves are okay, but nothing spectacular. I can find recipes for fattoush anywhere. I was hoping for recipes for various rubs, sauces, seasoning mixes, etc. It’s definitely not going to be the spice “bible” I had hoped it would.
Very Pesto
February 17, 2010 by Easy Recipes · Leave a Comment
Traditionally a paste of fresh basil leaves, garlic, olive oil, Parmesan, and pine nuts, pesto has come a long way since its humble beginnings in Genoa, Italy. Over the years, cooks have experimented with pesto, introducing diverse herbs such as cilantro, rosemary, mint, and lemon thyme. In VERY PESTO, you’ll learn how to make 20 different fresh and flavorful pestos and use them in more than 30 recipes for salads, pastas, pizzas, vegetables, and more. With such tantalizing recipes as Fresh Pea and Mint Pesto Pasta, Red Pesto Ceviche, Chilled Cucumber Pesto Soup, Tabbouleh with Mint Pesto, and Pesto Frittata, you’ll relish this sublime sauce year round.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Pretty in Pesto
Maybe it was the long winter without end. Or the snowstorm in late April. Or, belonging to a Food blog where we talked about pesto for 3 pages.
However, while visiting an herb site, I found a link for this book and without hestitation, ordered it from Amazon. I’ve had it two days, and have made four of the pestos and 6 of the dishes…need I say more….it’s FABULOUS!!!
Classic pesto, sage pesto, anchovy pesto…the list goes on and on. And it arrived right when I was having the family over for Mother’s Day, hence the mad dash for dinner and lunch dishes.
For the list price of $5.95 or less (through Amazon) you CAN’T go wrong picking up this little book for yourself, and pesto loving friends!
Edible Herb Garden Edible Garden Series
February 15, 2010 by Easy Recipes · Leave a Comment
Edible Herb Garden Edible Garden Series
Explore the world of fragrant and savory herbs and get tips on how to grow them abundantly. Learn how to use herbs in cooking, as well as in blends, herbed oils and vinegars. Over 90 color illustrations.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars The pefect herb gardening book.
My husband and I bought this book in the winter in preparation for our Spring/Summer garden. In this book we have found detailed descriptions of many herbs, including their common usages and most productive pairings. We were able to accurately use this book to map out and plan ahead for our spring garden and have begun the indoor sproutlings. The book also has a few recipes in back that look pretty easy and straightforward and sound great.
The Encyclopedia of Herbs Spices and Flavorings
February 13, 2010 by Easy Recipes · Leave a Comment
The Encyclopedia of Herbs Spices and Flavorings
An illustrated sourcebook to these all-important cooking ingredients includes information on more than two hundred herbs, spices, essences, edible flowers and leaves, aromatics, vinegars, oils, teas, and coffees. 25,000 first printing.
User Ratings and Reviews
3 Stars Nice book but not an Encyclopedia
This is a nice book. It has a fair number of spices and herbs listed, I would say the ones most commonly used in the American kitchen. It also includes international recipes and even a chapter on Flavorings as listed in the title. Overall a good source of information and a good read. Beware however this is by no means comprehensive, there are other books out there with much more detailed information on spices and hebs, unfortunately I am still searching to find one that I used to own that desrved the title encyclopedia. When I find it I will re-post.
Smithsonian Handbooks Herbs Smithsonian Handbooks
February 12, 2010 by Easy Recipes · Leave a Comment
Smithsonian Handbooks Herbs Smithsonian Handbooks
The visual guide to more than 700 herb species from around the world. Authoritative text, crystal–clear photography, and a systematic approach make this the most comprehensive pocket guide to the herbs of the world. Packed with more than 1,500 full–color photographs of over 700 species, the Smithsonian Handbook of Herbs is designed to cut through the process of identification, enabling you to recognize herbs easily. Photo–Encyclopedic Approach: Each expertly written entry combines a concise description with annotated photographs to highlight the herb’s distinguishing features and chief uses. Color illustrations show the whole plant or tree in its most typical form, while color–coded bands provide at–a–glance facts for quick reference. In–Depth Guide: For beginners and established enthusiasts alike, the Smithsonian Handbook of Herbs explains what an herb is, identifies which parts are collected and prepared, and describes the different uses to which they can be put — from cooking and medicine to beauty treatment, aromatherapy, and crafts. Essential details of the species’ size, habitat and natural range complete every entry, and a concise glossary gives instant understanding of the technical and scientific terms used.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars The Best
I’m an avid reader oh herbal lore and gardening.This is the most informative book I’ve yet seen. This book has color photos and detailed descriptions for over 700 herbs. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in herbs.
Elixirs Tonics and Teas
February 10, 2010 by Easy Recipes · Leave a Comment
Since ancient times herbs have been prized for their health-enhancing properties, and the therapeutic benefits of herbs, from kavakava to ginseng and ginko biloba have been embraced by Americans in growing numbers.
At the zenlike oasis of Elixir, West Hollywood’s hottest watering hole, licensed herbalists dispense a tempting array of refreshing smoothies, energizing tonics, and soothing teas that deliver all the benefits of tonic herbs in a most delicious way. In Elixir’s Tonics and Teas, they share their recipes so that everyone can benefit from signature blends like Greet the Day Tea and Yin from the Cold Tonic.
Elixir’s philosophy is to create a comfortable blend of Eastern and Western practices and tastes. Each efficacious blend of herbs is combined with juice and other flavorful ingredients so these smoothies, sodas, and teas, and even cocktails are delightful quaffs that can be enjoyed anytime. Boost your system before a workout with a glass of Energy Today Tonic, or rebalance the body after an illness with Taming the Dragon; prepare your mind to focus with a cup of Brainy Day Chai, or calm yourself after a difficult week with a Steady in Spirit.
Helpful guidelines from Elixir’s trained staff make choosing the right tonic for nourishing mind, body, or spirit simple, and a comprehensive glossary of herbal products takes the guesswork out of using these beneficial plants.
Elixir’s Tonics and Teas is an irresistible introduction to the power of herbal infusions and a toast to general well being.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Practical and profound…
Living in the Los Angeles area, I’ve been a long-time customer of the Elixir store in West Hollywood. There is no place like it, with licensed herbalists helping customers like me to better understand the power of herbs. I never get sick anymore and I’ve consumed a thousand tonic beverages at the tonic bar at Elixir. For me, this book is a fabulous window into the world of practical herbalism. I’ve already tried some of the make-at-home recipes and they’re every bit as delicious and healthful as the ones available at the Elixir store. It’s clear that the authors didn’t hold back on wonderful knowledge that stands behind the success of their store. My family and I are big tonic drinkers now and I’ll eventually try every recipe, from soup and spritzer. Great book!!!
