Amuse-Bouche: Little Bites Of Delight Before the Meal Begins Review

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(More customer reviews)I expected the worst when I first bought this book. You know, the usual "just five minutes from raw ingredients to table" sort of promise that ends up being as hollow as a celery stalk. This book actually delivers on its rather bold premise. The recipes are technique-heavy, but ingredient light. If you have the items on hand (some are downright exotic), you have a poretty fair chance of getting these tasty openers in your guests' mouths in very little time. This is not a cookbook for beginners, but if you are comfortable with fairly involved techniques, then you'll have a GREAT time trying out these interesting and challenging recipes. A true must-have for the complete entertainer!

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Small Plates, Perfect Wines: Creating Little Dishes with Big Flavors Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is not full size, it's 8.5 x 8.5. But it's still full of great little dishes with big flavors (hence the sub title). In addition to all the great recipes there are complete menus starting on page 131. There is a Spring Celebration, Backyard Cookout, Fresh from the Summer Garden, Autumn Harvest, Holiday Dinner Party, Finger Food only, and Desserts Only. All the menus have step by step timetables to keep you on track with preparing and hosting your small plate party. The icing on the cake is the list of wines that every dish accompanies. It's quite awesome.
You could host a complete party with just this book. This one is certainly more affordable without compromising flavor than Wine Food & Friends. Perhaps a combination of both books and you'd have a meal as well as appetizers, if that is something that interests you.
I did the Pork Saltimbocca with Pan Sauce as one of the other reviewers and it was delicious as they said. I combined it with a Mark West Pinot Noir and it then became outstanding. Definitely worth having. I would also suggest the The Sunset Grill: 125 Tasty Recipes for Casual Get-Togethers and Easy Weeknight Cookouts if you're interested in having outdoor parties and that book too had many small plate dishes.

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Small plates. Appetizers are the new entrees. . . . Call it the age of the do-it-yourself tasting menu." --New York Magazine* Imagine any-occasion entertaining made easy. Replace the tired entree with refreshing small-plate options and wine pairings.Small plates in the form of Middle Eastern mezze, Spanish tapas, Mexican antojitos, and Venetian cicchetti are usurping traditional entree-driven meals by offering greater selection and gastronomic fulfillment. To satisfy this growing niche, cookbook author Lori Lyn Narlock presents 50 delicious small-plate recipes and complementary wine pairings from the culinary experts at the Kendall-Jackson Wine Center, including celebrated chef Justin Wangler and winemaster Randy Ullom.* In addition to specific chapters on salads, vegetables, meat, seafood, and desserts, Narlock includes sample party menus accompanied by preparation plans, as well as tips on buying and serving wine, planning and executing entire menus, sample table settings and presentation ideas, and more. More than 50 appetite-inspiring four-color photographs illustrate Small Plates, Perfect Wines: Creating Little Dishes with Big Flavors.* Instead of languishing in a culinary quandary this holiday, consider flavorful pairings like Asparagus with Melted Brie served with sauvignon blanc or Duck and Spinach Empanadas with Persimmon Chutney complemented by a glass of pinot noir.

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Fast and Fabulous Hors D'Oeuvres: A Survival Guide for Today's Busy Entertainer Review

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(More customer reviews)I have made many recipes from this book and they have all been fabulous. The make-ahead tips are extremely helpful and actually let you prepare for a party weeks in advance. Many of the recipes can be frozen, and they taste great when thawed. This book has enabled me to feel at ease about throwing a Christmas party for 60 people!

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Fast and Fabulous Hors D'Oeuvres: A Survival Guide for Today's Busy Entertainer brings you 350 exciting recipes for dips, sauces, spread, pates, molds, pastries, and more.

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Claud Mann's Dinner & A Movie Cookbook Review

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(More customer reviews)Chef Claud Mann has turned cinematic cuisine into a television art form on his popular TBS Superstation weekly program, "Dinner & A Movie". Now with Claud Mann's TBS Superstation Dinner & A Movie Cookbook, he has brought together 100 of his favorite recipes in this third edition of an enduringly popular cookbook. From Beetlejuice - Dearly Departed Sole; Sleepless in Seattle - An Eclair to Remember; and U.S. Marshals - We always Get Our Manicotti; to Ferris Bueller's Day Off - Can't Go To School, I Falafel; Tootsie - What's Under Your Skirt Steak; and Conspiracy Theory - It's All In Your Headcheese, the individual recipes are served up with an on-air wit and an in-kitchen wisdom. If you like to combine watching movies with great do-it-yourself cooking, then Claud Mann's TBS Superstation Dinner & A Movie Cookbook is the one for you!

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Based on the wise-cracking TBS Superstation cable feature Dinner & a Movie, celebrity chef Claud Mann's Dinner & a Movie Cookbook (Lionheart Books, Ltd. / Andrews McMeel Publishing, October 2003) transports Hollywood.s celluloid archives into living rooms and kitchens across the country in the form of delectable, blockbuster-infused culinary creations like What.s Under Your Skirt Steak (Tootsie) or Deja vu Twice-Backed Potatoes a la Groundhog Day. Providing humorous commentary on American movie classics, Mann along with show co-hosts Paul Gilmartin and Lisa Kushell serve up tantalizing dishes with a piece of Americana-movie making on the side. Inside Claud Mann.s Dinner & a Movie Cookbook, you.ll find film-inspired recipes peppered with food facts and laden with handy morsels of movie trivia. Also tucked inside the pages of this film-and-feast cookbook are a glossary of handy cooking terms and tips, as well as full-color behind-the-scenes photos from the show's set and mouth-watering shots of Mann's flavorful dishes.So gather your condiments, pre-heat the oven, and season your frying pan to create dramatic dinners like: Two Hot Peppers on the Lamb - Thelma & Louise, page 26; Obi-Wan Cannoli - Star Wars, page 198; Snow Cones - Fargo, page 182; Male Chauvinist Pig - 9 to 5, page 144; May the Borscht Be with You - Spaceballs, page 64; I Want to Liver Forever - Fame, page 154; . Be All That You Can Beef Stroganoff ~ Stripes page 168We Always Get Our Manicotti - U.S. Marshalls, page 92. Whether you're concocting Austin Powers Fondue Me, Baby! or Extra Cheesy Spielburgers, Claud Mann's Dinner & a Movie Cookbook satisfies culinary and cinematic cravings alike. Frame by frame and step by step, you'll move through food preparation to dinner enjoyment as quickly as Thelma & Louise take to the open road.

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Small Bites Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been daunted by throwing parties for years, always embaressed to be whirling like a dirvish in my kitchen an hour after my intended start time, so caught up in food-making that I miss out on my own soiree.
BUT THIS BOOK ROCKS--
to me, the most invaluble part is the suggested menus for themed culinary soirees. The author breaks down what can be prepared days, hours, minutes in advance which meant that, despite having a full work week and only an hour to prepare, I was able to throw together an impressive spread. while the gorgeous photographs make the appetizers look daunting, everything I prepared was simple enough, especially since I was doing it over the course of a handful of days and had time to clean up. And it was so good!
my complaints: the authors don't always explain what's what so well. so, while I was intrigued by the carrot escuchebe suggested as part of a fiesta themed menu, I had no idea what it was to be served with. also, some of the ingredients are difficult to obtain, although reasonable substitutions are suggested.
it's a nice book to use as a launch pad--you can guess where your own cheats can be (a good store-bought salsa or guacamole, for instance). and it sure makes a pretty coffee table book.
I highly recommend this for anyone who aspires to take entertaining to another level, but isn't quite ready to take on Martha Stewart.

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Celebrating the delights of tapas, sushi, dim sum, antipasti, and many other finger foods from around the world, this no-fuss cookbook is packed with ideas for small, healthy, and delectable dishes that are perfect for chic but informal meals, snacks, picnics, or eating on the go.

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Martha Stewart's Hors d'Oeuvres Handbook Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the ultimate Hors D'Oeuvres handbook -- the best I've ever come across.
In this massive tome, Martha covers all types of hors d'oevres. In addition to easy-to-follow instructions, every "finished product" is beautifully photographed and labled. All you have to do is flip through the photograph section at the beginning of the book, select the hors d'oevres you would like to make, mark it with one of the attached silk book holders, and flip to the recipe in the back of the book.
Here are a few notes:
1.) Included in the back of the book is a good index (This is helpful if you want to search for a specific main ingredient -- like if you have 10 lbs. of asparagus you need to use up.) and a resource guide (This is great for those who don't have a gourmet supermarket within driving distance. Almost all ingredients and tools can be ordered either via the internet, by phone, or mail.).
2.) As is typical with Martha's books, the recipes are high on presentation and low on portability. These delicacies are best suited to an at-home cocktail party, as most of the items to not travel well due to their sometimes elaborate construction.
3.) A nice feature is the classic recipes section featuring party favorites such as stuffed mushrooms. (These recpies are great, as my guests are not always in the mood for nori or endive.)
4.) While I appreciate the design choice to put all of the photos at the beginning of the book, I would have preferred the pictures be featured with each recipe. Expect to flip back and forth a bunch of times.
Functional Note:
You'll need bookweights or a cookbook stand to hold this open, as the pages are packed pretty tightly.
Bon appetit!

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Small Plates: Appetizers as Meals Review

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(More customer reviews)I was given this book as a gift just a few weeks ago and it has since become my favorite cookbook. The recipes are accessible to even average-skilled cooks and are absolutely trustworthy, meaning that if you follow the author's directions, you will end up with delicious, impressive dishes that are exactly as she describes. She offers a broad range of recipes, but nothing so esoteric that you can't find the ingredients at your local market. Although the book is about small plates, each of the recipes can stand alone as a meal or a course. I find myself picking it up in the morning and selecting a dish to cook for dinner. I'll pick up whatever fresh ingredients I need on the way home from work and then in under an hour I'll have a masterpiece ready to serve. I have a lot of cookbooks, some that I keep for only one or two favorite recipes that I got back to regularly. What makes this cookbook different is that there are dozens of recipes I know I'll use.

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