Women's Book

If you want to learn more about cake decorating, to impress at family gatherings, or maybe think about starting a business of your own, cake decorating books can be a good way to learn. You want a book that you will return to over and over again, as you improve your skills.

The best books for you will be clearly written, with plenty of easy-to-follow instructions and decorations. Not everyone will agree about the clearest and best way to learn about is from a book, so pick the one that makes the best sense to you. If you are new to cake decorating, you will want books that focus on the basic skills of cake decorating. If you have a specific goal or theme in mind, like learning to decorate a wedding cake, or a birthday cake your cartoon-obsessed nephew will adore, you will want to make sure to choose books geared towards those topics.

Don’t be swayed by a celebrity author of a decorating book. If you scour the bookstore for books featuring Martha or Rachel Ray, you might miss out on some great books. While Duff Goldman of Ace of Cakes has become famous, thanks to the Food Network show, the book that includes his decorating tips might not be the right one for you. Maybe the designs aren’t the ones you want to learn. And if you get enticed by the marketing of a big name, or a tie-in to a famous bakery, you’ll miss out on cake decorating books that focus where you can develop the best skills. And if you focus on celebrities you know from the Food Network or the media, you’ll miss out on cake decorating books by people who are celebrities in the cake decorating world, like renowned British sugarcrafting artist Maisie Parrish, whose cake decorating books showcase whimsical, original designs, with decently easy instructions.

The Cake Decorator’s Motif Bible: 150 Fabulous Fondant Designs with Easy-to-Follow Charts and Photographs, by Sheila Lampkin (Firefly Books, 2007) is full of photographs, teaches basic skills, and is spiral bound, so it would be one of the better books for someone who wanted to master the basic skills. A spiral binding makes it easier to have the book open on your counter as you learn and practice new decorating techniques. Cakes for Kids: 35 Colorful Recipes With Easy to Follow Tips and Techniques, by Matthew Mead, (Chronicle Books 2008) focuses on designs that will appeal to young children, without cartoon media tie-ins.

When you’re picking from among the vast array of cake decorating books, you want to make sure that the cakes you create will be as delicious as they are beautifully decorated. The Whimsical Bakehouse: Fun-to-Make Cakes that Taste As Good as They Look, written by the mother-daughter team of Kaye and Liv Hanson, focuses on keeping the ingredients of their brightly colored cakes simple and tasty, so it’s a great place to learn the delicious basics of getting creative with cake decorating staples like butter cream.

When going to a bookstore, you always see a line of cookbooks, each different from one another. You always have a hard time choosing one, since they all look appetizing and written by experts. You choose one, go home, and learn that the cookbook isn’t suited to your lifestyle and experience.

This is the problem with many people, particularly moms. They don’t know the tips for finding the best cookbooks. Before you buy, there are some questions you have to think about. This could save you a lot of time and effort in cooking a dish not really meant for you. It will also save you money better spent on buying a better-suited cookbook.

First of all, how much cooking experience do you have? If you have absolutely no previous experience with cooking, start with the basic type of cook books. That way, you start with the basics, like cooking scrambled eggs, rice, or even boiling water. On the other hand, if you have a long history of cooking, something more complicated would be better. It will challenge you and at the same time let you cook a great dish.

Next thing to think about is the food preference of the people you’re cooking for, including yourself. This is very important, because some people are vegetarians and wouldn’t eat food made with any meat. If that’s the case, then a cookbook especially written for vegetarians would be the best choice. For the people who prefer chicken or any other type of meat, there are cookbooks which are more concentrated on one type of ingredient. Of course, for people who’ll eat anything, this is no problem.

What you should look at then, is the inside of the cookbook. Are the recipes easy enough to follow? Are the ingredients within your budget? Do the pictures of the finished food look appetizing and are they something you will like doing? These are questions you need answered beforehand, because some people regret having bought a cookbook after realizing the foods aren’t really meant to be cooked by them. You might also prefer buying a spring bound book, since you have to read while cooking. Hardbound books, as you might know, easily closes. It would be hard to hold the book and exerting effort when unnecessary.

After finally thinking these through, you might see that several cookbooks are within those categories. Since you can only buy one, it’s time to compare prices. Which one is worth the money you’ll spend? You might like to try counting the number of recipes in the book before comparing.

Choosing a cookbook isn’t really hard; you just have to know a few tips here and now. If you have no time for any of these, just ask your friends which they would recommend. Of course, your friend must have the same level of skill as you have, so it wouldn’t be too easy or too hard on your part. So what are waiting for, buy the most suitable cookbook for you now.

The original publication of Kitchen Confidential was released in 2000. Although I have been a big fan of Anthony Bourdain and his style of food and travel criticism, I never got around to reading the book until recently. I guess perhaps like the aging of a fine wine I was hoping that the test of time would give me a better perspective on how to interpret its contents. The book has been re-released with some additional commentary to maybe tone down the original ramblings.

This is largely an autobiography of someone who was full of passion for food but did not really get around to pulling it all together until much later in life. I suppose there is a good moral in there for all of us. He is not ashamed to tell you about his addictions to drugs, booze and cigarettes. One is actually amazed that he is someone who can still stand erect. His story is typical of one who has a great intellect, matched with a total lack of ambition, smothered by an overbearing ego. In his early career he seems to go through kitchen gigs faster than he can pop aspirin; which is actually one of his other special talents.

Mr. Bourdain was the original potty-mouthed celebrity chef. Based on his outrageous commentary in the book he landed his first television show in 2002 on the Food Network traveling around the world, trying to gross everyone out with his proclivity for eating brains and intestines. The use of shock value in the cooking world was born. Unfortunately he paved the way for Gordon Ramsay who just went one better than Bourdain. That is if you think a foul mouth is a great asset on a great chef. I bring this up because if you are at all offended by coarse language this is not a good book for you. On the other hand if you can read through all the coarse stuff you will understand that Bourdain’s acting out is actually his way of expressing admiration for certain things culinary.

The book is a good culinary history spanning from the mid-1970s up until its publication in 2000. I think the post script added in the latest release does help to round out the reader’s perspective. The advent of the Food Network and the increased interest in cooking has actually increased the expectation of diners. This has stopped many of the outrageous behaviors outlined in the book. And, as I would agree with Bourdain, has launched a bunch of hacks on television peddling recipes and rubs at the expense of serious cooking. So I think it is a good read. And I will continue to enjoy Bourdain’s irreverence. It is based on a serious love of good food, and of course, good drink.

Cooking can be a hobby, an art and even a very reliable business. The best chefs basically combine all of the above. Despite of this, everyone has to start somewhere. You can start using cookbooks and simple recipes which can provide step-by-step instructions for coming up with a very delicious meal.

For those who get tired and frustrated by being picked on because of their cooking, you can basically go on your nearest bookstore and choose the best cookbook. If you aspire to be a great cook, worry no more because you can achieve your dreams with the help of cookbooks. Who would not want to cook a meal and get praised for it.

If you are just starting in the culinary area, whether you just like cooking or love it so much that you want to begin a career out of it, you basically have to start somewhere. Starting out somewhere can definitely be through finding the recipes of the best professional chefs. You can basically start out on family cookbooks because they teach basic cooking. You can easily learn about cooking methods, cutting and measurements.

You can find many cookbooks on different bookstores all over the country but you need tips when it comes to finding the best ones. There are so many cookbooks that focus on different specialties. If you want to find the best healthy cookbook, then you must read on to get tips in finding one. It is basically a cookbook that contains healthy recipes and provide information with regards to cooking healthy meals.

People mean varying things when they talk about healthy meals. There are those who consider anything that is healthy as long as it’s cooked at home. There are some who follow much stricter dietary guidelines. While some people are vegans, or desire less meat on their diet, there are also those who look for organic foods. Basically, there are so many different kinds of diets which in turn goes with specific cookbooks. They provide ample information for each particular diet. Usually, each cookbook promotes a healthy output.

You must take note though that healthy cookbooks are not created equally. There are some cookbooks which claim to be healthy despite using processed ingredients. These ingredients contain high calories and much sodium or sugar. The point is that there are those which do not really support a healthy diet despite claiming that they are.

Nowadays, experts have leaned towards a healthier diet that relies on low sugar, high quality protein and avoids processed ingredients. If you really want to find the best healthy cookbook and same with other cookbooks, you should take note of the following points:

- Reaches Where You Stand Now
- The cookbook should be able to help you relate whether you are a beginner or not. It must be able to assist you easily, especially if you are just a starter in cooking.
- Easy to Understand
- A great cookbook is something that can be read with ease and comfort. You don’t need to consult a dictionary or go online just to clarify something in the cookbook.
- Solid Information

If you are looking for a healthy cookbook, it is a great one if that cookbook provides information regarding what are the foods that are good and the foods that are not advisable to eat. It is a good one when there is enough solid information, which could widen up your horizon when it comes to healthy foods.

Basically, when you want help in finding the best cookbooks, it is best that you go online and read reviews. With the help of internet, you can find many information regarding the best cookbooks that should be on your list. You can also join forums on cooking. You can find many online tips from these forums as well. Maximize the potential of the internet because this is one information hub that can raise your overall awareness and knowledge about cooking.

When you have found and started mastering the basics, you can then further your own cooking skills by looking for more reliable cookbooks. The best tip in finding the best cookbooks is that you must go for the ones that provide recipes from famous restaurants. They do not only provide great recipes but they are also tried and tested ones that people have really liked through the years. You can also get several professional tips with regards to food pairing, making desserts and drinks, plating your dishes, etc.

As you move forward, you can easily practice and as time goes by, you can eventually make your very own recipes. Take it one step at a time. All you have to do is start by finding the best cookbook that you can ever find. Follow all of the tips mentioned above and you’ll be a great cook in no time.

Sandraorite Lee has taught the domestically challenged how to cook by coordinating her television show with her cookbooks. She not only makes cooking easy, but shows how to entertain dinner guests by using themed table settings. Her recipes are fail proof. Anyone can learn to cook with Sandra Lee.

There are about twenty cookbooks in the Semi Home Made collections. Many of the recipes have been demonstrated on her show. Sandra’s method is using seventy percent store bought products with thirty percent fresh products.

Each book begins with photographs and descriptions of tools and spices you will need on hand and how to use them. I have actually learned from this. Each recipe is coordinated with other dishes to complete the meal. The end of the book gives table setting tips for entertaining.

There are a few basic tips I have learned that have helped. One is to add extracts to cake mixes for an enhanced flavor. Another trick for cake mixes is to use applesauce in place of oil for moisture. When water is called for in use fruit juice or broth instead for flavor.

Once you’ve learned some of these tricks, you get creative and think of your own shortcuts. I recycled pineapple cans by cooking pineapple upside down cake in them. I collected twelve and made individual cakes. It worked out perfectly.

Sandra actually tried cooking school that the gourmet recipes were not used by the every day person on a budget, with time spread thin, She wrote down the ways she survived when growing up and throwing whatever was in the pantry.

My favorite recipe, is stuffed peepers cooked in the crock pot with a Mexican twist. They are peppers with a kick! You literally dump everything from the can to the bow and mix it with hamburger and rice. A few hours later they’ve cooked themselves and you just eat. Her serving tip is to use a bundt cake pan for transporting and serving because they will keep their shape and not fall over.

There are even international food themes that are fun.

If you admit to being like me and not being a domestic goddess, this book is for you. After trying a few of Sandran’s recipes, you will be able to contribute to any potluck like a pro. Never again will you bring bagged salad or chips. You will become the life of the party.

The Harney & Sons Guide to Tea, by Michael Harney, published by Penguin Press in 2008, is a recent guide to tea. Michael Harney is best known for his tea association with Harney & Sons, a Connecticut-based tea company which sells both loose tea and tea bags. The book is well-written and easy to read, and contains a wealth of infomation. This review includes a few finer points of criticism of this otherwise outstanding book.

Organization of the Book:

The book is organized by varieties of tea, and covers a total of 56 individual teas, with a few pages on each. The book is broken loosely into categories: white tea, Chinese greens, Japanese greens, Oolongs, yellow teas, Chinese black teas, British legacy black teas, and Pu-erh. The book is organized loosely on the basis of strength and darkness/lightness, starting with white teas with delicate aromas and subtle flavors, and moving towards more powerful teas. I found this book to be very well-organized.

Major Omissions in the Book:

My largest criticism of this book is in the area of major omissions: this book limits itself to regions and types of tea which Harney & Sons focuses on, which is not surprising, but there are some surprisingly important teas which are completely omitted. Interestingly, these omissions tend to occur mostly among inexpensive teas. Shou mei, an important and well-known, but inexpensive type of Chinese white tea (incidentally my favorite type of white tea), is not mentioned anywhere in the book. The book also ignores a number of major tea-producing regions, including Turkey and Argentina–and I suspect because they are not as “classy” as the regions mentioned.

There are also a number of smaller or more minor regions, such as Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Bangladesh, and Nepal, which may be less important or influential in the world of tea than China or India, but I think deserve more mention than they receive.

Another criticism of the book is that it does not delve into much depth with respect to sustainability and human rights issues, issues that are of critical importance in many of the regions discussed (especially China, Sri Lanka, India, and Kenya). In particular, sustainability-related issues such as organic agriculture and the fair trade movement are not explored much.

Referencing & Citations:

I also found the references and citations in this book to be lacking. Although the book does contain a bibliography, the citations throughout the text are sparse. The reader is expected to trust in Michael Harney’s authority when it comes to most of the information presented. Many of the numerous facts and tidbits of information in the book are given completely without reference, and it’s hard to trace what information originates in sources given in the bibliography and what comes from Michael Harney’s personal experience. This is not a huge problem when it comes to subjective information such as descriptions of aroma and flavor, but when it comes to legends and stories, history, and discussion of production process, I find it slightly more problematic.

The Bottom Line:

Bottom line, this is a fun and informative read for the casual tea enthusaist, but it’s less comprehensive than you might expect, and less authoritative than it presents itself as. People seeking a more balanced discussion of varieties of tea or a deeper discussion of sustainability-related issues will need to search elsewhere.

- This recipe cookbook gives you plenty of recipes for you to choose from. With over 700 very thoroughly explained recipes that are easy to make, you will be enjoying cooking for far less money and save a lot of your time. It is great for preparing magnificent dishes for a parties, gatherings etc. Also you don’t have to have any over the top cooking knowledge and skills. You will be able to prepare a meal in a matter of minutes. The cookbook’s author Ron Douglas has perfectly explained every single step of preparing the meal. His style of writing is humorous so you will have fun cooking.

- The average American family eats out 3 to 4 time a week. If you compare the long waiting lines at the restaurants or fast food franchises with you, by yourself in your kitchen, you will feel more relaxed and actually enjoy while you preparing your favorite restaurant dish.

- It is a money saver. By staying at your home preparing it yourself you will save money that you usually give away for gas.

- With this book you additionally get 7 more cookbooks for free. A Secret Sauces book, Good Ole Comfort Foods, Grilling book, Kids dishes book, Special occasion recipes book, and a book with recipes for diabetic people.

All in one, this makes a great bargain, its reviews are phenomenal and it is offered by a very affordable price.
It gives you the opportunity the be the home chef that everybody loves. At the end of the day you will have your dish made, your money saved and the pleasure of doing both things guaranteed. No wonder it’s the best selling cookbook.

Ever since Bugs Bunny appeared, munching on a crisp, delectable carrot, we’ve known that bunnies know how to eat healthy. Camelot’s Kitchen, a new cookbook filled with innovative and delicious salad recipes inspired by – a rabbit named Camelot. Shoreh Pirnia is the founder and creator of Camelot’s Kitchen and Rane Sevin is a gifted artist who created the illustrations and has worked in screenwriting, music and films.

Meeting Camelot preceded Pirnia’s venture into the world of creative salads and later, writing a cookbook about them. Camelot’s life story began pretty dismal. He was sold to a little horror of a child at Easter and promptly locked up in a rabbit hutch and left outside in the backyard. For his meals, he was only given “Rabbit Chow,” little bullet-shaped pellets that had no taste or texture.

But, as we know from our hero, Bugs, rabbits are cunning — and after a few weeks of miserable existence in the backyard hutch, Camelot escaped. He barely made it across busy streets, but he eventually arrived in a lovely garden where he met the woman who was to change his life and write a cookbook called Camelot’s Kitchen based on his favorite things to eat.

Camelot taught Shoreh how to make innovative salads with the most unusual combination of spices, fruits, nuts and veggies that turned plain, tasteless salads into culinary delights. As Camelot dictated his preferences, Shoreh wrote Camelot’s Kitchen, one recipe at a time, transforming “rabbit food” into creations that would win a Top Chef contest.

Camelot’s Kitchen is chock full of beautiful and incredibly artistic backgrounds and images that make the book a visual sensation as well as a taste sensation. Rane Sevin played a crucial role in bringing Camelot’s Kitchen to life with her artistic creations. Sevin’s and Pirnia’s joint venture to write a cookbook from a rabbit’s point of view can teach us all how to enjoy a healthier diet that doesn’t have to be boring.

Anyone reading Camelot’s Kitchen can feel the love Shoreh Pirnia has for her furry little rabbit friends and see by the recipes contained in the book that she also has a passion for salads – and a passion for helping others to develop healthy eating habits. Shoreh believes the time has come for individuals and families to shun fast foods and other foods that pollute our systems and evolve into a state of mind that embraces healthy foods.

Camelot’s Kitchen is a wonderful vehicle that can be used to inspire children and show them how to adopt a healthy diet and lifestyle. When the children get excited about eating healthy, parents and other adults will jump on the bandwagon – and who better to lead the revolution than a bunny named Camelot.