Three unique tastes -- rich and pungent
352192
The variety of flavors of the three oils was a wonderful surprise.
4854603
This remarkable book includes a surprising number of recipes that make interesting reading even though I'm not brave enough to try them.  The author is an outright vegan and begins with numerous recipes for tofu, which many of us find dull.  I rate cookbooks on the number of interesting new recipes I find in them.  This book is a champion, if used with care.

I nearly pitched the book as a matter of common sense before I discovered it is a WONDERFUL collection of recipes for varietal mushrooms, uncommon native nuts and fruits, and some wild vegetables noted as worthy of attention by more famous cooks.  The collection of recipes for chicken mushrooms used as substitutes for chicken will impress anyone with a sense of adventure.

There are fourteen recipes in here for Japanese Knotweed.  As a former conservation commissioner I'm cheered by the idea that alien invasive species are now listed as dinner.  I hoped to find recipes for water chestnuts, too, but apparently they're too banal for notice by a true Wildman.  On the bright side, Brill includes a decent selection of recipes for lawn weeds like chickweed, dandelion, lamb's quarters and purslane to challenge your creativity.

Many native plants worthy of attention get good coverage.  He's got recipes for wild cherries, mulberries, nettles, amaranth, chicory, and burdock that might push you farther into Deborah Madison's edgiest vegetarian suggestions.  Many kinds of wild berry recipes grace these pages, including elderberries for you Monty Python fans.  While his ingredient lists often include uncommon native spices, experienced cooks will recognize opportunities to substitute things like cinnamon, nutmeg, and other common store-bought herbs.

Wild foods you may read about from other sources get decent coverage here.  Cattails and sumac make good eating for the truly hungry outdoorsman, and acorns are known to be edible for the desperate.  If you can follow directions carefully, Brill explains how to cook with black locust flowers and how to make coffee from the Kentucky Coffee Tree without poisoning yourself.

Other recipes in this book just scare me.  "A grain of salt" is not enough to make some of these ideas safe.  If you're not VERY sure of what you're doing, I would NEVER tangle with pokeweed, wild carrots, or cow parsnips.  Numerous other suggestions in here make me wonder, like the recipes for milkweed and pennyroyal.  Sassafras is a widely known ingredient in colonial teas, old-time root beer, and Cajun cooking, but the FDA still lists it as a carcinogen.  Brill's comments on stropharia mushrooms make classic, startling reading.

I've read my share of toxicology books, but it's never safe to speculate on what a person DIDN'T read.  Before you get too adventurous with this cookbook, you ought to confirm for yourself that the ingredients in your chosen recipe are safe to eat.  A reasonable county prosecutor might challenge your motives if you gave this book as a gift to your rich, childless uncle.
228249
Organized by major influence, i.e. Berries; Stone Fruits; Figs, Melons and Grapes; Apples, Pears and Quinces; Citrus Fruits; Tropical Fruits; Vegetables; Nuts; Herbs and Flowers; Spices; Sweet Essences; Cheese, Milk and Cream; Chocolate; and the finale: Signature Composed Desserts.
Impressed by the creativity and sophistication of intense flavors here, e.g. Tamarind-Glazed Mango Napoleons which burst with the richness of mango, enhanced by basil, mint, tamarind and lime; Carmelized Brioche Puddiing with Blackberry Cream and Fresh Blackberries; Lemon-Poppy Seed Shortbread; Pistachio Nut Brittle; Lavender Creme Brulee; Chocolate Biscotti with Pistachios and Sour Cherries.
Her idea of "Composed Desserts" is creative and inspires the home gourmet to experiment with fixing and matching desserts in texture, warm to cold, etc.  I've made up one of my own using these recipes and it turned out wonderful.  This is fun feature of the book.
This selection is well presented, with nice photography, clear instructions, advise on techniques, sources, etc.
What sets this collection apart is the sophistication of intense, clean flavor combos, e.g. Bay Leaf Flan. This likely isn't for every cook, but will be a turned-to resource for discriminating gourmets who desire to set before their guests a unique and tasteful ending to a meal that will leave a memorable taste and impression.
111571
Wow! A complex, layered, and sophisticated spread that pleases the taste buds and continues to reward the senses beyond the palate. It is an intriguing recipe that pushes the flavor and texture envelope beyond the familiar and well past the expected. The complimenting qualities of Meyer Lemon, Apricot and Pistachio and the choice of seasoning ingredients make the flavors come alive.

One of the top two gifts I received on Fathers day, right up there with the new Galaxy 8. We served the spread with the cheese platter and it was a hit. The kids also loved it on baguette - we were tempted to quote Miss Trunchbull in the movie Matilda: Much too good for children! 

We also enjoyed Boras Pantry Fig & Almond  and Sweet Potato, Apricot & Meyer Lemon and were equally intrigued and delighted by the quality, and balance of flavors.
2922529
tastes lovely, invites experimentation, adds a subtle difference ot many dishes and is a star in roasted eggplant/greek yogurt dip
3172068
These are so pretty and the subtle plum flavor coupled with the toasty nuttiness of the sesame seeds gives the culinary curiosity seeker some taste-bud adventure as well as a unique visual display.

This year [2011] I plan on making a non-traditional Christmas dinner with 5 different kinds of Sushi and I can't wait to use these for my Sushi. I'm going to buy the green Wasabi sesame seeds by Roland next month so that I can do a cute red and green inside-out Sushi. Maybe I'll even take a picture and upload it to Amazon.com if it turns out well.

The bottles are convenient in size and I like the little twist-off lids for shaking the seeds on your choice of food. I like to shake some of these on my stir-fries and soups after plating. If you stir these into something during cooking, their pretty color WILL wear off, so they are best used after cooking rather than during.

Note: These plum sesame seeds are NOT vegan. These contain 'carmine' which comes from beetles for the red coloring.

Here are the ingredients listed on my bottles:

Sesame Seeds, Seasonings, Salt, Citric Acid, Natural Plum Powder, Carmine, Spices, Sugar.

These are a product of Taiwan.
2544562
This brew is a melancholy visit to the marsh. The musty scent of wet, even boggy soil accentuates the essential woody flavor. Shorter steeps present the mellowly sweet, twiggy flavor, with a damp earthiness and smoky finish. The gentle smokiness smoothens the liquor, while the rich, earthy taste is softened by malty flavor Some floral notes are at play, but these are subtle, mostly dominated by the marshy dankness.

The tea is pleasant, but somewhat reserved with revealing flavor. After an entire bag, I don't feel as acquainted as I should. Using less leaf, about 1/4 the volume of the gaiwan, reduces the intensity of the malty flavor, and lingering fishiness. So, if you don't like fishiness, I would rinse for five seconds, or slightly more, and avoid using too much leaf!
Quite tasty, if you like the smell of woody marshes. I enjoyed it after meat.

A good casual tea, not very remarkable. Its also strongly stimulating, good for getting level-headed, and super-boosting your digestion.

A very serious and mature tea, with which one must tread carefully. The bag is almost empty, but after sensitizing myself over time to try what I would consider the maximum amount of leaf/strength, I finally feel this tea to the root, so to speak.

If I had no clue of what to call it, I would call this chocolate malt puerh. When made strong, there is an ineffable chocolaty flavor that stands out even through the heavy and pungent marshy peat flavor. It pairs very nicely with the rich malt for a sweet, thick cocoa cream taste. I still have not pinpointed the subtle note of fruit, and doubtfully ever will, but it is a pleasing noteleaning toward sugary date, perhaps sour plum.

My only caveat, the tinge of earthiness; not the pleasant soil-ish mushroom taste, but the unwanted dirty mud-earth taste muddled with it, that you sometimes find occupying your ripe puerh. However, the mouthwateringly sweet aftertaste, married with the satisfyingly lingering dry mouth-feel makes all the difference. If you like a dry, rich chocolaty malt, give this loose leaf a brew!
615079
J.A. Pak's "Act of Creation & Other Stories" is a collection of three short stories that center around food and people who are involved with the creation of the best of it.  The stories bring out how people use and abuse each other for what is on their agendas.

The first story is "Act of Creation."  Mary was a sculptress when it came to her beautiful cakes that featured lifelike sprays of flowers that adorned them. Her wedding cakes with flowers had to be ordered months in advance.  Business was good.  As happy as she was with her creative life, Mary couldn't get over her divorce from her husband, but one day she thought of something that would help. A well-written story with a protaganist who has a very creative and somewhat warped mind.

Second is "What I Did for Pho."  The narrator and his wife, Phyllis, love Thai food,especially Pho.  Over the years they watched one Thai restaurant after another pop up downtown, and when they went on a Sunday afternoon for lunch, they walked into what they thought was their favorite one, but it turned out to be a new one very close to the old restaurant.  They left and went next door to Little Saigon, owned by Mr. Nguyen, whose family worked sixteen hours a day to build up the restaurant's reputation and clientele. The Pho was excellent.  One day Phyliss noticed that a former restaurant was vacant across the street from her home and she and her husband have ideas about that vacant space.  The author shows the reader that what one will do for one's likes isn't always in everyone's best interests.

Third and last is "Gurume Kurabu."  Gordon had a little bit of knowledge about a lot of things, and his friends did learn from him, but they dared not cross him.  His tidbits of what he knew could come in handy.  The problems began when Gordon invited his friend, Danny, and story narrator, to "the best Japanese restaurant outside of Tokyo..."  Gordon had never been to Tokyo, but the food was good, just not the best.  Danny knew where it was the best, but he was sworn to secrecy about the location.  If he told, he would be in real trouble, and Gordon wouldn't give up his questions. What happens if Danny tells Gordon his secret?  Not good things, that's for sure.

These three short stories are well thought out and very well-written.  Although food is the central topic, it leads to bigger problems for the characters.  The author seems to have good knowledge of Asian foods and cooking and that makes the stories more believable.

I enjoyed all three.  Recommended.
675550
Big Red Robe  is a wulong tea with a distinct flavor that is a departure from traditional green and black teas many drink in the West. If you like to experiment, it's worth adding to your collection, though a tea like this is probably more suited for special occasions or "mixing it up" days than as your daily drinker. The flavor is somewhere between green and black teas with a woody, burnt aroma. It has more flavor than green teas but the taste is still on the earthy side. Think "distinct" rather than "delicious." The quality of the leaves in my package were very good and the leaves came in a large plastic zip bag that I later transferred to a glass jar. Because I haven't knowingly had this tea before I can't compare it to others.
3170799
I wanted a more authentic pepper for making things like hot and sour soup, which calls for a surprising amount of pepper.  I loaded up a spare pepper grinder I had with this, so it's easy to use.  This pepper is very distinctive, It seems very fresh and fragrant, with large berries, not broken or dusty in any way.  It's hot in a totally different way than, say, red pepper flakes.  It kind of numbs the tongue, a little, I am really enjoying it.  It adds a definite flavor and sensation dimension above-and-beyond the ordinary to my hot and sour soup.
1455006
I've wondered about the taste of this coffee for many years.  I favor the darker, bolder coffee varieties for their rich taste. One draw-back to these type of coffees is the additional acidity that can easily come from darker roasting methods.

This Luwak coffee is definitely distinct.  Putting aside the hilarious background of the coffee, it brings a mild flavor with extra "presence" (more flavor) along with different layers of other flavors.  I liken the intensity to that of a bold medium-roast breakfast coffee - not overpowering but plenty of flavor.  The most amazing thing I noticed, is the lack of acidity.  It hits the pallet a lot like hot tea, but it definitely rings through as coffee.  The layers that I pick up on are mostly fruit and nut based, but others may taste them differently.

All in all, Luwak coffee is a delightful treat that I plan to enjoy as an end-of-the-week treat.  Nothing beats a relaxing cup of coffee on Saturday morning.  I definitely recommend sharing with others; although, it may be best to tell them of the origins AFTER they've had a cup :).

Cheers.
1803391
On my many adventures along the Nile River I have met some interesting characters. Among the most interesting was a spice trader who looked like a young Eli Ackerman. I was at first interested in his paprika but soon my eyes locked with the stare of Gerardo from his album cover. After what seemed like an eternity of staring at this gem I returned to Earth only to find that I had to make a choice between the paprika and this one of a kind national treasure. I must say that while the melodies are smooth and the bass line really thumps your britches, the most alluring part of this album is how it tastes in an authentic Sri Lankan feast.
892826
Who knew Philadelphia was more than cheesesteaks and soft pretzels with mustard?  This recipe book is a mix of some useful recipes and some pretty quirky dishes from colonial times.  Many of the recipes are from the menu of old Philadelphia society hotels, and are pretty fancy fare.  For someone into cooking, this is a unique collection.  For me, there were enough tasty things that were not too much work, to make it worth purchasing this book, which is out of print.  I got it used, in great condition.
2496253
Advanced nutrients give you what you want. Tricombs and tasty sticky smooth buds.
2394111
Really intense and complex aroma and flavor.
682160
Expensive?  Yes.  Worth it?  To me it is.  It is a unique chocolate.  High quality chocolate with a very complex taste.  It has an initial flavor of fruit, plums.  If you want a bold chocolate flavor, go elsewhere (I recommend Santander 70% cacao dark). But for savoring a chocolate with different levels of flavor, this is a star.  The mini-bars are perfect for that little treat.  (Note - for a more affordable but still somewhat complex chocolate, I like Michel Cluizel Mangara Noir 65%.  I tend to get all 3 of these chocolates and intersperse them.)  I am certainly not a taste or chocolate expert, but I have tried many of them in my own unofficial taste testings, and the 3 I mention here have been the winners so far.
2961574
If you're in the mood for some little nibbles of stories with some bite, give "Unsavory Delicacies" a try. Russell Brooks has written three short stories that draw you in like the starter menu. It's a good appetizer for Mr. Brooks' novel "Pandora's Succession".

"Creme Brulee" tells of an agent who meets up in a restaurant to get info from a tech geek, and plots to kill him afterwards. It shows us how easy it is to get burned.

For a juicier piece, try "To the Last Bite." Some people worry about the chef spitting in their food. This story will make you poke at the next meaty meal that you have in a restaurant.

"Saslyk and Morozhenoe"  also features Ridley Fox, the main character in Mr. Brooks' novel. He's in fine form, and up against mobsters. I  enjoy Ridley, who is a pretty vivid character.

I liked all three stories, and look forward to more of Mr. Brooks' writing.