Beautiful Pictures Solid Recipes
347273
Bought this for my daughter who says she wants to be a baker. She loves it and so do I. The pics are nice, the recipes we've tried have been successful and it's fun to cook with my child.
2916204
It's a big book with well written information, beautiful pictures, and great recipes.
626903
Wonderful cookbook with great pictures and a beautiful family story.
1188981
I was so excited to find this book. One sunny evening in Cambridge, a friend introduced me to Polish food at the Cambridge Catholic Church's Polish Club. What a delight and I have been looking for a cookbook ever since. This book rates 5 stars simply for the beautiful pictures and layout. I look forward to making the recipes. I want to try the mushroom soup first and, of course, the pierogis. Simply wonderful!
2846917
This cookbook is beautiful and well-written.  I have not made any of the recipes, but I have incorporated some of the cultural information into my classroom (toasts and tea drinking sections).  I am a professor of Russian language, literature, and culture and I incorporate food culture into my courses.  Indeed the recipes do not seem to be easy--few Eastern European recipes are.  If one wants easier recipes, one might want to check out "Please to the Table," but this is an absolutely lovely book and the charts really explain the history of everyday life to those not raised in in the USSR.  I have never been to Portland, but now I'm even more eager to go as I'd love to go to Kachka.  My one issue: I eat neither meat nor a lot of sugar, so I will need to modify many of the recipes to use the cookbook for its recipes.  Most Slavic recipes are quite heavy on meat, but this cookbook seems to be even heavier on meat than usual.  I plan to try out the cauliflower recipe as soon as the semester is over--I'll come back to edit this review as soon as I've done that--I've only had the cookbook a week and a half, but I've really been enjoying the narratives.
3729682
What I like most about this cookbook are the beautiful photographs. Each recipe has a large color photo of the finished product, as well as some with pictures of the prep process. The instructions are clear and easy to follow and gives the nutritional value for the finished item (protein, fat, carbohydrate, fiber and cholesterol per serving) Some of the ingredients are given in metric proportions and most of the recipes provide a standard conversion in brackets. For the few recipes that don't already provide the conversion there is a metric > standard chart located in the back of the book, which I found very helpful. Also in the back of the book is a chart that gives the alternative names of some ingredients; such as capsicum = bell peppers. I had to look up some others, such as; rocket leaves = arugala and rock melon = cantalope. I'm learning new, tasty recipes and expanding my vocabulary, now that's a good cookbook! This cookbook will make it very easy to increase the number of vegetarian meals in my families diet.
1815028
I am new to the raw food thing, but not new to food or cooking, so I needed a book that would give me some pretty basic info without making me feel like I was in food kindergarten. There are a number of great things about this book:

* love the photos. high quality, beautiful food photography that really captures the fun and yumminess
* great balance of personal information from Wignall and at the same time a good basic instructional handbook
* good book for beginners because there aren't a TON of recipes (as I'm sure this was a very expensive book to produce due to the high-quality printing and all the photos), but there were enough to whet my appetite for this lifestyle
* almost every recipe I've made so far has been really good (everyone has different food tastes)
* love the layout (feels really hip and modern, not too crunchy like some other books I've seen)

Overall, terrific. Nice job, Judita!
4625983
This book is great--there are pictures for every recipe, and amounts for making the recipe just for your family, or for a large gathering (ie. for 4 or 8). It's spiral bound inside the hardcover, which is nice. And the recipes are very do-able and sound really good (I just got it and haven't had a chance to make them all yet). My mom wants a copy too.
2077922
This is a wonderful cookbook.  I collect Junior League cookbooks from all over the country and this is one on my favorites.  Besides having different recipes you don't see in other books the photos are not food photos, I love that! and the stories are from the heart.  The book is very attractive to have displayed on a counter and well organized
1421590
Anne Bramley's book is beautiful.  The photographs are stunning and the recipes are easy to read and follow.  I loved the stories and history that came along with the recipes.  I would highly recommend this to any cook book lover.
274360
Beautiful pictures accompany these delicious recipes.  All of the dishes created have turned out beautifully.  I also appreciate the suggestions at the end of each recipe for changes or comments from the authors.
3768440
I was thrilled when my copy arrived.  First, let me tell you that the photographs are lovely.  I follow her food blog, so I enjoy the step by step photographs that go along with the recipe.  These let me know I'm doing it right!  Also, the recipes are nutritious and without the pretentiousness of some beautiful cookbooks. Trust me, I have TONS of those.

As I've perused the book, I've not found a recipe that called for anything I couldn't find at my local supermarket.  In fact, she seems to make it clear that things can be substituted easily, which is a must for a busy person.  Today, for a big football weekend, I'm trying the "Roasted Red Pepper Hummus".  Next up, "Cranberry Cherry Chicken Wrap" for my 'take to work' lunches.

I think it would make a perfect gift for a bride, a friend, or anyone wanting to branch out of their usual dinner routine.  I'm actually ordering a few extra copies to keep for unexpected showers and gifts.
4572244
The meals are really delicious and the pictures look amazing. I also like the little quick tips added in in book.
888513
I cannot rate this recipe book highly enough, I think it's just wonderful. The content ranges from dips and snacks to amazing looking desserts and even instructions on how to make jams, preserves and hand-made gnocci. The instructions are written in a way that variation on the recipes is encouraged, and some suggestions for these variations are presented. There is lovely commentary throughout the book, and the photographs and page layout are most aesthetically pleasing. I love looking through this book and picking out dishes to make, however often the recipes will require a specific shop as the ingredients may not be something you have in your cupboard on any given day. But regardless, there is nothing outrageous or overly expensive. This is a beautiful book and is a wealth of information on how to prepare things you would never think were able to do at home.
603375
Beautiful photos and detailed explanations of recipes akin to the well-loved videos that Maangchi has produced over the years.  Her playful style and cheerful voice come through the page, and the recipes deliver in every bite.
522749
I read this book as free (because I am prime account), but after reading I bought this book. Recipes are simple, pictures are beautiful and all so many information are included.
3379568
I received this book a few weeks ago, read it cover-to-cover immediately, and have continued to pick it up and leaf through the pages, enjoying the gorgeous photography and imagining the dishes I will try to recreate when our local farmer's market opens again later this month.

The title "Plum Gorgeous" perfectly describes the photography and recipes and writing. The author makes cooking and food presentation a sensual, visual art.  On page 6 Romney writes: "Lemons make me happy, seeing them on my table in a Moroccan bowl with turquoise edging. The shiny ovals remind me of living at Henry Miller's house, the jumbled oasis down the hill from the orchard, the redwood table at the center of the room where I would always place that bowl and fill it with lemons from the tree. My ode to joy." I also enjoy the perfect beauty of fresh lemons and frequently keep a pile of them in a cobalt blue bowl in my kitchen.

All of the recipes feature fresh fruit and produce from the garden, but with the ubiquity of farmer's markets these days, I should be able to find the seasonal ingredients. Some of the recipes that look appealing to me include "Moroccan orange salad", "strawberry, nasturtium and cucumber salad", "olallieberry pie", "blueberry lemon thyme risotto", "lavender-brined pork chops with grilled spiced plums"' "honey-glazed duck breasts with cherry salsa" and so many others. I have tried a couple of recipes and they are well written, easy to follow and completely reproducible by a cook with even modest skills.