season2taste's Reviews
Cookbook Reviews
3 books reviewed. Showing 1 to 3Sort by: Rating | Title 
Complete Perfect Recipes
By David Herbert
Penguin Global - 2008
Apparently this book, to paraphrase David Herbert's own introduction, is based on recipes of his that were published year after year in The Weekend Australian Magazine. He's still publishing new ones each week.
David had a restriction to use no more than 150 words for each recipe, and has obviously pared ingredients, instructions and helpful hints down to the bare essentials which makes for a useful book for the inexperienced cook as the recipes are easy and virtually foolproof.
For the more experienced cook they make a good base for further personal variation and experimentation.
Most of the recipes are of the 'tried and true' variety, but there are lots of adventurous touches which will ensure this book will remain popular for years to come I think.
I have only tried a few of the recipes so far, but all have been successful, and the more basic ones have suggested variations to me that I shall try out next time.
This book is enjoyable to use and would make a practical and much appreciated gift for a culinary neophyte as well as for the more expert cook who might like to add their personal touches to the many basic 'classics' in this volume.
Andre Martin's accompanying black and white photography is excellent.
367 pages including a good index and conversion tables.
Friendly Food: The essential guide to avoiding allergies, additives and problem chemicals
By Anne R. Swain, Velencia L Soutter, Robert H Loblay
Murdoch Books Australia - 2007
What a godsend this book is for people with food allergies and intolerances and for their friends who want to cook for them. Lots of interesting recipes with an index which divides recipes into sections headed: 'Low chemical; Moderate chemical; Wheat-free & Gluten-free; Dairy free; Egg free; Nut-free; Egg/dairy/gluten/nut-free. In many of the recipes alternative hints are provided for those who don't need to watch their diet so closely.
The book is by experts in the field of food allergies and intolerances who work (or worked) at one of Sydney's largest hospital allergy units, and is attractively produced with clear instructions and enticing photography.
The introductory section is very informative about food intolerances: There are clear charts showing which foods are high, medium and low in the naturally occurring chemicals that can give rise to health problems in some people. (I used to wonder why I developed a headache after some meals - now I know! I cut back on the 'high-chemical' foods and don't get headaches any more; or if I do I can look back at what I've eaten over the past few days and easily pin-point which foods I've overdone to cause that reaction.)
It is not a 'Vegetarian' cookbook although there are many meatless recipes in it.
255 pages. Photography: Ian Hofstetter
Simple French Cuisine: From Provence and Languedoc
By Jenny Baker, James Baker, James Baker
Faber and Faber - 1990
A little gem of a book. Recipes are uncomplicated and often include informative snippets about their region of origin. I think Elizabeth David would have approved.