Book Description
Fighter pilot Butch O'Hare became one of America's heroes in 1942 when he saved the carrier Lexington in what has been called the most daring single action in the history of combat aviation. In fascinating detail the authors describe how O'Hare shot down five attacking Japanese bombers and severely damaged a sixth and other awe-inspiring feats of aerial combat that won him awards, including the Medal of Honor. They also explain his key role in developing tactics and night-fighting techniques that helped defeat the Japanese.
In addition, the authors investigate events leading up to O'Hare's disappearance in 1943 while intercepting torpedo bombers headed for the Enterprise. First published in 1997, this biography utilizes O'Hare family papers and U.S. and Japanese war records as well as eyewitness interviews. It is essential reading for a true understanding of the development of combat naval aviation and the talents of the universally admired and well-liked Butch O'Hare.
Customer Reviews:
Bob's Review.......2007-01-30
Well written into the life of "Butch" O'Hare and the tragedy of this hero's loss. This book will keep you intrigued from start to finish from Butch's early life,family life,and his military life. Well documented and is a must read for the military historian.
A Riveting Story of One of America's First Aces.......2002-09-11
Authors Ewing and Lundstrom have done an excellent job of telling the story of Butch O'Hare. Born in March, 1914 and raised in St. Louis, Butch loved the simpler things in life. He enjoyed spending time with his father hunting or fishing, or playing with his younger sisters. Family was always important to Butch, and the authors do a good job of stressing this throughout the book. Butch eventually left St. Louis and attend Annapolis, graduating in 1937. Butch's first assignment was aboard the battleship New Mexico, and he quickly developed an affection for the ship's float planes. After serving aboard the New Mexico, Butch signed up for flight training and was stationed at Pensacola, Florida. There, Butch earned his wings.
Butch's most famous flight occurred on February 20, 1942. Butch was on board the carrier Lexington when a group of Japanese torpedo planes attacked the task force. Butch scrambled his F4F Wildcat fighter off the deck and rose to meet the enemy. In the span of about 5 minutes, Butch single-handedly shot down 6 of the attackers while saving the task force from certain damage. Butch was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Roosevelt at a ceremony at the White House. Afterward, Butch embarked on a war bond tour where he visited factories and gave rally speeches. While on a visit to Grumman, Butch was able to talk to designers about the limitations of the F4F. This input led to the development of the F6F fighter, which Butch would fly later in the war.
The authors do a good job of describing in great detail Butch's war days. I felt like I was flying right along with him. Particularly interesting was the detailed description of Butch's final flight. After attacking a group of Japanese planes, Butch's night fighter group was to regroup and head back to their carrier. However, a series of unconfirmed and sketchy events occurred which led to the death of Butch. Some people believe that Butch died as a result of friendly fire, while others believe that a snooping Japanese plane managed to get close enough to shoot Butch down without being detected. The authors claim the latter, and I agree with their assessment.
Butch O'Hare was a true war hero. His bravery and courage were shining examples to others, and his heroism was a true morale booster during the dark early days of the war. A replica of Butch's F4F stands in O'Hare airport, named for him, in Chicago. Read this excellent book and experience the life of a true American hero.
Hagiographical biography of a hero.......1999-04-12
Having read Lundstrom's excellent First Team books, I was anxious to get my hands on this book which he co-authored. After the first fifty pages, though, I was beginning to wonder about the tune of the book; I had anticipated a bit more down-to-earth approach, but the authors opted for the "hero in the making" style. Actually, the only interesting bits are in the latter half of the book, when Butch finally gets into combat flying, and as is the case with all Lundstrom's combat books, the dogfight descriptions are absolutely great. Likewise, the account of the death of Butch O'Hare is excellent.
The problem is that they only fill about a fourth of the book. The rest is filled with hagiography, which I was surprised to find. After all, we have the book "Bader - the man and his men", giving a detailed account of England's O'Hare, Douglas Bader, minus the holy approach. It is possible to present the life of a true hero without superficial glamour, but Lundstrom and Ewing missed it here.
Another case in point is Blackburn and Hammel's "Jolly Rogers". There, too, a hero is given a thorough treatment, but there's no added sugar. Maybe it is because the authors are not accustomed to writing from this angle; I think I'll stick to their pure combat books.
This is a must-read for naval aviation history buffs........1997-08-19
The authors obviously researched their subject quite thoroughly in preparation for this excellent piece of history. In my previous readings, Butch O'Hare has remained somewhat of an enigma. This book provides great insights into the man and his times. This is a great tribute to an American hero. I wish there were more books like this about about other heroes from this time period. Men like John Basilone, Alexander Bonnyman, and Richard Bong need to have their stories retold for a new generation of readers
One of the remaining mysteries of WWII solved........1997-03-06
John Lundstrom is one of the few, maybe the only current writer of US naval aviation history who can describe air to air combat and have it make sense. Fateful Rendezvous continues John's standing in that catagory of writer. His description of the fateful night in November is a masterwork of clarity. The movement of all the participants are put into context with each other and the US Task Force under attck.
Getting the context right is something both John and Steve do very well and it shows in this book. Steve's coverage of O'Hare's early years and the family's social standing, including the association with Al Capone are revealed with detail and a solid sense of the times. Those interested in Chicago and American social history between the wars will find Fateful Rendezvous brings a new perspective to that topic.
John places the events of O'Hare's Navy service in the greater context of the United State's preparation for and fighting in WWII. John also brings in the Japanese point of view as their tactics change in response to the increasing power of the USN in the Pacific.
Both authors are known for their attention to detail and strong sense of historical honesty. This book continues that tradition. Having read a pre-publication copy I can't wait to have a finished edition of Fateful Rendezvous on my shelf.
Customer Reviews:
Well-rounded and useful.......2006-06-10
In making my own decision about whether to become a parent, I have read many books on the subject. Most are biased, too narrowly focused, or simply devoid of original information.
This one, although over 30 years old, is by far the best: it offers a multi-dimensional look at the drawbacks and rewards of both paths. Of course a book can't make the decision for you, but this one helps provide the tools for decision making, and presents them in a truly neutral voice that is far ahead of its time.
Excellent guide.......2005-03-30
This landmark book introduced the idea that having children ought to be something we think deeply about. It guided me many years ago in making that most fateful decision not to have children. It was Whelan who offered this simple, but invaluable bit of advice: Remember that whichever decision you make--to have children or not--you must always expect moments in the future when you will wonder if you made the right decision. This book should be required reading of anyone of child-bearing age. Child bearing and child rearing should be a matter of choice, not of obligation. Whelan argues and illustrates this idea well.
Average customer rating:
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Fateful Choices: Tales Along the Road Taken
Stephanie Greene
Manufacturer: Birch Brook Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Literary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Anthologies
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Anthologies
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
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Rhetoric
| Words & Language
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0913559652 |
Book Description
Classic and modern tales/poems on the choices people make on the road of life. Abbey, Bradbury, Chopin, Dante, Farrell, Frost, O'Henry, Sophocles, Twain, Whitman and more. Illustrated by Marshall Brooks. Letterpress edition printed on Mohawk Vellum.
Average customer rating:
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A Fateful Life
Major Basil Curtis
Manufacturer: Upfront Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Military & Spies
| Professionals & Academics
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Military
| Leaders & Notable People
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1844260690 |
Book Description
The memoirs of Major Basil Curtis are a testament to the idea of fate playing its hand. Throughout his life, he has risen above the hardest challenges that life had to offer and with a bit of luck, turned them to his advantage. During the Second World War, especially in the ill-fated Malayan campaign of 1942, he used his remarkable efforts with surprising success. The war correspondents, under his leadership, managed to get their stories out to the world, often from the most primitive, uncivilised environments. It is due to the author's resilience and a degree of luck, that he not only witnessed such horrific atrocity during the war, but that he managed to use these experiences later in his life as inspiration as he pursued a rewarding and outstanding career as a broadcaster. He worked in this capacity for the BBC for some 20 years and hosted his own TV magazine programmes. He regularly commentated on the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and as a British delegate he appeared in many national and international conferences representing his country. But his real successes were to benefit many more people, when he helped to raise an incredible £3,000,000 for many different charities, especially disabled charities. His amazing achievements were recognised when he was honoured twice for his outstanding work for others. It seems incredible that he could have achieved so much in one lifetime and though most of it was through sheer determination, one must also question how the hand of fate plays a part in all our lives.
Average customer rating:
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Fateful Passages: The Life of Henry Somerville, Catholic Journalist
Joseph Sinasac
Manufacturer: Novalis Press (CN)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Religious
| Leaders & Notable People
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
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Canadian
| Historical
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
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Journalism
| Writing
| Reference
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Inspirational
| Catholicism
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
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Roman Catholicism
| Catholicism
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| Religion & Spirituality
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Catholic
| Church History
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
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| Books
ASIN: 2895074038 |
Book Description
This digital document is an article from The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR), published by The Register Guard on April 14, 2002. The length of the article is 1860 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Fateful Fall.(Accidents)(A slip in judgment shatters life for a Eugene bicyclist)
Publication:
The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR) (Newspaper)
Date: April 14, 2002
Publisher: The Register Guard
Page: L1
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Catholic Insight, published by Catholic Insight on February 1, 2004. The length of the article is 935 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Fateful Passages The Life of Henry Somerville, Catholic Journalist.(Book Review)
Author: Mike Mastromatteo
Publication:
Catholic Insight (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 1, 2004
Publisher: Catholic Insight
Volume: 12
Issue: 2
Page: 35(2)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
Soon after their first meeting in 1908, Freud's future biographer, Ernest Jones, initiated a correspondence with the founder of psychoanalysis that would continue until Freud's death in London in 1939. This volume makes available from British and American archives nearly seven hundred previously unpublished letters, postcards, and telegrams from the three-decade correspondence between Freud and his admiring younger colleague.
Book Description
Good health starts with good nutrition.
With all the constant debate over diet fads, proper nutrition is slipping through the cracks. This revised and updated guide places the emphasis on good health by informing families of everything they need to know to get the best nutrition—from daily vitamin and mineral intake and facts about fats and cholesterol, to advice on shopping for healthy foods, and much more.
-Includes updates to the USDA's Food Guide Pyramid
-New numbers for blood pressure and sodium intake
-A section on helping overweight children
-New fiber recommendations for kids
-A new section on macrobiotics and raw diets
Download Description
You're no idiot, of course. You take a vitamin every day, sometimes order the fruit cup instead of the cheesecake, and even take the stairs now and then. But when it comes to working the five food groups into your diet and staying on a realistic exercise program, you feel like you're ordering sushi without a picture menu. Put down that bag of chips! The Complete Idiot's Guide to Total Nutrition, Second Edition, gives you everything you need to know about eating healthy and staying fit--a nutrition tune-up for life! You'll fel confident reading nutrition labels, planning your meals and your shopping, and managing your weight.
Customer Reviews:
Better than the first.......1999-08-12
Not only does it come across clearly and easy to understand. It is well written covering nutrition for infants to elderly people for lazy people to physically active people. She lays it all out on a silver platter.
Another masterpiece by the best nutritionist.
Buy it or you will be missing out.
Packed With Info!!.......1999-07-27
This book should be titled "Total Guide to Nutrition AND Fitness". Ms. Bauer does a great job of explaining nutrition and it's role in maintaining one's health. She also covers exercise, pregnancy, eating disorders, and dieting. Quite a complete book. Don't let the "Idiot's" title fool you--this book goes into detail with many topics and serves as much more than just an intro. Bravo Ms. Bauer!
Book Description
Eating healthy in an unhealthy world.
This invaluable guide offers recipes for meals fortified with all the good stuff a body needs. It also includes tips on shopping for the healthiest ingredients and advice for getting the required daily amount of vitamins and minerals through food.
• Includes more than 300 recipes to meet health needs—low salt, low fat, low glycemic, high fiber, and more
Customer Reviews:
Total Nutrition or Meat Lover's Special?.......2007-04-21
To preface, I love the topic of nutrition, and...let's face it...I just plain love to eat. I will try almost (I said almost) any real food once. Needless to say, I was very excited to receive this cookbook. I had high hopes, perhaps a bit too high.
The nutrition information provided (focusing heavily on the USDA food pyramid) didn't quite match up with the recipes. The author mentions we should consume just 5 to 6 one-ounce servings of meat per day (one-ounce?), yet of the roughly 300 pages of readable content, approximately 100 pages are for meat specific recipes. This doesn't include the fish department, nor the many salads, sandwiches, pastas, and appetizers that just happen to contain meat.
I am an omnivore, however, when I think of "Total Nutrition" I think of a book loaded with recipes on how to use fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and herbs, not pork, beef, and venison! Which brings me to another interesting point...the odd choice of recipes. Diversity is great, but odds are I won't be running out to purchase (or shoot) rabbit and goat meat anytime soon! The author throws odd ingredients like salmon eggs and goat leg without noting why one would eat these things, or where you might actually find them.
Personally, I didn't quite agree with the liberal use/recommendation of Splenda (up to 2 cups in some recipes), salt substitute, and Benecol (contains partially hydrogenated oils/trans fats) either.
So how are the recipes? So-so. I know it is an "Idiot's Guide," but I really don't need a recipe to tell me to buy Kashi or Kellogg's cereal and pour milk and blueberries on it (yes, brands are noted throughout this cookbook), nor do I intend on cooking up any Country Mustard Rabbit anytime soon. Of those that remained, I would say, just okay thus far. The two I tested needed to be tweaked. One didn't work quite right (as I should have noted when reading the ingredients/directions), and the other was very, very bland as is. To be honest, I have had trouble finding recipes in this cookbook that I wouldn't need to tweak just a bit one way or the other.
If you are a big meat consumer, several of these recipes do seem to warrant some merit. Since the author seems to know her meat, I will be giving these or some others a trial.
It should be noted that all of the recipes are fairly simple, with few ingredients. From this point of view, they are very easy to customize. In typical "Idiot's Guide" fashion, the overall format is quite easy to follow. I think this cookbook will go into my reference collection for quick food "ideas", but not for go to recipes.
Super easy and delicious -.......2006-11-14
I have never written a review for a cookbook before because - up until now - I have not found one that an "I can't boil an egg person" like myself could really USE. But "Total Nutrition Cooking" by Larrian Gillespie really simplified cooking for me and gave recipes that even a "non-cook" like myself can not only understand but - most amazing of all to ME - actually PREPARE! I had given up on trying to learn to cook from a cookbook until my husband (probably out of desperation!) gave me this book as a gift - and after leafing through even just a few pages I found "Total Nutrition Cooking" not only full of important nutriton information but at the same time VERY easy and fun to read - its like having a good girlfriend teach you how to cook food thats not only healthy but yummy too - I love this book and highly recommend it!
Finally! Nutrition, diet, and cooking are demystified in one easy-to-read book! .......2006-11-09
This is the book I've been waiting for. Finally, after all of these years, I now know how to cook a simple yet gourmet, nutritious meal! I'm tossing-out all of my old fad diet books, fad cookbooks, and way-too-many-ingredients recipe books that have littered my shelves. With this Idiots Guide, nutrition, diet, and cooking are simplified in one easy-to-read book. The nutrition information is fascinating, and easy to understand. The recipes are simple to follow, and taste absolutely gourmet. Best yet, I can cook for everyone in the family with different health needs, because the nutrition information for each recipe is spelled out clearly. My whole extended family wants this book for Christmas...from my newly-wed niece who wants to learn how to cook a simple meal, to my overweight friends who want to slim down. Three cheers for Total Nutrition Cooking!
Easy and Healthy!.......2006-11-09
This book is so easy to use and has some great recipes! I love the "Fowl Play" section, wonderful tasty ideas in there! I didn't really cook at all before, but this book makes cooking easy and fun! And it is a lot better for me than how I used to eat.
I can now cook things that both taste good and are good for me!.......2006-11-08
MEN - BUY THIS BOOK!
I wanted to cook in ways that are healthy for me and this book did it. This is the only book I have found that is 1) easy to follow, 2) makes great tasting food (gets me complements also) and MOST IMPORTANT 3) shows me how to cook in healthy ways. This is the only cook book I would recommend. It is so easy even guys can do it!
Oh, almost forgot, it makes cooking FUN! A great read and a must for EVERY kitchen.
My complements to the chef and author!
Amazon.com
You have to admire a cookbook that opens with recipes for martinis. These are fig-accented for the most part, in keeping with the theme chef-owner Sondra Bernstein has laid down for her restaurants and cookbook, all called the girl & the fig. It's about attitude, about fun, about good things in store. "Country food with a French passion" is what she calls her theme. And she paints it with the bright colors of California. Bernstein actually takes something as stale as fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients spliced to an ersatz French country cuisine overlaid with Northern California wine country easy living, and makes it work to her advantage.
Once past the pantry ingredients and the martinis, you are invited to consider the many taste treats in "A Small Bite," the likes of herb-marinated olives, apricot-cured salmon, and crispy sweetbreads. "From the Garden to the Stockpot" encourages the making of soup--cauliflower-Gruyere, perhaps, or carrot-ginger. "In the Salad Bowl" has nice touches like the grilled asparagus salad with lemon-thyme vinaigrette. "Large Plates" covers ground from wild mushroom risotto to pan-roasted halibut with spring vegetable ragout, to braised chicken with prunes, olives and capers. The braised beef short ribs are worth a second glance. Sondra Bernstein also treats us to vegetable side dishes, to a separate chapter on the cheese plate, to the sweets that end a meal, and to a consideration of the wines that round out the entire experience. In fact nearly all of the 100-plus recipes are matched with the kind of wine that would be served at the girl & the fig in California's wine country.
This is a spirited cookbook, with challenges for the new cook and happy reminders for the experienced cook. Sip that martini and turn the pages. --Schuyler Ingle
Book Description
In 1997, Sondra Bernstein opened the doors to the first girl & the fig restaurant, showcasing her love of locally grown ingredients and her passion for French food. She named her restaurant for the fruit that symbolizes passion: the fig. Now with three restaurants in Sonoma County and with chef John Toulze at the helm, the girl & the fig restaurants are not only local favorites but also captivate thousands of visitors every year.
In the girl & the fig Cookbook: More than 100 Recipes from the Acclaimed California Wine Country Restaurant, Bernstein offers an inspired collection of simple, yet sophisticated recipes from the restaurant, featuring the finest, freshest ingredients. These are restaurant-quality recipes adapted for the home kitchen, with dishes for beginners as well as experienced cooks. Bernstein brings the culinary traditions of France to the California wine country.
The author's devotion to seasonal ingredients is wonderfully apparent in every recipe -- from the savory appetizers, soups, salads, and large plates to the innovative desserts. Starters such as Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho, Cauliflower Gruyère Soup, Shrimp and Salmon Cakes, and Grilled Asparagus Salad with Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette make the most of the region's bounty. Large plates such as Grilled Salmon with Lavender Beurre Rouge, Pan-Seared Scallops with Orange-Tarragon Beurre Blanc, Wild Mushroom Risotto, and Grilled Pork Chops with Apple Cider Sauce make wonderful main courses, while French classics like Coq au Vin and Duck Confit with Lentils, Applewood Smoked Bacon, and Cabbage will comfort you on a cold winter's night. Side dishes that can complement a large plate or be eaten alone include Braised Fennel, Citrus Pearl Couscous, Apple-Yam Gratin, and buttery Basil-Scented Potato Cakes. Bernstein's desserts range from the sinfully scrumptious (Chocolate Pots de Crème and Lavender and Wildflower Honey Crème Brûlée) to the unique (Roasted Figs with Honey and Vanilla Ice Cream and Warm Fig and Thyme Crisp with Fig Syrup).
With gorgeous photographs throughout, the girl & the fig Cookbook also offers tips on wine pairings, highlighting California wines inspired by the Rhône Valley; imaginative ideas for aperitifs, charcuterie platters, and cheese plates; detailed sidebars on ingredients (including Bernstein's favorite food -- the fig!); and brief glimpses of the author's favorite artisan food purveyors.
This is country food with a French passion, perfect for a casual dinner or a formal dinner party. Let the girl & the fig Cookbook bring a taste of California to your kitchen.
Customer Reviews:
Gave as a gift.......2007-01-10
I purchased this for a Christmas present and she loved it! There are some recipes that are a little too fancy for my taste, but otherwise this book includes great recipes to serve with individual wines.
My Favorite Sonoma County Restaurant.......2005-09-18
My first experience with Girl and the Fig was it's first home in Glenn Ellen, CA. which is still there. The restaurant quickly became a favorite. The newer restaurant in the town of Sonoma, also excellent, has a wonderful bar. Great place to join friends for a glass of wine from their excellent wine list or enjoy one of the best martinis. They have also opened a restaurant in Petaluma, CA.
I am delighted that they have finally come out with this wonderful cook book. It represents the best of the Girl and the Fig's cuisine. I love to cook and I am thrilled to have this cook book in my collection.
Not a chain restaurant cookbook!.......2005-08-12
As a local who lives and works within two blocks of the girl & the fig restaurant, I admit to being biased, but I just have to correct the previous reviewer: the girl & the fig restaurant is not and has never been a chain! There's only one restaurant, and it's my favorite place to take visitors who want to experience authentic Sonoma Valley cuisine at its very yummiest and most inspiring. The cookbook is a delicious introduction to the area for foodies who are still planning their first visit ... and a great way to keep the experience alive for those who can't wait to come back. I highly recommend it.
Another Star Practicioner of California Cuisine sans Pizzas.......2004-05-04
This book by restaurant owner Sondra Bernstein, with recipes by executive chef John Toulze represents the cuisine served at a chain of Sonoma County based restaurants after which the book is titled. Based on the passions of Ms. Bernstein and her staff, the book and the restaurants focus on figs; dishes based on figs; the produce of Sonoma County; the cuisine of Provence, France; and the similarity of the terroir of Sonoma with Provence.
One object of the book is to publicize the chain of restaurants and the line of products based on the owner's love of figs. This is not too unusual, as I am certain this is one of the motives behind every celebrity chef / restaurant owner's cookbook. Some, like Tom Colicchio are less obvious about this interest. Others, like Emeril Lagasse, are pretty out front about this objective. All restaurant based cookbooks aim at providing the reader with some twist to their cuisine or it's presentation which adds sugar to the bait to create an interest in the restaurant(s).
One special feature of this book is borrowed from Ms. Bernstein's distinguished California culinary neighbor, Thomas Keller of the French Laundry. This is the addition of sidebars on some of the restaurants' more important, or, at least, more interesting suppliers. This includes fig, mushroom, and cheese vendors, past and present. This highlights one weakness to the book, in that it is so thoroughly based on what is available from the gardens and vineyards of Sonoma County. Not everyone in the United States is blessed with access to wild mushrooms and the talented foragers who supply them, or to cheeses from artisinal cheese makers. Happily, the chef / recipe writer has supplied generally available products to substitute for his Sonoma pantry.
The cornerstone of the book's cuisine is the parallel between the Sonoma and Provence produce and the cuisine which can be based on that similarity. Therefore, it should be no surprise to see most recipes appear to be straight out of the pages of books by Patricia Wells and Lydie Marshall. One of the most pleasant parallels is that the Bernstein / Toulze cuisine is based on fairly simple recipes, often with the kind of recipe modularity of sauces and pantry preparations common to an influence from Julia Child. The recipes for stocks, for example are about as simple as they come. There is no Thomas Keller / Judy Rodgers obsessiveness about technique here. Most recipes follow a recent quote I heard from Wolfgang Puck who said that the trick was to start with great ingredients and try not to mess them up. There are some unusual twists, such as the cooking oil of choice, a `blended oil' of one part olive oil and three parts canola oil. I am totally baffled that disciples of Provencal cuisine should eschew pure olive oil.
The recipes are organized by size and role of the dish rather than by main ingredient. Recipe chapters are:
`a small bite' hors d'ourves with figs, radishes, mushrooms, olives, shellfish, charcuterie, and crackers
`from the garden to the stockpot' soups, including many Provencal classics
`in the salad bowl' with lots of vinaigrettes, figs, asparagus, beans, endive, beets, walnuts, and cheese
`large plates' 25 familiar dishs such as pastas, coq au vin, duck cassoulet, and lamb shanks
`sauce over and under' with lots of butter, aioli, pistou, rouille, citrus, shallots, remoulade, and figs
`on the side' with lots of balsamic reductions, familiar vegetable, polenta, couscous, olives, mushrooms...
`sweets' with lots of figs, apples, pears, nuts, lavender, cheese, and cream
The cuisine owes a fair amount to the exchange of cuisine between Provence and northern Italy, with a fairly substantial contingent of recipes involving pasta, risotto, polenta, cipollini onions and balsamic vinegar. This makes the abandoning pure olive oil in favor of the blended oil even more puzzling. In spite of this mystery, I am certain that these recipes, especially those based on figs, are superior to many and worthy of the authors' dedication to Provence.
One very serious aspect of the restaurants' connection to Provence is Ms. Bernstein's commitment to wines based on varietals originating in the Rhone valley rather than the wines which made Napa and Sonoma wines famous. These are the Carignane, cinsault, Grenache, Roussanne, Syrah and Vognier grapes. All but the Syrah are unfamiliar to me, but that's just a symptom of my ignorance of wine. Each recipe gives a very simple recommendation of wine selected from this list. The emphasis on simple is important to contrast it to the elaborate, sometimes arcane recommendations given by Patricia Wells and others.
The authors' dedication to their chosen cuisine and their featured product is genuine and fruitful, producing many simultaneously simple and worthy recipes. There are occasionally long recipes for standards such as cassoulet and coq au vin, but that should be no surprise. They have convinced me to look forward to a visit to their restaurants if I ever get to northern California.
Recommended recipes for even novice cooks. A good read at a fairly reasonable list price. If you already own 10 books on Provence cuisine, you may want to take a pass.
Books:
- Fighting for Liberty and Right: The Civil War Diary of William Bluffton Miller, First Sergeant, Company K, Seventy-Fifth Indiana Volunteer Infantry.(Book ... An article from: Journal of Southern History
- Fitz Lee: A Military Biography of Major Fitzhugh Lee, C.S.A.
- Framing a Life: A Family Memoir
- Fugitive Days: A Memoir
- Gentleman Boss: The Life of Chester Alan Arthur ([Signature series book])
- George B. McClellan and Civil War History: In the Shadow of Grant and Sherman
- George Wythe Randolph and the Confederate Elite
- Hero Tales of the American Soldier and Sailor
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- I Kept My Word: The Personal Promise Between a World War II Army Private and His Captain About What Really Happened to Glenn Miller
Books Index
Books Home
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- Secret Daughter: A Mixed-Race Daughter and the Mother Who Gave Her Away
- Organizational Teamwork in High-Speed Management
- Applied Regression Analysis: A Second Course in Business and Economic Statistics
- MarketSim for Economics Student Manual
- The Cormac McCarthy Value Collection: All the Pretty Horses, The Crossing, Cities of the Plain
Thach Weave: The Life of Jimmie Thach
Reaper Leader: The Life of Jimmy Flatley
Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway
Pushing the Envelope: The Career of Fighter Ace and Test Pilot Marion Carl
Crossing the Line: A Blue Jacket's World War II Odyssey
