Saturday, December 5, 2009

Simply Delicious Irish Christmas or Flavors of Provence

Simply Delicious Irish Christmas

Author: Darina Allen

Christmas too often is a complex combination of activity and frustration, yet it should be a reflective time for families, feasting, and fun. Here, the author provides recipes for delicious Irish dishes and helpful hints on reducing holiday stress.

The recipes are kept simple to minimize preparation time. Many dishes, such as St. Stephen's Day Pie, even may be cooked ahead of time and frozen, or at least be kept a week or longer without the need for freezing, like White Christmas Cake. Just by doing this, anyone may instantly reduce the anxiety that accompanies last-minute cooking and enjoy an authentic Irish Christmas dinner as well.

Colleen Clancy Zanotti

As the title suggests, readers will discover many traditional Yuletide recipes that are easy to prepare, delicious and truly Irish. . . . This is a tempting collection of traditional Irish recipes guaranteed to simplify and enrich holiday celebrations. -- ForeWord Magazine



Book review: Playboy or Access 2002 Bible with CDROM

Flavors of Provence

Author: Isabelle de Borchgrav

Oscar Wilde said that when good Americans die they go to Paris, but today they would more likely go to Provence. The Flavors of Provence envelops you in the charm of this magical land, combining gorgeous paintings that capture the sights with recipes from the most respected Provençal chefs that evoke the tastes and smells of the region. Provence continues to captivate the imaginations of millions in the wake of Peter Mayle's bestsellers. And its Mediterranean cuisine, the health benefits of which have received so much attention in recent press, has only added to the phenomenon.
Here you'll discover a field of lavender, a café table under plane trees, an orchard of olive trees, a rocky promontory by the sea-all rendered by Isabelle de Borchgrave in the vibrant colors that made Van Gogh's works so beloved. The dishes, which capitalize on simple combinations that are easy to achieve at home, include regional specialties like Red Mullet with Basil, Duck with Olives, and Warm Apricot Soufflé, as well as innovative takes on classics such as Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Curry, Truffled Raviolis with Leeks, and Goat Cheese and Blackberry Terrine. Interspersed throughout are brief essays on the essential elements of Provençal culture. Exceptionally packaged, The Flavors of Provence conveys both the visual beauty and the culinary poetry of this land as no other book has.



No comments: