[.ca] The Olives Dessert Table: Spectacular Restaurant ... (ISBN 0684823357)

From Amazon.com:
Be forewarned: Once you present a dessert from this book--say, Black-Bottomed Crème Brûlée with Chewy Chocolate-Chip Cookies and Chocolate Sauce or maybe Blueberry Lime Tart with Sweet Coconut Crumble and Blueberry Sorbet--you will earn a reputation as a fabulous dessert chef and will be required, for the rest of your life, to serve amazing after-dinner treats. Luckily, The Olives Dessert Cart has 140 more recipes from which to choose. This is not a cookbook for those fearful of fat or short on time. It's for those who love the challenge and the sweet, rich reward of homemade butterscotch pudding or a double chocolate soufflé. A popular and respected restaurant originating in Boston, Olives has gained a well-deserved reputation across the country. Chef-owner Todd English and pastry chef Paige Retus have produced The Olives Dessert Cart with cowriter Sally Sampson to bring their incredible creations to the public (no reservations needed). The secret to their desserts, says English, is to "take very simple, often very common things and layer them together to compose a more complex dish." Apple-Topped Gingerbread with Hot Applesauce and Cinnamon Ice Cream is an example of a dessert that's homey, comforting, and yet fancy enough to serve at a dinner party. These desserts, assembled from one anchoring item with several complementing layers, are striking both in their flavor combinations and in their presentations. Plenty of photos adorn the recipes so you can see what the finished product should look like. But don't worry: You can also make simple Old-Fashioned Sour Cream Chocolate Cake and skip the accompaniments. Throughout the book, several recipes are repeated so you don't have to flip back and forth searching for a crème anglaise recipe or how to make raspberry crush--an innovation other cookbooks should adopt. --Dana Van Nest

spectacular:
I found this cookbook to be intriguing. There are recipes that are simple enough for everyday fare and then there are those that are complex and perfect for the ooh aah desserts. The pictures are wonderful and help in visualizing what the finished product will look like. The recipes are concise and easy to follow even those like the chocolate bombe and all its steps.

Yes, you can make them at home if you have all day:
I love Olives Restaurant, and own two other cookbooks by Todd English. I guess you could call me a foodie--I love to keep up with the local food scene. I received this book as a Christmas gift, and was delighted by the delicious sounding recipes, and gorgeous photographs. Most of the recipes are rather involved, however,so be prepared to spend some time in the kitchen. Todd English does explain that many of these recipes can be made without the accompanying sauces, tuiles, etc, and he puts a star after the components that are good enough to stand on their own. I made the lemon cake(it took me all afternoon) but the result was delicious! I would save this recipe for a special occasion because the amount of butter, eggs, and lemons that this recipe calls for is astonishing. Not for the cholesterol concious!

Simple but great taste!:
I bought this book last year,at first I did not want to try any yet because i don't see the pic how it should come out! Until couple months later, I try with the banana cake recipe which I saw the picture. And that's it, it is simple to follow the explaination and after finish---taste great. I have to try another even I don't see picture but I believe now that it will come out fine.

Mangifique!!!:
Desserts that come from one of the best restraunteers around. Unbelieveably delicious and satisfying.

Elegant but Doable recipes:
Great pictures and recipes that can be used in many different ways. It is a real book for real cooks