[.ca] Diva Cooking (ISBN 1845330013)

A very nice book:
This book is a nice addition to a cooking library. The book is well worth it if you like slightly off beat fare. This isn't a cookbook based on famous resturant and this isn't a general cookbook. The recipes are unashamedly and pleasantly "out there" and some like the chocolate chip cookies are fairly tame yet tasty; i found the recipes relatively glorious as the title suggests even though duck does not appeal to me. I noticed the book also has some thai influences. There is a green herb tart which looks gorgeous and there is a picture of a tasty looking shrimp recipe. My sister stated that she didn't like the type of food featured in the cookbook, yet she too found the picture a shrimp dish appealing and we baked the chocolate chip cookies in the book for her work x-mas party. Despite my younger sisters' criticisms I like this book alot and think the book has many merits; the hot pink cover is fun,and the book has allot of recipes i would like to try.

Truly Outstanding Cookbook!:
I stumbled on this cookbook truly by accident, having to buy one book for a commitment to a cooking book club--and what an amazing suprise! I love to cook gourmet food--especially recipes fit into my busy schedule as a mom and author of The Mom Book (www.momcentral.com) and often almost always in charge of appetizers for my various women group gatherings. I always rate recipes from 1-5, and anything below a 4 never gets cooked again. I have now worked my way through about 17 recipes from the Diva Cookbook, and remarkably they are all 5's--when most cookbooks fall into the 3 star rating of recipes. I have been raving about this all of my friends, who have been impressed by the complex tastes and sophisticated presentations of these delicious appetizers (while they have not taken me more than a half-hour to make at home)--so I figured it was high time to share my complete enthusiasm for this book on Amazon\o.com\c to pass the word along. Outside of The Splendid Table, this is the very best cookbook I own--all I can say is: Wow!

Great book for those who like to entertain:
I received this book before the holidays as a gift and found it great for preparing glamorous holiday food. The recipes were not too complex, yet my friends and family were very impressed with the tasty results. Besides great tasting recipes, I think one of the best aspects is presentation. The smoked salmon in filo dough appetizer looked very elegant at New Year and went great with bubbly. The tips (called Diva dos and don'ts) are also quite helpful in avoiding problems. I liked this book so much I bought a couple copies as gifts for friends.

All that's good in a cookbook...:
This is hands down my favorite cookbook. The recipes are unusual and glamorous, yet surprisingly easy to make. The descriptions are clear and you have a good idea of what should be happening to the food at any point in the recipe. There are also nice pictures. I hate a cookbook without some good pictures of the food. Sometimes you need a guide to let you know what the end product should look like. Every single thing I have made from this cookbook (and at this point, that's a lot) has turned out and hasn't caused me any grief. There are little reference sections in each chapter which I also appreciate. Hey, we don't all know what to look for when buying duck, right? If you like to entertain, or even if you just like to eat really good food, this cookbook is a must have. I have given this cookbook to several friends as a gift, including one who has a catering company. Obviously, I can't recommend it enough.

A Must Have for Entertaining !!!:
Jennifer and Victoria do a wonderful job with walking you through each dish so it looks and tastes as wonderful as the pictures throughout the book. I use the book every weekend trying new dishes for my guest - All have been fantastic! This is a must buy for anyone who entertains.