The New York Times Country Weekend Cookbook (ISBN 031235939X)

Awful!:
I received this cookbook as a gift. The thought was nice, a new cookbook from the NYTimes -- must be good. Well, I appreciate the thought, but this is awful! Okay, for those folks who work in Manhattan, and weekend in the Hamptons, this might be useful. Oh yeah, the Hamptons are in the country! Especially, if they have an in-house chef. Yes, there are several seafood recipes that will appeal to those on the East coast, but a little bit inland, and you're out of luck. The NYTimes is based upon pretension, and this cookbook will not disappoint. Just don't expect to find more than 5 to 10 recipes that you'd actually like to prepare (outside of the Manhatten "country" region). Please! Before purchasing this book, go to your library and look at what you'd be buying. Consider how you'd actually use tahini, garam masala, and 12 paper-thin slices black truffles. Sorry NYtimes but this is one of your most useless cookbooks yet!

wonderful easy to prepare recipes:
I checked this book out of the library before ordering it through (...) because I wanted to make sure I would like the recipes. I loved it. I made three recipes this week so far (asian noodles with vegetables, Aunt Alice's Asian Barbecue chicken and James Beard's pleasant pasta with peas and proscuitto). All the recipes are simple to make, don't require tons of ingredients and aren't unreasonable in terms of ingredients. Someone in another review is critical of the fact that the source is the NYT and the "country weekend" is the Hamptons but from reading the cookbook you really dont think of the Hamptons (and whatever that implies to some people.) The ingredients and recipes are varied and some are attributed to famous chefs such as Eric Ripert, Mario Batali and Rick Bayless. You can find recipes for Rice Krispies chicken, BBQ chicken for a crowd, waffles, egg dishes and salads. I have yet to find the recipe that asks for black truffles (maybe its in there but I cant find it). I love this book, I'm glad I ordered it.

Fun, Tantalizing and Appetizing:
After getting "The New York Times Country Weekend Cookbook", I found it so appealing, visually and gastronomically, that I just purchased two of them to send as wedding gifts. The book actually sits prominently on my book stand in the kitchen because it covers a broad range of food cravings from morning to night as well as fun cocktails. The recipes are presently beautifully and intelligently and have reawakened my interest in cooking. Living in Florida for the past ten years has diminished my desire to prepare food. Most of our friends prefer to eat out instead of at home, but I have made such things as the simple Parmesan Disks, Smoked Salmon and Sour Cream Omelet, Beet and Danish Blue Cheese Salad, barbecued spareribs with beer and honey and cantonese style, oyster and corn chowder and am drinking La Caravelle's Kir Royale 38 while writing this. These receipes also allow me to play golf.

Beautiful book, wonderful recipes:
I have been on a "cookbook streak" for a few months now. I am always looking to add fresh books to my collection. The New York Times Country Weekend Cookbook by Linda Amster is a beautiful collection of recipes that will spice up a brunch, dinner party or any meal in between. I was pleasantly surprised to see cocktail recipes included as well.

New York Times Country Weekend Cookbook:
Great book! Well organized with good ideas. I've tried several recipes and they were all winners.