Good recipes, but too many pictures
I've been following a Primal Diet since 2/2010 and was very excited to get this cookbook. For once, here's a cookbook that fulfills all of my diet choices without me having to adjust the recipes to fit what I eat. What I've tried from this book has been good-I'm a huge fan of the pumpkin nut muffins and LOVE the Enchiladas recipe (FYI-steep learning curve to making the egg-white tortillas, but great once you do!)
Here are my issues:
1. Mark Sisson has been working on this cookbook for a long time and asked people on his blog to contribute recipes. A lot of those recipes that ended up on the blog (and are AMAZING) didn't make it into the cookbook. While this means that there are different recipes in the book, I really wanted to have some of those other recipes more easily on hand.
2. There are a TON of color pictures in this cookbook. While I find pictures of how something should look helpful, giving me a picture of all the ingredients grouped together on a plate is just a waste of space! I didn't pay for pictures, I paid to get great recipes.
3. They need a better editor! The Enchilada recipe that I love so much doesn't give a temp for the oven--they only tell you to cover the dish with foil and bake it for 20 min. I've had to play around to figure out what works to get the dish done in 20min (it isn't 350). You might think I'm being nit-picky, but this isn't the only recipe that's missing information.
The gist of this is, the recipes that I've made are good, I just wish there were more of them and that they had complete cooking information. It's a great place to start if you're new to this diet. Also go to Mark's website: [...] for recipes as well.

Excellent Cookbook
Even if you're not following the Primal Blueprint eating plan, these recipes are just delicious. What I really like about this book aside from the fesh and clean tasting dishes, is that the recipes have limited ingredients and clear, pretty easy instructions. I took a leap of faith purchasing this and it has become my new favorite cookbook, primal or not!! Because it is primal, the dishes keep you satisfied for a really long time and I never feel guilty when I eat meals made from this book (not even when I a made the cocunut custard!). Great book!

Eating Your Way To Good Health
The book provides great recipes for healthier living. The recipes are simple, easy to follow and delicious. If you want to jump start your diet and begin living a healthier life these recipes are a way to go.

The Primal Blupring Cookbook
I've been long awaiting a cookbook like this, and it lived up to it's expectations.

I've made the Buffalo Chili, the Peach Chicken Salad, the Jambalaya, the Roast Beef and the Grok Rocks. All of which have been delicious.

The book has some really interesting ways to work around foods you are used to eating. I've been really impressed with some of the ideas such as grated Cauliflower as an alternative to rice. Worked great in my Jambalaya.

On the down side, the book is a little too short, but worth the money in my opinion. Would buy again.

Excellent tasting recipes...obviously tested
All my readings and life experience (previously working for five years in a natural foods co-op) have now finally converged on the Primal diet lifestyle as the common sense approach to nutrition (and, for me, backed up by the well-researched book, Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes).

I've bought a lot of cookbooks on my journey to a more healthy diet. And some of those cookbooks seem to be comprised of recipes that were conceived purely on theory and not at all on taste (cough..Atkins..cough).

I knocked out 5 of the recipes in the Primal Blueprint cookbook in a week and a half, and every single one of them tasted FANTASTIC. Even my wife and two children, whom I'm slowly trying to wean from their highly-refined carbo-centric tendencies, raved about the recipes I cooked (e.g. Moroccan chicken, Transylvanian stockpot, Coconut ice cream, zucchini frittata...) These are not people who like the taste of real vegetables. My wife said, and I quote, "That cookbook is best money we've ever spent. I can't believe how good this tastes."

Clearly, the recipes were tested and refined by an actual person who knows the taste of good food. Thank you, Jennifer Meier.

Also, I have a son who is Type 1 diabetic. We noticed that the meals I cooked from this book had a very low effect on his post-meal blood sugar. No huge post-meal spike and less insulin required at mealtime. That in itself was worth the price of admission. Cookbooks like this show him that he can eat delicious meals that do not adversely affect his blood glucose. He will need this knowledge to cope with his diabetes when he ventures out on his own (he's 10 right now).

To me, a five-star rating indicates a perfect book (or movie, or whatever), so I'm giving it 4 stars, a very high rating to me, for the following reasons:
- It does not have an index referencing the ingredients. I often cook by the "what-have-I-got-in-the-refridgerator" method; designing a week's worth of meals (and our food shopping) around that. With this book, I can't look up all the recipes that have zucchini in them. So put an index in it already.
- I do have the Primal Blueprint book also, but what if I'm someone who doesn't have that and just wants the cookbook? This cookbook doesn't contain a brief overview of the theory behind the recipes it contains; it just jumps right in to the recipes. A Primal Blueprint primer at the beginning of the cookbook would round it out nicely.
- Final (unfair) criticism: not enough recipes! You do get your money's worth, but I want Volume II already! (I'm not one to browse the internet or blogs for recipes; I like cookBOOKs.

Highly recommended cookbook as it contains excellent tasting, easy, nutritious recipes!

What's for dinner?
Fifty years ago, cookbooks were not the plentiful item they are today. Housewives who panicked each evening about what to fix for dinner relied on mothers and mothers-in-law (however unapproachable), or friends who were also strapped for ideas. Then came Peg Bracken and her //I Hate to Cook Book//. The most popular section, from an author who (allegedly, at least) wanted to spend minimal time in the kitchen, was the 30-Day-by Day entrees.

This 50th anniversary edition, with a few adjustments by her daughter, Jo Bracken, is every bit as welcome. Despite the jokey approach, the recipe ingredients and quantities are rigorously correct, the recommendations for cooking time and serving impeccable.

Yes, we have books with household hints, recipes for special diets, dinner guests, and kids' parties, but all in one fairly skinny volume? I don't think so. Bracken was a pioneer in short cuts long before packaged meals and cheap take-outs. Even if tuna casserole has fallen out of favor, personal experience confirms there are no better, easier cookie recipes. Her overnight macaroons have been my standby by longer than I care to mention.

Reviewed by Jane Manaster

Meals from midcentury
Let's go back to an era where cream of mushroom soup was an ingredient in its own right, just before Julia Child changed everything. Chances are if you're over the age of 30 or so you probably ate like this growing up; if the proliferation of Taste of Home titles is any indication, many people still eat this stuff on a daily basis, and even many foodies still like this kind of food from time to time, either as a guilty pleasure or just for its own sake. It's not healthy, there's a lot of salt and fat, and the flavors are perhaps described as heavy and loud... but there's no question that much of it is still yummy.

Peg Bracken's sense of humor, whipping wildly between dry and hammy on a whim, makes the book a fun read that will put people intimidated by cooking at ease. Canned vegetables and mushroom soup aside, Bracken also included a generous variety of simple from-scratch recipes that would be less intimidating to the sort of person who thinks convenience means Sandra F'ing Lee-style cooking. What was considered sophisticated and elegant in 1960 may seem cliche now, but if nothing else this book (combined with a generous dose of doo-wop and poodle skirts) should make for some great themed dinner parties.

Like I said, this isn't every day food, not anymore. This is at least as much a history book as it is a convenience cookbook, with generous giggles and snickers to boot. It's nice to see it brought into the 21st century.

Buy it for the humor, not for good food!
I have an old, tattered paperback copy of this in a box somewhere, but was thinking of upgrading to this new edition. I've never cooked from it but it's a funny and charming book. Unfortunately I agree with the 3-star reviewer re: the new edition sadly lacking the original Hilary Knight cover. And why would they omit "Cooking When Alone" when there are so many singles out there these days? But, more importantly, although this book is very witty, the recipes are quite dated and most of them have never appealed to me. For one thing, the cooking times are way too long -- typical for that era. (Baking chicken pieces for 1 to 1-1/2 hours, sometimes uncovered?) I get the impression that the long cooking times were a function of wanting maximum uninterrupted cocktail time -- certainly this is my parents' philosophy! She relies heavily on canned everything, especially canned cream-of-something soups. Also, like many cookbooks of this era, she calls for things like frozen potato or shrimp soup -- neither of which I've ever seen in a supermarket. Maybe others have? But again, this book is worth a read for its wry humor, the cute illustrations, and the helpful hints glossary at the back, which is quite good. If you really are a cooking-hater, you'll enjoy it.

Still funny after all these years
I really do hate to cook, so this book made it easier to go to the kitchen. A little out of date and high in fat but still easy
to make and the humor puts you in a better mood, if you must be in the kitchen anyway.

Like a visit from an old friend!
If you remember this book as fondly as I do, you will be thrilled to read it again. If not, several of the receipes in here become very dependable stand bys. The Jam Tarts alone are worth the price of the book.

table for one
incredibly written, frank and directly to the point. Mr. Bourdain pulls no punches, not for the faint of heart or weak in the stomach. A great read.

A Mix of Rants and the Good Stuff
I regularly watch and enjoy Anthony Bourdain on the Travel Channel. His show amuses, entices, and repulses me as I eagerly wait to see what he will do next. I suspect that is Bourdain's intention as he goes back and forth from what looks delicious to the "nasty parts" such as entrails, blood, and testicles that he insists are the "good stuff." No matter what, I know he will give me a view of a city or country I have never seen and will seldom be dull. While bright, funny, and curious, Bourdain can also be self-satisfied, snobby, and contemptuous of our culture and tastes (Pardon me for preferring prime Filet Mignon over Tripe and liking Tex-Mex). Although often justified, he is also full of himself, condescending, and eager to please the right people. Perhaps I am not too far off calling him the Howard Stern of the food media. I always want to see what he will do next. That being said, "Medium Raw," although interesting at times was largely a series of rants with unnecessary foul language. Some of the good stuff in the book was a profile of a day in the life of a Fish Cutter, tasting menus and foodies gone wild, and profiles of those Bourdain considers the good guys. I have not read Kitchen Confidential. Perhaps I would have appreciated Medium Raw more if I had. I certainly would have enjoyed the "Where Are They Now" chapter at the end. In fact, I have already bought Kitchen Confidential, thus confirming my fascination with Anthony Bourdain and his world even if I am not thrilled with Medium Raw.

horrible follow up
I loved his first book and his show. So I was looking forward to this follow up book. I was very disappointed with this book. Except for one good chapter describing wonderful dining experiences at various locales, this is just one big whine fest. I live in San Francisco and could've listened to the rants in this book on any street corner. Never mind paying for the pleasure.

Medium Raw is Rare Good Reading
The book is being avidly devoured by my wife. The little I've been able to peruse it shows the writing to be as fascinating as Bourdain's own life. He writes like he talks. When my wife finishes it I'll finally be able to do it justice. My youngest son has his other book "Kitchen Confidential". I'm waiting to read that as well.

Medium Raw, Please
From my blog post:

[...]


You can usually tell who I am reading by the way I write that day. If I am writing short paragraphs full of gratitude, I've probably been reading Mitch Alblom. If I'm a little more snarky than usual, I've just read Mark Twain's Innocents Abroad for the hundredth time. And, if I'm writing confessional pieces about things like aging and my temper, there's a good chance I'm reading something by former chef and current television personality Anthony Bourdain and for the last few weeks, for fun, I've been reading his new book, "Medium Raw."
I should tell you, if you are easily offended by foul language, irreverence and the frying of certain endangered species for culinary delight, you will HATE this book by the not so warm and cuddly Top Chef judge. However, if you like brutal honesty, true emotion, lessons from life experience and a good laugh, you'll be as captivated by this series of essays as I am.
Bourdain is the celebrity I'd most like to get to know, we are the same age, from the same region and I even share a half a nationality with him (French). His TV show begins with the words I would like to someday use to describe myself, "World Traveler, Author, Chef." I have in fact, taken cooking classes in Tuscany and I am convinced that, if in the 70s, someone had told me that I could cook for people and get paid for it, Wall Street would have lost a young star. (Ok, maybe not Star, maybe, oh let's see... pain in the ass). Suffice to say, if I ever have a chance to buy him a drink, I'll happily do so and share whatever the chef is sending to his table.
Medium Raw is a series of rants on food critics, fast food, haute cuisine and the Food Network. Bourdain talks about his recovery from substance abuse, sleeping with super models, cooking on TV and being a Dad with an honest humor that makes you feel like you are having a beer with him at a local pub. Not exactly high literature, but entertaining stuff that we working stiffs can identify with, Bourdain is the fry cook who won the lottery, the guy with a writer's soul who had a day job. (Hmmm, I can identify with that!) Medium Raw is about him coming to terms with his sudden fame and fortune and, if you are a fan of good writing, I think you'll enjoy it as much as I do.The Affluent Artist: How Creative Could You Be If Money Wasn't an Issue? the Money Book for Creative People

Great additional recipes & great rsults
I found this book a great addition to the article in Health magazine. I have always had healthy eating habits & exercised regularly, but w/menopause I was unable to keep my weight responsible. The first week of the diet helped me lose 10 lbs before my daughters wedding.I am a FAN & will continue to use the menus & diet strategy outlined in this book. Thank you authors.

Carbs
From the Editors of Health magazine comes a diet everyone should love-you can eat carbs! Not ready to push aside your Atkins diet yet? Well after reading the first 30 pages into Carb Lovers you'll be reaching your whole grain pasta, oatmeal, beans, lentils and even potato chips? Holly cow! What's not to love about it?

The authors provide the reader with a key food element to be in place of your diet-"resistant starch" which should be including in every meal to sustain the weight loss process. Great pictures of many of the food choices the reader has at their figure tips which I found helpful while reading the recipes.
Will it work for everyone? Only time will tell.

Skip this book
I was really excited to get started on this book and this new way of eating carbs...but within the first week I gained 4 pounds and had terrible headaches. I was also waking up in the middle of the night starving all the time. It is very expensive buying all the foods that they suggest, if you just eat sensible and with portion control you can lose weight but not with this book. Very disappointed after all the hype with this one.

Love the Carb Lovers Diet
I just started the diet and I'm on the 1200 calories a day Kickstart plan. The food is great, easy to prepare and very filling! I don't have the cravings I usually do when on a diet. Definitely recommend this diet plan.

Good diet book
I like how the book explains the good resistant starches and gives many recipes to follow and a plan. It was an excellent book. Easy to read and follow. I have not seen any change yet but have only been on it a couple of days.

Creative Cookies!
This wonderful cookbook will make you want to host a cookie exchange -- just to show off! The recipes are do-able and delicious. I especially appreciate recipes using ingredients readily available (if not in your pantry already). I also love the interesting twists on old favorites and the clear explanations and advice for successful baking.

This book will be a great addition to your cooking library. Just turn on your oven and get ready to enjoy!

Don't worry about seeing pictures; taste the results instead!
BUY THIS BOOK!!! YOUR KITCHEN WILL SMELL WONDERFUL!!!! YOUR FRIENDS WILL ASK FOR MORE!!!!

That was the short version of my review.


To the specifics:

Searching through the index of cookie recipes in this book as a starting point to tell you about many of the recipes I have tried, I realized that I still had 11 pages to go and a full list of fabulous cookie recipes that I have made in my home. This is a treasure in my cooking library. To those who own Camilla's previous books: what could be better than a consolidated hardcover with everything in one spot? To those wishing for more pictures: a picture may be worth a thousand words, but a delectable cookie fresh from the oven is worth a thousand Christmases, children's joys, and shared kitchen experiences to compensate. Stop worrying about the pictures, and BAKE. The cookies will turn out right, because the instructions are foolproof, and there is a lovely and informative introduction to the basics of cooking (from buying an oven thermometer to ensure accuracy, to the meaning of "fold"). I have never come across something so comprehensive, fun to read, and delicious all in one (I'm still trying to figure out how it's delicious simply upon reading, but I need more time to figure that one out).

Whenever I have made one of Camilla's recipes, the results are the same: I always share the goods. The folks I with whom I share inevitably eat an extraordinary number of cookies, and they ask for more. They call, email, or simply demand, straight to my face, "When are you making more cookies?" One student sent me a text message video saying that he would pay me to bake more of these cookies (specifically, the Thanksgiving Cranberry White Chocolate Jumbles). I always credit Camilla with the hard work. We the readers have the easy job. We bake, and we taste the finished product. And Camilla's hard work truly is a product of many hours of testing, re-baking, and finessing.

Here is a smattering of some of the recipes I've tried: Carrot Cake Jumbles with Cream Cheese Frosting. Dried Apple Cider Cookies. Cranberry Cornmeal Cookies. "I Love Lime" White Chocolate Cookies. Lemon-Ginger Cream Cheese Softies. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunkers. Thanksgiving White Chocolate Jumbles. Hungry yet? The recipe names speak for themselves. By the way, the little descriptions that Camilla provides below each cookie recipe manage to combine the elegance of an anecdote with the inspiration built in to go ahead and make the recipe already!

not enough pictures
Could not wait for book to come in the mail. I had read all the reviews and the book sounded wonderful. When it arrived and I looked at it, I noticed that there were only a few pages of pictures of the finished product. I like to see what the cookie should look like when it is completed. In that respect, I was dissapointed. But I have not tried to make anything in the book yet

Best Cookie Book Ever
I made several of the recipes from this book and packed them in tins for Christmas gifts. My coworkers raved about the cookies and asked for the recipes. They truly are time saver recipes and amazingly easy to make. I have been very happy with every creation so far. One of the recipes includes cut-up Rolos. Tastes amazing!

True to its Ultimate Title!
The title for this book is perfect; it truly is the ultimate shortcut cookie book--although I might edit it slightly and simply call it the Ultimate Cookie Book. I have already used this book more in 2 months than I have any other baking book on my shelf (and there are many). For any mother who loves to bake (like me), this is the most wonderful resource. The cereal-based cookies are all no-bake cookies (I did not realize that when I bought it--a great bonus!), great for the kids to make (everyone in my family loves the no-bake backpacker bars and the no-bake high energy bars with dried cherries; scrumptious & nutritious, I will never buy energy bars again). All of the cookies have a great combination of the familiarity and unique, simple twists to make quick and easy cookies special. Perfect examples are my three new favorite cookies: Italian meltaways (cake mix), chocolate raspberry linzer bars (cake mix), and mint julep brownies (brownie mix--divine!). And SO easy. Love love love this book!

Love the book but there's 1 teensy problem (literally)
I love the idea of cake pops. i love the ring bound book and the pictures of the cake pops .. too cute. My teensy problem is the TEXT. The text is so small that I have a hard time reading it, especially with the glare of the glossiness of the pages. I do wear glasses and have no problems with other books/kindle/etc so I am pretty sure it's just the text is too small. some of the text is white on pastel colors some is a grey on green, some is just black on white.. it all seems pretty difficult to read. The recipes themselves have some bigger/bolded text which is okay.

I don't fault the content, it's great (what I can read).. perhaps I'll get good at making them w/o reading the instructions...

Scrumptious!
The book is absolutely adorable. In some cases I wish it had detailed pictures of the decorating process, but otherwise it's terrific.

Worth the wait.....
After much anticipation...my pre-ordered book arrived, I had to fight with my 15 year old daughter to look at it. We are spending the long weekend making Cake Pops, YAY!!!!!

Finally, a collection from the queen of cake pops herself!
Bakerella is the bee's knees, and whoever wrote that one star review has obviously never heard of hello, cupcake! This book is going to be on many a Christmas list this year!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!!
Bakerella/Angie is a baker/blogger extraordinare! This book is the culmination of all of her hard work! The book goes above and beyond her blog and shows her fans (me included) how to perfect cake pops! Well done. (BTW, M. Laviolette "persnickity", your review was rude and uncalled for. review a book if you own it, don't hate!)

Master Your Metabolism review
This is a great book, if you are looking SPECIFICALLY for healthy recipes. I take the information on dieting with a grain of slat (no pun intended). The fact that Jillian and her advisers have downplayed soy and starchy vegetables is irritating to me. I have hypothyroid and every endocrinologist and family I've ever seen says that soy is good for you (even in my case), in moderate doses, (as with everything else). I also like to replace carbs like breads and pastas with starchy vegetables, and it has worked well for me.

I mostly like the dessert recipes and the soups in here for the kids. I don't put much stock into Jillian's advice on nutrition, because as far as I know she's not a practiced nutritionist.

Best!
This is the best cookbook and I have many! First of all I trust Jillian. That being said I ordered this cookbook and the first recipe I made is worth buying the entire cookbook. It is the banana blueberry muffins. Oh my gosh! Heaven! I have tried many recipes and have not been let down. Last night I made her brownies for the family and they were a hit. They are made with honey and applesauce rather than sugar and just delicious. I am so glad I made the purchase and you will be too!

Plan on buying
I have not purchased the cookbook yet but I am sure it will be wonderful. I saw Jillian on The Doctors several times and she revealed a condition that we have in common. She has Hypothyroidism and so do I. I really need this cookbook to help prepare food to help with my condition. She mentioned that people with Hypothyroidism need to stay away from soy. Well, I used to buy Silk and it based on soy. I will be going to the bookstore to get this cookbook because I can lose weight and eat the right foods according to my disease. I love Jillian anyway and I exercise to her videos on exercise tv. Wish I could meet her in person.

Surprising good "diet" food
I have cooked several of the dishes in this book and they are really good. I have bought diet cookbooks in the past and they are usually so simple it's silly they have a recipe or just not tasty.

BOOK FOR EVERYONE
This book is a book for everyone. I want to buy one for all the people I know that are struggling with their weight or just want to eat well! This is the most informative book I have, and I could understand it, easily. And every recipe I tried is easy and very tasty!!!!!!! Thanks Jillian!

Fantastic
This book is fantastic. Dropped two dress sizes in three months. Love your body and learn how to eat right!

The South Beach Diet Super Quick Cookbook
The book has a wide variety of recipes to augment the South Beach Diet. The pictures are beautiful and encourages you to want to try the recipes. The recipes are easy and do not require any ingrediences that are not in a regular grocery store. The book is a great addition to the South Beach Diet.

Easy to follow!
This book makes following the program very easy to follow. It has very detailed menus and lots of good recipes. I would say that it is a good book, even if you don't want to lose any weight. It's a good program to give you some good ideas for healthy eating.

AMAZING content - kindle version not so great
This cookbook is full of delicious, healthy, quick recipes! I get home two hours before I have to go to bed and being able to put dinner together in less than 30 minutes is HUGE! Some of my favorites are the recipes that call for you to throw some sliced up deli roast beef in with a couple additional ingredients for a yummy beef dish! The content of this cookbook gets a full 5 stars!

HOWEVER, I do NOT recommend the kindle version AT ALL. I was hesitant to buy a cookbook on kindle, but I thought I'd give it a try - I live in a small apartment and didn't want to clutter it up with more cookbooks and I like to support emerging technologies. The cookbook contains many cross-references, for example, the meal plan gives page numbers (paper page numbers, not kindle locations) for the recipes it includes, but doesn't have a link to the recipes. So, if you're going through the meal plan, you have to search by recipe name, go look at that recipe, and then go to your bookmarks to get back to the meal plan. It's a lot of work - I've done more typing on my kindle since I got this cookbook than I have in the entire time I've owned a kindle (which is since they first came out). On the other hand, I can decide what I'm having for dinner on the bus ride home, but all in all, I think the paper version is far superior.

Another great South Beach book
The South Beach diet is the easiest way to lose weight and be healthy. And the "Quick" cookbooks make it even easier. I love finding new recipes and more variety to eating right.

Pioneer Woman
I love this book! Read it from cover to cover when I first received it. Love all the pictures of her recipes and life on the ranch. Recommend to everyone, great book.

Favorite Cookbook ever!
I have enjoyed reading Ree's story as much as I have enjoyed making her recipes! The pictures that go with the step by step directions are so helpful. This has become my favorite gift to give!

Perfect
No fancy stuff here, just hearty, good food, with no exotic ingredients. And so easy to understand! The perfect cook book for the new cook or for an old one who's lost her way! I've cooked some of these same things for years but a few little details have improved the dishes so much that I'm enjoying cooking again. I take basic old things (chocolate cake, roast) to events and am being asked for the recipe! I bought the cook book for all the women in my family and have a couple of extras on hand for wedding gifts. And if you don't want to use it to cook by the photos and stories are fun.

Wonderful home cooking recipes
My sister in law had this book during my recent visit to Missouri, I fell in Love with the recipes and the way the cookbook is written. I have tried several of the recipes and each one turned out great. I recommend The Pioneer Woman Cooks to beginner and advanced cooks!

The Pioneer Woman
I really liked this cook book because it was not only a cook book but a story book too and the pictures made it delightful to look at. I did have to adjust some recipes only because I watch calories and cholesterol and they are very rich recipes.

Basic sense for cooks.....


Pretty good info, especially for the novice and experimental cook. My teenage son likes to cook and create "new" flavors. He took it and didn't put it down for a day. As a result his "creations" are coming out much better now. I also got a few good tidbits from the book and have let several friends read it. Everyone seems to benefit .......

Kitchen Rosetta Stone
I love this book and my kitchen scale.
While the text is delicious, the content is food for the creative soul. The ratios are presented in a way that is inspiring for a non-cooking school baker and cook. I have had hours of enjoyment from this book and ingredients from my pantry.

ratio
this is a good book for learning the basics of a lot of dishes. From there you can improvise with additions and flavors keeping the structure the same. It doesn't have EVERYTHING, but obviously what book would?

It's a good book and it's cheap. Get it and you'll be glad you did.

Wait for the second version
This is a decent book, but did not fulfill it's potential, and MUCH was over looked.

For example, the paragraph on pages 10 & 11 which discusses the shape/baking temp of your/our first loaf is completely confusing - different shapes, rising time and baking times are discussed in the same paragraph. The one paragraph should have been re-ordered and made into 3 paragraphs (at least).

The book also has NO directions for any sweet breads. That seems like a HUGE oversight. The closest it comes it to take the basic bread recipe (flour, water, salt and yeast) and suggests the addition of chocolate and dried cherries. Ugg. I thought at least there would be a blog where more recipes/suggestions could be found. Alas, no luck.

Although not represented in the marketing/advertising, or the cover art, much of the book is oddly dedicated to meats, sauces, stocks, etc.

However, Mr Ruhlman isn't completely to blame, the publisher should be admonished, since the layout of the book contributes to it's failure. Had the book been READ by a non-baker, some of these issues would have been resolved - like the one on pages 10/11.

Finally, who's handling the marketing for this book? Does Mr. Ruhlman and his marketing team really think it's impressive that he attended the CIA with the sole intent finding inspiration for a new book, someone hands him a sheet of paper, and voila he has a book? Come on! That little bit of self-appreciating information (kinda makes him look like an idiot and) should have been completely eliminated.

Perhaps person who gave him the ratios should have been consulted for more (directly related) content.

Everything you need to cook well.
For each of this, so much of that. Proportion. That is ratio. We can make much from simplicity. The proportional lengths of string are our musical ratios. Architecture is proportion on the grand scale of building. The building of a cake.

Why is it so hard (so easy) to bake your cake from scratch? Why is it so easy (so hard) to make your own mayonnaise or vinaigrette, hollandaise or custard. And what do they have in common? Why does a bad brine make my dinner roasted like Carthage and a good one make yours like a Roman banquette?

Give me six ratios and I become Archimedes with a place to stand to move any palate. You can leverage your pantry, larder, cantina and refrigerator like never before. My little kitchen is my only place in this crazy world where I am in control; and I can conjure a little creativity.
For those of you who do not know Michael Ruhlman, he is the pre-eminent journalist/chef/food writer in the world. There are many who rise above him as chefs, or authors but he rises high enough in all categories to give him a special place in my library and make him deserving of your consideration. He is a standout among a crowd of hacks, marketeers and narcissists. He has been working hard for years. He writes carefully for both those who are his subjects and for his readers. I first ran across him when he was covering the marathon final exam for the Master Chef class at the C.I.A. He has subsequently done a book with one of those candidates. This is a serious, respectful and enduring writer. His style is honed for maximum clarity of information. But he also works in broader landscapes when not directly concerned in showing you exactly what to expect and how to do it all.

You cycle from fun through enlightenment to confident accomplishment over and over in a spiral of commanding execution as he works you through each topic. The ratios you master are for doughs, then batters, on to stocks and sauces, into Farcir and straight on to the emulsified sauces, ending, over the rainbow in custardland! You remember custard? Now it is only simulated with gum agar and hydro-goo.

I wish I had had all this forty years ago in one place. But I use it now. You will get the clarity and grounding to do it all, and with the least fuss and fuzziness. And if you have been baking without a scale, add one now. And a good oven thermometer.