Rating: 
Summary: GREAT book-but be prepared to read and learn
Review: If you are looking for a recipie book to throw over something when you get home from work-pass this book up; It will overwhelm and confuse you.
If you truly want to learn how sauce is made-this is it!
Starting with stocks and moving through the basics of about every sort of classical sauce, it not only tells you the method, but the theory and how to take it where you want to go. These are the methods that pros such as myself use on a daily basis in the finest kitchens to create those wonderfull sauces that you get on plates.
There may be some terms and ingredients you are not familar with-but, as cooking is a grand adventure, you will have a wider taste and knowldge of the craft.
I do warn you that you will really sit down and read this book and asorb it. I have been cooking for almost 10 years in fine kitchens, and I have been learning things almost from the first page! Plus, in this new edition, he covers more exotic things such as Thai style curry pastes and other Asian stocks and sauces..making the book even more usefull that it was before.
EVERY pro chef and skilled home cook should have this book!
Rating: 
Summary: Good but not great
Review: If you ever wanted to know the inner workings of sauces this it the book for you. Everything you could possibly want to know about making a sauce is in this book. Although it isn't completly obvious from looking at this web page this book is enormous(could be used for killing mice), and thorough. You will learn many different styles and techniques. There are only two complaints I have about this book. It caters more to expensive restaurant chefs than to inexpensive home cooked meals. This isn't entirely true, it let's you know what shortcuts you can take, but it berates you for taking them. The other complaint, It is overkill, unless you are a proffesional chef there is very little chance you will everyone of the techniques discussed. This book is full of recipies, but I feel that they are only there as an example. A chapter will talk about a technique and then show recipies, that do exactly what the chapter talked about. Don't buy this book for recipies, but buy it because you really want to learn how to cook. I haven't followed any of the recipies in this book to the letter, but because I read about the theory I modified/improvised some seriously good sauces. If you want recipes there are better things out there for that.
Rating:
Summary: almost overkill
Review: If you ever wanted to know the inner workings of sauces this it the book for you. Everything you could possibly want to know about making a sauce is in this book. Although it isn't completly obvious from looking at this web page this book is enormous(could be used for killing mice), and thorough. You will learn many different styles and techniques. There are only two complaints I have about this book. It caters more to expensive restaurant chefs than to inexpensive home cooked meals. This isn't entirely true, it let's you know what shortcuts you can take, but it berates you for taking them. The other complaint, It is overkill, unless you are a proffesional chef there is very little chance you will everyone of the techniques discussed. This book is full of recipies, but I feel that they are only there as an example. A chapter will talk about a technique and then show recipies, that do exactly what the chapter talked about. Don't buy this book for recipies, but buy it because you really want to learn how to cook. I haven't followed any of the recipies in this book to the letter, but because I read about the theory I modified/improvised some seriously good sauces. If you want recipes there are better things out there for that.
Rating:
Summary: The only sauce book you will ever need
Review: If you only read one book on making sauces in your life, make it this one. Winner of the James Beard Foundation's "Cookbook of the Year" Award. Covers all the basic and advanced sauces, variations, in-depth information on how various ingredients add to or detract from the perfect sauce, as well as how to "fix" a sauce you've messed up.
Rating:
Summary: The only sauce book you will ever need
Review: If you only read one book on making sauces in your life, make it this one. Winner of the James Beard Foundation's "Cookbook of the Year" Award. Covers all the basic and advanced sauces, variations, in-depth information on how various ingredients add to or detract from the perfect sauce, as well as how to "fix" a sauce you've messed up.
Rating:
Summary: Good but not great
Review: If you want names, ingredients and recipes this is the book. If you want to understand sauces so you can cook without a book, then skip this one.
Rating:
Summary: Lovely presentation, but not easy to use
Review: The best-looking recipe shown in the photos is a roasted chicken. The only problem is I can't find the oven temperature anywhere. Also, the recipe was listed in the index on the wrong page. So my confidence is shaken although it is clear chef Patterson knows his stuff. Can someone clear this up?
Rating:
Summary: An academic book about cooking!
Review: The book:
In twenty chapters, Mr. James Peterson reviews, details, lists, describes and definitely reveals all topics and aspects related to the essence of cooking: Sauces.
You start with a brief, joyful and full-of-information chapter about the history of Sauce making. Equipments to follow, with smart advises to have you avoiding spending money on the wrong piece. Three chapters after this give you the basic of the sauce which are (3) Ingredients, (4) Stock, Glaces [, Jus] and Essences and (5) Liaison. You would plunge endlessly after this in recipes of sauces in fifteen beautiful and delicious chapters leaving no information behind, and covering sauces of all kinds and for all types of food, from white sauce, through meat and fish sauces, salad sauces, puree sauces, pasta sauces, Asian sauces and finally dessert sauces.
In hardcover, more than 600 pages in total, 32 colored pages with clear useful photos, and 7 appendixes that include Glossary of terms and full Index, the presentation of this book is excellent.
Opinion:
One can argue that you do not need such "deep" book for cooking. Well, this is incorrect, since the book is well chaptered, enabling using it for (a) getting quick recipe for the dinner tonight; (b) reading completes chapters for academic research (?); (c) or enjoying few hours of quiet and entertaining readings. The "Recipe Contents" index in the beginning is very helpful for the amateur of cooking, the indexes and appendixes are of similar value for the researching work and the reading of chapter-by-chapter is adequate for reading hobby. The style of writing is excellent considering the subject. One minor defect is the absence of clear picture and separate chapter (or chapters) about the Arabian and Middle Eastern sauces, since it is embedded unnoticeably in the contents and not separately detailed for obtaining its unique tastes (try Nigella Lawson books on this topics). However, the well-structured contents and the wide knowledge that you would obtain from this book waive off any serious critics. The book is definitely nothing like cold and technical "the complete book of..." series.
Reading the first three chapters would give you a strong command on cooking in general and in preparing sauces in particular, although it is not necessary if you are simply looking for recipes. Some titles like "The Relative Thickening Power of Liaison" might be offensive, but do not be troubled, since it is rather useless for home cooking, and followed by titles like "A Few Thoughts about Wine", would definitely calm you and give you good idea about the character of the writer.
In few words, it is great book, a valuable assistance and guide for new pleasures of cooking and enjoying foods and really deserves to purchase and embellish your bookshelf or library for long time.
Rating:
Summary: Encyclopedic in content
Review: The chapter on cookware covering everything from cast iron, enameled cast iron, stainless steel, non stick, aluminum, etc; is worth the price of the book alone. Having been in the metallurgical field for years, in addition to the culinary field, his knowledge is right on. Everything you always wanted to know about sauces but was afraid to ask.
Rating:
Summary: Practical and Readable
Review: This book is excellent for anyone who enjoys cooking whether they're a merely competent cook or a highly skilled chef. Peterson infuses the book with his encyclopedic knowledge of all things epicurian and a subtle sense of humor in a way that makes it eminently readable and useful.The real benefit is that it provides the fundamentals behind making sauces. Anyone looking to expand their repetoire by learning how to make new and creative sauces, or who just needs clear direction on how to make the classics will enjoy this book. Some may find the amount of technical terminology (glaces, coulis, etc.) daunting at first, but Peterson presents the terms and concepts in a way that can be readily understood. "Sauces" is not a recipe book per se, but a first rate instruction manual that happens to include many good recipes. The recipes are clear, but require some grasp of cooking basics.
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