Little Meals : A Great New Way to Eat and Cook

Rating:
Summary: If only you could eat like this everyday
Review: I first checked this book out of the library and then I bought it. The recipes are fabulous, and I have tried more than half. The ingredients can be difficult to find. At times, I have resorted to the internet to find some obscure ingredients, but I have not been disappointed with a single dish yet. They are really one-of-a-kind five star creations. Im making the Jade Rice recipe again tonight for company.

Rating:
Summary: Nice meals, but boy are they snooty
Review: This is a very decent cookbook (disclaimer: I own the first edition, so maybe it has changed since then), but the real reason to buy it is for its entertainment value. It's a bit like reading Gilderoy Lockhart. For example:

"As executive chef at Lord & Taylor, I was often asked to invent dishes for famous guests that lunched in our boardroom. I made this for Sophia Loren. I put a heaping tablespoon of red caviar on top of the salad, and served it with graceful lacquered chopsticks. You can substitute Japanese pickled ginger and a fork."

...because you are a clod and can't afford caviar? Many of the other little meals come with similarly breezy commentary. Nothing against the recipes, and I'm sure Rozanne Gold is a very nice person, but wow. Cook from this book for your next party, and then after dinner read from the book to your guests. Guaranteed good time.