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Rating: 
Summary: Simple, sumptuous, and satisfying food
Review: I was so pleased to find a cookbook that used simple ingredients and had quick recipes to make such elegant, delicious fare. Also, as the recipes are intended for two people, I don't have to worry about storing a ton of leftovers. Many of the recipes are great for any season. Another thing that may be overlooked is the selection of delectable meatless dishes, making this a good purchase or gift for a vegetarian, or someone who just doesn't eat a lot of meat. (Meat lovers, fear not! We are not overlooked by any means.) The author also includes tidbits on substitutions and serving suggestions. The wine suggestions are also handy; the right wine really can enhance a meal.From a casual lunch with a friend or dinner with a significant other, this book allows you to plan any kind of meal your heart desires, and not be exhausted from preparing. The ability to find all of the ingredients at my local grocer, the lack of bulky leftovers, and the variety of yummy foods ensure I'll always have this book in my kitchen.
Rating:
Summary: Simoly elegant
Review: I wonder if a reader from Plaino, TX read the same book or if a reader somehow got confused when reviewing Home Bistro? This is a book in which EVERY RECIPE HAS A SHORT LIST OF INGREDIENTS. In fact, it is the perfect "last minute" cookbook, which is how veteran author Betty Fussell describes it. Small in size, it is the perfect book to glance through after a long day at work, sitting on the stool in your kitchen, watching the tv news while trying to figure out how to rest your soul by enlivening your palate. Fussell's aim is to suggest one dish meals, although she does offer valuable side-dish and wine go-togethers. And her one-dish meals are not the "hot dish" of Lake Woebegone fame or your mother-in-laws dry macaroni and cheese with a corn-flake topping (yuck!), but imaginative meals that draw on European, New World and Asian traditions. Let's face, what is more relaxing and more rewarding, 1.) a meal made up of take-aways from the deli where the mayonnaise always tastes suspicious; 2.) a meal made up of convenience food from supermarket boxes; 3.) a meal made from simple and fresh ingredients that can be ready in the time it takes to cook frozen french fries? For me, three is the answer and that is part of the reason why I like Fussell's book.
Rating:
Summary: Simoly elegant
Review: I wonder if a reader from Plaino, TX read the same book or if a reader somehow got confused when reviewing Home Bistro? This is a book in which EVERY RECIPE HAS A SHORT LIST OF INGREDIENTS. In fact, it is the perfect "last minute" cookbook, which is how veteran author Betty Fussell describes it. Small in size, it is the perfect book to glance through after a long day at work, sitting on the stool in your kitchen, watching the tv news while trying to figure out how to rest your soul by enlivening your palate. Fussell's aim is to suggest one dish meals, although she does offer valuable side-dish and wine go-togethers. And her one-dish meals are not the "hot dish" of Lake Woebegone fame or your mother-in-laws dry macaroni and cheese with a corn-flake topping (yuck!), but imaginative meals that draw on European, New World and Asian traditions. Let's face, what is more relaxing and more rewarding, 1.) a meal made up of take-aways from the deli where the mayonnaise always tastes suspicious; 2.) a meal made up of convenience food from supermarket boxes; 3.) a meal made from simple and fresh ingredients that can be ready in the time it takes to cook frozen french fries? For me, three is the answer and that is part of the reason why I like Fussell's book.
Rating: 
Summary: Too Fussy, Too Many Ingredients
Review: This is probably a great little cookbook for the gourmet cook. However, this is not what I was looking for. I want classy recipes with no more than 8 ingredients (and preferrably less than that) that take a minimum amount of preparation. Most recipes in this book have many ingredients and quite a few call for things I've never even heard of (such as cardamom), and things that I do not have on hand. It's fairly small - I scanned every recipe in less than half an hour. The author does include wine suggestions for each item, if you are interested in that. I am returning my copy.
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