The Sophisticated Gourmet
Contributed by: Jennifer Wickes
If you are looking for a gourmet cookbook, but you are a beginning cook, then I may have found your book!
Noel Tyl has had a long career as an astrologer, and an opera star! I
have to admit, when the publisher approached me to review this book,
I was hesitant. I like reviewing good cookbooks, and I wasn't sure
that an opera-singing astrologist could really cook! But, I was wrong.
This cookbook features over one hundred recipes for health-conscious
people. The recipes are simple to understand and easy to prepare.
They are designed for everyday meals, quiet dinners for two, and
other festive occasions. If you are a beginning cook, but would like
to prepare your recipes with fresh ingredients in lieu of packaged
products, then The Sophisticated Gourmet is the cookbook for you.
The ingredients are easy-to-find. I was able to find mine at the
local grocery store. So, there is no need to order any supplies
online or find a gourmet shop, if you have one in your area.
There is a decent sized index with tips explaining what pantry items
to keep in stock, as well as how to cut vegetables, herbs to choose,
how to check for doneness and much more.
On the downside, if you are a person that needs photographs in a
book, unfortunately, they are not here. There are quite an abundance
of drawings! And the recipes are so easy to prepare, I believe that
despite a beginning cook's skill level, that you would be able to
prepare your meals without photographs documenting every stage of the
cooking process.
Due to Noel Tyl's careers, astrology and opera, he has had the
opportunity to travel all over the world, hence sampling
international cuisines! Some of the delicious recipes you will
encounter in this book are: Chocolate Pound Rum-Cake, St. Gertrude's
Lobster Soup, Crispy Duck & Bean Salad With Peanut-Sesame Dressing,
Royal Hunt Roasted Pork Tenderloin, plus many more. And as you may be
able to tell, this is definitely a meat-eater's book. There are some
vegetarian recipes, but you would need to be an extremely innovative
cook with your tofu to utilize the majority of the meat recipes.
So, if you would like to try innovative recipes designed for the
novice skill level, written in an easy-to-read manner, than Noel
Tyl's The Sophisticated Gourmet is for you! I enjoyed The
Sophisticated Gourmet, and I am sure you will too!
"The Sophisticated Gourmet"
Noel Tyl
Llewellyn Publications; (March 1, 2004)
Paperback: 312 pages; Dimensions (in inches): 0.81 x 9.24 x 7.38
ISBN: 0738703494
This article was originally published at Suite 101.
Jennifer Wickes is the editor at "Cookbook Reviews" and "Cooking With
The Seasons", which has been voted to be one of the Top 100 Culinary
Sites on the Internet! For more information about Jennifer Wickes
or her columns, please go to:
http://www.suite101.com/profile.cfm/CulinaryJen
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