The New Food Lover's Companion: Comprehensive Definitions of Nearly 6000 Food, Drink, and Culinary Terms (Barron's Cooking Guide)

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Summary: Wonderful book
Review: I wish all reference books were this good. Very thorough, well written, interesting, extremely useful-- I can think of nothing but good things to say about it. I have yet to stump it with an obscure culinary term. Much practical information on the purchase, storage, and preparation of food items. It's a good one to keep on the nightstand for late night reading. If you enjoy cooking, you should own this book.

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Summary: A must-have for all cooks
Review: I'd previously shelled out big bucks for The Oxford Companion To Food and I wasn't sure if I needed this book as well. It turns out that the two books are perfect complements. While the OCF has far more in-depth information on cuisines and culinary history, this book provides very complete coverage of ingredients and utensils. For the price, I'd be hard pressed to recommend a better reference book for the cook's kitchen.

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Summary: Great Book For Anyone Who Loves To Cook
Review: I'm a Chef for a Large Hotel and I use this book all the time for cooking terms and when i write menus,or just need to spell something correct. This book is a great source, and is a must have in any library. It's a great book for anyone who loves to cook. 5 Stars.

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Summary: Great Resource!
Review: I'm constantly reaching for this book. Every time I intend to look up one word I end up perusing the book for about a half hour. It's brimming with interesting information from the basic to the obscure. Ever wonder what a prairie oyster is? Or how to pronounce those French menu items? Look no further. This book makes a great gift.

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Summary: Outstanding reference--This book is a winner!
Review: I've had this book for 2 years and--except for two words--have found every listing I've looked up. I trained at both the California Culinary Academy and the Culinary Institute of America, and instructors in both schools said this book is a "must have". I've sinced been employed at two restaurants, both of which had Food Lover's Companion at their service stations, as well as in their offices for menu references. I'd say that's a pretty darn good recommendation!

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Summary: A must have for foodies!
Review: It's just great - one of those dictionaries that you read from cover-to-cover. It was written up in the Post Food Section last week, so I ordered a copy. It's a must have for foodies.

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Summary: Handy--if narrow--guide to foods and food terms
Review: It's missing about half the world--you won't find pupusas, okonomayaki, or utthapam--but this book's a LOT broader than Larousse (and far more compact/handy), and the info the authors do include is pretty much on the money (as you'd expect from Barrons). This is by no means a major reference work, but if you need to find out the milk fat content of Gouda cheese, how lobster thermidor is made, the peak season for collard greens or a brief history of Tabasco, this is a reliable source. Worth having to fill food knowledge gaps.

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Summary: The most informative book I've read!
Review: My favorite book was "The Larousse Gastromonique", until I found this book. Not only is it more handy than a big encyclopedia, but more well rounded.

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Summary: Perhaps the best overall general culinary reference
Review: Small but mighty. This dinky volume can almost fit into your pocket, but it manages to cover a great deal of culinary territory in an authoritative, detailed manner. For the everyday cook and for quick and easy reference, go for the power and accuracy of this enormously useful volume. I probably use it more than all my other culinary reference books, which number in the dozens. Highly recommended for the concise, crisp text, correctness of its information, and breadth.

Rating:
Summary: Is it really necessary to review this book?
Review: Suffice to say that it has everything you could ever want regarding food items - measurements, weights, french terms, japanese terms, how to determine the temperature of the grill, sizes, servings, where what cut of meat comes from, and on and on and on Herbst kept on. It never stops. Easy to read, well-written - there is a reason this is simply the best "handy" food encyclopedia out there.

Now, for the reason why this review is helpful. Most people keep it in the kitchen, where they use it only when they cook, and let's face it, most of us don't have time to cook all the time. That is why I keep (and have kept for some time) this handy guide right next to the crapper - I sit down, do my do-do, and peruse. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why I know more useless food terms than anybody I know.

A great gift for your favorite foodie.