Rating: 
Summary: Too Much Mrs. Latte May Induce Lactose Intolerance
Review: Amanda Hesser's column was a favorite Sunday addiction of mine when it ran in the New York Times Magazine. Her carefully constructed account of a romance gone right worked as well as
a penny-weekly serialization of Dickens, albeit with much
more appetizing food. So, despite the insipid title and
Barbie-hued dustjacket, I was looking forward to having "Cooking for Mr. Latte" in hand. It is as deliciously easy to get caught up in her privileged world as it is to devour a plate of brownies, and I made the mistake of reading the whole thing in one gluttonous go. As with any overindulgence, I was somewhat sickened by the time I reached the end. Reading Hesser's columns in omnibus form gives the reader a much clearer sense of the less palatable aspects of her character.
Her devotion to prim perfection in the kitchen, her appearance and her private life no longer seems admirable, but annoying. Who wants a friend to come over
and cook a great meal if you know she is taking mental note
of where the "freshest oils" are kept and which pans are
too crappy for Her Highness to cook with? She even sniffs about her future in-laws leaving dirty dishes in the sink and mayonnaise smears on the counter in the kitchen of their own country house. While Hesser's youth, spunk and obvious gift for
writing balance out many of her
narrow-minded hang-ups, I see a danger that she might one day tip over into the Martha Stewart camp of mindless worship of domestic flawlessness in all its most trivial forms - and forget the reason she, and all of us, cook: for communion and pleasure. Let us hope that Mr. Latte can save the day.
Rating: 
Summary: Elitist and seductive
Review: I expected to be charmed by this book, but I was left feeling like I'd just eaten too much of an oversweet dessert. The recipes varied from interesting to weird, and I would have liked to read a more psychologically nuanced story of the courtship in question. Instead the book was overstuffed with descriptions of one too many "fabulous" meals eaten in "fabulous" restaurants (all referred to as if everone should know of them) with Amanda's "fabulous" friends and Amanda's "fabulous" boyfriend (now husband--how lucky can a talented, adorable, slender epicurian be?). Reading this book one would think that there is no one who is not rich, white, "terribly smart," and attractive in all of New York (let alone the world)!
Rating: 
Summary: just delighted
Review: although i do not consider myself a foodie, i do enjoy good food and good writing. amanda hesser's cooking for mr. latte draws her readers into her delightful world of eating at restaurants we've only heard of, constructing creative menus for her friends and all the while falling in love. read this great find.
Rating: 
Summary: A great, fun book!
Review: I REALLY enjoyed this book! I was actually sad when I finished it, and I can't wait for Amanda's next book! Not only are the recipes great, but Amanda's writing makes the reader feel like they are part of the action. I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Really nice, fun, sweet book - with good recipes!
Review: I'd read only a few chapters of this book before I got online to order copies for friends. I wanted to marry Ms. Hesser myself, she seems so charming and wonderful. And I'm a gay man! This is one of the most charming books I've read in a long time. The love story that progresses throughout the book is sweet, but it's the food stories that got me. I was salivating from the stories, and then, lo! and behold, there are the recipes! Marvelous concept, marvelous story, marvelous recipes, marvelous book. Wonderful woman with a wonderful story to tell - and wonderful recipes that actually work! If you get divorced and I miraculously alter from my DNA-determined path, I want to marry you!
Rating:
Summary: Yum!
Review: This is the sweetest type of book: Words about food and the recipes to go along with them. Delicious and funny!
Rating: 
Summary: Doesn't pass the "why should I care" test
Review: This is such a silly, trite book. After reading it, I had to wonder when journalism and writing became am exercise in "me-stories"? Hesser has reduced food writing to a rote recitation of her own personal experience, with favored recipies tossed in from time to time. When Calvin Trillin writes about food, he makes it interesting by relating how he approaches eating to everyone's experience. Hesser lacks Trillin's masterful skill; consequently, the book is a collection of "I did this, and I was fabulous," and then "I cooked that, and it too, was fabulous." Food writing should be about something more universal than whether the author wears Valentino or Prada, or what Tad Friend likes to eat. I felt embarassed for Hesser, who apparently let a moneygrubbing editor talk her into writing a "Sex and the City" food memoir. Hesser and Friend are not nearly interesting enough to sustain a book (on that score, her articles in the NY Times magazine ran a bit long in the tooth as well).
Personally, I found it hard to take serious food suggestions from the author of such an insipid book. If you are interested in being titilated with the intimate details of Hesser's personal life, this book is for you.
Rating:
Summary: it's a cookbook, for heaven's sake!
Review: just stumbled upon "constantreader"'s jabs about Amanda Hesser's lack of psycho-babblish self-exposure. why not just accept this for what it is - a charmingly written account of a courtship with great recipes thrown in? To even postulate about "class differences" is the height of hilarity . . . . we're talking NYC . . . the ultimate meritocracy where a smart and ambitious girl who has crafted some truly exceptional opportunities (food columnist for NYTimes before the age of 30, for starters) can certainly choose between Valentino and Prada. Please.
Rating:
Summary: Readers will be more than satisfied after reading this book!
Review: Amanda Hesser's COOKING FOR MR. LATTE tells the tale of her courtship with Tad Friend and provides the readers with many yummy recipes to boot. Set up on a blind date, Amanda and Tad go out to dinner. Amanda, a New York City food columnist who reviews gourmet restaurants for a living, almost writes off Tad when he orders a latte after his meal, a cardinal sin in her eyes. She decides though that Tad is trainable on the food issue, and the two begin a relationship. The book details their first meeting of each other's family and friends, their decision to move in together, and their engagement --- all culminating in their wedding. Amanda is territorial about her kitchen, which sort of symbolizes her independence and individuality. Tad is usually understanding about this and will tell Amanda if she is getting out of hand. Eventually, she learns that the kitchen has room enough for both of them. The chapters are short, almost as if Amanda reprinted her food columns into a book, ala Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City. However, these chapters flow nicely into each other. They tell a chronological story of the progression of Amanda and Tad's relationship; each chapter seems to be the next logical step in a relationship. In addition, several recipes of the dishes that Amanda mentions follow each chapter. This can make readers very hungry, inspire them to cook, or hope that a private chef comes their way. Food is central to Amanda's life: it provides comfort, gives her confidence, and connects her to family and friends. When she is upset or lonely, she cooks. She actually has meals in her head for when she's depressed or when Tad is out of town and she is on her own. She also uses food to impress Tad's family and friends so they will like her; to Amanda, food is a way of winning people over. Cooking is also somewhat ritualistic for Amanda and her circle of people. She cooks Sunday dinners with a friend, teaches another friend how to cook, and when she visits her energetic grandmother, the kitchen is the first stop. Food is central to the book as well. Readers may find themselves craving gourmet food that they had never even heard of before reading this book. However, the descriptions are so vivid that readers will feel like a food expert too by the end. This book will especially appeal to women in their twenties and early thirties who are either still looking for or have already found their Mr. Right. It is a romantic story of two nice people getting together. Food fans will enjoy this book for the luscious details of the feasts and the vast collection of recipes anthologized throughout. COOKING FOR MR. LATTE will leave readers with a warm, fuzzy feeling. They will genuinely like Amanda and Tad, and will be satisfied when they're finished reading the book, both from the romance and the "food" for thought. --- Reviewed by Melissa Martin
Rating:
Summary: Disappointed
Review: "Cooking for Mr. Latte" deals with the author's quest to look for great food, and at the same time, provides brief information on her relationship with her boyfriend. In each of the chapter, the author would provide recipes either from restaurants or from friends and relatives. I was quite disappointed with the book as besides the recipes, the author's writing seems disjointed. In addition, if the reader is not from New York City, then he/she wouldn't know what restaurant that the author recommended. This plays a huge part in the book, which makes it hard to ignore. On top of that, I wish she had included more of her personal life or her relationship with her boyfriend. That being said, she did provides very interesting recipes. But note that, this is not definitely not considered a chick lit. There is way too little storyline for that.
| 
