Rating: 
Summary: An Excellent Restaurant Cookbook
Review: Many restauranteurs publish cookbooks featuring recipes from their restaurants. I have a fair number of these books.This is the *only* such book that I return to, repeatedly. I've made the goat cheese and sausage stuffed olives, the Falling Chocolate Cake (many times and is as excellent as another reviewer said), the Fennel Salad, the Tuna Tartare, and probably a good number of other recipes. The outcomes are consistently good. I've also eaten at Olives a fair number of times, so I'm confident that I'm capturing the essence of Todd's cooking. This is a high-quality hardcover book with high-quality paper, meaning that it should survive in the kitchen for a good long time. The recipes are well-laid-out on the pages and easy to refer to while you're cooking (a stark contrast from my "old" Joy of Cooking - which I love but does have a shortcoming in this area).
Rating: 
Summary: Television Does Not Translate to Home Cooking
Review: Mr. English's greatest strength is his television presence and ease of patter to the camera. His recipes as written in this book are not at all what I expected. There are relatively few that translate to the average home kitchen and/or skill level. Given the vast number of good cook books on the shelves today, this is one that could be easily bypassed. Tood's drop-dead great looks make for good TV . . . not necessarily good cooking.
Rating:
Summary: Serious danger ahead for inexperienced cooks
Review: Olive's is arguably the best restaurant in Boston. This cookbook is an inside glimpse at the culinary wonderland found in Todd English's signature cookery. So why does the book earn only three stars? Simply put, there is no excuse for so many serious errors in a cookbook of this small size. There are incorrect quantities. Missing oven temperatures. And in one case, an ingredient featured in the *name* of the recipe is completely omitted. If this book had been properly tested, it would be significantly more useful. As it is, I would never prepare a recipe for guests without first preparing it for family.
Rating:
Summary: Bravissimo!
Review: One of my all-time favorite cookbooks! Try the asparagus soup with feta cheese. It is more asparagus-flavored than asparagus is. Try the fool-proof and incredibly simple individual falling chocolate cakes. They are simultaneously gooey and luxurious. His olive paste is simple and wonderful, standing on its own as well as integrating beautifully into the Olive's tart. His recipe for simple Roast chicken stuffed with garlic and rosemary is one of the best I've found. A few of his detractors have complained of missing ingredients and even untested recipes. While I have heard of these things happening, I have yet to experience this first hand.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best cookbooks that I own
Review: So many cookbooks that I have contain recipes that just aren't good. This one has so many excellent recipes that work. AND they're easy to make - the ingredients are easy to get and the directions are clear and simple.
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful, but not for everyday
Review: The recipes in this book are excellent. My husband absolutely adores the shrimp in chorizo sauce. Everything I have made turned out well. Unlike some of the previous reviewers, I did not find the recipes to be difficult nor to have errors. Living in a small town however, I sometimes have difficulty finding the ingredients. Also, the recipes sometimes take a bit of time to prepare. If the cook of the family works, these are probably not for every day meals. If you enjoy cooking you will find many recipes you and your family will love.
Rating:
Summary: I've never been there, but . . .
Review: This is one of my very favorite cookbooks, and I have a lot of them. I have never been to a Todd English restaurant, so I can't comment on how it compares with his restaurant cooking, but my home versions have been fabulous. The directions are clear, and for some reason I find these recipes easy to modify to fit a shorter timeframe or to substitute ingredients when necessary. My favorite? Basque Stew with Tuna (which I usually make with chicken instead).
Rating:
Summary: Simple and Creative Recipes
Review: Todd English has put together a masterful book that is at once imaginative and yet full of simply executed dishes. The new and different salad creations are the perfect start to the meat and vegetable entrees. He combines elegance and practicality flawlessly. I especially love his strong opinions about what to use and what not to use in his recipes. (He has a particular prejudice against cello spinach!) He also gives lots of helpful cooking hints along the way. This is a must-have for any cook who enjoys intimate dining.
Rating:
Summary: Simple and Creative Recipes
Review: Todd English has put together a masterful book that is at once imaginative and yet full of simply executed dishes. The new and different salad creations are the perfect start to the meat and vegetable entrees. He combines elegance and practicality flawlessly. I especially love his strong opinions about what to use and what not to use in his recipes. (He has a particular prejudice against cello spinach!) He also gives lots of helpful cooking hints along the way. This is a must-have for any cook who enjoys intimate dining.
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