The Cook Pack: Twenty No-Fail Three-Course Meals for Two

Rating:
Summary: Very tasty!
Review: I have tried four of the menus so far (each includes an appetizer, a main course, and a dessert) and each one has been *absolutely* delicious, and my dinner guests agreed. The recipes include twists on traditional British dishes such as Welsh rarebit, as well as international cuisine like Chinese roast mushrooms with stir-fry vegetables and noodles. The best part is the way the preparation steps are broken down for you by time -- for example, one day before, 15 minutes before, etc., so all three courses are ready when they need to be. Also handy are the miniature booklets containing the shopping and wine lists, to take with you as you do the marketing.

The caveats I would give about the recipes are: (1) many are not for the strictly cholesterol-conscious, as they are rather free-handed with the butter, cream, and cheese; (2) this is not a quick-cook book, (although there are quite a few recipies for fast snacks); and (3) unless you have some familiarity with British ingredients, you might have some trouble deciphering the ones that pop up every now and again. For example, I still haven't figured out what a "brandy snap basket" is.

The book also contains some cocktail and apertif recipes, and introductory matter on table settings and kitchen equipment.

Rating:
Summary: The Cook Pack: Twenty No-Fail Three-Course Meals for Two
Review: I'm not a cook, but I do love a good pop-up book and this one is an excellent addition to my collection. Ron van der Meer is one of the best, if not THE best, paper engineers ever. The pop-ups are realistic and greatly enhance the enjoyment of the book, even if you don't read the text. My husband is the cook and he thought the recipes were tasty and fun to make -- though not with the pop-up kitchen gadets. :-) I personally recommend this book solely on it's paper engineering and the fact that Ron van der Meer created it.