The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Rating:
Summary: great
Review: This is a beautiful book, with large color photos of almost every dish. It has a great many basics, which I have never learned how to cook. I see it as a good general cookbook. The spinach pie, soups, scones, and granola all look fabulous. The fruit tart I baked was terrific! Unfortunately, my coconut cupcakes did NOT turn out so well. Since so many have raved about them, this must be my fault, I guess. They tasted like heavy muffins, rather than light cupcakes, probably because I tried reducing the 3 sticks of butter to 2 and 1/2 (I'll have to try again without tinkering). I imagine this would be a great book to entertain from; the recipes aren't complicated at all.

Rating:
Summary: Tops on the Shelf
Review: This must be the best cookbook I have ever used to entertain the special people in my life. The nuances of each dish are subtle and they leave my guests trying to guess what makes the seemingly familiar dishes taste so spectacular. The recipes work perfectly every time-no surprises! But best of all, I get to be with my guests because everything can be prepared ahead of time. Enjoy the party!

Rating:
Summary: Put this book on your Kitchen Counter!
Review: If you are a cookbook junkie like myself, you will absolutely love this book. Recipes turn out as good as the pictures. I made the brownies for a family get-to-gether and with all the wonderful food there, the brownies were the biggest hit! I will be first in line for Ina's next book..which I hope she is writing at this minute!

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: I really enjoyed reading the book even before I attempted any recipes. There are a few recipes a little too exotic that I doubt I will ever make, but it's worth buying for the others I have tried and like. The Indonesian Ginger Chicken is a hit. I also like the bar-b-que sauce, as well. I am invigorated after reading through this book. It has made me love to cook again! Thanks Ina. I like your approach to even encouraging us to vary your already perfect recipes. Please write another book!

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: The Roasted Chicken meal recipes are terrific! Incredibly tasty, yet very simple - my husband said the carmelized onion gravy was the best he had ever had! I took the roasted eggplant spread to a party and the compliments kept coming! This is my new favorite cookbook.

Rating:
Summary: I Love It!
Review: This book is a joy to read. Not only are the recipes wonderful, but they are so easy and beautiful to look at. Ina Garten's notes and intodutions to the recipes make me feel like I'm talking with an old friend. Thank you, Ina, for a very special book.

Rating:
Summary: delish
Review: Just made the shortbread hearts for Valentine's day. Usually I am wary of any recipe in which I have to roll and cut out dough-- but this was very easy to work with. The cookies turned out great. I also have made the French potato salad (modified slightly-- I didn't have champagne vinegar so I substituded red wine vinegar, and I don't care for dill, so I left it out) and it was also yummy. A little too much dressing though-- you could probably get away with halving the dressing. The Indonesian Ginger chicken is often requested by my husband. I guess what the previous reviewer didn't like about the book is exactly what I thought made it a winner. Yes, the recipes aren't all that different-- but should she put goat cheese in her meatloaf just so she could claim her recipes "different"? The beauty of this book is that this is the type of food most people love to cook, but she has taken all the guesswork out of finding the best recipe for roast chicken. Ina has given us a whole book of homey recipes that--bonus!-- turn out perfectly every time. The search is over for best recipes for familier food. That's why I love this book so much.

Rating:
Summary: Every recipe is fabulous
Review: I am a serious cook and have been reading raves about Ina's store for years. This is a visually beautiful cookbook - her recipes are marvelous and every one that I tried turned out beautifully. Good food does not have to be complex. I tried every dessert - They were all great. It's breezy tone is wonderful, like a lazy summer's day.

Rating:
Summary: a bit disappointed
Review: This is a lovely cookbook, beautiful photos, very clear recipes, but I have to admit that I was disappointed enough to send it back. After reading the reviews, I was anticipating something on the order of the Silver Palette series, which are my favorite cookbooks, but this one was too simplistic for me. As some others have commented, there are not very many recipes given the size of the book and none of them struck me as very new or interesting. In sum, this is probably a great cookbook for people who are "quick-cooks" but for those of us who like to delve into our cooking a bit more, it falls short.

Rating:
Summary: I love her laid back style!
Review: I like Ina Garten's approach...food should be fun and she encourages you to expand, substitute, and let recipes evolve until they work for you...The best part is that, during the phase of life when I'd hear people coo over cilantro (If it has cilantro, it must be good attitude), I'd just about roll my eyes. It tastes like soap to me, and Ina shares my view! I feel validated by this book ! I've so far only made a few recipes, but love them. I also appreciate that she shows pictures of her idea of mincing, julienne, etc. I could throw out ten cook books taking up space on my shelf in exchange for this one!