Customer Reviews

The Amateur Gourmet

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This took me by surprise by how SHORT it was! Same voice and situations as the website, but enough novelty to keep me interested. Not worth retail, but certainly worth the new and used price.

I purchased this expecting something in the same vein as Molly Wizenberg's book, A Homemade Life. Self-proclaimed as The Amateur Gourmet ("amateur" being the operative word), I was wrong. The book is well written, and an interesting read, but I just had the wrong expectations. I like cooking and reading Bon Appetit, and I found the instructive aspect of the book to be a bit basic. On the other hand, it's still entertaining, and a nice read.

When I spotted the title of this book sitting on a shelf in a discount store, I was immediately drawn in. This is "just what I need." You see, I'm an "amateur gourmet." In my heart, I have visions of cooking 5 course meals for my family. But in reality, I burn things and set off the smoke detector regularly. So, Adam's book brought nurturing to my heart as I realized that someone else felt like me...someone who understand the feeling of failure and unnerving humility in the kitchen faced with common foods and common utensils. I recommend this book for anyone getting started in the kitchen and feeling intimidated by mistakes and even burned foods! It gave me hope!

This book was perfect for someone like me, someone who likes to cook yet gets easily intimidated by all the experts. This book made me feel right at home and was quite a charm to read! I felt like I was reading an extremely personal cookbook, and that I got to peek into the life of a chef who shares the same passion for food that I do. I recommend this for anyone who loves not just food, but all that goes into preparing it.

This book is very funny. If you read the Amateur Gourmet's blog, you'll understand the the humorous writing for his cooking experiences. It's very entertaining.

I found this book only OK. I enjoyed some of Adam's antics and stories, but found a few a little hard to believe and relate to (who would be afraid to dine out in a fine dining establishment today?). There were some humorous anecdotes (like his Mom being sceptical about him cooking her a Mother's Day dinner), that were an insight into a different culture/world for me. I've really enjoyed Adam's blog, and his restaurant tips - so I found the book a little too simplistic and a little disappointing.