Customer Reviews

Brazilian Table, The

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The Brazilian Table Brazilian Table, The - ahh! What lovely memories this book brought back! Nearly two years ago now I spent my banner 50th birthday in Brazil's Minas Gerais, Ouro Preto, Geroulas and Salvador da Bahia regions. I sat at many tables in those places and ate many of the lovely dishes Ms. Roberts writes about here. I believe I will remember those two weeks for the rest of my life!

Ms. Roberts' writing and the beautiful photography in this book brought me back to those varied tables and the funny, lovely and delicious memories of shrimp Moqueca (she has a seafood version here), Quindim (the lovely, airy coconut custard of Bahia) and all of those pay for your plate by weight restaurants where I was able to sample very delicious food eaten by very busy everyday people at relatively low prices.

What fun to look again upon the beautifully detailed photos of places I'd visited in person! The over-the-top gold gilt churches, the spectacular natural beauty of the mountains in Minas Gerais ... These are the things that evoke such pleasure in reading this book.

I can tell you that, even if you are not a cook, this book is worth having for the very wonderful and accurate descriptions of the cultures and traditions of the places mentioned. I have yet to get to the Amazon region but it's just a matter of time!

If you *are* a cook - OH! Revel in the delicious combinations of ingredients reproduced here! Americans tend to think of fruits and proteins as not going together well. But let me tell you that the Brazilians have a certain way of combining fresh and dried fruits with meats like beef and pork and seafood of every kind that will thrill your taste buds and inspire you to experiment on your own.

These recipes *do* take some time - they are not for "assemblers" (those folks who take ready-made packages of this and that to make a meal) - but even a beginning cook could produce a spectacular dish from the instructions here. The ingredients called for can be found online if strict authenticity is desired but it's good to keep in mind that "authentic" is a relative term. People forget that many of these delicious dishes were founded on the leftovers and throwaways of richer people (much like American soul food). Consider finding and using more readily accessible local ingredients as substitutes. Learn Brazilian Portuguese and name your own Brazilian creation!

Enjoy and savor this book - not just for the food but also for the slice of Brazilian life it brings you.

THE BRAZILIAN TABLE is packed with lovely recipes for exotic dishes that blend in Brazil's regions from the Amazon to Bahia. Food history blends with color photos and delicious unusual dishes in a guide far more inviting than the few Brazilian cookbooks on the market. From a Mango Galette dessert to Shrimp Soup with Brazil Nuts, this is a book any international cooking collection needs!

I purchased this book after spending a delightful evening attending a class at Yara's cooking school in Paraty, Brazil. The recipes are spot on and give the reader a real taste of the breadth and diversity of Brazilian cuisine. The book's regional organization and beautiful photos add context that many cookbooks lack. Overall a great choice for travelers wanting to revisit the flavors and smells of Brazil or cooks in search of unique new international dishes.

Having a daughter & son-in-law living in Brazil made this a special addition to my cookbook collection. But what made it even more special was the opportunity to be welcomed by Yara & Richard in their home to partake in a cooking class. The homey atmosphere & friendliness of our hosts quickly relinquished any apprehension in the food preparation. Yara was happy to share cooking techniques & explain the many different ingredients. I hope to use this book, not only for my children living in Brazil, but to share it with friends back home. The book is well written & broken into foods from all regions of Brazil. Richard is to be commended on the wonderful job he did with the photography.

I want to take this opportunity to thank my hosts for many wonderful memories of cooking in Yaras' kitchen. I only hope to be able to join them at their table in the future.

Bon Appetite'

This is one of the most useful cookbooks that I own (and I own many of them). Not only is it a beautiful book visually, but the explanations are very easy to follow. My husband and I took Yara Roberts cooking class in Brazil and enjoyed it so much that we felt we must have the book. The class was terrific conducted in Yara and her husband's home, where you felt that you were an invited guest who got to actually cook your own dinner. It was fabulous and the book is exceptional.