Customer Reviews

Forking Fantastic!: Put the Party Back in Dinner Party

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Ok, I've only had this book for 24 hours, so the recipes are not battle-tested, with the exception of a yummy Spanish Tortilla I made with leftovers last night (think frittata, not mexican tortilla). Having said that, I love the spirit of the book. It's aimed at someone who basically never throws a dinner party because of the stress involved. The recipes, shopping tips, etc all emphasize maximum deliciousness with least effort - for instance, it recommends never peeling a vegetable. It correctly identifies the surprising tastiness of frozen peas. I could go on.

The pleasure the authors take in a wine-infused, too-many-people-in-a-small-apartment kind of a dinner party is infectious. All in all, if the use of the f-word bothers you, or you want your dinner to look great in photographs, look elsewhere. If you've been meaning to get 8 people over for dinner more often, and want some help, this is just the ticket.

If you've never considered cooking for another person never mind a group, this book will at least get you fantasizing about the possibility. Even if you rarely cook for yourself, you'll find yourself thinking Hmmm, I could make that... And seasoned cooks? I'm one of those ~ boasting dozens of years of creative cookery ~ yet there were multiple "who knew?" moments for me. These women know what they're talking about and better yet, know how to say it with clarity. And when's the last time you laughed out loud reading a cookbook?

Despite the statement that their vision of vegetarianism includes a bacon exception, the authors' vegetable dishes are original and tantalizing ~ and don't actually contain bacon although the recipe for candying it might make you want to.

I just got this cookbook last week and am already in love with it -- I love the laid-back, no measurements approach (which is really how you're supposed to cook!), and the no-fuss approach to dining. I've already flagged a bunch of recipes to make for upcoming dinner parties.

I just love this book! It's so much more than a cookbook. The dynamic personalities of the authors shine through in the telling of their cooking adventures, recipes, and stories. Their humor and love of entertaining have inspired me to have more dinner parties and to stress less about it. This is a great book for people at all stages of cooking experience. I've been cooking for many years and still found some great tips to help me. Read this book and be inspired to have the best dinner parties ever. I highly recommend it.

Forking Fantastic uses cooking as a means not a goal. The goal is a better, healthier and, mainly, a more social life. This is the first cook book I ever read that truly delivers its message in a simple and fun way with no bs. The authors, Tamara and Zora experienced a real change for the better in their lives since they began throwing dinner parties and they make a very convincing argument why this could work for anyone. This book has some great recipes (from caesar's salad to fried chicken to croquembouche to lane cake) and awesome practical tips like what a great kitchen needs - turns out, not much (3 knives, a cast iron skillets, a few stainless steel bowls and a garlic press), they also support the Jamie Oliver style of not using exact measurements (thank you!). This book will give you all the confidence you need to stop eating take away watching reruns of Friends and actually get a life.

One rainy day I found myself killing time in one those generic big box bookstores with obligatory café. After a little guerrilla marketing (highly recommended for other unsung writers out there!) and magazine research, I cracked Forking Fantastic. What with the student loan people garnishing my wages and the IRS on their heels, I couldn't buy it. Not. In. The. Budget.

So heed my words poor people who like to cook and laugh and party: If you pick up this book, you will be compelled to buy it. I was. The writing is that insightful and the recipes that toothsome.

Zora and Tamara (damn clever those two) suck you in with it all, making you feel like you're missing out on something simmering and cool at their dinner parties. Perfect excuse to throw your own. I wish I had the money to give this book to all my newlywed friends or as a housewarming gift.

First, if you are offended by some three and four letter words (used somewhat often), believe having a social cocktail (or 3) before / after dinner (and wine with) is a bad thing, believe it would be faux pas to have anything but a perfect table setting and / or using anything except a table to eat off of (just wait till you get the idea of using saw horses and taking a door off its hinges) than this book is NOT for you. For the rest of us hard working and often broke people of earth who wish to still be able to entertain and enjoy life, this is the book for you! Anyone who thinks the meals are not great or tasteless must have missed the part when the authors talked about you being the cook and encouraging one to adjust (or even flat out change) the recipes to ones liking. This is anything but some dry, stiff, cook book. Lots of tips, several great meal ideas and just about the only book one would need when it comes to setting up a dinner party or supper club.

Forking Fantastic offers home cooking geared to crowd-pleasing results, and comes from two veterans of the New York food world who twice monthly prepare a big meal in a tiny kitchen. These thus are foolproof, party-tested menus and recipes easy for beginners to access and providing accompanying tips on everything from shopping to stocking a kitchen. Any general culinary collection will welcome its lively format and presentation.

The great thing about this book is that it's more than a cookbook. It was fun reading about their adventures in and out of the kitchen and the book is full of a lot of easy and delicious recipes. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to add a little spice into their culinary life.

Love, love, love this book! My husband bought it for me for Christmas and I sat down and started reading it while the kids were opening their gifts...oops! We made Commando Chicken the very next night and LOVED it! We are compiling a list of people we want to invite over for the first Winona Lake Supper Club dinner. Tamara and Zora make you feel like they are in your living room telling you the dos and donts of having a successful dinner party, without the hoity toity perfection of Martha Stewart...thank goodness! Yes, I've entertained over 30 people but it's always been apps. The most I've had for dinner is 18 and yes, the wine flowed easily. These girls are from the same mold as I am and they make cooking for a crowd seem fun, not insane. Thanks, ladies, for the great advice.