Customer Reviews

Mad Hungry: Feeding Men and Boys

5 star:		(63)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

At first pass, I almost overlooked this lovely title BECAUSE of the title. I don't have any children, I don't eat beef and often avoid the heavy and greasy staples associated with men, and my husband is my partner in the kitchen -- not someone I wait on hand and foot. Inside this beautiful book, the reader will not only find a solid collection of easy and delicious recipies, but equal parts useful advice about food, family togetherness, cooking, and auto-biography. Impressive credentials as a Martha Stewart big-wig aside, Lucinda Scala Quinn's food is accessible, familiar and yet inventive, and can be cooked using the budget and pantry of an average American family. This is a handsomely styled book filled with healthful tasty plates equally worthy of a cherished Sunday dinner and harried weeknights that scream for Chinese take-out or pizza.

Scala Quinn is a regular on the PBS show "Everyday Food." Regardless of your gender or how many "men and boys" you have to feed, fans of the show and the magazine will love this collection of 10-ingredient or less recipies that can be simply prepared in 30 - 60 minutes.

The cover art sort of screams at you, but Lucinda Scala Quinn's voice is calm, patient, funny, and real. This is one book you are better off not judging by the cover.

I am a homemaker who cooks for two guys---a husband and 7-year-old son. I received this book as a birthday present three days ago and haven't let it out of my sight since. The advice within---plan ahead of time, don't introduce a lot of new dishes at once, don't be caught without bacon---is right on target. I especially like the emphasis on replacing fast food with home-cooked alternatives---I estimate that Scala Quinn's advice to pack food for car trips saved me $30 this past weekend that would otherwise have been spent at McDonald's.

My guess is that readers who feed women and girls will also derive a lot from this book. It does assume that the reader loves to cook. If you do, and you have guys to feed, this book will be worth its weight in gold to you.

Trust me when I say try these simple delicious recipes. I have been feeding my family and friends on them for 20 years. When you thought your child would not try vegetables, Lucinda's recipes will have them eating up the garden. When you are jammed for time Lucinda has many recipes' that will taste fabulous, using simple ingredients that take no time to prepare and serve. One Love!

I love Lucinda Scala Quinn. I love the concept of her book. I too have had a lifetime of hungry men and boys to feed...men and boys who were not interested in silly stacked and garnished frou frou dishes. This is a nice book with recipes that live up to the hype. One thing I would change. If they had tested this book on seniors (as I am) I think they would have made the font a little larger and swapped the lovely peach and sky blue ink in the notes for something more readable.

I have 3 hungry step sons and a hungry husband. Cooking for them has always been a trial by fire. I love Mrs. Quinn's style of approaching feeding men, not only does she understand and appreciate men and boys just as they are, (which is refreshing in todays world) she understands how to take charge of her job of taking care of them. Her kitchen runs like a well ordered navy ship, which starts with training her boys how to eat good food and how to be self sufficient in the kitchen. She makes cooking for them easy and enjoyable. Her recipes are clear and the food is hardy and delicious. I especially love how she makes use of the simple cast iron skillet - when you pull out that heavy duty trooper - you really feel like you are cooking DUDE FOOD.

I'm on my own little personal crusade against the Hot Pocket and its ilk. I firmly believe that food you eat at home can--and should--be made at home. This book does an excellent job of providing the tools that a busy cook needs to do just that. But to target this book to just men and boys is a disservice. Basically it's a really good primer on how to wean yourself from meal-in-a-box dependency and start cooking healthy, affordable food for ANYONE.

I've made half a dozen recipes so far (in two weeks) and every one has been a winner- straight forward recipes that have satisfied my picky son and husband. I've already bought two copies of this book to give as gifts and look forward to cooking my way through the book.

AT 80 YEARS OLD, THIS IS, WITHOUT A DOUBT, MY FAVORITE COOKBOOK & MAD HUNGARY IS MY
FAVORITE COOKING SHOW. I'VE WATCHED MANY, BUT THIS IS "THE BEST".
LUCINDA SCALA QUINN'S BUBBLY PERSONALITY MAKES THE SHOW EASY TO WATCH. I HAVE MADE MANY OF HER RECIPES. ALWAYS SO COLORFUL. I ALSO ENJOY THE SHOW WHEN SHE HAS HER 3 HANDSOME BOY'S HELPING HER.
A JOY TO WATCH. I PLAN ON BUYING HER ITALIAN COOKBOOK BUT WILL BUY IT AT A BOOKSTORE TO AVOID THE SHIPPING CHARGE.

BETTY

I agree with at least one other reviewer that the title and cover of this book didn't exactly draw me in-- I'm guessing the title is East Coast slang (or at least not slang I'm familiar with after living too long in California), and the cover doesn't have what usually makes me pick up a cookbook... gorgeous photos of food. :) That said, I am VERY glad I picked it up and sat down to look at it, because it's a gem. It's openly geared toward moms of boys, but it would make a great resource for anyone trying to cook healthy, tasty, and frugal meals for themselves or their family (including the girls, actually... I have one of those also.) The emphasis is on bringing the family back to the table and making the effort to make homecooked meals for one's kids, instead of buying the more expensive and less healthy pre-packaged stuff that's out there, and it's a great resource for someone like myself who didn't grow up learning to cook and usually finds it easier to work from a package. To that end, there are not only dozens upon dozens of recipes divided by meal (breakfast, lunch, etc.) but also lots of tips on feeding a family with homemade food: how to get your teenagers back to the table, how to teach your kids to cook, tools you'll need, shopping for healthy but inexpensive food, a "guy-friendly pantry," and my favorite-- lots of lists of quick and easy things that you or your kids can whip up if you just keep the right food around. By this I mean simple but creative lists of quick but healthy ideas for breakfasts, snacks, weekday desserts, the many uses of the tortilla, openly getting your kids to eat veggies, etc. Something that amazed me, given that the author writes for Martha Stewart, is that the food is real family fare and is, with few exceptions, genuinely affordable to make. There are no calorie counts in here, but as pointed out a few times, this is much healthier food than the fast-food, restaurant food, or pre-packaged stuff from a store that so many families rely on these days, much more affordable, more environmentally friendly, and much more nutritious. I'm no great cook, but so far everything I've made from this book has been simple enough for a mom who works outside the home to manage on a weekday, very tasty, affordable, and a big hit with the kids (and husband). I've even managed to get my kids cooking with me on some of the recipes. Definitely 5 stars-- I'd recommend this to anyone.

I LOVE this cookbook! I have many different cookbooks and I am crazy for this one! I have a husband and twin 2 year old boys who all love to eat like men. I have lighter tastes, and this book combines both. It has so many hearty meals that are both healthy and don't make me feel like I gained 5 pounds after dinner. My favorite is the sesame hot wings (yum). My hubby can be a little picky, but he likes these recipies, and the ingredients are easy to find or you already have them. Lots of good pictures. You can tell that the author really knows what she is talking about and the recipies are tested.
Highly recommended for people just starting to cook or someone like me who cooks everyday.