Customer Reviews

The Take-out Menu Cookbook: How to Cook in the Foods You Love to Order Out

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am an experienced home cook with over 100 cookbooks. This book has been a very positive surprise for me. There are a variety of different recipe organized categories by ethnic cuisines. The recipes that I've cooked have turned out well and I keep returning this book to try out different recipes. There are some more unusual tasty recipes that I didn't' expect such as chicken with preserved lemons and green olives. There is even the simple recipe to create the preserved lemons. In general, the recipes are relatively quick to prepare and don't require someone who is very experienced. However, the experienced cook will still find a lot of worthwhile recipes.

I wanted to really try this cookbook out before writing a review. I have to say that after trying many recipes, ALL of them turned out absolutely fantastic. I am very comfortable giving this a 5 STAR review.

Just last weekend, I had my mom's 91st Birthday, and although I had tried none of the recipes, based on my previous successes with this book, I made an entire German meal from this cookbook: Sauerbraten, Spaetzel, Red Cabbage with Apples, and the Apple Cake. I got RAVE reviews for every single item! (Incidentally, I made her Multi Grain Bread from her Mixer Bible, and likewise, was phenomenal, and a bread I will make often.)

From her Italian section, I've made the Minestrone, Alfredo Sauce, Marinara Sauce, Bolognese and Basic Pizza Crust. On these, except for the longer cooking Bolognese, all I have to say is that the premise of this book is that you can "eat in" for less money AND less TIME than going out - was absolutely true.

In the French Section, the Sole Meuniere was so quick and so delicious I could barely stand it, and after dinner immediately typed it out and sent it to my married daughters and sisters. I made the Champagne Viniagrette, and it has now become a staple in my refrigerator. I've made the French Onion Soup, the Quiche Lorraine, Beef a la Bourguignonne, and Chocolate Mousse.

I could go on and on with many other recipes and nationalities, but all I can say is that you can't go wrong with this cookbook. Some I love because they are quick and easy, and for others that may take more time when you have the time, they are equally delicious.

This cookbook has become such a reliable source for me, that I would not hesitate to make another entire company menu (naturally a family meal) from this cookbook! Some International type cookbooks are so complex, so fat and thick, and so many obscure recipes, and so hard to "get through" and "make decisions." Carla and Meredith make international cooking a safe and exciting prospect all at the same time!

I have The Big Book of Appetizers from these 2 authors,which I use frequently, so when I saw that they had a new book out, I ordered it immediately. I am so pleased with the books that these authors prepare for us. I haven't had a chance to try all of the cuisines represented yet, but I have tried the Mexican section, in particular. The recipe for corn tortillas is so simple to follow and delicious with only butter and salt. It really gets over the top when you add Carnitas to it, along with the Guacamole and salsa. All of these recipes are in the book and have very easy and clear directions.. You can certainly tell that this was written by someone who knows their stuff! The other recipe that I have tried is the Baklava. Who knew it was this easy to make such a delicious and elegant dessert? I do most of my cooking on the weekends, like so many of us, and I will definitely be wearing this book out! My compliments to these authors. Keep 'em coming!!!

Excellent book to read as well as to try all of the recipes. If you love eating out you will love this book, make all your favorite restaurant foods at home.

I've been a serious student of the art of cooking for over 20 years. It's my love and passion. These kids caught me when they came out with the Big Book of Appetizers last year and when I heard they released this one, I couldn't wait to see it. Just like the Appetizer book it hits a homerun. They nailed it again.
This one is perfect for setting on your kitchen counter and picking a new world of food classics to visit every evening, I've already gone to Italy and France and the kicker...it is not just good food, it is the way they write that I love, I feel like they are standing right beside me as I measure out elements of a recipe. If you like to cook like me, this book is going to get a lot of use and won't be setting up on a shelf somewhere.

"The Take-Out Menu Cookbook" is my new favorite! The recipes are for many well-known, best-loved dishes from around the world. Most are quite easy to follow, even for the average cook (which I am, in that I don't stray too much from a recipe, so I expect it to turn out good without much tweaking). There are a few, however, that might offer a challenge to cooks like me, such as ravioli, croissants and baklava. So far, the ones I have tried (from the Indian, Chinese and Mexican sections) have not disappointed in the least, so I feel confident about the success of others I plan to try.

I stumbled across this on the local library's website while looking for something else and checked it out just out of curiosity. I thought it would be another one to leaf through and send back the next day, but I like it so much that I bought a copy. The one thing that I miss about living in NYC is the variety of take-out food. This book has everyone's favorites in all likely cuisines: Thai, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, German, Greek, Indian, Mexican, Spanish, Middle Eastern / Moroccan, Eastern European / Jewish. Great descriptions about what characterizes each cuisine, and the recipes use good ingredients -- no canned soup shortcuts, thankfully, but not cooking-school level, either. As others have said, it would be a great gift, too.

I am love this book. The recipes taste just like they do from the restaurants. I live in a rural area where Mexican food is basically the only ethnic choice I get, so to have Thai, Chinese, Jewish and Indian recipes all in one book is great. I recently made the tamale recipe and it was delicious and simple.

I was pleasantly astonished to find that the authors of this cookbook not only show you how to make take-out style food at home, but they use real, whole-foods ingredients to start with! All your traditional ethnic favorites are in here from Pad Thai to Baklava, and they're laid out with a minimum of unusual ingredients or rare kitchen utensils.

I'm looking forward to cooking my way through this one!

I really can't knock this book much. It does have nice recipes in it. However some are not the kind that you can make out of the blue. Some items that are needed are things you are not likely to have in your home at any given time. This is one reason I order out alot! Also, when I look for a cookbook, I look for color! Beautiful, colorful pictures. In this you won't find any. If these things don't bother you like they bother me, by all means, buy this book.