A Taste of Heaven: A Guide to Food and Drink Made by Monks and Nuns [Paperback]

Madeline Scherb (Author)

Book Description

Release date: August 6, 2009

A Taste of Heaven is a recipe cookbook and budget travel guide that talks about Belgian beers, desserts, fruitcake and other food and drink made by monasteries.

A Taste of Heaven is a guide to Belgian beers, desserts, fruitcake and other food and drink made by monasteries. A Taste of Heaven includes recipes from American chefs, French chefs, and monk-turned-chef Br. Victor-Antoine's vegetarian recipes.

Taste of Heaven author Madeline Scherb launched Heaven Gourmet in 2012, where readers can shop for food & drink made by monasteries; Heaven Gourmet donates 10 percent of profits to support the monasteries and the Compassionate Consumer Guild. Shop Heaven Gourmet on Facebook.

Signed copies of A Taste of Heaven, a recipe cook book and budget travel guide that talks about Belgian beers, desserts, fruitcake and other food and drink made by monasteries, are available Heaven Gourmet on Facebook.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In a world dominated by celebrity chefs and the latest and greatest recipes blogged and tweeted by foodies, Scherb takes readers on a refreshing foray along a monastic pilgrimage through Europe and the United States. The author poses the question in this cookbook/travel guide: What can the rest of us learn from the way monks and nuns live and the exceptional products they make? The exceptional products are broken down into sections including spirits, cheese, and sweets, and honor the ingredients and traditions of monastic food making over a thousand years. The 40-plus recipes vary from the simple (Savory Cheese Melt) to the unexpected (cauliflower fritters), and more involved (chocolate chestnut torte with cognac mousse; and browned sole with shrimp, and gnocchi), are culled from various restaurant chefs, magazines and Brother Victor-Antoine d'Avila-Latourrette, a monk and cookbook author. While the recipe count is light, the book—subtly designed with small illustrations—is filled out with suggested itineraries to regional monasteries, detailed profiles of abbots and abbesses and a shopping resource. Readers will also find a guide to monastery etiquette and a suggested reading list for more on monastic life. (Oct.)
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From the Author

A Taste of Heaven recipe cookbook and budget travel guide talks about Belgian beers, fruitcake and other food and drink made by monks and nuns. Author Madeline Scherb also launched Heaven Gourmet where readers can shop for food and drink made by monasteries; 10 percent of profits are donated to the monasteries and the Compassionate Consumer Guild. Heaven Gourmet is on Facebook. Find recipes and more at heavengourmet.wordpress.com.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Tarcher; Original edition (August 6, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585427187
• ISBN-13: 978-1585427185
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #281,873 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #57 in Books > Travel > Specialty Travel > Literary & Religious

More About the Author

A Taste of Heaven is a recipe cookbook and budget travel guide that talks about Belgian beers, desserts, fruitcake and other food and drink made by monasteries. A Taste of Heaven includes recipes from American chefs, French chefs, and monk-turned-chef Br. Victor-Antoine's vegetarian recipes.

Taste of Heaven author Madeline Scherb launched Heaven Gourmet in 2012, where readers can shop for food & drink made by monasteries; Heaven Gourmet donates 10 percent of profits to support the monasteries and the Compassionate Consumer Guild. Shop Heaven Gourmet on Facebook.

Signed copies of A Taste of Heaven, a recipe cook book and budget travel guide that talks about Belgian beers, desserts, fruitcake and other food and drink made by monasteries, are available at Heaven Gourmet on Facebook.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Books on the Market October 5, 2009

By Lembckejames

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

A rare gem of a book that both cooks and anyone who enjoys a good meal will appreciate. The stories, the travel, and especially the food, made this a great addition to my library. I used this as my coffee table book at my last party, and had so many people interested in getting a copy, I ended up giving a few more as gifts. This is my pick of the year. Enjoy!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Marvelous December 5, 2009

By Ana Braga-Henebry VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

This book will make a marvelous gift for anyone who enjoys both good recipes and cultural richness! Catholic monastic life, in silence, prayer and traditional simplicity, have created the best culinary treats through the centuries: this book is a window into this heavenly-tasting world. I personally applaud the author for including the cultural, geographical and historical descriptions of the monasteries, making this book a one-of-a-kind volume.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A lovely book, perfect for gifts December 16, 2009

By HS

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

A Taste of Heaven is a unique mix of travelogue, buying guide, and cookbook, with a healthy dose of inspiration for good measure. Madeline Scherb infuses her descriptions of the products made by nuns and monks with her own observations from contemplative retreats at the abbeys and monasteries. Her book is both an armchair read and one to prop up on the kitchen counter, as it contains several recipes created specifically for the book. Everyone who has looked through my copy has been intrigued - an excellent book to give as a gift!