Desserts: Mediterranean Flavors, California Style (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

If there's a complaint to lodge against this cookbookAwhich is full of outstanding, fresh ideas for all kinds of dessertsAit's Mushet's overly broad interpretation of her subtitle. For example, Coconut Rice Pudding Br?l?e with Mango in Lime Caramel Sauce sounds fabulousAbut does it really qualify as Mediterranean? However, many of these desserts do rework old-world classics with great style and wonderful results. Chocolate, Hazelnut and Orange Torte gives a new take on Italian gianduia. And while purists may consider it something of a travesty to transform Gelato Affogato (simply gelato doused with a shot of hot espresso) into an American-style sundae with whipped cream, liqueur and chocolate curls, the travesty is a delicious one. A chapter on fruit desserts makes use of California's bounty with such dishes as Figs with Espresso-Sambuca Sabayon and Shaved Chocolate and Citrus Compote in Spiced Champagne Broth. An entire chapter on phyllo creations includes Snake Pastry with Fig, Almond Paste and Lemon (inspired by a North African dessert), Sour Cherry and Almond Baklava and a Konafa with Tangerine-Lime Syrup. Supplementary materials are excellent throughoutAthe phyllo chapter benefits from several pages of tips on working with the tricky dough as well as instructions for chopping nuts (better done by hand for baklava, but so much easier in the processor) and using a candy thermometer for the most accurate results. Mushet (former publisher of the quarterly Baking with the American Harvest) may not create the most traditional desserts, but she does come up with some of the tastiest. (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Despite its somewhat gimmicky-sounding title, this is actually a wonderfully appealing collection of mouthwatering desserts from a knowledgeable and thoroughly professional pastry chef. Mushet, a consultant and author of a baking journal, started out at Chez Panisse and went on to become pastry chef at Oliveto Restaurant in Oakland. She has translated her favorite Mediterranean flavors and flavoringsDfragrant spices and herbs; fruits of all sorts, dried, crystallized, or fresh; pastis and other aromatic liqueurs; almonds, pistachios, and other nutsDinto American-style desserts that are often imaginative but never contrived or bizarre. There are Grilled [Slices of] Coconut Cake with Double-Lime Ice Cream, Raspberry Mascarpone Tart, Dried Sour Cherry, and Bittersweet Chocolate Chip Biscotti, and other delectable treats, along with boxes on techniques, ingredients, culinary history, and more. Instructions are painstakingly detailed but unintimidating, and make-ahead notes and serving suggestions are included throughout. Highly recommended.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Scribner (September 6, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684800543
• ISBN-13: 978-0684800547
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,227,214 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EZ to follow great often slightly exotic recipes!, December 17, 2003

By	P. Mayakis (New York) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I first purchased this book because of the great title. At the time I bought this book, I was a student studying baking and pastry for the first time at a college in Sonoma County. I wanted a tasty impactful recipe to present at my backshop management class and decided to try Mushet's "Marbleized Chocolate Velvet Tart" pg 104. It came out perfectly! I have since tried the pistaccio ice-cream recipe that has become my favorite ice-cream. Other recipes that I tested came out equally well. Her recipes are easy to understand and do not have much extra information. I obviously like the book and her style. By the way this is the first book review that I have felt compelled to write.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great recipes, October 17, 2003

By	Pumpkin (Big Zoo) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This book is extraordinary for the innovative takes on old favorites (e.g., greek pastries). I was drawn to this book because of its particular konafa (aka kataifi) recipe which I had been searching for many years, and it was delicious. I also attempted her baklava (not to my taste only b/c I didn't like the orange flower water). I am giving it 4 stars however, because the author does stretch the concept of "mediterranean" a bit. This doesn't detract from the tastiness of the recipes she offers, however.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very food instruction and variety, April 28, 2006

By	I. Seligman - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

Cindy Mushet has a great book...easy to read, with clear instructions and good hints in the sidebars.

If you want to make beautiful and tasty desserts with a Mediterranean flair, buy this. It delivers what it offers, pure and simple. If you want "exact" Mediterranean recipes, look elsewhere, both for another book and also for the hard to get items such as proper blood oranges, specific types of flour, vanilla beans instead of vanilla extract, etc to go with such "authentic" precision. I don't need such for my cooking.

I'm happy with 5 different baklava as follow:

...Antibes with almonds, hazlenuts, cinnamon and cloves...Pistachio and apricot with orange cardamon syrup.....quince and walnut.....sour cherry and almond.....hazelnut and chocolate. Not bad, eh, and you can create your own variations.

Try Konafa with tangerine lime syrup, tiropetes with chocolate and apricot filling, various biscotti variations as well.

For cakes, try strawberry mascarpone layer cake, fregolatta with almonds and jam...grilled coconut cake with double-lime ice cream, almond brown butter cakes with raspberries, pomegranate dacquoise (a beautiful and tasty variation on the classic French dessert)...the variety is more than enough, and the instructions are doable for advanced beginner to intermediate cooks.

As this is published in 2000, there's not an abundance of pictures. That's not a problem, as Cindy gives serving and even storage suggestions to make you look like a pro!

This is better quality than "storebought", and you can taste the difference. Start with the cover..the Roasted pears with spiced sabayon...and learn about sabayon preparation, and how to buy a proper pear corer, too!