Back to the Table: The Reunion of Food and Family (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

"Dining together allows us to better understand who we are, regardless of our social status," writes Art Smith, author of Back to the Table, a cookbook that explores the meaning of the dining ritual while providing 150 recipes to "strengthen bonds between loved ones." Personal chef to Oprah Winfrey and a contributing editor to her magazine, O, Smith grew up in the Southern cooking tradition, the underpinning of this enticing home-style collection. Smith's reiterated message--that we return to the "sanctity of the table"--is unassailable; his recipes, however, really make the point. Readers looking for good food to cook and share will find the book a much-turned-to treasure.

Chapters like "Breaking Bread," "The Family Meal," and "Food Is Love" organize recipes around the communal eating theme. "The Family Meal," for example, includes exemplary everyday formulas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, such as Zucchini and Tomato Frittata, Carrot-Ginger Soup with Minted Yogurt, and Grilled Fish Fillets with Watercress Mustard and Tarragon. Other outstanding recipes--such as Mushroom, Provolone, and Rosemary Pizza, Sunday Dinner Pot Roast, and Spring Vegetable Lasagna--reflect and encourage shared cooking and enjoyment. Formulas for sweets are woven throughout the book and include such delights as Kumquat-Ginger Pound Cake, Chocolate Pecan Pie, and an old-fashioned Peanut Brittle. Illustrated with photos that depict the food and cooking processes or show people enjoying meals together, the book reminds readers of the culinary and spiritual pleasures of the shared table. --Arthur Boehm

Product Description

Art Smith is Oprah Winfreys personal chef.Smith provides readers with an array of mouth-watering recipes that represent the very best of home cooking.He also discusses how to set the table in a way that gives reverence to the food and the guests; how various cultures give blessings before a meal; how different kinds of foods and dishes can contribute to an atmosphere of family unity; and so much more! Back to the Table is illustrated throughout with stunning photos of the food and of people sharing their tables, and their lives. He has cooked professionally for the families of celebrities and heads-of-state for almost 20 years.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion; 1 edition (October 17, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786868546
• ISBN-13: 978-0786868544
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #140,067 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

123 of 125 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars GREAT RECIPES, BUT MOST REQUIRE CONSIDERABLE TIME!, October 15, 2001

By	Sandra D. Peters "Seagull Books" (Prince Edward Island, Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I agree totally that more and more families are getting away from the tradition of actually sitting down and sharing a meal together as often as we once did. Work schedules, children's activities, and other responsibilities often collide. The result can be skipped meals or staggered meals where everyone seems to be eating a different thing at a different time.

The menus in this book are certainly unique. I have tried a few on week-ends and they are delicious. The only negative aspect I found is the preparation time. For those of us who truly are trying to jungle and balance family and work outside the home, there simply is not the time at the end of the day (or the energy) to attempt putting together many of these recipes. Most of the recipes are best saved for the week-end or special family gatherings - they are certainly not your typical everyday, evening fare.

40 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars comfort in a form we can all enjoy, October 24, 2001

By	Ben E Baldwin (Tallahassee, FL USA) - See all my reviews

Art Smith provides different fare from the standard soups, salads, and table settings, while appealing to our fondest recollections of family times centered around food. Mr. Smith looks beyond a recipe's basic ingredients to capture the essence of food as a tool for connection to our family and friends. This book provides a means to meet the need of our society at this time to shore up our sense of security and to distract us from our sense of loss, if only for a few hours -- the memory of preparing and sharing comfort foods deeply rooted in Southern culture, but surprisingly venturing into ethnic cuisines with Pakistani flatbread and Jewish Challah, provides a warm place we can all retreat to for strength. If you like to read cookbooks like a novel, this one provides delicious prose. The recipes that I have tried, particularly Adelaide's Peach Cobbler, Tomato Ginger Chutney, and French Chocolate Almond Pie, are easy to follow, work, and provide the elements for a bountiful table. This book is equally suited for the dinner table or the coffee table.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good message...great food, May 27, 2002

By	A O Cazola (Toronto, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

In an age of crumbling families and no time, Art Smith brings a nostagic message of hope and help. BACK TO THE TABLE is a cookbook that takes us back to a time when the dinner table actually meant something; before frozen dinners and fast food.

BACK TO THE TABLE is not about the latest health craze or the newest way to cram a meal in between soccer practice and violin lessons. This book is about taking the time to sit down at the table and eat with your family.

The recipes are delicious and simple (if a little time-consuming) and the focus on southern tastes seems to reflect the author's background. Some definite winners in BACK TO THE TABLE are the Grandma's chocolate cake and the incredible chicken tamales.

Art Smith has created a cookbook that is both beautiful and useful, with an important message and tasty recipes. 5 stars all the way.