Forum Thermomix
Welcoming Center, Management and General Chat => Recipe Book Recipe Reviews => Topic started by: courton on January 27, 2010, 08:17:09 am
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Hi,
As a newbie, I am wondering which Thermomix cookbooks I should invest in...especially since the recipes in the EDC is so variable.
Any suggestions?
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I though that there was another thread with this question - ? but the main one for me is the Vegetarien - it has lots of tested recipes.
There is a meat one coming out.
The Indian one is excellent - if you like Indian food
The Fast & Easy English book has lots of good recipes and some that could be improved.
The Demonstrator Delights from the UK is not wonderful for most people.
The Full Steam Ahead - you need to have a Varoma demo first and most are not impressed.
If you LOVE seafood then there are some good recipes in the Seafood book from Australia.
The Gluten Free book is very good if you have problems in that regard.
Some of the booklets have little gems.
Will leave others to comment.
I just can't help myself - but then spend all my time in the kitchen and on the computer and forget to check the books first. I hve re-created a few dishes that already had recipes - especially the schicciata con l'uva !!!!!! spent 3 hours sifting through my books and found a recipe and converted it - then found Ian Parmentier had contributed a recipe for the Vegetarian book !!!!! Bugger.
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This thread does sound familiar.....personally I still can't go past the forum recipes. There are sooooo many on here to try, and I've printed out heaps that I haven't got around to trying yet. And lots of new ones every day as well. And best of all, most recipes are reviewed, and many have fantastic photos.
Then, once you start converting your own recipes, the sky's the limit.
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What is the latest with the meat cookbook? Any updates? :)
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Of all the books, I love the Indian Cookery one the best. I love the design, the way the recipes show the Indian words for the ingredients, the recipes themselves and the information.
Glad you mentioned about the Full Steam Ahead as I was planning to have a Varoma demo, Thermomixer but may not bother now.
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I'd still have the demo just for the experience MJ. When I first browsed through my FSA cookbook I thought it was ridiculous (although has lovely pictures) and just not the way us Aussies cook but from time to time we get reviews from those game enough to try things and I have been putting postits on any recipe that has had a review. Surprisingly, they are mainly good reviews. The thing is, when is enough cookbooks enough and if we are not going to get around to using them then surely that is a waste of money. They are free on the forum and enough there to keep us going for years. Most of us are addicted to cookbooks though and just can't help but purchase any new ones that are published.
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Thank you. I was considering the Indian cookbook and now I am convinced!
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My pleasure!
JD, perhaps I will still have that Varoma demo then. I don't use it nearly enough!
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I though that there was another thread with this question - ? but the main one for me is the Vegetarien - it has lots of tested recipes.
Did you mean the Taste of Vegetarian... it looks good as well.
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we love our indian cookbook, its the best, we have the varoma cookbook and were disappointed with it, there really wasnt much we would consider cooking. thats just us though!
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I agree about the Varoma book. I like the layout of the recipes and the whole production and it looks great on first glance, but in the end there aren't that many recipes that inspire me to want to cook them.
If anyone is interested in having a copy (seeing how I've sold it so well :D :D :D) , I am willing to let mine go and will only charge postage (from the UK) for it. I've had a major purge of cookery books recently so don't want to hold onto any that I'm not going to use.
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Did you mean the Taste of Vegetarian... it looks good as well.
Yes, sorry Taste of Vegetarian is the one
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just got some books today (gluten free, festive flavour, budget busters, raw and taste of vegie) - so far am in love with the vegetarian book - and l'm not vegetarian!
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Also no vegetarians in this house, but love the book.
I also have made many things from the festive book also.
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What is the latest with the meat cookbook? Any updates? :)
Chelsea the 'Meat on the menu' book is a consultant incentive this month so I imagine it will be available for purchase in April ;) I will keep you all posted on that.
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Can't believe it - finally the meat cookbook, Yay.
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Thanks so much for the update Meagan. It will be nice to have in time for winter. :)
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Was racing through the posts to give an update on the Meat cookbook but see that it's already posted ;) :-*
Honestly, I hardly use my cookbooks. Either I convert my own recipes or use the forum ones mostly.
Perhaps if I got a bit more organised and menu planned I could do better at using the cookbooks ??? But now I'm looking to do the Liver Cleansing Diet by Dr Sandra Cabot so plan to covert everything I do to tmx.
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That sounds like a big job ILB !
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yes, but I pretty much only have my tmx to use, so it's a matter of having to ;) :-))
There will probably be a few flops but that's all part of converting.
I think the menu plan would help me a lot more to sticking to the menu rather than giving up because I cant decide what to cook or don't have the ingredients.
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Thx for the heads-up Meagan. Tenina told me that it was close - but they've been saying that for a while ;)
ILB - good luck, my stepson did the diet and I know there were lots of drinks that he could have made in the TMX.
Sure it will be a breeze, unless personal matters take over :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-))
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LOL Thanks Thermomixer. I've put it off for 2 months already. Just need to bite the bullet. Even DD is an excuse :-)) So I'll just have to see how it goes... that's why I think I need to menu plan.
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Just got My Way of Cooking today, only had a flick through it....it seems better than the FSA, but still some weird stuff in there!! Havent had a really good read of it yet so I should reserve my judgement until then!
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Rushed to the P.O today to pick up my copy of My Way Of Cooking. (I'm a cook book junkie) Sat down and read it cover to cover. Here are some first impressions.
Good lay out, 1 recipe per page, nice photos, useful information at top of each page.
The first 45 pages are what we already know about the workings of the TMX. (Maybe this is the book that should be given free when you purchase your TMX.)
The recipes are ho-hum, very ordinary, MUCH better ones on this Forum.
Made the "Whisky cream Liqueur", which i have reviewed, not to be recommended.
Many of the recipes are just revamped ones from EDC.
One of the recipes, Polish cheesecake, has , '2 packages of vanilla custard powder' an ingredient that is not readily available.
In conclusion, it is probably worth $30, but I would not pay $60 for it. And I would not panic to get hold of a copy.
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Thanks for the review Chookie. :)
I am amazed they have "vanilla custard powder" as an ingredient in a TMX cookbook in the first place. I'm sure it would be laced with the same nasties that normal custard powder is. What happened to cooking from scratch? Hmmmmmm
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Thanks for an interesting, truthful review on the book Chookie.
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As you said Chookie, sounds like a good one to give free with the TMX Chookie. Loved your honest review too. Pity there isn't a 30day money back guarantee on the book ;) ;)
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Thank you chookie. I really wanted this book with a vengeance but now am prepared to sit back and wait for it to come onto the open market without losing any friends (have already had 3 TM parties). Pretty hard to beat this forum it seems for recipes. Even that elusive Meat TM book will need to be pretty darn good to beat OUR recipes...
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Whilst I wouldn't rush out to purchase the book and agree with everything you have said Chookie, I just want to make the point that some of the recipes will appear a little weird to us just like the "Full Steam Ahead" book as it is an international Thermomix cookbook with recipes contributed from all Thermomixing countries. So like the FSA just substitute ingredients and use it for inspiration ;) ;)
Hopefully it will come on the open market some time soon. I'm wondering if there may be a series of official books in the making from Thermomix HQ as FSA is edition 1 and My Way of Cooking is edition 2 (they have the numbers on the spine even) :)
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Thanks Chookie - found you review ;)
I agree that it should be part of the package for new users as the front section is pretty boring for those old hands like us, but I think it is invaluable for new users and well worth the $30, but not $60.
Maybe TMX could do something similar for the EDC book as it would make it much more user friendly to have suggestions for quick meals, ...... (can't remember what all those pages were) in the front of the EDC.
Sad that the drink wasn't any good. I was hoping that these were really tried and tested recipes.
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The drink. in My Way Of Cooking, may have been just not to our taste. We are having visitors tonight so will try them out , without saying what we thought. Will report back.
I dont mind different types of recipes,faffa7o. We will give any thing a go, and are quite flexible in our likes. I thought on the whole the recipes were a bit boring.
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Had the visitors try the Whisky cream liqueur, without telling them what we thought. Too sweet and the Whisky too over powering.. They preferred the Irish Cream, which is on the Forum.
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Thanks Chookie - need to make note to self in book.
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I received My Way of Cooking yesterday which LOOKS great, but I'm not inspired by any of it TBH. We eat a bit of everything, but I find this book TOO international I think, which seems like a really odd statement, but bears no racism or xenophobia, truly!
All of that stuff at the front of the book is definitely for newbies, and is a considerable expense (in printing) for those of us who don't want it, don't need it, and didn't expect it! I do like the layout generally - FINALLY they indicate how many serves are made in the recipe! I hate that the EDC recipes can yield 10 portions with no warning LOL!
But yeah, fairly uninspiring, even if it looks nice, and has two fancy ribbon markers attached to the spine :P
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Depome I agree with you entirely. Maybe one or two things in there that I 'might' make, but nothing that Im rushing out to make. Im glad I didnt have a demo just to get one, and Im glad Im not a consultant having to do demos for those who might have wanted one and have to do the spiel about how brilliant the book is
Again JMO!
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Hi guys...the My Way of Cooking book has fast become one of my faves as everything I have tried out it has been fantastic! NO FAILs yet!
Crisp Shrimp Fritters p62 :)
Guacamole p50 :)
Vegetarian Sausage Rolls p66 (which are ours anyway) :)
Burritos p109 with oil not lard...FANTASTIC! :)
Chicken with Sauce Fernando p112 :) (for burritos as filling)
Portuguese Cream Tartlets p272 :)
Fitness Drink p291 :)
I'm afraid that is all Ive cooked out of it, I mainly concentrate on new stuff as you can imagine, but overall, really happy with results so far.
Hope this helps...remember, Vorwerk sell over 100,000 TM's in Europe alone, and this is a world wide distribution for this book, so obviously some recipes won't suit the Aussie palate/eating style...but give it a go.
;D ;D
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Tenina, delighted to see the things you have tried out of My Way Of Cooking. Being the good cook that you are it is most encouraging to see the variety that you tested. However just a couple of comments, firstly, I have been making Guacamole from day one, in fact had it last night. It hardly needs a page in a fairly expensive new publication. Secondly, the Portuguese Tarts, have been published on the Thermomix site, no doubt to inform about the publication. I would have preferred to see something that you had developed . I am sure it would have been more interesting and original. Lastly, the Chicken with sauce Fernando, reminds me of some of the methods in the Indian book where there are unnecessary steps. Why is the chicken removed and then placed back in the TMX bowl? I hope you don't think that I am being too harsh, it is just that such a wonderful machine needs to be supported by publications that extend the potential for those of us who have mastered the basics.
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Hey there...not harsh, but remember TM Australia have no control over the International publications at all. We contribute, though even those were a selection we sent from which the Vorwerk Team chose only 3. So now it is up to me to meet all your high expectations. It is a slow process, but I think we are winning the small battles one at a time. I appreciate all the good comments we get on the forum and love that you think I can do better! :o
Look forward to a good review from you all about Meat on the Menu...be kind! :P
;) ;) ;)
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I don't have My Way of Cooking....yet! But at the cooking class I went to last week, we got to taste the Almond Cake from Santiago. It is beautiful! I'm planning on making it for a treat for the workmates next week.
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Look forward to a good review from you all about Meat on the Menu...be kind! :P
I can't wait to buy it Tenina and try the recipes. Hopefully there are some winter warmer meals included as the cooler weather is definitely on it's way. :)
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I'm also looking forward to the new meat book as I feel I don't use my TMX for enough meat cooking. Not long before it becomes available.
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Meat on the Menu is available to order from your consultant from April 1st! That is tomorrow folks and not an April fools day joke as some might assume! :P
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Thanks Tenina - but there are no liver or tripe recipes ;) ;D :o :o :o
Had a quick look and it is good. lots of new ideas - did most come from your test kitchen ?? Good work. :-* :-* :-*
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I should note that the consultants will be able to order these from tomorrow for customers... - we won't have them on hand as of tomorrow ;)
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Hey Thermomixer did you have a preview?
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People who contributed a recipe got a copy. An incentive to write - but not many seemed to know about it.
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Picked up Meat cookbook and would have to say this is great. DD showed DH how to use the TM last night (its only taken a year) to make the Chicken Cacciatore and it turned out great, so tonight he made the Mushroom Rissotto and we put the spinach and sundried tomato variation in and now he is hooked. Washed up the TM straightaway and said he has to look after HIS machine. Ahem scuse me? whose machine?
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hi just wanted to add my opinion on the My way of Cooking. I was so excited to get the book then after sitting down and going through it i was bitterly dissapointed and nothing "tickles" my fancy and i can't see anything that i want to try. I think the EDC book is way better and not to mention the forum recipes. Sorry guys its a thumbs down for me.
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Have my copy as well of the Meat on the Menu cookbook, I have to say I am very impressed and good to see some new recipes as well as some favourites from this forum. I especially appreciate the little tidbits on converting your own meat recipes and mincing tips as extremely helpful. Well done Tenina and HO!! Keep the recipes coming.
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Has anybody used the UK version of Fast and Easy cookbook? The latest edition is out and before I commit to buy I am interested in people's opinions. I love the UK version of the Indian Fast and Easy cooking and am wondering if the quality of recipes are as good as the Indian cookbook.
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Today I took the plunge and ordered the latest edition of English version of the Fast and Easy cookbook based on Thermomixer's past advice that the previous edition is generally good but some elements could be improved. I am hoping that given that this is the third edition, they would have got rid of all the quirks by now.
My final deciding factor was the fact that I was tired of trying recipes from the EDC cookbook and always trying to improve it. Hopefully, I can just follow the recipe for the UK version!
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I understand where you are coming from courton - it's annoying isn't it >:( >:(
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I look forward to hearing what you think of it when you get it. :)
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I think you will really like the F&E book, it has lots of tips and information before recipes, and a few more different recipes to what we are used to with the EDC.
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hi just wanted to add my opinion on the My way of Cooking. I was so excited to get the book then after sitting down and going through it i was bitterly dissapointed and nothing "tickles" my fancy and i can't see anything that i want to try. I think the EDC book is way better and not to mention the forum recipes. Sorry guys its a thumbs down for me.
Yes I agree Mum23. I love the look of the book, but am hard pressed to find a recipe that I really want to cook from it. :(
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Today I took the plunge and ordered the latest edition of English version of the Fast and Easy cookbook based on Thermomixer's past advice that the previous edition is generally good but some elements could be improved. I am hoping that given that this is the third edition, they would have got rid of all the quirks by now.
My final deciding factor was the fact that I was tired of trying recipes from the EDC cookbook and always trying to improve it. Hopefully, I can just follow the recipe for the UK version!
On the whole I find it good, but this new edition has several errors in it, which is very annoying. I never came across an error in the last edition, and had full confidence in it. I've come across at least 3 errors in this new one, and wonder how many there are in total. Some of the recipes are also a bit unadventurous to be honest, which is strange considering that it's written by complete foodies. There are also a couple which just show how the TMX can be used for preparation rather than the full dish. Nevertheless, it's my favourite of the various cookbooks available.
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How & where can you purchase the English fast and easy book?
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Contact Isobel Turner at UK Thermomix - she is lovely, friendly and very competent.
I paid for it by credit card. But you can also do a bank credit.
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I have just received my UK Fast and Easy cookbook and my first impression is that it certainly has a wide variety of recipes and certainly a number of ones I look forward to trying. General first impression: A good buy.
CarolineW, would love to know if the errors you found were major ones... I dont want to have a cooking disaster on my hands.
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Have my copy as well of the Meat on the Menu cookbook, I have to say I am very impressed and good to see some new recipes as well as some favourites from this forum. I especially appreciate the little tidbits on converting your own meat recipes and mincing tips as extremely helpful. Well done Tenina and HO!! Keep the recipes coming.
YAY, is that finally a thumbs up for us?? Thanks, nice to hear... you have no idea how much I needed to hear that this week! :'(
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I've had a quick flick through too Tenina (thanks for posting my copy to me by the way) and there seems to be plenty of good stuff in there. It will be easier to gauge as reviews start coming through but this winter there will be plenty of recipes tried from that book, believe me. It must be a relief to hear good things for a change ;) ;)
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Tenina - I'm loving the Meat book!
My second fav is the Budget Busters too...
I actually like the format of our Australian books better than the International ones as ours are just so much easier to follow!
(although their pictures are nice)
All in all I am one very happy user! ;D ;D ;D
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Tenina - I'm loving the Meat book!
My second fav is the Budget Busters too...
Linda, what are your favourites from Budget Busters - there aren't many review of it on here.
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Cathy - the Tuscan Bread and Tomato Soup pg 13 except I don't do the bread, just the soup.. Quick and easy, cheap and cheerful.
But the best in the book in my opinion is the Coconut Chicken pg 18 - YUM YUM YUM ;D ;D
Easy to make, tastes great, costs diddly squat and will stretch a long way if you do rice and vegies with it too - an all round winner in my books!
Please can someone give me the proper pronunciation for Gozleme??????? I had the most delicious one at the Freo Markets a few weeks ago and want to try that (Budget Busters pg 8) Not that I can't make it without pronouncing it!!!!!
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As far as I know, it's goz lem eh. That's how I heard it pronounced on a foodie TV programme!
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As far as I know, it's goz lem eh. That's how I heard it pronounced on a foodie TV programme!
I think that is the correct way to say it. I had one yesterday....yummy. So its in the budget busters book.....another one to add to my wishlist!
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Don't need to buy the book http://tenina.com/2008/09/gozlemegerz-lem-ay/ (http://tenina.com/2008/09/gozlemegerz-lem-ay/)
Just send your money to me. ;)
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I have the Budget Busters and would also strongly recommend the Coconut Chicken recipe.
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Love to have an update to this. As it see s to quite an old post. So meat on the menu, any others?
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You really don't need any books with all the recipes here but.....
I'm really loving Alyce Alexandra's Quick Fix Every Occasion (her earlier books are great too)
and Tenina's books and ebooks are great too.
The Baby and Toddler Book is also great.
I have the Indian book and it does have some excellent recipes (esp Butter Chicken and Tikka Paste), but must say I haven't had my money's worth out of it.
I've got the vegetarian book and a few others too, but again with all the recipes here I've not used any of them as much as I should have.
You might like to look at the recipe book review section of the forum where the contents are listed so that you can choose books to suit your taste and then click on the individual recipe reviews to see what others think (that's what I do before I buy a book).