Books

Sushi
My Book of Caribbean Fruits
Simple and Delicious Sushi
Supervision in the Hospitality Industry 3e IM T/a (Paper Only)
The Food I Love
Advanced Practical Cookery
Food Preparation and Cooking: NVQ/SVQ Level 3
Simply Vegan: Quick Vegetarian Meals
Professional Cooking 4e IM
Questions and Answers for Practical Cookery
Minnesota Centennial Cookbook: 100 Years of Good Cooking
Cocktails
Patisserie and Confectionery: NVQ/SVQ Level 3 (NVQ/SVQ Workbook)
Everyone Eats: Understanding Food and Culture
Spirits and Liqueurs (Teach Yourself)
Everyone Eats: Understanding Food and Culture
Taste of the Raj
The Ivy: The Restaurant and Its Recipes
A Treasury of Persian Cuisine
Advanced Practical Cookery
The Complete Vegetarian Barbecue Book: Over 150 Delicious Recipes Plus Tips and Techniques
Low-carb Smoothies: 50 Delicious Recipes for a Healthy Diet
The Harry's Bar Cookbook
The Livebait Cookbook
The Star Chefs

Average customer rating:

Lovely pictures
Very Unhappy With This Book It has None Of The Main Roll Recipes
Super easy!
Holy-Crap-Ton This book is amazing!
Yummy Book!

The Complete Book Of Sushi
Hideo Dekura , Brigid Treloar , and Ryuichi Yoshii
Manufacturer: Periplus Editions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Cookbooks | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Sushi: Taste and Techniques
Sushi for Dummies
Joyce Chen Sushi Kit
Sushi (Essential Kitchen Series)
Sushi Deluxe Book & Kit

ASIN: 0794603165

Book Description

The Complete Book of Sushi is the definitive collection of traditional, contemporary and innovative recipes for lovers of this Japanese cuisine. Fresh and delicious, sushi is one of the healthiest foods you can eat, as it's low in fat and high in essential vitamins and minerals. Aesthetically pleasing, sushi is also surprisingly simple to make. This practical book will show you how to create beautiful and elegant sushi dishes with ease.
Featuring a wide variety of recipes for:
Planning and preparing a sushi meal
Sushi rolls
Nigiri-sushi
Molded sushi
Hand-Rolled sushi
Vegetarian sushi
Chirashi-sushi
Wrapped sushi
Sushi rice in fried tofu bags
Sushi in a bowl
New sushi
Drinks, sauces and side dishes

Customer Reviews:

Lovely pictures.......2007-05-30

The explanations are pretty good, but what sets this book apart is the pictures: large, beautiful and varied. After reading reviews for this book and for the rather unlikely Sushi for Dummies, I elected to purchase both, this one for illustrations and admittedly decent content and the other book because, after all, "dummy" pretty well describes me.

Very Unhappy With This Book It has None Of The Main Roll Recipes.......2007-05-30

Today I received this book it has none of the main sushi roll recipes (spicy tuna roll, normal california roll, hawaiian roll, tiger roll, dynamite roll, pizza roll, crunchy shrimp rolls, etc. etc. etc.) mainly vegitarian rolls, and sashimi.

It does have nice pictures too bad it doesn't have good recipes. I am very disappointed with this book and am returning it.

Super easy!.......2007-05-12

This book has great full color pictures throughout. The directions have photos with each step. The directions are simple and super easy to understand. We made great sushi the first time!!!

Holy-Crap-Ton This book is amazing!.......2007-04-27

Details tools used, spices used, meats used, misc ingredients used.. and even has pictures of it all! I bought this book knowing absolutely NOTHING about sushi, but now I feel pretty darn confident! Thanks!

Yummy Book!.......2007-01-26

I bought this book for my nephew for the holidays, and we both enjoyed it a lot. I always know a gift is a good one when it's the first thing that gets pored over. We liked reading the history and etiquette of sushi, and tried a couple of the recipes - we actually pickled our own ginger one evening! The photos are gorgeous, the recipes are easy to follow, and the ideas for different kinds of sushi are inventive and fresh. Highly recommended.

Praise Habit: Finding God In Sunsets And Sushi

Average customer rating:

Great way to start a conversation about Christianity
GOD, brilliant Lord, yours is a household name.
praiseworthy!
For a casual fan, a good read
Enjoyable devotional if a little flat in spots.

Praise Habit: Finding God In Sunsets And Sushi
David A. Crowder
Manufacturer: Navpress Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Ritual | Other Practices | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Religion & Spirituality Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven, but Nobody Wants to Die: Or the Eschatology of Bluegrass
The Way I Was Made: Words and Music for an Unusual Life
I Am Not But I Know I AM: Welcome to the Story of God
The Air I Breathe: Worship as a Way of Life
Facedown (The Worship Series)

ASIN: 1576836703

Book Description

David Crowder redefines your perspective of a God beyond imagination and helps you develop a habit of praising Him by reflecting on targeted psalms from The Message//Remix.

Customer Reviews:

Great way to start a conversation about Christianity.......2007-05-29

If you are a youth or young adult and you are looking for a light book to pass on to a non Christian (or wavering Christian) friend, this is it. It's also a good book for any Christian who likes a good read. The writing style is unique and often humorous. It reads like journal entries so don't expect perfect grammer (complete sentences). I only say this because the only one star rating mentions this. If you check his profile, you will notice many of his reviews are negative though so I don't know how trustworthy a reviewer he is for the under 30 crowd. I, however, work with youth group at church, lead the young adults ministry, am an adolescent counselor, and am actually under 30. Therefore, I think I have a pretty good grip on what this age group likes. I have many friends who have read this book (ages 16-27) and not one of them has disliked it. I think that says a lot. It makes you think, and gives you the opportunity to discuss your faith with others in an open and honest way. Isn't that all that really matters in the end?

GOD, brilliant Lord, yours is a household name........2007-04-27

"Let the knowledge of His transcendence bring us back to life. Let it flow like blood to sleeping limbs, and feel them tingle as they awake in awe. Shake life back into your legs and let them carry you running with wind and thunder. Shake life back into your chest and let your heart beat in pounding reverence. Let praise come face to the ground, trembling with life an awareness that we are found by a holy God."
- pg. 70, on Psalm 29

This book for me was absolutely breathtaking. In it, Crowder uses the ancient practice of "Lectio Divina", which he later explains. This method consists of reading Scripture not to try and pull things out of it, but rather slowly reading through a passage of Scripture, chewing it up, and just being quiet and meditating on what you just heard. Breathe it in slowly, absorb the perfume of God's Word, let it settle in on you. Then, after some time, when settled, write your own response.

Crowder examines 21 different Psalms from the Old Testament (starting w/ Ps. 1 and ending w/ Ps. 150) in Lectio Divina style. In each of these very short chapters, he starts by writing the Psalm for the reader. All Psalms are taken from Eugene Peterson's "The Message Remix". This was for me reading these 21 Psalms in a new light than ever before. And the view was breathtaking. (I'm buying a Psalm book in "The Message" now, because I was so taken aback.)

After the Psalm, the reader will find Crowder's own "lectio divina" on that Psalm. Crowder is an extremely unique writer and an amazing communicator. I have included a quote from his Psalm 29 "lectio divina" at the top of the post. Crowder will start off talking about something in his life that seems totally unrelated to the Psalm itself; meeting Richard Simmons, taking up photography, his childhood desire for a nickname, going to the bathroom, his own short term memory, the childhood bully, all kinds of stuff. But by within the next few pages he's turned it around into something grand, something magnificent, a breathtaking view of the Psalm. He discusses individual and corporate worship, the name of Yahweh, the transcendence of our God, His amazing love, his vast creativity, hope in the midst of despair, God's glory, and on and on.

In the beginning of the book, Crowder discusses that his purpose is to help the reader understand the "praise habit". How, just like a little kid finding a toy who can't help but hold it up triumphantly and show the world his new prise, praise for our God should flow forth uninterrupted from our lives. How we find God in the pew at church, in the Bible at home, and in a chicken sandwich at Arby's. God is here among His people.

In this book you will laugh out loud at Crowder's humor, raise your eyebrows at his unexplainable (self-admitted) quirkiness, and wonder at his truly amazing ability to communicate the God of the universe to the human soul.

Does a nun have to decide what to wear in the morning? No, she just puts on her habit... day in, and day out. And so should we, our Praise Habit, until it becomes "habit"ual.

On the back cover is a reference to Psalm 64:10; "... Good-hearted people, make praise your habit." There's a brief, three paragraph synopsis of the book, starting out, "Praise is something we are, not something we do." This first of Crowder's books is, on the back cover, recommended by Donald Miller ("Blue Like Jazz", "To Own A Dragon", "Through Painted Desserts") and Brian McLaren (pastor, author of "A New Kind of Christian", voice for the today's emergent church).

I recommend this book as one of the best you'll ever read. I would also encourage you to check out his second book, "Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven, but Nobody Wants to Die, or (The Eschatology of Bluegrass)".

praiseworthy!.......2007-03-09

i bought this book and everybody wants to go to heaven.. at the same time, this is my fave by far. it's one of those books you know you'll read over and over. in fact, i have to re-buy it because i gave it to my pal for her birthday! it's very easy to read, very personal, i like the personal recollections that david included. i would definitely recommend this book.

For a casual fan, a good read.......2007-01-18

David Crowder tackles the topic of praise in a very readable and interesting manner in 'Praise Habit'. THe topic of worship and how verbal, sung praise fits into worship, and whether or not it is a fluffy or necessary part of Christianity is a hot topic, and Crowder makes a strong argument for singing praise to be a part of our lifestyle, that we have to glorify God the way religious wear their habit--it has to be a visible sign of our commitment to Christ.

The only thing I didn't like about this book was that about half of it was just psalms with reflections, and Crowder uses "The Message: Remix" translation, which I can't stand. This is probably just a personal dislike, and the rest of the book is great.

Enjoyable devotional if a little flat in spots........2006-12-15

Praise Habit by David A. Crowder is a nice devotional about finding God in everyday places where we don't normally look for him. Crowder does a terrific job of reminding us why it's so important to praise God in all things. Each chapter starts with a Psalm from The Message Bible. The language is very modern; it can occasionally be off-putting, but for the most part brings new depth to the verses. After the Psalm, Crowder gives the reader a short anecdote, usually humorous, about events in his own life. Where the book stumbles is in the connecting of the Psalms to these stories. Sometimes it works, other times it doesn't. I didn't connect with this book the way that I like to with a devotional, but it was still an enjoyable read.

Average customer rating:

Wonderful little boar book
my baby LOVES these books
cool and quirky board book
First Book of Sushi - Tiny Little Book
Turning raw fish into fun rhymes

First Book of Sushi (World Snacks)
Amy Wilson Sanger
Manufacturer: Tricycle Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

Board Books | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Cooking | Sports & Activities | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Social Skills | Issues | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Children's Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Yum Yum Dim Sum (World Snacks)
Hola Jalapeno (World Snacks)
Mangia! Mangia! (World Snacks)
Let's Nosh (World Snacks)
Urban Babies Wear Black

ASIN: 1582460507

Amazon.com

For families that place good food high on their list of priorities, educating their wee ones about the joys of sushi may be far more important than teaching about bunnies and balls and flowers. But even those who don't know futomaki from hatahata will relish the playful rhymes and lush collages in Amy Wilson Sanger's wonderful First Book of Sushi.

Miso in my sippy cup,
tofu in my bowl.
Crab and avocado
fill my California roll.

English-speaking tots will love wrapping their lips around Japanese words such as tekka maki, ebi, and wasabi, and will soon be joining in the bouncy recitation of sushi favorites for the very young. This bright little board book, with its gorgeous array of patterns and textured, mixed-media collages, looks good enough to eat. And who knows, it might even inspire picky eaters to try a little egg tamago or squishy salmon roe (otherwise known as ikura)! (Baby to preschool) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

For the littlest fans of that favorite Japanese finger food comes a sturdy board book sure to inspire giggles (and even some growling stomachs!). Sanger's textural, mixed media and cut paper collages form an ideal accompaniment to her bouncy rhyming text to captivate/fascinate even the most finicky eaters. Whether a temaki know-it-all or clueless about ebi, First Book of Sushi is a welcome side dish for nori experts and novices of all ages.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful little boar book.......2007-06-01

This is a really cute little book. Perfect for any sushi loving parent. For the food lovers, she's done books for lots of different cuisines.

my baby LOVES these books.......2007-05-23

i was given a stack of these board books at my baby shower. First Book of Sushi, Yum Yum Dim Sum, Urban Babies Wear Black, as well as, the Petit Connoisseur: Art and The Petit Connoisseur: fashion, my kid LOVES them!! As stated they are BOARD books so your older kids who can actually read may get bored but for the little ones these are fun rhyming colorful introductions to different foods and such! And they are virtually indestructible! Great addition to any new baby room!

cool and quirky board book.......2007-05-07

My one year old son loves this board book! We actually have the entire series. It's fun and creative, and I don't have to worry about him ripping the pages. We are hooked!

First Book of Sushi - Tiny Little Book.......2007-01-22

This is a very little kid's book, one of those small 5.5 inch x 5.5 inch, indestructable, 10 thick little pages. I was surprised when I received it. Almost too infant-like for my 5 yr old. It was a little fun though and I didn't return it. Just skimpy, a little disappointing. Honestly, can't remember if it was adequately decribed in the Amazon description. For $6.95, you decide.

Turning raw fish into fun rhymes.......2006-11-05

This is a fun twist on your typical children's book. Its got colorful pictures and whimsical rhymes, but the funniest part is the subject matter -- sushi: "I'll take yellowtail hamachi / and a red maguro slice. / Big, BIG futomaki has so many grains of rice!"

I'm sure my kids don't understand exactly what what's being talked about (and sometimes I don't either). But there's a pleasant pace to the rhymes and the words are fun to say out loud ("tekka maki" and "kappa maki" sound a bit like the nonsense phrases of Dr. Seuss).

Don't forget to notice that the last line of the story is actually on the back of the book. The first couple times I read it to my kids I didn't see that, and the book seemed to come to a puzzlingly abrupt end.

Average customer rating:

Some of Nobu's signature dishes in a top quality book
Model of the excellent coffee table cookbook.
very satisfied with this provider
EXCEPTIONAL COOKBOOK
An absolute Gourmet cookbook!

Nobu: The Cookbook
Nobuyuki Matsuhisa , and Robert DeNiro
Manufacturer: Kodansha International
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Martha Stewart | Expert Advice | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Cookbooks | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Home & Garden Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Nobu Now
Nobu West
Tetsuya: Recipes from Australia's Most Acclaimed Chef
Kaiseki: The Exquisite Cuisine of Kyoto's Kikunoi Restaurant
Amuse-Bouche: Little Bites That Delight Before the Meal Begins

ASIN: 4770025335

Amazon.com

Excruciatingly chic to the highest degree, the Nobu restaurants are among the hardest to get into on three continents. They are the personal inspiration of a Japanese sushi-trained chef, Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, who, with unusual experiences in Peru, Argentina, and Alaska behind him, was fortunate enough to open an establishment in Los Angeles into which part-time restaurant entrepreneur and actor Robert De Niro happened to wander. During those years on the Pacific coast, Nobu began to experiment, combining the pure, fresh, uncomplicated flavors of sushi with the Western flavors of garlic, chili, and coriander. As he attracted a more upscale clientele, he complemented those flavors with luxury ingredients such as truffles and caviar. Nobu: The Cookbook represents the current state of play. Exquisite, expensive, and breathtakingly stylish, this food is designed to impress with its artful simplicity. Perhaps the two most representative dishes are the most celebrated: the New-Style Sushi, in which raw fish is given a sizzling dressing of hot oil; and the beautiful Black Cod with Miso, marinated in sake, mirin, and miso for three days then grilled and baked and served with a single ikebana-like spear of pickled juvenile ginger. Altogether a beautiful production.

There are aspects of this cooking, however, that for all its glamour may require the turning of a blind eye. How many home cooks will be prepared to disembowel a live octopus? And eyebrows may be raised among environmentalists at Nobu's championing of Arctic sea bass, a fish known before its cosmetic rechristening a few years ago as Patagonian tooth fish and that is likely to become extinct within three years through illegal overfishing in the southern oceans. Food for thought. --Robin Davidson, Amazon.co.uk

Book Description

Nobu Matsuhisa should need little introduction. With his multinational and ever expanding empire of twelve restaurants in the United States, United Kingdom, Italy and Japan--others will be coming soon to Paris and Sydney--he has become the most talked-about restaurateur of recent years and arguably the world's greatest sushi chef. This is the man, after all, who has lured legions of celebrities--regulars include Robert De Niro, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, Barbara Streisand, Giorgio Armani, Demi Moore, Madonna, ... the list goes on--with his unique and original combination of the finest skills and ingredients of Japanese cuisine with an imaginative acceptance of Western, particularly South American, cooking.

In Nobu: The Cookbook--his first book in any language--Nobu reveals the secrets to his food and indeed the essence of all Japanese cuisine: the art of using very simple techniques to bring out the latent flavors in the very best ingredients that the world's oceans have to offer. He has presented fifty original recipes for fish and seafood that include all the signature dishes--Matsuhisa Shrimp, Live Octopus Tiradito, Squid Pasta, Black Cod (De Niro's favorite), New Style Sashimi and Sashimi Salad (Tom Cruise's favorite). There is a chapter dedicated to sushi where readers can learn how to make Nobu's own highly original Soft Shell Crab Roll, Salmon Skin Roll and House Special Roll. Eleven salad and vegetable dishes and four Nobu dessert recipes have been added so that anyone can recreate that exclusive Nobu dinner in their own kitchen. There is even a special chapter about alcoholic accompaniments.

Nobu: The Cookbook, however, is not just about food and cooking, it also introduces the story of Nobu's rich and varied life. It is the story of a boy from the country who became one of the most renowned chefs of his generation after working in Peru and Argentina and seeing his first restaurant in Alaska go up in flames before his eyes. It is the story of a Japanese man who was befriended by America's rich and famous and went into the restaurant business with De Niro in New York, and more recently, Giorgio Armani in Milan. His friends also appear in the book. There is a foreword by De Niro, an introduction by Martha Stewart and an afterword by Ken Takakura, the internationally renowned Japanese actor.

Customer Reviews:

Some of Nobu's signature dishes in a top quality book.......2006-03-03

Kodansha's corporate big wigs are Nobu fans so when he chose them to publish his first cook book, they decided to match the quality of the book to the quality of Nobu's ingredients. They used an eight colour separation process (absurdly expensive) for all the fish pictures, and try as you might you can't really see the dots that compose the image, at least not without a magnifying glass.

Nobu's aim is to proudly lay himself open to his public. He doesn't fear revealing his secrets because he's confident enough to know his style and character are unique to him. He wants to inspire amateur chefs.

Here are three of the simpler dishes that anyone could make.

1) Sea urchin in a shiitake mushroom cap, wrapped in steamed spinach, served on an egg sauce with a spoonful of salmon roe

2) Asparagus topped with salmon roe

3) Steamed monkfish liver with caviar

As the saying goes, the media is the message and the pictures actually help the amateur chef no end. With the superb pictures that accompany the recipes, you can execute these dishes almost from the name of the recipe alone. Without the pictures, you can't.

One caveat. Nobu is a name dropper. I've no doubt that Robert De Niro, Martha Stewart, Ken takakura, and Linda Evans really are his friends but he mentions famous names too often for my taste. On the other hand when I went to Nobu Tokyo during Nobu week, he was there and toured the dining room. He stopped by our table and signed a copy of his book for me. So he's not too proud to smile and have chat with us rabble; he really likes his customers.

Vincent Poirier, Tokyo

Model of the excellent coffee table cookbook........2005-10-30

'nobu THE cookbook' by Nobuyuki Matsuhisa is Nobu's first cookbook and as he has a new title on the bookstands now, I thought it was high time I got around to reviewing it.

For starters, I must say I rank photographic flash way down on my list of criteria for a good cookbook. I have very little use for cookbooks used to grace a coffee table, since I have no coffee table. So, If impressive looking cookbooks from famous chefs is your cup of tea, then this is an excellent book. Otherwise, it doesn't do a lot for me.

For starters, while the book deals almost exclusively with fish cookery and raw fish dishes, the introductory material on techniques, especially knife techniques is pretty thin. The story on sushi prep is that it takes years to learn everything you need to know about good knife techniques, and we are given but a half a page without even some pictures of the types of knives used in the three techniques described.

I will say that most of the recipes are relatively simple, as long as you have the right skills, but the ingredients for a lot of the dishes are somewhere between difficult and impossible to find. The poster boy for this state of affairs is abalone. Throughout my whole life, I have never seen fresh abalone available on the east coast fishmonger's counter. Now, I suspect this Pacific shellfish is endangered almost to the point of extinction. But, as Bob Kinkaid so eloquently says in his cookbook, high end restaurants can get things which are simply beyond the reach of the average shopper.

If this were a book on classic Japanese cookery, I would have a higher opinion of it, but it is a song to the virtues of Nobu Matsuhisa. It is a very pretty song, well graced with paeons from business partner Robert DeNiro, best bud, Martha Stewart, and about twenty testimonial blurbs from the culinary greats.

If your thing is good books on and about celebrity chefs, buy this book. But, if your interest is Japanese cooking in general, start with Shizuo Tsuji's 'Japanese Cooking, A Simple Art'.

very satisfied with this provider.......2005-10-11

The book was in perfect shape, and it arrived promptly. This was a very good transaction, thank you

EXCEPTIONAL COOKBOOK.......2005-03-29

The recipes in this cook book are truly exceptional. The photography is beautiful and they aid in designing the finished dishes so they look beautiful as well as apetizing. I had a dinner for my relatives and used about 5 recipes from this cook book in one night. You know you have a good cookbook when all the guests talk about is the food! The only caveat would be for folks who don't have access to a good asian grocery store to find the ingredients or those who don't have the patience to do detailed prep work. For the gourmet cook who loves to please thier guests with the best dining experience--this cookbook will rock your world.

An absolute Gourmet cookbook!.......2004-08-02

This is one of my favorite cookbooks - an absolute gourmet experience that will appeal to everyone who loves Nobu's cooking. For those who also loves cruises: the book features some of his recipes found on board Crystal Serenity where the Sushi Bar features menu selections prepared by a Nobu-trained chef, and the Asian restaurant, Silk Road, features a six-course menu with dishes selected by Nobu as well. Fabulous photographs make cooking really easy and enjoyable.

-EV/Cruising Cuisine-

Average customer rating:

"For Dummies" marches on!
Perfect book for sushi beginners.
Blessing from the gods
Well-written and informative
Excellent for the novice

Sushi for Dummies
Judi Strada , and Mineko Takane Moreno
Manufacturer: For Dummies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Culinary Arts & Techniques | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Cookbooks | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Joyce Chen Sushi Kit
The Complete Book Of Sushi
Sushi: Taste and Techniques
The Best 50 Sushi Rolls (Best 50)
Sushi (Essential Kitchen Series)

ASIN: 0764544659

Book Description

Demystify the sushi bar experience

Stuffed with tips and tricks – you’ll roll, press, and mold sushi like a pro!

From rolling sushi properly to presenting it with pizzazz, this book has everything you need to know to impress your friends with homemade maki-sushi (rolls) and nigiri-sushi (individual pieces). You’ll find over 55 recipes from Tuna Sushi Rice Balls to Rainbow Rolls, plus handy techniques to demystify the art of sushi making – and make it fun!

Discover how to:

Find the right equipment and ingredients
Understand the special language of sushi
Make fragrant sushi rice
Prepare vegetarian and fish-free recipes
Dish up sushi-friendly drinks and side dishes

Customer Reviews:

"For Dummies" marches on!.......2007-05-30

This is the first "For Dummies" book I've seen with pictures. It's a nice try, but I wouldn't make this my only sushi cookbook. The explanations are pretty good and well in keeping with the "for dummies" tradition. I think sometimes they waffle a little bit on principles (saying one thing, but then admitting that they do it another way).

After reading reviews for this rather unlikely book and for another book with reputedly superb photography, I elected to purchase both and I wasn't disappointed: the other book with the amazing illustrations wasn't expensive and the two really complement each other: The Complete Book Of Sushi! The price is right: buy both.

Perfect book for sushi beginners........2007-05-19

I read this book from cover to cover twice. It's well laid out and covers most of the aspects of sushi making. It was a very easy read.

I wish it had more pictures. Had lots of illustrations though.

Blessing from the gods.......2007-05-12

I had no idea how to prepare sushi before I got this book but i really wanted to learn how becuase i love the stuff and its to expensive at sushi bars. I was very impressed with this book. Its very simple to understand (hence the title!) and has a great layout with lots of superb recipes, enjoy!

Well-written and informative.......2007-04-03

I used this book to make sushi over the weekend and found it to be very instructive and simple to use (as well as humorous and pleasant to read). I followed the directions for making the rice on the stove top and it turned out perfect! The detailed maki-rolling instructions/diagrams were easy to follow, and my rolls ended up looking (and tasting) great! My friends were all impressed. I also learned a ton about the cultural aspects of sushi that I didn't know before, and I considered myself fairly knowledgable.

The only reason I give four stars instead of five is that I didn't feel there were enough recipes for different types of rolls, or nearly enough pictures. But the focus of this book is on technique and the process of making sushi (not necessarily recipes) and for that it was invaluable. I plan to purchase another book to use solely for recipes.

Side Note: The only other special equipment I purchased was the Joyce Chen Sushi Mat and Rice Paddle Set. You can make great sushi using the techniques in this book without buying a lot of extra kitchen gadgets. I turned my rice out onto a large plastic bowl and it worked great.

Excellent for the novice.......2007-02-14

Perfect for the novice who loves sushi but is tired of going out for it. Great tips on what you need; making perfect rice, how to cut ingredients, products you need to do it like the pros. Good recipes, too, altho I wish there were more of them. Well worth the investment if you are interested in making sushi at home.

Average customer rating:

Great Buy!
Sushi in a snap.
Sweet little kit
Good for the money
Amazing Value

Sushi Deluxe Book & Kit
Kumfoo Wong
Manufacturer: Sterling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Cookbooks | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Best 50 Sushi Rolls (Best 50)
The Complete Book Of Sushi
Sushi for Dummies
Joyce Chen Sushi Kit
Easy Sushi

ASIN: 1402729383

Book Description

Making sushi is the culinary art of beautifully presenting colors, textures, and subtle flavors to yield unmatched sensations. Now anyone can become a sushi chef who creates dishes that taste and look magnificent. From the best book on preparation to the equipment needed to carry it out, this kit has everything—except the fish! Start with Sushi Made Easy. This guide reveals how to make a feast and is itself a feast for the eyes, with exquisite line drawings and luscious photography that show exactly how to prepare each perfect piece of sushi. Then get to work serving with one 9" x 10" top-quality bamboo rolling mat, one 5-piece plastic rice mold, four pairs of black and gold lacquer chopsticks, four ebony-stone chopstick rests, and two lovely ceramic plates for dipping sauce.

Customer Reviews:

Great Buy!.......2007-05-17

This is a wonderful purchase for the beginning sushi chef! Very informative and easy to understand.

Sushi in a snap........2007-04-23

I bought this kit because my wife and I are addicted to Sushi, but the cost was killing us. To aleaviate the financial strain we decided to learn to make Sushi ourselves. This kit has it all; An easy to read how to booklet, bamboo rolling mat, dipping dishes, rice molds for sashimi and four sets of reusable chop sticks. All of this together in a very nice storage box package. As for solving our sushi desire it has. Although making sushi is a time consuming ordeal at first, once you get the hang of it you will want to throw sushi parties for all your friends. The hardest part of making sushi would be perfecting the sticky rice and locating all the ingredients at your local supermarket, but as far as cost goes you will spend a fraction of what it costs to purchase ready made sushi in a resteraunt or market.

Sweet little kit.......2007-04-10

This is a cute little kit. It comes as a pressboard cabinet with drawers containing the chopsticks, rice press and book. It has everything you need to get started trying your hand at sushi preparation. I recommend it.

Good for the money.......2007-02-21

The book seems a little complicated, it says it's for beginners but then contradicts itself by saying, "this is how the pros do it...." We haven't tried the set out yet but it's a good basic beginner's set. I think the book should be more geared towards beginners. It's nice that it does show different kinds of sushi and what exactly goes into them.

Amazing Value.......2007-02-15

I purchased the Sushi Deluxe Book & Kit as a gift and ended up keeping it for myself. The book is small but informative which is why I rated it a 4 instead of 5. The really amazing value is the kit. The chopsticks and accompanying dishes are very good quality. It also comes with a bamboo mat for making sushi rolls. Based upon quality and price I would recommend this item to anyone who is a novice at sushi making.

Average customer rating:

Good one. I recomend it.
Buy it!
Great book for the beginner and connoiseur!!
Great sushi book!
Very Informative for the novice...

Sushi: Taste and Techniques
Kimiko Barber , and Hiroki Takemura
Manufacturer: DK ADULT
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Cookbooks | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Complete Book Of Sushi
Encyclopedia of Sushi Rolls
Sushi for Dummies
Sushi (Essential Kitchen Series)
Joyce Chen Sushi Kit

ASIN: 0789489163

Book Description

This beautifully illustrated guide will enable readers to master and appreciate the art of sushi. The quintessential book for any sushi lover, Sushi: Taste and Technique shows you all you need to know about this exceptionally delicious and healthy cuisine, how to locate the freshest ingredients, how to use the right equipment, and how to master the etiquette of eating sushi correctly. From makizushi to hand rolls to vegetarian versions, this book teaches you how to create any kind of sushi.

Customer Reviews:

Good one. I recomend it........2007-05-13

Excelent book with lot of pictures to show the final result.

Buy it!.......2006-02-05

The photos in this book are beautiful and inspiring. I cannot read it without wanting to make sushi.

Contents include under these major categories:
-Basics
-Making
-Eating

The best part is the simple and clean photography, especially of the fish which the show what they look like both whole (scales and all) to cut up.

The "pressed sushi" section is my favorite, very impressive!

Great book for the beginner and connoiseur!!.......2005-09-20

Absolutely loved this book. I like to make my own sushi and this book is simply amazing. Excellent photos with very detailed instructions.

I especially like the section with all the different types of fish and how to cut each one.

Great sushi book!.......2005-08-14

This book is really good for beginner, very simple to learn too.

Very Informative for the novice..........2005-01-25

I found this book in the public library and decided to buy a copy for myself...this book is very informative for those starting out in sushi making. Lots of pics and step-by-step instruction. I have read other books that include sushi, but this one focuses on preparation, technique and finding ingredients.
I really appreciate the encouragement from the author that making sushi can be by anyone!

Sex, Drugs, Einstein & Elves: Sushi, Psychedelics, Parallel Universes and the Quest for Transcendence

Average customer rating:

A tapas bar for the mind
Expand your mind
A book that expands your mind
What's the word I want?
One of My All-Time Favorite Books!

Sex, Drugs, Einstein & Elves: Sushi, Psychedelics, Parallel Universes and the Quest for Transcendence
Clifford A. Pickover
Manufacturer: Smart Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Mathematical Physics | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

Essays & Commentary | Science | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Science Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

A Passion for Mathematics: Numbers, Puzzles, Madness, Religion, and the Quest for Reality
A Beginner's Guide to Immortality: Extraordinary People, Alien Brains, and Quantum Resurrection
The Paradox of God and the Science of Omniscience
The Mobius Strip: Dr. August Mobius's Marvelous Band in Mathematics, Games, Literature, Art, Technology, and Cosmology
Time: A Traveler's Guide

ASIN: 1890572179

Book Description

A smorgasbord of subjects designed to bend reality and stretch the reader's mind.

Customer Reviews:

A tapas bar for the mind.......2007-06-21

DO NOT MISS! There are more things pointed out in SDE&E than are dreamt of in ANYBODY's philosophy. SDE&E is the intellectual and imaginative equivalent of an evening at the world's most wonderful tapas bar, where everything on the menu is free (once you've cleared the cover charge by buying the book). If you like Rudy "Karl Tucker" Rucker, Vernor "Powers" Vinge, Gregory "Cosm" Benford, James "Connections" Burke, Douglas "Strange Loop" Hofstadter and/or Terry "SHRDLU" Winograd (not to mentions Proust and Joyce), then Clifford Pickover's the sentient entity for you! He'll be your spirit guide and trip-sitter through 3+1d (or is it 10+1d?) spacetime, the mind, infinity and beyond! This is your brain. This is your brain on Pickover. Any questions?

Expand your mind.......2007-03-22

As the title suggests, Sex, Drugs, Einstein, & Elves presents the reader with a seemingly endless variety of topics that stimulate and expand the mind. Although it may seem overwhelming at first, the transitions between topics such as DMT, Proust, religion, reality, perception, and countless others are smooth and surprisingly relevant. It's brain candy.

A book that expands your mind.......2007-03-06

This is a fantastic book. There are so many fascinating ideas in this book and written in an entertaining and easily understood way. Here is a chance to benefit from the mind of someone who has obviously spent his life thinking and exploring his mind and his world, yet he never comes off as pompous or arrogant. I imagine sitting with Mr. Pickover over a few beers would probably set your mind spinning in new directions and you would never be the same again. I look forward to reading some more of his books. Check out his website, I have it as my home page. : [...]

What's the word I want?.......2007-02-11

Somewhere in this book the author uses a word to describe somebody who is in love with words, it should be written above as a title to this review because the author is a prime example, but unfortunately I have forgotten it already along with a whole plethora of other fascinating information.
So in a few months time I may have the pleasure of reading it more carefully a second time, whilst the first time reader will be indebted to him for his many instructive references to Marcel Proust whose name might well have been included in the list of subjects covered by the title, had this not made the title too cumbersome.

One of My All-Time Favorite Books!.......2007-02-05

Sex, Drugs, Einstein, & Elves is one of my all-time favorite books. I simply could not put this book down! From quantum theory to hallucinogenic worms, Clifford Pickover's fascinating orgy of page-turning, paradigm-shifting ideas about cutting-edge science and unexplained phenomena simply blew my mind. Sex, Drugs, Einstein, & Elves is the literary equivalent of a psychedelic experience; after reading this book you will never see reality the same again. Highly recommended!

Talking Right: How Conservatives Turned Liberalism into a Tax-Raising, Latte-Drinking, Sushi-Eating, Volvo-Driving, New York Times-Reading, Body-Piercing, Hollywood-Loving, Left-Wing Freak Show

Average customer rating:

Must Read on Political Frames
Fear of psychology
The Sound of One Hand Clapping
How to tilt public perceptions
A book about the shadow, arguing for the importance of the substance

Talking Right: How Conservatives Turned Liberalism into a Tax-Raising, Latte-Drinking, Sushi-Eating, Volvo-Driving, New York Times-Reading, Body-Piercing, Hollywood-Loving, Left-Wing Freak Show

Manufacturer: PublicAffairs
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Communications | Skills | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Political Parties | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Linguistics | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Business Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Reference Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Whose Freedom?: The Battle over America's Most Important Idea
Thinking Points: Communicating Our American Values and Vision
Going Nucular: Language, Politics. and Culture in Confrontational Times
The Way We Talk Now
Conservatives Without Conscience

ASIN: 1586483862

Book Description

A captivating and outraged account of "The Great Relabeling" of American language and thought, by the well-known "Fresh Air" commentator and author of Going Nucular

Geoffrey Nunberg breaks new ground with this fierce and funny narrative of how the political right has ushered in a new world order, aided unwittingly by the liberal media.

Democrats are well known for their "lousy bumper stickers," as Joe Klein puts it. As liberals wade through the semantics of "social security lockbox," "single payer," and other wonky locutions, the right has become harder, meaner and better at getting out the message: the estate tax became the more menacing "death tax" and a contentious education initiative was wrapped in the comforting (and memorable) blanket of "No Child Left Behind."

But Nunberg shows that the real story is more subtle than just a bumper sticker war. Conservatives' main goal wasn't to win voters over to their positions on healthcare, education, or the environment. They had a much more dramatic ambition. By changing the meaning of words like "values," "government," "liberal"; "faith," and "freedom," conservatives have shifted the political center of gravity of the language itself to the right. "Whatever our politics," Nunberg observes, "when we talk about politics nowadays, we can't help using language that embodies a conservative world-view."

Customer Reviews:

Must Read on Political Frames.......2007-01-05

This is a must read for anyone in America who cares about politics--which should be everyone! If you thought Lakoff insightful on the differences a frame can make, wait until you read Nunberg. I teach this stuff and know whereof I speak. Talking Right is one of those rare hybrids that's right for the classroom and right as a trade book for the typically older, post-college reader. I've ordered several copies for friends.

Fear of psychology.......2006-11-05

Well done for what it is, but Nunberg exhibits the classic fear of delving below the psychological surface. He seems to believe that the left will lose the common man even worse if it starts thinking psychologically about why it's losing him already. He disses Lakoff's look at policital metaphors and doesn't even bother to dis explanations that are even better, such as those of Alice Miller, Stephen Ducat, and Lloyd deMause. It frustrated me to no end as I read Nunberg advocate a return to the populist rhetoric of Truman and Clinton, hardly big winners. Truman's was a nortoriously narrow win, and Clinton's first election was a gimmie from a thrid-party candidate on the right. Nunberg seems to set his sights on the unlofty goal of 51% of the vote rather than a true strategy that will dismantle the psychological tricks the right plays on the populace like stroking their machismo, their fear, their weath fantasies, their need for scapegoats, etc.

Wake up and smell the psychological coffee, Nunberg. The right has.

The Sound of One Hand Clapping.......2006-11-04

We swim through words like fish swim through water. Metaphors are accepted as reality by many. Legends become gospil truth. This books was an informative and fun view at a very important (not just politically) subject. And now, at last, I know where the word "pinko" came from and what it means.

How to tilt public perceptions.......2006-10-22

"Talking Right" by Geoffrey Nunberg is a timely analysis of the lopsided and dysfunctional status of U.S. political discourse. Mr. Nunberg is a linguistics professor who explains how the Republican Party's privileged relationship with the media has helped to define the political narrative, which in turn has effectively tilted public perceptions to the political Right. However, by deconstructing the manner in which the Right's political language has been frequently served up as a smokescreen to obscure its radical neoconservative agenda, the author helps us understand how the political Left can present an alternative discourse that could resonate with the vast majority of Americans. Assiduously researched and cogently argued, this thoughtful, nuanced and highly readable text should interest a wide audience.

Mr. Nunberg presents a brief history of the neoconservative movement to recount how language has been deployed in order to associate particular words and phrases with politically-charged meanings. For example, the phrase 'cultural elite' was introduced by Vice President Dan Quayle in 1992 and succeeded in connecting Hollywood entertainment with sectors of the public who might have felt apprehension about social change. Indeed, Mr. Nunberg points out that since the 1960s the Republican Party has adroitly manufactured and magnified the importance of Pat Buchanan's 'culture war' in a way that has convinced large blocs of the working class to vote against its own material interests. Unfortunately, as liberals are reduced to a snobbish and out-of-touch caricature of the consumer culture imagination, Mr. Nunberg contends that the Democratic Party has failed to articulate a meaningful narrative of its own to inspire the faithful or to define the Party's mission.

Nonetheless, Mr. Nunberg believes that the Democrats can yet prevail if it dares to once again speak truth to power. Mr. Nunberg cites Bill Clinton's highly effective narrative about the powerless versus the powerful during the 1992 campaign as an example of how a message can resonate with an increasingly insecure working class beset with economic grievances. To that end, the author goes on to argue that in the wake of the Bush administration's disastrous policies (including preemptive war, fiscally irresponsible tax breaks and reckless environmental rollbacks), liberals have an excellent opportunity to articulate a new popular narrative of working-class struggle in the pursuit of economic justice and equality.

I highly recommend this important book to everyone, and especially to those interested in media and politics.

A book about the shadow, arguing for the importance of the substance.......2006-10-17

Government, John Dewey famously said, is the shadow cast by big business over society. And political language, Geoffrey Nunberg argues in Talking Right, is the shadow cast by government. Democrats, he points out, seem to think language has a talismanic power, that if only they can find the right catch phrase or slogan, they can pull people over to their side. "Liberal" must become "progressive", "family values" must become "valuing families". There's an intellectual cleverness to such stunts, and as a Berkeley linguist, Nunberg must want to believe in them. But he doesn't. The words, he explains, are just a side-effect of the larger political situation. Dewey explained that attempts to change the shadow will have no effect without a change in the substance, and Nunberg heartily agrees.

It's hard to see how it could be otherwise, but Democrats have suffered from a stubborn literalism in political discourse: thinking they can beat the charge of big government by launching programs cutting down on bureaucratic waste, thinking they can reclaim the issue of values by pointing to their love of tolerance and fairness, thinking they can dodge the charge of latte-sipping by donning a hunting cap and rifle. In reality, the issues go much deeper: big government is an attack on the notion that government can do good, values refers to a feeling of national morals run amok, and the latte-sipping charge is an attempt to distract voters from bigger issues of class. Nunberg even chastises his colleague George Lakoff for assuming that the current packages of political positions have any deeper meanings, rather than just being accidents of history.

Nunberg is an essayist--his commentaries for NPR's Fresh Air are a national treasure--and his style, while eminently readable, doesn't translate well to a long book, where his points get lost in a field of anecdotes. But beneath all the stories about how conservatives eat more brie and liberal used to be a mantle claimed by everyone, Nunberg's point is a familiar one: if the Democrats want to win, they must begin telling full-throated populist stories about how the economic elite are capturing the wealth of our country and how we need government to take it back. The point is no less true for being popular, and it's heartening to find that investigation from yet another perspective yields the same conclusions.

Average customer rating:

Nice book, but...
Cute book, Great series
Vehicle for discussion of differences
You are what you eat...
Cute Read

Yoko
Rosemary Wells
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Staff Favorites | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Picture Books | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

School | Issues | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Children's Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Yoko's Paper Cranes
Yoko's World of Kindness: Golden Rules for a Happy Classroom
When a Line Bends . . . A Shape Begins
Emily's First 100 Days of School
Hailstones and Halibut Bones

ASIN: 0786803959

Amazon.com

It is Yoko's first day at school, so of course her mother wants to send her off with healthy comfort food for lunch--a delectable package of homemade sushi. "Have a wonderful day at school, my Little Cherry Blossom," her mother says as Yoko climbs into the bus. And it would have been, had it not been for lunchtime. Timothy brings a peanut butter and honey sandwich. Tulip has Swiss cheese on rye. The Franks brothers have beans and franks. But when Yoko opens her cooler of rice rolls with "the crispiest cucumber, the pinkest shrimp, the greenest seaweed, and the tastiest tuna," one of the Franks brothers announces, "Ick. It's green. It's seaweed." Tulip and Fritz chime in, "Yuck-o-rama."

Rosemary Wells (Voyage to the Bunny Planet), with her expressive, bright-eyed, chubby-cheeked animal kingdom, has once again successfully tapped into the emotional world of children. The embarrassment of bringing an uncool lunch to school! What child hasn't wanted to hide under the cafeteria table when caught with a gooey enchilada or a slice of vegetarian lentil loaf? Fortunately, Yoko's teacher concocts a plan to stop the teasing. Parents who have more ambitious hopes for their children's lunches than Fritos, PB&Js, and Oreos will be relieved to discover that the happy ending does not include Yoko's giving up her comfort meal or, more importantly, her heritage. (Ages 4 and older) --Gail Hudson

Customer Reviews:

Nice book, but..........2007-03-16

My son brought this book home for us to read together. It starts out fine, with the Japanese cat Yoko bringing her delicious and healthy bento box lunch to school, only to have the rest of the kids make fun of it.

I was dissatisfied with the main character's reaction--she becomes a victim. I was also dissatisfied with the teacher's reaction: just ignore them and they'll go away. Well kids don't. They keep on until they are stopped. I guess in l998 the 'no bullying' rule was just being put into effect into schools around America (I had just come back from living overseas and was surprised at the strides schools had made in dealing with kids' classroom problems). Maybe the author hadn't learned about it yet? Yes, the teacher does enforce an International Food Day but still, nobody will touch little Yoko's deluxe bento box. What does she do? She goes and sits under a tree. I kept thinking, in real life, at this point in time, hopefully the mother would have gotten indignant, gone up to the principal and the teacher and demanded that the kids be taught in class to respect each other's ways of life and foods, and then at home would have sat Yoko down to tell her she has nothing to be ashamed of, that sushi has nourished their people for a very long time and she shouldn't feel pressured to eat what they eat (velveeta is just plain poisonous!)I know from personal experience the effort and time it takes to make sushi. It isn't hard but it is time consuming and in the end, well worth the effort. Raw fresh fish-- coupled with rice and wasabi--rocks!

Anyway it's nice that Yoko makes one sushi convert. You can't force people to eat differently but they need to be taught from day one that if you have nothing good to say about something don't say anything at all. Respect for others, self-respect and pride (the positive kind)in one's culture are important lessons that need to be taught starting in childhood. Fearlessness is another. I hope the author makes this character more self-assertive and less a victim of the dominant culture.

Cute book, Great series.......2007-03-08

We've read all of the Yoko books which include characters who are cats, racoons, mice and other animals. The characters are sweet and kind (well, maybe not so much The Franks!). These books are great because as a mom, I can read them over and over and they're charming and smart and teach lessons without being preachy.

Also, Yoko is of Japanese descent (yes, I'm sure you couldn't tell by her name!). My daughter is half Japanese, so that is why we initially read the book. In this story, Yoko brings sushi to school and the other kids make fun of her. In the end, she makes a friend. Highly recommended.

Vehicle for discussion of differences.......2007-01-09

This was a great vehicle for discussing differences in a kindergarten classroom!

You are what you eat..........2006-08-10

I teach in a 1st grade in an area with predominately Spanish/Mexican students with Filipino and Samoan children, and poor children...kids caught up in new lives in America and old cultures going back and forth into and out of places and designations...in the melting pot. So I like to use books, literature, to bring forums for child discussion of the differences and uniqueness that we blend in our room and that might exist beyond our walls and down the highway in an area where affluence is securing real estate and isolation and America's different kinds of mixes.... Plus this last year we were trained to understand our teacher role is "to unwind the dominate culture, or registers of language of the dominate cultures teaching explicitly the registers of "language of the disciplines" so that the class experiences are understood by all"...well you can read Ruby Paine on poverty for what we were trained to do...mostly get info to kids who might be isolated from mainstream or "educated" constructs or contexts is my take on it..... Anyway I like to try new things and experiences with kids I teach. I am a doing kind of teacher so I do things with students... ,1st graders they are thinking, filtering , processing every experience and adding it to their little selves. So of course having raised three of the pickiest eaters on the planet one of my joys is food in the classroom.

This book, Yoko, I always pull out to give me a really good excuse to get sushi over to the class and then by way of working with the families encourage the sharing of some of the tamales, lumpia and other treats that come out of "multi-cultural" experience. This story addresses this "unit" of mine which is really what I do on Fridays..Food Friday, (my sharing)...and I typically use the book to initiate-send us into the unit- our first sushi Friday which is my treat for them because what I'm really doing is teaching acceptance, differences, culture, insight into one another. Wells has always got a kind of unique capacity to voice a common child experience with the nuance from reality in her story line. She is genius.. For instance Yoko is a little kitty student, her mom's Little Cherry Blossom, and shy and self effacing as they come, and she becomes embarassed over her scrumptious sushi at her new school when The Franks(gotta love this) two twin dogs turn to her at lunch with a big fat yuck-fest. How we got to lunch in the story is so classroom charming-anyway the Franks are always a bit mean-not entirely mean just mean enough they always need an adult to boundary them, correct them and have them eat a little dirt-this is why I love Wells.Ah we always teach Franks and Yoko's don't we, the "lumbering 'in the head out the mouth'almost bully" and the delicate flower...yes this is life in school social dynamics. Inserting this bit of discomfort Wells allows the story to unfold learning for this class (and then for you using it with your students-)not only about another's kind of food so embedded in their cultural context- but we are right up against how differences often evoke rejection, fear, dismissal, even meanness. Wells gives this little class an experience in endorsing the gentle Yoko and her food and even liking the Frank's franks and beans while turning this into an opportunity to dissuade those Franks from judging and hurting. You'd be surprised, you literacy sheering No Child Left Behinders, how the story in such a whole language liberating way illustrates the dimensions we teachers are able to manage teaching that aren't listed in your Standard lists of "why we are here". One year I had a student who had never tried fruit, other years kids never eating outside of their cultural context and let me reiterate poor kids don't get to go Italian or Chinese or whatever. They might get a Happy Meal but money doesn't afford restaurant experiences so easily on my side of town. I actually found that shocking...at one time in my career almost beyond shocking. So as I have my classroom "Greek grapes are nice festival"(singing of course "I heard it through the Grapevine") or my "Seuss all about eggs and ham", my "Let's eat-it's pioneer times" or "my gravy train" or one of my many Friday "belly up to the Italian soda bar" sessions, maybe doing "my Matzo and you" days I'm outside of scripted instruction(oh no thinking up my own curriculum the ultimate NCLB nightmare) but Yoko is guiding us into the wonderful world of food and humanity. Somehow after tasting olives and grape leaves and baklava it's just more interesting to read a good myth and settle into curricular objectives...so we eat to broaden our world view in my little first grade in Oxnard, (I say turning on the cheer thinking of the Italian cafe when we serve up the lattes and testing my smoothie maker to prepare for the date nut shakes I like to grind up-) ....as I am always working on the Sarah Puglisi Standard, "try something new, experience life", read Yoko with your kids and go hit a couple Thai, Pakistani,Korean, Vietnamese, Danish, god help you Scottish, French, German food places if you are so lucky to be able to bring those things to them, or go to markets in Chinatown, Little Italy, over in the barrio...live a little...go to the Farmers market and talk about how food springs from places like us and not like us.If you personally don't have a child then you just might invite a niece, nephew, kid on your block for filet. Mignon. Open up that child to understanding your own food , your own people, other people, it is a celebration of life...and don't be surprised if your 5 year old scrunches up their nose and isn't always as excited as you are. You know you can only do so much with haggis....Or as my husband is noted for pointing out..."sushi is gross raw fish, Sarah". There is one in every crowd, in Wells this honor is held by two-The wonderful Franks. Pass them their beans, they know it, they love it. This story is a wonderful gift to children before 8 or so...but embed it in a food experience. Bon appetite.

Cute Read.......2006-07-13

This is the charming story of a sushi-eating cat, Yoko, who struggles to find acceptance from her classmates after eating her favorite food for lunch. Yoko's teacher arrives at a clever solution for encouraging acceptance of her students' culinary diversity, and Yoko finds a friend. The book is well-illustrated and a cute read for a three-year-old.

Books:

Books