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How to Peel a Peach: And 1,001 Other Things Every Good Cook Needs to Know
by Perla Meyers
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Wiley (2005-09-23)
ISBN: 0764597388
EAN: 9780764597381
Dewy Decimal #: 641
Paperback: 432 pages
SKU: T071204-3275
Condition: Very Good
Comments: Very good overall condition. No writing, very tight binding. Ships same day or next in a bubble mailer. Enjoy.
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
EVERY HOME COOK HAS QUESTIONS
and How to Peel a Peach has the answers. Whether you're a bona fide beginner or a kitchen dynamo, chances are you've been stumped by culinary questions great and small. In these pages, wise, worldly culinary professional Perla Meyers comes to the rescue, offering a wealth of information about ingredients, equipment, and techniques in a forthright Q&A format. With timeless recipes that illustrate her points, it's as if this prominent cooking teacher is by your side, conducting a series of special classes just for you.
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Customer Reviews
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Questionable in many respects
Rating  (3)
Date: 2008-05-31
0 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
I'm a bit mixed on this book. I have say I have not read more than half of it.
On the one hand there are scores of tips on subjects I know nothing about. These are helpful. On the other hand, there are scores of tips on subjects I know to be factually incorrect. Unfortunately, the combination results in a credibility issue where I'm not sure how good the book is.
An example is her choice knives are high carbon as opposed to stainless steel. I certainly agree with this. But then she recommends Wusthof and Henckels. Both are stainless steel knives. Another is her guidance on aluminum pots for electric stoves. If you can even get a new aluminum (American made) pot that is delivered with a flat bottom you're fortunate. If they're delivered with flat bottoms, they don't remain that way for long. On the subject of fine vinegars, France or the USA with hardly a mention of Italy's balsamicos which are priced commensurate with the fact they are the top of the heap.
Ms. Meyers recommendations of specific branded food ingredients are her opinions. Unfortunately, they don't hold up well in various tasting tests I've read and my own personal experience. Even French testing of mustards will frequently rate Grey Poupon well above many of the French brands. Her choice of the waxy tasting Maille is certainly debatable. Again, its her opinion and at times flies in the face of other respected chefs (real, not celebrity).
Ms. Meyers cooking education was done in the French part of Switzerland. As a result, her recipes are heavily influenced by the French school. Not a criticism but, in no way a universal dictum. French cooking has died from the center of culinary excellence. Be it popular opinion or cooking excellence, its not all that easy to find a French restaurant anymore. The top of the heap in New York is owned and run by Italians. The issue I have here is a beginner will miss a whole lot of great culinary experiences relying on just this book.
Although the author has a "bias" towards Italian cooking, its "Swissified" Italian. The omission of key ingredients and the substitution of creams and butters where olive oil rules is not Italian.
I've worked and lived in the US, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Ireland and the UK. I love great food and there is no shortage of great meals in any of these countries. As a cookbook, How to Peel a Peach is too narrow in scope.
Its a decent book but I would not buy it again.
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Perla Meyers Does it Again!
Rating  (5)
Date: 2008-03-21
The Q&A are very informative. I've read some of the recipes Meyers ut in this book elsewhere (as in Catalan Paella years ago in a magazine); some of the recipes are new to me. As a group, the receipes are super, just what I'd expect from Perla Meyers.
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My next gift to my kids
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-01-18
I am a cataloger and this book came across my desk. How many times have I had questions about food like how fresh it is, how to keep it from drying out, how long and the best way I could refrigerate it and the best way to prepare it. I am just giddy with delight to find a book that is finally answering questions that have come up over my many years as a household cook. This book is a treasure for the new cook and a blessing for the older one. My next gift to my sons, who will be starting their own households soon, will be this great cookbook and text. *Three words to describe this book would be entertaining, informative and practical.
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Not only for beginners
Rating (5)
Date: 2007-12-28
This is a very good book for those just beginning on the road to being a great cook, but it has a lot of little thoughts and reminders for everyone. Enjoying this one immensely.
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A nice read
Rating  (4)
Date: 2006-03-16
1 out of 4 customers found this reveiw helpful
I picked up some very good information in this book, but some of it is not in a usable format. The most helpful part of this book was noting various types of fruit that are the best, what item should be used for what type of application, advice on various brands the author thinks are best (I did disagree once or twice...for example she recommends bouillion cubes for making sauces and soups) THIS part is invaluable. Overall though, I did not learn as much new information as I had hoped, but primarily the 4 star is because it is hard to reference in this book, so you have to rely on your memory...
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