Feng Shui Cookbook [Hardcover]

But this many years down the road, I have to say, grudgingly, that there are many plusses to this book. The recipes are nutritious, delicious and *solid* in a culinary sense and the directions are clear and easy to understand. The recipes are decidedly Asian in nature. In my area most are easily available with the possible exception of dashi soup stock and tamarind paste which would require more of a hunt...

Several recipes stand out as ..well...outstanding. Berry balsamic parfaits (try it over vanilla ice cream with mint sprigs, unbeleivablely good)Seared salmon with horseradish butter (actually the horseradish butter is a winner all by its lonesome) easy and delicious. Chicken soup for a cold is a very good asian soup soup stock with the addition fo ginger and chilies. Adding your own touches makes it a whole soup meal for company... just pass around accompiments...

There is a lot of feng shui information in the beginning. Some I found interesting. Where is the best place in my home for the kitchen? What if it wasnt there? How to set up the kitchen so I didn't eat too much? (okay, i liked that part)...The yin and yang of eating...

There are different options on changing the recipes thru out the book, I like that. And how to serve the dishes. The book is more square than rectangle and is a hardcover that lies flat (yay!) The binding is in very good shape after all these years. It does tend to open to the recipes i have used more frequently at this point tho.... the paper isnt wipable unfortuantely...soy sauce stains from earier dishes are here and there. The color of the paper is a nice off white, very easy on the eyes... the pages are a bit thin, you can see shadows of the other pages through them. Ah well, you cant have everything...

There is a removeable and cleanable attractive book jacket and the artwrk inside is tastful with and asian flair... no bok choy running away from dancing knives thankfully!

Thinking back to my original objection, I was wrong. This was an excellent gift and an excellent cookbook. It's smaller size would make it an excellent addition to a themed gift basket with an asian flair (like some dried noodles, soy sauce, dried mushrooms, dashi stock, mirin...all inside a big wok!)

From the Feng Shui book we regularly make the peanut noodle vegetables; the chickpea curry (mentioned in another review), and the grape gazpacho. There are a couple other stand-bys... but we're also up to try new ones all the time.

There are some pretty goofy "theme" cookbooks out there... and, on the surface, this may seem like one too. But don't be left out--it really is good.

So there I was with a few cans and a little over a pound of ground turkey meat. I rifled through my recipe books and came across one that I wasn't even aware of: Elizabeth Miles' The Feng Shui Cookbook. And there on pg. 167 was a recipe for Quick Chickpea Curry (containing the ground turkey). While the recipe promised to warm my qi and creative energy, I was glued to word quick.

Well in less than 20 minutes I had achieved both. The curry was fab, sprinkled with yogurt and cilantro. Our dinner guest went back for seconds and then thirds. And the conversation was robust. The Feng Shui part achieved its goal in spite of my cynicism.

Since I have enjoyed a number of the other dishes with other guests. Miles' text is as strong as her recipes. She has carefully crafted a book which tells you how certain food can feed certain moods and inspire different reactions. And this makes for immensely edible thoughts and results and of course, food.