Most helpful customer reviews
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3.0 out of 5 stars
Ho-Hum, Jun 13 2004
By A Customer
I have read all of Medrich's books so far-this being the last one. I know that this book has recieved accolades from the critics and fans alike, but I disagree.
For one thing, with the word chocolate highlighted in bold print in the title, it would seem to suggest that the book is primarily about chocolate; (the author writes books about chocolate after all), but half of the recipes in this work are not made with chocolate at all.
As I have written in other reviews of her books, the self-congratulatory text in her books are tiresome and it is evident in this one as well...when you look at the paragraphs in her introduction, it seems every third one starts with "I" and then follows with something like "my stuff was so fantastic..everyone was amazed!" You know, there is such a thing as humility, but it is certaintly not evident in these books. I prefer cookbooks with a forward written by someone else; a person with "know-how" to stand up for the author-to show examples why the author should earn our respect..this is what feels comfortable to me as a reader.
Also, the photos were not as good as shown in her other works and I had expected the same quality and consistancy, so this was a disappointment.
The techno-culinary babblings (informational writing) got pretty stale too, although some other readers may like this. Obviously the critics did...this book recieved an award.
Personally, I don't think this is her best work.I have seen several authors offer excellent low-fat recipes for desserts (Steven Raichlin is a good example) so the fact that Medrich has a few recipes that work here is not really that noteworthy. I know this review reads like I am a sourpuss but rest assured, most of my other reviews are not as harsh as this. It is only one opinion-mine.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
An ingenious cookbook, Mar 25 2004
I have yet to make something in this book that isn't delicious. So far, I've made the marble cake, brownies, tiramisu, chocolate chip biscotti (mmm, tasted just like a real cookie!), and chocolate souffle torte. Everything is easy, clearly explained, and RICH. Like another reviewer said, these are great recipes that happen to be low-fat. And there's no gimmicks, like "Oh, just substitute half the fat with apple sauce." Medrich teaches you how to maximize the flavor of your full-fat ingredients so you use less but taste more. I am so sad this book is no longer in print. If I lost my copy, I would die!BTW, everyone thinks I'm a kitchen god. It's not me; it's the book!
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Don't think of this as a low-fat cookbook..., May 15 2002
These are not excellent low-fat desserts. They are excellent desserts that are also low-fat. Whether or not I am watching what I eat or cooking for people who are watching what they eat, I always look here first, and no one ever, ever misses the fat and calories. Alice Medrich has done a fantastic job of lightening the dessert tray without resorting to artificial sweeteners, fat-free dairy products, "light" margarine, etc. She emphasizes ingredients of the highest quality, but stretches the fatty stuff (for example, she decreases the amount of nuts in a biscotti recipe, chopping them coarsely to make them go farther and toasting them to maximize flavor). If a recipe can't be lightened successfully, it's not in the book (for example, you won't find shortbread, although somehow, miraculously, she has found a way to lighten whipped cream!). I have made many of these recipes and have never been disappointed. I'll recommend the Kahlua Fudge Cake, Frozen Hot Chocolate, Lime Cookies (yes, even the handful of non-chocolate desserts are heaven), Michael's Brownies, Fallen Chocolate Torte, Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti, Genoise, Hot Ginger Cookies, and Buttermilk Chocolate Sauce. I have not tried a recipe that I cannot recommend. You will not be disappointed. The book is illustrated beautifully and divided, helpfully, according to recipe type (fancy desserts, everyday desserts, individual desserts, etc). It includes nutritional information. The desserts obtain 30% or less of their calories from fat, and although not all are low-calorie, most are (Michael's Brownies, for example, have around 150 calories each and are sinful).
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