Fast & Fresh

The title of this book sums it all up: fast and fresh! No cream of mushroom soup here; all ingredients are fresh, and the recipes are pretty easy; most can be completed in about an hour, start to finish. The recipes are given as complete menus, and a suggested work-order is given so you can time everything to be done at the same time. The author even suggests an appropriate drink to accompany your meal.The two chapters at the back of the book give instructions for cooking methods and techniques and also the author's recommendations for utensils and appliances.You will find lo-cal, entertaining, and international recipes/menus, among others. It's a very complete and well-rounded book. This is an excellent choice for the cook who wants complete menus that are easy to prepare and don't use canned or processed foods. Each and every recipe I have tried has been excellent; I own many cookbooks, well-known and obscure, and this is the only one I can say that about.On the down side, I don't think it's the best choice for a totally beginning cook; the author assumes her reader has at least a fundamental knowledge of working in a kitchen. Also, as I first read the introduction it seemed to me that the author was a little snobby about food and its preparation. This was a little bit of a turn-off to me, but not enough to stop me from reading, using, and highly recommending the book.