Fast Appetizers

I have had the pleasure of attending Hugh's culinary cooking camp in Napa and own all of his cookbooks. There is a reason.Hugh's recipes are simple to prepare, always have a "wow" factor, and above all else, taste fantastic. The other important ingredient in Hugh's cookbooks is that the recipes are 100% trustworthy. This is not something that I will say for many cookbooks. His recipes are designed for the home cook and have been tested and re-tested so that you can trust the recipe.So stock up your pantry with hoisin, coconut milk, and yster sauce and have fun making his recipes! Some of my favourites in the book are the Pan-Fried Scallop Dumplings with Coconut -Herb Glaze, the Spicy Thai Meatballs Wrapped in Lettuce, and he Quesadillas with Barbecued Meat and Brie. All are wonderful.Hugh makes cooking fun and his flavours are intense and exciting. You won't be disappointed at your next dinner party!

I rarely entertain guests, but thanks to this book, now I can do it in style. My boyfriend invited several of his co-workers over for a coctail party and I dazzled them with my wonderful, good tasting finger foods, hot and cold appetizers and pastas. They were all easy to make and fast, they looked so pretty and didn't last at all. This book has well over 100 different easy to make recipes, some of the wives are calling me and asking for my recipes...

Unlike the other reviews I've read, I do not have any other books by Carpenter and Sandison. This is going to change! I have been enchanting my dinner guests with each recipe that I have prepared out of this book. The food is not only good, it is simple to prepare, and beautiful to look at (a must for appetizers). With this book I feel confident that I can get my dinner parties off to a memorable start. I'm buying copies for friends and family and recommending it to everyone.

I have taken a class with Hugh Carpenter and have a few of his books. His recipes are great and most of them are easy. He always gives information on what can be done ahead of time, which is great for entertaining. His wife's photography is beautiful and inspirational. If you like this book, try his "Hot Pasta" also.

I have a number of Hugh Carpenter cook books and find all of them to be excellent. Some of the recipies in Fast Appetizers appear in his other books. The beauty of this book is the multiple choices and in many cases the simplicity of making different appetizers which will have your guests asking for the recipe. If you are looking for rave reviews on your appetizers, this is the book for you.