Good Night and God Bless: A Guide to Convent & Monastery Accommodation in Europe: Austria, Czech Republic, Italy Review

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(More customer reviews)"Good Night & God Bless" dropped into my hands directly from heaven on the wings of angels, or so it seemed.
In it, Trish Clark gives us heavenly insider information on convent and monastery accommodations in three of the most romantic and picturesque countries in Europe: Austria, the Czech Republic, and...ah!...Italy.
The actual hard information in the margins is so complete and good that it preempts questions arising from her wonderful descriptions of these remarkable lodging opportunities in the main text. The author even divides information for readers seeking spiritual retreats or those just wanting to soak up the ambiance of these sacred places.
You don't have to be a monk to sleep in a 13th century monastery in Tuscany, with a balcony overlooking a quiet, rose-clustered cloister garden -- or a nun to breakfast on coffee with steamed milk and just-out-of-the-oven pastries in a 500-year-old Austrian convent. "Good Night & God Bless" makes accessible fabled places that only the clergy and their friends knew about in times past. But more than that, the book educates us on the origins of these splendid institutions and the rich historical context in which they are set.
Whether you are planning a trip or just wanting to travel from the couch, get hold of Good Night & God Bless and read it from cover to cover -- it really is a blessing.
Joseph Dispenza, author of "The Way of the Traveler: Making Every Trip a Journey of Self-Discovery" and "God On Your Own: Finding a Spiritual Path Outside Religion."


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Ever Slept in a Bishop's Bedchamber?Good Night and God Bless is the modern traveler s Bible. This unique guide lists details of atmospheric and affordable accommodation in convents, monasteries, abbeys and Christian hotels across Europe. It is aimed at tourists and travelers seeking a unique experience as well as those pursuing a pilgrimage or religious retreat.Most of these alternative accommodations are run by various mainstream Christian religious denominations. Religious orders have traditionally offered hospitality as part of their ministry and a bed and a bite to eat was provided for the cost of a donation. However, these days offering hospitality has become a means of survival. Taking in overnight guests is a practical way for religious orders to raise revenue and a cheap, safe, clean and often well-located accommodation option for travelers.The book appeals not only for its quirky, eye catching, pick me up title but equally and more importantly for its very concept. It is an informal and user-friendly travel guide which brings together tantalizing cultural tidbits and tourist trivia amidst the popular and sometimes controversial, but always fascinating, backdrop of history and religion.

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Advanced Bread and Pastry Review

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(More customer reviews)This is without doubt the largest, most informative, most inclusive bread and pastry book in existence. Just imagine the 'Professional French pastry series' and the 'Special and decorative breads series' in one huge tome.The book does not have 880 pages as stated in the description, but 1043 including the indexes.
Mr Suas has created a comprehensive, easy to follow textbook for advanced baking and pastry. The book uses the French tradition in baking/pastry apprenticeship and includes both American and French products. Mind that this is not a coffee table book but a student's guide to advanced baking/pastry. So the author approaches the reader as a teacher would approach the student. There are explanations for every single detail and at the end of each chapter there are questions. A word of caution; this is a book strictly for professionals. One cannot just open it and start measuring cups and spoons to make a cake. Anyone lesser than an apprentice will probably get lost in the plethora of information. So if you are not a professional or a very knowlegable amateur, don't blow your money.
The book starts with a history of bread and pastry making and is divided into three main sections: Bread, Vienoisserie and Pastry. Each section is then subdivided into many others. The chapters are:
PART 1: INTRODUCTION
a) History
b) Food safety
PART 2: BREAD
a) Baking process and dough mixing
b) Fermentation
c) Advanced flour technology and dough conditioners
d) Alternative baking processes
e) Bread formulas
PART 3: VIENNOISERIE
PART 4: PASTRY
a) Cookies
b) Quick breads
c) Pastry dough
d) Pies and tarts
e) Cake mixing and baking
f) Syrups,creams,custards,egg foams,icings
g) Mousses
h) Classic and modern cake assembly
i) Petit-fours and confections
j) Frozen desserts
k) Plated desserts
l) Advanced decoration
m) Chocolate
There are photos throughout, including procedures and most of the products, the paper is glossy, and there are tables with information interspersed between the text. All formulas are given in Metric, Baker's percentage, US decimal, and Lbs and Oz. Also there are instructions to sites in the internet where one can expand on what is in the book and get additional information. These are throughout the book and in all the sections.
In the bread section, all the different breadmaking procedures are discussed, including the straight dough method, retarded dough method and sourdough method. This is the only book I know that in some products uses two different sourdoughs to produce a bread. Another innovation is the inclusion of a whole program for breadmaking on a professional scale, with days and times for each procedure spanning several days. There is also an extensive discussion on par-baked goods which are being favored lately by many bakers.
Bread products include: Baguettes, ciabatta, San Francisco sourbread, challah, rye breads, naan, tortilla, pita, pan de los muertos and many other European and American breads.
The Viennoiserie section is one of the most comprehensive and inclusive and can be only compared to the ones in the 'Traditional and decorative breads'. All the known products are here, including croissants, danish, kugelhopf, brioche, panettone. Different methods are given for the production of the same product eg retarded croissant, sourdough croissant etc.
The pastry section is larger than the bread one by 200 pages. The theory is divided between the chapters, as each family of products has its own technology and science, besides the basic science that goes for all pastry.
There are literally hundreds, if not thousands of products in this section. Most of the classics are here, as well as modern pastries. Too many to mention.
On the downside. Some recipes (not many) use shortening, a blasphemy against both health and taste. I also noticed a few typographical errors in some of the recipes and the temperatures, eg 375F is given as 96C in one recipe, while it should be 196C.
These faults though, are a drop in an ocean of excellence.
To conclude, at this low price this book is a give away. Just think that for the same money you can only get one tome of the 'French pastry series' with 200 pages and here you get more than a thousand pages.
Top quality, top price, the best money can buy.


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Advanced Bread and Pastry, A Professional Approach is a comprehensive guide to bread, viennoiserie, and pastry that is designed for students, professionals, and enthusiasts. Balancing a respect for tradition with modern approaches to method and technique, Advanced Bread and Pastry unites appealing presentation and indispensable instruction. It is written to help today?s baker respond to the recent evolution of ingredients, products, and presentation. The recipes (called formulas) are based on a variety of classica methods and processes. With this strong foundation of knowledge, a baker or pastry chef can develop further skills, experiment with new ideas, and understand any formula.

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Special Event Production: The Resources Review

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(More customer reviews)Matthew's two books, "Special Event Production," are a must-have for anyone in the field, whether a newcomer or an old hand. The author has organized this complicated subject well. Lavishly illustrated, laid-out with side-bars, diagrams, and examples, the reader will find everything they need in the two volumes. In fact, I found the books welcoming and accessible with plenty of white space, and the detailed table of contents and good index make looking up a topic easy. These two volumes should become the gold standard in special event production. Highly readable and highly recommended.

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This must-have guide to special event production resources looks deep behind-the-scenes of an event and dissects what it is that creates success. It analyses the resources and is an extensive reference guide to the technical details of the technical aspects of a big event.It provides a thorough grounding on the specifications and performance of lighting and audio systems, visual presentation technology, special effects and temporary outdoor venues.Incorporating pedagogical features, this easy-to-read book is packed with photographs, diagrams, flow charts, checklists, sample forms, and real-life examples. The vast varieties of audio-visual technologies, outdoor venues, décor and staging are presented. This text is Part two of a two book set - also available is Special Events Production: the process (ISBN 9780750682435). Also available is a companion to both texts is a website packed with toolkits resources, and additional information. * Provides a clear and thorough guide to the technical, behind-the-scenes aspects of special events * Offers an overview of the decorative, audio-visual and special events options available to producers * Full-color throughout packed with illustrations of the machinery and effects produced by different technologies

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Running a Restaurant For Dummies Review

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(More customer reviews)My Mom ordered this book for me, as I was thinking of owning my own place. I have been in the restaurant business for several years, as a worker, and as a cook, and as a store manager. I thought I knew pretty much all I needed to know, but after reading this book, I am amazed at just how much MORE I needed to learn! This book has given me much more insight to more ways of obtainning the funds for starting out, and all the differrent things needed to know for employee hiring, inventory, money managment, and even how to find the best location! The book is also very true and realistic as to the difficulties occurred along the way to owning, and running a sucessful business. Thanks a lot "Books for Dummies" people for getting this book on the market. I know it will help a lot of folks who are thinking about opening their own restaurant. I am ready and anxious to get going on the road to owning my own pizza restaurant! Look for my place, SOON!
L. Vanderhoek & Eric Vanderhoek

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Millions of Americans dream of owning and running their own restaurant -- because they want to be their own boss, because their cooking always draws raves, or just because they love food. Running a Restaurant For Dummies covers every aspect of getting started for wannabe restaurateurs. From setting up a business plan and finding financing, to designing a menu and dining room, you'll find all the advice you need to start and run a successful restaurant. Even if you don't know anything about cooking or running a business, you might still have a great idea for a restaurant -- and this handy guide will show you how to make your dream a reality. If you already own a restaurant, but want to see it do better, Running a Restaurant For Dummies offers unbeatable tips and advice of bringing in hungry customers. From start to finish, you'll learn everything you need to know to succeed: Put your ideas on paper with a realistic business plan Attract investors to help get the business off the ground Be totally prepared for your grand opening Make sure your business is legal and above board Hire and train a great staff Develop a delicious menu If you're looking for expert guidance from people in the know, then Running a Restaurant For Dummies is the only book you need. Written by Michael Garvey, co-owner of the famous Oyster Bar at Grand Central, with help from writer Heather Dismore and chef Andy Dismore, this book covers all the bases, from balancing the books to training staff and much more: Designing and theme and a concept Taking over an existing restaurant or buying into a franchise Stocking and operating a bar Working with partners and other investors Choose a perfect location Hiring and training an excellent staff Pricing menu items Designing the interior of the restaurant Purchasing and managing supplies Marketing your restaurant to customers If you're looking for a new career as a restaurateur, or you need new ideas for your struggling restaurant, Running a Restaurant For Dummies offers expert advice in a fun, friendly format. Packed with practical advice and expert wisdom on every aspect of the food service business, this guide is all you need to get cooking.

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Hungry for Paris: The Ultimate Guide to the City's 102 Best Restaurants Review

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(More customer reviews)Dollar skidding, plane fare soaring --- it's not likely I'll be having dinner in Paris any time soon.
But that doesn't mean I can't eat in Paris by proxy. Naturally, the lucky stiff who's having the meals I'm missing is an American --- someone with an expatriate's appreciation of culinary greatness. This person can write as well as he/she can enjoy the handiwork of a fine chef. And, finally, this gourmet can appreciate the value of the dollar.
On the basis of Hungry for Paris, Alexander Lobrano is my Paris rep.
He's so American: "My first visit was in August 1972, en famille, with my parents, two brothers and sister. We stayed at a now-vanished hotel just off the Champs Elysees and every day began with a glass of warm TANG, which my late father mixed up in the bathroom water glasses, as a bit of thrift."
Lobrano is an ideal guide because he remembers who he was, how he became the expert he is now, and how you can acquire expertise. And he can do that hard thing --- see what's in front of him: "The French never drink Perrier with meals because they think its large bubbles make it too gaseous to go well with food." He has a good ear for the quotable restaurant owner: "Come on, eat! Go ahead! I'm going to charge you a lot of money, you know!" He can let it rip: "A heavy rain filled the gutters with bronze-covered chestnut leaves last night, and the city is suddenly the city is nude." And, above all, he has an awareness of ultimate goodness: "It is hard to imagine a better lunch than a creamy wedge of Camembert smeared on a torn hunk of crackle-crusted baguette and a glass of red wine."
But, eat in restaurants he must, so he's off to 102 of his Paris favorites. Some of them are mine, too. Most, refreshingly, are not. And, refreshingly, he's not shy about explaining his enthusiasms. Le Pamphlet: "the best risotto in Paris." L'Alcazar: "better service, better lighting and a more cosmopolitan menu" than La Coupole. L'Epi Dupin, which he hears about from "the nice lady at the post office." Le Florimond serves his beloved stuffed cabbage "in a pool of brown gravy so lush it had already skeined on its way to the table."
Reputation means nothing. Neither does atmosphere. Lobrano is all about what's on the plate. L'Ami Louis is "for high rollers more interested in a brand-name experience than good food." Bofinger's "beautiful decor...can't compensate for the kitchen's mediocrity." Le Divellec is "stuffy...and exorbitantly expensive."
Even if you never go to Paris, this book is wonderfully educational. I've seen aligot on a menu; I didn't know that the whipped potatoes are mixed with Tomme de Laguiole cheese and garlic until they have "the texture of molten latex." Joel Robuchon makes spaghetti carbonara with Alsatian bacon and creme fraiche --- I'll try that at home. And more, and more, until the meal fantasies merge and I have to...well, if truth be told, I need to pour a small glass of red wine, tear off a hunk of baguette and slather it with cheese.
Alexander Lobrano serves up gastro-porn of the highest order.

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This new and updated version (published in September 2010) of Hungry for Paris, the most authoritative and charming guide to eating well in the French capital, includes reviews of all of the really fabulous new restaurants you won't want to miss during your next trip to Paris, as well as updated maps and indexes. WHEN IN PARIS. . . . If you\'re passionate about eating well during your next tripto Paris, you couldn\'t ask for a better travel companion than Alexander Lobrano\'scharming, friendly, and authoritative Hungry for Paris, the first new comprehensiveguide in many years to the city\'s restaurant scene. Lobrano, Gourmet magazine\'s Europeancorrespondent, has written for almost every major food and travel magazine sincehe became an American in Paris in 1986. Here he shares his personal selection ofthe city\'s 102 best restaurants, each of which is portrayed in savvy, fun, livelydescriptions that are not only indispensable for finding a superb meal but a pleasureto read. Lobrano reveals the hottest young chefs, the coziest bistros, the bestbuys–including those haute cuisine restaurants that are really worth the money–andthe secret places Parisians love most, together with information on the most deliciousdishes, ambience, clientele, and history of each restaurant. A series of delightfulessays cover various aspects of dining in Paris, including "Table for One" (how toeat alone), "The Four Seasons" (the best of seasonal eating in Paris), and "Eatingthe Unspeakable" (learning to eat what you don\'t think you like). All restaurantsare keyed to helpful maps, and the book is seasoned with beautiful photographs byLife magazine photographer Bob Peterson that will only help whet your appetite fortasting Paris. Praise for Hungry for Paris: "Every time I go to Paris I call Alecand ask him where to eat. Nobody else has such an intimate knowledge of what is goingon in the Paris food world right this minute, and there is nobody I trust more totell me all the latest news. Happily, Alec has written it all down in this wonderfulbook and now I can stop bothering him." –Ruth Reichl "Hungry for Paris is a brilliant book with an almost fatal flaw: the writing is so enchanting you maynever leave home to go to any of Alec\'s favorite places. Few people know,love andappreciate Paris restaurants the way Alec does; no one writes about them better orwith more charm."--DorieGreenspan, author of Baking From My Home to Yours "When I was nineteen, I went toFrance to study, but instead, I just ate. The experience changed me: I came backto the United States, and a few years later, started Chez Panisse. In Hungry forParis, Alec Lobrano describes his own gastronomic awakening, probably better thanI could! This book is a wonderful guide to eating in Paris." –Alice Waters "Idearly hope Monsieur Lobrano has an unlisted phone number, for his book will makereaders more than merely hungry for the culinary riches of his adopted city; it willmake them ravenous for a dining companion with his particular warmth, wry charm,and refreshingly pure joie de vivre. Lobrano is a sly raconteur, a respectful critic,and the very best kind of insider--one who genuinely longs to share all his bestdiscoveries." –Julia Glass, author of The Whole World Over and Three Junes "Organizedby neighborhood and interspersed with delightful sections on such matters as eatingalone. . . . This is the sort of guide you read before you go to Paris… Lobrano tellsyou what to expect and how to act."-Los Angeles Times Book Review "Lobrano . . .fleshes out his luscious prose with tempting photos. Hungry for Paris is like a cozybistro on a chilly day: It makes you feel welcome." -Washington Post Book World "Le Grand Vfour. Maxim's. La Table de Jol Robuchon. None of these venerated restaurantsare on Lobrano's list of the 102 best in Paris. And that's one of the reasons I loveHungry for Paris."-Gridskipper "A treasure trove of 102 mostly undiscovered addresses…Small and innovative bistros get the lion's share of Lobrano's ink, interspersedwith chapters that are autobiographical, informative and entertaining."-Women\'s WearDaily "Lobrano is an ideal guide because he remembers who he was, how he becamethe expert he is now, and how you can acquire expertise. And he can do that hardthing --- see what's in front of him."- HeadButler.com

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The Man Who Robbed The Pierre: The Story of Bobby Comfort and the Biggest Hotel Robbery Ever Review

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(More customer reviews)I found this a most enjoyable book to read. Having grown up in Rochester, NY and having had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Bobby Comfort it was a pleasure to read about his earlier days. I was only in my twenties when I met him, but, had heard the rumors about his earlier days. I can tell you that the book portrays an easy going man who seemed more of a family man than a masterful robber. He was the typical neighbor every one waves to when you go out to get the morning paper. Little did anyone know of his expertise. His book is both true to life and easy reading - making it a joy to read. The flow of the novel is consistent. I found it hard to put down. I would recommend this book highly.

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Cactus Hotel (An Owlet Book) Review

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(More customer reviews)Cactus Hotel is better than a good book. It's a marvelous book. It tells, without sentimentalizing it, the story of the life and death of a saguaro cactus. Though it is the story of one plant in nature and how other animals and insects benefit from its gifts, it is a metaphor for living--for all of us. That does not mean the book is heavy or preachy. Far from it. The text is simple in the best sense of that word and lyrical. The illustrations make you feel as if you were in that desert world, living that life. Through its generous time on earth, the cactus is home to, and provides nourishment for, various desert animals--a Gila woodpecker, an elf owl, many others. It uses its span on earth to be exactly what it was meant to be. All of nature is revealed here in its wise splendor--heat, drought, rain, cold, wind, sun. I have read this book to my daughter countless times, and I will continue to read it to her. I think I love it as much--more--than she. The book is poetry. Pure poetry.

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