Thailand: The Beautiful Cookbook

This is an old book, well maintained with lovely pictures, along with a history of the people and their delicious recipes. The myriad ingredients are easily found, now, at local supermarkets and Asian markets. It is a large book, coffee table sized but don’t let that hold you back. Cook from it absolutely and in other quiet moments sipping tea, read about this imaginative vibrant people. You won’t be disappointed.

This series is a prototype of perfection. The photos not only delight, they inform. The reciepes are excellent and well written. I've enjoyed traveling from country to country by "food" but I have to say that the Thailand Cook Book is the most special cooking adventure I've yet to experience. And with it's help I've been able to duplicate my favorite appetizers and entrees for pennys on the dollar. A great investment for your cookbook library!

I attempted to keep Thai as one food I could eat at restaurants rather than cook. Here in Coastal California we have many Thai restaurants from fancy to tiny shacks. Still considering I can easily buy any of the ingredients I see no reason to not make my own.After seeing the Italy version I bought the Thai which arrived today and then ordered the French version and Mediterranean versions. Buying new I would not buy yet the books used each cost less than a lunch at the lowest price place. Okay so my 250 pounds will soon be 300.Molly get out my Lipitor.Looking at other reviews one said he wanted more pictures. There are ample pictures yet so many recipes that each could not be shown. Just look, salivate, cook and eat. Hopefully someone will be still standing who will clean up the massive mess I make while cooking.Yes he died young but happy.

I purchased this book book back in the 90's and decided to give it another read in anticipation of an upcoming trip to Thailand. It quickly became evident that not only is this a comprehensive book in regards to preparing authentic Thai dishes, it is also a great travel book.Each course (Soups and Appetizers, Curries and Main Courses, Salads and Vegetables, Desserts), is preceded by several pages that give an overview and history of a particular region of Thailand. Of course, aside from the history lesson, much of the overview discusses food, including ingredients that may be unusual to the Westerner's eye. There is also a brief introductory chapter about "Eating a Thai Meal."The food styling and photography is excellent (though the non-food shots are average.)So even if you don't plan on making Thai food an important part of your trip, (but you should!), it is still a great tour guide for a very important aspect of Thai culture.

I actually did not buy this particular copy for me, I have my own copy of the book, but I like it so much that I decided to give it to a friend as a gift for his birthday. Lots of great Thai recipes. My one recommendation, and has nothing to do with the book, it is my personal experience, don't try to cut corners by buying pastes (Red Curry is one), make them from scratch, get a grinder and not an electric one, one that where you add some of your muscle into it, Amazon has one that looks good, "Vremi Mortar and Pestle Set", I have had one for many years, and it is the best way to make your pastes. Great book, great pictures and it is all very well explained.

I think the only serious competition for this book is Thai Food, and I would cautiously award the blue ribbon to this book, if only because it contains lots and lots of recipes that I have actually seen and tasted, while Thai Food seems to have a lot of recipes like "Beef and Mangosteen Soup," which I have never heard of, much less tasted. I suspect that a lot of this may be Royal Thai Cuisine, which is undoubtedly delicious but rather requires a kitchen full of servants.(!)This book, on the other hand, shows you how to cook such everyday items as "Pork Fried Rice" (and their version looks GREAT) plus dozens of other items. In fact, if you know of a Thai dish and cannot find it in this book, that will be a big exception.Full marks for the lovely photographs as well! Just leafing through this wonderful book will make you hungry.

I was looking for a gift for my best friend who is Thai and loves to cook, and this popped up. I was a little hesitant, since there are so kitschy cookbooks out there, but looking at the reviews, I decided to go for it. I love that it has all the different regions of Thailand, where you can learn the different "flavors" of that region. She absolutely loves this book, and her and her mom have already cooked a few recipes from this book. May I add that it is also quite beautiful to look through!

After owning this book for a while I wanted to provide an update. LOVE this book! It has become one of my favorites and my family makes requests all the time. My new sister-in-law is Thai and her parents came for a visit, they speak almost no English. I made a couple of the dishes from the book and they were a bit nervious but appeared shocked when they tasted the food. Said that it was VERY authentic and they wouldn't have believed I made it from scratch if they hadn't seen it. Very inspiring book and if you have an Asian market nearby you are in for a real treat.===============This book is beautiful, the photos are pleasing and I like the fact they give you the Thai name as well as the English translation. The recipes are not too complicated and after trying out a number of them they are incredibly favorful and simiple to make.