Product Description

In Modern Classics, Australia's bestselling food writer Donna Hay takes the food from the past we love the most and makes it irresistibly new. Then she looks at what's the best of the new and turns it into a cooking classic.

Coleslaw gets a well-deserved makeover while free-form ratatouille tart enters the classics category. Chicken soup comes of age again while the fresh, crunchy and healthy rice paper roll makes its debut.

Modem Classics is set to become the contemporary commonsense cookbook of a new generation and an indispensable handbook to those of cooking age now. More practical inspiration from Donna Hay.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #30408 in Books
• Published on: 2002-11-01
• Released on: 2002-10-22
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

Amazon.com Review
Donna Hay's mission? Even if you're short on time, even if you're new to the kitchen, the award-winning Australian food writer wants you to be a proficient cook. Her Modern Classics, Book 1 aims to be for a new generation of cooks what Fanny Farmer and Irma Rombauer were for their grandmothers--kitchen companion, inspiration, culinary bible.

The difference between today's new cooks and their forebears lies in the globalization of taste. Thus Modern Classics offers detailed instructions on how to build a Thai Beef Salad, whip up a Roasted Vegetable Frittata, deliver to the dinner table the perfect Lemon and Parmesan Risotto, as well as how to master contemporary versions of such Anglo staples as white sauce, brown gravy, roast pork, flaky pastry, and Shepherd's Pie.

In sections on the basics, Hay gives step-by-step directions for making the essentials (stock, mayonnaise, fluffy rice). How-tos guide the chef through preparation of specific dishes (spinach and cheddar soufflé, freeform ratatouille tart, laksa, French onion soup, pad thai). A sampler of recipes from around the world follows, offering variations on the kitchen skills and flavors just introduced. An array of short orders, easy-to-follow recipes for condiments and side dishes to complement the entrees, ends each section.

And here's the sweetest thing: pictures. Full color, artfully shot photos of beautifully prepared dishes show us what our labor will produce. For a generation of visual learners, these tantalizing visions are well worth the space that might have used to list 14 more things to do with turnips. Modern Classics would be the perfect gift; it deserves a spot in the bridal registry or the new graduate's apartment. --Schuyler Ingle and Joyce Thompson

About the Author

Donna Hay is an Australian-based food stylist, author and magazine editor and one of the best-known names in cookbook and magazine publishing in the world. Her previous eight books have sold more than 2.2 million copies internationally and are renowned for their fresh style, easy-to-follow recipes and inspirational photography. These best-selling, award-wining titles—including The Instant Cook, Modern Classics Book 1 and 2, and Off The Shelf—together with donna hay magazine, have captured the imagination of cooks worldwide and set a new benchmark in modern food styling and publishing. She has recently released the extremely popular Donna Hay Home range of servingware, kitchenware and foods.

Customer Reviews

Great book :->
This book is fantastic. It's beautifully presented and for some reason, with each of her books, I feel like I can cook like she does. All the recipes look easy (and the ones I've tried are) and they look delicious. Each is tempting and makes you want to get into that kitchen.
After an introduction, there are various chapters; Soup, Salads, Vegetables, Roasts and Simmers, Pasta Noodles and Rice, Pies and Tarts and then Tools. There is a glossary too and conversion charts which can be a great help.
So far I've tried the Grilled Asparagus with Balsamic Butter, Baked Chicken and Pumpkin Risotto, Vietnamese Noodle Salad and the Spinach and Fetta Pie. Everything has been so yum and easy to prepare because her instruction is clear and concise.
All of her books are worth taking a look at and in each one there is something delicious for everyone. You would be hard pressed to find that you couldn't make something from one of these amazing recipes. I highly recommend this book. It's great.

To add to rodboomboom...
rodboomboom pretty much says all that needs to be said, however being in the design and print industry, I wanted to add some comments about the quality of this book. It's a bit oversized format and may not fit in tighter bookshelves, but I am sure you have a spot for it somewhere. The photography is excellent. Images of tantalizing food, sitting on rustic wire racks and cutting boards and utensils against a white background, which fits with the theme that these are modern versions of classics. The spot varnish on the photography with white backgrounds really makes the food pop off the page. Some of the recipes have a series of smaller photographs which show the process of cooking the food. The design and layout is very clean. This is the first Donna Hay book I have added to my collection, but it won't be the last.

One of My Favorites
I am a cookbook addict and cook quite a bit. I use this book all the time and consider it a classic! Enjoy!