The International Cookbook for Kids
Grade 5 Up - A tempting buffet of recipes for classic dishes from "the big four" of world cooking: Italy, France, China, and Mexico. Locricchio promotes cooking as teamwork involving family and friends in an enjoyable experience. The dishes chosen involve basic culinary techniques that are not always simple but often used in all types of cooking. A list of safety tips appears at the beginning of the book, but discussion of essential ingredients, cooking terms, and equipment is, unfortunately, placed at the end. Everything, including soup stock, is made from scratch, with an emphasis on fresh ingredients and the resulting superior flavor. Each recipe is introduced briefly with its cultural context. Ingredients and directions are clearly written, with all cutting, chopping, and other preparation steps listed before the actual cooking begins. A bright color photograph of each dish is included. A special section devoted to "A Taco Party" begins with directions for making tacos (including frying tortillas), and proceeds through salsas, tostadas, guacamole,picadillo,carnitas, enchiladas, and beans. Several dishes involve handling dried or fresh chiles, but safety instructions for wearing gloves and taking other precautions aren't included until the end of this section. Overall, this is a strong collection of popular dishes attractively presented. More recipes for more international cuisines are included in the "Easy Menu Ethnic Cookbooks" series (Lerner), which includes Helga Parnell'sCooking the South American Way(1991).- Joyce Adams Burner, Hillcrest Library, Prairie Village, KSCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.