Williams-Sonoma Collection: Thanksgiving

Williams Sonoma: nostalgic and elegant (oh, yes, and the recipes are wonderful)Content:In a time of microwave cooking and instant pots, it was really nice to find this gem of a book, a book that transported me back to the bygone days of my youth (as my granny used to say, “Yes, I was born in the age of the Pharaohs” ) and to my grandmother’s elaborate dinner parties and elegant meals where the dining room was lit with candles and decorated with flowers , where the utensils were laid out in perfect order, where the napkins were folded into flower shapes…you get the idea.Okay, okay, okay…so I don’t actually entertain the way my grandmother did very often (where would I get the time or the money-people, lavish entertaining isn’t cheap!!!), I reserve that type of formal elegance and fine dining for special occasions and holidays, but it is really heart-warming to have a book that shows me exactly how to prepare special dishes for special occasions, how the set the table, how to serve my guest, and how to be a great hostess in general.And the recipes…oh, the recipes!!! Every recipe I tried turned out perfectly delicious. I am salivating right now while typing this review! I even went as far as to emulate the food presentation in the pictures (with the platters and decors I already owned, of course).I thought the recipes were rather well written, were not overly complicated, and did not require the reader to have extensive cooking experience cooking (although some cooking experience does make the recipes more accessible). With that being said, I do think that the absolute novice cook may struggle with some of the recipes in WS CB. (By novice, I mean a newbie to the kitchen who does not know what the difference between roasting braising is or know how to steam, boil, or blanch). For the absolute novice cook, I recommend the ATK series.Ingredients:Granted, some of the ingredients are not always present in a home pantry, but they are easily procured from most local grocers, butchers, and organic markets (Walmart even has a reasonable collection of the ingredients necessary for the realization of the recipes in this book).Presentation:Every recipe has a picture! Normally, that would not matter to me as I have over a hundred “picture-less” cookbooks, but for a “vintage cookbook” (from the 80s-early 00s) such as this, pictures are rather important as they show images of recipes with which we may no longer be familiar; to me, an image of a final product, especially if the last time I saw said product was when my grandmother made it in the 80s, is essential. The pictures themselves are breathtaking works of art, elegant, romantic (yes, romantic), and inspiring!The book itself is easy to handle (not too heavy, bulky, or big, but also not too small) and easy to read. The paper is thick and glossy. The font is dark enough and large enough to read, but I do use reading glasses (I am of an age where I simply cannot read ANYTHING without reading glasses. I have to have 16 point font on my computer to read without glasses). Simply put, the book is elegantly compiled and presented.Repetition:Yes, some of the recipes may be found in other editions of WS CBs, but to me that is of no concern as I am collecting ALL the WS CBs published in the 80s and 90s (well, anything prior to 2010 really).Delivery: arrived three days earlier than anticipated.Price: bought the used edition; copy cost me less than $5; pretty good deal!Condition: although I purchased the used edition, I got a copy in excellent condition.Conclusion:It is a product from WS. What is not to like? Is this cookbook worth the money? Should you buy it? For me, the answer to both questions is a resounding, unequivocal YES! As with all WS CBs, this is a beautiful book with elegant and tasty recipes, with lovely photographs of each described dish, and with side ideas and suggestions for improvement.Recommendation:Highly recommend! I cannot recommend this book enough even if I tired! I love it.Note:1. If you found this review helpful in some way, please click the helpful button. Thank you.2. If you want to read more reviews submitted by this reviewer, please follow. Thank you.

I’m on a mission to grab every one of these Williams-Sonoma cook books! I have had success in about 99% of the recipes I’ve tried! Definitely worth the buy

Apple Cider Cranberry Sauce. Homemade, from scratch; from real, fresh cranberries. A wonderful book, cover to cover, with a lot of useful tips, and nice recipes.The Cranberry Sauce is delicious, simple, impressive, and very addictive; be warned!

Great recipes in this book, and best of all great pictures to go with it. I find it a lot more tempting to make recipes when pictures are included :)

Book was like new. Great recipes

great book for the holidays. Too bsad I received it after thanksgiving, however the receipes are applicable to all holidays and I like the book

I really do love this book--my dog chewed the one I had, so had to purchase a replacement. Lots of great recipes and ideas Really use it all year--

This is a beautiful book. One should write out the recipes and never take the book near a kitchen. It did not meet my needs. I bought it as a hostess gift for the cousin who hosts me, and as many as 12 others who are alone for Thanksgiving dinner. The recipes sound delicious but they are not for a large number of people who expect lots of basic good (like Grandma's feast)food. I would recommend this book to someone who wanted to really wow an intimate group of fellow gourmets. And to those who love to read cookbooks, like myself. On a practical note, for the size and price, it didn't have many recipes. There are ingredients not found in a small mountain town. This book would be a nice addition to a cookbook collection, make a nice hostess gift for a book lover, but is not suited as a go-to cookbook. It's a one-menu book.

I love Williams-Sonoma as a store and was real happy they offered cook books.The recipes are laid out attractively and are clearly written.