Williams-Sonoma Foods of the World: San Francisco: Authentic Recipes Celebrating the Foods of the World

I bought a bunch of these here on Amazon for a few dollars each for my daughters who expressed interest in learning how to entertain and cook for themselves and company, most of the books in the series are great for just this purpose, being a Disabled Veteran on a fixed income I really wouldn’t want to pay the full retail price and judging by the sheer abundance of used copies for next to nothing I am not the only one who didn’t.TLDR great when bought used recommended at a used price.

As a resident of San Francisco who loves his city, I am hardly the most objective reviewer of this book, but I do think this is a worthy if rather cursory overview of the culinary treats and idiosyncratic dining experiences that make up the best of what this city has to offer to local and tourist alike. Chuck Williams has established one of the more unavoidable upscale gourmet store chains in Williams-Sonoma, and this tome is the latest in a series of cookbooks focused on the premiere food capitals of the world. The first third is actually a well-organized explanation of what makes San Francisco unique from its culinary history to the distinctive flavors currently found in its major neighborhoods. There are sections on local specialties such as artisan bread, coffee, wine, Asian produce and chocolate. The breezy but informative text is by Janet Fletcher.The recipes actually don't start until page 79, but the 45 selections all look tasty and not overly complex to prepare. I have always had good luck with the recipes in the Williams-Sonoma catalog, and this one is proving to be no exception so far. Personally I have tried making the orecchiette with broccoli rabe; the braised chicken with tomato, pancetta and zinfandel; and the stir-fried long beans with Thai chile paste. All were hits with friends, though I would think items such as Chinese long beans may be harder to find outside the major metropolitan areas. There are even snippets of local information interspersed among the recipes. The book is also abundant in nice color photographs courtesy of Jean-Blaise Hall, though I wish the editors would have included captions so you know where some of the places are. Highly recommended for those who left their palettes in San Francisco.

Many visitors to San Francisco spend a majority of their time on Fisherman's Wharf and in the immediate area, where there are indeed plentiful choices of delicious local specialties such as steamed crab, clam chowder and sour dough bread. However, there are many neighborhood establishments available to those who have more time to explore and seek out the smaller not so touristy locations. There are many ethnic neighborhoods in San Francisco where you will find such restaurants and non ethnic areas as well where good food is available. This book, which includes many recipes also provides good suggestions for the food varieties that you will find.

These recipes are hit or miss. Some sound like they would be good, others not so much. However, my main problem with the book is actually trying to think of when I would actually make this dishes, as the majority of them seem to be more upscale and too fancy for simply a normal dinner.

Excellent layout...I really liked the Introduction section and the different food focuses in the Best of San Francisco.Then the recipes!!!Beautiful photos.Wish I had read this book before our recent visit to San Francisco but it captures so much of the flavours of this amazing city.This product is better than I could have imagined.

Very pleased.

given as a gift to a long time San Francisco resident... it was a great success...beautiful pictures...and tantalizing recipes...recommended..for this purpose..not too pricey either...

Haven't yet tried any of the recipes .... for some reason the book seems "dated" , even the photographs seem out of date.

I have always enjoyed visiting San Francisco , with it's multi-cultural population and distinct areas . This wonderful book explains the history , geography and culture of San Francisco which has produced both ethnic and modern fusion cuisine at it's best . The photography and layout is excellent and I heartily recommend this knowledgeable book to anyone who wants learn more about this fascinating city and it's cuisine .P.S. The recipes are easy to follow and well worth trying .

Excellent cookery book .Beautiful pictures .