Book Review: The Sophisticated Gourmet by Noel Tyl

If you are looking for a gourmet cookbook, but you are a beginning cook, then I may have found your book!

Noel Tyl has had a long career as an astrologer, and an opera star! I have to admit, when the publisher approached me to review this book, I was hesitant. I like reviewing good cookbooks, and I wasn't sure that an opera-singing astrologist could really cook! But, I was wrong.

This cookbook features over one hundred recipes for health-conscious people. The recipes are simple to understand and easy to prepare. They are designed for everyday meals, quiet dinners for two, and other festive occasions. If you are a beginning cook, but would like to prepare your recipes with fresh ingredients in lieu of packaged products, then The Sophisticated Gourmet is the cookbook for you.

The ingredients are easy-to-find. I was able to find mine at the local grocery store. So, there is no need to order any supplies online or find a gourmet shop, if you have one in your area.

There is a decent sized index with tips explaining what pantry items to keep in stock, as well as how to cut vegetables, herbs to choose, how to check for doneness and much more.

On the downside, if you are a person that needs photographs in a book, unfortunately, they are not here. There are quite an abundance of drawings! And the recipes are so easy to prepare, I believe that despite a beginning cook's skill level, that you would be able to prepare your meals without photographs documenting every stage of the cooking process.

Due to Noel Tyl's careers, astrology and opera, he has had the opportunity to travel all over the world, hence sampling international cuisines! Some of the delicious recipes you will encounter in this book are: Chocolate Pound Rum-Cake, St. Gertrude's Lobster Soup, Crispy Duck & Bean Salad With Peanut-Sesame Dressing, Royal Hunt Roasted Pork Tenderloin, plus many more. And as you may be able to tell, this is definitely a meat-eater's book. There are some vegetarian recipes, but you would need to be an extremely innovative cook with your tofu to utilize the majority of the meat recipes.

So, if you would like to try innovative recipes designed for the novice skill level, written in an easy-to-read manner, than Noel Tyl's The Sophisticated Gourmet is for you! I enjoyed The Sophisticated Gourmet, and I am sure you will too!

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