Thursday, March 20, 2014

Review: Lobsters

Lobsters are among the most extensively researched creatures on the planet, owing largely to their commercial value and cultural significance in certain regions. Yet, much of what is known about the species does not explain its role in marine ecosystems, and questions about how lobsters interact with their environment, and how they can best be managed, occupy the current generation of lobster scientists.

This text, now in its second edition, focuses on the most commercially important species of marine lobsters - Panulirus, Homarus, Jaus, Sagmariasus, Nephrops, and commercial Scyllarids - throughout the world's major fisheries, from Australia and New Guinea to Brazil, Baja California, India, South Africa, Somalia, Indonesia, Japan, the Mediterranean, and the Northeast Atlantic.

Biology, Management, Aquaculture and Fisheries
by Bruce Phillips
Wiley-Blackwell, 2013
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Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Review: Great Meat

This is a consumer's guide to selecting and preparing meats of all kinds, from beef and pork to goat, venison, poultry, rabbit, duck, goose and game birds. It includes detailed instructions for grilling, braising, roasting, broiling, stewing and flash cooking.

Compiled by a master butcher, Dave Kelly, at the meat shop Ruby & White in Bristol, England, this book includes recipes from some of the best restaurants in the West Country of England, like the Manor House Hotel in Moreton-in-Marsh, Martini Ristorante and the Circus Cafe and Restaurant in Bath, The Town House in Bristol, and Bath Priory as well as Keefer's Restaurant in Chicago.

Recipes are grouped into six categories of meats - beef, pork, lamb, game, chicken and turkey, and duck, goose and game birds - along with background information on how the meats are produced and a guide to the available cuts.

Classic Techniques and Award-Winning Recipes for Selecting, Cutting, and Cooking Beef, Lamb, Pork, Poultry, and Game
by Dave Kelly, et al
Fair Winds Press, 2013

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Sunday, March 16, 2014

Review: Kentucky Bourbon Country


This guide profiles five major distillery locations in the Bluegrass State - Louisville, Frankfort and Midway, Lexington, Lawrenceburg, and Bardstown - from which the bulk and arguably the best of Kentucky's bourbon is produced.

The directory of restaurants, inns, historic sites and attractions is preceeded by a primer on how bourbon is made and enjoyed.

"Most of Kentucky's bourbon distilleries are found in the central Bluegrass region, within a triangle defined by points at Louisville, Lexington and Bardstown," Reigler points out. "The area is fairly compact: travel time between Louisville and Lexington and between Lexington and Bardstown is about an hour."

The Essential Travel Guide
by Susan Reigler 
The University Press of Kentucky, 2013

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Saturday, March 15, 2014

Review: Log Home Care and Maintenance

Until recently, most log homes were either self-built or constructed by contractors affiliated with a local sawmill. Consequently, most were vacation homes built in or near a forest; only a few were built for year-round residence.

Much has changed in the last 20 years and the log home industry has matured considerably. The advent of new caulks and sealants coupled with improved designs and components has made the log home a more practical and affordable residence almost anywhere in the country.

Everything You Need to Know to Buy,  
Maintain, and Enjoy Your Log Home 
by Jim Olsen Davis  
The Lyons Press, 2004
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Friday, March 14, 2014

Review: Costume Jewelry


This large format volume presents over 500 pieces of costume jewelry from more than a dozen distinctive periods in sharp color photos with descriptions and values.

"Costume jewelry is an art form unto itself," writes author Leigh Leshner. "Each piece is representative of not only the designer's imagination, but of the culture and customs of the times."

Identification And Price Guide 
by Leigh Leshner 
Krause Publications, 2004
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Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Review: Crustacean Farming


Crustacean farming is one of the world's fastest growing forms of aquaculture. It is a high-risk industry with potential for both substantial profits and serious losses.

"Crustacean Farming," authored by John Wickins and Dan Lee, has been a principal reference for the commercial cultivation of shrimp, prawns, caryfish, lobsters, crabs and spiny lobsters.

This edition of Wickins and Lee's authoritative text, published by Blackwell Science, builds on the success of the 1992 edition with chapters on ranching and re-stocking operations as well as raising ornamental shrimp and small crustaceans for live food in fish and shellfish hatcheries.

Ranching and Culture  
by John F. Wickins and Daniel O'C. Lee  
Blackwell Science Inc., 2002.

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Sunday, March 2, 2014

Review: Apothecary Cocktails


The first cocktails were concocted centuries ago by apothecaries, physicians, pharmacists, and anyone who specialized in healing ailments. They blended alcohol and liqueurs with herbs, fruit, flowers, spices and more to create  tinctures, bitters, elixirs, and tonics touted to cure tummy troubles, respiratory ailments, aches, pains, and more.

Not all of these potions were effective, any more than today's medicines cure all, and some were downright dangerous, but the better curatives prevailed and became the basis for many modern prescriptions and nightclub cocktails.

Apothecary Cocktails: Restorative Drinks from Yesterday and Today
by Warren Bobrow.
Fair Winds Press, 2013
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