Review of Kitchen Chaos to Culinary Bliss

[Natalie Theis de Pareja]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Kitchen Chaos to Culinary Bliss" by Mary Lummerding.]

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3 out of 5 stars

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Knowing how to cook is a valuable skill. If you know how to cook for yourself, you can feed yourself for a lifetime. In Kitchen Chaos to Culinary Bliss, Mary Lummerding teaches the reader how to cook and have fun while cooking. She provides recipes for tasty meals and treats, along with tips and hints. Chef Mary explains how to organize your kitchen to best use the space so you can cook comfortably.
I like how the author incorporates brief stories from her life that are both fun and interesting. She encourages the reader to get into the kitchen, cook their meals, and most importantly, have fun. She wants the reader to enjoy cooking so they can be happier, healthier, and save money.
Unfortunately, there are several things I don’t like about the book. First, some recipes are a little confusing. For example, she mentions ingredients in the directions that aren’t in the list of ingredients, such as “include other sliced or chopped vegetables like mushrooms, carrots, celery.” How many of these vegetables should there be? Second, the recipes are too wordy. Chef Mary mixes tips in the directions, which makes for a confusing read. If she kept the tips in a separate box, the recipe would flow better. Third, some recipes are not ideal for beginner cooks, as they aren’t specific enough. For example, she writes: “If using blueberries, cook with a bit of water till soft, add a bit of sugar, let cool.” Novice cooks would not know how much water or sugar to add. Another example is this: “Nuts – optional-sliced almonds, chopped pistachios or peanuts (toast carefully in a pan).” How long should the nuts be toasted? What temperature should be used? Finally, she claims: “A research study proved that cooking provides the neurological benefits of sequencing, decision-making, calculating and following instructions.” However, she doesn’t reference where she got this information. Overall, I found the book to be repetitive, incomplete, and confusing.
I rate the book Kitchen Chaos to Culinary Bliss 3 out of 5 stars. I deducted one star for lack of proper editing and one star for the repetition and confusion.
I recommend this book to people who already know how to cook but need a little guidance.

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Kitchen Chaos to Culinary Bliss
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[Kibet Hillary]

Indeed, cooking is a very valuable and essential skill, especially right now when most would opt for fast food. I hope that the author would include links to some external videos or some more concrete references for the recipes that were too complex for beginners or those where the ingredients were not very specific.
Thank you, @Natalie Theis de Pareja, for the amazing review.

[Yasmine Zaki Muhieddine]

Cooking to feed yourself or others is one thing; enjoying the process of cooking is another. I like that the book includes tips on how to organize your kitchen to cook comfortably. Hopefully the author will review the recipes and add the needed clarifications.