Upon first reading it, I thought the recipes seemed sort of boring, but believe me, they are more than the sum of their parts. Aside from the above mentioned pureed sweet potatoes, my other favorites include the roasted red and yellow peppers with rosemary and lemon juice, the spice-rub swordfish steaks with balsamic reduction sauce, and the jerk shrimp. All of these recipes are incredibly easy to make, and if you're pressed for time, each chapter starts off with "in a hurry" meals that you can prepare quickly. Who says cooking has to be so time intensive and complicated? A true gem!

23 of 24 found the following review helpful:

Blanchard's Home Cooked Recipes for the Soul.  Dec 06, 2003
By prisrob "pris,"
To have the skill to bake and cook well is a joy. To know the people who cook and bake so well they have wrtten several cookbooks is even more wonderful. The Blanchards have been an "Upper Valley" treasure for years. They first started out with Blanchard and Blanchard Salad Dressings, and were the first to mix herbs and unusual ingredients into delicious salad dressings.

Mel and Robert Blanchard live in Norwich, Vermont and have a restaurant in Anguilla. Mel is not an educated chef, but a born and bred true cook. Her recipes are simple and so good. Cheddar Cheese soup, cheese and onion bake (tastes like the topping on french onion soup, and is used as a side dish for their New England Thanksgiving on Anguilla) One of the most delicious and unusual recipes is Vermont Picnic Ham with dark beer. Scrambled eggs with herb cheese and chives, surrounded by roasted small tomatoes is mouth watering. Pair that with peach, coconut breakfast bread and you have the makings of a scrumptious brunch.

The Blanchards use simple ingredients because much of what they make must be flown into Anguilla. They use the fruits and vegetables native to Anguilla. At the heart of their cooking continues the use of herbs, fresh and dried. Each recipe is unusual and can be made at any time. None of the ingredients are seasonal or that unusual. Their particular blending of the herbs and other ingredients, however, give their cooking 5 star quality. I recommend this cookbook for anyone, and it will be under the Christmas tree of many of my friends and family. Can't wait to get back to that ham. prisrob

16 of 17 found the following review helpful:

A wonderful taste of paradise!  Jun 29, 2003

The cover picture of Life at the Beach drew me to it-- reminding me of childhood days in Hawaii and adult vacations in the Carribean. I found the book delightful reading and my husband and I began planning a future trip to Anguilla. Imagine my thrill in seeing that the Blanchard's published this wonderful cookbook. I immediately bought one for a gift and one for me. It has become a household favorite!! First-- it is a TRULY user-friendly cookbook and cooking guide. It has quickly become my most-used cookbook. Many chef-written cookbooks on my shelf (and there are many) sit there because recipes are too involved for our lifestyle (too many steps and ingredients). The Blanchard's cookbook combines all the concepts one would want in a cooking guide--fabulous, fresh and creative tastes; beautiful and tantalizing pictures; clear, simple directions with manageable and available ingredients; AND tips for success from the chef. One of the real benefits of the book is the "In a Hurry" section at the beginning of EVERY chapter-- it lists quick, yet delicious ideas for weeknight dinners-- and include ingredients I usually have on hand. I really appreciated their care in writing each recipe with the "home cook" in mind -- they clearly want to share their joy of food with everyone-- whether or not you make it to Anguilla! Second, I really enjoyed seeing the pictures of all the "family" members at the restaurant. After reading all about them in Life at the Beach, it was fun to "see" them. Now, I can't wait to meet them all in person! Do yourself a favor-- buy BOTH these books-- you'll be taking a little trip to paradise each time you open them!

12 of 12 found the following review helpful:

A Perfect Cookbook for a Perfect Restaurant  Apr 23, 2003
By Jill A.
I've been to Bob and Melinda Blanchard's restaurant in Anguilla many times now. In fact, each time I vacation there, I must eat at Blanchard's for my first and last meal. This book perfectly compliments the restaurants and its owners. The recipes are wonderfully simple, with short lists of ingredients. At the front of each section they list "quick and easy" alternative ways to prepare some of their favorite dishes. All of my favorite dishes are included in the cookbook, and are complimented by the wonderful photographs of owners and staff. Blanchard's restaurant has one of the most gracious staffs I've ever encountered. It's wonderful to see how much the owners appreciate their staff. The love that they have for what they do clearly shines through.

12 of 12 found the following review helpful:

A cookbook for everyone!  Apr 10, 2003
By Catharine Mead "catharinem"
I am in the middle of "A Trip to the Beach" and I can't seem to put it down. I stopped by the bookstore to let the owner know how much I appreciated her recomendation and she showed me the Blanchards' new companion cookbook. We have tons of cookbooks at home, that I never use, so I was reluctant to buy a new one. It was so pretty and the recipes looked quite simple so I thought I would try it anyway. I am so glad that I did. The recipes are terrific. They are fresh, simple and absolutely delicious. I made their version of chicken marsala last night and my husband liked it so much that he cleaned the whole kitchen! The photographs in this book are enchanting. They have pictures of the food, which is always nice to compare yours with what the end result is supposed to look like. There are beautiful photos of Vermont (The Blanchard's first home), Anguilla, their restaurant and the people that work with them in Anguilla. I couldn't be happier with this cookbook, it and "A Trip to the Beach" will be my Christmas gift for everyone.

See all 20 customer reviews on Amazon.com