...and how could it not?? All throughout you have pictures of smiling faces (and often out-right falling-down-laughter!) of three of Canada's favourite - and extremely talented! - chefs, with tons of insight to their personalities, and reasons why they do what they do! SUPERB pics, great stories, fun sprinklings of cartoons, excellent recipes - that make you just want to try that odd ingredient you've been shying away from all those years. Some of the plates are a bit complicated, but most of them are not; and, all of them are easily adapted to other ingredients. I have a huge cookbook collection. I usually read my books cover-to-cover, and put sticky note tabs on the ones that I just HAVE to try. Well, I gave up 'sticky-noting' this book 'cause every page was getting one!

The Good Stuff * There is a wide variety of choices with three very different chefs * Tracy Moore's forward makes you feel like you are in for a wild ride and you can tell she really does enjoy the boys and their food * Enjoyed the little introduction into each recipe. It's a very nice added touch and makes it actually enjoyable to read each recipe. You even read the recipes that you probably won't make * I personally found Michael and Jason's recipes to be more to my liking -- but that is just a personal preference. * Favorite section was Chapter 7 (Meat Market). There is a Beef Wellington recipe that reminds me of when I worked at the Banff Springs Hotel * The Best Recipe hands down is the Michael's Oliver & Bonacini Cafe Grill Mushroom Soup. I've tried Mushroom Soup (My fav) from Vancouver to Cavendish and this is the most flavorful (Jen's note: I concur and I got to have it at Zuma and it is the best I have ever tasted) We actually made it and Jen said it tasted almost as good as when she had it at Luma * Ingredients are very accessible at your local grocer and can be found at most times of the year which makes the book much more useful in my eyes * Good book for parties and even for everyday cooking for the person willing to add a little zing to their meal (Jen's note: read as only when Jeff cooks and not when I cook) * There is a Sticky Toffee Pudding with Butter Rum Sauce that I have yet to make, but I will very soon (Jen's Note: Yes, yes you should -- hmm isn't Mother's Day this weekend?) * Jen also liked all the pretty pictures of food and as a typical anal Librarian - she said the index rocked The Not so Good Stuff * Didn't like Massimo's recipes as much, but that has more to do with the ingredients being ones that I just don't like Favorite Recipes Smoked Salmon, Goat Cheese, and Asparagus Quiche (Jen's Fav) Oliver & Bonacini Cafe Grill Mushroom Soup (Jeff's Fav) Sticky Toffee Pudding with Butter-rum Sauce (Which Jeff better be making me for Mother's Day) Prosciutto and Mushroom Beef Wellington We bought a lot of mushrooms that weekend Looks pretty close Doesn't look as pretty - but it tastes damn good 4.5 Dewey's Jen received a copy of this (Signed to me) when she attended the Indigo Tweet Up at Luma hosted by some guy she calls Captain Awesome from Indigo