by Nancie McDermott
Robert Rose Inc.
April 2007, $24.95 (paperback)

It's tricky satisfying the tastes of individual customers. It's even trickier when those customers eat in your cafe nearly every day. Throw in specialty diets and a melting pot of ethnicities and it's a real challenge to keep the menu fresh, healthful, and exciting while keeping an eye on prep time, food costs and food waste.

As many chefs and operators can attest, stir-fries are a fantastic solution to these common problems. But stir-frying shouldn't be a guessing game of pairing flavors and ingredients.

In 300 Best Stir-Fry Recipes, Nancie McDermott offers simple, endlessly varied cooking techniques, perfect for highlighting the season's freshest produce. Alongside classic Asian stir-fries, McDermott brings fresh herbs and aromatic spices to the forefront in her many inspired stir-fry dishes from around the world.

The recipes run the gamut, with everything from Kung Pao Chicken and Moo Goo Gai Pan to Vietnamese-Style Bean Thread Noodles with Crab and LimeSpashed Salmon with Chilies and Cilantro.

With thorough information on stir-frying traditions, techniques and recommended equipment, and a comprehensive glossary, 300 Best Stir-Fry Recipes can be an excellent stir-fry resource.