This is a cookbook for the Christmas season with 70 traditional recipes from around the world. Each recipe is accompanied by comments that may include history, customs, remarks about ingredients, etc. If you are a recipe reader as I am, it's an interesting book that can be picked up and put down at intervals, I spent about two weeks just wandering through it from time to time. I didn't find a recipe I wanted to try but I found several I would be glad to sample if someone else wanted to make them! The comments are provided by Santa Claus or his chef Lars which I didn't particularly care for but most reviewers seem to like. ( )

Author Jeff Guinn's charming "Christmas Chronicles" series continues with "Santa's North Pole Cookbook: Classic Christmas Recipes from Saint Nicholas Himself". Truly a "man of the world", Santa offers recipes from every corner of the earth, and he also illuminates his readers on holiday customs from cultures that span the globe. Santa shares his personal philosophy that there are four essential elements required to create the timeless magic of the holiday season: worship, family, friends, and food. While some of the recipes are fairly simple, and use easily-obtained ingredients, others are more complex and regionally specific. Here are some of the recipes Santa has collected in his travels: "Pecan Waffles from Sweden"; "Atilla's Stuffed Mushrooms from Germany"; "Flaming Gingered Prawns from Australia"; "Leonardo's Pasta Fra Diavolo from Italy"; "Theodore Roosevelt's Pan-Fried Christmas Potatoes from the USA"; "Christmas Mulled Wine from Finland"; "Holiday Black Walnut Cake from Germany"; and "Cinnamon-Sugar Sticks from Mexico". The official chef of the North Pole, Lars, created these recipes for Santa & Co: "Santa's Breakfast Souffle"; "North Pole Bread Dressing"; "Lars' Savory Poached Salmon"; "Holiday Plum Pie Cookies"; and "Candy Cane Creme Brulee". No wonder Santa is a "right jolly old elf"! Other books in Jeff Guinn's "Christmas Chronicles" series include: "The Autobiography of Santa Claus"; "How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas"; and "The Great Santa Search".

Review Copy Gratis Tarcher Books ( )

Tried the rosemary garlic turkey and ensalada Navideña. Not the most exceptional recipes I've ever made.

The authority on Santa, Jeff Guinn, brings readers a cookbook narrated by the jolly old elf himself. For each section and recipe, Santa provides some background information and his own stories. His head chef Lars also adds helpful hints and comments where appropriate. The recipes range from the very simple (like Kissel or Cranberry Puree from Russia) to the more challenging (like Black Christmas Fruitcake from Trinidad and Tobago).

Santa has collected over 70 holiday recipes from his annual trek around the world. This cookbook includes holiday recipes for breakfast, breads, appetizers, main courses, side dishes, drinks, and desserts. Also, an index is included so you can look up recipes by ingredient or country.

The Bottom Line: Add this cookbook to your holiday collection just for the fun of it; it's chock full of interesting facts and trivia. Plus, the type is in Christmas green ink and is easy to read. The recipes are straight forward and easy to follow; however, a few of the ingredients may be a challenge to find. Since the recipes vary in the amount of expertise required, this cookbook is recommended for aspiring chefs of all skill levels. With dishes from all over the world, there's sure to be something for everyone this holiday. Finally, if you enjoy this title, check out Guinn's other books about Santa including "The Autobiography of Santa Claus" and "How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas."

This review also appears at the Mini Book Bytes Book Review Blog: http://minibookbytes.blogspot.com/ ( )