“George Sorensen nos lleva a su viaje culinario cuando decide aprender a cocinar una diversidad de platos internacionales. Todo está situado en los EEUU de los años 80 cuando reúne a sus conocidos y amigos a montar juntos una cenas temáticas. Describe situaciones muy graciosas , a veces frustrantes, otras veces exitosas. Si siempre has querido cocinar platos tan hilarious como el “Trash Can Clambake” (se usa una olla en forma de cubo de basura) tradional , ese libro te viene con la receta al estilo: “make sure the lobsters are alive and the chickens dead” 😂😂😂”

Review on Amazon — Adrián
5 out of 5 Stars

“After traveling the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, a 71-year-old man from Oregon hears a Spanish cellist and feels an overwhelming attraction to the instrument. Back home George Sorensen begins a quest to learn the cello and everything about it...The tone is genial and humorous. Sorensen writes as he speaks, and goes off on a tangent many times, just as if he was telling you his story over a glass of ale.”

Janet Banks, The Strad Magazine – July 2026 Issue

“OK -- I admit it. Based on the title, this is not a book that I would have ever considered buying on my own. For me, cooking is just a necessary evil that is best left to somebody else. The extent of my cooking skills tops out at: "Put TV dinner in microwave" or "Open can, put contents in pot, warm up". So when a friend told me I just had to read this book, I grudging obliged -- more on the basis of our friendship than any real desire to read a book about cooking.

And then something amazing happened. I enjoyed it. Granted, my eyes glazed over and I started skimming material when it was talking about actual cooking, but it turns out there was so much more than that in this book. In a most eloquent style, the author shared his innermost emotions -- the fear that he might have screwed up a recipe, the joy of a dish well prepared, the triumph of a dinner party successfully executed. And then there were the details of the various members of the gourmet dinner group: what they looked like, how they met, how they acted, how they interacted with the author and other members of the group.”

Review on Amazon — William K. Erickson
5 out of 5 Stars

“After hearing a virtuoso during a pilgrimage in Spain, Sorensen was hooked on learning the cello, an instrument he’d never touched before. What follows is a journey toward enlightenment that led from a surprisingly expert teacher in the music store adjoining a Costa Rican restaurant down the street, to various luthiers, cellists, and other professionals, and an ultimate and lofty goal of playing ‘Here Comes the Sun’ on a Stradivarius. Whether it was too lofty didn’t matter, because along the way he discovered that ‘playing became more like spending time with an old friend, rather than being trapped in a bad conversation I wanted to escape,’ and a new way of seeing life.

Told with equal parts exuberance, reflection, and humor, Sorensen takes us along with him on his pilgrimage to learn the cello and explore his musical roots. More than this, his is a story of inspiration we could all use to pursue our own passions.”

— Jason Kilgore, author of Dragon of the Federation and creator of The Strange Worlds of Jason Kilgore

“George’s new book is a phantasmagoria of a fantastic sequence of ever-changing opportunities and dreams come true. He began playing the cello while others his age were napping quietly in a comfortable chair.”

— Mary Ann Coggins Kaza, music teacher and professional violinist for over 50 years

“Hot Dish Confidential will charm you, make you laugh, and teach you how to cook. It is impossible to resist the story of how apricot jam can lead you to the love of your life.”

— Lynn Hightower, internationally bestselling author of The Beautiful Risk.

“In Hot Dish Confidential, George Sorensen takes the reader on a wild and hilarious adventure as he learns to be a gourmet cook. He does this by throwing dinners featuring different countries—France, Italy, Germany, to name a few. While the stories can be harrowing at times—baked peaches that should be served fresh, and other cooking disasters—Sorensen gamely continues on his quest. In the end he not only conquers the feast, he romances a lovely fellow chef and their jam takes honors at the state fair. A piece de resistance indeed!”

— Mary Logue, author of The Big Sugar

“This book hooked me from the start. The author shared his experience on the Camino de Santiago and his final days on the trail, where his passion was ignited. A final dinner was followed by a lecture and a performance by a professional cellist. During that performance by this cello master, the author found love in the cello's voice.

The voice of the cello spoke to the author, and he set out on another pilgrimage—a quest for knowledge and mastery of the strings. From then on, the author leads the reader on his journey of discovery and passion. He reveals the roots of his joy in the cello’s beautiful construction, its components, and the history of its development.

This is a wonderful read for any student of the cello. It is full of history, humor, and the intricacies of the instrument. I recommend it heartily.”

— David Normand, essayist, poet, and blogger

“Blending high and low notes from his life, George presents his harmonious story as ‘a seasoned, but nonetheless spunky, adult beginner’ starting cello lessons at 71. His musical journey proves that there’s no age limit on learning—and that having bad teachers in the past shouldn’t prevent you from pursuing your passion now.”

— J. Nollet

“With just a pinch of wisdom, a shake of humor and a heaping helping of good old fashion imagination George has managed to serve up a mighty meal in this book.”

— Duncan Rouleau, Co-Creator of Big Hero Six, Ben 10 and a slew of other pop culture staples.

“Sorensen is a wonderful storyteller and he has good stories to tell.”

— The Wine Economist

“. . . You will have to pry those lemon bars out of cold, dead hands.”

— St. Paul Pioneer Press

“Hot Dish Confidential chronicles an author's journey to becoming a gourmand with the help of his friends and poison control.”

— Minnesota Star Tribune