Cookbook review: Touque! by Normand Laprise

Hot on the heels of the Canada Day celebrations, it seems the patriotic thing to do to talk about my latest favorite Canadian cookbook,  Toque!  by Normand Laprise.  The book is named after one of Quebec's most lauded and long-standing restaurants and Chef Laprise is credited with being at the forefront of Canadian cuisine with his incredible creativity and dedication to producing a quality product from start to finish.

We always hear talk of regional and seasonal cuisine now, but these are some of the key philosophical points the restaurant was founded on over 20 years ago.  Toque!  has recipes for dandelions, stinging nettles, and wild berries you may not have even heard about.  You wonder if they even use suppliers for some things or do they just head out into the open country and do a bit of foraging.  With their emphasis on quality organics, you can bet they have done a lot to encourage the local suppliers to patronize those small, local farmers who work so hard and with so much love to bring a great product to market.  Attitudes like this are what really help the often overlooked areas of our regional economies.

Creativity?  It's all here.  Plates are splashed with colours and textures that make you want to eat the pages.  Paints and chips of any vegetable and fruit you could hope for are possible and thrown around with the precision and seeming randomness of an abstract painting.  I saved the best part for last - it has been a long time since a cookbook has absolutely stunned me with a recipe.  If you are brave enough, Chef Laprise will walk you through making caramelized soil.  Soil!  SOIL!  CARAMELIZED DIRT!  I had to read it twice back to back.  It's pure insanity and by the end you'll want some.  Chef Laprise even goes as far as to guide to sourcing out the best dirt to start with - none of that store-bought crap, you need to head out into the woods for this.  Unbelievable.  CHECK IT OUT HERE.

note:  the link above is for the French edition

Cookbook review: Elements of Taste by Gray Kunz and Peter Kaminsky

Today's cookbook review is not only a good source for great recipes, it's a fantastic reference book you can return to again and again and learn something new each time.  The title should give you a good indication of the book's direction, but don't underestimate it.  

Most of us know the four basic elements of taste - sweet, salty, sour and bitter.  The more eager students are jumping up and down in their seats saying "umami! umami!", referring to the more ambiguous concept that there is a sensation of taste that broadly recognizes that something is "tasty" - it is closely related to salt (while remaining distinct) and is what gives MSG its amazing power.  Well, Grasshopper, you have a bit to learn.  Gray Kunz and Peter Kaminsky will introduce you to fourteen elements of taste - fourteen!  And this is because they felt the original twenty-two they came up with might be a bit much for us to handle.  Sit down, hush up, and get ready to learn something.

Reading this book, you will learn to use language such as "pushing", "pulling", "punctuating", and "platform" as the new categories from which this multitude of taste sensations come from.  You will come away with a greater understanding of why certain foods and flavours are such good friends.  Even if you try to open the book and simply cook a recipe, inevitably you will end up reading a short passage about why the flavours work together, or how certain cooking techniques affect how flavours blend and come together.  This book will help you develop the kind of understanding you need to create memorable dishes.  Most people can follow a recipe, but much fewer have the ability to come up with something new, original, and hit the mark or very close to it on the first try.  Read this book, understand it, and apply it.  CHECK IT OUT HERE.

P.S.  This book is a great companion to the Flavour Bible.

Cookbook review: Sweet Seasons by Richard Leach

This book was very inspirational for me when I was an apprentice, and remains one of my favorite reference book when my imagination needs a shot in the arm.  It's not just the quality of the work within the book, but also Richard Leach's background - I've always identified with his background as it has many similarities with my own.  He started as a regular cook, but pursued pastries on his own in order to be a more well-rounded chef which eventually led to working in the pastry department at Aureole and beyond into his career as one of the top pastry chefs in America and winning the James Beard award in 1997.

I find the look of his dishes are ever so slightly set apart from other pastry chefs in that there is often just that little bit more of a composition on the plate.  The plates resist descending into a mass of confusion, rather they maintain a sense of unity while presenting a lot visually - with some of the balancing acts going on, I expect there is a fair bit of pressure on the servers who handle the delivery to the table.  The complexity seems to reflect Chef Leach's savory background, and it translates very well.  It makes this book a great resource not only for recipes, but plating ideas.

The recipes of course are top notch.  As you would expect from someone at this level, facinating flavour combinations and great garnishes.  The pumpkin praline pie plate actually has an edible lantern on it!  Each dessert is divided into mini-chapters with easy to handle recipes for each of the supporting elements on the plate.  There is also a section in the back with some the basic recipes in a pastry shop along with some helpful technique tips.  The title of the book isn't frivolous either, and the dishes are divided according to the most appropriate time of year for serving - not that you would find many objections serving some of these selections year round.  CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Cookbook review: Indulge by Claire Clark

This is a terrific pastry book that fits nicely into the French Laundry and Bouchon series - it's not written by Thomas Keller, rather Claire Clark, who put this book out as the reigning pastry chef of none other than the French Laundry.  Right away, you can guess the quality of the work inside - everything is superbly polished, tested and you can bet delicious.

While it is related by blood to the French Laundry, Chef Clark's book is closer in approachability to the Bouchon volumes.  While everything is top quality, it comes off as manageable to cooks other than those immersed in the industry.  She some areas she covers classics and standards such as creme puffs, pavlovas, and scones, then in other areas pushes your limits and brings some surprising approaches to desserts.  The green tea and jasmine delice is so tempting, while the vacherin Mont-Blanc is simultaneously strange and beautiful.  Indulge is also packed with helpful tips on techniques to improve your knowledge and problem solving in the kitchen.  Get a copy of this book and get ready to drool.  CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Cookbook review: Aroma by Mandy Aftel and Daniel Patterson

The sense of smell is one of the most powerful senses, as well as one of the easiest to overlook.  Chef Daniel Patterson and perfumer Mandy Aftel teamed up to compile a facinating book.  They discuss the importance of considering the aromas emanating from your food and their effects.  Some aromas work together in harmony while others compete for attention, and you need to realize how to use each smell to its greatest effect and to achieve the desired response from your guest.

The recipes here are unique and use thought provoking flavour combinations.  Beyond that, you will find instruction on creating your own flavoured oils and essences, invaluable if you want to develop an original arsenal in your pantry.  You can even go beyond the kitchen and throw together some aromatic bath salts, body oils and perfumes.  CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Cookbook review: Les Diners de Gala by Salvador Dali

When I first saw this book in a used bookstore, I almost flipped.  One of my all time favorite artists wrote a cookbook?  I picked it up almost on the novelty of it all, but after getting into it fell in love with the personality of it.  This is Salvador Dali, the master of taking things too far, and this book goes way beyond extravagant - but these are all things that were served at dinner parties hosted by himself and his love Gala.  Originally published in 1973, it may be dated a bit for today's taste, but is a fantastic look back to some of the classic styles of food enjoyed by the ultra rich.  Photos of tables sprawling with lobsters, chaud-froid glazed meats, caviar and even a tower of crayfish.  Sketches and paintings by the master round out the visual feast between the photos.  

The recipes - I love them - it's where the book finds its personality.  It's like you are having a conversation with the chef.  Minimal measurements if any at all, rather a casual discussion about how to make the dish, first a little this, then a little that, add some butter, yada yada ya.  Now imagine the categories of recipes.  There's an entire chapter on snails.  Before getting to the desserts, you pass through the aphrodisiac chapter, a while before that, you are grilling a lamb's head.  Love it! 

This is something of an obscure edition, but a must have for Dali fans and those who like to represent a bit of history on their bookshelf.  CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Cookbook review: Bouchon by Thomas Keller

Bouchon is a great favorite of cooks of any level.  Where French Laundry is a fantastic book, there is a tendency for it to be viewed as most practical for very high level professionals.  Bouchon is accessible to everyone because it focuses on the type of food we eat on a more regular basis - bistro style.  As with all his books, Thomas Keller is paying great attention to all the details and methods to ensure that the final product is everything you want it to be.  It can be as simple as a quiche or a plate of liver and onions, or it can go a little further into the realm of pork trotters or making your own gnocci, you know all the recipes are well tested and proven.  Essays on techniques such as big pot blanching and the importance of slow cooking are easy to read and educational.  If all you did was to simply read the book, you would surely enhance your foundation of knowledge in the kitchen.  Cook your way through the book and your skills will jump a level and you will have some fantastic meals.  Comfort food at its best.  CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Cookbook review: Bouchon Bakery by Thomas Keller

One of the nicest new cookbooks out now is Bouchon Bakery by Thomas Keller and his executive pastry chef Sebastien Rouxel.  When chef Keller puts a book out it's hard not to take notice - by now you can count on him to deliver quality, and he hasn't let us down here.  Stemming from fond memories of the smells that emit from a good bakery (I think everyone can identify with that), the two chefs have really worked hard to put out a book truly worthy of the craft.

One thing that really struck me was the variety in the recipes.  Where many pastry books have a clear strength in a certain area, Bouchon Bakery covers almost anything you can think of - very much like a good pastry chef with seemingly countless tricks up their sleeve.  I had to chuckle that there's even a recipe for dog biscuits - probably just as tasty for humans too.  Considering the level of professionalism and polish you can expect from this team, working your way through this book will undoubtedly refine your skills in a number of areas.  If French Laundry has become something of a textbook for aspiring savory chefs, expect Bouchon Bakery to achieve a similar status among pastry apprentices.  CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Cookbook review: Mugaritz: A Natural Science of Cooking, by Andoni Luis Aduriz

This is one cerebral cookbook.  Despite spending a couple seasons on the creative team at El Bulli, it wasn't a cinch for Chef Andoni Luis Aduriz to take his restaurant Mugaritz from foundation to being one of the top restaurants in the world.  Where others might want to play up any connection to a chef like Ferran Adria, Chef Aduriz wanted to set his restaurant apart from what he saw emerging as the "molecular" scientific approach to the dining experience.  He wasn't looking to ignore the value in the knowledge of such cuisine, rather he was looking to naturalize it a bit and bring it back to earth.

When you look at the pictures in this book, they are beautifully simple, but then look at the corresponding recipe and you can see the thought that went into the dish.  You can be sure that the "spice rack" at Mugaritz is as out of this world as any of the "molecular" restaurants, it's just a bit more subtle as to how it hits the plate.  Eating rocks and "petrified" wood is definitely not going to strike you as normal, but Chef Aduriz makes it seem as natural as a mixed green salad.  Where other chefs are deconstructing dishes, Mugaritz has been deconstructing the whole thought process behind the creation of a dish.  I find some of the more interesting essays are those that discuss how they have actively worked with their suppliers.  In some cases, they have managed to get the farmers to tailor their crops to the restaurants specific needs and desires.  In other cases, the farmers have had to educate them on the limitations of particular crops.  How many chefs when confronted with inconsistent results with their foie gras would not simply return it to the supplier, but actually do some legwork to help their supplier achieve better results?

I've always been enthusiastic about the potential that food science has brought to the culinary industry, but always felt a certain measure of restraint and a sense of appropriateness are needed to avoid "molecular cuisine" coming off as a gimmick.  Chef Aduriz and his team are doing just that.  Don't worry so much about whether or not you have all the ingredients to pull off all the recipes here, the important thing to take away is the approach to the food.  CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Cookbook review: Under Pressure by Thomas Keller

Under Pressure is another great book from chef Thomas Keller - it became an instant must-have classic almost as soon as it was published.  It may not be the first book on sous-vide cooking, but it is probably the most popular.  It manages to cover a huge range of items, from basic vegetable prep to purees, sauces, and of course meats, yet also manages to remain approachable and unintimidating  (provided you have the equipment).  Throughout the book you will find dishes where each element is touched by sous-vide cooking or its philosophy - while the butter poached lobster isn't vacuum sealed, the butter bath is held at a precise temperature and the lobster goes in for a very specific amount of time.  The deserts?  Yes, desserts.  Just try not to drool on the pages.

As you would expect, Under Pressure is chock full of information - essays, recipes, time and temperature tables, and of course only the best in food photography.  You would be wise to invest in a book cover as this one lends itself to repeated reference usage.  CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Cookbook review: Sous-vide Cuisine by Joan Roca and Salvador Brujes

Sous-vide Cuisine by Joan Roca and Salvador Brujes is the original how-to cookbook for sous-vide cooking (2005).  As an apprentices (our hungry little gang at the hotel), we were so excited by this book, but hindered by the fact that the book was so groundbreaking at the time, you couldn't get your hands on a circulator if your life depended on it.  Not to be left behind, we innovated - we had a vacuum sealer in the butcher shop and by placing a water bath on a low skillet and monitoring it with a probe thermometer, we more or less created a circulator.  

I digress to illustrate the impact this book had at the time, and even though sous-vide cooking has really moved along in the years since, it remains a powerful, relevant and educational volume on the cooking style.  With the greatest emphasis being on food safety and the quality of the end product, you can be assured that the book can be used for years to come and never go out of style.  When you are already cooking the perfect filet mignon, you can dress the plate up any way you like to suit the style of your guests, the meat doesn't ever need to change at all.  That said, the dishes in the book are not left wanting - Chefs Roca and Brujes are both El Bulli alumini (among others) - and the food is always centre stage on the plate and stunningly beautiful.  Throughout the book you will find informative essays charts laying out proteins, cooking temperatures, cooking times, and finishing techniques when it comes to service time.

If you are looking at books to educate yourself on sous-vide cooking, or maybe are intrigued by the historical position of this book, Chefs Roca and Brujes won't disappoint - CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Cookbook review: Cocktail Cuisine by Tony Botella

Cocktail Cuisine by Tony Botella is a super low impact way to bring a big impact to your next cocktail party - huh?  What I mean is that the dishes in the book are visually striking, the flavours are clear and concise, yet most of the recipes involve only a handful of ingredients - how much food can you fit on a spoon or a stick anyway?  

The beauty in these dishes is that the nature of the food style necessitates not only simplicity, but careful consideration of the flavours involved and loving execution of the preparation to get the maximum effect from each ingredient.  Indeed, working through a selection of dishes from this book would be a great way to sharpen your everyday cooking skills and an exercise in resisting the urge to overthink a dish.

Chef Botella gives an extensive range of dishes to fit almost any style of event.  Foie bonbons, confit escargot, truffled yougurt, roast chicken "popsicles" and more.  The photos in the "Glasses" section should be enough to make you want to try your hand at it.

Do you sometimes shy away from an unfamiliar recipe when presented with a list of ingredients resembling a shopping list, have no fear.  Need a couple unique ideas to jazz up your menu?  They're here.  CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Cookbok review: Sweet Cuisine

Sweet cuisine is a very good pastry book for those who want a good sampling of ideas from some of the best pastry chefs in the world today.  Frederic Bau, Jordi Roca, and Yann Duytsche are only three of ten fantastic chefs who are given a section in this book.  What's more is that each section is very generous in its profiles of each chef and their corresponding recipes.  Some chefs have more than ten dishes in their section.  The result is that you get a real sense of each chef's style and approach to their craft - you may come across one that really clicks with your personality and want to pursue their work further on their websites or other books.  Most of the recipes in the book are very straightforward and a lot of the beauty comes from the craftmanship in the final stages and assembly of the dishes, but this also means that you get a lot of small recipes that are easy to manage and easy to mix and match to create your own dishes.  CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Cookbook review: The Whole Beast

Fergus Henderson's book, The Whole Beast is already a classic.  If you've noticed in recent years a resurgence of respect among chefs for charcuterie, utilizing odd cuts, and butchery skills in general, Chef Henderson is one of the ones leading the charge.  It's often the tough and unusual cuts of an animal that yield the most flavour - sometimes it takes a couple tries to develop an appreciation, but that's life eating food.  At the base of it is a respect for the animal and a desire to appreciate its sacrifice for our dining pleasure.  The least we can do is finish it off.  Fergus Henderson will help you past those moments of "is that edible?" and maybe even take something from left field and place it in your regular rotation.  My recent cooking of a beef knuckle barely scratches the surface, but when the butcher told me it had been years since he'd sold one, it seemed almost a shame for something so delicious to be regularly overlooked.  Challenge yourself, challenge your tastebuds, challenge your friends, try something new.  CHECK IT OUT HERE.