The French Laundry cookbook

The French Laundry cookbook

Thomas Keller

Book - 1999

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Subjects
French Laundry (Restaurant)
Cooking, French.
Published
New York : Artisan 1999.
Language
English
Main Author
Thomas Keller (-)
Other Authors
Susie Heller (-), Michael Ruhlman, 1963-
Physical Description
x, 325 pages : illustrations (some color)
ISBN
9781579651268
  • Acknowledgments
  • Pleasure and Perfection
  • The Road to the French Laundry
  • A Sad Happy Story Cornets
  • About the Chef
  • When in Doubt, Strain: Notes on How to Use This Book
  • Canapes
  • The Law of Diminishing Returns
  • The Mushroom Lady Soup Blini
  • The Importance of Hollandaise Garden Canapes
  • First Course
  • Big-Pot Blanching Hearts of Palm
  • Grower Tools of Refinement: The Chinois and Tamis Agnolotti Truffles Foie Gras
  • The Importance of Staff Meal
  • Fish
  • A Passion for Fish
  • The Accidental Fishmonger Cooking Lobster
  • Beurre Monte: The Workhorse Sauce Infused Oils
  • Meat
  • The Importance of Trussing
  • Chicken Salt and Pepper and Vinegar
  • Braising and the Virtue of the Process
  • The Pittsburgh Lamber Vegetable Cuts
  • The Importance of Rabbits
  • The Importance of Offal
  • Stocks and Sauces Quick Sauces Powders
  • Cheese
  • The Composed Cheese Course
  • The Importance of France
  • The Attorney Cheesemaker
  • Dessert
  • Beginning and Ending
  • The Ultimate Purveyors Sources
  • List of Recipes
  • Index
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

"Cooking is not about convenience, and it's not about shortcuts. Take your time. Move slowly and deliberately, and with great attention," writes Keller, the owner of the French Laundry in Napa Valley who was named 1997's best chef in America by the James Beard Foundation. At a decidedly unhurried pace, Keller delivers 150 recipes that reflect the perfectionism that catapulted him to national acclaim. With few exceptions (e.g., Gazpacho, Eric's Staff Lasagne), recipes are haute, labor-intensive preparations: Lobster Consomm‚ en Gel‚e, Warm Fruitwood-Smoked Salmon with Potato Gnocchi and Balsamic Glaze, or Braised Stuffed Pig's Head. Tongue-in-cheek recipe names like "Macaroni and Cheese" (aka Butter-Poached Maine Lobster with Creamy Lobster Broth and Mascarpone-Enriched Orzo) and "Banana Split" (actually, Poached Banana Ice Cream with White Chocolate-Banana Crepes and Chocolate Sauce) belie the complexity of the dishes. Throughout, Keller conveys his vision as a culinary artist in spare, meticulous prose, emphasizing form over expedience: "the great challenge [of cooking] is... to derive deep satisfaction from the mundane." (Nov.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review

Although this stunning work is structured in chapters ranging from canap‚s to desserts, to consider it merely a "cookbook" would be to trivialize its content and impact. The French Laundry (in Yountville, CA) is one of the most important restaurants in the United States, and owner Keller is an articulate chef with culinary principles. His philosophy: the palate gets weary, so small and often exotic courses should be designed to maximize the experience of each flavor and texture. He defends tradition, e.g., chickens must be trussed, and yet each recipe is startlingly original. Although this is a complex book for the average busy person--Keller advises: "Take your time. Take a long time"--there are also fairly simple dishes. Epitomizing a love of ingredients (there is a resource guide to esoterica) and an almost magical approach to food, this is required for any real "cookbook" collection.--Wendy Miller, Lexington P.L., KY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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