http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com collaborative book reviews about all things food and wine Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:58:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/10209_pastry-in-europe-2011-joost-van-roosmalen-2011-be http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/10209_pastry-in-europe-2011-joost-van-roosmalen-2011-be#comments Sat, 04 Jun 2011 01:28:31 +0000 Gfron1 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=10209 A glaring pink book seeking the spotlight, giving us the whirlwind European tour from Michelin restaurants to back alley holiday fairs, Pastry in Europe 2011 provides a snapshot of the state of pastry across the diverse continent. You’ll be delighted with the cutting edge ingredients, old-school techniques, and the slew of chefs sharing what they’re doing right now. While the 2011 book has made greater strides than its two predecessors, it has yet to take center stage.]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/10209_pastry-in-europe-2011-joost-van-roosmalen-2011-be/feed 0 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/9300_ideas-in-food-aki-kamozawa-2010-us http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/9300_ideas-in-food-aki-kamozawa-2010-us#comments Wed, 23 Feb 2011 06:05:21 +0000 Gfron1 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=9300 If a book’s worth can be measured by the number of dog-eared pages, then Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work could turn around the international financial crisis. In fact, my copy has so many turned page corners that I’m expecting a ‘Cease and Desist” order to arrive at my home any day now. Well over 75 pages are marked as requiring my re-reading and note taking. And lest you think I’m a chronic book destroyer, a quick scan of my most favorite and used books show less than ten dog-eared pages in any one book. This is one worthy book for anyone who cares about the inner workings of their food or for anyone who wants someone to do the homework for them so they can simply follow instructions and put out great dishes.]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/9300_ideas-in-food-aki-kamozawa-2010-us/feed 0 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/8789_thai-street-food-david-thompson-2009-au http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/8789_thai-street-food-david-thompson-2009-au#comments Tue, 11 Jan 2011 04:31:56 +0000 Daniel Chan http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=8789 “Thai Street Food” is David Thompson’s homage to the markets, food stands and mobile vendors of Thailand. As with his groundbreaking previous book, “Thai Food”, Thompson explains the evolution of the food, and the systems and culture that sustains it. However, readers should not think of this book as being a street food version of his first book - to do so would only lead to disappointment. Thompson’s aim here is to give the reader an insight into what Thais eat every day and how it fits into their lives. The hour-by-hour changes in the food available to Thais in the street markets is constantly emphasised in the book. The combination of his writing and Earl Carter's photographs is so seductive that it’s hard to resist the urge to catch the next flight to Bangkok to experience the culture Thompson has adopted as his own.]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/8789_thai-street-food-david-thompson-2009-au/feed 0 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/8976_food-pairing http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/8976_food-pairing#comments Tue, 04 Jan 2011 23:50:36 +0000 Gfron1 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=8976 In a period of enormous culinary innovation, often involving clever, insightful or entertaining combinations of ingredients, we bring you a feature about many of the books (and a few websites) that focus on pairing foods and flavours. Where many people have been familiar with the pairing of wine and food, these books instead look at flavour combinations in the kitchen.]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/8976_food-pairing/feed 0 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/8361_noma-rene-redzepi-2010-us http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/8361_noma-rene-redzepi-2010-us#comments Fri, 15 Oct 2010 08:11:05 +0000 Gfron1 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=8361 Noma: Time and Place in Nordic Cuisine by René Redzepi is the culinary equivalent of one of those books you find in a museum gift shop – impressive, beautiful, inspiring… but not likely to get opened much after its first reading. And yet, this book will fill you with hope in our culinary future, inspire you to expect more out of your local restaurants, and re-examine the food on your plate.]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/8361_noma-rene-redzepi-2010-us/feed 2 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/6625_cuisine-du-temps-jacques-reymond-2010-au http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/6625_cuisine-du-temps-jacques-reymond-2010-au#comments Thu, 22 Apr 2010 07:23:54 +0000 Daniel Chan http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=6625 Jacques Reymond and his restaurant are institutions in Melbourne, Australia. Over the years, the French-born chef has gradually introduced Asian elements into his cuisine. In some respects, he is the other side of the coin to Sydney’s Tetsuya Wakuda, who gradually fused French methods into his Japanese cuisine. Cuisine du Temps is a book reflecting on Reymond’s career in the kitchen. Many recipes that people will recognise from his restaurant appear in this book, as do dishes that he learned during his time working in South America and the South Pacific. The recipes and photography speak for Reymond, but there’s a part of me that would have liked to read about the man himself and what motivates him.]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/6625_cuisine-du-temps-jacques-reymond-2010-au/feed 1 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/5794_paco-torreblanca-2-paco-torreblanca-2006-es http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/5794_paco-torreblanca-2-paco-torreblanca-2006-es#comments Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:54:01 +0000 Gfron1 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=5794 What if Mozart or Einstein handed you their notebook and said, “Here, go have fun.” Such a gift would be overwhelming in generosity as well as challenge. When Paco Torreblanca offers this gift in Paco Torreblanca 2, he adds, “Now let’s see what we can do together.” A serious, no-nonsense book for people who take pastry seriously, Paco Torreblanca 2 focuses on integrating natural ingredients into microcosmic eye candy.]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/5794_paco-torreblanca-2-paco-torreblanca-2006-es/feed 0 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/5169_three-star-chef-gordon-ramsay-2007-uk http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/5169_three-star-chef-gordon-ramsay-2007-uk#comments Wed, 24 Feb 2010 13:16:34 +0000 Daniel Chan http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=5169 Once upon a time, the marking point of a chef’s success was the awarding of a Michelin star or equivalent. The professional recognition and a dining room full of satisfied diners was all that was needed to make your mark on the culinary landscape. But chefs and restaurants have now evolved to a stage where global brand recognition has become a part of the game. Cookbooks featuring the flagship restaurant are a part of that marketing strategy. Gordon Ramsay Royal Hospital Road is the flagship of Ramsay’s empire, and “Three Star Chef” is his homage to it. As you’d expect, it is a beautiful book that will draw attention whether you keep it in the kitchen or on the coffee table. The photography is of a high quality and the dishes presented are remarkable in terms of the skills behind them and their presentation. Given the time, skill, and ingredients, this is food that would impress at a dinner party. Ramsay’s words display his customary bluntness when discussing restaurant life in the first half of the book, but change to a more encouraging tone in the recipe section. Does this book, like the restaurant, stand alongside corresponding works by the likes of Thomas Keller, Heston Blumenthal, and Michel Bras? While the Ramsay book matches these others in terms of recipe content and production values, it falls short in that you never truly get a sense of what drives him, his food, and his restaurant. ]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/5169_three-star-chef-gordon-ramsay-2007-uk/feed 0 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/5232_momofuku-david-chang-2009-us http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/5232_momofuku-david-chang-2009-us#comments Sun, 24 Jan 2010 06:49:47 +0000 Mark Manguerra http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=5232 David Chang, owner of the famed New York restaurants Momofuku Noodle Bar, Ssäm Bar and Ko, chronicles his journey from noodle-eater to noodle-maker and guides us through more than 50 of his most popular recipes that showcase the fusion of modern technique and classic Asian comfort food. Throughout the book he gives us a peek into the creative process and the story behind each dish, citing his influences, failures, and inspirations. The recipes can be daunting and the flavors sometimes need tweaking, but ambitious home cooks should have little problem replicating or improving on the dishes, though the weak instructions and badly converted measurements might lead them astray. While there has been plenty of media focus on Chang's "bad-boy" image, he still comes across as approachable and self-deprecating at best, and at worst annoying and trying too hard, but never offensive. Fans of modern Asian cuisine and the Momofuku empire will find the book both entertaining and fascinating. [Editor's note: Don't miss our book giveaway too!]]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/5232_momofuku-david-chang-2009-us/feed 0 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/4199_white-heat-marco-pierre-white-2005-uk http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/4199_white-heat-marco-pierre-white-2005-uk#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:21:04 +0000 Daniel Chan http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=4199 Marco Pierre White’s publishers took advantage of his re-emergence on television in the mid-2000s by reprinting “White Heat”. First published in 1990, this book proved that the public had an interest in recipes that were not intended to be made in a home kitchen. “White Heat” has been a book sought by collectors, professionals and foodies since its original release. Justin North, the owner/chef of Sydney’s Becasse restaurant commented recently that “This changed the way I saw food. I was an apprentice in New Zealand and it gave me an insight to the manic life of a chef; it made me hungry for knowledge about Michelin chefs.” Its impact in terms of kitchen skills, as a source of inspiration for chefs and cooks, and on the design of cookbooks, is still being felt twenty years later. “White Heat” also set standards in other areas. The stark black and white photographs are so integral to the feel of the book that the photographer, Bob Carlos Clarke, received a prominent credit on the cover. The layout with its blocks of white space and oversized quotes by White owes more to cutting edge magazines like “The Face” than to the cookbooks of years gone by. Finally, there is the no-holds-barred commentary by White about the many aspects of the life of a chef. “White Heat” was an extraordinary book in its time, and it remains so today.]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/4199_white-heat-marco-pierre-white-2005-uk/feed 2