Best of
Cuisine

2005

Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing


Michael Ruhlman - 2005
    Today the term encompasses a vast range of preparations, most of which involve salting, cooking, smoking, and drying. In addition to providing classic recipes for sausages, terrines, and pâtés, Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn expand the definition to include anything preserved or prepared ahead such as Mediterranean olive and vegetable rillettes, duck confit, and pickles and sauerkraut. Ruhlman, coauthor of The French Laundry Cookbook, and Polcyn, an expert charcuterie instructor at Schoolcraft College in Livonia, Michigan, present 125 recipes that are both intriguing to professionals and accessible to home cooks, including salted, airdried ham; Maryland crab, scallop, and saffron terrine; Da Bomb breakfast sausage; mortadella and soppressata; and even spicy smoked almonds.

500 Cupcakes: The Only Cupcake Compendium You'll Ever Need (500 Series Cookbooks)


Fergal Connolly - 2005
    No longer! Cupcakes are now the treat of the times, at once simple and chic. 500 Cupcakes is just that: a storehouse of recipes, written in clear instructions and appealingly packaged in bright, modern colors. 500 Cupcakes from front to back provides what bakers of all levels need to produce tempting creations. The introduction provides a comprehensive look at equipment and ingredients, plus a description of the cupcake-making process, from getting started to storing and transporting the yummy results The collection of recipes span from classic flavors and shapes to new favorites for every style and taste?including recipes for alternate diets. Each recipe is written in clear language (great for the novice baker), and every one features three variations on the basic recipe (great for the experienced baker seeking new flavors).

Washoku: Recipes from the Japanese Home Kitchen


Elizabeth Andoh - 2005
    Today, the author of that groundbreaking series, Elizabeth Andoh, is recognized as the leading English-language authority on the subject. She shares her knowledge and passion for the food culture of Japan in WASHOKU, an authoritative, deeply personal tribute to one of the world's most distinctive culinary traditions. Andoh begins by setting forth the ethos of washoku (traditional Japanese food), exploring its nuanced approach to balancing flavor, applying technique, and considering aesthetics hand-in-hand with nutrition. With detailed descriptions of ingredients complemented by stunning full-color photography, the book's comprehensive chapter on the Japanese pantry is practically a book unto itself. The recipes for soups, rice dishes and noodles, meat and poultry, seafood, and desserts are models of clarity and precision, and the rich cultural context and practical notes that Andoh provides help readers master the rhythm and flow of the washoku kitchen. Much more than just a collection of recipes, WASHOKU is a journey through a cuisine that is rich in history and as handsome as it is healthful. Awards2006 IACP Award WinnerReviews“This extensive volume is clearly intended for the cook serious about Japanese food.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune“. . . scholarly, yet inspirational . . . a foodie might just sit back and read for sheer enjoyment and edification.”—Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Grand Livre de Cuisine: Alain Ducasses's Desserts and Pastries


Alain Ducasse - 2005
    Everything is here -- mousses and fondants; cookies and cakes; ice creams and sorbets; bonbons and nougats; fruit tarts, profiteroles, and sweet crhpes. The book's 250 mouth-watering recipes range from traditional treats such as peach melba, candied apples, and "oeufs la neige" to audacious concoctions such as tropical fruit stuffed ravioli and coconut-encrusted lollipops. Decidedly French yet international in flavor, the book presents the authors' masterful takes on American cheesecake; Italian cannolis, zuppa inglese, and tiramisy; and the Austrian confections known as viennoiseries. Organized by main ingredient, the "Grand Livre"'s structure epitomizes Ducasse's philosophy of cooking and baking, which holds that culinary techniques should accentuate and enhance an ingredient's true nature -- "not" mask it. The book features more than 650 color photographs, including a full-page, close-up photo of each finished dish. Cross-sectional drawings clearly display the internal "architecture" of some of the more complex creations.

Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America


José Andrés - 2005
    Using simple Mediterranean ingredients, a tapas feast is a perfect combination of little dishes packed with big flavors. Tapas by José Andrés is the first major book in a generation to celebrate this world-renowned way of eating, from a man who is the best possible authority: an award-winning Spanish chef in America, with seven highly acclaimed restaurants to his name. Recently named Bon Appétit's Chef of the Year, José is a new star in American cooking, as well as the nation's leading expert on Spanish cuisine. Having worked as a chef in the United States for two decades, he's also a thoroughly American cook who draws on American ingredients for his inspiration, and is a master at translating his native Spanish cooking for this country's kitchens. His simple and delicious recipes include:• Fish such as American Red Snapper Baked in Salt; Monkfish with Romesco Sauce; and Basque-Style Stuffed Maryland Blue Crabs• Chicken including Catalan-Style Chicken Stew; Chicken Sautéed with Garlic; and Chicken with Lobster• Pork such as Chorizo Stewed in Hard Cider; Figs with Spanish Ham; and Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Apples • Rice dishes including Lobster Paella; Black Rice with Squid and Shrimp; and Traditional Rice with Clams All these recipes are full of tremendous flavor and creativity, as well as in-depth ingredient notes and a rich atmosphere that will transport you to the lush countryside, hip cafés, and sun-drenched coasts of Spain—and back again to dinner at home. This is a breakthrough cookbook from an extraordinary chef.