Best of
Gastronomy

2007

A Day at elBulli


Ferran Adrià - 2007
    Now, for the first time, A Day at elBulli opens the doors to everyone and reveals the inner workings of the kitchen and the gastronomic innovations that have helped create the spectacular food. Illustrated with over 1,000 colour photographs, the book includes recipes and inserted sections explaining the creative methods and food philosophy, the history of elBulli and the life of Ferran Adrià.

Crust: Bread to Get Your Teeth Into


Richard Bertinet - 2007
    His revolutionary and simple approach that won him so many accolades for his first book Dough continues, but this time he leads you further into the world of breadmaking, introducing recipes that require a little more understanding and time but inspiring you with the confidence to create them at home. Bake a beautiful loaf of the mighty sourdough or surprise your family in the morning with the sweet, warm aroma of freshly baked croissants. Drawn from cuisines and chefs from around the world, Richard's recipes are all accessible and will soon become favorites in your breadmaking repertoire. Experiment with a Thai-inspired flatbread that combines chillies, ginger and lime juice in the dough, or make mini baguettes using Cabernet grape flour--surely the perfect companion to a plate of cheese and ham! These utterly delicious recipes are complemented by sublime photography from Jean Cazals, and a free DVD of Richard taking you through the tips and techniques that make his style of breadmaking so easy and enjoyable. If Dough got you hooked on baking, now it's time to get your teeth into Crust.

Beard on Food: The Best Recipes and Kitchen Wisdom from the Dean of American Cooking


James Beard - 2007
    The result is not just a compendium of fabulous recipes and delicious bites of writing. It's a philosophy of food-unfussy, wide-ranging, erudite, and propelled by Beard's exuberance and sense of fun. In a series of short, charming essays, with recipes printed in a contrasting color (as they were in the beloved original edition), Beard follows his many enthusiasms, demonstrating how to make everyday foods into delicious meals. Covering meats, vegetables, fish, herbs, and kitchen tools, Beard on Food is both an invaluable reference for cooks and a delightful read for armchair enthusiasts. (For more information, visit the James Beard Foundation at www.jamesbeard.org.) Praise for James Beard:"In matters of the palate James Beard is absolutely to be trusted...He is always on target."-Chicago Tribune"James Beard has done more than anybody else to popularize good food in America."-New York Times"Beard was an innovator, an experimenter, a missionary in bringing the gospel of good cooking to the home table."-Craig Claiborne"Too much of James Beard can never be enough for me."-Gael Greene

Knife Skills Illustrated: A User's Manual


Peter Hertzmann - 2007
    Peter Hertzmann teaches you skills that encompass everything you need to do with a knife in the kitchen, whether you're a four-star chef or an at-home beginner. This comprehensive guide fills a gaping void in culinary literature.

French Feasts: 299 Traditional Recipes for Family Meals and Gatherings


Stéphane Reynaud - 2007
    It is this quality that acclaimed chef and author Stéphane Reynaud captures so perfectly in his paean to traditional French cooking. Rustic and approachable, humorous and convivial, French Feasts features 299 recipes for beloved dishes like patés, gratins, savory tarts, and braised meats that are the essence of French weekend fare.From classic stews like navarin and boeuf bourguignon, to foie gras prepared six different ways, to crème brulée and gâteau Basque, the recipes come from all over France and even some former colonies (couscous is a national favorite). The book also includes beautiful, earthy photographs, whimsical illustrations, profiles of local producers, and fact-filled sidebars—a guide to cognac and Armagnac, how to make the perfect croissant, and much more—that evoke the considerable pleasures of the French table.

The Seventh Daughter: My Culinary Journey from Beijing to San Francisco


Cecilia Sun Yun Chiang - 2007
    In THE SEVENTH DAUGHTER, Chiang presents a classic collection of recipes framed by her gripping life's story. Beginning with her account of a privileged childhood in 1920s and 1930s Beijing, Chiang chronicles a 1,000-mile trek on foot in the wake of the Japanese occupation, her arrival in San Francisco, and her transformation from accidental restaurateur to culinary pioneer. The book's recipes feature cherished childhood dishes and definitive Mandarin classics, while showcasing Cecilia's purist approach to authentic Chinese home cooking.   • The signature recipes and extraordinary story of Cecilia Chiang, the grande dame of Chinese cooking in America.    • Includes more than 80 recipes, 20 full-color styled food photographs, and archival photography from Chiang's private collection.    • Recipes feature in-depth notes on sourcing ingredients and tips on simplifying the recipes.    • Features menus for putting together Chinese banquets and dinners at home.

Javatrekker: Dispatches from the World of Fair Trade Coffee


Dean Cycon - 2007
    In Javatrekker: Dispatches from the World of Fair Trade Coffee, a unique hybrid of Fair Trade business, adventure travel, and cultural anthropology, author Dean Cycon brings readers face-to-face with the real people who make our morning coffee ritual possible.Second only to oil in terms of its value, the coffee trade is complex with several levels of middlemen removing the 28 million growers in fifty distant countries far from you and your morning cup. And, according to Cycon, 99 percent of the people involved in the coffee economy have never been to a coffee village. They let advertising and images from the major coffee companies create their worldview.Cycon changes that in this compelling book, taking the reader on a tour of ten countries in nine chapters through his passionate eye and unique perspective. Cycon, who is himself an amalgam-equal parts entrepreneur, activist, and mischievous explorer-has traveled extensively throughout the world's tropical coffeelands, and shows readers places and people that few if any outsiders have ever seen. Along the way, readers come to realize the promise and hope offered by sustainable business principles and the products derived from cooperation, fair pricing, and profit sharing.Cycon introduces us to the Mamos of Colombia-holy men who believe they are literally holding the world together-despite the severe effects of climate change caused by us, their -younger brothers.- He takes us on a trip through an ancient forest in Ethiopia where many believe that coffee was first discovered 1,500 years ago by the goatherd Kaldi and his animals. And readers learn of Mexico's infamous Death Train, which transported countless immigrants from Central America northward to the U.S. border, but took a horrifying toll in lost lives and limbs. Rich with stories of people, landscapes, and customs, Javatrekker offers a deep appreciation and understanding of the global trade and culture of coffee.In each cup of coffee we drink the major issues of the twenty-first century-globalization, immigration, women's rights, pollution, indigenous rights, and self-determination-are played out in villages and remote areas around the world.What is Fair Trade Coffee? Coffee prices paid to the farmer are based on the international commodity price for coffee (the -C- price) and the quality premium each farmer negotiates. Fair Trade provides an internationally determined minimum floor price when the C plus premium sinks below $1.26 per pound for conventional and $1.41 for organics (that's us!). As important as price, Fair Trade works with small farmers to create democratic cooperatives that insure fair dealing, accountability and transparency in trade transactions. In an industry where the farmer is traditionally ripped off by a host of middlemen, this is tremendously important.Cooperatives are examined by the Fairtrade Labeling Organization (FLO), or the International Fair Trade Association (IFAT), European NGOs, for democratic process and transparency. Those that pass are listed on the FLO Registry or become IFAT members. Cooperatives provide important resources and organization to small farmers in the form of technical assistance for crop and harvest improvement, efficiencies in processing and shipping, strength in negotiation and an array of needed social services, such as health care and credit. Fair Trade also requires pre-financing of up to sixty percent of the value of the contract, if the farmers ask for it. Several groups, such as Ecologic and Green Development Fund have created funds for pre-finance lending.

No Reservations: Around the World on an Empty Stomach


Anthony Bourdain - 2007
    The book traces his trips from New Zealand to New Jersey and everywhere in between, mixing beautiful, never-before-seen photos and mementos with Bourdain's outrageous commentary on what really happens when you give a bad-boy chef an open ticket to the world. Want to know where to get good fatty crab in Rangoon? How to order your reindeer medium rare? How to tell a Frenchman that his baguette is invading your personal space? This is your book. For any Bourdain fan, this is an indispensable opportunity to hit the road with the man himself.

Killer Chili: Savory Recipes from North America's Favorite Restaurants


Stephanie Anderson - 2007
    This latestmouthwatering volume of the Killer series follows on the heels of the popular Killer Ribs and Killer Pies, and presents the best bowl-filling fare in North America. Filled with savory secret formulas, including a beer-laden chorizosausage chili, a tempting Cape Cod seafood variety, a meatless Southwestern vegetable chili, and a rosemary-flavoredTuscan version, this cookbook contains old favorites, exotic new twists, and everything in between to satisfy any cravingfor a steaming bowl of red.

Field Guide to Seafood: How to Identify, Select, and Prepare Virtually Every Fish and Shellfish at the Market


Aliza Green - 2007
    Learn to differentiate between Arctic char and salmon or between snow crabs and stone crabs with the in-depth descriptions and full-color photographs. Each entry contains a list of alternate names, characteristics, and suggested preparation, including directions on when to remove or leave the skin. Step-by-step instructions explain how to identify, store, and cook the item.   Whether your fish is store-bough or just caught, this guide includes selection tips, suggested recipes, and complementary flavors. You’ll never feel overwhelmed by the wide variety of seafood with this handy guide — don’t go shopping without it!

Wild Garlic, Gooseberries and Me


Denis Cotter - 2007
    Divided into four themed chapters, It's a Green Thing, Wild Pickings, Nature and Nurture, and Growing in the Dark, each include information and anecdotes about the vegetables that they feature as well as many delicious recipes. There are simple salads and soups as well as more challenging main meals and mouth-watering desserts. Recipes include: Fresh Tagliolini with Abyssinian Cabbage, Pine Nuts & Sheep's Dressing; Courgette Flower, Pea and Chive Risotto; Samphire Tempura with Coriander Dressing; Sea Spinach, Potato and Hazelnut Pancakes; Braised Celeriac Gratin of Chestnuts and Blue Cheese with Red Wine Sauce. Stunning images of the landscape, the food, and the finished recipes complete this delightful read and unique recipe book.