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The French Laundry Cookbook (Hardcover)
by Thomas Keller (Author) , Deborah Jones (Photographer)
| Category:
Cookbook, Original books |
| Market price: ¥ 468.00
MSL price:
¥ 458.00
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| Stock:
Pre-order item, lead time 3-7 weeks upon payment [ COD term does not apply to pre-order items ] |
MSL rating:
 Good for Gifts |
| MSL Pointer Review:
The author Thomas Keller expresses his core value in this excellent book: "Cooking is not about convenience, and it's not about shortcuts. Take your time. Move slowly and deliberately, and with great attention." |
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Author: Thomas Keller (Author) , Deborah Jones (Photographer)
Publisher: Artisan
Pub. in: November, 1999
ISBN: 1579651267
Pages: 336
Measurements: 11.3 x 11.2 x 1.3 inches
Origin of product: USA
Order code: BA00939
Other information: 2nd edition
ISBN-13: 9781579651268
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Rate this product:
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- Awards & Credential -
The author owns "the most exciting place to eat in the United States." |
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- MSL Picks -
Simply put, this book is beautiful. It's a rare look inside the secrets of a craftsman at the top of his trade. This is a book that recommends straining every stock through a chinois, a book that's more generous in its use of truffles and the foie gras than the average episode of Iron Chef. It makes no compromise and spells out the fact that something as simple as their tomato "consomme" takes two days to prepare.
- The design on this book makes it a work of art. The photographs and layout are literally awe-inspiring.
- Very enjoyable text and it is pleasurable reading. Most helpful are pointers on technique and procedure.
- Most recipes are difficult, a few are pretty easy. Herein lies the caveat/point of caution. To understand this point, one must understand the philosophy of this restaurant/Keller. Food is a work of art and presentation is everything in Keller's mind. With that in mind, be ready to break out the tweezers and forceps to get this food to appear as it does in the restaurant/book. It can be painstaking and frustratingly over-done.
- About the French Laundry: It is a very good restaurant and worthy of most of the commendations about it. The wait on reservations has now hit the 3 months+ mark.
- The pictures are beautiful. A lot of them are meant to evoke that psychology of food feeling, and there could be more of the finished product. Also be warned that the pictures are extremely close up, and the finished portions of the recipes are small/gourmet-sized. At his restaurant he serves 6 or 7 courses. To make 6 or 7 recipes from this book would probably keep you busy the entire week though unless you are highly organized!
Aside from that, there's a lot in this book that is probably beyond the capabilities of the average home chef, and probably even several classically trained restaurant chefs. Not everybody can make chips and dip out of creme fraiche, truffles, and potatoes sliced so thin you can see through them, but with a little experimentation a reasonable facsimile can be made at home, and still wow anyone who eats it. Other items, like the gazpacho, are simple and delicious - provided you put in the time and care recommended by the recipe. The book is all about care with ingredients and preparation, and that's really what elevates the recipes. It's not about a wild combination of new and exciting flavors; it's about taking the time and effort to use ingredients to their fullest extent.
Overall, this book is extensive its coverage, enlightening in its scope and colorful at the same time. It is highly recommended.
- From quoting Eric Oehler
Target readers:
Food lovers, housewives, professional cooks, or hotel and restaurant managers.
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Thomas Keller became chef/owner of the French Laundry in Yountville, California, in 1994. In 1998, Keller opened the casual bistro called Bouchon. In 2004, he opened Per Se in New York City. In late 2005, Per Se became one of only four restaurants in Manhattan to receive the much-coveted three stars from the Michelin Guide.
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From the Publisher
Thomas Keller, chef/proprieter of the French Laundry in the Napa Valley -"the most exciting place to eat in the United States," wrote Ruth Reichl in The New York Times - is a wizard, a purist, a man obsessed with getting it right. And this, his first cookbook, is every bit as satisfying as a French Laundry meal itself: a series of small, impeccable, highly refined, intensely focused courses.
Most dazzling is how simple Keller's methods are: squeegeeing the moisture from the skin on fish so it sautées beautifully; poaching eggs in a deep pot of water for perfect shape; the initial steeping in the shell that makes cooking raw lobster out of the shell a cinch; using vinegar as a flavor enhancer; the repeated washing of bones for stock for the cleanest, clearest tastes.
From innovative soup techniques, to the proper way to cook green vegetables, to secrets of great fish cookery, to the creation of breathtaking desserts; from beurre monté to foie gras au torchon, to a wild and thoroughly unexpected take on coffee and doughnuts, The French Laundry Cookbook captures, through recipes, essays, profiles, and extraordinary photography, one of America's great restaurants, its great chef, and the food that makes both unique.
One hundred and fifty superlative recipes are exact recipes from the French Laundry kitchen - no shortcuts have been taken, no critical steps ignored, all have been thoroughly tested in home kitchens. If you can't get to the French Laundry, you can now re-create at home the very experience the Wine Spectator described as "as close to dining perfection as it gets."
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| View all 10 comments |
A reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-07 00:00>
Chef Thomas Keller's first cookbook The French Laundry ia a beautiful book and a must read for any professional cook. While so many celebrity chefs try to cash in on their fame with a quick restaurant cookbook, Thomas Keller seems to be trying to do something much different. His book is more about how cooking "feels" rather than the actual physical process itself. The recipes are all very workable for a professional chef but would be difficult for home cooks to execute. It really doesn't seem to matter though, because just reading it is enough. The photographs are wonderful and the "zen like" narratives about food from the Chef and his support staff are fascinating. His love and respect for what he does certainly shines through. I think this cookbook is a definite classic and well worth the price. A absolute must-read for anyone interested in food.
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John Kelly (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-07 00:00>
The French Laundry is a rarity in today's food world - a restaurant founded on traditional French cooking which turns out surprising and inventive fare that people actually enjoy eating. (For proof, try to get a reservation.) A major reason for this is the passion and dedication of chef Thomas Keller. Mr. Keller has shared his views on food, his recipes and methods, and his inspirations in this well-written and beautifully-photographed book. I brought my copy to the family Christmas gathering, and it was passed from hand to hand for days. My sister called me later to tell me "if you love me you will buy me one." That sort of says it all.
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A reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-07 00:00>
This is a great book if you are looking for inspiration to bring to your own dishes. However, if you are simply looking for new recipes to try this would not be the best book to purchase. The recipes in this book require a great deal of culinary knowledge to create. On the positive side, this book is a great read because it contains some amazing photography coupled with high scale food. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I would make some of the recipes for special occassions but the recipes are too costly and time consuming for everyday cooking for most people. If you are looking for inspiration and examples of creativty and innovation from a great restarant I would definately buy this book.
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M. Ross (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-07 00:00>
This is a beautiful cookbook. It would make a great gift. Of course, I'm prejudiced because I have eaten at the French Laundry and would classify that dinner as unforgetable. The recipies are complicated and require a lot of time, but Keller gives you every detail necessary to make the dish. We've tried a couple of things, and they were definitely worth the time and trouble. It serves as a reference book as well because Keller explains many techniques. I love the pictures. Even if you don't cook anything out of it, it's lovely to have.
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