Three Cookbooks You Have To Read
The three best Cookbooks sitting on my bookshelf at the moment are Gordon Ramsay's Three Star Chef, Heston Blumenthal's The Fat Duck Cookbook and Stephanie Alexander's Kitchen Garden Companion.
On a scale of difficulty Heston's book is by far the most challenging, simply because we don't all have access to some of the gadgetry and ingredients that he has and we are not likely to either. Three Star Chef would be next, the recipies are difficult and some are extremely tricky but with patience and a few practice runs you will be impressing your friends or Head Chef in no time. Kitchen Garden Companion is the book that you will go back to time and time again, and in years to come it will still be in your kitchen all worn, torn and covered in what looks like dried food stuff but you can't quite be sure.
Three Star Chef is brilliant in every way. Gordon Ramsay narates the book with his world renowned passion for the industry and as you read you almost feel what it might be like to work in a 3 Michelin Star Restaurant and the pressure involved. The photography of the food is breathtaking, with an entire page dedigated to each dish all you want to do is stick a fork in and go for it. The recipies are really quite hard, it is 3 Star cuisine afterall, but with access to the right ingredients and a bit of time on your hands they are doable. To ease yourself in I would recommend trying the Griddled Asparagus followed by the Slow Braised Pork Belly and finished off with the Caramelised Apple Tarte Tatin with Vanilla Ice Cream.
Heston Blumenthal, whether you love his style of weird science cuisine or think it's a load of crazy old nonsence, after reading this book you might think (if you fell into the latter) it is still a load of crazy old nonsence but you will at least be left with a feeling of admiration for what he has achieved with The Fat Duck and how he has got to where he is today as a Chef.
This is not only a book of recipe's but a detailed history of The Fat Duck, where it all started as a traditional French Bistro to where it is today as one of the most innovative restaurants in the world.
The book is beautifully illistrated by Dave McKean and the photography of the food, like the recipes will leave you scratching your head.
OK, I have to be honest and say the only recipe in this book I have tried is the mash potato, but believe me it is no ordinery mash potato, I mean the man recommends using a glass beaker and an ultrasound gun to emulsify your mayonaise for goodness sake, (see page 493) so you can imagine what you have to do for the perfect mash.
What can I say about Stephanie Alexander's Kitchen Garden Companion apart from, YOU MUST BUY THIS BOOK. If you are in anyway interested about ingrenients this book is a must. It tells you, in amazing detail, how to cultivate, grow, care-for, pick, store and cook as many herbs, vegetables and fruits as you will ever need. I know I will be dipping into this book for as long as it sits in my kitchen.
Stuart Park
Managing Director - CateringAus.com.au
