I admit it: I can't follow a recipe to save my life. Not because I can't cook well, but because I can't resist the temptation to make adjustments as I go -- a little more of this, a lot more of that. So I was happy to read the introduction to Tom Colicchio's Think Like a Chef, in which Colicchio complains about students wanting to know every step, every brand, to follow in his recipes instead of learning basic techniques and applying them to their own creations. (" 'How long do you cook that?' --My standard reply: 'Till it's done.' This last one usually meets with a few weak smiles and a slightly hostile silence...")
The cookbook takes a different approach than most. It begins with foundational techniques (roasting, braising, blanching, etc.) then shows how to start with single ingredients and build off them to develop great meals, such as the duck breast with root veggies that Jim made last night.
As a huge fan of Colicchio's Craft and Craftbar restaurants, I can't wait to try some of these dishes (especially the braised pork belly, which looks like it might be the foundation for the dish at Craftbar). Best of all, I won't feel bad about not following the recipes.
What cookbooks inspire you most?
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
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2 comments:
Two of my favorite cookbooks: The goddess of baking, Dorrie Greenspan's cookbook Baking: From My Home to Yours (the carrot cake and brownie recipes alone are worth the price) and Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison - the vegetarian bible.
I looked through Dorrie Greenspan's new cookbook -- Around My French Table -- at my in-laws' over Christmas. I loved it. I don't think I've ever seen the Madison book.
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