Cooking
This Summer we were introduced to chef Gordon Ramsay in Hell's Kitchen yet another food-oriented reality TV show. I admit I watched it, drawn to it like a moth to the flame. But truth be told I was more curious about the cooking than the pathetic contestants or the sadomasochistic challenges and punishments. Ramsay is a notorious yet brilliant chef with several very successful restaurants in Britain. Now we finally get a taste of Ramsay's food instead of his fury in the paperback edition of A Chef For All Seasons.
The first thing that struck me about this book is the introductions to each season. They cover the fruits, vegetables, meat and seafood and even herbs that Ramsay likes to use in his cooking. He shares how and why he prepares them. It's almost like a mini cooking course. I read every single one of the intros all the way through. I also devoured the Basic Recipes and Techniques section where you can learn his recipes for things like peach chutney, citrus confit, classic vinaigrette and flavored stock syrups.
As for the recipes themselves, they are organized seasonally as the title suggests. Some of the ingredients are not exactly mainstays of the home cook, such as woodcock, pigs feet, squab or pheasant and others frankly I never heard of such as blewit mushrooms? But plenty of the recipes do not call for exotic ingredients or preparations and the recipe instructions are straightforward and very well written.
The Summer recipes I plan on trying in the next week or so include Roasted Figs with Cinnamon Shortbreads and the Roasted Sea Bass with Chive Creme Fraiche, Baby Potatoes and Artichokes. If you'd like to get a sneak peek at the book, you can check out his recipe for Pillows of Ricotta Gnocchi with Peas and Baby Fava Beans here. There is plenty in Ramsay's book to inspire and to learn from if you are curious about the cuisine of the chef behind Hell's Kitchen.
- Cooking Resolutions
How are you doing with your new year's resolutions? Every year I tell myself I'll cook more whole grains, eat less meat and more vegetables and fruit and try more new recipes. I know plenty of people just want to cook more, which is a worthy...
- Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express
Mark Bittman is a genius when it comes to combining a few ingredients to create a great dish. In his Minimalist column in the New York Times, he simplifies recipes down to the bare bones and yet they retain all the appeal of more complicated dishes....
- Williams-sonoma Tools & Techniques
The sense of joy and satisfaction that I get from cooking something wonderful and sharing it or eating it is almost indescribable. Not only do I feel pride, but it inspires me to take on more and more recipes and techniques. I learned to cook from watching...
- California Soups & Salads Calendar
I don't know about you, but I need a calendar in my kitchen. While I use a calendar on my computer for most things, I like having another one in the kitchen to help me plan meals and shopping trips. My favorite kitchen calendars have been ones with...
- Books, Books And More Books...
On my desk I have a stack of books to review. Some I will review here and others over at Bay Area Bites. They include: Gordon Ramsay Makes It Easy, which appears to be similar in concept to Jacques Pepin's Fast Food My Way. It's the first cookbook...
Cooking
A Chef For All Seasons
This Summer we were introduced to chef Gordon Ramsay in Hell's Kitchen yet another food-oriented reality TV show. I admit I watched it, drawn to it like a moth to the flame. But truth be told I was more curious about the cooking than the pathetic contestants or the sadomasochistic challenges and punishments. Ramsay is a notorious yet brilliant chef with several very successful restaurants in Britain. Now we finally get a taste of Ramsay's food instead of his fury in the paperback edition of A Chef For All Seasons.
The first thing that struck me about this book is the introductions to each season. They cover the fruits, vegetables, meat and seafood and even herbs that Ramsay likes to use in his cooking. He shares how and why he prepares them. It's almost like a mini cooking course. I read every single one of the intros all the way through. I also devoured the Basic Recipes and Techniques section where you can learn his recipes for things like peach chutney, citrus confit, classic vinaigrette and flavored stock syrups.
As for the recipes themselves, they are organized seasonally as the title suggests. Some of the ingredients are not exactly mainstays of the home cook, such as woodcock, pigs feet, squab or pheasant and others frankly I never heard of such as blewit mushrooms? But plenty of the recipes do not call for exotic ingredients or preparations and the recipe instructions are straightforward and very well written.
The Summer recipes I plan on trying in the next week or so include Roasted Figs with Cinnamon Shortbreads and the Roasted Sea Bass with Chive Creme Fraiche, Baby Potatoes and Artichokes. If you'd like to get a sneak peek at the book, you can check out his recipe for Pillows of Ricotta Gnocchi with Peas and Baby Fava Beans here. There is plenty in Ramsay's book to inspire and to learn from if you are curious about the cuisine of the chef behind Hell's Kitchen.
- Cooking Resolutions
How are you doing with your new year's resolutions? Every year I tell myself I'll cook more whole grains, eat less meat and more vegetables and fruit and try more new recipes. I know plenty of people just want to cook more, which is a worthy...
- Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express
Mark Bittman is a genius when it comes to combining a few ingredients to create a great dish. In his Minimalist column in the New York Times, he simplifies recipes down to the bare bones and yet they retain all the appeal of more complicated dishes....
- Williams-sonoma Tools & Techniques
The sense of joy and satisfaction that I get from cooking something wonderful and sharing it or eating it is almost indescribable. Not only do I feel pride, but it inspires me to take on more and more recipes and techniques. I learned to cook from watching...
- California Soups & Salads Calendar
I don't know about you, but I need a calendar in my kitchen. While I use a calendar on my computer for most things, I like having another one in the kitchen to help me plan meals and shopping trips. My favorite kitchen calendars have been ones with...
- Books, Books And More Books...
On my desk I have a stack of books to review. Some I will review here and others over at Bay Area Bites. They include: Gordon Ramsay Makes It Easy, which appears to be similar in concept to Jacques Pepin's Fast Food My Way. It's the first cookbook...