The Big Fat Duck Cookbook
 by Heston Blumenthal

Due next week - this is the big book for the year. For the first time, recipes from Heston Blumenthal's eponymous restaurant are accesible.

Air freighted in for us to coincide with the world wide release...

In this enormous, beautiful book, there is the full story of the meteoric rise of Heston Blumenthal and The Fat Duck, birthplace of snail porridge and bacon-and-egg ice cream, and encounter the passion, perfection and weird science behind the man and the restaurant.

In the first section of The Big Fat Duck Cookbook, History - we learn the history of the restaurant, from its humble beginnings to its third Michelin star (the day Heston received the news of this he had been wondering how exactly he would be able to pay his staff that month). In section 2: Recipes we meet 50 of his signature recipes - sardine on toast sorbet, salmon poached with liquorice, hot and iced tea, chocolate wine - which, while challenging for anyone not equipped with ice baths, dehydrators, vacuum pumps and nitrogen on tap, will inspire home cooks and chefs alike. Finally in the third section, Science, we hear from the experts whose scientific know-how has contributed to Heston's topsy-turvy world, on subjects as diverse as synaesthesia, creaminess and flavour expectation.

Heston Blumenthal is widely acknowledged to be a genius, and The Fat Duck has twice been voted the Best Restaurant in the World by a peer group of top chefs.

But he is entirely self-taught, and the story of his restaurant has broken every rule in the book. His success has been borne out of his pure obsession, endless invention and a childish curiosity into how things work - whether it's how smell affects taste, what different flavours mean to us on a biological level, or how temperature is distributed in the centre of a souffle.

With an introduction by Harold McGee, incredible colour photographs throughout, illustrations by Dave McKean, multiple ribbons, real cloth binding and a gorgeous slip case, The Big Fat Duck Cookbook is not only the nearest thing to an autobiography from the world's most fascinating chef, but also a stunning, colourful and joyous work of art

Entirely self-taught, Heston Blumenthal is the most progressive chef of his generation. In 2004 he won the coveted three Michelin stars in near-record time for his restaurant The Fat Duck, which has twice been voted the Best Restaurant in the World by an international panel of 500 experts. In 2006 he was awarded an OBE. He lives in Berkshire with his wife and three children.

The Big Fat Duck Cookbook
Format: Hardback 544pp Slipcase
RRP: $275.00

 

 Alinea
 by Grant Achatz

The debut cookbook from the restaurant Gourmet magazine named the best in the USA, is this year's unbelievable book.

A pioneer in American cuisine, chef Grant Achatz represents the best of the molecular gastronomy movement--brilliant fundamentals and exquisite taste paired with a groundbreaking approach to new techniques and equipment. ALINEA showcases Achatz's cuisine with more than 100 dishes (totaling 600 recipes) and 600 photographs presented in a deluxe volume.

Three feature pieces frame the book: Michael Ruhlman considers Alinea's role in the global dining scene, Jeffrey Steingarten offers his distinctive take on dining at the restaurant, and Mark McClusky explores the role of technology in the Alinea kitchen.

"Achatz is something new on the national culinary landscape: a chef as ambitious as Thomas Keller who wants to make his mark not with perfection but with constant innovation . . . Get close enough to sit down and allow yourself to be teased, challenged, and coddled by Achatz's version of this kind of cooking, and you can have one of the most enjoyable culinary adventures of your life." --Corby Kummer, senior editor of Atlantic Monthly

"Someone new has entered the arena. His name is Grant Achatz, and he is redefining the American restaurant once again for an entirely new generation . . . Alinea is in perpetual motion; having eaten here once, you can't wait to come back, to see what Achatz will come up with next." --Gourmet

Format: Hardcover (approx 2.4kgs)
Imprint: Ten Speed Press
Price: $65.00

Yes really only $65!

We cannot recommend this book highly enough. At twice the price it would still be a bargain!

 

 A Day at elBulli
 by Ferran Adria

A Day at elBulli: an insight into the ideas, methods and creativity of Ferran Adrià is an exclusive look behind the scenes at elBulli, voted 'Best Restaurant in the World' for the last three years, and into the mind of Ferran Adrià, the most creative chef working today.

With two million requests for reservations every year, it is notoriously difficult to get a table there. 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 innovative inserts explaining the creative methods and food philosophy, the reservations policy, the history of elBulli and the life of Ferran Adrià.

Aimed at all food enthusiasts as well as industry professionals, the book starts with daybreak at 6.15 am, then shows visits to the local markets to source ingredients, Ferran's arrival at the workshop, his morning creative experimentation session, the arrival of the rest of the brigade at 2.30 pm to begin the mise- en-place for the evening, the daily tasks of the front of house team, and the arrival of the first guests for dinner from 7.45 pm until the last guests' departure by 2.00 am.

With its innovative structure and striking design, A Day at elBulli provides a fascinating insight into the rare and magical experience of eating at elBulli.

Format: Large Hardcover
RRP: $75.00
In stock

 

 Under Pressure
 by Thomas Keller

Sous vide is the culinary innovation that has everyone in the food world talking. In this revolutionary new cookbook, Thomas Keller, America's most respected chef, explains why this foolproof technique, which involves cooking at precise temperatures below simmering, yields results that other culinary methods cannot. For the first time, one can achieve short ribs that are meltingly tender even when cooked medium rare. Fish, which has a small window of doneness, is easier to finesse, and shellfish stays succulent no matter how long it's been on the stove. Fruit and vegetables benefit, too, retaining color and flavor while undergoing remarkable transformations in texture.

The secret to sous vide is in discovering the precise amount of heat required to achieve the most sublime results. Through years of trial and error, Keller and his chefs de cuisine have blazed the trail to perfection- and they show the way in this collection of never- before-published recipes from his landmark restaurants-The French Laundry in Napa Valley and per se in New York. With an introduction by the eminent food-science writer Harold McGee, and artful photography by Deborah Jones, who photographed Keller's best-selling The French Laundry Cookbook, this book will be a must for every culinary professional and anyone who wants to up the ante and experience food at the highest level.

Thomas Keller received yet another James Beard Award in 2006 (this time for Outstanding Restaurateur), and is the only American-born chef to have two three-starred Michelin restaurants. His restaurants are The French Laundry, Bouchon, Bouchon Bakery, and Ad Hoc, all in Yountville, California, as well as Bouchon in Las Vegas, and per se in Manhattan.

Format: Large oblong Hardcover
RRP: $110
Due: this week

 

 Frozen Desserts
 by Francisco Migoya

It is essential for any serious pastry chef to have a comprehensive knowledge of frozen dessert production, and this book provides all the basic information a pastry professional needs. Introductory chapters include the history and evolution of frozen desserts; ingredients including dairy products, sugars, stabilizers, emulsifiers, fruits, and flavors; and equipment including churning machines, production equipment, and storage and serving containers. Also included are essentials on storage, sanitation, and production and serving techniques.

Recipe chapters cover Dairy-Based Frozen Desserts, which include ice cream, gelato, and sherbet; Non- Dairy Desserts, which include sorbet and granites; and Aerated Still-Frozen Desserts, which include parfaits, semi-freddos, and frozen mousses and souffles. Each recipe chapter covers both classic and modern small-batch production techniques, basic formulas, and both basic and advanced base recipes. The final chapter, Finished Items, makes use of these base recipes and shows readers how to produce, plate, garnish, and serve small desserts, plated desserts, frozen cakes, and even frozen accompaniments to savory courses. Recipes are illustrated throughout by full-color beauty photographs.

This is a must have book for all pastry chefs. The plating, design & photography is cutting edge as are the techniques and instructions including references for using a Paco Jet

Format: Large Harcover 448pp
RRP: $79.95
In Stock

 

 Cooking: the quintessential art
 by Herve This & Pierre Gagnaire

From its intriguing opening question-"How can we reasonably judge a meal?"-to its rewarding conclusion, this beautiful book picks up where Brillat- Savarin left off almost two centuries ago. Hervé This, a cofounder (with the late physicist Nicholas Kurti) of the new approach to studying the scientific basis of cooking known as molecular gastronomy, investigates the question of culinary beauty in a series of playful, lively, and erudite dialogues. Considering the place of cuisine in Western culture, This explores an astonishing variety of topics and elaborates a revolutionary method for judging the art of cooking. Many of the ideas he introduces in this culinary romance are illustrated by dishes created by Pierre Gagnaire, whose engaging commentaries provide rare insights into the creative inspiration of one of the world's foremost chefs. The result is an enthralling, sophisticated, freewheeling dinner party of a book that also makes a powerful case for openness and change in the way we think about food.

Contents Two Introductions Part One: The Beautiful Is the Good 1. The Existence of a Culinary Art 2. Artisanal versus Artistic Cuisine 3. Tradition and Love 4. The Question of Nature 5. The Recognition of a Culinary Art Part Two: Classical Ideas of Beauty 6. The Origin of Beauty 7. Beauty by Numbers 8. The Idea of Flavor 9. Aristotle and Subtlety Part Three: Beauty in the Middle Ages 10. The Path to the Mystical Good 11. Of Cooking and Cathedrals 12. Boethius and the Brain 13. Thomas Aquinas and the Green of the Grass 14. Drawing Earth Nearer to Heaven Part Four: Artistic Creativity Unbound 15. Medieval Ramifications 16. The Occult Influence of Aristotle Lives On 17. The Dawn of the Renaissance 18. From the Renaissance Onward 19. The Enlightenment in the West and the East 20. Nature Overcome Part Five: The Present and Future of Cooking 21. The Many Strands of Modernity 22. Yesterday 23. And Tomorrow? 24. Simplicity and Completeness 25. The Illusion of the Perfect Bouillon.


"What we have here is a true work of genius. This should be required reading for everyone interested in gastronomy!"-Chef Charlie Trotter, author of Raw

Format: Small Hardcover 354pp
RRP: $45 In Stock

 

 ...bargain #1 ~ an early look at Grant Achatz...
 The Reach of a Chef by Michael Ruhlman

Michael Ruhlman is one of the world's leading food writers with a particular interest in the essence of being a chef. The author of The Making of a Chef, The Soul of a Chef, Charcuterie & the 'ghost writer' for The French Laundry & Bouchon, Michael has had unparalleled access to the finest chefs & restaurants in the USA.

'What lies at the heart is the power of food to transform the everyday act of eating into a complex & potentially life-changing experience'
Guardian Review

Was $49.95

Now $20.00 ($18 for trade)

 

 ...Bargain #2 - two kitchen classics...
 White Heat & Michel Roux's Sauces

Two perennial favourites instore are:

White Heat by Marco Pierre White $39.95; and

Sauces by Michel Roux $24.95.

White Heat is the original rock star cookbook, penned by Marco just before he reached the pinnacle of his success & is credited by many chefs as inspiring their careers.

Sauces is simply the best practical book we have ever on classic & contemporary French sauces.

Normally $64.90 for the pair...

now $50 ~whilst stocks last