"This is real food for real people, whether plain or fancy."--Zester Daily
This review is from: The Art of Eating Cookbook: Essential Recipes from the First 25 Years [Hardcover]Edward Behr's The Art of Eating, for those who might not be aware of it, is a handsomely produced quarterly where carefully crafted prose expands the reader's awareness of exceptional (and sometimes nearly unknown) artisanally crafted food and drink, unique restaurants, and thoughtful reviews. There are recipes, too, but I have to confess that, with so much to absorb, I have often failed to do them justice. So, despite being a subscriber from the beginning, perusing this "best of" collection from the publication's first 25 years, was not only astonishing but chastening. The recipes, classical in their carefully shaping and respect for their ingredients, but contemporary in their imaginative range and resolute unfussiness, capture Behr's fastidious sensibility and open-minded palate. This cookbook isn't for everyone, by any means, although anyone can learn from it if they choose to do so. But it will provide a sense of true companionship for intelligent cooks who seek depth in their cooking and long to escape from insistent trendiness and the fatuous and endless reinvention of the obvious....
This review is from: The Art of Eating Cookbook: Essential Recipes from the First 25 Years [Hardcover]Recipes that are timeless. Recipes that have stood the test of time. Recipes that hold enough cultural significance that they've adorned the pages of Art of Eating magazine. The Art of Eating Cookbook is a no fuss, no frill anthology of recipes that work, taste great, and are doable by any level of cook.I must confess that I am an Edward Behr fanboy. I was first introduced to his The Artful Eater book (2004) by a food perfectionist friend. In that book Behr focused on ingredients and how to select the best of each - knowledge that I use on a daily basis. That led me to The Art of Eating magazine, which publishes quarterly and boasts a focus of tradition, place and simplicity. And now with the magazine's 25th anniversary cookbook, the same foci, and commitment to perfection are continued, and as such this review could be about any of Behr's works. So what will you find in this perfect cookbook? Nearly 150 recipes ranging from breads and dips, charcuterie (co-authored with James McGuire), soups, pasta and polenta, cheese, eggs and salads, vegetables, fish, poultry, meats and desserts. Each recipe should be at least remotely familiar to any lover of the classics (Green pea soup, Cheese focaccia, Potato gratin, Coq au vin), yet don't be put off by the seeming simplicity to it all. Each recipe is prefaced with a bit of history and context (A shorter version of what might be found in the magazine. Recipes in the magazine are preceded with a journal length article about a place, point in time, or ingredient), and then finished with superbly written instructions that are realistic for any cook to replicate. While there are the occasional "but I don't measure" comments, his ingredients are clearly measured and common sense around adjusting to taste will guide the reader to the finish.In addition to the numerous recipes straight from the pages of the magazine (some of which Behr has reworked for the book), there are also original recipes such as his section on fresh cheese. As someone who regularly makes fresh cheese, and as someone who has become overwhelmed by other recipes, Behr's instructions were clear, concise and easy to follow, and again, realistic. Like many of his recipes, Behr is quick to say "if you can't find [such and such ingredient], simply replace it with [another ingredient]." Behr's realism makes this book one of the most accessible high-quality books I have ever read. Is there a need for another cookbook of classics (primarily foods rooted in Italian or French tradition)? This is very different from Mastering the Art of French Cooking or The Complete Robuchon or The Silver Spoon. Those books seek to be exhaustive. Behr presents, not all the hits, nor the greatest hits, but the must-knows. And, these are not must-knows because of importance, but because they are great and should be a part of every cook's collection. In The Art of Eating Cookbook you'll be interested in and motivated to cook your way through the entire book because the recipes all sound perfect. In most cases these other exhaustive books simply become resource fodder and paperweights not something that you'll want to cook your way through. The design is sparse and that may turn away some readers, but they aren't the target market for such a book. There is a handful of original artwork by George Bates, but elsewhere simply the word. Possibly readers of the magazine will be upset at the omission of their favorite recipes, but there is plenty here to keep a cook busy. As the Art of Eating universe continues to expand my hope would be a tighter...
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