The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution

The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution | Alice Waters | The Basics for Everyone

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The Art of Simple ...

	The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution Alice Waters Clarkson Potter, 2007 - 416 pages average customer review:based on 59 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

deceptively simple, the recipes are gems

I flipped through the pages of this cookbook 3 or 4 times at the bookstore before I was even interested in cooking from it. When you browse the book, it looks so boring--all these recipes that you've cooked already, though not Alice Waters' version. But once I tried a few recipes, I was hooked. These are simple little gems, many of them easy, but they are so well thought-out and perfectly balanced in their flavors. It's really a foundational book for the Chez Panisse style of cooking.

This is not a chatty, entertaining book. You have to sit with it and read slowly to imagine how the recipes will turn out. But if you do, you'll probably notice how Alice Waters has given most of these standard recipes a new twist--her take on a classic recipe, or an old favorite recipe. When I did this, that's when I remembered that before Waters became famous for her politics of sustainable, organic food, she caught the world's attention with her great food.

And I mean great food. When I made the Linguine with Clams, that old warhorse, it was the best version of this dish I had ever tasted. And how many cornbread recipes have I made in my life? Waters' version may be the best I've ever tried. A dull sounding recipe, like Baked Sliced Onions, was a revelation. The onions cooked up chewy and sweet, so delicious. And when I made her ridiculously simple recipe for Marinated Beet Salad, I wondered why anyone would want to eat beets any other way. So far I've cooked over 20 recipes from this book, and I've been pleased with all of them.

As with all Chez Panisse recipes, the quality of the ingredients is key. You'll have to invest in excellent meat and produce, plus the accoutrements of high-quality olive oil, fresh herbs and spices, and the like. Because many recipes are so pared down and simple, every ingredient matters--you taste it all.

Before I bought my book on Amazon, I borrowed the book from my public library, xeroxed a couple recipes, and cooked them. I recommend doing this if you can, because this book will not appeal to everyone. Some people will think it's too easy (the recipes are DECEPTIVELY simple.) But I think the book is remarkable. For a home cook, this cookbook is probably Alice Waters' best ever.

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The Basics for Everyone

Alice Waters combines her famed cooking skills with the ability to write clearly for both beginning and more advanced cooks. The organization of each chapter and the sample dishes to prepare will enable you to gain skill and confidence in your cooking ability. Her book gave me the confidence to try something new on guests - without fear of failure.

New and different ideas for cooking

I heard about this book in our local newspaper. I don't usually read cook books, but this one is really interesting and readable like a good novel. She describes many ways to use natural ingredients. I haven't cooked with this book yet, but it is good reading.

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TOO Simple

I think the average cookbook reader/cook has really moved beyond these very basic techniques and recipes. It might be a better purchase for someone just starting out. None of the recipes moved me to try them--indeed, it felt as if I'd already done some variation on most of them.

reviews: 1, page 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

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