Molecular Gastronomy – Exploring the science of flavour
I was browsing through my book collection today and picked up Molecular Gastronomy: exploring the science of flavor. Although I’ve owned this book for years and read through it on several occasions, it is still as interesting to re-read. The chapters are sort but sweet and filled with so much knowledge which seems almost essential to any...
Taste Buds and Molecules – Sommelier Francois Chartier
I first came across the name François Chartier last year via twitter (@papillesetM) and then learnt about his book Taste Buds and Molecules which had just recently been translated into English. I found his research in the area of food science into the realm of food and wine pairing to be quite unique and novel. Most recently I watched Francois’s talk...
Stefan Gates on E Numbers
Since becoming increasingly interested in modernist cuisine (‘molecular gastronomy’) I have become particularly interested in the side affects/ benefits/ dangers of using E numbers in cooking. Commonly used E numbers in fine dining restaurants (and in particularly ‘molecular gastronomy’) include: lecithins, citric acid, sodium alginate, calcium lactate, agar, xanthan gum, gellan and malic acid. I recently began reading...
Flavour Thesaurus – Niki Segnit
This is a great reference book for professional chefs and home cooks alike. The back section lists, alphabetically, 99 popular ingredients, and suggests classic and less well known flavour matches for each. The front section contains an entry for every flavour match listed in the back section and is organised into 16 flavour themes such...
On Food and Cooking – McGee
The release of the much anticipated rewrite of McGee on Food & Cooking by Harold McGee shows how much the understanding of food chemistry has progressed over the recent past. We now have an encyclopaedia devoted entirely to the chemistry and behaviour of food. This is a massive work that is organised by product rather...
Ma Gastronomy – Fernand Point
Since its first publication in France in 1969, Fernand Point’s ‘Ma Gastronomie’ has taken its place among the true classics of French gastronomy, alongside works of Careme, Lucien Tendret, and Escoffier. This essential volume is as celebrated for Point’s wise, witty, and provocative views on food as for his remarkable, inventive recipes -over 200 of...
What Caesar Did For My Salad – Albert Jack
Albert Jack tells the strange tales behind our favourite dishes and drinks and where they come from (not to mention their unusual creators). What Caesar Did For My Salad is bursting with fascinating insights, characters and enough stories to entertain a hundred dinner parties
Larousse Gastronomique
Larousse Gastronomique, the world’s classic culinary reference book, is known for its authoritative and comprehensive collection of recipes. Originally created by Prosper Montagne and published in 1938, this essential addition to any kitchen has withstood the test of time and become an invaluable source of information for every enthusiastic cook. Without the exaggeration and extravagant...
Haute Cuisine – Amy Trubek
For a century and a half, fine dining the world over has meant French dishes and, above all, French chefs. Despite the growing popularity in the past decade of regional American and international cuisines, French terms like julienne, saute, and chef de cuisine appear on restaurant menus from New Orleans to London to Tokyo, and...
Culinary Institute of America – The Professional Chef
This edition features nearly 650 all-new four-color photographs of fresh food products, step-by-step techniques, and plated dishes. It explores culinary traditions of the Americas, Asia, and Europe, and includes four-color photographs of commonly used ingredients and maps of all regions. Written with extreme vigor and precision The Professional Chef is an unrivaled reference and source...
Planet Marx – Thierry Marx
The cuisine of Thierry Marx (2 Michelin Starred chef) is like no other, combining a desire for pure beauty and enjoyment of here and now with the transformation of food. Thierry readily quotes the motto of a Japanese master: Cooking is for looking at, meditating on and eating. A visual voyage, “Planet Marx” is an...
Food & Philosophy – Allhoff & Monroe
Food & Philosophy: What a rare and brilliant book! Certainly chefs must be aware of precise technique, privy to the science behind cooking, and reverent of pristine and seasonal product. But now, more than ever, if a culinarian is even attempting to achieve greatness, he or she must be immersed in the basic premise of...