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The French Laundry Cookbook
by Thomas Keller
ISBN-10: 1579651267
ISBN-13: 9781579651268
ISBN-13: 9781579651268
Region: USA
Publisher: Artisan
Publication Date: November, 1999
Recipe Index
Publishers Information
About The French Laundry Cookbook
Publisher Web Link: http://www.workman.com/artisanbooks/
Thomas Keller, chef/proprieter of the French Laundry in the Napa Valley—”the most exciting place to eat in the United States,” wrote Ruth Reichl in The New York Times—is a wizard, a purist, a man obsessed with getting it right. And this, his first cookbook, is every bit as satisfying as a French Laundry meal itself: a series of small, impeccable, highly refined, intensely focused courses.
Most dazzling is how simple Keller’s methods are: squeegeeing the moisture from the skin on fish so it sautées beautifully; poaching eggs in a deep pot of water for perfect shape; the initial steeping in the shell that makes cooking raw lobster out of the shell a cinch; using vinegar as a flavor enhancer; the repeated washing of bones for stock for the cleanest, clearest tastes.
From innovative soup techniques, to the proper way to cook green vegetables, to secrets of great fish cookery, to the creation of breathtaking desserts; from beurre monté to foie gras au torchon, to a wild and thoroughly unexpected take on coffee and doughnuts, The French Laundry Cookbook captures, through recipes, essays, profiles, and extraordinary photography, one of America’s great restaurants, its great chef, and the food that makes both unique.
One hundred and fifty superlative recipes are exact recipes from the French Laundry kitchen—no shortcuts have been taken, no critical steps ignored, all have been thoroughly tested in home kitchens. If you can’t get to the French Laundry, you can now re-create at home the very experience the Wine Spectator described as “as close to dining perfection as it gets.”
Author Information
About Thomas Keller
Author Web Link: http://www.tkrg.org/
Thomas Keller, one of the most recognized American chefs working today, is as renowned for his well-honed culinary skills as he is for his ability to establish a restaurant that’s both relaxed yet exciting. Good food coupled with a memorable social and sensual experience has always been Thomas’ focus. “Our food is serious,” he says, “but we also want people to have a good time with it.” If the reputations of his restaurants are any indication, he has succeeded.
A native of California, Thomas began his culinary career at a young age, working in the Palm Beach restaurant managed by his mother. After serving apprenticeships in Rhode Island, Florida, and the Catskills, he relocated to France in 1983, where he worked in several Michelin-starred houses including Guy Savoy and Taillevent. He followed with successful runs at La Reserve and Restaurant Raphael in New York. In 1986, Thomas opened his first restaurant, Rakel, also in New York, which resulted in extensive critical acclaim and a loyal clientele. Five years later, Thomas moved westward to California to work as executive chef at Checkers Hotel in Los Angeles.
In 1994, Thomas opened The French Laundry in Yountville, which quickly became a destination restaurant. His French bistro Bouchon debuted down the street in 1998, with Bouchon Bakery following five years later. He now has eight restaurants and two bakeries in the United States, including his home-style restaurant Ad Hoc also located in Yountville, Per Se and Bouchon Bakery in the Time Warner Center in New York City, and outposts of Bouchon and Bouchon Bakery in Las Vegas. In November 2009, he opened Bouchon in Beverly Hills, as well as introduced his newest concept Bar Bouchon next door.
A man of exceptionally high personal standards, Thomas values genuine collaboration. He has successfully assembled an expert staff that shares his philosophy and vision, thus enabling him to concentrate on his many varied interests. He is the author of the award-winning “The French Laundry” and “Bouchon” cookbooks, as well as “Under Pressure,” on sous vide cooking. His latest book on family-style recipes, “Ad Hoc at Home”, was released in November 2009.
Thomas has collaborated with Raynaud and the design firm Level on a collection of simple, sophisticated white porcelain dinnerware called “Hommage” (in honor of the great French chef and restaurateur, Fernand Point); and has launched Modicum, a Napa Valley Cabernet, blended to best accompany the cuisine at The French Laundry and Per Se. He has also worked closely with the computer animation studio Pixar, consulting on the film Ratatouille, which won the 2007 “Best Animated Feature Film” category at both the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards.
In 2001, Thomas was named “America’s Best Chef” by Time magazine. In 2003, Johnson & Wales University conferred upon him the honorary Degree of Doctor of Culinary Arts for his contributions to the industry. Thomas has collected many accolades within the last decade, including consecutive “Best Chef” awards from the James Beard Foundation, the first chef ever to achieve this honor. In 2007 he added their “Outstanding Restaurateur” award to the roster, along with a “Chef of the Year” recognition from The Culinary Institute of America. He is the only US-born chef to hold multiple three star ratings by the Michelin Guide.
(http://www.tkrg.org/)
