Alinea by Grant Achatz Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Alinea
Book Review: It's Like Being A Mad Scientist, but You Get To Impress Your Friends and Eat the Results, Too!
Summary: 5 Stars
Like most foodies, I was well aware of Grant Achatz and his amazing Chicago restaurant, Alinea, even though I haven't eaten there and live 2,000 miles away. Word of this cookbook was buzzing about for months, and we were anxious to get it and look at it and...well...be amazed. Just by looking at it.
But a funny thing happened, which was a blogger we love, Carol Blymire, decided that after cooking and blogging her way through The French Laundry Cookbook, she was going to take on the Alinea book. Now, suddenly, this complicated book became a kind of ongoing educational text. And as Carol tried out the recipes, we then pulled out our copy and tried the recipes, too.
Achatz is known for molecular gastronomy, which means he uses chemicals and innovative tools to turn a meal into an explosion of flavor and surprise. This book shows his food being served so it looks like something from outer space; and there is a section that discusses things you might never really buy, but which he uses, like antigriddles, which freezes food instantly.
It's fun to take a book that seems so extreme and out of our comfort zone as home chefs, and to prepare actual recipes from it. This book has us ordering crazy ingredients, and doing things like turning homemade caramel into a powdery shotglass of yumminess.
We've had a blast with the Alinea cookbook, and I highly suggest buying it and having fun. Read Carol's blog, AlineaAtHome.com, for inspiration, and try out a recipe or two on your own. We went from thinking it was a book to look at only, to having our children use some of the recipes (a cracker one, for example) to create their own snacks.
Definitely, one of our favorite cookbooks of all times.
Book Review: Jus GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Certainly this book is not for amateur cooks or to cook at home, but for professional cooks it's just delightful!!! It's brilliant! Full fo fantastic ideas, beautiful edition, great pictures, amazing recipes, beautiful dishes...just gorgeous!! Nothing to complain about. Absolutely recommend it, specialy for Chefs!!!!Book Review: Mind blowing book
Summary: 5 Stars
I always have the book out so I can read at any time. Not anything in here to just whip up in 10mins to eat but as a professional chef I love this book.Book Review: New Beginnings takes Root in the Kitchen
Summary: 5 Stars
The photography demands that you try to prepare these dishes, and the directions make it possible. Not for the beginner cooks. For those who wish to serve the spectacular, this book is a must.Book Review: OK for your coffee table... maybe...
Summary: 2 Stars
The namesake of this book is the celebrated Chicago restaurant that some foodies ooh & ah about. I'd say the book is pretty & contains some interesting photos. Though I'm all for outstanding gourmet delights & appealing presentations, I also like to recognize on sight what I'm about to eat.
That's why I have never in my life tasted the mysterious messes called tuna salad, chicken salad & egg salad in the US. Their ingredients are always squashed into unrecognizable jumbles of who-knows-what, glued together by excessive amounts of processed goo called mayonnaise but totally different from what true mayonnaise actually is (read a recipe for mayonnaise if you don't believe me).
The food illustrated in the Alinea book shares something with the horrid junk food I just mentioned, except that instead of looking disgusting it looks beautiful. It looks like jewelry or other artistic sculptural work. But it sure don't look like food, & resembles no food I've ever seen in any of the best 3-Star European restaurants I've been privileged to eat at (before I became strictly kosher).
This is no disparagement of Grant Achatz & his staff, as I'd imagine that his preparations may be delicious to the palate. But they'd certainly be still more delicious if he & his pals stopped fixating on appearances & devoted the wasted time to the food itself.
So, had I to do it all over again, I'd abstain from buying the book, & recommend that you do the same.