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Book Reviews
From
a Guy Who Can Show You a Thing or Two
The
Washington Post
Wednesday, June 16, 2004
If you want
to learn the right way to cut an onion or beat egg whites, these private
cooking lessons are not for you. If you think simple food comes together
quickly, almost thoughtlessly, find yourself another master teacher.
So what are these lessons are who are they for? "Read this introduction"
screams the opening page of this book, the third from Ash, a chef, restaurateur
and food and wine educator in Northern California. It "is not a kitchen
primer and it's not 'the only cookbook you'll ever need.' It is my highly
personal take on the very contemporary food that you already love, approached
in the most unintimidating way possible." The education here comes
in taking recipes that many of us use regularly (and perhaps too robotically)
and perfecting them: blanching basil before making pesto, rethinking the
balance of oil and vinegar in vinaigrette, providing tricks for converting
good salsa into great salsa.
THE FORMAT: The book is divided into three kinds of lessons:
flavor makers (salsas, marinades), techniques (such as oven drying, grilling)
and main ingredients (an eclectic mix including beans, chicken, mushrooms,
salmon and soy foods). Each chapter begins with a discussion of procedure
or ingredient. Simple recipes, once accomplished, are woven into more
complicated ones if the student is inclined to accept the challenge.
WHO WOULD READ IT: Most recipes are not difficult, but
many take time and have recipes within recipes. Any cook with patience
will benefit. Is the time and effort well spent? Oh, yes. There are other
fine new cookbooks in the stores right now, but I can't stop cooking my
way through this one.
—Jeanne McManus
