To fuck or to cook?

[Sidd Finch]

Originally Posted by Replaced_Texan

Do you like the Le Halles cookbook? My boyfriend and I went to the restaurant when we were in New York last summer, and we thought it was quite good.

As a cookbook, it's okay, not great. Lots of French basics. There's very little that I don't have in other books, but there are some good recipes. Several of the recipes are flawed, so I wouldn't recommend it to someone who isn't comfortable improvising.

As a book, it's a lot better than okay -- Bourdain is a good, smart, and very funny writer. It's a fun book to have even if you don't use it that much.

If you're looking for a really good French cookbook, with everything from basics to fancy, that you can turn to again and again -- something like Julia Child, but without the horrifically overcooked vegetables -- I'd recommend this one (the Complete Robuchon).

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0307267199/...l_70cq7e5xfv_e

[taxwonk]

Originally Posted by Sidd Finch

How 'bout some recommendations? It's been awhile since I've drunk bourbon outside of mixed drinks. When I did, I really liked Booker's.

Basil Hayden and Blandon's are both really good. They are both a bit smoother than Booker's, so I only add a couple of ice cubes.

[taxwonk]

Originally Posted by Sidd Finch

As a cookbook, it's okay, not great. Lots of French basics. There's very little that I don't have in other books, but there are some good recipes. Several of the recipes are flawed, so I wouldn't recommend it to someone who isn't comfortable improvising.

As a book, it's a lot better than okay -- Bourdain is a good, smart, and very funny writer. It's a fun book to have even if you don't use it that much.

If you're looking for a really good French cookbook, with everything from basics to fancy, that you can turn to again and again -- something like Julia Child, but without the horrifically overcooked vegetables -- I'd recommend this one (the Complete Robuchon).

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0307267199/...l_70cq7e5xfv_e

I'd buy Julia (the newer edition) and know that you are going to have to use a bit of judgement when it comes to the vegetable. To recommend anything else would be to say "Why buy the Mona Lisa when you can get Mona Gorilla and really see the smile?"

[Sidd Finch]

Originally Posted by taxwonk

I'd buy Julia (the newer edition) and know that you are going to have to use a bit of judgement when it comes to the vegetable. To recommend anything else would be to say "Why buy the Mona Lisa when you can get Mona Gorilla and really see the smile?"

Not really. Robuchon is the French chef of the century. Julia Child, wonderful as she was, was an American who spent part of her adult life learning to cook French food.

She opened American eyes and palates, and changed the way people here eat and think about food. But recommending Robuchon over her is saying "Buy the Mona Lisa, rather than 'Learn to Paint Like the Italian Masters' by some American dude."

Beyond that, I'd suspect that RT or anyone important to her already has Julia Child, Volumes I and II.

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally Posted by Sidd Finch

Not really. Robuchon is the French chef of the century. Julia Child, wonderful as she was, was an American who spent part of her adult life learning to cook French food.

She opened American eyes and palates, and changed the way people here eat and think about food. But recommending Robuchon over her is saying "Buy the Mona Lisa, rather than 'Learn to Paint Like the Italian Masters' by some American dude."

Beyond that, I'd suspect that RT or anyone important to her already has Julia Child, Volumes I and II.

We do.

I think our next cookbook staple is going to be the 2009 reissue of Larousse Gastronomique. I have access to my mom's 1961 edition, but I'd like to have one of my own.

My parents have been wading through Phaidon's 1080 Recipies, which I gather is the Spanish food bible translation similar to their Silver Spoon Italian cookbook that I like so much.

[taxwonk]

Originally Posted by Replaced_Texan

We do.

I think our next cookbook staple is going to be the 2009 reissue of Larousse Gastronomique. I have access to my mom's 1961 edition, but I'd like to have one of my own.

My parents have been wading through Phaidon's 1080 Recipies, which I gather is the Spanish food bible translation similar to their Silver Spoon Italian cookbook that I like so much.

I love the Larousse Gastronomique. If I'm eating by myself (after working late or something), I will often take it off the shelf and just flip through it. I found Silver Spoon to be somewhat more disappointing. It has recipes, but not as much context as I like.

[Sidd Finch]

Originally Posted by Replaced_Texan

We do.

I think our next cookbook staple is going to be the 2009 reissue of Larousse Gastronomique. I have access to my mom's 1961 edition, but I'd like to have one of my own.

My parents have been wading through Phaidon's 1080 Recipies, which I gather is the Spanish food bible translation similar to their Silver Spoon Italian cookbook that I like so much.

Get away from me, foul Temptress! I don't have any space for the Larousse Gastronomique!

I have all 4 of those Phaidon books -- the two you named, Vefa's Kitchen (Greek), and the French one (Je Sais Cuisiner, which translates into the anemic title "I Know How to Cook"). Also the Silver Spoon pasta book.

I'm not yet convinced by the French one -- it has a lot of goofy recipes, along the lines of what you used to find in Joy of Cooking for woodchuck and badger. All the others I like a lot.

I sort of have a cookbook "problem."

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally Posted by Sidd Finch

Get away from me, foul Temptress! I don't have any space for the Larousse Gastronomique!

I have all 4 of those Phaidon books -- the two you named, Vefa's Kitchen (Greek), and the French one (Je Sais Cuisiner, which translates into the anemic title "I Know How to Cook"). Also the Silver Spoon pasta book.

I'm not yet convinced by the French one -- it has a lot of goofy recipes, along the lines of what you used to find in Joy of Cooking for woodchuck and badger. All the others I like a lot.

I sort of have a cookbook "problem."

My boyfriend works very part time at Sur la Table pretty much for the sole purpose of supporting our cooking related books and equipment habit. 40% off on everything non-electronic.

ETA: My sister in San Francisco got How to Roast a Lamb for Christmas and it looked really good. So did the Momofuku book my brother got. The cookbook "problem" is a family thing.

Oooh, and if you have any love at all for oysters, check out Robb Walsh's Sex, Death and Oysters: A Half-Shell Lover's World Tour, which is less of a cookbook than a food book. Robb is a food critic here in Houston, and he writes beautifully.

[Hank Chinaski]

anyone else eating chia seeds? some guy was telling me this story of this Mexican hill tribe that are amazingly helathy (I know, i remember the Dannon commercials) and it is believed it is from chia seeds. Yes, the seeds are the same as the "pets."

anyway, they are all fiber, and they are, ummmm, helping me maintain the low carb thing for a few months.

[tmdiva]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

anyone else eating chia seeds? some guy was telling me this story of this Mexican hill tribe that are amazingly helathy (I know, i remember the Dannon commercials) and it is believed it is from chia seeds. Yes, the seeds are the same as the "pets."

anyway, they are all fiber, and they are, ummmm, helping me maintain the low carb thing for a few months.

I know some people here who swear by it, but they're survivalist wackos, so I've never tried it.

tm

[PresentTense Pirate Penske]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

anyone else eating chia seeds? some guy was telling me this story of this Mexican hill tribe that are amazingly helathy (I know, i remember the Dannon commercials) and it is believed it is from chia seeds. Yes, the seeds are the same as the "pets."
.

I would feel odd feeding off my Obama chia pet.....is that politically correct?

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally Posted by PresentTense Pirate Penske

I would feel odd feeding off my Obama chia pet.....is that politically correct?

once sprouted they won't help you twosie. you need to eat the seed. is your chia pet get close to seeding?

[PresentTense Pirate Penske]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

once sprouted they won't help you twosie. you need to eat the seed. is your chia pet get close to seeding?

I never seeded my Hillary Chia pet (I only seed winners). so I still have the seeds for that one. Shelf life?

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally Posted by PresentTense Pirate Penske

I never seeded my Hillary Chia pet (I only seed winners). so I still have the seeds for that one. Shelf life?

shelf life? dunno. intestine life about twelve hours, tops.

[PresentTense Pirate Penske]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

shelf life? dunno. intestine life about twelve hours, tops.

Any recipes or just take strait?