The Art of Simple Food Waters Review
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The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution (Hardcover)
by Alice Waters (Author)
Book Details
* Hardcover: 416 pages
* Publisher: Clarkson Potter (October 2, 2007)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0307336794
* ISBN-13: 978-0307336798
* Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.3 x 1.3 inches
* Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
* Rating: 
Book Description
Perhaps more responsible than anyone for the revolution in the way we eat, cook, and think about food, Alice Waters has “single-handedly chang[ed] the American palate” according to the New York Times. Her simple but inventive dishes focus on a passion for flavor and a reverence for locally produced, seasonal foods.
With an essential repertoire of timeless, approachable recipes chosen to enhance and showcase great ingredients, The Art of Simple Food is an indispensable resource for home cooks. Here you will find Alice’s philosophy on everything from stocking your kitchen, to mastering fundamentals and preparing delicious, seasonal inspired meals all year long. Always true to her philosophy that a perfect meal is one that’s balanced in texture, color, and flavor, Waters helps us embrace the seasons’ bounty and make the best choices when selecting ingredients. Fill your market basket with pristine produce, healthful grains, and responsibly raised meat, poultry, and seafood, then embark on a voyage of culinary rediscovery that reminds us that the most gratifying dish is often the least complex.
The Art of Simple Food Review
Nothing more to say: in every generation there exists one memorable cookbook behind which all others pale in comparison. In the early 60s, it was Mastering the Art of French Cooking; in the late 70s, it was Silver Palate. It’s always been The Joy of Cooking, and Jean Anderson’s Doubleday Cookbook. But for this generation, tired of overwrought recipes created by celeb TV chefs and meant for the restaurant kitchen, The Art of Simple Food is a brilliant instant classic packed with recipes that are as close to perfection as I’ve seen. This is a keeper that will endure for years and years.
I bought this book for my wife, but it turned out to be as much of fun for me as for her. The book arrived just before we were leaving on a long car trip. I drove, and she read aloud. The book is beautifully written. The miles passed and I listened while she read about local foods and careful, loving preparation. Reading a good book can certainly be a group activity. Even better was when we got home and words were turned into meals.
This is the cookbook I return to again and again. The recipes are clear and simple and perfect for weeknight cooking, but the results are always fantastic. Often I have high hopes for a recipe and then it doesn’t turn out so great, but everything I’ve made from this book has been DELICIOUS. You’ll need to use high-quality ingredients to get those great results, but that’s kind of what Alice Waters is all about. If you’re a regular farmers’ market shopper like I am, though, you’ll never be disappointed by what this book has to offer. Furthermore, this book is perfect for beginner AND advanced cooks. Best of all, it’s inspirational–it’s written with lots of suggestions for how the recipes can be varied, and before long you’ll be implementing your own variations. Many cookbooks make me feel limited–this one inspires my creativity as it teaches me new things. Greatest cookbook ever!
After our trip to Italy this summer, we decided to take a more simplistic approach to cooking–better ingredients, fewer flourishes–inspired by italian cooking. I read a review of this book and a story on its author Alice Waters in the NYTimes just before it was released and I knew I wanted to get it immediately to help in our transition to easier cooking. This is not a traditional cookbook, it has no glossy pictures and builds on themes instead of just listing recipies alphabetically. It’s good for mastering the basics, and has some good foundation recipies that it offers variations to (i’ve tried a few of the deserts and they are all very good). A lot of the recipies in this book are not geared towards people who are working on a limited time frame or budget. Simple food for Waters does not equal fast or cheap food. But the food is good, and you feel like its good for you. It is great for my husband and I though, since we live in an urban area and have access to lots of the things needed. But if you’re looking for fast easy recipies, or even recipies that you won’t have to visit a nicer grocery store to make well, this isn’t the book for you.
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