André Bonnaure is a chef that is in love with Foie Gras, and, after 50 years of working with this marvellous organ and ingredient, Editorial Montagud asked him to write a book entirely devoted to foie gras. I have the result of this proposal in front of me and is a fantastic tribute of 352 pages and 106 recipes.  Welcome to the fascinating world of Foie Gras.

A few years before Foie Gras was written, a publisher and foie gras producer proposed to André Bonnaure to write a book called “Celebration of Foie Gras”. The project was never realized and André felt somewhat affected by this matter for a long time. Our chef thinks that we learn as much from books as from the most prestigious kitchens, defining them as the memory of cooking, and I agree.

The book starts with a chapter about the origin and evolution of foie gras. From there we start a journey through the beginning of consumption of foie gras, full of anecdotes, historical references, techniques and even symbolism. In the following chapters we find analysis to be able to tell the difference between a poor and a high quality foie gras, techniques for carving the duck, a scientific approach to the quality of foie gras and instructions for cooking it, nutritional information, condiments and even a guide of recommended bread & wines

And, of course, a marvellous compilation of recipes with foie gras as its main ingredient. Hot, Cold, Starters, Mains & Desserts. My favourites are Royale of Foie Gras with Cream of Black Trumpets & Corn Tuile, Foie Gras Stuffed Baby Apples, Warm Foie Gras Soup with Oysters and Charlotte of Foie Gras, Lychees and Rose Perfume. Oh dear, this is too ñam!

*FOIE GRAS has been published by Editorial Montagud, and it is available in English and Spanish.

I wish I’d had a book like this when I was a child. My first contact with cooking happened late, when I was twentysomething. At home, my mother was in charge of the kitchen and she would never let us help her. It was her private place and nobody else was allowed there. I think that was a shame because cooking with kids can mean lots of fun, and if they know their food  and take part in the process of making it, then, for sure, they will be happy to eat it.

Phaidon presents  a wonderful book that will help us if we want to have a kitchen party with the little ones. The recipes from the classic “The Silver Spoon” (also published by Phaidon) adapted for beginners. “The Silver Spoon” is a classic of Italian cuisine. And here, at “The Silver Spoon Book for Children”, we can find 38 recipes that have been chosen for their simple instructions, fresh and healthy ingredients and delicious flavour. And more good news, it has been finally translated into Spanish after its big success in its Italian and English editions.

The recipes are fully illustrated and explained in detail. Lots of useful little pieces of knowledge have been added, facts about the ingredients and Italian culinary culture and also very valuable tips like, for instance, don’t rub your eyes after cutting chili. I mean, I’ve been a victim of that not once, but twice, and let’s see when it will happen again.

Kitchen utensils and techniques are explained very clearly, and that’s not only for kids. We all know somebody that still has no idea about how to manage him or herself when in a kitchen and this book can be a nice introduction to the joy of cooking. There are lots of easy recipes and not so easy ones. Fresh pasta, sauces, cakes, frittatas, crostini, sausages, stews, ice creams and lot of delicious plates that I can’t wait to prepare myself.

Have fun!

* “La Cuchara de Plata para Principiantes” has just been published in Spanish by Phaidon.

This book is a little treasure. We all know what tapas are, and here you won’t find all of them, because a tapa is a concept that can be renovated constantly, but for sure, amongst its more than 250 recipes, you will find an amazing guidance through the delicious world of tapas.

This compilation of recipes comes from the expert hands of Simone and Inés Ortega. Simone is an institution in Spanish Cooking, her book “1080 Recetas” (1080 recipes, also published by Phaidon) is a classic, a must have in every Spanish home. And now we have another piece of her and her daughter knowledge. Lots of easy and tasty recipes that come in a colourful big book courtesy of Phaidon. Be ready to find cold and hot, vegetable, fish, egg and meat tapas and all the secrets of this glorious Spanish tradition. And, for non-Spanish readers, a very useful tapas glossary, plus the A-Z of Spanish Ingredients illustrated with the most beautiful food pictures.

“The Book of Tapas” will make you happy. Guaranteed.

* “The Book of Tapas” has just been published (in English) by Phaidon.

Hace unos días recibí un paquetón. En su interior había un libro enorme remitido por Phaidon. Sólo esto ya sería suficiente para alegrarme el día, pero es que el libro en cuestión es el magnífico, en todos los sentidos, “Cómo funciona El Bulli”. Dí tres saltos de alegría y, acto seguido, me dispuse a su inspección.

“Cómo funciona El Bulli” son 528 páginas de felicidad, cortesía de Phaidon. Diseño exquisito marca de la casa , 1.000 fotografías extraordinarias que te sumergen tanto en la espuma de una ola en Cala Montjoi como en la despensa de El Bulli; detalles nunca vistos que ayudan a comprender el modus operandi de esa meca indispensable que es el restaurante de Ferran Adrià; y, por si fuera poco, todas las recetas de un menú completo, explicadas paso a paso.

Además el libro cuenta con una estructura única. Nos colamos en El Bulli, viviendo un día de plena actividad minuto a minuto. Nos da la bienvenida un glorioso amanecer a las 6:05 y, a partir de allí, viajamos y somos testigos de excepción de las compras que se hacen de madrugada en los mercados, de la meticulosa preparación de los ingredientes, de la llegada de Ferran Adrià al taller, de las reuniones del equipo, la preparación de los utensilios, la bienvenida a los clientes, el servicio coreografiado al detalle, la copa final y el apagado de las luces. Todo ello es fascinante y , desde luego, muy entretenido, pero el punto fuerte del libro está en la revelación de las hojas de organización de El Bulli, las fotos del archivo de ideas y los esbozos de los platos. El poder ver y leer con claridad estos documentos únicos nos acerca a entender un poquito más el complejo y largo camino que se recorre cada año antes, durante y después de la apertura del restaurante. Porque El Bulli es algo en continuo movimiento, una experiencia única e irrepetible de la que podemos ser parte gracias a este libro que os recomiendo encarecidamente.

* “Cómo funciona El Bulli” acaba de ser publicado por Phaidon en español.

“Always have rhythm in your shaking. A Manhattan you always shake to foxtrot time, a Bronx to two-step time, a dry martini you always shake to waltz time”. This sentence is only one of the pearls of wisdom that we can find at “Cocktails” , the collection of recipes compiled by Amy Sacco, the onetime NYC nightlife queen, and published by the always interesting Assouline Publishing.

The drinks that you will learn to prepare after reading this book have such sugestive names as “Summerhouse”, “Cowboy Martini”, “Cosmonaut”, “Starlett” or “Passion Peach”, just to name a few.

But “Cocktails” has more than recipes, there are also lots of gorgeous photographies where we can see not only the cocktails but also lots of beautiful people that seem to be having the time of their life.

Besides, some very selected quotes by celebrities related to the joy of having a good drink. My favourite is this one from William Powell: “What is a cocktail dress? Something to spill cocktails on”

Warning: just having a look at this book will bring to you the imperious need of having a big night out.
Cheers!

Two cute books with a  collection of easy and nice food recipes, amazing photographs and lovely illustrations. The members of the Hungry Girls team are Rachel Pitts (writer and editor), Leah Holsher (photographer) and Katherine Bird (designer and illustrator). The three of them share a love of eating and, obviously, of beautiful things. At the moment they have 2 cookbooks in the market, and a third one in mind.

What can you expect to find in these books? Trusty, healthy comfort food recipes, also tips for those days when your fridge is only offering sparse odds and ends, vegetarian and non-vegetarian recipes and lots of useful pieces of culinary advice. Many of the recipes are inspired by the season and by produce from the house garden.

These books will bring joy to your stomach and also to your eyes, the illustrations and photographs make of them a small piece of art.
For more info visit: www.hungrygirls.com.au

Mónica Escudero, directora de las revistas Madriz y Barcelonés, nos presenta el maravilloso libro de postres de Albert Adrià. A disfrutar.

Natura, de Albert Adrià.
Comer con los ojos.

Los postres, en la mayoría de los restaurantes, suelen considerarse la parte más humilde de la cocina -una suerte de arte menor al lado de los verdaderos protagonistas, “la comida de verdad”-, y los cocineros dedicados a ello, un poco menos cocineros que los otros. Pero, en la pequeña Cala Montjoi de Roses, hay un lugar mágico donde son conscientes de esas pequeñas delicias que ponen punto y final a la comida, un sitio donde el dulce se respeta tanto como lo salado y sus cocineros no viven relegados a un rincón.

Allí, en el Bulli, es donde tuvo la suerte de ejercer de cocinero de postres Albert Adrià -el hermano del gurú mundial de la cocina Ferran Adrià-, que recientemente se ha bajado del carro, con ganas de explorar nuevos campos y huir de la extrema presión que impone la alta gastronomía.

El primero de sus proyectos de vida-más-allá-del-Bulli fue Natura, un libro interactivo y bilingüe editado por El Bulli Books que presentó a finales del año pasado en Perú, y que ahora presenta en España, donde desvela su amor por los postres y por todo lo que sea dulce. Utilizando la naturaleza como fuente de inspiración -y con un ligero toque oriental, sobre todo en lo estético-, recrea en 49 recetas su devoción por los postres homenajeando las flores, las mariposas, las cuatro estaciones. Todos los platos se definen con una sola palabra, para reforzar su significado: Tierra, Roca, Mont-Blanc, Nieve, Deshielo, Bosque o Iceberg son algunos de los sugerentes nombres que definen las atmósferas naturales que el chef propone, desvelando detalladamente las técnicas -algunas muy complicadas, otras no tanto- que utiliza para elaborarlos.

Por ejemplo, esta fantástica mariposa de la foto no es otra cosa que un croquant de remolacha reposando sobre un leche de merengue de regaliz. Debajo, una gelatina de hierba luisa, galleta de chocolate, yogur y sorbete de melocotón rojo. ¿Alguien da más?

Para los que no puedan -o no quieran- pagar los 75 € que cuesta (y vale) Natura, y tampoco se vean capaces de ponerse con la esferificación a estas alturas de la película, Adrià está a punto de editar otro volumen, mucho más sencillo y totalmente dedicado a la cocina casera, con el que para lucirse no se necesitarán más utensilios que los que cualquiera tiene en casa, más una báscula “para acertar con las medidas”.

Además ha inaugurado un gastrobar en Barcelona, Inopia, y está a punto de comercializar su propia línea de salsas y congelados -salsa brava, croquetas y jugos de pollo y cerdo serán sus primeros lanzamientos- para acercar la alta cocina a los fogones de casa bajo el sello Travol, un anagrama de los dos pilares de su cocina: tradición y evolución.

Natura, by Albert Adrià.
Eat with your eyes.

Desserts, at most restaurants, are often considered the humblest part of cooking -a kind of minor art standing next to the main protagonists, “the real food”-, and the cooks devoted to it less of a cook than the rest. But at the small Cala Montjoi, in Roses, there is a magic place where they are aware of the importance of those little delicacies, a place where sweet have the same respect than savory, and where its cooks are not left out.

There, at El Bulli, is where Albert Adrià -brother of Ferran Adrià, the world guru of cooking- had the luck of practise as a dessert’s cook. He has recently decided to move on, willing to explore new fields and escaping from the extreme pressure that high gastronomy imposes.

The first of his projects of life-beyond-El-Bulli was Natura, an interactive and bilingual book published by El Bulli Books that he presented at the end of last year in Perú, and that now presents in Spain, where he reveals his love for desserts and for everything sweet. Using nature as a source of inspiration -and with a little oriental touch, specially in regards to aesthetics-, he recreates in 49 recipes his devotion for desserts paying tribute to flowers, butterflies, the four seasons. All the dishes are defined by just one word in order to reinforce their meaning: Earth, Rock, Mont-Blanc, Snow, Thaw, Forest or Iceberg are just some of the suggestive names that define the different natural atmospheres that the chef proposes, revealing in detail the techniques -some of them very complicated, others not so much- that he has used in order to elaborate them.

For instance, this fantastic butterfly (see picture above) is nothing else but a beetroot croquant lying over a liquorice meringue bed. Under, a jelly made of verbena, chocolate cookie, yoghourt and red peach sorbet. What more could you ask for?

For those who can’t -or don’t want- to spend the 75 € that costs (and worths) Natura, and that don’t see the point to start with spherification at this time of life, Adrià is about to publish another volume, much easier and totally devoted to traditional cooking; with it, in order to show off, there won’t be necessary any more cooking utensils than those ones that we all have at home, plus scales to get the right measures.

Also, he has inaugurated a gastrobar in Barcelona, Inopia, and he is about to commercialize his own line of sauces and frozen food -salsa brava, croquettes and chicken and pork stock will be the first launchings- in order to bring Haute Cuisine closer to our kitchens, under the brand Travol, an anagram of the two basic pillars of his cooking: tradition and evolution.