I seem to be book obsessed lately but I cant help but mention the newest 'Big thing' to chefs all over the country.... Especially after seeing him on the Colbert Report! Nathan-Myhrvold on the Colbert Nation introduces his new 5 volume edition of Modernist cuisine. Hailed as the "The most important book in the culinary arts since Escoffier" by Tim Zagat it may well be worth the $625 retail price. Incredibly beautiful photographs by Ryan Matthew Smith that are both artful and informative we get a glimpse of how close art and science can be. The Father of Molecular Gastronomy, Ferran Adria says "This book will change the way we understand the kitchen".
I am intrigued by the authors 'Sous Vide' beginnings... 'Sous vide' for those who are not familiar with the term is a method of cooking based on sealing food in an airtight plastic bag and the submerging it in water, cooking under low heat for long periods of time (72 hours being not that unusual). His interests began with microbiology and food safety. Having gone so far as helping friends convince health inspectors that this cooking is far safer than traditional methods made me realize how wild this new modern culinary frontier is for many.
The volumes are filled with precise diagrammatic photos and beautiful science that reach almost poetic proportions. The only thing missing is the sweet stuff. Desserts, baked goods and pastries will be in the next set of volumes. I don't know how you feel but, it seems unfortunate that we can't have our cake and read it too.
My mother is a health inspector now and one of the restaurants she routinely visits has a wonderfully creative chef who is not long out of a top culinary school. When he arrived in town and opened his restaurant, sous vide cooking was against the law as it was thought that the food never reached a high enough temperature to kill bacteria. He and my mother spent a lot of time going over the methods, educating her, and in turn educating the health department, which has now changed their guidelines. I love it when new technology helps usher in change in government institutions.
ReplyDeleteJerith, Thanks for your story and Brovo to your mother! I love how cool science can be and how Modernist cuisine has really fused culinary art with the health sciences!
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