gastronomy

A great book for many reasons - foremost is that Rosengarten is not afraid to express a definite opinion whether it is fashionable or not! His wine and beer chapters are gems, echoing my husband and my sentiments regarding big, oaky wines NOT going well with many foods. Rosengarten introduces you to many wine varieties that go well with different flavors of food, and his intuitive method of pairing food with wine is helpful. He sees food and wine as partners - each helping the other to taste their best. It's realistic!

His recipes are very good and there are definitely some gems in here, but the real value of them is that each one is really a course in itself, discussing traditional preparations and variations, then giving his version of the recipe. He tells what ingredients impart what qualities, so you feel that you have more control over the end product. After you read about and make his version of a classic dish, you gain the knowledge to judge other recipes and preparations of the dish, and develop your own opinion of how YOU want it to look, taste, feel.

The book really is what it advertises - about devoloping your sensitivity toward food, i.e. Taste. Though quite a "foodie" myself, I found I learned more than I expected from this book.

Finally, David Rosengarten brings his flair, knowledge, wit, and sense of humor to a forum that allows the most seasoned experienced cook to the most basic novice the ability to cook all the wonderful items that are displayed each week on his show. The examples are all clearly pictured, laid out for easy of assembly, and David of course goes into detail about each item to clearly present the " essence " of the dish, rather than just slop down the recipe. The section on wines and paring food and wines is one of the best i've ever seen, and, additionally, the area where the most popular beverages in the world was eaily my favorite. 5 Stars...what else could it be?

I have absolutely loved everything I have tried from this cookbook. It is also fun and enjoyable to read. The reason I gave it 4 stars rather than 5 is that many of the recipes are quite complex. Once I started experimenting, I discovered that it is often possible to simplify the recipes without losing anything. For example, the stir-fried shrimp recipe calls for deep-frying the shrimp first, which is a hassle. I had wonderful results just stir-frying them. To give him credit, Rosengarten carefully explains the reasons for each unusual step. While I chose not to follow his instructions precisely, I did learn a good deal from reading his explanations. This is a great book for anyone who is confident in the kitchen. It can also be very educational for someone just learning to cook, but beginners may find the recipes dauntingly complex.