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There’s A New Bible on The Block
Since The Cake Bible was published 20 years ago, there have been so many books using the B word I’m expecting a whole section in the book stores devoted to food bibles.
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose….” of course is true up to a point, but I don’t need to tell you what’s in the name “bible” and if you’re going to use it as part of the name of your book it had better be one. The Flavor Bible is.
If you look up the word bible in the Encarta Dictionary, after you get past the first few religious connotation definitions, you’ll find the one that best applies here as well: “essential book: a book that is considered an authority on a particular subject.”
Written by my esteemed friends and colleagues Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg, The Flavor Bible not only fits this definition it offers something beyond bible that is rare and precious: true originality. There is not a single recipe in the book—this is not about learning how to roast a chicken---it’s about understanding taste, flavor synergy, ingredients—what they are and how they work with each other. Beautifully organized alphabetically by ingredient and also including ethnic cuisine, each ingredient is coded for weight, volume, technique, and tips (occasionally function as in sesame oil: “heating”).
Studded throughout the book are quotes, concepts, and tips from illustrious chefs, past and present, and other notables such as the response of U.S. Poet Laureate Charles Simic when asked in an interview “What advice would you give to people who are looking to be happy?” His answer: “For starters, learn how to cook.” And here’s a great tip from one of my favorite chefs, Michèl Richard (who is a perfect example of happiness, married many years with more children than I can remember). He uses miso broth instead of chicken for his onion soup. This is one of Andrew’s favorite tips as well. Karen intrigued me with Dominique and Cindy Duby’s clever idea to alternate slices of apples and eggplant in a tart because the absorbent eggplant soaks up the juices of the apples to keep the tart less soggy -- so much so that the eggplant tastes like apple! Karen said “We haven't tried it yet ourselves, but the logic made immediate sense.” Yes indeed it does and I can hardly wait to see for myself!
This book will soon have you thinking like a food professional. It will change your approach to how you look at food and ingredients. Here’s how it works: A food professional approaching something new first smells, then tastes, and then the sensory brain starts spinning trying to imagine what it would enhance! An example of one of my most startling food synergies: several years ago I had just perfected a passion ice cream and happened to notice that my windowsill rosemary was in bloom with exquisite little lavender flowers. Rosemary leaves are resinous and intensely overpowering for something as subtle though singular as passion fruit but the flowers had a flavor all their own—almost impossible to describe and somehow I immediately thought to garnish the icecream with them. Both visually and gustatorially they provided a whole new and heavenly dimension to the ice cream.
Read this book from cover to cover. It’s an education. Even if you never intend to cook a thing as long as you live it will indeed make you happier. It will make eating more enjoyable and you’ll never again have to feel uncomfortable in a restaurant wondering exactly what you’re ordering.
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Comments
What really caught my eye was this statement:
"There is not a single recipe in the book—this is not about learning how to roast a chicken---it’s about understanding taste, flavor synergy, ingredients—what they are and how they work with each other."
This is exactly what I like in a cookbook. I already have recipes, I want to be shown new ways to take them to the next level. Thanks Rose.
Reply to this Posted by: Jeremy | January 4, 2009 8:06 AM #
A non-food comment: The authors' photograph is so striking...a truly beautiful portrait. It grabs my eye every time.
Reply to this Posted by: Sarah | December 4, 2008 9:44 AM #
Rose! =)
Mom always said I was an open book and her rear end inflamation was something I TOLD EVERYONE, not for malicia but for true evidence of her flavor skills in the kitchen. Really, food should be addressed and enjoyed from beginning to end!
I think I have written many Mom's stories here on this and only blog I blog at. I have many projects going on right now, from baking to florist to computers to astronomy, but be assured that in the blog world I only exist at realbakingwithrose.com
I have a strong feeling that my book project will come on its own as more than one company has already called me with the idea! but who knows, maybe blogs will substitute books!
Reply to this Posted by: Hector Wong | December 1, 2008 11:20 PM #
hector you have the BEST stories about your mother. they would make a wonderful book. i wish i could have known her in person but through you is lovely too!
Reply to this Posted by: rose levy beranbaum | December 1, 2008 10:31 PM #
This could be the book that I'm waiting for... I always have the "why" questions. I hope we have it at our local bookstore... it'll be my Christmas gift to myself this year.
Reply to this Posted by: kayenne | November 30, 2008 12:12 PM #
added to my amazon list. just reminded me of my mother, she tasted everything she cooked and always found a most unusual addition of an ingredient or spice to compliment/enhance the existing flavor. She could not use black pepper or hot peppers due to hemorroids! so she always recured to other spices. Also, she never had a salt and pepper shaker on the dinner table. She never wanted any of us to add salt/pepper at the table and change the dish!
Finding and adding the special spice was something she called "tiau mui" (pronounced in my jaka chinese dialect). It literally translates "to sit next to your pot and with a fishing pole fish for flavor." So she used her long wooden chopstick and fished out from the potto her tongue until it tasted "tiau mui-ed"
Complimentary flavors to enhance..... like most all Cake Bible recipes calling for a whopping 1/2 or so tsp of salt! A pound cake, yellow butter cake, or chocolate butter cake w/o salt is not great.
Mom added sugar for example, to al her savory dishes. She rubbed salt and a dash of corn starch to all her stir fried meats. Corn starch makes the meat soak in more flavor from the pan! Just an invisible layer and not to make the infamous "chinese restaurant gravy"
Thanks for sharing!
Reply to this Posted by: hector | November 30, 2008 10:34 AM #
I'll definitely want to get this! Thanks for the great story.
Reply to this Posted by: Beth | November 30, 2008 7:26 AM #
zach that's a brilliant idea!
natashya,thanks for your vote of confidence!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | November 29, 2008 12:42 PM #
I didn't know that rosemary flowered, I don't think mine ever has. (I have a patchy thumb though, I am hit or miss as a gardener)
Thank you for the recommendation for the Flavour Bible, I value your opinion and will add it to my wishlist.
Reply to this Posted by: Natashya | November 29, 2008 12:37 PM #
Wow - what a find! Thanks for telling us about this. I'm hooked just from your decription.
When I do manage to cook, and when I'm feeling adventurous, one of my approaches has always been to just go through the spice cabinet smelling combinations of things before tasting. I like to hold several things that I think might complement each other up to my nose all at once and then add or elminate based on what I'm smelling.
Zach
Reply to this Posted by: Zach Townsend | November 29, 2008 11:33 AM #