American Brasserie: 180 Simple, Robust Recipes Inspired by the Rustic Foods of France, Italy, and America [Hardcover]

Rick Tramonto (Author), Gale Gand (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 16, 1997

Praise for Brasserie T and American Brasserie "Finally, a great modern American cookbook full of accessible recipes for classic dishes with big, bold, bodacious flavors." --Mark Miller, author of Tamales "For many, many years we've enjoyed the great restaurants of France--the brasseries. Now we not only have the brasserie experience on our shores at Brasserie T, we have the book, American Brasserie, to bring these flavors home in. Vive la Rick and Gale! --Norman Van Aken, Chef-Owner, Norman's, Miami "There is a tendency to assume that cutting-edge chefs are incapable of simplicity. The food at Brasserie T shatters that illusion; Tramonto and Gand's food couldn't be more accessible, and yet the dishes manage to dazzle at the same time. This is hearty, rustic eating at its finest." --Chicago Tribune "Brasserie T.is one of the top new restaurants in the country." --Bon Appetit "Gale Gand is considered to be one of the best pastry chefs working today, and she deserves ever accolade she gets. She makes desserts so good you won't believe your mouth or your eyes." --Chicago Sun-Times "Tramonto and Gand put together meals of imaginative diversity." --Food & Wine Visit us online at http://www.mcp.com/mgr/cooking

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Brasseries are lively, friendly French eateries that offer robust food with maximum flavor and minimum fuss. Filled with bustling crowds, brasseries are more fun than bistros and their food more substantial than that of cafés. They cater to rich and poor, early birds and night owls, tourists and natives alike. Classic brasseries like Paris's La Coupole and Lyons's Brasserie Georges have been beloved by generations for their memorable flavors and generous spirit. Award-winning chefs Rick Tramonto and Gale Gand have translated the French brasserie into a style uniquely American. American Brasserie presents the most beloved recipes of their acclaimed Chicago-area restaurant, Brasserie T, expertly interpreted for the home cook. The recipes in this book are ones that you will want to cook from again and again. They reflect the classic dishes of France, Italy, and America in all their alluring flavors and textures. The book begins with appetizers and salads, including Roasted Stuffed Artichokes with Toasted Nuts, Lemon, and Tomato; Crunchy Green Salad with Goat Cheese and Warm Bacon Vinaigrette; and Caramelized Onion Tart. Soups of all kinds follow—from stars like Curried Pumpkin Soup with Apple and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds to hearty bowls of French Onion Soup with Gruyère and Country Mustard. The chapter on pasta, risotti, and grains is full of exciting new dishes like Orecchiette with Zucchini, Chickpeas, and Red Chile; Creamy Three-Grain Risotto with Artichokes and Mushrooms; and Tramonto's Escarole, Sausage, and White Bean Stew. The chapter on main courses presents some of the book's most tempting recipes and robust flavors. The recipes range from quick, elegant Salmon Paillards with Mustard-Dill Sauce and Creamy Cucumber Salad and Mediterranean Navarin of Lamb to Brasserie T favorites like Chicago Choucroute. The chapter called "Weekend Cooking" presents classic dishes that take some time to prepare (they are ideal for relaxed weekends), but produce exquisite results. They include Cassoulet; Osso Buco; Spring Vegetable and Rabbit Fricassee; Fish and Chips in Peppery Amber Beer Batter; and delectably traditional, Pot-au-Feu. American Brasserie is one of the few cookbooks to provide ideas for the cheese course. Plates of Gorgonzola, Fresh Figs, and Sautéed Walnuts create the perfect pause between dinner and dessert or make refreshing light meals when served with a soup or an appetizer. The desserts in this book are extraordinary. They begin with hearty treats like Blueberry Bread-and-Butter Pudding; The Best Banana Cream Pie; and Double-Chocolate Mousse Mud Pie and end with cookies like Molasses Crisps; Espresso Tuiles; and Chocolate-Almond Biscotti. In addition to inspired recipes, American Brasserie offers seasonal menus for easy meal planning; a section on brasserie basics—foundation recipes that include stocks, oils, and sauces; notes on wine and beer—most recipes feature a beverage suggestion; mail-order sources for special ingredients; and even a listing of the authors' favorite brasseries in France. The ebullient character and warm atmosphere of the traditional French brasserie, combined with the inspired, flavorful recipes of two American chefs results in a cookbook to savor. American Brasserie brings the classic tastes and sensations of Italy, France, and Chicago's Brasserie T to your own kitchen.

About the Author

RICK TRAMONTO and GALE GAND are the husband-and-wife chef team that own the acclaimed Chicago-area restaurant Brasserie T. They live outside of Chicago. JULIA MOSKIN is a writer who lives in New York City.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (October 16, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0028616308
• ISBN-13: 978-0028616308
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.7 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #151,486 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE COOKBOOK OF THE DECADE, November 23, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: American Brasserie: 180 Simple, Robust Recipes Inspired by the Rustic Foods of France, Italy, and America (Hardcover)

Unquestionably the best new cookbook around. I've cooked a few dishes from the book and they all came out perfect and incredibly tasty. I must praise the two talented chefs who created the book for choosing simple and convenient recipes especially for home chefs. Most of cookbooks by star chefs are impossible to use in home kitchens due to their complex and restaurant-style recipes. But American Brasserie is exceptional. How can you resist Sicilian Tuna with Braised Fennel, Tomatoes & Capers, The Best Banana Cream Pie, Cassoulet, Vegetable Minestrone, Lemon-Sage Roast Chicken with Sausage-Mushroom-Potato Stuffing, Pear and Roquefort Salad with Grapes and Spiced Pecans, and even Root Beer Float to name a few? You won't be disappointed!!!!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So good I had to buy it, June 10, 2001

By 

Terrence Walsh (Fairfax, VA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: American Brasserie: 180 Simple, Robust Recipes Inspired by the Rustic Foods of France, Italy, and America (Hardcover)

A lucid text, edible photos, and luscious recipes make this a keeper. In fact, I borrowed it first from the library and hated to give it back so I bought my own copy!

Several of Gale Gand and Rick Tramonto's recipes earned me rave reviews from friends and coworkers. Do you want people to think you're a culinary star? Try this book. You can't miss. And if you don't think you can cook, try this book anyway. The pictures will hook you. The directions in the recipes are very clear.

Take, for instance the Pear and Roquefort Salad with Grapes and Spiced Pecans. There's a picture in the book, one of those edible pictures. You buy a few simple ingredients and there you are! How hard can it be to wash a few grapes? Or slice a couple pears? Or to crumble some cheese? Or - and this is the really good part - to throw a few things in a blender to come up with the Apple Vinaigrette dressing that goes on the salad? If you want to know the really hard part about this recipe, it's the spiced pecans. They are so good I kept eating them before the salad was finished. I think I'll bring them as a gift the next time I visit someone. Ya gotta try `em.

And if that's not enough, try the Roasted Fruits with Cinnamon-Red Wine Glaze and Toasted Almonds. It's a cinch (as it ought to be since it graduated from a pretty hot restaurant!). If you were short on friends, your problems are over. Okay, you get the idea.

This book will not just sit on my shelf. I expect it will regularly hop off your shelf, too.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful pictures, great recipes, terrific food!!, August 4, 1998

By 

Marilyn Clay - See all my reviews

This review is from: American Brasserie: 180 Simple, Robust Recipes Inspired by the Rustic Foods of France, Italy, and America (Hardcover)

Brasserie T is a wonderful restaurant and Gale and Rick have taken the best of the menu plus for a fabulous book. The recipes are easy to follow and the ingredients readily available. I am enjoying working my way through it. Some favorites are the lamb shank, escarole and bean stew and all of the desserts.