Customer Reviews

Bistro Laurent Tourondel: New American Bistro Cooking

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Combining the flavors of his French childhood kitchen and his classic French training with his personal bias toward casual French bistros and American steakhouses, Tourondel has established six varied bistros, mostly in New York.

This glossy, lavishly illustrated book offers restaurant recipes adapted for the home cook. From Cream of Corn Soup with Corn Fritters to Braised Short Ribs with Garlic-Thyme Brown Butter, Curry-Kaffir Lime Chicken Pot Pie, Wild Mushroom Risotto with Mushroom Cappuccino, and 5-Spice Caramelized Long Island Duck, these are labors of love.

There are simpler, quicker dishes that are just as mouth watering, like Marinated Kobe Skirt Steak (garnished with chopped peanuts), Braised Swordfish with Tomatoes, Olives, and Capers, or Macaroni and Tomatoes with Spicy Sausage, but all require some joy in the process.

From appetizers to desserts, the recipes are well organized. Tourondel offers menu accompaniments (other recipes from the book) and gives an idea what to expect in his brief intros. Wine accompaniments are also offered with each dish and in his introduction Tourondel offers menu suggestions for the novice and the experienced cook.

With informal and delicious dishes in a format that is as easy to follow as it is sumptuous, this is a book primarily for experienced cooks.

If you pick up this book, be prepared to deal with uncontrollable drooling as your browse through the pages. Beautiful pictures of Seared Kobe steaks, giant cheese popovers, peanut butter-chocolate parfait and many more are a feast for the eye. Laurent Tourondel is a master at what he does and the recipes reflect it well. He takes classic French Bistro cooking but adapts it for the American public, the guy is not afraid to cross the line of tradition to create his own version of classical dishes using all american ingredients. Needless to say, he is quite succesful at it if you judge by the speed he's opening restaurants around New York. This book will appeal to the home cook looking to fine tune his skills and to the "night table" gourmet who simply enjoys nice cookbooks, it'll make you drool and it'll make you want to cook. After all, that what cookbooks are for right?

Great book, i'm chef in an italian restaurant and always we share techniques and ingredients with french cuisine. BLT is a great example of how make the things perfect, great recipes, great presentation, an easy way to know differents and innovative tecniques. Everything looks perfect, but watch out! i really belive that this is not a book for begginers, I've tried a couple of recipes and being a professional really help me to obtain a result -almost- the same that the one you see on the pictures or in the basal ideas behind the recipe.
Sorry for my english. Greetings from Chile, Southamerica

If you follow the baked chicken recipe step by step, the taste will make you smile. The book was delivered in excellent condition.

Having the honor of working for him in Miami, I have to say some of the recipes are verbatim. I really love the photos, and the food is quite good. If you like good, semi-simple food pick up this one.

Sinple step-by-step, awesome, reliable recipies, but not for rookies. Very good wire suggestions as well.

I would make every last recipe in this book. Usually I debate on whether the finished product will be worth the effort and decide against attempting some recipes of other books. However, BLT has page after page of mouthwatering photos that encourage you to taste everything. I've tried around five recipes so far and not been disappointed. For spices, visit www.thespicehouse.com. For kaffir lime leaves (which are amazing and should not be omitted) try one of the two Amazon vendors or (depending on your part of the country) even check with a local well-stocked plant nursery to see if they have the tree and would let you pluck a few leaves.

Some great recipes, some simple, some sophisticated. Most recipes I've tried accentuate the umami sense.