Charlie Trotter's [Hardcover]

Charlie Trotter (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1994

This is the book that helped to launch a thousand taste sensations. By now widely acknowledged as one of the hottest chefs of the nineties, Chicago's award-winning Charlie Trotter is noted for his inventiveness and imagination in the preparation and presentation of food. This stunning feat of culinary artistry first presented Trotter's unique cuisine in what has become his trademark opulent style.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Charlie Trotter's is a top Chicago restaurant with a national reputation, known for its stylish and imaginative cuisine. Trotter is a serious (his introduction opens with a quotation from Dostoyevsky and moves on to Goethe) and obviously very talented young man; unfortunately for home cooks, the recipes in his cookbook are real "chef's recipes," many requiring hours of preparation and access to exotic ingredients (the first recipe calls for two different reductions as well as two sauces, one involving three different subrecipes, to garnish plum tomatoes that must be roasted for ten hours). For area libraries and other collections catering to foodies.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

CHARLIE TROTTER is the author of 14 cookbooks and three management books and is an eight-time James Beard Award winner. He is the chef and owner of the legendary Charlie Trotter's, which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, as well as Trotter's To Go in Chicago. He recently founded C in Los Cabos, Mexico, and Restaurant Charlie in the Palazzo Hotel at the Venetian Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 216 pages
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press (November 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898156289
• ISBN-13: 978-0898156287
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 0.9 x 11.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #299,052 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not your average cookbook., February 9, 2000

By 

Anthony Berno (San Jose, Ca USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Charlie Trotter's (Hardcover)

When I first encountered Charlie Trotter's books, I actually laughed - how could even the most dedicated home chef even hope to create these dishes? Some recipes even required ingredients that were in season at different times of the year!

Since then, the book has grown on me, and I've grown with it. His approach to food has opened a new chapter in my efforts to become an excellent chef, and his vision has gripped me with a mania that borders on the religious. Coming up to speed with his culinary style takes a lot of work and a lot of money, but once I found sources for the necessary ingredients, and stocked up my freezer with preparations like fennel oil, pinot noir reduction, and cubes of sauteed black chanterelle mushrooms, I am able to whip up a three-course Trotteresque dinner in just a few hours. Notably, I have never followed one of his recipes literally; it is impossible. Instead, you must draw from his techniques and improvise, using whatever excellent ingredients are available in your area at that time.

In short, this is a landmark book that has completely changed the way I approach food. It is NOT for the casual chef, however. His cuisine should be approached with the kind of practice and discipline one might apply to, say, learning to play the piano. The path is long and hard, but the results are worth it.

If you care - REALLY care - about becoming a truly great chef, then buy this book. If not, it's still worth it just to drool over the pictures.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sensory Overload, January 31, 2000

By 

"i_am_chet" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Charlie Trotter's (Hardcover)

This book is fantastic. The quality of the pictures and recipes are extremely high.

The culinary masterpieces created in the mind of Charlie Trotter push the outer limits of creativity and innovation. This book focuses on every aspect of a gourmet meal: from visual presentation to taste, texture, and usage of seasonal fruits and vegetables. I am a big fan of this book. While I will not make every recipe in it, it has caused me to experiment more freely in my kitchen and opened my mind to new possibilities, food combinations, and presentation styles. There are several recipes that call for extremely exotic/hard-to-find items...don't bother with them...Improvise and use what you have.

This book is not for the novice chef. A solid understanding of several cooking techniques is required for each dish...but with some practice, you will be rewarded tenfold. If you have the means, I highly recommend his namesake restaurant in Chicago. It is an utterly overwhelming experience.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nothing worthy is easy., December 5, 2000

By 

Robert Sikora (Chicago, Illinois USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Charlie Trotter's (Hardcover)

This book is clearly not for the amateur cook. But, honestly, did anyone think it would be? I have lived in Chicago 10 years and have been to Charlie's several times. The recipes in the book are good representations of what to expect at the restaurant. So, if you can master several of them, your friends can say they have eaten at Trotter's. My advice (having cooked most of the recipes in the book) is to begin a day earlier than normal, and make all the stocks, reductions, juices etc. You will be shocked how much simpler the recipes become.