Heston's Fantastical Feasts [Hardcover]

Heston Blumenthal (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 28, 2010

There is no meal on this planet or any other that Heston Blumenthal can't prepare. In spring 2009, on his British television series Heston's Feasts, he re-created the impossible "Drink Me" potion from Alice in Wonderland and reinvented Henry VIII 's mythical Cockentrice. In Heston's Fantastical Feasts, the chef extraordinaire prepares six incredible new feasts inspired by history, literature, and legend, and takes us along for the ride.

In this imaginatively illustrated book, each chapter charts the realization of a feast, with its challenges and ideas, culminating with the final recipes. The book consists of a Willy Wonka Feast, a Fairy Tale Feast, an Edwardian Feast, a Gothic Feast, a '70s Feast, and—of course—a Feast of the Future. Delving deep into the world of each dish, Blumenthal creates poison apples, transforms pumpkins into carriages, and builds Edwardian gingerbread houses with sugar windows. Scouring Italy for rare mushrooms and Switzerland for wild boar, he records the journeys and inspiration behind each meal, laying it all out in grandly illustrated detail. Witness his delectable riffs on Dr. Seuss's Green Eggs and Ham and Roald Dahl's Lickable Wallpaper, and even try the recipe if you dare.

Featuring ornate illustrations by artist Tom Lane and an exuberant interior design, Heston's Fantastical Feasts is a mind-boggling and irrepressible new accomplishment from one of the most electric chefs in the world.

Editorial Reviews

Review

PRAISE FOR THE BIG FAT DUCK COOKBOOK: It's not just a cookbook. It's not just an art book. It's not just a record of the most innovative and exhilarating self-taught chef to have ever come from the UK. The Big Fat Duck Cookbook transcends all others because Heston Blumenthal transcends all others ... The cookbook will never be the same again' Independent on Sunday 'Akin to edible performance art' Observer Food Books of the Year 'If sex began after the Chatterley ban, the British didn't do proper tuck before The Fat Duck ... The Fat Duck has been declared the world's finest and has changed how we think about food ... chefs should leave the mad science to Heston' Daily Telegraph --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Entirely self-taught, Heston Blumenthal is the most progressive chef of his generation. In 2004 he won the coveted three Michelin stars in near-record time for his restaurant The Fat Duck, which has twice been voted the Best Restaurant in the World by an international panel of 500 experts. In 2006 he was given an award by the Order of the British Empire. He lives in Berkshire with his wife and three children.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA (September 28, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1608193691
• ISBN-13: 978-1608193691
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #360,870 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Chef Heston Blumenthal has been described as a culinary alchemist for his innovative style of cuisine. His work researches the molecular compounds of dishes so as to enable a greater understanding of taste and flavour. His restaurant The Fat Duck, in Bray, Berkshire, was awarded three Michelin stars in 2004, and voted the Best Restaurant in the World by an international panel of 500 culinary experts in Restaurant Magazine's The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2005. He also owns the Hinds Head Hotel, a village pub in Bray. Heston Blumenthal lives in Berkshire with his wife and three children.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not a cookbook, an example of culinary obsession, April 6, 2011

By 

Jesse D. Keilson "Cooking and computers - it'... (Rockville, MD USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Heston's Fantastical Feasts (Hardcover)

Odds are good that if you're reading this review, you already know a little bit about Heston Blumenthal and his obsession with food. Odds are also good that you're pretty enthusiastic about the topic as well. If not, this book is not for you. If "foodie" or "culinary enthusiast" is way too mild to describe your absolute passion for all things food related, then this book might appeal. If you can relate to the experience of spending hours seeking out an obscure ingredient or spending days cooking many versions of the same dish, just to find the perfect expression of flavor, then this book is something to seriously consider.

Heston Blumenthal goes totally over the top in trying to create dining experiences, feasts that evoke a time, place and emotional response. He goes to Transylvania to learn about blood cookery for a Halloween feast, and he makes lickable wallpaper to evoke a sense of childlike wonder. The dishes are ridiculous, impossible and outrageous. They call for techniques and ingredients that are impossible for the home cook, using freeze dryers and a PacoJet and camel meat and poisonous mushrooms and gallons of blood and... and...

It's an extravaganza of culinary insanity, but it's absolutely amazing to read about the creation of these dishes. Blumenthal explores the emotional connection to food, trying to provide a different kind of eating experience for his feasters. Yes, there are very detailed recipes, but that is not why you should buy this book. It's about the way people relate to food, how they can go somewhere they've never been or travel back to a time that they have fond memories of.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Incredible Imagination of a Master Chef, August 17, 2011

By 

LN (Long Island, NY) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Heston's Fantastical Feasts (Hardcover)

There are really no words to describe the genius & imagination behind Heston Blumental's creations. The book is a glimpse into his brain and how it works. I was almost tempted to lick a page to see if maybe it was really an elaborate masterpiece of his passed off as a book. This book is definitely for someone who is either a HUGE FOODIE or a HB fan. Someone with just a passing interest in food would probably not get much use from it.

Within you will find history, food knowledge, HB's past, recipes & how HB makes 1+1=100. Although the mini-chapters are kind of thrown here and there and don't really make much sense order wise I was never bored and did not want to put the book down. This book is a foodies DREAM. It is filled with regional facts on dishes and ingredients, time period information, culinary trips/adventures around the world, how to's and the finished dishes complete with pictures of some of the "works of art." From a Hansel & Gretel edible house you can fit inside, to a hike through the woods searching for poisonous mushrooms, to cooking with Play-Doh & making a Lobster Bisque with a coffee machine, the whimsy of each dish captures those enjoying them with every sense activated. I don't personally think I will ever make any of the recipes as they are very intricate and require some things that are not readily available but he certainly makes them seem quite doable to someone with the know how and equipment needed.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and hope he shares more of his insights soon!!!

5.0 out of 5 stars Feast for the eyes, October 26, 2011

By 

Annie - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Heston's Fantastical Feasts (Hardcover)

A very impressive read. Heston never ceases to amaze me. Presentation of the book is as fantastic as his food looks.