Michael Mina: The Cookbook (Hardcover)

~ (Author), (Author), Andre Agassi (Contributor), Karl Petzke (Contributor)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

San Francisco chef Mina, who has franchised himself to Las Vegas with the backing of tennis star Agassi, declares that all the recipes in his book have been "designed to be prepared in the home kitchen by a single cook." The home cook with a day job is unlikely to regard this as a practical guide, however, unless similarly driven by Mina's obsession with the core concept: the trio. Each of his New American dishes, from starter to dessert, is presented with three different interpretations of the key ingredient. For instance, his Summer Berry Cobbler, Berry Sundae with Mascarpone Ice Cream, involves creating a raspberry cobbler with vanilla streusel, a blueberry cobbler with lavender scone and a blackberry cobbler with candied ginger shortbread, in hot and cold variations to be eaten in alternating bites. The design alone—with its 100 beautifully crisp photos—will further entice home cooks to try his recipes in their own home. (Nov.)
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Product Description

Mina knows that cooks like to master one recipe but then try different flavors with the main ingredient. MICHAEL MINA reveals how to recreate his trio concept, where a master recipe is followed by three flavor variations, each with its own variations and accompanied by side dishes created just for that version. A crispy loin of pork can be served with an orange/carrot, apple/sage, or tomato/corn combination of accompaniments. Although the flavor combinations create a sense of complexity, the recipes themselves are simple.

Accompanying the trios are Mina's classic and most-requested recipes from his acclaimed restaurants, including Whole Fried Chicken with Truffled Macaroni and Cheese, and Root Beer Float with Warm Chocolate Chip Cookies. This book is a must-have for any cook with an adventurous palate.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Bulfinch; First Edition edition (November 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0821257536
• ISBN-13: 978-0821257531
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 9.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #102,210 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous Cookbook, December 1, 2006

By	Erica Wilcott (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is really a beautiful book, whether you cook from it or just aspire to cook from it. Having enjoyed an incredible evening at Michael Mina's namesake restaurant in San Francisco's Union Square, I can say that this book captures the experience perfectly. Also, Mr. Mina shares not only his insight and thoughtful introductions with each section and recipe, he also discusses his journey to success, and includes his family and staff along the way.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great book for a budding Chef, January 18, 2007

By	Brenda Burns "Eating healthier" (San Jose, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is a very good book, but not for someone who wants to just throw something together quickly. It's got some very sophisticated recipes and some quite complicated. All-in-all, it's a very good book, but if you're a cook and not a chef; I would look for something a bit simpler to cook from. On the other hand, if you love to cook and impress, this is the book for you.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book, and great food, but not too practical, September 17, 2008

By	H. Lee "Amazon junkie" (Fullerton, CA) - See all my reviews

If you've ever had the opportunity (or pocketbook) to dine in one of Michael Mina's restaurants, this book dissects some of their best dishes. I was eager to try some of them, but was a bit dismayed by the level of difficulty. I know, what was I thinking, right?

Most of the recipes require a lot of prep time as well as ingredients and techniques not familiar with the home cook ( I have yet to find a grocery store that carries truffles). If you are looking for something elegant that you can whip up in a flash you may want to look into a different book.

I did however, enjoy the book much more after dining in one of his restaurants. I actually received a signed copy of his book for free when I ordered the Chef's Tasting menu. Pretty cool, except that I paid over $400 for dinner for two!!!

My favorite is the lobster pot pie - to die for. I guess you could substitute some of the steps such as the handmade crust, or even rolling it over the pot, but then it would not be an authentic "Mina" experience. if you have the skills to master any of the dishes, you will definitely wow your guests.

As long as this book is not approached like a practical cookbook, you won't be disappointed.