Sierra Mar Cookbook: Post Ranch Inn [Hardcover]

Craig Von Foester (Author), Patrick Tregenza (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 22, 2006

Ranked as the #1 Hotel Restaurant in California by Zagat Surveys March 2006, Sierra Mar is located on the property of the Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur California. Sierra Mar's daily changing menu fuses Asian, French and Mediterranean influences under the direction of Executive Chef Craig vonFoerster. Craig believes the difference between good and average food is sometimes a minute detail. He feels the motivation and care for really great food must come from within. The restaurant features an innovative, four course, prix fixe menu, which changes daily. By utilizing organic, seasonal fare the menu is ingredient driven and instinctive thus resulting in a spontaneous culinary experience. With close access to regional and Big Sur local farmers, meals showcase the terroir of the land with a respectful energy.
The Sierra Mar Cookbook not only shares wisdom, but techniques and insightful musings that have inspired the a-la-minute award-winning Sierra Mar style Chef Craig and his staff have created during his eight-year residency as executive chef.
The Sierra Mar experience includes not only award winning food but also a breathtaking view of the Pacific coastline as seen through the dining room's exquisite floor-to-ceiling windows. Sierra Mar has the fortunate distinction of being known for great cuisine and a world class wine cellar. Since its inception in 1992, the restaurant has received a vast amount of accolades, awards and recognition for the depth and uniqueness of the wine program, including the Grand Award from the Wine Spectator every year since opening.
Chef Craig vonFoerster, is a published contributor in One Fish, Two Fish, Crawfish, Bluefish: The Smithsonian Sustainable Seafood Cookbook and The Small Luxury Hotels of the World Cookbook. He was also included in the San Francisco Bay area's top restaurant guide, San Francisco Cuisine 2006. This is his first book.
The Post Ranch Inn Awards include:
2006 Gold List, Conde Nast Traveler
January 2006
2006 Conde Nast Johansens
Most Excellent Inn In the USA
#1 U.S. Resort Hotel
#1 U.S. Resort Hideaway
Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report
September, 2005

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A colorful, visually stunning book." -- Mike Hale - The Monterey Herald

"Now, anyone can get a taste of von Foerster's upscale cuisine." -- Mike Hale - The Monterey Herald

From the Inside Flap

Sierra Mar Consecutively ranked among the best restaurants in Northern California by Zagat surveys, Sierra Mar is located on the property of the Post Ranch Inn. Sierra Mar's daily-changing menu fuses Asian, French and Mediterranean influences under the direction of Chef Craig von Foerster. The menu at Sierra Mar is ingredient driven and begins instinctively and without restraint each day. With access to regional farmers markets and Big Sur local farmers, meals are created with ingredients of the season just hours after being harvested.
The Sierra Mar experience includes not only amazing food, but also a breathtaking view of the Pacific coastline seen through the dining room's exquisite floor-to-ceiling windows. Home to one of the largest wine collections in the country and featuring more than 4,300 selections, the Sierra Mar wine cellar has been the recipient of the prestigious Wine Spectator Grand Award since 1993.
Sierra Mar continues the tradition started at the original Rancho Sierra Mar by Mary Post Fleenor, the great- granddaughter of the original Post Ranch homesteaders, by offering a warm and welcoming atmosphere for all who visit.
""You can learn so much about food just by listening to people from different cultural backgrounds talk about their food memories . . . what you hear is about the soul of their food, not its science." Chef Craig von Foerster focuses on seasonal and regional offerings with a passionate energy.
His care when fusing California fare with French, Asian and Mediterranean influences comes from deep within, as cooking is his way of life. Diners from all over the world share a taste of his passion for food within each meal at Sierra Mar. Craig shares the wisdom and musings that have inspired the a-la-minute award-winning Sierra Mar style he and his staff have created during his eight- year residency as executive chef.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 264 pages
• Publisher: Gibbs Smith; 1 edition (September 22, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1586858599
• ISBN-13: 978-1586858599
• Product Dimensions: 12.2 x 9.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #782,661 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cutting-Edge California Cuisine for Chef-Hobbyists, August 31, 2007

By 

Douglas Appelt (Palo Alto, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sierra Mar Cookbook: Post Ranch Inn (Hardcover)

This cookbook is a valuable addition to the library of those who have a greater-than-average interest in the preparation of fine gourmet cuisine. The recipes are well-described and keyed to seasonal ingredients. The photographs are beautiful, and illustrate artistic presentations. The preparations are interesting, creative and delicious without going way over the top.

I would warn potential purchasers that this is not really a cookbook for the casual home cook. You should ask yourself the following questions:

Do you enjoy spending an entire day in the kitchen preparing dinner?
Does your list of kitchen equipment include a mandoline, a chinois, and a juice extractor?
Do you know where to purchase ingredients such as grade-A foie gras, diver's scallops, guinea hen, ramps, or baby chioggia beets?

If the answer to any of those questions is "no", then this book will probably spend more time on your coffee table than in your kitchen.

I think a lot of books of this sort are written by chefs who prepare their dishes in restaurants with an army of sous chefs, line cooks, dishwashers, and the necessity of feeding a crowd of customers each evening. Moving the techniques to the home setting where you are preparing dinner for your family and maybe a few guests requires a process of translation that leads to error-prone and incomplete recipes. This cookbook has been well thought out and edited, and avoids the problems that others have found with "gourmet chef" cookbooks. All recipes are calibrated to serve 6 in a format of a multi-course "tasting menu" dinner. That means the portions are each relatively small, and designed to be individually plated. Each course has well-thought-out wine recommendations for those who like to pair indiviudal courses with wines. Definitely not Tuesday night dinner.

I have looked over the recipes, and personally prepared the "Smoked Salmon-Wrapped Day Boat Scallops with Quail Egg, Fennel Emulsion, and Salmon Roe". It worked very well, with no missing ingredients, steps, or poorly-thought out proportions.

I think this book was well worth the price. As Jaques Pepin likes to say -- "Happy Cooking!"

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Passion for Gourmet Cooking, October 23, 2006

By 

Rebecca Johnson "The Rebecca Review" (Washington State) - See all my reviews
(COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sierra Mar Cookbook: Post Ranch Inn (Hardcover)

"You can learn so much about food just by listening to people from different cultural backgrounds talk about their food memories...what you hear is about the soul of their food, not its science." ~ Chef Craig von Foester

The Sierra Mar Cookbook features recipes from the #1 Hotel Restaurant in California. The ever-changing menu features a fusion of French, Mediterranean and Asian culinary influences. The pictures alone produce a sense of awe and are beyond inspirational.

The unique style of this cookbook displays six intriguing menu options that represent six evenings at Sierra Mar:

Local Farmers Markets & Perfect Timing
Monterey Bay Salmon, Taste Memory & Total Utilization
Tomatoes, Terroir & the Artistry They Inspire
Preserves, Marmalades & Capturing Flavors that Sustain Us
Black Truffles, Shellfish & Pondering the Soul of Food
Slow Braising of Flavors & Big Sur Chanterelles, a Rustic Spirit of Taste

It seems rare for a cookbook to have the variety of stunning scenic pictures and it leaves you longing to visit this restaurant. A slopping field of flowers melts into a perfectly pink sunset in one picture and in another waves dash against the rocks.

Recipes that looked especially tempting include:

Salad of Grilled Black Mission Figs, Bitter Greens and Bleu de Haut Jura Cheese with a Port Reduction

Pancetta-Wrapped Sika Venison Loin with Pistachio Puree, Huckleberry Sauce and Pumpkin Dumplings

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage-Pecan Brown Butter

Composed Main Lobster Salad with Satsuma Mandarins, Hearts of Palm and Basil Oil
(the colors are gorgeous and look very tropical)

Grilled Rib-Eye Steak with Crispy Potato Cake and Oyster Mushroom Cambazola Compote

Ceylon Tea - Glazed Salmon with Hoisin-Braised Bacon and Pea Tendril Salad

Throughout the book there are step-by-step technique pictures with descriptions so you can learn how to slice potato gaufrettes. A section of "basic recipes" introduces you to Brioche, Pate Brissee, Champagne Vinaigrette, Fig Jam, Red Wine Syrup and Fines Herbes.

If you are looking to impress someone with recipes that will create an intoxicating culinary experience, I can't think of any cookbook that compares to this one! The pictures are stunning and the flavors are complex and have comforting seasonal appeal.

100 Stars!

~The Rebecca Review
Author of Seasoned with Love: A collection of
best-loved recipes inspired by over 40 cultures

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Biased Opinion, November 21, 2007

By 

Suzanne E. von Foerster "Little Sister" (Elkhorn, WI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sierra Mar Cookbook: Post Ranch Inn (Hardcover)

Although I may be somewhat biased in my opinion (Craig is my brother), I am unbelievably impressed with Craig's culinary skills. I have personally been to Sierra Mar and tasted many of Craig's creations. My brother was somewhat skeptical of my opinions because I used to be an extremely picky eater growing up, so I hope he's been surprised by my lack of fear in trying new foods.

If you have never been to Sierra Mar and tasted the fine cuisine invented by Craig, you are truly missing out on a culinary adventure you will savor for years.

Way to go Craig!

Love,

Your Little Sister Suzanne