Sierra Mar Cookbook: Post Ranch Inn (Hardcover)

~ Craig Von Foester (Author), Patrick Tregenza (Photographer) "With our daily-changing menu, we are allowed the distinct contentment of letting our ingredients direct the selections of each evening..." (more)
Key Phrases: beurre blanc, clarified butter, mint oil, Chef's Note, Chicken Stock, Mushroom Jus (more...)

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

Product Description

From the prestigious Sierra Mar Restaurant at the Post Ranch Inn comes an exquisite cookbook that captures the romance and mystique of this historic place. Flavorful California cuisine meets classic French and Mediterranean fare in the adventuresome kitchen of Executive Chef Craig vonFoerster. Sierra Mar shares unique and irresistible recipes for all seasons, with a focus on fresh ingredients and creativity, for appetizers, soups, salads, entrees, and desserts. Also included are personal notes and wine pairings from respected Sierra Mar sommelier Dominique DaCruz.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 264 pages
• Publisher: Gibbs Smith; 1 edition (September 22, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1586858599
• ISBN-13: 978-1586858599
• Product Dimensions: 12.1 x 9.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #162,771 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #29 in	Books > Cooking, Food & Wine > Regional & International > U.S. Regional > West
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 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 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 "SeasonedwithLove.com" (Washington State) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

"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

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's the taste, not the bias! Great book!, December 28, 2007

By	Wrath (Lake Bluff, IL USA) - See all my reviews

I'm Craig's little brother, but I was surfing Amazon and didn't even know he had a book out until I saw it here! So I ordered it.
I like to cook, but I was very intimidated by trying my famous chef brother's recipes. I have to say, the way the book is presented that making these dishes is very easy to understand, you just have to be willing to search out a few uncommon ingredients, and be willing to buy a few items for cooking that you might not have had before. But if you are passionate about food and don't mind some extra effort, it is really worth buying this book and trying these supremely delicious recipes!

You might think it's biased of me to write a good review, but seriously, one taste of Craig's creations and you'll realize that relation has nothing to do with it. ;)