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[I am about to say things that will horrify some of the purists among you. Think of my approach as "training wheels" for baby home chefs.]
The first half of the book is what, in the vernacular of the Internet, could best be described as "food pr0n". (If you don't know what pr0n is netspeak for, you might want to be a little careful about doing a search on the term - just ask the nearest college student - or not). I am not big on this sort of thing, nor am I a big fan of "artsy-fartsy" presentation of food. But the photography is simply perfect, and the food is quite pleasing to the eye. So, to my surprise, I found this a positive attribute of the book. Some of the accompanying commentary was interesting as well. So I will disagree with those who found this section to be a negative. In this particular book, I think it was a strong positive. I don't think I am ever likely to say that about this sort of thing in any other book, but this one is special.
Now, as to all the dire warnings about the recipe section. It is probably valid that a beginning cook could meet disaster with some of these recipes. But even a beginner could find value in reading it, especially the "Basics" section. It would be an intimidating read for some because of the various terms of art, but that's what the Internet, library, and Amazon are for - finding references to explain those terms. Don't fear this book - look to it for inspiration, and use it to stretch your capabilities. And never see disaster as a bad thing, it is an important part of learning.
Try something from the "Basics" section - you'll probably end up with a palatable result, if less than perfect. After a few times of preparing it you will have it down, and it will be yours. For example, start with the Shallot Confit. The first time you will worry over it - "Is that shallot sweating? Have I cooked it too long? Not enough?". Don't worry too much though - you can always toss it out if you ruin it, (taste it to make sure it is actually ruined though) and, worst case, you are only out the cost of a few shallots. You can use it with just about anything you happen to be fixing for supper. It ought to really dress up a hamburger, and it will really impress your family, when, instead of hamburgers with onions, you serve them "pan fried ground beef au shallot confit".
From there you might graduate to the Madeira Sauce. But don't take on everything at once - the first time or two use a good quality commercial stock - Read the Cook's Illustrated web site for a review of ready made stocks if you aren't sure which one to buy (some are really bad). Again, this would perk up all sorts of things. Don't be afraid to go off on an adventure (just try it before you serve it). Does Madeira Sauce over Frosted Flakes sound good to you? Try it. (Not suggesting this, it sounds really terrible to me, but the point is, don't be afraid and let fear of mistakes cramp your learning and creativity. I have learned far more from mistakes and disasters than I have from the easy successes).
For me, while there is always a new technique to learn, or an old one to improve, the most difficult thing can be obtaining some of the ingredients used by Ramsay, or obtaining them with adequate freshness and quality. For instance, believe it or not, the local Publix grocery had just run out of fresh Bresse Squab. Not only did they not know when the next shipment would be in, they didn't know what kind of fish a squab was - fresh or salt water. Yeah. Well. What can you say? Some things can be found on the Internet (even some quality meats if you can bear the cost of next day shipping in a dry ice cooler). But if you are someone just starting out with expanding your skills, just skip that stuff and do the things you can find. Over time, you will find sources for many of these things, and there is so much to be learned before you really need them.
While I don't really disagree with the assessment of others that there are some demanding recipes to be found here - I disagree profoundly with placing self-imposed limitations on oneself because someone said that a goal was beyond your reach. I personally have learned a lot over the years by jumping in to the deep end of the pool, running with scissors, playing with fire, etc., and I think it is a good approach to life. But, you have to appreciate the value of failure. Love your harshest (constructive) critics - an honest friend who will tell you when a dish stinks is valuable beyond measure. Although, hopefully, you will know a dish is in trouble without having to rely too much on others. This shouldn't be about ego, it should be about working for perfection. Just be sure not to confuse naysayers with critics.
One last thought for the fledglings. Bad cookware can hamper even a good cook. While many of us use very expensive cookware, there are some excellent inexpensive alternatives. For many tasks, quality cast iron (example: Lodge, which works just as well as my more expensive Le Creuset) is excellent. For other tasks, it is now possible to get very good multi-ply stainless over aluminum cookware at a very modest price. Wal-Mart sells an 8 pc. set (Tramontina) for around $150.,. My son owns it, and I must admit that while my $200/pan (avg) All-Clad Copper Core is better, I am almost as happy cooking with my son's $20/pan (avg) set. Just be sure you get the "Tramontina 8-Piece 18/10 Stainless Steel TriPly-Clad Cookware Set" as unfortunately, Tramontina makes some junk you would hate. They have a 10 pc. set, but it is quite a bit more money. The single ply stainless is horrible, so please don't make that mistake. The tri-ply "bottom plate" pans are serviceable, but not comparable to the fully clad pans. I also think non-stick should be avoided for health and safety reasons, although I admit I use it in a few very limited situations. Stainless cookware should only be cleaned with a cloth and some "Barkeepers Friend" Bar Keepers Friend® Cleanser & Polish: 12 OZ. BTW- There are some individual Tramontina tri-ply pieces here on Amazon, but I couldn't find a tri-ply set (I think it is exclusive to W-M). Individual pans are, unsurprisingly, more expensive than the pans in the aforementioned set, so look for the set if you are looking for more than a single pan. The set is frankly, an incredible bargain, and very favorably reviewed by Cook's Illustrated. For reference, here is a link to an individual (and pricier) Tramontina Tri-ply pan here on Amazon Tramontina Prima 12 inch 18/10 Stainless Steel Tri-Ply Base Saute Pan. The other great bargain for beginning chef's is sold here on Amazon, and not at Wal-Mart. That bargain is the excellent collection of knives by Victorinox (yes, the Swiss Army Knife guys). Here is an example: Victorinox Fibrox 8-Inch Chef's Knife
Although I am more an admirer of Chef Ramsay than I am some of his books (I own most of them, and none of them are really bad), this is definitely a book worth having. Maybe not the first food book you should buy, but a really nice thing to own, enjoy, and be inspired by. Just be sure to wear a drool cup when perusing it.
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- Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2010
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- RassoulReviewed in the United Kingdom on August 26, 2018
Book was in great condition.
