The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America’s Most Imaginative Chefs (Hardcover)
May 13, 2009 by TheChef
Filed under Culinary Cooking Books
From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Dornenberg and Page’s follow up to their award-winning What to Drink With What You Eat certainly compliments its predecessor (part of the intent), but works equally well as a standalone reference for cooks of all skill levels. An alphabetical index of flavors and ingredients, the book allows readers to search complimentary combinations for a particular ingredient (over 70 flavors go well with chickpeas; over 100 are listed for oranges), emphasizing the classics (chives with eggs, nutmeg with cream, sardines and olive oil, etc.). Entries for ingredients such as chicken, beets and lamb span multiple pages and feature menu items from chefs such as Grant Achatz of Alinea, Alred Portale of Gotham Bar and Grill and Le Bernardin’s Eric Ripert. Regional tastes are well-represented in broad entries for classic German and English flavors, as well as the more fine-tuned flavors of, for example, northern France or West Africa. The listings, combinations and short essays from various chefs on different matches are meant to inspire rather than dictate-there are, in fact, no recipes included. Instead, the volume is meant as a jumping-off point for those comfortable in the kitchen and eager to explore; though experienced cooks and chefs will benefit most, novices will find themselves referring to this handsome volume again and again as their confidence grows. Color photos.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Creative, self-motivated cooks who don’t demand recipes’ precise prescriptions will cheer the publication of this guide to the kingdom of taste. Addressing the nature of flavor and its role in cooking, the authors have gathered creativity and wisdom from dozens of the world’s best chefs. Page and Dornenburg define the aesthetic of flavor as a combination of taste, mouthfeel, aroma, and a mysterious factor perceived by the other senses and by the diner’s emotions. They then break down in hundreds of tables how ingredients’ flavors relate to one another. For example, the table for apples notes their affinity for cinnamon, pork, rum, and nuts. They also list the most common ingredients of national cuisines. In some cases, they note clashes, such as oysters and tarragon. This is a valuable reference for all aspiring chefs and sets down in print what has often been believed inexpressible. –Mark Knoblauch
I recently added this book to my cookbook collection, which numbers more than 1,000 volumes (probably more like 1200 but I’m still cataloging). It has immediately become one of my favorites (and definitely my #1 favorite in English). If you are a serious cook, love to read cookbooks like novels, and view recipes as suggestions rather than as requiring strict adherence to precise measurements, then this is the book for you! (Did I say I LOVE this book?)
I make all of the desserts for my husband’s restaurant. If I snag some particularly luscious fruit and want to make it into a dessert, this is the book I reach for first. I don’t WANT to be told how to make a fruit sorbet. I already know how. But I love having a list of suggested flavors and products that go with what I already have. It’s like having an uber-creative friend at your side saying “hey, why not try THIS?”
And if you are not an experienced cook, this book provides invaluable guidance that a recipe book never could. It is wholly different from every food book I have ever read.
The book is clever, useful, and obviously the product of prodigious research. To the authors, I send my humble gratitude. You have made my life immeasurably easier, and my dishes far more interesting than ever before.
This book is a must-read if you love to eat or love to cook. I have already bought six copies and have given two as gifts. It’s THAT good.
Flavor is the basis for all food, without it, the world would seem less colorful, lifeless, and bland. Food isn’t just about what you can taste in your mouth but also what you can see with your eyes, what you smell with your nose and what you feel in your heart. That’s what is presented in this book. The authors also wrote two other acclaimed books, Culinary Artistry and What to Drink with What You Eat.
What Culinary Artistry showcased was that food can be art. That colors structure on a plate can evoke emotions the same as any other art work. And like any art work, is in the eye of the beholder.
What to Drink with What You Eat gave us the understanding that beverages (not just wine) can be paired and should be though of as a condiment when had with food. Would you put yellow mustard on a Porter House, it goes the same for pairing any red wine with a cut of beef.
The Flavor Bible talks about, well, flavor; but more then that, it talks about what flavor is and how we perceive it, receive it, balance it and emphasize it. All coming to the climax which is a very in depth list (3/4ths of the book) of ingredient detailing its profile (weak, strong), seasonality, and every herb, spice, fruit, vegetable, meat, fish, poultry and alcoholic related item and what would go exceptionally well with it.
What’s that you say, Culinary Artistry already went over that? Well you would be correct but it didn’t tell you when the ingredient was in season or what is flavor profile is, did it? What it also talks about is the break down of the different cuts of meat such as beef, lamb, pork, and poultry all broken up into their respected parts and given their own listings which wasn’t even touched upon in Culinary Artistry.
So, if it is so good, why did I give it only 4 stars? The list for the most part is just an update from Culinary Artistry; most flavors companions haven’t change since the days of Escoffier. I would have liked more detail in what flavors such as sweet, bitter, sour, salty, go well together and which once counteract the other. This isn’t so much a book as it is a reference point and I’m okay with that.
Culinary Artistry was my best friend going through culinary school and now I have a great addition that I am sure I’ll end up burning through as I did my other 2 copies of Culinary Artistry. I look to this book every time I cook to add that extra something to a dish. If you are even the slightest bit interested in cooking or making good food taste even better then you can’t go wrong buying this book.
Bought this book w/o a whole lot of information about it. Can’t believe it — I now have the resource I’ve been looking for –
I’m a cook with some years of experience, a huge cookbook collection, a list of classes taught by renowned experts and cookbook writers, and still I yearned for a reference that gave me the info on what goes with what (w/o me researching my whole library or classnotes. I guess I need “permissions” and this book gave it to me.
Tonight I made redfish (snapper in the book) with a crust of almonds, chives, parsley and dill (methodology learned in all those classes). Served w a favorite zuchinni recipe that included the “go-to” ingredients for snapper, and roasted potatoes with light sprinkling of rosemary and salt (again, a “go-to” herb for the main dish).
It wasn’t overkill (my worry) — it just plain worked and I did it w/o a single recipe. Cut my cooking time in half and raised my personal culinary “thermometer” by a ton of degrees.
If you cook, know methodology and are looking for a silent but knowledgeable help in the kitchen, buy this book. It’s a gem!!!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Imagination, creativity, delicious
This book allows for a myriad of creative methods of preparing popular dishes. I’m all for different. Also try FINGER LICKING DIFFERENT!!
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Best
This is by far one of the greatest books that I’ve added to my collection. It’s one of those books that once you get going in it, You start marking the pages, you’ll find…
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Flavor Bible
Excellent book with great combinations to help any chef. Who knew that white chocolate and caviar are a great flavor combination???
5.0 out of 5 stars
By far the best for serious cookers
This is a must book for those serious about improving their cooking skills. The first time I used it, I hadn’t even read the entire book and my pasta was excellent.
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Reference for Experimental Cooking
This book is for the person who wants to understand flavor combinations, and a good assist toward cullinary creativity.
5.0 out of 5 stars
When you can’t find what the recipe calls for . . .
If you find yourself in a bind in the kitchen with a last minute menu change, this great guide will give you flavour hints that charm and delight the palate.
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great gift for a foodie
I bought this for my girlfriend who is a terrific cook. She loved it and can’t wait to use it.
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Favor Bible
Was not what I expected but Love it. A wonderful tool in flavor matching and creating new combinations to add a special touches to old dishes to offer a new twist and add…
5.0 out of 5 stars
BEST cookbook I have ever had!!!!!!!!
I have never been able to follow a recipe in my life and every recipe book I’ve ever had frustrated me because they were just boring old recipe after recipe.
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Flavor Bible
I’ve dreamed of having a book like this! It is the best resource for anyone who cooks and likes to experiment with new flavors. Love it!