Food for Thought with Alex Bielak-Cookbooks: Essential friends, new friends

In the last column I wrote about Chef Daniel Pascoa of Eatalia saying the cookbook “NOMA – Time and Place in Nordic Cuisine” was “one of his must-have references and inspirations.” I also alluded to the fact that although I have this hefty volume, I have not actually cooked anything from it, partially a reflection of the very specific Nordic ingredients Chef Rene Redzepi sources locally and partially because of the complexity of the preparations.

I don’t know how many cookbooks I have, but it is a lot. This was driven home when a house stager told us to cut the number of books on the shelves by half!  Some of these books are ones I’ve barely skimmed. Others I use for as little as a single recipe. And yet others I’ve read cover to cover, more than once, to the point the pages are loose or stained with sauce.

I pick cookbooks up for new ideas, time-tested recipes, inspirational photos, insights to the minds of exciting chefs, great writing, and techniques. If I strike the jackpot, a book might have most of those things. If I had to choose the best, my favourite, or the last one I’d let go, I’m not sure which I’d pick. And yet I put that
very question to a group of chefs during the Taste of Burlington summer launch a few weeks back.  Their responses were both familiar and surprising.

Chef Pascoa also noted “The French Laundry Cookbook” as another volume atop his list. The book, by Thomas Keller, a notorious perfectionist whose restaurants draw diners to both coasts of America, was also the top choice of Skyler Caperia of S. B. Prime, Wendel Clark's Merlin Webbe, and Downtown Bistro’s Chef Mike Lorinczi who noted he loved the “simplicity and complexity,” something I can relate to. It’s a beautiful coffee table book, one I have actually cooked a recipe from, albeit probably the simplest: Parmigiano-Reggiano Crisps with Goat’s Cheese Mousse. Simple, elegant.

On a side note, Michael Ruhlman is a co-author along with Keller. I just finished his enjoyable book called “Egg: A Culinary Exploration of the World’s Most Versatile Ingredient.” It’s one of several he’s written, some in collaboration with other top chefs, some solo. They are a dependable bet and would be welcome on any cook’s bookshelf.

The Purple Heather’s Manager, Gordon Dyson and Red Canoe Bistro’s Chef Tobias Pohl-Weary both nominated the venerable Larousse Gastronomique (the encyclopedia of food wine and cooking). My 1961 English-language edition weighs in at over a thousand pages and the photos are old school. It’s a bible of sorts with definitions aplenty for dish names, ingredients, etc. for things as varied as “Porcupine” (Porc-épic  - Animal whose rather fat flesh is good to eat, especially when young) and “damascene Nigella.” (sometimes known as Venus’ hair because of its thread-like leaves, has seeds which are used in the East to sprinkle on bread and cakes.) I wonder if an up-dated version would describe Nigella as a Venus’ haired British Cheflebrity…?

Incidentally, on perusing the book prior to writing this piece I was delighted to find – and I hope resurrect – the word “Baconique” used in France to describe meals that consisted entirely of pork!

There were also two recommendations for the “Joy of Cooking.”  Brandon Ashby of West Plains Bistro says there is a “lot of material and classic simple recipes,” while Craig Kowalchuck, owner of the Water Street Cooker and Emma’s, would like to get his mother’s copy re-bound. There is an updated version available and even an online one, but, for the standards, almost any vintage version can’t be beat, and this is often a go-to for me if I need a reminder about how to do something. (I also personally like many of the offerings from America’s Test Kitchen, which has literally developed the “Best Recipe” for most anything.)

Chef Wil Edsal (a real talent who has some funky dessert ideas that have earned top honours for the Queens Head at Taste of Burlington events) peruses an “Encyclopedia of Ethnic Cuisines.” He does so “mainly for plating ideas.” The Ivy Bar’s John McKee likes to browse an “Atlas of Food” from the 70s for inspiration. The Rude Native’s Chef Jay Beaudry likes “100 Great Indian Recipes compiled by Master Chefs of India:” because much of his menu is now Asian-inspired, he finds the volume (which is on his nightstand) very pertinent. Mitchell Lamb at the Stone House Restaurant swears by the “Culinaria” series of books on regional cooking.

Kowalchuk and Doran Abra, his chef at The Cooker are also fans of Epicurious, an extensive online resource. Others prefer magazines (Rosa Pasquale of Eatalia finds inspiration in the pages of Canadian Living Magazine. (They test their recipes six ways to Sunday so I find they are ultra-dependable). One even mentioned local fliers and magazines. Steve Lightfoot of Ye Olde Squire noted these are “very attuned to the times and seasons.”

Several other prominent chefs were also cited as inspirations: Meredith Read and Olivia Balaban at Paradiso said Montreal’s Chef Chuck Hughes’ is their man for his book “Garde Manger.” (I’m not familiar with it but intend to be.) Pepperwood’s Mike Middlemost (who made a delicious bacon- burger six-ways at the recent Lakeside a la Carte Rotary Fundraiser) notes Gordon Ramsay is his professional idol so he loves any of his cookbooks. Personally I like some of Ramsay’s short videos, available online and as originally broadcast in the UK, as these can be great in helping get a technique right. See for instance the one on Beef Wellington.)

Mohammad Emami of Rayhoun, likes Jamie Oliver’s offerings. I suspect, given the well-known mutual dislike between Ramsay and Oliver, Middlemost and Emami might not find much common ground! In a grab-bag of other books menitoned, Chef Monica at Rib Eye Jacks likes “Saigon Home,” Lukas Kraczla (head Chef at Purple Heather) relies on his 1964 “Art of Fine Baking,” while Mark Bonin of Honey West loves the classic “Silver Spoon” as does my wife. By my count that is about 15 books, all of which are worthy of space on a bookshelf. And that is not even beginning to consider some of the books I personally consider essential!

And taking an alternative view, one I can understand having had the pleasure of cooking in Greece, Nisrat & Melody Naser of Melodia claim to “never have used a cookbook.”

Finally, as you can see I’ve tried to find links to the various books mentioned, though sometimes recall of the exact title was hazy. If you are tentative about developing an expensive habit that can take up significant book shelf real estate, local libraries are a fantastic ways to get a feel for the huge range of cookbooks out there. (See www.bpl.on.ca  and www.hpl.ca.)

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Alex (Alex can be reached at fft@thehamiltonian.info or on twitter @AlexBielak)