Reviews Cooking, Food And Wine Book

Product Details

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Combining "a distaste for fancy cooking combined with a respect for haute cuisine," New York restaurant Chanterelle is a study in contrasts. When the restaurant first opened in the late 1970s, chef Waltuck and his wife Karen were pioneers of a new kind of fine dining, from their decision to waive dress codes to the dishes' unique flavor combinations. In this lush, compulsively readable portrait of this premier dining establishment, the Waltucks are warm and welcoming, sharing the chef's earliest cooking experiences and recipe development as well as scenes from their romance. The stars, of course, are the recipes, and they dazzle. Organized by course, Waltuck patiently and expertly guides readers through the creation of appetizers like Crispy Bacon-Wrapped Oysters with Rémoulade and decadent Roulade of Prosciutto, Foie Gras and Figs, before moving on to signature dishes such as Grilled Seafood Sausage with Beurre Blanc Sauce and Lobster with Sauternes and Curry. Carnivores will delight in Waltuck's take on surf and turf-beef filets with sautéed mushrooms and oysters-and a belt-loosening feast of bone-in beef ribs served with a rich sauce of red wine, shallots and marrow. Complementary sides are straightforward and easy to prepare. Desserts, though daunting, reward in spades: Cherry Vanilla Brioche Pudding with Maple-Star Anise Ice Cream, Fig and Goat Cheese Tart with Huckleberry Ice Cream, and the restaurant's signature Petit Fours all make a sweet impression. Liberally peppered with tips and tricks, Waltuck's peculiar style eschews needless formality, admirably deflating hesitation or intimidation in home cooks tackling his one-of-a-kind dishes. 138 color photos.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review
"At New York's Chanterelle restaurant, chef David Waltuck has been melding French techniques with his American sensibility for nearly three decades. Together with his wife and business partner, Karen, he has finally crafted this impressive book as a tribute. Peppered with stunning photographs, the book is enjoyable to pore over as well - and tales of Waltuck's down-to-earth beginnings and love story with Karen make for a fun read." --San Francisco Chronicle, October 29, 2008

Review
“David’s cuisine is as fresh today as it was when he and Karen first opened their doors many years ago… The recipes from Chanterelle evoke our roots, as chefs, in French tradition while striving toward simple, elegant preparations and flavors. Chanterelle will always be the quintessential New York restaurant for me.” --Thomas Keller, The French Laundry

"For 25 years, David and Karen Waltuck have run one of the greatest restaurants in America! With this extraordinary collection of recipes, you will find eloquence, refinement and joy--the very traits that epitomize the Waltucks!" --Charlie Trotter

"For over twenty years, Chanterelle has been the jewel of New York City's restaurants. David and Karen Waltuck have endlessly shared their charm, talent, creativity, and passion, and finally we are getting their secrets in the kitchen." --Daniel Boulud, Chef/Owner

"Ever since it opened in 1979, Chanterelle has been rated among the very best restaurants in our annual surveys. As long-time students of fine dining, we are particularly excited to have a chance to learn the recipes behind Chanterelle's extraordinary success." --Tim Zagat, co-founder and CEO, Zagat Survey

"Here, you will find much more than a collection of recipes, but an open-ended love story inspired by food, friends, family, and life. David's and Karen's sensibilities create a balance of tradition and change, sophistication, and simplicity. Their unique style has left an indelible impression on the New York restaurant scene. It is no wonder that, after almost 30 years, David and Karen continue to inspire at Chanterelle." -- Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Chef/Restaurateur

"Discovering Chanterelle more than 25 years ago with its charming defancified French ways...glowing like a mirage in then desolate Soho...was such a high for me. I remember fondly the dishes as I read this personal history of what it was like in the late seventies' dawning of young American chefs."-- Gael Greene

Customer Reviews

Beautiful book.
Beautiful book. We already cooked a few items from it and improvised some to our taste. However this is not a book for beginers

A Crowd Pleasing Cookbook with Corwd Pleasing Recipes
What a great cookbook! I purchased this book as a XMas gift for my sister, who is an experimental chef in training in her own right. After hosting XMas dinner and having a chance to flip through all the recipes, she settled on preparing a late night meal of Butternut Squash Ravioli. This recipe was a major hit with all of our family and friends and we can't wait to try more recipes. The book itself is very well organized and the dishes are gorgeously photographed (a comment shared with by everyone who thumbed through the book while waiting for their serving of Butternut Squash Ravioli). I so highly recommend it, I am purchasing a 2nd copy for myself!

book captures the essence of a truly unique gracious place
Chanterelle is the creation of Karen and David Waltuck.I have been a regular since it opened almost 30 years ago.The book captures the essence of this oasis and the recipes clearly spell out David's classic yet highly personalized cuisine.Highly recommended!