Girardet
At http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fr%C3%A9dy_Girardet
Girardet
French
cooking from one of the world's greatest chefs
in http://www.epicurious.com 2002
I never ate
at Frédy Girardet. People said it was the best restaurant in the world: not
Switzerland,
or even Europe, but the world. And since Girardet closed the restaurant in 1996
to go into
semiretirement (he's doing some consulting), I suppose I never will dine there.
This new
book offers a small selection of the dishes he made there, and while they can't
take
the place
of an actual meal, they give an idea of the purity and discipline of his
cooking. Even
though the
recipes are slightly dated — they show almost no Asian influence — they are a
snapshot of
what this extraordinary cook was doing between the years of 1982 and 1996, and
that's
something that any professional can learn from.
Although
Girardet does make an effort to explain his method to home cooks by breaking
down the
recipes, restaurant-style, into Preparation, Finishing Touches, and
Presentation, his
raw
materials are both expensive and exotic. One dish contains morels, frogs' legs,
chicken,
and heavy
cream; most of the others are based on the usual haute cuisine pantry of
lobsters,
partridge,
sweetbreads, and foie gras. And the desserts are intricate enough to challenge
most
pastry
chefs.
Not that
there aren't things you and I can learn from, as long as we don't feel obliged
to cook a
complete
recipe. Monkfish tails are dusted with flour, brushed with egg wash, and
sprinkled
with sesame
seeds before they're sautéed in butter (in a dish whose many garnishes made my
head spin).
Lamb chunks are sprinkled with curry powder and flour, then braised with
apples,
peppers,
and plumped golden raisins (and served with basmati pilaf and deep-fried
herbs).
Red onions
are slow-cooked with wine, vinegar, and honey into a sweet compote (that's a
side
dish for
turbot with pistachio emulsion).
My guess,
however, is that this book will be more interesting to chefs than to home cooks
or,
even, to
those nostalgic travelers who were lucky enough to eat at Frédy Girardet when
the
man who is
arguably the world's best chef was cooking there at the top of his form.
Reviewed
and tested by Irene Sax, October 16, 2002
Girardet
During the
heady glory days of haute cuisine in the 1970s, gourmands from around the world
dined at
fine restaurants in Paris, Lyons, Roanne, and other parts of France. Yet
another
illustrious
culinary destination was located in a renovated town hall in a village outside
of
Lausanne,
Switzerland, where Frédy Girardet was creating sublime French cuisine to
international
acclaim, earning three Michelin stars. Chef Girardet entered semiretirement in
1996, and
now, 20 years after the publication of his landmark first cookbook, the eagerly
anticipated
second book has arrived. Over 100 classic recipes are presented, including
signature
dishes with such classic Girardet ingredients as foie gras, truffles, and
citrus.
Devoted
followers will rejoice, while a new generation of cooks will be introduced to
the
passionate
sensibilities of a culinary genius.
The first
English-language version of this much-anticipated cookbook from one of the
grand
patriarchs
of French cuisine.
The
original French edition was the best-selling chef cookbook at New York City's
Kitchen
Arts &
Letters in 2000, and sold over 25,000 copies worldwide.
Arguably
the greatest living chef, Frédy Girardet has inspired chefs around the world
through
his
legendary restaurant and its cuisine. He is the Pope of the Grande Cuisine--a
culinary
mastermind
with no equal. Girardet has had an unparalleled impact on the culinary
landscape.
Through
this translation, Americans can discover the genius that is Frédy Girardet.
--Charlie
Trotter
Fredy
Girardet is recognized throughout the world as a culinary legend, alongside
such
luminaries
as Paul Bocuse and Pierre and Jean Troisgros. A recipient of numerous awards,
he
was
chef-owner of the renowned restaurant Girardet from 1982 to 1996 in Crissier,
Switzerland.
2002 Jessica's Biscuit®
Merchant info