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Title: Amuse-Bouche: Little Bites That Delight Before the Meal Begins
ISBN: 0375507604
Author:
Rick Tramonto
Mary Goodbody
Publicate Date: 2002-10-22
Publish: 2002-10-22
List Price: $35.00
Average Customer Rating: 4.5
Format: Hardcover
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $20.40
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $20.47
Amazon Merchant Price: $23.10
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| Customer Review: |
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1: A must have book for any serious foodie
Serving an amuse bouche at the start of any dinner is in style but even if it wasn't it's a wonderful way to kick off any dinner party. The purpose is, yes, to kick off the dinner but also with one or two bites to create anticipaton for what is to follow. It is meant to awake the senses and to impress and if you like a way for the cook to show off his skills and imagination.
In most of the recipes Rick gives ideas that accomplish the above and then some. An impressive amuse bouche may often be difficult to prepare and often more expensive than your first course. It is however a way to introduce some expensive ingredients into your dinner menu without breaking the bank. As far as I am concerned this is the only book out there on this subject that will become an invaluble resource for those of you who wishes to really impress.
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2: From Hannibal Lecter's Table to Yours
I really enjoyed the idea of this book. I was familiar with the title words from both my culinary readings and my dining experiences, but I had never heard it used in American popular culture until I saw the movie "Red Dragon" several years ago. Hannibal Lecter was serving a small dish (later we discover that it was a body part of an unfortunate flutist) to the Baltimore Symphony board when one of the members asked "Hannibal, what is this divine looking amuse-bouche?". Dr. Lecter replied (in the bone-chilling manner that Anthony Hopkins perfected for this character) "If I tell you... I'm afraid that you won't even try it".
One of the advantages of serving an amuse-bouche is that the home cook can use ingredients that would be too expensive to use in a main course (truffles, caviar, pate, etc.) except for the most special of occasions. Although I have tried several of the recipes in this wonderful book, many of them require specialized equipment that only the most advanced home cook would have in his/her arsenal (things like a "cream whipper" for producing foams, specialty juicers, meat slicers, a Japanese potato mandolin, and so on).
Don't get me wrong, I have most of the above equipment and I've prided myself in the past for trying to tackle any recipe, regardless of how difficult the technique or how laborious the preparation. Although it was always a great learning exercise for me, in the end I could have achieved similar results with less work.
Regarding the illustrations; the photographs are well done but the reproduction quality in the book (maybe even the paper stock itself) causes them to appear dull and flat. Glossier paper might have helped. The photographer (Tim Turner) uses only two different photographic techniques; an extremely shallow depth of field (see the photo for the Warm Onion Tart with Thyme) and then a sharper, view camera-style overhead shot (such as the one used to illustrate the Soft Polenta with Forest Mushroom recipe). The lighting source seems to be mostly a large light-box which only adds to the overall softness and the lack of contrast in the photos. Including an additional side-light source would have added some snap to the shots. I also think that it would have added a more approachable feel to the illustrations had they used more natural looking sets (as in the Saffron-Champagne Sorbet photo) instead of the obvious studio arrangements. Also, since presentation is a major element in serving an Amuse-bouche, there are far too few photos, especially for a book with a $35 price tag. Still, the composition and design of the photographs are exquisite. That could be the work of Mr. Turner or of a talented art director and/or food stylist.
I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to serve something special to friends and family, but the recipes are too involved for most of us to use on a regular basis. I would love to see a book on this theme that uses some of the fine prepared products found on Amazon's Gourmet Food section or in specialty grocery stores. Until then, I am afraid that the amuse-bouche will never make the leap from a French culinary curiosity to a common offering in US homes, a leap that the appetizer successfully accomplished decades ago.
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3: amuse-bouche
Loved the pictures and the instruction. Delightful recipes. A little bit advanced but still "doable". Have made around a dozen dishes from it and have at least two dozen more that I want to make.
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4: I wish
Wow what an awesome book. While living in NYC and Miami, I didn't have a hard time finding interesting ingredients like razor clams, squab and foie gras, but living in an area with limited grocery stores I feel abandoned. If I thought that Foley Fish would ship me 4 Kumamoto oysters without killing me on shipping and handling I would so do it. Or if Chef Tramonto would kindly give me a substitution I would be so pleased. The lay out of the book is great and the presentations are inspiring. I guess on my next trip to a greater metropolitan I will pack ziploc bags and dry ice instead of shoes and makeup.
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5: Good Buy
This is a very well thought out and put together book. I was very happy with it and recommend it to everyone interested in elegant amuse bouches.
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