The Flavor Bible
The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide To Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs
by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg
380 Pages
Cookbook, Culinary Reference Guide
Awards: IACP Award- Winning Authors of What to Drink with What you Eat
This is insanity, insanely amazing for sure! The Flavor Bible was written as a reference type guide for when you have several ingredients but enhancing their unique flavours for the best culenary experience result is just beyond you. How does it work? Well, you figure out what you are interested in working on, for me that means what I have in the fridge that I need to eat, or sometimes what I buy on impulse at our amazing Saturday Market and then blunder because I have no idea how it should even be cooked. After you have your ingredient/s you check out what pairs well with it, and for each ingredient or spice there is a crazy long list that you can drool over and choose from. And probably designed especially for me, there are sometimes parings to avoid and they are also listed, YAY!
There are also sections titled Flavor Affinities where you can plan a trio of yummy delight, or the " understanding [of] what herbs, spices and other seasonings will best bring out the flavor of whatever it is you're cooking" (p. 33). I can't wait to try some of the ones I see listed! More than a cookbook, this is a reference guide that any person who likes their food to taste good would enjoy. The Flavor Bible lists so many options for most ingredients, many times probably saving you the trip out to the store for that unnecessary item, and that extra candy bar (for the road, you know!).
Most of the book is what the authors call, Flavor Matchmaking: The Charts, but there are two other chapters as well. The first chapter is titled: Flavor= Taste + Mouthfeel + Aroma + "the X factor": Learning to Recognize the Language of Food. And really it is a great chapter emphasizing the importance of things such as saltiness, temperature, bitterness, texture, and pungency. I was intregued by "the X Factor" and that is how the food affects us emotionally, mentally and spiritually.
The second chapter is called, Great Cooking= Maximizing Flavor + Pleasure by Tapping Body + Heart+ Mind + Spirit: Communicating Via the Language of Food, seriously that is a great title as well! This Chapter discusses things such as " Understanding the Essence of the Ingredients", the " Understanding the Essence of the Moment" (p. 25)
This really is a great one, in so many ways! I actually think it is "practically perfect in every way" haha, that is no joke though, it is exquisite! Check out this video below and then you will want it even more :)
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December 13th, 2008 - 06:36
We can use the same recipe for two giveaways? This is so exciting! Here’s mine: Oven Pancake.
December 13th, 2008 - 07:01
I do not think that I qualify because all of my recipes come from other blogs or cookbooks which I am not sure I have permission to post. Anyway, here is a link to a post with some of my favorite soup recipes:
http://beastmomma.squarespace.com/life-from-the-belly-of-the-bea/soup-er-recall.html
December 13th, 2008 - 15:22
I’m going to use the same one I used for the Katie Brown giveaway – but I’ve seen this book around and it looks REALLY interesting! http://heatherlo.wordpress.com/2008/12/13/holiday-recipe/
December 13th, 2008 - 15:38
I’d really love to have this book. It seems delightful. Here’s a new recipe, a cold-weather favorite around here for sure: http://fikafood.wordpress.com/2007/11/02/wild-rice-soup/
December 13th, 2008 - 16:34
This will pair well with Heather’s low-fat recipe…
http://fizzybeverage.blogspot.com/2008/12/corn-and-cake-but-not-corn-cakes.html
;-D
December 13th, 2008 - 16:48
Fun contest! I’ve posted my recipe here: http://thewrittenword.wordpress.com/2008/12/13/sour-cream-coffee-cake/
December 13th, 2008 - 18:37
I love cuban food. I add extra spices and more heat to this recipe. It is known as: Ropa Vieja.
http://www.saveur.com/article/Food/Shredded-Beef
December 14th, 2008 - 06:49
u r on a cooking spree arn’t u?!
December 14th, 2008 - 20:48
I want this book! I’d rather give you a list of links to my favorite on-line recipes, but since you made the rules… I posted a recipe for Slow-Cooker French Dip Roast Beef Sandwiches today. http://muse2323.blogspot.com/
December 14th, 2008 - 20:50
This is such a great idea for a giveaway! Here are my favorites: http://casual-dread.blogspot.com/2008/12/recipes.html
December 15th, 2008 - 01:41
i submitted mine http://nicolemarielum.blogspot.com/2008/12/my-favorite-recipies.html
nicolemarielum (at)gmail.com
December 15th, 2008 - 08:16
I love these books! I bake and my husband cooks. He has a whole cupboard just for his spices, sauces and mystery bottles. This would be the perfect book for him. I have two recipes posted on my blog for banana bread and chocolate cake. Yum! Thanks for great contests!
http://www.wrightysreads.blogspot.com
5wrights1@verizon.net
December 17th, 2008 - 05:48
Here’s a family favorite for you – hope you like it! Please add me to your giveaway. Thanks!
http://bookoholic.livejournal.com/447677.html
December 17th, 2008 - 06:18
Oops, wrong give-away – you have som many going on!! I’ll re-post on the “right” one instead! :)
December 17th, 2008 - 18:12
Boy, this recipe of mine if getting a work out with your giveaways.
http://savvyverseandwit.blogspot.com/2008/12/garden-stuffed-chicken-mozzarella.html
I have a hard time mixing and matching flavors…I usually end up with something really great and forget the flavors or something really bad and I want to forget which flavors I used. LOL
December 18th, 2008 - 01:28
Ooh! Great fun! Here is a link to my favorite holiday cake recipe:
http://tinyurl.com/3j958j
It is a Pillsbury Bake-Off recipe that wins RAVE REVIEWS every Christmas! I have scheduled my blog post to go up tomorrow evening at 8:20pm (I just posted, so I want to wait a bit but still make your deadline.) What fun!
December 18th, 2008 - 09:32
Oh, I so need this book! I am clueless when it comes to putting flavors together! Here is my recipe for Apple Kuchen.
http://subliminalintervention.blogspot.com/2008/12/apple-kuchen-recipe.html
December 18th, 2008 - 18:47
I’ve posted 3 holiday treats I’ve made this week:
http://shetreadssoftly.blogspot.com/2008/12/
christmas-baking.html
December 18th, 2008 - 20:44
Oh this book looks great!
I'll share a different recpipe for this book, it's one I'm cooking today. :) Since this book is about flavors & tastes that go well together, I'll post a recipe that goes well with this weather.
Soup! This is for a very hearty cheesy potato soup. It should keep us warm on the inside while we have a lot of freezing rain & ice tonight.
Here's a link to the soup:
http://janedoesntblog.blogspot.com/2008/02/cheesy-potato-soup.html
December 20th, 2008 - 15:43
Just adding that I did post the recipe on my blog on Thursday. http://tuttalastoria.blogspot.com/2008/12/my-all-time-favorite-holiday-cake.html I hope to win! Happy Holidays!