French Laundry, Per Se: The Art of Finesse

"When The French Laundry Cookbook was published in 1999 (five years after the opening of the French Laundry restaurant), it broke the mold of all previous cookbooks; it has since come to be considered by many to be the most important restaurant cookbook ever published. With more than 600,000 copies in print, the book has been an education for thousands, from home cooks to aspiring professionals, selling in bookstores, wineries, department stores, grocery stores, and even airports throughout the world. Now, 20 years later, The French Laundry, Per Se is set to break the mold anew. Keller opened Per Se in New York City in 2004, and since that time, the French Laundry and Per Se have become inextricably linked, influencing each other's evolution through the exchange of chefs and ideas. A lot has changed in 20 years, and the recipes and techniques featured in The French Laundry, Per Se will delight and inspire professional and home cooks as only those in Keller's books can. Here, he and his chefs offer meticulous, in-depth recipes for both beloved and iconic dishes-Salmon Cornet, "Peas and Carrots," and Butter-Poached Lobster, for example-as well as essays of reflection, notes on the restaurants' daily operations, information about farmers and purveyors, and lessons for young chefs the world over. In addition to more than 100 recipes, a basics chapter featuring such revelations as Parmesan mouse, tomato water, and a variety of stocks not only give readers insight into the foundations of these groundbreaking recipes but can also be used to elevate the food of any home cook. The French Laundry, Per Se is sure to be the year's most anticipated cookbook"--
Bound by a common philosophy, linked by live video, staffed by a cadre of inventive and skilled chefs, the kitchens of Thomas Keller&;s celebrated restaurants&;The French Laundry in Yountville, California, and per se, in New York City&;are in a relationship unique in the world of fine dining. Ideas bounce back and forth in a dance of creativity, knowledge, innovation, and excellence. It&;s a relationship that&;s the very embodiment of collaboration, and of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. And all of it is captured in The French Laundry, Per Se, with meticulously detailed recipes for 70 beloved dishes, including Smoked Sturgeon Rillettes on an Everything Bagel, &;The Whole Bird,&; Tomato Consommé, Celery Root Pastrami, Steak and Potatoes, Peaches &;n&; Cream. Just reading these recipes is a master class in the state of the art of cooking today. We learn to use a dehydrator to intensify the flavor and texture of fruits and vegetables. To make the crunchiest coating with a cornstarch&;egg white paste and potato flakes. To limit waste in the kitchen by fermenting vegetable trimmings for sauces with an unexpected depth of flavor. And that essential Keller trait, to take a classic and reinvent it: like the French onion soup, with a mushroom essence stock and garnish of braised beef cheeks and Comté mousse, or a classic crème brûlée reimagined as a rich, creamy ice cream with a crispy sugar tuile to mimic the caramelized coating. Throughout, there are 40 recipes for the basics to elevate our home cooking. Some are old standbys, like the best versions of beurre manié and béchamel, others more unusual, including a ramen broth (aka the Super Stock) and a Blue-Ribbon Pickle. And with its notes on technique, stories about farmers and purveyors, and revelatory essays from Thomas Keller&;&;The Lessons of a Dishwasher,&; &;Inspiration Versus Influence,&; &;Patience and Persistence&;&;The French Laundry, Per Se will change how young chefs, determined home cooks, and dedicated food lovers understand and approach their cooking.
The cookbook mold is about to be broken again with a new book (the first since 2012) from America&;s most celebrated chef, Thomas Keller&;this time focusing on his legendary American fine dining institutions, the French Laundry and Per Se.