The French Laundry Cookbook

Thomas Keller has become the modern day institutional equivalent of American classical culinary prowess.  His flagship restaurant, The French Laundry in Yountville, Napa Valley, is the only restaurant in the San Francisco Bay area to be awarded three Michelin stars, and is in itself an acclaimed once-in-a-lifetime experience that gourmands and food fans flock to (despite the hefty price tag, upwards of US$210).  Keller embodies a perfectionist attitude toward his craft, striving only to create the most beautiful, most satisfying dishes any mortal could conjure.  His first cookbook, also entitled The French Laundry, reflects this sometimes-obsessive standard of grueling perfection that is the Keller trademark.  The pages are testament to the overflowing passion of a man who shares to us the secrets of his life’s work. 

It’s a beautiful, oversize tome replete with some of the most beautiful food photography you’ll ever get to see.  Almost every recipe is accompanied by the appropriate photos, and they complement the elegance of the cuisine perfectly.  Keller, on the other hand, does a wonderful job of narrating to us his journey as a chef, all the way to the French Laundry.  He gives some of his philosophies (like his infamous law of diminishing returns, which he uses to explain why the servings at his restaurant are notoriously small) and gets into the grimy details in explaining his culinary techniques.  His explanations are so easy to understand, and he doesn’t fail to emphasize the importance of some of the most minor steps, that when done right, collectively result to ethereal dishes.  He tells us, for instance, why it’s so important to wash the bones for stock several times to achieve the clarity of taste we seldom get, and why it’s vital to keep straining, straining and straining your sauces and stocks.