| Details | | Publication Date: | 1997-03-12 | | Edition Description: | Illustrated |
| Size | | Length: | 367 pages | | Height: | 7.8 in | | Width: | 9.8 in | | Thickness: | 1.2 in | | Weight: | 35.2 oz |
Publisher's Note
In The Olives Table, the artistry of one of America's top chefs is on display, with more than 160 dazzling recipes from Olives and from Todd's home kitchen, illustrated with beautiful photographs by Carl Tremblay. Todd's robust, intensely flavored food begs to be savored and shared with others. And since the complexity of English's cooking comes from the layering of tastes and textures - not exotic equipment or techniques - by following the careful, step-by-step instructions, even the timid cook can recreate the dishes that the patrons of English's hugely popular Boston restaurant enjoy at the Olives table. Pull out the stops and begin a meal with Todd's signature Olives Tart, baked in a crisp crust and rich with olives and creamy goat cheese, pair Gingered Slow-Braised Lamb Shanks with Apple-Fennel Mashed Potatoes for your main course, and finish with Falling Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Sauce. Or for a lighter repast, try Pan-Fried Cornmeal-and-Cumin-Rubbed Cornish Game Hens served with Arugula Salad with Tomato and Cucumber Juice; finish with Mango-Raspberry Granita. Whatever meal you decide to create from these recipes, you won't be disappointed.
Industry Reviews
English, chef/owner of Olives, a well-known Boston restaurant, likes Mediterranean-inspired food with strong flavor combinations, what he characterizes as "refined rustic." It's a good description of dishes such as Chilled Black Olive Spaghetti Salad and Gorgonzola-Stuffed Figs with Balsamic Glaze. Other more refined, less rustic dishes feature foie gras, truffles, and other such indulgences. The recipes themselves, however, are generally straightforward and refreshingly approachable for a chef's cookbook. R?ckenwagner grew up in a restaurant family in Germany, trained in French restaurants in Europe and the United States, and has been increasingly influenced by Asian cuisine since he opened R?ckenwagner in Los Angeles ten years ago. He defines his style of cooking as a combination of old European and Pacific Rim cuisines. His eclectic menu is just as likely to feature Salmon Tempura with Daikon Salad as Roasted Quail with Pomegranate Reduction. R?ckenwagner is a talented chef, and the recipes are clearly written, but many are rather involved; fans may prefer to read the book and then sample the food at the restaurant. Both these books are recommended for their respective area libraries and others where restaurant cookbooks are popular.
Ives
In an introductory Q&A interview with food writer Sampson, English, owner-chef of Boston's Olives restaurant, suggests that culinary traditions offer cooks guidelines from which they should stray in order to make best use of ingredients at hand. He practices that belief at his Mediterranean-influenced restaurant and in the 200 recipes collected here. The results yield such innovative, yet slightly familiar dishes as Grilled Scallops with Walnut Butter Paste (threaded on rosemary branches) and Olives Marinated Lamb Sandwich on Olive Bruschetta. A trip to Israel sets English's mind whirring with Lentil Hummus and Fresh Tuna Tabouli. The weak points here are those that typically mark a restaurant cookbook. Most recipes carry lengthy lists of ingredients. Even My Favorite Baked Potato Salad, topped with green salad, which English claims to indulge in on Sunday nights at home, requires a saut? pan and assorted separately prepared ingredients, while others are ill-directed for home cooks. Among the latter, both Everyday Polenta (with butter, cream and cheese) and Green Apple Risotto With Cabbage and Bacon are presented as side dishes but are significant projects in themselves. (Mar.)
Lopate
In an introductory Q&A interview with food writer Sampson, English, owner-chef of Boston's Olives restaurant, suggests that culinary traditions offer cooks guidelines from which they should stray in order to make best use of ingredients at hand. He practices that belief at his Mediterranean-influenced restaurant and in the 200 recipes collected here. The results yield such innovative, yet slightly familiar dishes as Grilled Scallops with Walnut Butter Paste (threaded on rosemary branches) and Olives Marinated Lamb Sandwich on Olive Bruschetta. A trip to Israel sets English's mind whirring with Lentil Hummus and Fresh Tuna Tabouli. The weak points here are those that typically mark a restaurant cookbook. Most recipes carry lengthy lists of ingredients. Even My Favorite Baked Potato Salad, topped with green salad, which English claims to indulge in on Sunday nights at home, requires a saut‚ pan and assorted separately prepared ingredients, while others are ill-directed for home cooks. Among the latter, both Everyday Polenta (with butter, cream and cheese) and Green Apple Risotto With Cabbage and Bacon are presented as side dishes but are significant projects in themselves. (Mar.)
Publishers Weekly (02/03/1997)
English, chef/owner of Olives, a well-known Boston restaurant, likes Mediterranean-inspired food with strong flavor combinations, what he characterizes as "refined rustic." It's a good description of dishes such as Chilled Black Olive Spaghetti Salad and Gorgonzola-Stuffed Figs with Balsamic Glaze. Other more refined, less rustic dishes feature foie gras, truffles, and other such indulgences. The recipes themselves, however, are generally straightforward and refreshingly approachable for a chef's cookbook. R”ckenwagner grew up in a restaurant family in Germany, trained in French restaurants in Europe and the United States, and has been increasingly influenced by Asian cuisine since he opened R”ckenwagner in Los Angeles ten years ago. He defines his style of cooking as a combination of old European and Pacific Rim cuisines. His eclectic menu is just as likely to feature Salmon Tempura with Daikon Salad as Roasted Quail with Pomegranate Reduction. R”ckenwagner is a talented chef, and the recipes are clearly written, but many are rather involved; fans may prefer to read the book and then sample the food at the restaurant. Both these books are recommended for their respective area libraries and others where restaurant cookbooks are popular.
Library Journal (03/15/1997)
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