Customer Reviews

Amuse-Bouche: Little Bites of Delight Before the Meal Begins

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I expected the worst when I first bought this book. You know, the usual "just five minutes from raw ingredients to table" sort of promise that ends up being as hollow as a celery stalk. This book actually delivers on its rather bold premise. The recipes are technique-heavy, but ingredient light. If you have the items on hand (some are downright exotic), you have a poretty fair chance of getting these tasty openers in your guests' mouths in very little time. This is not a cookbook for beginners, but if you are comfortable with fairly involved techniques, then you'll have a GREAT time trying out these interesting and challenging recipes. A true must-have for the complete entertainer!

I recieved this book as a gift, and so far have made the "Champagne Saffron Sorbet" which was expensive to make- it required a whole bottle of champagne for 1 quart of sorbet, but nonetheless it was the best sorbet I have ever had in my life. I also tried the "charred lamb with oven dried tomatoes" and the "fig with prosciutto and marscarpone foam". I found the amuse juice section unique- the "pomegranate juice with clove" is painstaking but rewarding (juicing 7 pomegranates) and the "carrot juice with ginger syrup" was refreshing.

The photography is beautiful, but the book requires some special equipment: a juicer, a terrine mold, an ice cream machine, and a foam charger. If you are a serious chef, as I am, you will enjoy this book immensely, although it is very focused, and is not going to produce a meal!

So many celebrity recipies are impossible to recreate at home. But these can really be done! If you want to spend an hour putting together a one-bite amuse-bouche, which will set the stage for everything to come after, this is the book for you. And it looks terrific, the photography is beautiful, and it is a wonderful addition to a gourmet library.

About six months ago, I was forunate enough to attend an event Rick Tramonto provided the appetizer course to. After ordering the book, I discovered the array of aumse-bouche he included in the wonderful course I enjoyed, were also in this book. The razor clam recipe was out of this world. I have not had time yet to try any of the recipes at home, but must admit, I have on several occasions found myself flipping through the book, page by page enjoying the beautiful photographs of the dishes and dreaming of which I am going to make first.

I had this book on my wish list for quite a long time and received it as a gift recently. On the whole I didn't care for it a much as I thought I would. In the first place, although the few pictures which are provided are very good, the failure to provide pictures for each and every one of the recipes was a mistake. I would likely have given four stars had this been the case but I found that many of the recipes really needed an illustrative picture so as to know what the finished result ought to look like. I also found that many of the end products here tended to fall into the trap one so often encounters in nouvelle french cuisine where visual appeal is often over-emphasized to the detriment of taste and 'mouth-feel'. I have not actually tested enough of these recipes to be sure of this but this is the broad impression I got reading through the recipes. Lastly, I realize that amuses-bouche have their roots in French cuisine but I would have enjoyed the book a bit more if there had been more use of more Asian or other non-European ingredients.

Exceptional work of unique culinary entree, the amuse-bouche. I've only experienced this several times. Remembering the first and how surprised all of us dining together were to view such small, interesting dish set before. Fun and thrill of eating such a concentrated masterpiece.

Apt description of this effort, fun and thrill to peruse and use!

Gives one such wealth of creative inputs to not just emulate, but start the creative juices going to concoct one's own and enless serving possibilities.

Feast on "Ricotta Stuffed Rigatoni with Spring-Vegetables and Pesto Oil; Avocado-Peekytoe Crab Salad Ball with Citrus Vinaigrette; Chilled And Grilled Black Mission Figs with Mascarpone Foam and Prosciutto Di Parma; Asian Soba Noodle Fork with Water Chestnuts.

You'll see some of this expanded into small desert combos with partner, Gale Gand, in "Just A Bite."

Fun for the creator, diner and reader! You'll be knocked over by this one! Unique!