Customer Reviews

Harvesting Excellence

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I have dined in all of Alain Ducasse's Paris establishments{including the just opened Plaza Athenee location}as well as his Monte Carlo establishment and consider him a genius however, with the overblown pretension of the New York restaurant and now this book, one has to ask can even a genius spread himself too thin. The two real cookbooks by Ducasse are treasures, this book is not worth the price or the trouble. It is basically the Master's musings about his sources and philosophy of freshness and source....nice filler in a real cookbook but,not worth or worthy of a whole book. Save your money for a real Ducasse cookbook.

This book should be an inspiration to both professional chefs and home cooks alike. It is beautifully written and photographed and conveys M. Ducasse's enjoyment of the abundance of the United States in it's many forms. To miss the inclusion of recipes is to miss the point. Of course the book is pointing out the bounty that is utilised at the restaurant, but it is there for all of us to enjoy and use. There are many, many farms across the U.S. similar to the ones profiled in the book, in every community. Many people just don't know that they are there. I would hope that this book is an inspiration to people to patronize their local food producers and to seek out farmers, fishermen, ranchers, cheesemakers et al who make it their life's work to produce something of quality for all to enjoy. Rarely has a chef written a book that is not entirely about themselves, to promote the work of others. And this chef is not even from this country.

Imagine my surprise when I opened the book and started looking for recipes,and found not a single one. The "tips" mentioned in the Amazon blurb consist of terse, extremly general,single line comments as to what sort of technique or garnish to use for the item at hand. The products discussed come from single vendors that most chefs, not to mention the home cook, will be hard pressed to get hands on. It would be nice if the man touted by some as the greatest chef in the world gave some specific ideas what he would do with the great products of this country. Alas, not a whisper. Other chefs,such as Alice Waters and Thomas Keller, do an admirable job extolling the virtues of American products and provide great ideas of how to play with them. This book seems like the first half of his L'Atelier book,wihout the culinary clues. If you're looking for a "cookbook",this is not it. I'm not sure what value the book holds,except as a peek at obscure vendors and a glimpse into a chef's thoughts.

This is not a cook book. It is a book about harvesting food in America. The pre-publication title was "America, Lands of Excellence," which has now changed to "Harvesting Excellence." Ducasse is a great chef (go to Paris with advance reservations for his restaurant, be ready to spend plenty ot time and money and you'll find out just how great)who demonstrates a great affection for food. This book demonstrates that affection, and it has beautiful photography. That said,to see beautiful full-color photos of lambs or ducks may not make some people hungry for lamb or duck. I personally don't have that problem with lobster.