Product Description

In this enormous, beautiful book, we hear the full story of the meteoric rise of Heston Blumenthal and The Fat Duck, birthplace of snail porridge and bacon-and-egg ice cream, and encounter the passion, perfection and weird science behind the man and the restaurant. Heston Blumenthal is widely acknowledged to be a genius, and The Fat Duck has twice been voted the Best Restaurant in the World by a peer group of top chefs. But he is entirely self-taught, and the story of his restaurant has broken every rule in the book. His success has been borne out of his pure obsession, endless invention and a childish curiosity into how things work - whether it's how smell affects taste, what different flavours mean to us on a biological level, or how temperature is distributed in the centre of a souffle.In the first section of "The Big Fat Duck Cookbook", we learn the history of the restaurant, from its humble beginnings to its third Michelin star (the day Heston received the news of this he had been wondering how exactly he would be able to pay his staff that month). Next we meet 50 of his signature recipes - sardine on toast sorbet, salmon poached with liquorice, hot and iced tea, chocolate wine - which, while challenging for anyone not equipped with ice baths, dehydrators, vacuum pumps and nitrogen on tap, will inspire home cooks and chefs alike. Finally, we hear from the experts whose scientific know-how has contributed to Heston's topsy-turvy world, on subjects as diverse as synaesthesia, creaminess and flavour expectation.With an introduction by Harold McGee, incredible colour photographs throughout, illustrations by Dave McKean, multiple ribbons, real cloth binding and a gorgeous slip case, "The Big Fat Duck Cookbook" is not only the nearest thing to an autobiography from the world's most fascinating chef, but also a stunning, colourful and joyous work of art.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6983 in Books
• Published on: 2008-10-20
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 532 pages

Review
'I am an unabashed, wet-lipped, tongue-lolling fan of Blumenthal's... What (he) has produced is, in truth, three books in one... the autobiography... the Fat Duck recipes... the science stuff... I can only see it as a very good thing indeed.' --The Observer

Review
'fascinating... full of philosophy, autobiography, cooking techniques, essays on the science of cooking. And the recipes!'

Review
'Astonishing... 516 pages of fabulously photographed, jewel-like dishes... you can sample at home the food on the menu at the restaurant that is repeatedly judged the best in Britain.'

Customer Reviews

Gorgeous, Gorgeous, Gorgeous
This is simply the most beautiful cookbook on the market.
It is a truely huge volume and comes in a case. As you would expect from Heston in a cook who shows no compromise the book is of an equally high quality. The books hard cover is beautifully finished and embossed in silver with the Fat Duck Restaurant motifs. The pages are the thickest paper bordering on card and embossed with silver. Mutiple bookmarks add to the extravagant feel of this tomb. There are beautiful abstract drawings throughout the book which at times make it feel more like a work of art than a cookbook and perhaps that is the point. There is of course alot of detail about Hestons life and inspiration not just recipes in this book.
The recipes on which he has built his reputation are all here and laid bare in all there frightening complexity. Snail Porridge, Bacon and Egg Ice cream and Gold, Frankisence and Myrrh all lovingly detailed.
The problem with this book of course is that for most home cooks it is a step too far in complexity. I have managed to cook recipes from Essence: Recipes from Le Champignon Sauvage, The French Laundry Cookbook and Recipes from a 3 Star Chef without too much problem but the shear complexity of Hestons recipes is in another league.
The problems are two fold. Firstly obtaining some ingredients will be tricky. Liquid nitrogen for example will not be readily available to most of us.
Ingredients aside however the main problem for me is the number of components to each dish. It is not an exageration to say that most dishes have in excess of 15 components to them. Some as many as 20. That is not ingredients that is parts. i.e. 15 separate bits to make, each of which has multiple ingredients. Clearly it is impossible for 1 or even 2 chefs to do this regardless of skill. A brigade is really needed. If you therefore want to recreate his recipes at home you are going to have to leave some bits out. I am therefore a little disappointed but this is not really disappointment in the book for Heston has told me in fantastic detail how to recreate his recipes I just am unable to faithfully do it!
Despite this I love the book but it has served to make me realise that regardless of skill there are some things which you can't cook at home but as this is the second best restaurant in the world I really shouldn't be surprised!

Beautiful, and possible. One step at a time!
I had been waiting for this book to arrive for some time. When the package arrived, I was stunned by the size. On the outside, it is good looking, but not over the top. As I gingerly opened the book, marvelling at the weight and feel of the book, I felt I was being smacked in the face with flavours and sensations. I ate at the Fat Duck earlier this year and recognisable creations and happy memories stared out at me.
The true value of this book is in the feelings and the enthusiasm that it generates. You need to look to the detail and start with manageable steps. I made the pistachio scrambled egg today. I don't have a 600 pound heatable blender, but inventiveness is a key part of cookery and the feeling of achievement at pulling off a simple part of a dish is an important stepping stone towards achieving something memorable.
Most importantly, every time I look in the book I feel excited and motivated to experiment and push my own limits. So what will you do with this book? If Heston Blumenthal knocked on your door a year from now, do you want him to see it in pristine condition, sitting on the coffee table, or propped up in the kitchen, slightly the worse for wear but obviously loved and used? For me, I choose the latter.
Yes, these recipes require planning, a touch of compromise and some research. But you also feel you achieve something. Now, what shall I try next?

Food Porn of the highest order!
The book itself is simply beautiful to look at, full of scarfe-esque artwork. The first 100 or so pages tell the story of how the Fat Duck came into being, the next 300 are full of Fat Duck Recipes, explained in intricate detail, and photographed beautifully, and finally there is a section on the science of cooking. Do not think of this as a cookbook - unless you have a kitchen that can be measured in acres, with cookware and staff to match. Even the simplest recipe would take a day working in a normal kitchen, and although I am tempted, I haven't yet tried one. Think of this more as an insight into one of the best restaurants in the world, and a glimpse into the amazing mind of its proprietor.