Heston Blumenthal's TV series, "In Search of Perfection", shown on BBC2 in autumn 2006, was so popular and successful that he has been commissioned for a second series this autumn. This book will accompany the series in the same way that Heston's first book, "In Search of Perfection", complemented the original programme. It will examine a further eight classic dishes to find out how to cook them to perfection, as well as exploring the culture and history behind the food we eat. The list of dishes to be featured is: Trifle, Baked Alaska, Fish Pie, Hamburger, Peking Duck, Chicken Tikka Masala, Risotto and Chilli Con Carne. This will be another fascinating, original and inspiring look at kitchen classics.
'What fun it is to follow in this gastro-wizard's footsteps as he fastidiously traces the cultural history of the ingredients [this] doesn't detract from the reader's pleasure in exploring the byways of Blumenthal's capacious brain.' Paul Levy, OBSERVER Food Books for Christmas
'The approach is always fascinating with interesting info and idiosyncratic twists abounding. At heart Blumenthal simply believes in good food, and the bonus is that he can write very well - in places almost poetically - about it.' WHAT'S ON IN LONDON
'While science is Blumenthal's forte, it is a background theme to his preoccupation with flavour and texture and the best means to capture these. The style is matter of fact, the narrative dynamic Along the way he gives so many facts that a reading can't fail to improve the quality of life.' Tom Jaine, GUARDIAN Books of the Year
Self-taught chef Heston Blumenthal has been described as a culinary alchemist for his innovative style of cuisine. His work researches the molecular compounds of dishes so as to enable a greater understanding of taste and flavour. The Fat Duck (Heston's restaurant in Bray, Berkshire) was awarded three Michelin stars in 2004, and voted the Best Restaurant in the World by an international panel of 500 culinary experts in Restaurant Magazine's The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2005. He also owns the Hind's Head Hotel, a village pub in Bray. Heston Blumenthal lives in Berkshire with his wife and three children.
The book of the first series, In Search of Perfection, was an Amazon Top Ten best-seller in the run up to Christmas 2007 Heston Blumenthal is a celebrity chef of the highest calibre and is fast becoming a culinary legend for his unique approach to cooking Winner of the Best Chef Book category at the UK Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.
"In this, his second book devoted to his "quest for the best" obsession, Blumenthal focuses on eight classics including fish pie, risotto, baked Alaska and chilli con carne. His research is exhaustive. To make the perfect hamburger, Blumenthal heads to four of the States' best burger joints in an attempt to uncover the best mix of meat, the grind, the seasonings, the condiments and, of course, the perfect bun. Ultimately, it's good fun to see Blumenthal going to such lengths (in that case, 16 pages worth), making this book more of an educational read rather than practical cookbook... Part of me thinks he's crazy, but in this case, crazy might better be described as genius." Montreal Gazette
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