The Alinea Cookbook

[nick.kokonas]

1) Mosaic access will be open to all starting October 1. Two tiers of membership will exist -- book owner and visitor. Until then, you are seeing the beta version.

2) New content will be up at that time. In addition, sometime around there we will open the Postmodern Pantry... a hyperlinked version of our ingredient index where you can purchase hard to find items.

[Tri2Cook]

Thanks Nick! That's cool news. I've been restocking the toy box in anticipation of the books arrival but it's good to know that there will be an easy way to find anything I don't already have.

[Pensage]

There's a reference to the Alinea Cookbook - from a different perspective - today on Ruhlman's Blog.

It looks like the "French Laundry At Home"'s Carol Blymire will be tackling the Alinea Cookbook as her next "project".

Interesting.

http://blog.ruhlman.com/

[Bricktop]

Another update:

Bricktop,

Books, books, everywhere!

30,000 copies of Alinea came to the docks in San Francisco last week and 6,000 of them are in a truck somewhere making their way to Chicago. Everyone who purchased through our website will be getting a personally signed, limited edition copy. It will include a book sleeve unavailable in any bookstore. This will, however, require Grant, Martin and Lara to sit at a table for 4 days straight hand signing each of the books that have been sold through Alineabook.com. We are not faking the signatures or using any type of machine. Then we will sleeve them, re-shrinkwrap, and put it into a custom mailing package.  Delivery from there is 3 - 5 days domestically, slightly longer to other parts of the world.

The reason I am writing this is because you might see a few bookstores put them on the shelves ahead of the October 15th release date. We have asked booksellers to hold them, but some probably will not. I have already received an email from a patron who purchased the book nearly a year ago and saw one copy on a shelf somewhere (seems unlikely but not impossible I suppose). We will turn these around as quickly as possible but are more concerned about providing a quality product for everyone who pre-ordered through us directly. We really value the trust that you placed in us and will make sure you get your book by October 15th as promised.

Thanks!

Grant Achatz, Nick Kokonas, and The Alinea Book Team

This is one FIRST CLASS operation. Based on everything I have seen so far, this book looks like it will be a stunner.

[gfron1]

First thing I saw this morning - great way to wake up!

[Tri2Cook]

That's cool. I'm glad I preordered through the site. I never had a doubt it would be a first class book but a signed copy with a different sleeve will be sweet. Only problem is I may have to buy an off the shelf copy so I don't have to muck up the signed copy in the kitchen.

[Chris Amirault]

I think a mucked-up signed copy is the best testament to the book you can have.

[Tri2Cook]

Won't be long. I got an email this morning from ecookbooks.com saying they have it in now so I can't imagine the others will be too far behind. The Alinea book, the Fat Duck book and Johnny Iuzzini's book all in one general timeframe. I'm going to be in kitchen overload.

[NY_Amateur]

Won't be long. I got an email this morning from ecookbooks.com saying they have it in now so I can't imagine the others will be too far behind. The Alinea book, the Fat Duck book and Johnny Iuzzini's book all in one general timeframe. I'm going to be in kitchen overload.

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Well amazon claims they shipped my copy today via their courier service but they say it wont be delivered till the 29th, but they say its shipping from nyc (where I live) so I have no idea, but hopefully I will get it soon!

[victornet]

I too ordered the book a year ago and had a chance to briefly see a proof copy when I dined at Alinea 2 weekends ago. It looks terrific. As has been noted (and my wife is an editor of lifestyle books so I know where the dollars go) the publishing model they adopted gives you an amazing book for the price (in terms of production values). I don't expect to use it as a recipe source, given the gulf between their product and technique and mine, but as a guide and inspiration.

[Chris Hennes]

My Amazon copy arrived today, and it is a gorgeous as I had hoped. Of particular interest to me is the section by Chef Achatz where he describes many of the ways he comes up with dishes: it is well written and gives nice examples of the sorts of things he does to develop these incredible-looking recipes. The recipes are certainly not for the faint of heart, but I'm looking forward to playing...

[NY_Amateur]

My Amazon copy arrived today, and it is a gorgeous as I had hoped. Of particular interest to me is the section by Chef Achatz where he describes many of the ways he comes up with dishes: it is well written and gives nice examples of the sorts of things he does to develop these incredible-looking recipes. The recipes are certainly not for the faint of heart, but I'm looking forward to playing...

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I too got this book and it looks beautiful, I will be reading as much as I can tonight. I really can't wait to try some of these recipes (bought from Amazon.com by the way).

[adey73]

anyone received there's in the UK yet?

[Chris Amirault]

And how about those who ordered it at the Alinea website?

[docsconz]

And how about those who ordered it at the Alinea website?

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Not yet for me.

[ronnie_suburban]

And how about those who ordered it at the Alinea website?

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Not yet for me.

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Still waiting on mine, as well.

=R=

[yellow truffle]

And how about those who ordered it at the Alinea website?

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Not yet for me.

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Still waiting on mine, as well.

=R=

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I believe that if one pre-ordered from Amazon ($30) or somewhere other than the Alinea website, they may get the book earlier than the supposed release date of the 15th of October. There have been a couple of reports of people getting them, and some have already posted un-boxing photos. Just remember that ordering from the website gives you a signed (actually a few signatures) version, as well as access to the mosaic.

IMHO, the $50 option is a price performer, if you wish to actually read and use the cookbook. The forum section of the site can be a useful resource to aid in recreating some of the Alinea dishes. You also get "bonus recipes, demonstration videos, supplementary images, and a behind the scene perspective." It's like a membership to a dynamic and never ending cookbook.

Which makes me wonder if there will be a second Alinea cookbook. Also, since I ordered a couple of books, to give a gifts, I wonder if the recipients will be given access information to the mosaic, as well.

[yellow truffle]

Now if you were lucky enough to have made it Wired fest, on October 1st, then you would already have a cookbook.

[hapacooking]

I have seen the Alinea book in three different Borders bookstores as of last Saturday.

I am still waiting on mine from the Alinea website. The latest info is that they will not start shipping until Monday of next week.

[MikeHartnett]

On the mosaic site, I think I read that they're hoping to ship them out around Monday.

[adey73]

ummmm pay more get it later.

[MikeHartnett]

Sort of how I feel, but the flip side of the coin is that we get a signed copy with a special jacket. Collector's edition. It's like waiting to buy a deluxe album. You could get the cheaper version sooner, and you can in this case also.

[Chris Amirault]

Moderator's note: we've started this topic devoted to cooking with the Alinea Cookbook.

[Tri2Cook]

ummmm pay more get it later.

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Yeah but we helped generate a buzz. We let them know there was some serious interest in the project. Plus we get a signed, numbered copy and special edition slip cover and we got early access to the mosaic. I'm fine with waiting a few extra days. No regrets about preordering for me.

[gfron1]

yeah, a few days are easily justified to me with these perks.