eG Books-in-Depth: "Spoon"

[tan319]

I hope to be receiving mine in the next two weeks or so.

I'll be having at the marmalade and pastry stuff, maybe a savory or two.

Since i work at a restuarant, ing. will hopefully be an arm length away.

[Steve Klc]

Ted, just realize desserts take up maybe 45 pages. That's what, 10% of the book, but the real value for a pastry chef, though, will be in reading through all the savory recipes and processes as well, they're quite avant-garde and interesting considering how often the conservatively French nature of Ducasse is played up in mainstream media--this book is very open to emulation and interpretation--it's not difficult to imagine a pomegranate-sumac molasses he pairs with pork subtly re-worked to be drizzled over ice cream. I think you're going to find this every bit as inspirational as the major Adria books. This is quietly, subversively, an impressive achievement.

(fyi--I ordered mine (#2297) a few weeks ago from amazon.fr and got it in 4 days. I have no idea if they have any left.)

[Fat Guy]

Okay, that's it. I'm now taking the position that higher numbers are better. Also I think at some point we should pick a day and all members of the Spoon Cook Book club should add their book numbers to their signature lines.

I would have liked to see more pastry recipes, because I find this aspect of Spoon's cuisine to be arguably the most interesting. You can see the heavy influence that American desserts have had on Ducasse's pastry team, or as they put it in geeky Groupe-Ducasse English, "At the end of the feast, classic American desserts have inspired Frédéric Robert to conjure up some original creations."

I'm really at the full extension of my cooking abilities with even the simplest recipes from this book, aka the condiments, but I have it in my head that there will be some value in making a good-faith effort to actually produce one of the recipes and document that experience here from my amateur-cook perspective. Finding the time to do the base components and then create the actual condiment has proven a bit challenging, but it's going to happen.

[tan319]

Ted, just realize desserts take up maybe 45 pages. That's what, 10% of the book, but the real value for a pastry chef, though, will be in reading through all the savory recipes and processes as well, they're quite avant-garde and interesting considering how often the conservatively French nature of Ducasse is played up in mainstream media--this book is very open to emulation and interpretation--it's not difficult to imagine a pomegranate-sumac molasses he pairs with pork subtly re-worked to be drizzled over ice cream. I think you're going to find this every bit as inspirational as the major Adria books. This is quietly, subversively, an impressive achievement.

(fyi--I ordered mine (#2297) a few weeks ago from amazon.fr and got it in 4 days. I have no idea if they have any left.)

got'cha...

I'm getting on it tomorrow,

[tan319]

Damn, Fat Guy!

This damned book is HUGE!!!

Bigger then '98/02'.

I'm pretty gobsmacked at the moment with this.

First off, I ordered it from Amazon.fr and the service was impeccable.

I ordered it on the 29th, it was processed on the 30th, I got it yesterday afternoon!

I was tracking it on their express service, chronopost, and it was unreal watching this thing travel (no, I wasn't stoned...)

The FedEx guy brought the box into my restaurant and I thought the package must have gotten mixed up, as it was so big.

My chef and I could hardly get any work done 'cause we were geeking on 'Spoon' so much (he's ordering one tomorrow).

Love the look, the recipes look top notch all the way around and do-able.

Love the dessert stuff and glad to see some of the plates in there that were mentioned on the Mix thread.

'After Eight' made me smack myself on the forehead.

I'll be digging into this major league soon, along with my chef.

Will try to post some pix too.

Thanks for this heads up, F.G., AMAZING!!!

[Fat Guy]

Thank goodness we have your team on the job now. Sam Kinsey and I were looking at the book today and feeling like a couple of complete ignoramuses. In about an hour we couldn't even figure out what poitrine fumée is, as opposed to regular American bacon, if there even is a difference. The book just calls it "smoked whole breast." Nonetheless, I'm still committed to doing some cooking from the book, as soon as I get three free days in a row.

How much did Amazon.fr charge for shipping, and were there any other costs besides the book price?

Looking forward, especially, to your photos if you make any of the dishes or your own variants.

[tan319]

Forgot to mention, I'm rocking #2317/5000

[tan319]

Amazon.fr only charged 14,50 euro for shipping express, standard was 7,50 I believe, so the extra 7 wasn't going to kill me.

My wife is another matter (snare roll/cymbal crash)

The book was 135 euro, the whole package was about 181/3 bucks.

Looks to be well worth it.

Yes, some of the references are a bit curious, 'cul de boule'( something you mix in?) has me flummoxed at the moment.

It isn't in the glossary.

I'm hoping LKL chu can help?

Whom, I was thinking about this earlier, got to work in this guys kitchen!

Holy hell.

I can only imagine how great (and challenging) that must have been.

Speaking of challenging, some of the ingredients are going to take some searching out.

It seems it's pretty plugged into a LOT of influences, a lot of Morrocan things, a fair amount of Asian maybe?

Some I would just sub easy if I didn't have a lot of time, like the espardelle pepper that seems to be in the recipes quite frequently.

I live near a newly remodeled World market that has scads of rare ingredients so maybe we'll luck out.

I just found the sous vide thread, I guess I'll be getting a vac packer soon, hope I don't hurt anyone!

I'm going to try the rosewater ice cream thing too, see if people dislike it as much here in Abq. as they did in NYC

Edited July 4, 2004 by tan319 (log)

[tan319]

It's called a 'cul de poule'.

Any ideas what that is?

Sherlock says it's a "Hen Bottom"!

google shows a..... stainless steel mixing bowl

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=e...-8%26c2coff%3D1

No problem.

[pedro]

My guess is that Sherlock is on the right track...

Where did you find it (page, recipe)?

[Jonathan Day]

"Cul de poule" literally means "chicken's arse". The term refers to a bowl with a rounded, as opposed to a flat bottom. "Culs de poule" are used in patisserie, for example for beating eggwhites or for making custards with the bowl set over boiling water.

[tan319]

Pedro,

The page# is 416, the recipe is 'Our Favorite Cheesecake'.

It just calls for you to mix some ingredients in the bowl, no bain or anything.

I rarely use a bain unless melting chocolate.

I just work over low heat.

Well, now that I've thought about it, I use a bain for swiss meringues, sabayons, the occassional pate bombe...

Edited July 5, 2004 by tan319 (log)

[tan319]

Ok...

The 'After Eight' dessert suggests using a "flocking gun" to apply a coating to the dessert.

Does anyone have an idea as to what a flocking gun is?

Seems like a Brit term.

Steve Klc?

Any of you UK guys?

Oh, btw, am I going to be the only geek who followed Fat Guys suggestion about the edition # sig addition?

I thought so...

Edited July 8, 2004 by tan319 (log)

[Fat Guy]

So says this source:

An excellent imitation of felt, plush, velvet, and other kinds of fabric can be obtained by spraying various kinds of flock on a surface previously coated with a suitable adhesive. The flock consists of fine particles of cotton, paper, rayon, silk, or other similar materials. Most firms of spray-equipment manufacturers market a special gun for the purpose; this has a large orifice and the ordinary type of air-cap for producing a flat spray, and is used in the same way as is the gun employed for paint, lacquer, and other liquid materials.

[tan319]

Maybe a Wagner would work

[tan319]

In about an hour we couldn't even figure out what poitrine fumée is, as opposed to regular American bacon, if there even is a difference. The book just calls it "smoked whole breast.

I asked my boss at the French bakery I work at in the mornings about this and he (from Dijon) said it's basically slab bacon, like you use in restaurants to cut lardons from.

You guys were checking out that SPOON take on a passalidaire?(sp?)

That would be a fairly easy one to tackle.

[Fat Guy]

We were checking out the "Spoon Burger" recipe. But we're not looking for the easy way out. We want to make a condiment, dammit.

[tan319]

Well Damn, dude!!!

Just do it!

I picked up some rosewater to get into that ice cream thing, just haven't had time.

Been making everything for my own menu.

But, will shake the led out.

My chef should have got his today.

We'll be getting into it soon.

Edited to add: Where is your #??????????????

C'mon, do it

Edited July 9, 2004 by tan319 (log)

[tan319]

I'm looking everywhere for those tagada strawberrys.

For the ice cream.

If any of you New York peeps, anyone else for that matter, have a source for these candies made by haribo that isn't in Europe, I would much appreciate it.

I want to make this ice cream !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not sure about the use of butter in it but...

[joiei]

after reading this posting, I could not stand it. I ordered Spoon from Amazon France today. THe book with shipping was $181.98 including the shipping. The Cookbook in Toronto is expecting a shipment in the next two weeks and the book there was going to be $295. canadian. So the best bet is still is to order via amazon.

Now for that interminable wait for the UPS man to come to my door.

[tan319]

Did you order express?

My chef ordered it after seeing mine (over a month ago) and he's still waiting for it

But it's really worth the wait.

Awesome addition to anyone's collection.

Hope you'll enjoy it.

[joiei]

Mine came today, just like they said it should. SO it took less than 2 weeks from France. Not bad.

The number is 2363

I plan on starting with soups. and will let you know how it is going.

[serge]

I received mine yesterday after ordering it 19 days ago.

The number is 2362 / 5000.

A huge book and a lot to experiment in the Spoon's world.

But at first glance, I think I prefer the Grand livre de cuisine (one 2 three). I would say that the Spoon cook book is less practical for cooking.

And the Duval's photographs are very beautifull but a little bit too abstract for me. Sometimes, you don't even know what the dish is ! If you look at the Gagnaire's book Sucré Salé, the pictures are far better.

[Stagiaire]

I just got mine....1456/5000

Can't wait to tear through it.....

[Fat Guy]

How come all you guys are getting better numbers than I got? No fair!

By the way, I have a nice little "charticle" coming out in the "Fare" section of the November Saveur comparing the Ducasse Spoon book with the Adria El Bulli '98-'02 book. Keep an eye out for it.

I do promise to get back into this thread and do some cooking. The site upgrade and the edits on my book manuscript of late have been keeping me pretty busy, but my schedule should be opening up again soon.