Goldstein convincingly presents a case for California cuisine as a vital force in strengthening connections among food,...
Restaurateur and cookbook author Goldstein (Tapas, 2009, etc.) interviews pioneers of California cuisine, paying tribute to their roles in shaping how the world has come to regard dining out.
Fresh, seasonal, sometimes organic, artisanal, or locally sourced, often drawing from several cultures, even political—from 1970 to 2000, "California cuisine" inspired ideas now taken for granted at the table. Not without its detractors, who considered the cuisine elitist, the media-driven label was initially avoided by several chefs. Goldstein proposes that California cuisine flourished due to the state’s climate and environment, which allowed for varied produce, coupled with an entrepreneurial spirit that hoped to depart from the traditional, Euro-centric fare of the times. Borrowing from the lightness of nouvelle cuisine and the innovation of fusion cooking, the cuisine’s early days presented then-unusual alternatives, with occasional missteps, as well as now-famous signature dishes. Changing perceptions of food led to the rise of such significant figures as Wolfgang Puck, Jeremiah Tower and Alice Waters. Thoughtfully woven related themes include sustainable agriculture; differences between Northern and Southern California kitchens, from guiding principles to plating styles; perspectives among self-taught and professional chefs; increasing acceptance of ethnic dishes; the popularization of open kitchen designs, and more. While several interview highlights detail the beginnings of particular restaurants, with frequent mentions of Spago and Chez Panisse, the most perceptive accounts consider broader philosophies on everything from dining habits to ingredients. For the most dedicated food historians, the narrative reveals a period rife with invention. Facsimiles of menus provide glimpses at past trends and staples.
Goldstein convincingly presents a case for California cuisine as a vital force in strengthening connections among food, chefs and diners in ways that have transcended region.Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-520-26819-7
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Univ. of California
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2013
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis...
Privately published by Strunk of Cornell in 1918 and revised by his student E. B. White in 1959, that "little book" is back again with more White updatings.
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis (whoops — "A bankrupt expression") a unique guide (which means "without like or equal").Pub Date: May 15, 1972
ISBN: 0205632645
Page Count: 105
Publisher: Macmillan
Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1972
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
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