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INSIDE THE CALIFORNIA FOOD REVOLUTION

Name: INSIDE THE CALIFORNIA FOOD REVOLUTION
Author: Joyce Goldstein
ISBN: 978-0-520-26819-7

THIRTY YEARS THAT CHANGED OUR CULINARY CONSCIOUSNESS

by Joyce Goldstein with Dore Brown ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 30, 2013

Goldstein convincingly presents a case for California cuisine as a vital force in strengthening connections among food,...

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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

Categories:

GENERAL NONFICTION

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NUTCRACKER

by E.T.A. Hoffmann ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 28, 1996

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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

Categories:

GENERAL NONFICTION

- BOOK REVIEW
THE NUTCRACKER AND THE MOUSE KING
by E.T.A. Hoffmann ; adapted by Natalie Andrewson ; illustrated by Natalie Andrewson

- BOOK REVIEW
THE NUTCRACKER
by E.T.A. Hoffmann & illustrated by Julie Paschkis

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TO THE ONE I LOVE THE BEST

EPISODES FROM THE LIFE OF LADY MENDL (ELSIE DE WOLFE)

by Ludwig Bemelmans ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 23, 1955

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An extravaganza in Bemelmans' inimitable vein, but written almost dead pan, with sly, amusing, sometimes biting undertones, breaking through. For Bemelmans was "the man who came to cocktails". And his hostess was Lady Mendl (Elsie de Wolfe), arbiter of American decorating taste over a generation. Lady Mendl was an incredible person,- self-made in proper American tradition on the one hand, for she had been haunted by the poverty of her childhood, and the years of struggle up from its ugliness,- until she became synonymous with the exotic, exquisite, worshipper at beauty's whrine. Bemelmans draws a portrait in extremes, through apt descriptions, through hilarious anecdote, through surprisingly sympathetic and understanding bits of appreciation. The scene shifts from Hollywood to the home she loved the best in Versailles. One meets in passing a vast roster of famous figures of the international and artistic set. And always one feels Bemelmans, slightly offstage, observing, recording, commenting, illustrated.