Rating: 
Summary: Who cooks this stuff??
Review: All right is this a cookbook or coffee table book? If you want a book to look at and admire a master's work this book and the entire series are definitely for you. BUT as a cook book it is a waste of money!!! I live in a major west coast city where unusual and asian ingredients are easy to find but I could not find at least one ingredient in every single recipe!! To make things even more frustrating many recipes listed fresh ingredients that were in season at different times of the year thus not available fresh.It's a wonderful book to study how to combine flavors and work on your presentation skills. Be warned before you spend big $$ on this book.
Rating:
Summary: Who cooks this stuff??
Review: Charlie Trotter is probably the greatest chef in America. I'm quite sure that no restaurant in NY can match the unbelievable perfectionism of his Chicago establishment. This cookbook, however, is not for everyone. It will appeal to two possibly overlapping types: those who will leave it on their coffee tables and occasionally peruse its brilliant presentations, and those with the determination, skills and experience to actually follow its recipes. The latter will be a very limited audience. These are very hard dishes to reproduce, typically involving dozens of ingredients and hours of preparation. Perhaps the book functions best as advertising for CT's restaurant; although it's one of the most expensive in Chicago, it starts to look like the deal of the century when you realize how much work goes into these dishes.
Rating: 
Summary: Extreme vegetables
Review: Charlie Trotter is probably the greatest chef in America. I'm quite sure that no restaurant in NY can match the unbelievable perfectionism of his Chicago establishment. This cookbook, however, is not for everyone. It will appeal to two possibly overlapping types: those who will leave it on their coffee tables and occasionally peruse its brilliant presentations, and those with the determination, skills and experience to actually follow its recipes. The latter will be a very limited audience. These are very hard dishes to reproduce, typically involving dozens of ingredients and hours of preparation. Perhaps the book functions best as advertising for CT's restaurant; although it's one of the most expensive in Chicago, it starts to look like the deal of the century when you realize how much work goes into these dishes.
Rating:
Summary: Challenging but worth the effort
Review: Charlie Trotter's "Vegetables" decorated my coffee table for over a year before I dared to cook from it. I started with six recipes for a dinner party of 6 people. By checking sources early in the week I was able to find most ingredients, the most difficult part of the entire process. I had to substitute a few items, but all very successfully. The next trick was to start early (it might take hours of boiling to reduce a stock down to the desired consistency). So I wouldn't be cooking while my quests were there, I prep'ed everything I possibly could and only had to do a few last minute sautes to finish things up. I was exhausted by the end of the day, but it was a "triumph." Later, I realized that in the 6 recipes I made there was no garlic and only one herb in the final prep--all the wonderful flavors came from concentrations of the natural ingredients and the unusual match-ups. Though not marketed as a vegetarian cookbook, I made it so by substituting a slightly thickened vegetable stock for veal stock. Now I ready to take on more of Charlie Trotter's "Vegetables."
Rating: 
Summary: Don't try this at home!
Review: Have you ever traveled cross-country to Chicago just to dine at Charlie Trotter's? I have, and it was one of the best meals of my life. This book and the others in the series are great at giving you a feel of what the real thing is like. The pictures are outstanding and the combinations just wow you. But if you think for a moment that any cookbook would allow you to duplicate what Charlie does, you are mistaken. Some cookbooks are for those who want to follow a recipe and duplicate it. This is not one of those. This is for people who want to understand the Chef's unique cuisine and appreciate it for the art that it is.
Rating:
Summary: A must have cookbook
Review: I fell in love with this book the very first time i saw it, the recepies are well explained and delicious too, the pictures show the sensuality of the dishes that makes you wanna go to the kitchen and start cooking them, i would strongly recomend this book to any food lover, the recepies bring their own wine suggestions which is a really wonderful idea too.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent book
Review: I have had this book for past two years and have tried a lot of the recipes. As a vegetarian, I have always had a hard time to find a book that has recipes that very tasty (I am not a big fan of meat substitute), simple, and beautiful. His books provides them all. His soups are pathetically easy...cook, blend, strain, and serve. He does spend sometime in decoration but these are usually not neccessary (I only ocassionally do that, eliminating them will not impact the overall taste). Unlike other readers, I have not had a hard time finding ingredients but then again, I live in Chicago and shop at numerous places for groceries. Although, Whole foods and Treasure Island (chicago area only) carries every single ingredient he calls for (some obviously are seasonal). It is an excellent book for people who love to cook seasonal vegetables (he breaks his recipes by months). His dishes are laid out for course meals so the portions are small. I eat very small portions so if I cook the soup (the entire recipe, suggested serving is four) with some bread on side, it is enough for my friend and I. I disagree with anyone who says that the recipes are hard to use. The time consuming part is roasting, baking, or cooling time (which does not require you spend the entire time in the kitchen, I generally spend that time to go do something else). I usually don't have the flavored oils that he calls for but I just substitute with one of the oils I have or just really good olive oil. I think if you have the time than go for the entire recipe but skipping the oils, or very small amount of sauce is not going to hurt the taste of the dish. If you are intimidated by his book, I suggest your start with his soup recipe (for example, his Tomato soup recipe calls for taxi tomato...if you don't find taxi tomato, use big yellow tomato or even good quality red tomato).
Rating:
Summary: An excellent book
Review: I have had this book for past two years and have tried a lot of the recipes. As a vegetarian, I have always had a hard time to find a book that has recipes that very tasty (I am not a big fan of meat substitute), simple, and beautiful. His books provides them all. His soups are pathetically easy...cook, blend, strain, and serve. He does spend sometime in decoration but these are usually not neccessary (I only ocassionally do that, eliminating them will not impact the overall taste). Unlike other readers, I have not had a hard time finding ingredients but then again, I live in Chicago and shop at numerous places for groceries. Although, Whole foods and Treasure Island (chicago area only) carries every single ingredient he calls for (some obviously are seasonal). It is an excellent book for people who love to cook seasonal vegetables (he breaks his recipes by months). His dishes are laid out for course meals so the portions are small. I eat very small portions so if I cook the soup (the entire recipe, suggested serving is four) with some bread on side, it is enough for my friend and I. I disagree with anyone who says that the recipes are hard to use. The time consuming part is roasting, baking, or cooling time (which does not require you spend the entire time in the kitchen, I generally spend that time to go do something else). I usually don't have the flavored oils that he calls for but I just substitute with one of the oils I have or just really good olive oil. I think if you have the time than go for the entire recipe but skipping the oils, or very small amount of sauce is not going to hurt the taste of the dish. If you are intimidated by his book, I suggest your start with his soup recipe (for example, his Tomato soup recipe calls for taxi tomato...if you don't find taxi tomato, use big yellow tomato or even good quality red tomato).
Rating:
Summary: Mr. Trotter has shown (us) a splendid view of his cuisine
Review: I'm an aspiring chef in Anchorage Alaska. I first heard of Trotters work only 2 Months ago. His Books and view on cuisine ,have shown me an incredible new view of what food can,and should be. He is definately on the right track. I would recomend this book to anyone looking to improve on their own skills. I especially enjoy the detailed chart on seasonal vegetables and find this very useful. His different philosophical views and ethics, submitted throughout the book, make for interesting reading as well.
Rating:
Summary: Mr. Trotter has shown (us) a splendid view of his cuisine
Review: I'm an aspiring chef in Anchorage Alaska. I first heard of Trotters work only 2 Months ago. His Books and view on cuisine ,have shown me an incredible new view of what food can,and should be. He is definately on the right track. I would recomend this book to anyone looking to improve on their own skills. I especially enjoy the detailed chart on seasonal vegetables and find this very useful. His different philosophical views and ethics, submitted throughout the book, make for interesting reading as well.
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