Rating: 
Summary: a love for vegetables
Review: None of these recipies are easy, but if you are willing to sacrafice time and money, the results are pretty amazing. I find CT's Vegetables to be his most versitile book, where Charlie really shows us his most spectacular innovations.I've cooked successfully out of this cookbook for 4 years, and have come back to it time and time again, when I'm in need of something truly smashing - and in particular, when I'm feeding vegetarian friends. A word to the wise, buy this book to cook from only if you know your way around a kitchen and the standard resturant vocubulary (he's not going to tell you how to blanch or julienne). Another word of warning - don't try any of this if you're trying to take care of small children at the same time - the recipies demand all of you attention. Show stoppers are the glorios carmalized onion and potato tart, the chilled cucumber soup, the blue cheese souffle (the brioche is out of this world), the asparagus terrine, and the grits-filled morelles. ymmmm.
Rating:
Summary: a love for vegetables
Review: None of these recipies are easy, but if you are willing to sacrafice time and money, the results are pretty amazing. I find CT's Vegetables to be his most versitile book, where Charlie really shows us his most spectacular innovations. I've cooked successfully out of this cookbook for 4 years, and have come back to it time and time again, when I'm in need of something truly smashing - and in particular, when I'm feeding vegetarian friends. A word to the wise, buy this book to cook from only if you know your way around a kitchen and the standard resturant vocubulary (he's not going to tell you how to blanch or julienne). Another word of warning - don't try any of this if you're trying to take care of small children at the same time - the recipies demand all of you attention. Show stoppers are the glorios carmalized onion and potato tart, the chilled cucumber soup, the blue cheese souffle (the brioche is out of this world), the asparagus terrine, and the grits-filled morelles. ymmmm.
Rating: 
Summary: Beautiful to look at, but puh-leeze!
Review: The photos are lovely and the chef obviously loves his subject (hence two stars, not one), but really--4 cups kohlrabi juice? 3 tbsp. chopped primroses? Opal basil--like regular won't work? Several recipes with over 20 ingredients each, some of which say "recipe follows" so they're not really an ingredient but another recipe? And no substitutions suggested so just in case your corner store is out of, say, hedgehog mushrooms or Cape gooseberries, you can still make an approximation? I am an adventurous cook, and can get a lot of ethnic, organic, and/or exotic ingredients, but this sounds more like hard labor than working with the fruits of the earth--the kind of recipes where you cook to impress rather than to enjoy the process or the product.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding and Beneficail to all Culinairans
Review: This book help those in the business to understand the unlimited use of vegetables and how to present them in a higher fashion. I personally used some of the recieps for vegetarian parties that I was asked to do and gained remarked comments and appreciation for the time and trouble that went into preparing such a feast. My toque off to Chef Trotter. Thank you
Rating:
Summary: Worth every penny
Review: This book, like the author's restaurant, is perfection itself. The receipes, while complex, are fabulous and do-able. The wine notes are on-target and a relief -- if you're trying to prepare an entire "Charlie" meal, you'll be grateful to have one less detail to think about. I must note, however, that this book (like the vegetable and grain degustation menu served at the restaurant) is NOT necessarily vegetarian [you can substitute ingredients at home and at the restaurant your meal will be prepared sans animaux upon request]. It does glorify those sensuous vegetables, but some receipes call for stocks and reductions (including, gulp, veal). I only point this out because I've had people ask me about it as a gift for a vegetarian and, depending on the strictness of the recipients diet and convictions, it may not be appropriate.
Rating: 
Summary: Let's get Real!!!!
Review: While Charlie may be a great chef, his restaurant may be reviewed well, this book does not show real food..... the recipe for cucumber soup with watermelon could not be that green, that is, if you follow the recipe. Where is the real food Charlie??????
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