The Kitchen Sessions With Charlie Trotter

Rating:
Summary: Difficult to follow format
Review: This is an ambitious cookbook , even for a good cook such as myself who normally has no difficulty following recipes. I made the meal on page127, roasted cornish game hens, and was sent to the back of the book three times for sub-recipes to complete the main recipe. I found all of this flipping back and forth very bothersome. To make matters worse, when I flipped to the back to make these "basic recipes" I was sent to yet another page, which turned out to be the WRONG page! Frustrating. All in all the meal was good, but definitely not worth the time and trouble. I think that this book should have been proofread more carefully, and tested more thoroughly.

Rating:
Summary: Great book for the intuitive cook
Review: This is the first book that I have read about Charlie Trotter and his style, but I will say this, I will definetly go to his resturant in Chicago for what I understand is a remarkable experience. The book is valuable, both for his analogies to jazz sessions and the need for improvisation in cooking just as in music, to emphasizing assembly and presentation of various receipes. I bought this book in Napa Valley, and while on a flight home to the East Coast, I was busily writing notes in the book(it is good for that, both the cover that gives it the feel of a workbook in a sense), no pork would also go with that, perhaps beef there instead of duck- the book inspires ideas, and for someone like myself who is getting into gourmet cooking, Trotter's book makes cooking fun and enjoyable. His analogy with jazz music, has inspired me to have a set of music that will be played at my various "dinner sessions". Highly recommend!