Tuesday, May 27, 2008

#15 - Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook

Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook: Strategies, Recipes, and Techniques of Classic Bistro Cooking is the full title of this one. So you may be thinking that a cookbook doesn't count, and to that I would say, without the recipes this would still be one of the best reads so far this year! Even if you took away my predisposition to the man, it again still tops the list easily.

Few people can inject such humor and reality into cooking, but it doesn't end there, this book is almost as informative as a full-on stint at cooking school. It goes even farther by also offering the most insightful tips and tricks of the restaurant industry that I have ever read in a book. Les Halles is the NYC French brasserie where Anthony last cooked before lucking out on the cushy celebrity chef life. The focus is on bistro/rustic style French cooking but I would refuse to believe a cook of any cuisine wouldn't find it indispensable. Many of the recipes call for some exotic ingredients, but nothing over the top that a truly passionate cook couldn't find with a little effort. Hardback, well bound, and reasonably priced. Highly recommended.

#14 - The Return

The Return is a novel which prominently displays Buzz Aldrin as co-author, how much or little he contributed is unknown. After reading it, one would hope very little beyond technical details and some insight to the mindset and inner struggles of space programs.

It is hokey, scattered, and descends into a dismal slow-motion crash not far past the beginning. This is a case of a book just trying to do too much. There is space tourism, corporate/government spies and espionage, lost love, childhood flashbacks, courtroom drama, a Michael Jordan knockoff, war, and space rescue. Sadly, way too much time is spent on lame courtroom drama and Michael Jordan... er Michael James and almost no time is spent on space. This one drug on for way too long for zero payout, truly terrible. Not Recommended.