Daniel: My French Cuisine

In the same manner that we visit a gallery to appreciate a masterpiece – happy in the knowledge that part of the appeal lies in its elusiveness, in relation to our own limited artistic skills – this new tome from New York City’s leading French chef, a native of Lyon, allows us to appreciate the finesse, technique and imagination required to conceive and create such splendid creations as truffled poularde or miso-glazed sea scallop rosace.

It is unlikely that many readers will ever create an avocado espuma or a squab vadouvan pastilla but that should not prevent us from ogling the kind of exquisite dishes served by the finest ‘white linen’ restaurants. Although some dishes are no less complex or outlandish, for the home cook, the most interesting section of this book sees food writer Bill Buford, a fan of Lyonnaise cuisine, join Daniel in recreating some classic French ‘show-stopping’ dishes of yore, such as canard a? la presse, te?te de veau en tortue and a huge religieuse a? l’ancienne.

A word, too, about the exceptional photography by Thomas Schauer. The lighting and sharpness takes these outrageously attractive culinary creations to another level of aesthetic appeal. Engaging, inspirational and ever so fancy, eat this book with your eyes!