Aquavit: And the New Scandinavian Cuisine by Marcus Samuelsson
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Book Reviews of Aquavit: And the New Scandinavian Cuisine
Book Review: Full of surprises...
Summary: 4 Stars
This is not a perfect cookbook, by any means. Out of 19 recipes we tested, 12 gave excellent results and 7 were disappointing. That's not a very respectable ratio. But the good recipes are so startlingly good they make up for a multitude of sins. Some of my favorites are Juniper-Apple Soup (superb balance between fruit and meat flavors, especially when garnished as suggested with duck confit); Coffee-roasted Duck Breasts (a simple preparation resulting in a deceptively complex flavor); Salsify "Tagliatelle" with Smoked Salmon (a delicious and unusual dish faintly reminiscent of spaghetti al carbonara); Salmon Bundles with Orange-Fennel Broth (again a sophisticated balance of sweet-tart fruit flavors with the bass notes of seared salmon); Squab Toasts (irresistible treats in fig season); and many more. Less successful, to my palate, were the Pickled Herring Sushi-Style (harsh combination of strong flavors); Curried Cauliflower, Potato, and Sprout Salad (muddied, indistinguishable flavors); Salsify Cappuccino (no standout flavor I could discern at all); Pear and Fingerling Potato Ragout (too sweet); and Glögg-Poached Pears (not exciting enough to warrant all the work). Overall, it seems to me that this chef has a marvelous instinct when it comes to fish and meat, and creates many new flavor combinations that really work. He is less reliable with vegetable dishes and desserts, both of which tend to be excessively sweet. We cook out of this book frequently, however: if you have the patience to sift the wheat from the chaff, this book will reward you with plenty of delicious and inspirational meals.
Book Review: I would honestly not call this Scandinavian cuisine at all, but the recipes are very tasty
Summary: 4 Stars
1. This is a book for serious foodies that cook. You need some knowledge of technique and you must enjoy the process of cooking. Otherwise, the recipes are going to me too time-consuming.
2. The recipes are inspired by Swedish cuisine rather than being identifiably Swedish. We get a lot of ingredients often used in Sweden, e.g. salmon, dill. Some recipes are really Swedish, e.g. gravad lax, meatballs, but most are not. There are loads of recipes with ingredients not at all seen in Sweden, e.g. kimchi, pine nuts, tuna. So if you want a better understanding of Swedish (or Scandinavian) cuisine this book is not at all going to deliver.
3. The food however, is very tasty. I would say that 50% of the dishes are solidly Northern European (cooking method, ingredients) and the rest is some kind of fusion dishes (typically with one or two ingredients from outside this region).
4. Another reviewer said that the chef was from Ethiopia. While genetically correct, he has lived in an upper-middle class Swedish family since he was three years old. So don't except any African touch. This is a guy that seems as Swedish in his thinking as Ingrid Bergman.
I can recommend this book, but it is not a must-buy so four stars will do.
Book Review: Aquait
Summary: 4 Stars
Impressive Marcus Samuelson book. Gorgeous pix of inventive dishes. My used copy is in great condition and arrived quickly.
Book Review: Disappointing
Summary: 3 Stars
I really wanted to like this cookbook, being so pretty and with such flattering reviews here. The chef has an attractive story, and the concept of haute scandinavian fusion is fascinating in itself.But this book unfortunately commits many of the sins common in these glossies; for instance, food styling where the stylist takes liberties with the recipe, making one feel inept trying to match the picture. I'm learning things from it, but mostly in the negative. The recipes are incomplete.
The food itself is immature compared to chefs of greater experience. It takes a while to understand this, but I can almost tell how mature a chef is from their food. Samuelsson's food today reminds me of the young Vongerichten's "Simple Cuisine" compared to the food he makes today. The balances are overblown, with a childish affinity for sweetness. There's all sorts of refinements left to understand. I imagine Samuelsson will mature into a great chef, but what you're getting today is like the impulsive work of art students rather than masterpieces.
And today's impatient society encourages, if not forces, these budding talents to expose themselves like this, giving them a false sense of victory instead of the virtues of enduring legacy won through decades of disciplined refinement.
We have a young chef here in San Francisco who gives me an idea what's going on with Samuelsson (I've never been to Aquavit or Riingo so I have to draw analogies). He's won all these "young chef of the year" awards for his restaurant "Isa". But Isa isn't even the second best restaurant on his little block of the Marina. What's happening is the chef is an attractive person, the spin is crafty, and food writers, we must remind ourselves, are writers first and food experts second.
So hype and show and raw freneticism count for a lot in this glamour-focused business. If you want a picture book that looks intriguing on your coffee table but you never actually cook out of it, this is a good choice. There are much better, if uglier, works available for actually preparing memorable meals.
Book Review: Disappointing
Summary: 3 Stars
I really wanted to like this cookbook, being so pretty and with such flattering reviews here. The chef has an attractive story, and the concept of haute scandinavian fusion is fascinating in itself.But this book unfortunately commits many of the sins common in these glossies; for instance, food styling where the stylist takes liberties with the recipe, making one feel inept trying to match the picture. I'm learning things from it, but mostly in the negative. The recipes are incomplete.
The food itself is immature compared to chefs of greater experience. It takes a while to understand this, but I can almost tell how mature a chef is from their food. Samuelsson's food today reminds me of the young Vongerichten's "Simple Cuisine" compared to the food he makes today. The balances are overblown, with a childish affinity for sweetness. There's all sorts of refinements left to understand. I imagine Samuelsson will mature into a great chef, but what you're getting today is like the impulsive work of art students rather than masterpieces.
And today's impatient society encourages, if not forces, these budding talents to expose themselves like this, giving them a false sense of victory instead of the virtues of enduring legacy won through decades of disciplined refinement.
We have a young chef here in San Francisco who gives me an idea what's going on with Samuelsson (I've never been to Aquavit or Riingo so I have to draw analogies). He's won all these "young chef of the year" awards for his restaurant "Isa". But Isa isn't even the second best restaurant on his little block of the Marina. What's happening is the chef is an attractive person, the spin is crafty, and food writers, we must remind ourselves, are writers first and food experts second.
So hype and show and raw freneticism count for a lot in this glamour-focused business. If you want a picture book that looks intriguing on your coffee table but you never actually cook out of it, this is a good choice. There are much better, if uglier, works available for actually preparing memorable meals.