Book of the Month: Culinary Artistry

My book recommendation this month is for the person who doesn't like to follow recipes, but sometimes needs inspiration on what foods pair well together.

Written by the same authors who published my previously recommended book "What to Eat with What you Drink". Page and Dornenburg don't include many recipes in this book, instead you find many suggestions on what foods pair well and which cuisines use which flavors.

For example, assume I am stumped as to what I should make for dinner. I look in my kitchen and see that I have some leeks to use up.

Opening the book to leeks, I am given recommendations on which foods go well or extremely well with leeks: bacon, beets, Gruyere, peas...etc.

Along with this list is a suggested list of ways to cook your leek: boil, braise, puree, steam or stew

I may decide to braise my leeks and serve them as a salad with bacon and truffle oil or perhaps make a Greyere-leek quiche. I find this book particularly helpful when making sauces and soups or working with a new ingredient.

One of my favorite tips from this book was the suggestion to pair lime juice and mango. I rarely eat a mango without a little lime now...maybe a dash of salt. It is the perfect marrying of flavors.

The book is broken up into many sections that provide great reading entertainment as well: Sample Menus, Dish and Menu Composition, and thoughts by well known chefs throughout. My favorites include the bits where chefs are asked what they would make if they were on a deserted island and could only bring 10 ingredients...their rationale behind each is very entertaining.