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The Fat Duck Cookbook

Author:  Heston Blumenthal 

Hardcover

Crab ice cream, chocolate wine and snail porridge are just a few of the unlikely sounding food masterpieces of Michelin Three Star Chef Heston Blumenthal's.  Take an exhilarating journey as he share's the development of his most innovative recipes in this 500+ cooking digest and memoir.

The Flavor Bible: 

The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs

Authors:  Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg

Hardcover

Page and Dornenburg have delivered another gem!  You will find "The Flavor Bible" an indispensable culinary reference whether you are a Food-Network junkie, a culinary student or a professional chef.  It has no recipes and assumes that you are well schooled in cooking technique, yet this book is one of the most enlightenting guides for cooks wanting to become more imaginative and intuitive with their menus. 

It is simply all about flavor.  The first two chapters are devoted to understanding food enhancers and developing strategies for balancing the flavors or a meal.  The bulk of the book is devoted to ingredients and their flavor affinities resulting in match making charts which take the trial and error out of pairing.  One part science to two parts creativity, this is truly the gastronomic bible for cooks wanting to move their craft from delicious to inspiring.  A must have for every serious kitchen.

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The True History of Chocolate

 Author: Sophie Coe and Michael Coe

Softcover

Whether you are a chocophile, food historian or just looking for a unique read, we recommend this well researched yet thoroughly engaging ode to the food of gods.  Coes' stories stretch beyond the familar Mayan lore of chocolate as the drink of tribal kings to the lesser known details of how this great confection came to be popularized with the masses.  Across time and continents this tale fascinates as well as educates.

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The Whisky Kitchen

Authors:  Sheila McConachie & Graham Harvey 

Hardcover

Wine has long been an essential ingredient to French and Italian kitchens.  Whisky at last has received the cooking showcase it deserves.  This book is a true celebration of Scottish heritage by marrying the foods of this region with whisky as an integral ingredient.  This book also provides a creative reinterpretation of other recipe classics by infusing them with a wide range of whisky flavors to achieve an often delicate but always delicious result.  Authors McConachie and Harvey establish the perfect baseline for discovering and understanding the complexities and unique flavor personalities of each scotch.  They have also provided a two page whisky to food matching guide should you want to experiment beyond their recipes.  This would make a wonderful gift for any scotch aficionado or chef looking to add flavor subtly and depth to their own creations.

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Wild Sweets Chocolate 

Authors: Dominique & Cindy Duby

Hardcover

Canadian chocolatiers Dominique and Cindy Duby bestow us with their second amazing book exploring the boundaries of sweet and savory chocolate.  A great addition to any serious chocolate cookbook collection, "Wild Sweets Chocolate" showcases this wonderful ingredient through very unconventional flavor combinations.  Recipes blur the lines between dinner and dessert by pairing chocolate with proteins such as seafood and duck, as well as more familiar combinations with fruits and nuts.

This book is divided into four sections: Savory, Sweet, Bites and Drinks. With more than a casual nod to molecular gastronomy and fairly complex assemblages, this is not a beginner's cookbook.  Each recipe challenges you to expand your palate, as well as your kitchen techniques.  Innovative and daring, this book excites and inspires.  As a visual bonus, each plate is a culinary work of art.  This cookbook is a must for any chef seeking to push their own boundaries.  It truly elevates chocolate from an ingredient to a cuisine.