Tyler's Ultimate: Brilliant Simple Food to Make Any Time, Cookbook of the Day

by Nicole Weston, Posted Feb 21st 2007 @ 8:01AM

I have heard Tyler Florence compared to Jamie Oliver on more than one occasion and although the comparisons have involved everything from technique to looks, the two chefs just happen to fill very similar roles on TV as good looking guys with a "good food, good friends" type of philosophy. Of course, Tyler and Jamie ultimately went in different directions with the TV careers (with Tyler ending up on How to Boil Water, but Tyler's Ultimate: Brilliant Simple Food to Make Any Time is a step back towards his roots. The dishes in the book are simple and straightforward, but are certainly not too far into "quick fix" territory. They rely on quality ingredients and bright flavors, with both more exotic and more casual fare to choose from, and all are intended to be the types of recipes that you can turn to again and again. Some of the recipes include The Ultimate Barbecued Chicken; Almond Semifreddo with Spiced Honey Dried Fruit; Chicken Paillard with Blue Cheese, Pancetta, and Figs; and Coconut Shrimp with Basmati Rice and Apricots.