Waters' cookbook, The Art of Simple Food, is a fantastic introduction to the slow food movement.The movement was founded in the late 1980s by a group of people who wanted to bring back local food traditions that had taken a backseat to technology as our lifestyles picked up speed and changed course. Slow Food International, the non-profit, member-supported group that popularized the idea, does not pretend to have discovered a revolutionary idea. Instead, it reiterates principles that people in places like Italy and France have lived by for thousands of years: celebrating biodiversity in our food supply, utilizing local ingredients and taking the time to enjoy and appreciate our food and where it comes from.
But back to the cookbook. Waters' recipes echo the food she serves at her own restaurant, Che Panisse - she pays close attention to details, and the dishes are full-bodied and well-rounded. The book features a much-needed "techniques" section, and accompanying each recipe is a nice description of the dish, and several variations on ingredients and preparation. Even if you're not yet a slow food convert, recipes Waters' Spicy Cauliflower Soup and Chocolate Crackle Cookies will win you over.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-17-2008 @ 6:40PM
Alex said...
Is Che Panisse the same as Chez Panisse?
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2-17-2008 @ 6:52PM
Ellen Slattery said...
Alex, good eye! I apologize greatly for the typo - indeed, "Che Panisse" should have read "Chez Panisse."
-Ellen
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2-17-2008 @ 10:35PM
rainey Smith said...
It may be a simple thing at the back of the book, but don't overlook her Garlic Purée. I made up three batches (one for me, two for friends). Mine is almost gone.
I've added it to almost everything that didn't start out a dessert and I think they were all improved by it.
The convenience of having it at hand is fantastic — especially when you know that everything that went into it is a simple, natural food. And, as she says, the liquid that's left over from preparing the purée is sensational for braising something else. I used it for the best pork chops I've ever made in my life — and I've been cooking for 40 years!
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