"marcussamuelsson" news and stories

Photo: Wiley.

'New American Table'
by Marcus Samuelsson
Wiley - 2009
Buy it on Amazon

The youngest chef ever to receive two three-star ratings from the New York Times, Marcus Samuelsson is known for his diversified cuisine. Born in Ethiopia and raised in Sweden by adoptive parents, Samuelsson -- drawing on his own unique upbringing -- has created an homage to the cultural origins of American cooking.

Samuelsson shares more than 300 recipes in his half-cookbook, half-travelogue that showcases the ethnic influences on American cuisine, from Pickled Herring Hot Dogs to down-home Boiled Peanuts; Jerk-Spiced Catfish with Green Papaya Salad to Latkes with Apple-Horseradish Sauce. It's quickly apparent his take on American cuisine isn't the stereotypical apple pie and bacon cheeseburger.

See what we tested and find out whether the book's worth buying after the jump.

'The Soul of a New Cuisine: A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa'
By Marcus Samuelsson
Photos by Gediyon Kifle
Wiley -- 2006
Buy it on Amazon

Known for his inventive Swedish creations at Aquavit, Marcus Samuelsson tackles the food of his birth continent in "Soul of a New Cuisine." (Born in Ethiopia in 1970, Samuelsson and his sister were orphaned and adopted by a Swedish couple.)

While this is a cookbook, "Soul of a New Cuisine" acts more like a coffee table centerpiece with lush photos of markets and Samuelsson on his adventures to discover African cuisines.

Samuelsson writes, "from the start [I] had a clear idea that this book would not be a definitive encyclopedia of African cooking. Rather, this cookbook is a reflection of the Africa I've seen, experienced and appreciated."

What we tested and whether its worth buying after the jump.