I have two bibles and both were given to me as gifts. The first, The Holy Bible, is what I like to call my B.I.B.L.E. Which stands for “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth” and as we all know it is the best selling book of all time, for obvious reasons.
My second bible is “The Flavor Bible” by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenbur. Sorry to my Irish and UK friends, but that is the American spelling of flavor! Though not well known outside the culinary world, its name might seem a bit sacrilegious, however it is any thing but that! It is a celebration of food in all its forms, from seed to table. It is an essential tool for anyone who loves food and wants to know more about it!
As a chef I refer to this book all the time. It inspires and broadens my culinary exploration. As a cookery instructor, it is the one book I show the students on the first day of every new session. I believe it shows them the palette of tastes and flavor combinations in a simple and concise way. Hopefully this resource will give a new cook confidence in the kitchen with their ingredients without an attachment to old ways of doing things.
Most new cooks find it easier to follow a recipe to the letter of the law. But they can get stuck if they don’t have or don’t like a certain ingredient in the recipe. This is where the “Flavor Bible” comes in handy. I helps unlock the secret to flavor matches and pairings. It also encourages creativity in the kitchen.
This is not a review of the book, but simply a helpful tip for you to give it a gander. It is pricey, but something you will use again and again. There are a few recipes included and some interviews with top notch chefs. The take away here is most people while reading it have the “a-ha” moment when they realize, “sure I already know this…INTUITIVELY!”
And getting a reassuring sign from your bible (or bibles) helps you feel you are on the right track in life and in the kitchen. If you decide to give either as gifts, they truly are the gifts that keep giving!
Savor the flavor of life,
YDP
