...book day. At least this week. We are facing a couple of challenges here in the kitchen. Amazing how one email can throw off an entire day, I'm sure you've all been there. The book we should be giving away this week is The Power of Positive Thinking by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, not because we've actually read it but because it's probably what we should be reading at the moment. But hell if we're going to give in to a few obstacles in our path. Competition makes us competitive and roadblocks simply force us to be more creative. This is never a bad thing. Today we're shaking off the negative mojo on our own and moving on to bigger and better things.
Some of the best chefs and entrepreneurs out there got to the top of their game simply by doing things differently. There's a lot of commonly held wisdom that isn't always correct and the real trail blazers have never been afraid to cut a path straight through uncharted territory just to see what would happen. David Burke is one of those chefs. Alex worked for him way back in the day. Back then The Park Avenue Cafe was, in his words, a crazy busy hard core kitchen. If you were willing to work hard and had a real passion for food there was a lot to learn and you could find mentors willing to teach you but only if you were willing to put in the time and effort to prove that you really wanted to learn. There were no easy work days or short shifts. It was sink or swim, survival of the fittest, but if you had the stamina and the desire there was a lot to be taken in.
Today we are giving away Cooking With David Burke of The Park Avenue Cafe. This is an older book that has weathered the test of time. Burke has a sense of whimsy that has never deserted him. He is known for over the top presentations and big flavors. The book is full of building blocks recipes and components that marry beautifully with a variety of dishes even though they are set into his creations for the recipes. There are flavored oils, pickling liquids, batters and brines and a bird's eye view into the mind of the chef, with thoughts on how to build dishes and why layering flavors and textures into beautiful creations is such an important part of his cuisine. And the dessert section is full of wonderful things. All in all it's a book you want to have in your personal library. As you read through the pages you will see countless ideas and techniques that are now commonplace but were groundbreaking at the time. Of course David Burke is still a chef at large and there are new discoveries to be found in his kitchens today.
This week we are giving away one copy of Cooking With David Burke At The Park Avenue Cafe by David Burke and Carmen Reingold. To enter to win please a comment telling us about the most creative and enjoyable meal you've ever experienced. One entry per person please, comments are moderated and will not appear immediately. Winner will berandomly picked on Friday, February 10, 2012 at 9am EST. This giveaway is now closed. The winner has been notified via email. Thanks for all your great comments.
Years Past:
February 8, 2005
