Cookbook Review-Cooking with a Private Chef
Posted: Wednesday, December 17, 2008
by kevin ashton
wannabetvchef
It's been quite some weeks since I was sent a copy of this cookbook to review.
This delay has been partly due to my busy schedule and because of this I wanted not to rush through the book but give the care and consideration it deserves.
Chef Michael Saxer cooks for a high society American family who spend their time between their 4 homes in New Orleans, Newport Rhode Island, Nassau and Manhattan, New York.
Often cooking for an illustrious ever-changing guest list of distinctive, cultural and social leaders, Michael's book affords the reader a rare glimpse into the world of a private chef and the ultra wealthy family that he works for.
The production values of the book are excellent; I particularly liked the layout of the book and the two page black and white food photographs that separate the chapters. At $29.95 (approximately 20) Cooking with a Private Chef is well worth the purchase price and anyone looking for a cookbook that's more than just a collection of recipes should give this book serious consideration.
As with all of my cookbook reviews I always make time to cook and try at least 4 recipes to assure me that the recipes do indeed work.
I tried Michael's intriguing Oyster Rockefeller Soup and it was recreating this recipe that made me realize here is a kindred spirit because this interesting interpretation of this classical New Orleans dish is the kind of dish I myself would create.
Carrot custard was another unusual dish that I served with a grilled sirloin steak.
The recipe called for garam marsala spice in the carrot mixture so I also made a garam marsala and fresh coriander compound butter to top the steak with tying the two dishes together.
I also tried a Guinea Fowl with Baby Bok Choy and last but certainly not least a delicious Upside down Blood Orange Cake.
Being Chef Saxer's first book it is not without fault but I do hope cookbook fans around the world will make this book the success it deserves to be and thus spur Michael Saxer on to produce further books. I did find the Introduction penned by Patrick J Dunne to be unnecessarily wordy and for me it did not achieve "setting the scene" that one hopes introductions or forwards will accomplish. On a brighter note once past this into Michael's own words the read becomes a pleasure not a chore, insightfully allowing us an interesting look at his very private world. For a chef writing his first book Michael shows better writing skills than more famous colleagues with half a dozen cookbooks under their belts.
Chef Michael Saxer
For readers wishing for more information you can visit chef Saxer's web site.
Books can be purchased online at www.michaelsaxer.net or at www.amazon.com
Michael has kindly agreed to make hand signed copies available on request, you can contact him though his Facebook profile - Michael Saxer (New Orleans) or call and leave messages at 504-302-1735
This Article has been viewed 98 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
No comments yet.We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.