Thoughts on Bouchon

I was lucky enough to receive Bouchon, the new cookbook from Thomas Keller, as a Christmas gift over the holidays. 

I've had plenty of time to go through it in detail and generally recommend it. 

It's Keller as you'd expect - excruciating detail in preparation, with detailed thoughts on technique that are critical to master and hold as a standard.

It's also completely unapproachable to the 30 minute a meal world we live in, which I also like. Let's face it, cooking at Keller's level, even in bitro terms, is labor intensive and doesn't just fall out of the sky. 

But it's set up exactly like the French Laundry Cookbook, which I find to be a drawback.  Why? Well, Bouchon presents itself to be an unfussy Keller instructing on the day to day comfort food he loves.  But to me, it's still ultra-fussy Keller minus the unique pairings, ingredients, garnishes, serving ideas, oils, stocks, etc. that made the French Laundry Cookbook so vital.  So, no reason to make it look and feel like French Laundry 2.  It's just not.

However, the beauty of Keller's detail and elaborate pursuit of perfection is the main takeaway from Bouchon.  It's impossible to go through this and not feel inspired to hit the kitchen and immerse yourself in the French bistro classics.  I already have.  The cauliflower gratin is fantastic.  Keller adds a cauliflower puree made from the stems that takes it to another level.

Plenty of great tips and techniques here for the ambitious.  I'd consider this a must have.