My guest this week is Karen Page (and photographer husband Andrew Dornenburg) with their new book “KITCHEN CREATIVITY – Unlocking Culinary Genius with Wisdom, Inspiration, and Ideas from the World’s Most Creative Chefs.
In this groundbreaking exploration of culinary genius, the authors of The Flavor Bible reveal the surprising strategies great chefs use to do what they do best. Beyond a cookbook, Kitchen Creativity is a paradigm-shifting guide to inventive cooking (without recipes!) that will inspire you to think, improvise, and cook like the world’s best chefs.
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Great cooking is as much about intuition and imagination as it is about flavor and technique. Kitchen Creativity distills brilliant insights into these creative processes from more than 100 top restaurant kitchens, including the Bazaar, Blue Hill, Daniel, Dirt Candy, Eleven Madison Park and the NoMad, Gramercy Tavern, the Inn at Little Washington, Le Bernardin, Oleana, Rustic Canyon, Saison, Single Thread, and Topolobampo.
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Based on four years of extensive research and dozens of in-depth interviews, Kitchen Creativity illuminates the method (and occasional madness) of culinary invention. Part I reveals how to learn foundational skills, including how to appreciate, taste, and season classic dishes (Stage 1: Mastery), before reinventing the classics from a new perspective (Stage 2: Alchemy). Einstein’s secret of genius-combinatory play-pushes chefs to develop unique creations and heighten their outer and inner senses (Stage 3: Creativity). Part II’s A-to-Z entries are an invaluable culinary idea generator, with exercises to prompt new imaginings.
You’ll also discover:
- experts’ criteria for creating new dishes, desserts, and drinks;
- comprehensive seasonality charts to spark inspiration all year long;
- how to season food like a pro, and how to create complex yet balanced layers of flavor;
- the amazing true stories of historic dishes, like how desperate maitre d’ “Nacho” Anaya invented nachos; and
- proven tips to jump-start your creative process.
The ultimate reference for culinary brainstorming, Kitchen Creativity will spur your creativity to new heights, both in the kitchen and beyond. Get a copy NOW
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The married couple, whose website is KarenAndAndrew.com, lives in New York City, and posts on Twitter @KarenAndAndrew, on Facebook and on Instagram @theflavorbible.
Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2014 Tiat Family Winery “The Ball Buster”
75% Shiraz, 14% Cabernet and 8% Merlot hand harvested from old vines in the Barossa Valley. Classic vinification, 100% basket pressed and aged in oak. Deep Black Purple. Intense aromas of black current, Stewed plums, Cherry, and chocolate. Full bodied berry palate with a sweet long lasting finish. ABV15.5% – leading to a BIG, BOLD wine i.e. the name 🙂
2014 Tiat Family Winery “The Ball Buster”
75% Shiraz, 14% Cabernet and 8% Merlot hand harvested from old vines in the Barossa Valley. Classic vinification, 100% basket pressed and aged in oak. Deep Black Purple. Intense aromas of black current, Stewed plums, Cherry, and chocolate. Full bodied berry palate with a sweet long lasting finish. ABV15.5% – leading to a BIG, BOLD wine i.e. the name 🙂
Critical Acclaim
WS91
Wine Spectator – #36 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017
Bold, with dense notes of dark chocolate—covered coffee bean, plum paste, wild blackberry, cigar box and date bread. Expressive and generous. The velvety tannins linger. Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Drink now through 2027.
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RP90
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2014 The Ball Buster Proprietary Red offers pronounced plum preserves, blueberry pie and blackberry tart notes with underlying licorice and dark chocolate hints. Medium to full bodied with a solid backbone of ripe tannins and lively acid cutting through the concentrated black fruits flavors, it finishes with persistent pepper, anise and spice box notes.
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Grab a bottle of this wine or many others from the Wine Spectator Top-100 display at
Jacob Liquor Exchange on North Rock Road here in Wichita
Jacob Liquor Exchange on North Rock Road here in Wichita