Hamburgers and Fries or Grand Finales

Hamburgers and Fries: An American Story

Author: John T Edg

Acclaimed food writer and cultural historian John T. Edge continues his sumptuous feast of a series on iconic American foods-with recipes included.

With Fried Chicken and Apple Pie, John T. Edge launched a series of short books that celebrate American culture through the lore of our favorite foods. Now, with Hamburgers & Fries, Edge continues his quest to discover the very essence of America through the dishes we love and cherish.

Across the nation, from backyard barbecues to Big Macs, Edge follows the evolution of the burger from frugal repast to deluxe treat, but always with a celebration of American brawn and freedom. He revisits Depression-era days, when most hamburgers were extended with bread crumbs, and goes on to trace the arc of the American experience that leads us to the haute burgers of today, with foie gras at their centers and selling for $50 apiece. Best of all, the acclaimed food writer gives us fifteen recipes for the best burger we've ever sunk our teeth into.

The New York Times - Henry Alford

To be in the company of a mind this curious is a pleasure … When I say that I wished this very short book had been longer, I speak as a satisfied customer anxiously eyeing seconds. As any chowhound will tell you, more is more.

Library Journal

America is in the midst of a burger renaissance, so food writer Edge would have us believe. Whether it is owing to a return to comfort food, patriotism for a food that is uniquely American, or purely a backlash to Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation, restaurateurs in the past few years have re-created the burger as we know it by topping the humble beef patty with short ribs, truffles, and even foie gras. In the third entry of a series on iconic American foods (see also Fried Chicken and Apple Pie), Edge travels the country not to explore the gourmet burgers of the new millennium, but to seek out the burger joints that reflect local tastes and the evolution of the beef. From Mississippi to Hawaii, he samples pimento burgers, "slug burgers," and Jucy Lucys, each of which has its own loyal following. While Americans have pursued the "textbook marriage of beef and bun" for 100 years, Edge believes the French fry is only now coming into its own. Fifteen recipes are included in this highly recommended and humorous book recommended for public libraries.-Pauline Baughman, Multnomah Cty. Lib., Portland, OR Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Book review: Global Collective Action or Modern Transport Geography

Grand Finales: A Modernist View of Plated Desserts

Author: Timothy Moriarty

"Modernism is simply the result of the extremely progressive evolution of the American pastry industry. With the use of all ethnic influences, creative flavor combinations enhanced by incredibly visual designs is truly the global trend-setter for the millennium." Norman Love Corporate Pastry Chef, Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company Milk Chocolate-Ginger Mousse with Liquid Chocolate Center Norman Love Corporate Pastry Chef, Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Naples, Florida. Mont Blanc Michael Hu Executive Pastry Chef, Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York Midnight Macadamia Torte Kim O'Flaherty Pastry Cook, Essex House Hotel, New York. Chocolate and Pear Mousse Ensemble Eric Perez Executive Pastry Chef, Ritz-Carlton Tyson's Corners, Virginia. Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding with Specky Vanilla Ice Cream and Caramel Marshall Rosenthal Executive Pastry Chef, Trump Taj Mahal Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey Butter Pecan Custard Cake Wayne Brachman Executive Pastry Chef, Mesa Grill and Bolo, both in New York.

National Culinary Review

In their new book, GRAND FINALES: A MODERNIST VIEW OF PLATED DESSERTS, authors Tish Boyle and Timothy Moriarty challenged 25 of the country's most talented pastry chefs to create 'Modernist' desserts as defined in the book. --The National Culinary Review

Table of Contents:

Pure Modernism.
Modernizing the Classics.
Equipment, Molds, and Modernism.
Modernizing Garnishes.
Modernist Sauce Painting.
The Business of Modernism.
Source List.
Index.