OurColony.net

My secret weapon!

Customer Rating:
So good that I keep hoping it will go out of print! (Thereby making it more difficult for my friends to get their hands on these excellent recipes.)

More seriously, this fine cookbook distills the essence of what made Waltuck's Le Zinc so special (even though it name-checks the mighty Chanterelle). Plus, it contains a large number of recipes aimed at feeding a crowd, which is pretty unusual in-and-of itself. But the star of the show is the food, and Waltuck's stuffed cabbage, his lime-marinated flank steak, and so many others have become some of my absolute favorites.

The book is informative, opinionated, charming, and truly deserves a spot on your shelf. I can't recommend a cookbook more highly.

Welcome To My Kitchen!

Customer Rating:
When you open the book you feel as if you are walking in the front door of Chanterelle and David Wartuck says to you, "Come on in. Grab an apron and join me in the kitchen. I opened up early today so you and I can make something wonderful for lunch." This is a unique book. Unlike every other cookbook I own, this is a sit down and read me book. You learn about his family, his staff, his friends, and how everyone has contributed to his menu over the years. The recipes are for more than one or two people, but you can always find some friends to invite over for a memorable breakfast/lunch/brunch/dinner. This is a big book, y'all. Lots of pages of the kind of food you want to cook every day or once or twice a week. Chicken, shrimp, beef, fish, scallops, breads, vegetables, sides, soups, desserts. It's all in here. Easy to follow instructions. Recipes for sauces, salad dressings, gravies, you name it. Nothing in the book requires you to fly to Hong Kong to buy the ingredients. You can find everything in your local stores. Except, of course, if you live on the North or South Pole. I really like this book a lot. I have lived in NYC for years and never went to this restaurant. However, this is my new goal. Before 2008 comes to a close, I am going to Chanterelle! Hope David Waltuck is there so he can sign my book!

Comfort food with attitude

Customer Rating:
With several shelves full of cookbooks to choose from, this is the one that I pull down when I need some inspiration for good, hearty, tasty, basic foods that are easy to prepare. This is my most used cookbook, and everything I've made from it has turned out well. Pop culture cookbooks come and go but this classic stands the test of time. Highly recommended.

Eclectic and delicious dishes

Customer Rating:
This is my favorite go-to cookbook for a weekend meal when I am not craving any particular cuisine and just want to try something new. The chatter is lively, and the recipes fun to cook, both reducing well and expanding to suit a bigger crowd. While the dishes do not reflect a "pure" ethnic sensibility, the blending of flavors and seasonings lead to delicious results sometimes even exciting. I return to many of these recipes again and again. My (spoiled) husband who sometimes doesn't know what he is eating but certainly knows if he likes it, is a big fan of this cookbook.

one of my desert-island cookbooks

Customer Rating:
When we moved last year, it was one of 5 cookbooks I packed in my suitcase to use in our temporary apartment. It's chock full of great recipes for American classics, but done in a way that appeals to people who've gone beyond Campbell's soup casseroles. A number of easy ethnic recipes rounds out the mix.