There's not many of these celebrity chefs that I am truly in awe of and would certainly love to meet. However, this week I was rather privileged to receive a copy of Heston Blumenthal's The Fat Duck Cookbook.
For a number of years I have found Heston's ability to push the boundaries of experimental cookery beyond it's normally perceived limitations, both fascinating and inspiring. He's not afraid to mix up concoctions that the average amongst us would not even dream of.
The book is like a roller coaster journey through his huge Alice in Wonderland mind of imagination, starting from early childhood, at the three-star Michelin restaurant, L'Oustau de Baumaniere in Provence in 1982, where he recalls his first true gastronomique experience, "It really was a coup de foudre – love at first sight, I fell in love with cooking and the idea of being a chef."
The book epitomises what Heston is all about and that is unique dishes that tell a story, that are made with passion and allow you to explore the real depth of all your senses. In fact, had it not been the 21st century and had he not been so youthful for a fleeting moment I might think he was really the Mad Hatter incognito. Of course, let's not forget the science bit at the back of the book which is mind-blowing.
One of my favourite recipes is Nitro-Scrambled Egg and Bacon Ice-Cream. It may sound like something to put in the bin but actually looks amazing and I've heard tastes divine. The dish is such that diner's are given the illusion that the prepared dish is actually, 'finished' at their table. As Heston says, "Using liquid Nitrogen, we could 'cook' Scrambled Egg and Bacon Ice Cream at the table. The liquefied nitrogen even reinforced the illusion by producing a vapour that looked like smoke and – as it evaporated – a crackle that sounded like a sizzle. To complete the picture, the dish was prepared in front of the customers in a pan on a copper burner."
The book is published by Bloomsbury and priced at £35. Available to buy now and an excellent Christmas present.
