>>> BlackFriday Ad Hoc at Home
Although I've only had Thomas Keller's ad hoc for a short time I ready love it and have found many things that make it a must-buy if you're a lover of food or books about food. Keller's quote on the back of the book really sums up the theme of this book: "...a big collection of family meals and everyday staples delicious approachable food recipes that are doable at home. No immersion circulator required. No complicated garnishes. I promise!"
Keller delivers on this promise in ad hoc. The book assumes far less prerequisite knowledge than his other books The French Laundry Bouchon and Under Pressure. In fact the first section of the book is called "Becoming a better chef" and Keller outlines the techniques ingredients and tools that can help anyone become a better home cook.
I own all 3 of Keller's other books and regularly cook from them. This is by far the most accessible book for the casual home cook. The recipes in here can easily be made as weeknight meals--most don't require any excessive time demands or preparation. Many of the recipes are dishes you're probably familiar with: chicken pot pie fried chicken braised short ribs beef stroganoff apple fritters chocolate brownies etc. But this being a Thomas Keller book many of these classic dishes are refined and made more elegant. For example his beef stroganoff uses fresh cremini mushrooms creme fraiche braised short ribs and pappardelle pasta. All of the recipes I've made have turned out perfectly so far which has been the case with his previous books.
Consistent with his previous books the look of ad hoc is beautiful. It's also a nice change to see Keller's fun side featured and he's displayed in a number of whimsical photographs throughout the book warning you: "shh... the lamb is resting" and telling you "That's how I roll" when showing off his lobster roll. In addition to these photos of Keller there are numerous beauty shots of the food and technique photos.
Overall I think this book strikes a perfect balance between elegance and approachability. The recipes are refined enough that the most experienced food lover will be satisfied but simple enough to prepare that the willing novice can easily tackle them. For those who have looked at The French Laundry or Under Pressure and were scared off by rare ingredients expensive equipment or advanced technique this book is a great initiation into the world of Thomas Keller's food.
