Charlie Trotter's: [A Cookbook]

Have you ever traveled cross-country to Chicago just to dine at Charlie Trotter's? I have, and it was one of the best meals of my life. This book and the others in the series are great at giving you a feel of what the real thing is like. The pictures are outstanding and the combinations just wow you. But if you think for a moment that any cookbook would allow you to duplicate what Charlie does, you are mistaken. Some cookbooks are for those who want to follow a recipe and duplicate it. This is not one of those. This is for people who want to understand the Chef's unique cuisine and appreciate it for the art that it is.

This book is fantastic. The quality of the pictures and recipes are extremely high.The culinary masterpieces created in the mind of Charlie Trotter push the outer limits of creativity and innovation. This book focuses on every aspect of a gourmet meal: from visual presentation to taste, texture, and usage of seasonal fruits and vegetables. I am a big fan of this book. While I will not make every recipe in it, it has caused me to experiment more freely in my kitchen and opened my mind to new possibilities, food combinations, and presentation styles. There are several recipes that call for extremely exotic/hard-to-find items...don't bother with them...Improvise and use what you have.This book is not for the novice chef. A solid understanding of several cooking techniques is required for each dish...but with some practice, you will be rewarded tenfold. If you have the means, I highly recommend his namesake restaurant in Chicago. It is an utterly overwhelming experience.

this book is an incredible source for techniquues and motivation. Trotter is of cousre a perfectionist and his passion for cooking is seen through this book. Each component is carefully balanced so that a full and maximum flavor is achieved. Also, don't be afraid of the book, you don't have to follow each recipe step by step-let it inspire you.

This book gave me the push I needed four years ago, and helped me develop my own style of cooking. Charlie Trotter is culinary hero, and as a working chef I can say that this book inspired my cooking more than any other. It is definately a must have for any chef or serious cook.

This book invaded my life and my home for well over two years. Trotter is mad, of course -- try getting that peekytoe crab or salsify at Ralph's -- and he will insist that you use every pot and pan you own. The recipes always work, if you have eight hours or so -- they will taste great and you can actually make them look just like the beautiful photographs. The great thing is Trotter teaches you so much technique and gives you so many building blocks as you struggle through his epic recipes. Hardly a week goes by that I do not use something I learned from this book.