The Olives Table

`The Olives Table' by the dashingly handsome celebrity chef Todd English and professional culinary writer, Sally Sampson is in every way a typical celebrity chef / restaurant cookbook. It has good, interesting recipes, some insights into what makes a good professional chef, and a slant which distinguishes it from most other celebrity chef / restaurant cookbooks. The special twist is obvious from the title of the book, as English really likes the cooking of the Mediterranean, especially the role olives plays in Mediterranean dishes. In fact, English agrees with virtually all other writers on this subject when he states that you simply cannot cook Mediterranean without olive oil. And, this means olives and olive oil in virtually all its different applications, from marinaded olive appetizers to aioli in place of mayonnaise and practically all other egg sauces. The insight into professional cooking comes in the interview of English by Sally Sampson which opens the book. When asked to explain how chefs can keep up their interest and dedication through the long hours required by a high end restaurant, English says that (and I'm paraphrasing here) once a chef gets into the groove and the adrenalin kicks in, you get the kind of endomorphin rush which comes from long, hard exercize. And, if you don't put in the kind of effort needed to reach that experience at least some of the time, you will not succeed as a chef recognized for doing quality work. One of the more important considerations in deciding whether to buy this book is the fact that while English has included a lot of recipes with his own special twists, there are also a lot of recipes here which simply are not too different from what you will find in other cookbooks which specialize in Mediterranean cuisine. The question is more difficult in that while this is a good book, it is not a major effort with an important extra dimension which makes it an important book for any foodie to own. Example of such books are `Bouchon' by Thomas Keller and Tony Bourdain's `Le Halle Cookbook'. Both are important because they offer a pretty complete picture of bistro / brasserie cooking from two very different perspectives. Keller adds his unique insights into brasserie cooking and Bourdain is about the most entertaining cooking writer this side of Alton Brown. Since this is not a distinctively great restaurant cookbook and it does include a lot of typical recipes, although each with English's own little twist, do you still want to buy it. There are a few very good reasons to say yes. First, if you make a point of only buying restaurant cookbooks, you will have less overlap than if you also happen to own the classics of Mediterranean cooking by Paula Wolfert, Joyce Goldstein, Clifford Wright, Claudia Roden, and Nancy Harmon Jenkins. Also, if you happen to be simply nuts about olives, aioli, figs, and rice dishes, then you will find much to enthrall you in this book. The recipes include the usual entertaini

Many restauranteurs publish cookbooks featuring recipes from their restaurants. I have a fair number of these books.This is the *only* such book that I return to, repeatedly. I've made the goat cheese and sausage stuffed olives, the Falling Chocolate Cake (many times and is as excellent as another reviewer said), the Fennel Salad, the Tuna Tartare, and probably a good number of other recipes. The outcomes are consistently good.I've also eaten at Olives a fair number of times, so I'm confident that I'm capturing the essence of Todd's cooking.This is a high-quality hardcover book with high-quality paper, meaning that it should survive in the kitchen for a good long time. The recipes are well-laid-out on the pages and easy to refer to while you're cooking (a stark contrast from my "old" Joy of Cooking - which I love but does have a shortcoming in this area).

I was actually given this book by Todd English after dining in one of his terrific restaurants. As such, I just had to give some of the recipes a try. What incredible taste sensations! The fried green olives stuffed with sausage and goat cheese were outstanding and incredibly easy. I was also intrigued by his pointing out the dishes that his little daughter liked. I've cooked them for my own kids with tremendous results. Can't wait for the next book!

After watching Todd English on the PBS series, I had to have the book. I never missed an episode - He's a culinary genius to the point you can only just sit back and shake your head. I recently gave a dinner for my sister's birthday and made the Falling Chocolate cake for desert. Prepared in ramekins, this delightfully chocolately desert is served individually, sprinkled with powedered sugar, garnished with fresh raspberries (or sauce as the recipie calls for)and a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, which I adorned with an extra flourish of a chocolate lace sculpture. The room fell silent as each warm & delicate, yet rich cake was served. It remained silent throughout except for an occassional groan of delight, until every plate was as clean as each gues could get it. My gourmet brother-in-law, Dennis, said in a serious tone,"Mimi, that's the best desert I've ever had in any restaurant." that's high praise from someone who lived and dined in New Orleans for 7 years. My friend Kathy asked for the recipie then went off to a corner to read the book for about an hour. What can I say? We're hooked on English. If you have the courage to try these amazing recipies, you'll never be sorry. Needless to say, I'm giving both Kathy and Dennis this book for Christmas. - Mimi Lujan

One of my all-time favorite cookbooks! Try the asparagus soup with feta cheese. It is more asparagus-flavored than asparagus is. Try the fool-proof and incredibly simple individual falling chocolate cakes. They are simultaneously gooey and luxurious. His olive paste is simple and wonderful, standing on its own as well as integrating beautifully into the Olive's tart. His recipe for simple Roast chicken stuffed with garlic and rosemary is one of the best I've found.A few of his detractors have complained of missing ingredients and even untested recipes. While I have heard of these things happening, I have yet to experience this first hand.