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1st out of 10 books
—
4 voters
Ad Hoc at Home
Thomas Keller shares family-style recipes that you can make any or every day.
In the book every home cook has been waiting for, the revered Thomas Keller turns his imagination to the American comfort foods closest to his heart—flaky biscuits, chicken pot pies, New England clam bakes, and cherry pies so delicious and redolent of childhood that they give Proust's madeleines a...more
In the book every home cook has been waiting for, the revered Thomas Keller turns his imagination to the American comfort foods closest to his heart—flaky biscuits, chicken pot pies, New England clam bakes, and cherry pies so delicious and redolent of childhood that they give Proust's madeleines a...more
Hardcover, 368 pages
Published
November 6th 2009
by Artisan
(first published November 1st 2009)
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Now that I've actually worked with the book a little, I can only recommended it with qualifications. It is more down to earth than other Thomas Keller books, but that also just makes it seem like there is less of Thomas Keller in it. Many of the main recipes are staple fare--roast chicken, roast pork, etc. and the only mark that might make them Keller-like is the obsessiveness with which things are cooked slowly and in separate pans. The instructions are really detailed in all the wrong places....more
Fun, interesting, learning a lot about details that make the dish "right" & love the photos! Mouthwatering! Chief Keller really cares about preparing good food his way. Nothing very practical for me about most of his receipts but who cares? I appreciate the passing on of his considerable knowledge and expertise. Can't help myself - this is a delicious read.
Beautiful book, excellent technique and lots of very useful instructions with photos on basic but necessary cooking skills, like cutting up a chicken properly for frying. He is also dead on about being prepared for cooking in the intro to the book (read the beginning of the book!): Measure out all your ingredients and have them lined up on the counter before you even start with your recipe, and i can tell you as a cook who tends to be ADD in the kitchen, this will save you from starting a recipe...more
I'm a big fan of Thomas Keller's. I've only eaten at his restaurants and been in his bakeries a few times, but each visit has been an exceptionally good experience, from the quality of the food to the courteous affability of the staff. (Fun story: I once saw a man on the subway in New York eating from a $42 jar of his foie gras. He did not share.) I like his matter-of-fact food philosophy and style, which in Ad Hoc just takes classic comfort food and does it really, really well. I consider mysel...more
I made my first ever whole roasted chicken from this book, and it was awesome! The book is absolutely gorgeous, with recipes that are fancy enough to be special but easy on the technique. It's full of great recipes if you happen to have access to a farmers market (and things like fresh beans) because he really puts a focus on having great ingredients (as an example - for the chicken I made, Keller recommended young/small root vegetables, when it was hard enough for me just to find rutabagas or t...more
This book is a lovely, well laid out instruction manual. Keller is a stickler for quality ingredients and methodical prep work, and it's fun to read what he does in his kitchen. However, I gave this 3 stars because I do not have five hours to prepare dinner. I also do not have a team of assistants to help me clean up the twenty five pans it's going to take to cook everything the Keller way. I don't even own twenty five pans. On top of all of that, I live in an area where some of the ingredients...more
Jul 31, 2011
Catherine Woodman
added it
Write a review...This is much like the difference between Charlie Trotter's cookbooks relate dto his restaurant, and related to cooking at home. Ad Hoc is entirely do-able for a cook with good cooking experience, but no special talents in the kitchen. The book is meticulously produced--which is probably a hallmark of ths chef. The man designs his own serving dishes for gosh sakes. And while I don't always agree with him (my pea soup is different, and his is very traditional), he does a great job...more
Like with other books written by famous chefs intended for the home cook, some of the recipes here are huge. Most of the recipes in Ad Hoc are fine and are sized for four to six servings. I'm talking about the "extras" recipes that make like three gallons of sauce or whatnot. Sure, the recipe says, "can be refrigerated for three days or frozen for one month," but what in the world is a home cook going to use three gallons of in one month? Maybe chicken stock but not much else. And for that matte...more
I honestly had no idea who Thomas Keller was until I was a few miles from Napa, and a friend mentioned we should check out his restaurant. So we did. On arrival at Bouchon they politely said there were no tables. For months. Huh?!? Who is this guy?
Since I wasn't able to eat there, my wife got me this cookbook for Christmas. I enjoyed this cookbook quite a bit. The fried chicken recipe is very, very good and it opened my eyes to a non-Southern way of doing that classic recipe. His cooking style w...more
Since I wasn't able to eat there, my wife got me this cookbook for Christmas. I enjoyed this cookbook quite a bit. The fried chicken recipe is very, very good and it opened my eyes to a non-Southern way of doing that classic recipe. His cooking style w...more
A beautiful cookbook! Thomas Keller, of the French Laundry, Bouchon, and per se, has written a great book based on the home cooking he remembers from his childhood. This book is full of classics like fried chicken, burgers and fries, mac and cheese, spring vegetable soup, blueberry cobbler, pineapple upside-down cake, and so much more. There is a wonderful chapter on tapenades, chutneys, confits, pickles, and other condiments, many of which I can't wait to try. The recipes are well written and s...more
This is kind of an overall review of the Keller collection of cookbooks. What can I say that hasn't already been said?
Instead I'll keep it short. The reason Keller has risen to the top is because of attention to detail and love of ingredient. One particular detail that has stood out for me is his technique of vegetable cooking. He "turns" a variety of vegetables ... trims them to uniform size. Then he cooks them separately just to the point of perfection in boiling water. But he takes that extra...more
Instead I'll keep it short. The reason Keller has risen to the top is because of attention to detail and love of ingredient. One particular detail that has stood out for me is his technique of vegetable cooking. He "turns" a variety of vegetables ... trims them to uniform size. Then he cooks them separately just to the point of perfection in boiling water. But he takes that extra...more
I would turn to this book for the following:
- Basic sauces, technique, and cooking tips from Thomas Keller
- Recipes for the absolute best (fill-in-the-blank comfort food) ever made, to be served in a semi-formal dinner to a group of foodie friends who would appreciate the effort and quality. Keller's recipes are simple but not easy or quick. He believes in using best quality ingredients, to the extent that he has an entire section on sources for buying these top-notch ingredients. Some of the re...more
- Basic sauces, technique, and cooking tips from Thomas Keller
- Recipes for the absolute best (fill-in-the-blank comfort food) ever made, to be served in a semi-formal dinner to a group of foodie friends who would appreciate the effort and quality. Keller's recipes are simple but not easy or quick. He believes in using best quality ingredients, to the extent that he has an entire section on sources for buying these top-notch ingredients. Some of the re...more
Sigh. Thomas Keller. I dream of the day when I will have the time to cook like this at home every day. As it is, I pull this out a few times a year when I don't mind spending hours in the kitchen making my own dough and crackers and cheese. Much of this book features classic recipes, but they are classics done really, really well. I've made the cornish hens, lamb, chicken pot pie and vanilla ice cream - nothing new or avant-garde about them - and they were all stellar. My husband and I still tal...more
Another lovely addition to my collection of food porn, or foornography. Gorgeous photos, big fat gorgeous fonts, and dustings of flour or zest on everything. Fortunately, there are a few good recipes. The leek bread pudding was an excellent addition to the Thanksgiving dinner, and for the price of the cookbook, I learned that by adding lime zest to the fleur de sel that the most perfect food in the world, corn on the cob, could become even more heavenly. Worth the price of admission for certain...more
This is a hefty book that I could see comfortably perched on counters all over the United States. Each copy would have a broken spine and splotched with drips and drabs of food. It would be thumbed through when a bit of inspiration was needed.
Ad Hoc at Home is chock full of great tips and recipes and there really isn’t anything NOT to like about this book.
It’s a great way to learn some basic (but upscale) recipes to try out in your kitchen. Don’t expect dainty restaurant dishes or anything terri...more
Ad Hoc at Home is chock full of great tips and recipes and there really isn’t anything NOT to like about this book.
It’s a great way to learn some basic (but upscale) recipes to try out in your kitchen. Don’t expect dainty restaurant dishes or anything terri...more
I know that one of Thomas Keller's goals when opening his restaurant Ad Hoc was to serve the best versions of simple family food: the best fried chicken, the best prime rib. These recipes may in fact represent the best of their kind, but I will never know, because I have zero interest in cooking anything in this book. We cook a lot in my house -- I'm married to a professionally-trained chef, and we cook dinner from scratch almost every night -- but we don't have the time or energy to cook Keller...more
I've long lusted after a meal at one of Thomas Keller's restaurants, and it remains one of my dining goals in life. This is the first time I've read one of his cook books, but I'd heard that this one was especially geared to the home cook. It is amazing.
At first I was put off by the gargantuan size, but then was thankful for every page and every inch. It's lovely, instructional, inspirational.
I checked this out of the library, but ordered a copy for keeps while still poring over my library edi...more
At first I was put off by the gargantuan size, but then was thankful for every page and every inch. It's lovely, instructional, inspirational.
I checked this out of the library, but ordered a copy for keeps while still poring over my library edi...more
The size of Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc is a bit unwieldy (more like a coffee table book than a practical cookbook), but the recipes are to die for.
This really is a famous chef's cookbook for the home cook. I especially loved the first section where he recommends what kitchen equipment you really need (and with the exception of the Vitamix the advice is practical.
I second the previous reviewers recommendation of the fried chicken - try it with the creamed corn - you won't be disappointed.
This really is a famous chef's cookbook for the home cook. I especially loved the first section where he recommends what kitchen equipment you really need (and with the exception of the Vitamix the advice is practical.
I second the previous reviewers recommendation of the fried chicken - try it with the creamed corn - you won't be disappointed.
Gerald says:
I thought the season would pass without a new cookbook that would awake the desire to rejoice in food and to sample the joy of cooking a perfect roasted chicken or other splendid winter fare, but then Thomas Keller's new cookbook Ad Hoc at Home appeared, just in time. Keller is a genius of a chef and now he has turned his attention to the family table. He is concerned with making you a better and more creative cook with many tips and suggestions for variations.
I thought the season would pass without a new cookbook that would awake the desire to rejoice in food and to sample the joy of cooking a perfect roasted chicken or other splendid winter fare, but then Thomas Keller's new cookbook Ad Hoc at Home appeared, just in time. Keller is a genius of a chef and now he has turned his attention to the family table. He is concerned with making you a better and more creative cook with many tips and suggestions for variations.
This book may be good for the more experienced cook but for a beginner it is actually a bit too complex. I'm sure the food turns out wonderfully, having eaten at the ad hoc restaurant myself, but I need dishes that can be made more quickly and with fewer and easily found ingredients so as not to be too expensive. I actually haven't cooked any of the recipes myself because of those reasons, so perhaps once I do, my rating will change.
This is a marvellous book. Although written by one of the leading chefs in the world, it is written very much from the cook's perspective. Luxuriating in the smells and tastes of the kitchen, Keller avoids being stuffy and his down-to-earth descriptions and recipes warm the heart. Not only this, but they are accessible and simple enough to complete. Keller also provides useful information about the most important elements for the kitchen. All this, in a book that would be comfortable on any coff...more
As a chef myself, there's one standard to go by and that is Thomas Keller. With this one, while not all that simple he does come down from the things seen in either the Bouchon or French Laundry Cook Book. While I don't usually cook directly out of them, I use them for inspiration when looking to put new items on my menu's. They're a fantastic read, and a wealth of information for even the home cook.
This is a wonderful cookbook. Fancier than most of what you often cook at home (if only due to the fat & leek content), but not crazy fancy like French Laundry Cookbook. Also, the end of the book is full of small side components that keep well in the refrigerator or pantry - lovely flavors to use in cooking or build a simple meal around.
Evil laughter. Creating variations on Thomas Keller food for the non-fat of wallet. You'll take away some really good stuff from this collection. Except that weird photo of Big T huffing bulbs of garlic with this suspect look of ecstasy on his face. Very creepy. Other than that, big ups to my favorite restaurant in Yountville.
Mostly I got this book for the oven baked tomato recipe. I can't believe it's that simple. When I went to Ad Hoc, the best thing was the tomatoes. They were like perfectly seasoned bits of the tastiest red sauce I've ever had. So amazing.
The recipes look pretty solid, and the little notes are nice.
The recipes look pretty solid, and the little notes are nice.
It really didn't take me this many months to read, I'm just a slow to update girl. This is a book one could happily page though and drool over the pictures. I did find the writing about the recipes interesting, there were also great tips throughout. We tried several recipes from the book and all were delicious. However, it only garners 4 stars because really, who cooks like this every night? The recipes suffer from a few too many steps for the anal retentive. Hand trimming the dumplings, really?...more
Fortunately I have eaten here so many times, I'm losing count. Many, many happy memories, always ending up with some good singing! :) I can't wait to try something out of the cookbook though!!! :) Much more cost effective! ;) The dressings alone are worth it! So happy! :)
This book is a wonderful peek into the mind of a culinary master. Keller offers recipes that are complex and challenge the top game of the home cook; but he also offers very simple suggestions (like lime salt) that will change the way you eat certain foods forever.
Not for me. The pig on the front should've clued me in, but a friend suggested it as a good thing for my CSA…what, if I get a meat CSA? The veg recipes sounded good, but not all veg, so a little tough for me. But a nice cookbook otherwise for meat eaters.
Beautiful food. Definitely try the red onion pickles, they're dead easy and so good we were all picking them out of the salad to eat on their own.
The hints and tips make this book very handy and the illustrations are completely inspiring.
The hints and tips make this book very handy and the illustrations are completely inspiring.
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“When we eat together, when we set out to do so deliberately, life is better, no matter what your circumstances.”
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14 déc. 09:16