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Salt & Pepper Cooking: The Education of an American Chef
From the time he was a baby, James Haller loved being in the kitchen. Internationally acclaimed chef and award-winning author James Haller serves up a perfect blend of humor, nostalgia, and wisdom in this delightful culinary memoir. In his latest book, Chef Haller chronicles a lifetime of cooking.
“I never formally studied the culinary arts. But the lessons that came to me in the daily cooking of the households of which I was a part have stayed with me all of my life. This informal education is the subject of this book. Salt & Pepper Cooking brings me full circle—back to where I began.” — Chef Haller
James Haller opened his renowned restaurant, Blue Strawbery, in 1970 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and in 16 years never repeated a menu. Today, creative cuisine abounds, but in Chef Haller’s time, he was truly an innovator, one of a generation of American chefs including Larry Forgione in Manhattan, Lydia Shire in Boston, Jeremiah Tower in San Francisco, Alice Waters of Chez Panisse, who all pioneered the New American Cooking. Haller is the author of several books, including The Blue Strawbery Cookbook: Cooking Brilliantly Without Recipes, Vie De France, a travel journal that has been printed in 3 languages, and What To Eat When You Don’t Feel Like Eating, on cooking for cancer patients, which has sold over 800,000 copies.
“I never formally studied the culinary arts. But the lessons that came to me in the daily cooking of the households of which I was a part have stayed with me all of my life. This informal education is the subject of this book. Salt & Pepper Cooking brings me full circle—back to where I began.” — Chef Haller
James Haller opened his renowned restaurant, Blue Strawbery, in 1970 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and in 16 years never repeated a menu. Today, creative cuisine abounds, but in Chef Haller’s time, he was truly an innovator, one of a generation of American chefs including Larry Forgione in Manhattan, Lydia Shire in Boston, Jeremiah Tower in San Francisco, Alice Waters of Chez Panisse, who all pioneered the New American Cooking. Haller is the author of several books, including The Blue Strawbery Cookbook: Cooking Brilliantly Without Recipes, Vie De France, a travel journal that has been printed in 3 languages, and What To Eat When You Don’t Feel Like Eating, on cooking for cancer patients, which has sold over 800,000 copies.
128 pages, Paperback
First published November 15, 2015
About the author
James Haller
12 books3 followersInternationally acclaimed master chef, author, and presenter James Haller has written numerous articles, books, and personal stories about his journey to becoming an award-winning master chef. He was the executive chef, founder, and owner of the Blue Strawbery restaurant in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and the Lee Fontain Carriage House in Memphis, Tennessee. He also owned and operated James Haller’s Kitchen, where he taught classes and acted as a food consultant.
Haller opened his renowned Blue Strawbery in 1970 and in 16 years never repeated a menu. Today, creative cuisine abounds, but in Chef Haller’s time, he was truly an innovator, one of a generation of American Chefs including Larry Forgione in Manhattan, Lydia Shire in Boston, Jeremiah Tower in San Francisco, Alice Waters of Chez Panisse, who all pioneered the New American Cooking.
Haller is the author of several cookbooks, a food/fitness book, What to Eat When You Don’t Feel Like Eating, a book for feeding terminally ill people, which has sold almost 1 million copies, as well as Vie de France (2002), a book about the month he spent with friends in the Loire Valley for his sixtieth birthday, where he renewed his love of cooking.
His most recent book,
Haller opened his renowned Blue Strawbery in 1970 and in 16 years never repeated a menu. Today, creative cuisine abounds, but in Chef Haller’s time, he was truly an innovator, one of a generation of American Chefs including Larry Forgione in Manhattan, Lydia Shire in Boston, Jeremiah Tower in San Francisco, Alice Waters of Chez Panisse, who all pioneered the New American Cooking.
Haller is the author of several cookbooks, a food/fitness book, What to Eat When You Don’t Feel Like Eating, a book for feeding terminally ill people, which has sold almost 1 million copies, as well as Vie de France (2002), a book about the month he spent with friends in the Loire Valley for his sixtieth birthday, where he renewed his love of cooking.
His most recent book,
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 11, 2023
A fun book. Reminds me of cooking of my mom's generation especialy when 7 minute frosting was mentioned. (see Fanny Farmer Cookbook) I enjoyed eating at the Blue Strawberry in the late 80s and just had a meal at the Black Trumpet last week . (the Black Trumpet resides in the old Blue Strawberry Location: Ceres Street,Portsmouth NH)
November 7, 2015
A very short, little book. Finished it in about an hour. James Haller is the renown chef of The Blue Strawberry; the restaurant which arguably put Portsmouth on the culinary map. I never had the chance to eat there, but have heard my mother fondly recall that all of her favorite meals were ones she had at The Blue Strawberry.
The book is not a cookbook, but instead a recollection of food-related memories and experiences James Haller had growing up. Each chapter is a separate story, typically on a couple of pages long but Mr. Haller does a good job imparting his deep appreciation for family, food and tradition.
I had the opportunity to meet Chef Haller (who most refer to as "Buddy") this past week at a book signing. He was charming, well spoken and very approachable. I'd recommend that anyone who has a love of food or Portsmouth seek an opportunity to attend one of his book signings.
The book is not a cookbook, but instead a recollection of food-related memories and experiences James Haller had growing up. Each chapter is a separate story, typically on a couple of pages long but Mr. Haller does a good job imparting his deep appreciation for family, food and tradition.
I had the opportunity to meet Chef Haller (who most refer to as "Buddy") this past week at a book signing. He was charming, well spoken and very approachable. I'd recommend that anyone who has a love of food or Portsmouth seek an opportunity to attend one of his book signings.
October 28, 2015
This is a wonderful and warm book. I heard the author read excerpts from it and hearing him read was lovely. A lovely man, a charmed life! Hearing about the farm visits and the family dynamics in the 1930s and 40s was most nostalgic and beautiful!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews