The Family Meal
Home Cooking with Ferran Adrià
By: Ferran Adria
About This Book
Every day at 5.20pm the staff at elBulli stop what they are doing, clear down their work surfaces and cover them with tablecloths, bring in chairs and sit down to eat a three-course dinner together in the kitchen. This is known at elBulli as the 'family meal', and it consists of homely dishes such as guacamole with nachos, Waldorf salad, fish soup, grilled sardines with garlic and parsley, or baked apples. Each day a different member of the kitchen team prepares the meal, and it's an important moment of the day, when the team can pause, take stock and prepare themselves for the pressures of the evening service. The family meal is very important to Ferran, so much so that he prepares the daily menus and recipes for it a whole year in advance. Now, for the first time, Ferran is making his recipes available to all home cooks in The Family Meal. With simple, step-by-step instructions, and all the know-how that results from more than two decades in the world's most innovative kitchen, he shows how to prepare tasty, everyday food with 31 nutritionally balanced daily menus, each one consisting of three courses, with a total of 93 recipes. Anyone can prepare his simple, everyday recipes, which are carefully designed to provide nutritious, tasty and economical meals for large numbers. Generously illustrated with specially commissioned photographs of the dishes, preparation, the kitchen and the chefs, The Family Meal is both a practical collection of simple, delicious recipes and an insight into one of the most important rituals at the world's most innovative restaurant.
AI Overview
Comprehensive Overview of "The Family Meal" by Ferran Adrià
Key Themes:
- Home Cooking: The book focuses on everyday recipes designed to nourish and energize Ferran Adrià and his team at elBulli, a renowned restaurant.
- Staff Feeding: It explores how Adrià fed his hard-working staff, highlighting the importance of mealtime in maintaining energy and creativity.
- Culinary Techniques: The book showcases Adrià's pioneering culinary techniques, which have been influential in the culinary world.
Plot Summary: "The Family Meal" features a month's worth of three-course menus created by Ferran Adrià and his team. These meals were essential for sustaining the staff during their busy service evenings. The book provides a glimpse into the daily culinary routines of one of the world's most influential chefs, offering practical and inspiring home-cooking recipes.
Critical Reception:
- Positive Reviews: The book has received positive reviews for its unique approach to home cooking and its insight into the culinary practices of a legendary chef. It is praised for being the first and only book of everyday recipes by Ferran Adrià, who is known for his innovative and influential culinary techniques.
- Foreword by Ferran Adrià: The new edition includes a brand-new foreword by Ferran Adrià himself, adding an additional layer of authenticity and personal insight into the book.
- Critical Acclaim: The book has been described as "nothing short of sensational" and has been highlighted as a significant contribution to home cooking literature.
Product Details:
- Format: Hardback
- Size: 290 × 214 mm (11 3/8 × 8 3/8 in)
- Pages: 384 pp
- Illustrations: None
- ISBN: 9781838663223 (10th Anniversary Edition)
About the Author: Ferran Adrià joined elBulli in 1984 and rapidly rose to become the head chef. He is famous for his pioneering culinary techniques and has won three Michelin stars for elBulli, among other accolades. Since elBulli's closure in 2011, Adrià has lectured internationally and developed the elBullifoundation, a culinary academy and think tank.