Comments on: Review - Botanical, by Paul Wilson

By: Duncan

Duncan — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 23:12:12 +0000

Welcome back, Y! Nice to hear your thoughts and I'm glad it seems accessible. Hope you enjoy what you make out of it.

By: Y

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 22:35:19 +0000

Funny, I was just leafing through my copy of Botanical yesterday. I was going to wait til it hopefully came down in price a little at the shops, but then the bf got it for me as a present. Must say, I really love the book (it brought back memories of when I had a meal there) and think the recipes actually look pretty accessible -not that I've had a chance to try them out yet-.

By: Duncan

Duncan — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 12:38:01 +0000

Haalo, please keep it civil. I believe dc wrote 'a bit more home-cook oriented' - a far cry from saying these were average home-cook books. We will have to differ about what we think about the various titles. I've heard a few experienced, confident home cooks gasp a little when looking at Botanical, yet they find the titles that you and dc mentioned and, say, Pignolet's French generally less daunting. Clearly there are a variety of reactions amongst people who know the books. I would also probably agree with you about Christine Manfields' books (I had overlooked them - a while since I've had them in my hands).

By: Haalo

Haalo — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 11:57:14 +0000

Hi dc - I have to assume you don't have those books as even with a quick glance you would never be able to say that either were pitched at the home cook market. I don't know how many home cooks could actually have the time and possibly the ability to make the Assiette of pig's head for example.
I also had another longer look through The Botantical and have to stand by my initial impression. For me, it's very much in the mould of Grossi's book on the Florentino, just a bit larger and more expensive but neither are daunting.

By: dc

dc — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 08:00:09 +0000

I think you (Duncan and Haalo) are looking at it from different perspectives. I can see what Duncan means with Botanical. The recipes look daunting, whereas the books Haalo mentioned, like Bather's Pavilion and Becasse, seem a bit more home-cook oriented even though some recipes are long and ambitious. I might be wrong, but Haalo seems to be looking more at the whole package while Duncan seems to concentrate on the recipes.

By: Haalo

Haalo — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 14:33:42 +0000

Quick answer - Yes.

If you want to go further back Christine Mansfield's books (Paramount, Paramount Desserts and Spice) were first rate - both in structure and quality.
Bécasse has got to be one of the most beautiful books and not just beautiful in the sense of the photography or the layout but beauty in the spirit and intent of the book. It is a love letter to Australian ingredients.

Serge's book is high art food, just his chapter on amuse alone was enough for me. My Vue is like having the restaurant in your bookshelf - every dish we had is in there, well every dish from the Carlton days - I'm looking forward to the sequel.
Another excellent chef's books is Damian Pignolet's French.

By: Duncan

Duncan — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 13:06:20 +0000

Hi Haalo. My impression was that Botanical was the first heavy-duty book by a chef here (I didn't mean the first by a heavy-duty chef). Do you feel that the titles you mention compete in gastronomic detail and ambition?

By: Haalo

Haalo — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 13:00:40 +0000

Having had Tetsuya's cookbook for a while I can say that it does look good but when you actually go to make the recipes there is a lack of detail, there's a bit of vagueness and worst of all, flavourless end products.
For excellent local chef authoured cookbooks try Serge Dansereau's The Bathers' Pavilion: Menus and Recipes, Justin North's Bécasse and Shannon's My Vue - The Botanical certainly isn't the"first local heavy-duty" chef's cookbook, it's just the latest in a string.

By: Duncan

Duncan — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 06:08:22 +0000

Thanks to both of you for your compliments and interest! Keep them coming:P

By: i said i would :)

i said i would :) — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 23:35:21 +0000

Hi Duncan,

I like your site, I'll have a bit more of a stroll around so I can be more informed when next we meet.

Cameron