The Gourmet Kitchen: Recipes from the Creator of Savory Simple

Culinary ingredients and practices have followed migrants along migration routes and travelers along trade routes. Over time, recipes change, reflecting the evolution of food and science and the way society regards foods and food presentation. This collection of recipes reflects Korean and Middle Eastern influences on American cuisine.

The book’s approach is that these recipes are to be used as guidelines, and it encourages readers to change, modify, omit, and add ingredients to the various recipes. Readers would be well advised to read the chapter titled “Ingredients and Equipment” that outlines why certain ingredients are chosen and offers guidelines for possible substitution. That chapter also justifies the use of the kitchen equipment referenced throughout the book.

The recipes are thematically arranged. Each recipe starts with a relevant blurb, list of ingredients, and step-by-step preparation. There may be some discussion of possible variations or substituting ingredients. A full-page picture shows the finished product–a definite help for readers trying to compare their creations with those intended by this work.

Most of the recipes take more time (and some more patience) than one would expect for these meals. However, the additional effort truly makes them “gourmet.” With that said, once one has experimented with a recipe, the results are always repeatable and are generally very good to excellent. Recommended for those who want to prepare excellent ordinary meals.