Is This A Cookbook?

NAMED A BON APPETIT, THE DAILY HIVE, AND EAT YOUR BOOKS BEST COOKBOOK OF THE YEAR A culinary adventure from three-time James Beard Award-winning, Michelin-starred chef Heston Blumenthal--but is it a cookbook? Well, it's full of Heston's typically marvelous recipes like pea and ham soup-in-a-sandwich and bacon and egg porridge, popcorn popcorn chicken and (r)ice cream. But in Heston's kitchen, to cook is to embark on a journey of quantum gastronomy: exploring the palate, feeding the inner child, and plunging headfirst through the plate and into the soul. Each of the 70 simple, straightforward recipes is accompanied by Heston's stories, insights, and hacks, turning each cooking session into a journey--and revealing a whole world of culinary possibilities and fresh perspectives. Brought to life by the incredible illustrations by Dave McKean, Heston's long-term collaborator and one of the greatest illustrators at work today, Is This A Cookbook? is the next best thing to having Heston as your sous-chef. Why not take him along as your adventure partner, too?

“"Notoriously progressive chef Heston Blumenthal turns each into a creative cooking journey colorfully guided by illustrator Dave McKean. It is a cookbook. But also more." -- Epicurious "Dazzling . . . There's culinary sorcery at every turn." -- Time Out New York, on HISTORIC HESTON "[A] book that defies description . . . A headfirst dive down the rabbit hole, with Blumenthal as the Mad Hatter." -- The New York Times Book Review, on HISTORIC HESTON "[A] showstopper." -- Los Angeles Times, on THE BIG FAT DUCK BOOKBOOK "Like no other book I have seen in the last twenty years... monumentally important." -- Jeffrey Steingarten, Vogue, on THE FAT DUCK COOKBOOK”

‘A beautiful thing to behold, full of varied recipes which seem easy to manage, gorgeous illustrations and sumptuous photography’ Louise Carpenter, The Times
‘Heston’s done it again. With the original molecular gastronomist, nothing is ever straightforward, and his latest cookbook is no exception. Why is banana and parsley such a winning combination? What is it about a cheese sandwich that causes such a nostalgic rush? But perhaps the biggest surprise is that every musing leads to a simple recipe well within the reach of any curious home cook’ Tony Turnbull, The TImes
‘This is a glorious sprawl of a book, beautifully illustrated by Dave McKean, that looks at the practical and emotional components of food… Is this a cookbook? For me this is a picture book, a collection of questions that hit you like little darts, and uncomplicated recipes you’ll approach in a different, more thoughtful way’ Diana Henry, The Telegraph
‘Both practical and thought provoking’ The Mail on Sunday

Entirely self-taught, Heston Blumenthal is the most progressive chef of his generation. In 2004 he won the coveted three Michelin stars in near-record time for his restaurant The Fat Duck, which has twice been voted the Best Restaurant in the World by an international panel of 500 experts. In 2006 he was awarded an OBE. Dave McKean is a long-time artistic collaborator of award-winning author Neil Gaiman. He has illustrated and designed several children's books, eight with Neil, Coraline, The Wolves in the Walls,The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish, Varjak Paw with S. F. Said (winner of the Smarties Gold award in 2004), Mirrormask, The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr Punch, Signal to Noise and Crazy Hair. He is also a film-maker. Dave lives in Kent.

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