Product Description

Take a walk down Main Street in Santa Monica, California, where Hans R??ckenwagner, one of the country's most talented chefs, is combining the Old World charm and traditions of his German heritage and European training with the multicultural culinary influences of Los Angeles. With 150 recipes, including most of the bestsellers on the menu at his namesake restaurant, and more than 35 color photos that evoke the beachside city's energy and romance, ROCKENWAGER offers exciting, accessible recipes for decadent breakfasts and brunches, relaxed lunches, indulgent dinners, and any other occasion.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1819855 in Books
• Published on: 1997-04-01
• Released on: 1997-04-01
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: 1.25 pounds
• Binding: Hardcover
• 208 pages

From Amazon.com
Chefs' cookbooks are full of dishes that require hours of preparation. The steps are often simple, but each one must be performed precisely to ensure an ultimately successful outcome. Hans Röckenwagner's Pan-Roasted Chicken Breasts on Curried Eggplant with Polenta Fries and Lemon Chutney is a perfect example. It also exemplifies how he constructs complex dishes from what he calls "building blocks." Röckenwagner, the cookbook, features recipes from the similarly named, favorably rated California restaurant. The menus also include tempting, simpler choices such as apple pancake and a killer bread pudding; other offerings, such as goulash soup, pretzels, and spaetzle, reflect Röckenwagner's German roots. Among the showpieces, Medallions of Salmon with a Smoked Salmon and Horseradish Topping is a recipe that cooks who enjoy an afternoon in the kitchen might reasonably attempt. Beyond that, this cookbook is primarily for attracting customers to the restaurant.

From Library Journal
English, chef/owner of Olives, a well-known Boston restaurant, likes Mediterranean-inspired food with strong flavor combinations, what he characterizes as "refined rustic." It's a good description of dishes such as Chilled Black Olive Spaghetti Salad and Gorgonzola-Stuffed Figs with Balsamic Glaze. Other more refined, less rustic dishes feature foie gras, truffles, and other such indulgences. The recipes themselves, however, are generally straightforward and refreshingly approachable for a chef's cookbook. Rockenwagner grew up in a restaurant family in Germany, trained in French restaurants in Europe and the United States, and has been increasingly influenced by Asian cuisine since he opened Rockenwagner in Los Angeles ten years ago. He defines his style of cooking as a combination of old European and Pacific Rim cuisines. His eclectic menu is just as likely to feature Salmon Tempura with Daikon Salad as Roasted Quail with Pomegranate Reduction. Rockenwagner is a talented chef, and the recipes are clearly written, but many are rather involved; fans may prefer to read the book and then sample the food at the restaurant. Both these books are recommended for their respective area libraries and others where restaurant cookbooks are popular.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.