Reviews
"Natasha MacAller's lovely book is a riposte to anyone who thinks that vanilla is 'plain'. From Rose Levy Beranbaum's 'Gold Ingots' to David Lebovitz's 'Quince Tarte Tatin', these recipes bring home the deep warmth and exoticism of the world's favourite flavour. The collection of recipes from some of the world's top chefs, as well as MacAller herself, open up a universe of vanilla beyond that little bottle of essence at the back of the cupboard. MacAller rightly says that vanilla is a 'universal flavour', but one that is too often taken for granted. Vanilla Table reveals hidden intensities in those dark, twisting pods. It inspired me to embark on vanilla experiments in my own kitchen." - Bee Wilson, author Consider the Fork, 'You expect vanilla in a Hazelnut Bavarois or a Tarte Tatin, but in the Vanilla Table you discover that ingredient in Vanilla Lacquer Duck Leg and Slow-Roasted Oxtail Pot Pies. These are exotic combinations that will expand your culinary palate and titillate your taste buds in a new way. Natasha MacAller teaches us how wonderful, aromatic vanilla can take the mundane to the memorable.', " Vanilla Table is a culinary celebration of all things vanilla... From sweet to savoury, the more than 100 recipes have been carefully curated from 33 internationally acclaimed chefs worldwide to show how to make the most of this magical ingredient... With advice ranging from how to recognise the best product, to proper storing, Vanilla Table will encourage you to use this incredible ingredient in ways never imagined.Joining Natasha MacAller and other famed chefs in this vanilla tribute are ...superstars Yotam Ottolenghi, Peter Gordon, Sherry Yard, Jonathan Waxman and Jim Dodge; each contributed dazzling recipes to this landmark cookbook." - Janice Wald Henderson, CulinaryTravel & Cruise Journalist, 'Natasha MacAller's lovely book is a riposte to anyone who thinks that vanilla is 'plain'. From Rose Levy Beranbaum's 'Gold Ingots' to David Lebovitz's 'Quince Tarte Tatin', these recipes bring home the deep warmth and exoticism of the world's favourite flavour. The collection of recipes from some of the world's top chefs, as well as MacAller herself, open up a universe of vanilla beyond that little bottle of essence at the back of the cupboard. MacAller rightly says that vanilla is a 'universal flavour', but one that is too often taken for granted.ÿVanilla Table reveals hidden intensities in those dark, twisting pods. ÿIt inspired me to embark on vanilla experiments in my own kitchen.' 'You expect vanilla in a Hazelnut Bavarois or a Tarte Tatin, but in theÿVanilla Tableÿyou discover that ingredient in Vanilla Lacquer Duck Leg and Slow-Roasted Oxtail Pot Pies. These are exotic combinations that will expand your culinary palate and titillate your taste buds in a new way. Natasha MacAller teaches us how wonderful, aromatic vanilla can take the mundane to the memorable.' "If you thought vanilla was boring it's time to think again." "a great addition to one's collection. Recipes to keep coming back to over and over again.", 'Natasha MacAller's lovely book is a riposte to anyone who thinks that vanilla is 'plain'. From Rose Levy Beranbaum's 'Gold Ingots' to David Lebovitz's 'Quince Tarte Tatin', these recipes bring home the deep warmth and exoticism of the world's favourite flavour. The collection of recipes from some of the world's top chefs, as well as MacAller herself, open up a universe of vanilla beyond that little bottle of essence at the back of the cupboard. MacAller rightly says that vanilla is a 'universal flavour', but one that is too often taken for granted. Vanilla Table reveals hidden intensities in those dark, twisting pods. It inspired me to embark on vanilla experiments in my own kitchen.', "Never again will these three words be linked--plain, Jane, and vanilla--after falling in love with all foods vanilla-touched as shown in MacAller's first culinary collection. A former ballerina seeking a new livelihood, McAller--and her cooking career--soon began trotting around the globe, organizing food extravaganzas and consulting on recipes along the way. She begins her paean with a short treatise on the vanilla bean: where it comes from (Madagascar, Mexico, Tahiti, and Indonesia) and its various formats. The more than 100 recipes follow, separated by starter, main, blue, brunch, and sharing plates, with dessert, cake, cookie, bevvie, and bar-snack dishes taking up the rest of her book. Originally published in New Zealand two years ago, it's a wondrously photographed and detailed assemblage; determined to make her recipes truly global, she includes metric and avoirdupois weights as well as identifies ingredients by common names in different countries. She's joined in this vanilla craze by such well-known names as Gale Gand in Chicago, Jonathan Waxman in New York, Nancy Silverton in L.A., and 30 others (all listed and dutifully biographed in one of her appendixes). The dishes are intermediate to advanced; such offerings as fennel flan with orange gelee, cashew foam, and vanilla oil; vanilla lacquer duck leg; the plum study (three different types of plum desserts); and even coronation chicken on squashy poppy buns should probably not be attempted by the novice." - Booklist, 'You expect vanilla in a Hazelnut Bavarois or a Tarte Tatin, but in theÿVanilla Tableÿyou discover that ingredient in Vanilla Lacquer Duck Leg and Slow-Roasted Oxtail Pot Pies. These are exotic combinations that will expand your culinary palate and titillate your taste buds in a new way. Natasha MacAller teaches us how wonderful, aromatic vanilla can take the mundane to the memorable.', "You expect vanilla in a Hazelnut Bavarois or a Tarte Tatin, but in the Vanilla Table you discover that ingredient in Vanilla Lacquer Duck Leg and Slow-Roasted Oxtail Pot Pies. These are exotic combinations that will expand your culinary palate and titillate your taste buds in a new way. Natasha MacAller teaches us how wonderful, aromatic vanilla can take the mundane to the memorable." - Jacques Pepin, Chef, Cookbook Author and PBS-TV Cooking Show Host, 'This collection of recipes from some of the world's top chefs, as well as MacAller herself, opens up a universe of vanilla beyond that little bottle of essence at the back of the cupboard.', "Thirty-three chefs'?including Yotam Ottolenghi, Sherry Yard, and Gina DePalma'?contributed recipes to this elegant collection of sweet and savory recipes flavored with vanilla. Dividing restaurant-worthy dishes into nine course-based chapters, chef and former ballerina MacAller highlights a variety of applications for the popular fragrant pods. Beautifully photographed recipes such as steamed barramundi and fregola salad, crunchy cornflake chicken, and creamy butterscotch pudding list ingredient quantities in three units of measurement and include instructions that assume some basic cooking knowledge. MacAller's efforts to translate potentially confusing terms (e.g., cornflour/cornstarch, shrimp/prawns) are mostly successful, if occasionally unnecessary. VERDICT With its wealth of savory recipes and intermediate to advanced preparations, this vanilla cookbook will complement sweet titles such as Shauna Sever's Pure Vanilla." - Library Journal, 'Natasha MacAller's lovely book is a riposte to anyone who thinks that vanilla is 'plain'. From Rose Levy Beranbaum's 'Gold Ingots' to David Lebovitz's 'Quince Tarte Tatin', these recipes bring home the deep warmth and exoticism of the world's favourite flavour. The collection of recipes from some of the world's top chefs, as well as MacAller herself, open up a universe of vanilla beyond that little bottle of essence at the back of the cupboard. MacAller rightly says that vanilla is a 'universal flavour', but one that is too often taken for granted. Vanilla Table reveals hidden intensities in those dark, twisting pods. It inspired me to embark on vanilla experiments in my own kitchen.', 'You expect vanilla in a Hazelnut Bavarois or a Tarte Tatin, but in the Vanilla Table you discover that ingredient in Vanilla Lacquer Duck Leg and Slow-Roasted Oxtail Pot Pies. These are exotic combinations that will expand your culinary palate and titillate your taste buds in a new way. Natasha MacAller teaches us how wonderful, aromatic vanilla can take the mundane to the memorable.'
