The Elements of Taste

“A different kind of cookbook . . . original, thought-provoking, and savory.” —Award-winning restaurant critic Bryan Miller, from his Foreword

Chef Gray Kunz has teamed up with food writer Peter Kaminsky to put together a cookbook that looks precisely at what taste is. They have identified fourteen basic tastes in the chef's palate and offer recipes showing how to use these fundamental building blocks.

Truly inspired combinations include Halibut with Spring Onion Stew in Watercress Mussel Broth, Spiced Shrimp in Cardamom Ancho Chili Sauce, Oven-Crisped Chicken with Maple Vinegar Sauce, Ham Hocks and Spare Ribs in Cherry Beer, Poached and Crisped Turkey Leg Provençale with Lemon Pickle, Chilled Lemongrass Soup with Coconut-Pineapple Ice Cream and Papaya, and Citrus and Passion Fruit Soufflé. Describing the heat, the texture, the timing of taste as you bite through these mouthfuls, the authors go beyond nearly telling the home chef how to put together these dishes. In clear, concise language they explain how each flavor fits into the total taste experience.

More than a primer of flavor, The Elements of Taste is a practical and seductive introduction to the world of taste, including over 130 recipes by one of the acknowledged masters of contemporary cuisine. When you have cooked through this book, you will be able to look into your own pantry or refrigerator to create your own four-star meals.

“Gray Kunz's cutting-edge and innovative cooking is the cuisine of a chef thoroughly trained in classic cuisine but liberated from its constraints. The complex and intriguing tastes of his creations satisfy the palate and titillate the mind.” —Jacques Pépin