Reddit reviews The Fat Duck Cookbook

When Borders went under I managed to score a brand new copy of this book for under $10 from my local one: https://www.amazon.com/Fat-Duck-Cookbook-Heston-Blumenthal/dp/160819020X

I'm similar with not buying physical books very often anymore, but I make the exception for large coffee table books with beautiful illustrations; I love my kindle but it still can't replace the beauty and fun of having some of those around for guests to flip through etc.

Some cookbooks that I use or are on my wishlist:

• The Fat Duck
  
  
• The French Laundry
  
  
• Alinea
  
  
• Eleven Madison Park
  
  
• Quay: food inspired by nature
  
  
• Room for Dessert
  
  
• Murgaritz: A Natural Science of Cooking
  
  
• Saison
  
  
• Rasoi: New Indian Kitchen
  
  
• Le Cinq
  
  
• Coi: Stories and Recipes
  
  
• Massimo Bottura: Never Trust a Skinny Italian Chef
  
  
• Atelier Crenn: Metamorphosis of Taste
  
  
• El Celler De Can Roca
  
  Great British Chefs also has some recipes from Michelin starred restaurants.

The Big Fat Duck Cookbook

Go big, or go home. =)

EDIT: Yay, I just learned there's a cheap version. No content was removed. http://www.amazon.com/Fat-Duck-Cookbook-Heston-Blumenthal/dp/160819020X

Jane Grigson's English Food (1979) is probably as close as you'll get to an English Mastering the Art. It's as much a history and anthrolpological study of English food as it is a collection of recipes, but its recipes are extensive and excellent.

Elizabeth Luard's The Old World Kitchen (1987), which ranges across the European continent, nonetheless contains a fine, idiosyncratic collection of English recipes in its midst (and is probably the best single-volume reference of old world peasant cooking traditions).

The incomparable Elizabeth David's English Bread and Yeast Cookery (1977) covers every inch of the English bread-making tradition, from milling wheat to presenting at the table. David's attentions were usually focused in a more southerly direction -- the foods of France, Italy -- but she treats the baking traditions of her home nation with as much detail and respect as she does those of more foreign locales

If you want a more contemporary, chef-y book, check out Fergus Henderson's more recent The Whole Beast (2004), which is delicious, detailed, and delectable.

And finally, if you want something a lot more chef-y, Heston Blumenthal's The Fat Duck Cookbook (2009) will show you contemporary English gastronomy at its most ambitious (but also, maybe, its most pretentious). It sure is pretty to look at, tho.

Whether it is actually better or not, that's highly debatable and according to taste. But the cuisine in London/ UK is not neglectable and has a very rich background.

One of the most influential chefs in the world such as Heston Blumenthal (which is largely inspired by Harold McGee, an American), Marco Pierre White (he partly wrote modern cuisine, also an awesome person to hear) and Michel Roux (both senior as junior) have worked their careers in the UK. Each of them have defined a part of cooking/ cuisine in their way.

Not to forget the Commonwealth as well indeed, which brought a lot to the UK.

Really been watching too much MasterChef UK/ Australia and to one of my cooking teachers who really loves to read about history/ science of food. Then again, it's awesome to hear and to know as food is a way of sharing love, express your creativity and bonds and is such an important aspect of our lives/ society/ culture.

Some books which are awesome and I also have in my collection are:

• The Fat Duck Cookbook (don't imagine creating a dish of it, it's more about the insight and the science behind the dishes as they are easily a couple of pages)
  
• On food and cooking
  
• The Devil in the Kitchen
  
• Kitchen Confidential
  
  Honestly, couldn't forget the latter of course.

if you're being honest about her already being above average and having everything, knowing a lot-- take it to the next level:

http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/kitchen/e71f/

http://www.amazon.com/Experimental-Kit-Artistre-600-grams/dp/B0045KOOXU/ref=pd_sim_k_3


tangents you may pursue:

http://www.stevenrinella.com/book/the-scavengers-guide-to-haute-cuisine/ non-fiction book about cooking and hunting and gathering. highly recommend. won't improve her kitchen skills one iota.

http://www.amazon.com/Kitchen-Confidential-Adventures-Culinary-Underbelly/dp/0060934913 speaks for itself

http://www.amazon.com/Fat-Duck-Cookbook-Heston-Blumenthal/dp/160819020X/ref=pd_sim_gro_6 original mole gas guy. old-new school, mother fucker.

The Big Fat Duck by Heston Blumenthal is a book I dream about owning, but probably never will. The Fat Duck is probably more feasible. Hopefully this opens up a rabbit hole is your search.