Modern Gastronomy: A to Z Hardcover – 21 Dec. 2009

The El Bulli restaurant is the stuff of legend, but this book doesn't make its magic more accessible. It is more for food scientists than cooks, and there's no point coming to it in the hope of recipe ideas, but it will tell you why meat goes brown or what Mannitol is. I can't imagine who it's aimed at. The blurb says that the book has suggestions for use of the various things that are defined, but the suggestion is as likely to be to use it as a preservative in canned food, or "in neutraceutical foodstuffs" (entry for "flavonoids", which have "no known use" in restaurants). I daresay someone will have a use for this book, but I can't think who exactly.

Ferran Adria is a genius. Herve This has written about and lead a movement that has invigorated food preparation. Harold McGee educates and makes everybody who cooks think. I was really hoping that this would be the encylopedia that distilled all that is good in the ideas and works of these (and many other) men. I'm sorry, but it just doesn't. It is a thin and weakly compiled i-spy book of ingredients and techniques. Save your money for "On Food & Cooking".

This book isn't packed with photo's of pretty dishes but is very informative and gives a great insight into everything you need to know about modern gastronomy

GREST BOOK FOR COOKS THAT ARE INTO THE UNDERSTANDING OF CERTNAINLY NEW TECHNIQUES....THOUGH SHOULD BE REPRINTED CAUSE A FEW INGREDIENTS THE ARE NOW ON THE MARKET AREN'T AVAILABLE ON THE BOOK....

What a disappointment - I was expecting something really interesting, revealing and illuminating about the whole el Bulli concept. This is just a alphabetical list of ingredients in elementary technical terms, far too basic for food scientists and technologists (which I used to be) and with no recipes or anything else to offer keen amateur cooks (which I still am). I take particular issue with the frequent recommendations that an ingredient should be used 'quo satis'(just enough) without any indication of what this should be - and as the last reviewer said, of the inclusion of many ingredients 'of no known use'. Ridiculously expensive - avoid!

Excellent book! Very informative! More useful as a reference than instructional text!

The information in the book is useful. I would have to say though, that take the subtitle to heart when considering purchasing, it is a lexicon, not an encyclopedia, brief general definitions are provided on a great many items, but if more info is required one quickly moves on to other sources of information. As with a number of publications from elBulli/Adria the volume is quite pricey and one might be better served elsewhere for a one stop volume. Some of Ferran Adria's books are unique and specific to the amazing work he has accomplished in the culinary world, and worth big bucks if you are interested in the genre. This one might not be one of them.

Worthless dictionary.Complete waste.

I purchased a copy of this USD42 book only to receive a copy that had a cheap 4 inch long sticker on the cover that was difficult to remove. I subsequently returned the book for a replacement and received another book with the same 4 inch cheap sticker on the cover!?Only purchase this book if you are going to use it and don't mind that the entire batch probably has this unique and tacky feature.

This is an exceptional book for the cook for Chef wanting to understand both traditional and new cooking methods and recipe roots.