Is This a Cookbook?

  

I received a copy of this release from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Is This a Cookbook?

Author: Heston Blumenthal 

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Release Date: 11.29.22

Publisher’s Summary 

A culinary adventure from three-time James Beard Award-winning, Michelin-starred chef Heston Blumenthal—but is it a cookbook?

Well, it’s full of Heston’s typically marvelous recipes like pea and ham soup-in-a-sandwich and bacon and egg porridge, popcorn popcorn chicken and (r)ice cream. But in Heston’s kitchen, to cook is to embark on a journey of quantum gastronomy: exploring the palate, feeding the inner child, and plunging headfirst through the plate and into the soul.

Each of the 70 simple, straightforward recipes is accompanied by Heston’s stories, insights, and hacks, turning each cooking session into a journey—and revealing a whole world of culinary possibilities and fresh perspectives. Brought to life by the incredible illustrations by Dave McKean, Heston's long-term collaborator and one of the greatest illustrators at work today, Is This A Cookbook? is the next best thing to having Heston as your sous-chef.
Why not take him along as your adventure partner, too?

My Review

Fun! Fun! Fun! Fun! Fun!

I usually want a beautiful glossy photo to accompany every recipe in a cookbook, but this isn't a cookbook--or is it? Instead, this hefty volume includes quirky, messy, and loveable illustrations on almost every page. This element creates a fun and approachable vibe around cooking, versus the strict and stressful nature of some recipe collections. I loved the twists on classics, but chapters on fermentation and alternative edibles were my favorite.