Comments on: Cookbook Review: Momofuku by David Chang and Peter Meehan: The Hype, Justified http://www.eatmedaily.com/2009/10/book-review-momofuku-by-david-chang-and-peter-meehan-the-hype-justified/ Tue, 09 Oct 2012 18:53:26 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Hannah http://www.eatmedaily.com/2009/10/book-review-momofuku-by-david-chang-and-peter-meehan-the-hype-justified/#comment-2793 Hannah Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:19:18 +0000 http://www.eatmedaily.com/?p=32318#comment-2793 Thank you for that beautiful review! As a Londoner I was completely ignorant of momofuku's existence, let alone this book. I love labor intensive recipes involving hard to find ingredients, so I'll definitely look out for it. Thank you for that beautiful review! As a Londoner I was completely ignorant of momofuku's existence, let alone this book. I love labor intensive recipes involving hard to find ingredients, so I'll definitely look out for it.

]]> By: Monary http://www.eatmedaily.com/2009/10/book-review-momofuku-by-david-chang-and-peter-meehan-the-hype-justified/#comment-2791 Monary Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:31:25 +0000 http://www.eatmedaily.com/?p=32318#comment-2791 This is what other cookbook reviews should be measured against. It does *such* a good job of zeroing in on what makes a book (and the chef/restaurant that spawned it) special -- good and bad -- and then providing smart, literate, criticism that's informed by an obvious love of food, cooking, and restaurants. Not to mention words and books. I want more reviewers who hold their breath at the mere mention of a cookbook coming out. Who are wordy enough to put "ephemera," "tangential," and "interstitials" into one sentence and down to earth enough to use "awesome" three times in two other sentences. Who have the insight to figure out a book's core and tell us readers what it is: David Chang explaining and expressing gratutide for his fame. I'm sure I'm going to enjoy reading Momofuku. I definitely enjoyed reading this review. If more writers and publishers worked with reviews like this in mind, it would make for better books. This is what other cookbook reviews should be measured against. It does *such* a good job of zeroing in on what makes a book (and the chef/restaurant that spawned it) special -- good and bad -- and then providing smart, literate, criticism that's informed by an obvious love of food, cooking, and restaurants. Not to mention words and books.

I want more reviewers who hold their breath at the mere mention of a cookbook coming out. Who are wordy enough to put "ephemera," "tangential," and "interstitials" into one sentence and down to earth enough to use "awesome" three times in two other sentences. Who have the insight to figure out a book's core and tell us readers what it is: David Chang explaining and expressing gratutide for his fame.

I'm sure I'm going to enjoy reading Momofuku. I definitely enjoyed reading this review.

If more writers and publishers worked with reviews like this in mind, it would make for better books.

]]> By: Jonathan http://www.eatmedaily.com/2009/10/book-review-momofuku-by-david-chang-and-peter-meehan-the-hype-justified/#comment-2781 Jonathan Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:33:04 +0000 http://www.eatmedaily.com/?p=32318#comment-2781 Seriously fabulous cookbook reviews. Thank God I live in China and can get noodles everyday, otherwise the fact that I cannot buy this book would sadden me to no end. Seriously fabulous cookbook reviews. Thank God I live in China and can get noodles everyday, otherwise the fact that I cannot buy this book would sadden me to no end.

]]> By: ELM http://www.eatmedaily.com/2009/10/book-review-momofuku-by-david-chang-and-peter-meehan-the-hype-justified/#comment-2778 ELM Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:06:18 +0000 http://www.eatmedaily.com/?p=32318#comment-2778 "It's a rare restaurant that deserves the temporary immortality of a cookbook, and rarer still that a cookbook really does capture that restaurant's essence." I love that. "It's a rare restaurant that deserves the temporary immortality of a cookbook, and rarer still that a cookbook really does capture that restaurant's essence." I love that.

]]> By: Helen Rosner http://www.eatmedaily.com/2009/10/book-review-momofuku-by-david-chang-and-peter-meehan-the-hype-justified/#comment-2773 Helen Rosner Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:09:47 +0000 http://www.eatmedaily.com/?p=32318#comment-2773 Given enough motivation, <em>every</em> recipe is doable for a home cook. For the most part the recipes here aren't inherently difficult, they're just very labor intensive (and often involve specialty ingredients). Some things, like the pickles or the sauteed rice cake, are surprisingly quick and easy, but on the whole this is definitely not a weeknight-quick-dinner book. File it mentally with books like French Laundry, On The Line, Happy in the Kitchen — they're intense restaurant recipes that aren't dumbed down for the home kitchen. Given enough motivation, every recipe is doable for a home cook. For the most part the recipes here aren't inherently difficult, they're just very labor intensive (and often involve specialty ingredients). Some things, like the pickles or the sauteed rice cake, are surprisingly quick and easy, but on the whole this is definitely not a weeknight-quick-dinner book. File it mentally with books like French Laundry, On The Line, Happy in the Kitchen — they're intense restaurant recipes that aren't dumbed down for the home kitchen.

]]> By: Kathy http://www.eatmedaily.com/2009/10/book-review-momofuku-by-david-chang-and-peter-meehan-the-hype-justified/#comment-2772 Kathy Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:02:24 +0000 http://www.eatmedaily.com/?p=32318#comment-2772 But what about the recipes? Did you cook anything out of this book? Are they - or even some of them - even remotely do-able for the motivated home cook? Reviews of the prose are nice, and many do buy these books as eye candy but many more would like to cook from them. that insight would be helpful in your reviews. Thanks. But what about the recipes? Did you cook anything out of this book? Are they - or even some of them - even remotely do-able for the motivated home cook? Reviews of the prose are nice, and many do buy these books as eye candy but many more would like to cook from them. that insight would be helpful in your reviews. Thanks.

]]> By: Helen http://www.eatmedaily.com/2009/10/book-review-momofuku-by-david-chang-and-peter-meehan-the-hype-justified/#comment-2771 Helen Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:11:21 +0000 http://www.eatmedaily.com/?p=32318#comment-2771 The $40 list price <em>is</em> a little steep, true, but it's a way more reasonable $23.99 on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/030745195X?ie=UTF8&tag=eatmedail-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=030745195X" rel="nofollow">Amazon</a>. The $40 list price is a little steep, true, but it's a way more reasonable $23.99 on Amazon.

]]> By: Gastronomer http://www.eatmedaily.com/2009/10/book-review-momofuku-by-david-chang-and-peter-meehan-the-hype-justified/#comment-2770 Gastronomer Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:05:05 +0000 http://www.eatmedaily.com/?p=32318#comment-2770 I love how thorough the book reviews on EMD are. Thank you. This book sounds like a must-read. Must-purchase? We'll see about that! I love how thorough the book reviews on EMD are. Thank you. This book sounds like a must-read. Must-purchase? We'll see about that!

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