Book Review: Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain

Have you seen the TV series - No Reservations. The guy who hosts that series is Anthony Bourdain. "No Reservations" is a travel show in which Bourdain moves around different cities/continents in search for an original culinary experience. What impresses me is that this guy is just not afraid. He is not prejudiced and is ready to try any food in the world given that it is adventures and authentic. You can see him killing a pig with a spear in Malaysia, consume a soup prepared from private parts of a mule in Indonesia, stand in icy cold water stream wearing just a thin robe in Japan, learning trapeze in New York City, getting twisted and turned all over in a traditional bathing house in Uzbekistan while savoring cuisines every where. Once he also got trapped in the middle east crisis while visiting Beirut, but they didn't stop and made an episode out of that as well. He has travelled across Europe, Russia, China, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, North America, South America and Africa. Anyone who respects good food will accept that it can come from any part of the world. Good food, if prepared properly will taste good and it happens only occasionally that you don't appreciate a well prepared meal. I guess that's the philosophy behind the show.

Well well, he has not always been a celebrity traveling first class around the world, enjoying five star life and tasting good food prepared especially for him. He was not picked up randomly. He has made it so far in the restaurant business right from the very bottom. He has washed dishes, shredded vegetables, sweat all day at the saute station, burnt his hands and cut his fingers for nearly 30 years and he has loved it. "Kitchen Confidential" is Anthony Bourdain's story. He tells you about his experience in the restaurant business and as he has seen a lot, he has a lot to tell. He has worked in numerous restaurants throughout New York City with both the big and the small and probably performed all the roles in the kitchen.

When I bought the book, I thought it will be more about cuisines and love of food etc. but this guy surprised me. The book should be rated R or rather NC-17 for its sexual content, drugs, violence and foul language. Well whatever the rating, its an original way of telling the story and that's what you like. He talks more about running of a restaurant, different people in the kitchen and their roles. He talks about his life and how he got into cooking and how he got inspired at various stages of life and moved forward. He has inserted a chapter on his trip to Tokyo, where he got influenced by the eastern culture and life. I guess many people who love food and know a celebrity chef like Bourdain would like to read this book. Bourdain will tell you exactly what kind of people will fail in the restaurant business. Its not just about love of food but also a lot about logistics, people management, making right decisions and probably love of food will come last in the list. I would say, if you ever wished to open a restaurant or wanted to know what goes on behind the scenes in a restaurant then pick up this book and read. Probably it wont stop you from eating out but it will surely change the way you look at waiters, chefs and the food that you order. 

So go ahead, read and enjoy the meal.

Upside Down Pineapple Cake

Today I learnt to make the Upside Down Pineapple Cake. Well its pretty simple to make - all you need is the cake mix, some eggs, vegetable oil, brown sugar, grated coconut and a can of crushed pineapple.

First the Cake Mix - We used the Betty Crocker Super Moist Cake Mix (Lemon Flavor- 517 gms) - it basically contains everything a cake mix should contain like flour, baking powder, sugar, corn starch, oil etc, etc in the right quantity. All you need to do is follow the instructions on the box and create the cake mix. You need to add 3 eggs and 1/3 cup of oil and stir it well. Once done leave it aside.

For the Top View - Get a small glass bowl and other ingredients - 1/2 cup of oil, 1 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of grated coconut, and 1 can (20 ounce) of crushed pineapple. If the glass bowl is a big rectangular bowl it will be better. The cake should be around 4-5 inches tall. In the glass bowl first put a butter paper, then spread 1/2 cup of oil on it, then spread 1 cup of brown sugar, then 1/2 cup of grated coconut and graciously spread the full can of crushed pineapple over it.

Now over it just pour the cake mix evenly and its done.

Oh wait you need to bake it as well. So first pre-heat the oven at 350 degree Fahrenheit (i.e. 175 degree celsius) then put the unbaked cake inside for around 40 - 50 mins. Keep checking the cake after every 10-15 mins. You will see it getting brown and rising slowly. Once you feel its done, put a toothpick in and see if it is uncooked. Or if you don't give a damn then just trust the oven and take the cake out after 45 mins. Last but not the least turn the cake upside down, so the pineapple that was the last layer, will become the top layer. (Now you know why the name is Upside Down Pineapple Cake). Tan-ta-na its ready - its time to take a bite of your creation.

Statutory Warning - The one I made was quite tasty, if you are trying it at home then just wish that I wasn't lucky. Good Luck!

Credits - I made the cake under expert supervision of my Aunt - Pali Massi, its her recipe. She is a great chef, I will try and steal as many recipes i can from her just for the benefit of hunger stricken, malnourished people like me, who just want to eat good food made at home.