Coi: Stories and Recipes

by Daniel Patterson, Peter Meehan, Maren Caruso (Photographer)

'An absorbing self-portrait of an exceptional cook.' Harold McGee Daniel Patterson is the head chef /owner of Coi (pronounced "Kwa"), a two-Michelin-starred restaurant in San Francisco. At Coi, Patterson mixes modern culinary techniques with local, wild and cultivated ingredients to create original dishes that speak of place, memory, and emotion. It's an approach that has earned him a worldwide reputation for pioneering a new kind of Californian cuisine. Patterson is also known for his original food writing, and he has been published in recent years in The New York Times , Bon Appetit and Lucky Peach . Now, in his highly anticipated new book, Stories and Recipes , Patterson writes a personal account of the restaurant, its dishes and his own unique philosophy about food and cooking. Beginning with a look at California - how Patterson arrived from the East Coast and how he became to feel more at home as the years progressed ― the book takes the reader into the Coi kitchen, and through 70 of the restaurant's original dishes such as Chilled Spiced Ratatouille Soup; Carrots Roasted in Coffee Beans, Monterey Bay Abalone with Nettle-Dandelion Salsa Verde; Inverted Cherry Tomato Tart and Lime Marshmallow with Coal-Toasted Meringue. The dishes are explained through a series of personal essays and narrative recipes, offering insight into Patterson's life, family, and inspirations. Stories and Recipes includes 150 color photographs showing the finished dishes as well as atmospheric images of the restaurant, the California landscape, and portraits of Coi's staff and suppliers. The book features forewords by Peter Meehan and Harold McGee. It is sure to be one of the most talked about cookbooks of the year.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking, Foodie

304 pages, Hardcover

First published October 14, 2013

Reviews

[Pixie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I saw this restaurant on a list of top Bay Area restaurants, and like another one, Manresa, it had a Michelin rating and a cookbook. Of the two cookbooks, this one was not as beautiful, and the recipes were not as inspiring. Based on what I saw, a bunch of small (expensive) plates with complicated techniques and ingredients, I would not even like to go to the restaurant, which is probably good as the chef has just quit. He was not a California native, so who knows where he'll end up next. Best of luck; it just wasn't for me.

[Tim Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cookbook really speaks to me. Few chefs are able to articulate themselves so well and express their culinary philosophy in both word and recipe as well. I appreciate Patterson's humor and honesty on his recipes, and it makes me want to spend hours recreating the seemingly simple dishes he puts forth in this book. Beautiful recipes and prose, this book earns a special place in the pantheon of haute cuisine books.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not only is Daniel Patterson a very talented chef (I still dream about his popcorn grits), he is a gifted writer. Coi is one of the best food books that I've read - beautifully written and photographed, with lovely insightful stories behind each and every recipe.

[Diana Perez · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book of stories of a time and place through recipes and gorgeous photography.

[Emmeline · Rating 3 out of 5]

More theory than groundwork. A solid coffee table book rather than a cook's cookbook. Gorgeous photography.