Maze is one of the most exciting and original restaurants in London and much of its success is due to its prodigiously talented head chef Jason Atherton. With a focus on quality ingredients, imaginative flavour combinations and simple presentation, the food at Maze is served in small tapas-style portions, enabling the customer to sample a wide variety of dishes in a single meal. In Maze, The Cookbook, Jason reveals the secrets of 30 of his signature dishes served as they would be in the restaurant including Marinated Beetroot with Goat's Cheese, Chard and Beetroot Dressing, Butter Roasted Cod with Silky Mash and Spiced Lentils, and Mango Parfait with Orange Anise Jelly. Each dish is followed by two more recipes based on the same core ingredients, flavourings, or techniques created by Jason especially for the book. So, whether you're looking to re-create the Maze experience in your own home or find inspiration from his extraordinary ingredients and flavour combinations, everything you need is here in this beautifully illustrated cookbook.
Beautifully photographed, full page for most dishes. It's basically a compilation of restaurant dishes, some with accompaniments.
The problem I have with it is, as with many fine restaurants, the dishes are lovely to look at, and probably taste wonderful, but are small in portion. In other words, ' Designer Food '
I'm probably misquoting, but I once read of a gentleman who, talking to a colleague said :
" I want the carver to to slice the beef, to the thickness I want, and as much as I want, then serve me the vegetables of my choice on a separate plate "
I don't understand why expensive restaurants, serving the best basic ingredient, find it necessary to mess about with it. Added value ?
As many people agree, the best way to serve a lobster is to steam it, or grill, and serve with drawn butter. Any other way simply detracts from its taste.
I'm surprised that this type of book has many sales. I doubt whether many would attempt most of the dishes. I certainly would not have bought it for the cover price of £25, but at £2 from a charity shop in unread condition I'm happy to add it to my collection of cookbooks from fine dining restaurants.