Heart of the Artichoke and Other Kitchen Journeys

by David Tanis

Recipes from a very small kitchen by a man with a very large talent. Nobody better embodies the present-day mantra "Eat real food in season" than David Tanis, one of the most original voices in American cooking. For more than a quarter-century, Tanis has been the chef at the groundbreaking Chez Panisse, in Berkeley, California, where the menu consists solely of a single perfect meal that changes each evening. Tanis’s recipes are down-to-earth yet sophisticated, simple to prepare but impressive on the plate. Tanis opens this soulful, fun-to-read cookbook with his own private food rituals, those treats—jalapeño pancakes, beans on toast, pasta for one—for when you are on your own in the kitchen with no one else to satisfy. Then he follows with twenty incomparable menus (five per season) that serve four to six. Each transports the reader to places far and wide.  And for grand occasions, a time for the whole tribe to gather around the table, Tanis delivers festive menus for holiday feasts. So in one book, three kinds of small, medium, and large.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food and Drink, Reference, Culinary

353 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 18, 2010

About the author

David Tanis has worked as a professional chef for over three decades, and is the author of several acclaimed cookbooks, including A Platter of Figs and Other Recipes, which was chosen as one of the 50 best cookbooks ever by the Guardian/Observer (U.K.).

He spent many years as chef with Alice Waters at Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley, California; he ran the kitchen of the highly praised Café Escalera in Santa Fe, New Mexico; and he operated a successful private supper club in his 17th century walk-up in Paris.

Passionate about simple, seasonal home cooking—real food—he finds inspiration in the fresh offerings at farmers’ markets as well as in dusty gardens and muddy fields. He is also inspired by his travel and exploration of many regional cuisines of Europe, Asia, and Latin America.

He has written for a number of publications, including the Wall Street Journal, the Guardian/Observer (U.K.), Cooking Light, Bon Appétit, Fine Cooking and Saveur.

He lives in Manhattan and writes the weekly City Kitchen column for the Food section of New York Times.

His latest cookbook is One Good Dish, Artisan 2013

Reviews

[First Second Books]

This cookbook is so delightful, you guys!

I suspect that David Tanis has a lot more time than I do to stay at home and cook things slowly, but this book has a lot of things in it that are easy, delicious ways to re-think classic dishes without a huge amount of effort.

(Also, it has traveling food advice that I am never going to manage to follow because I cannot bring an extra carry-on of food with me whilst traveling. But I admire it!)

[Sarah Key · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a good book! It's basically half memoir and half recipe, so it made for a very interesting read. I loved how Tanis compared other countries' cuisine to America's. It gave the reader a real perspective on other cultures and made you feel as if you were traveling the world just by staying in your own kitchen.

This probably isn't the best cookbook for beginners in the kitchen. Tanis is not going to tell you how long to boil that carrot and he certainly isn't going to tell you exactly how much olive oil you should drizzling. So if you are a tedious recipe follower, this book will probably really get on your nerves.

Tanis is so witty too. Here are some lines from the book I remembered.

Quotes:

"There used to be a time, before airplane security, when every fellow carried a pocketknife..."

"I don't want to sound like a snob, but beans in a can have no soul."

"The pigeons did what pigeons do, and soon began laying eggs, always two at a time. In a few weeks I had about four dozen young squabs. Then one afternoon I did what cooks do: I killed them all."

I didn't try all of the recipes in the book, just a handful. Some of the recipes are very basic and others have ingredients that would be very hard for me to get my hands on. And some of these recipes are just like the fluff that people make in restaurants, serve in a pretty fashion, and overprice. Basically, if you have dinner parties a lot or if you are trying to impress your fiance's parents, this is a great book to have.

Recipes I Tried:

* Asparagus Scrambled Eggs - Loved it! I cut Tanis's recipe in half, excluded the mint (didn't have any), went light on the salt and pepper, and sprinkled parmesan over the finished product.

* Frozen Cappuccino and Digestivo with Fresh Berries were both wonderful and huge hits with my friends. I made these two drinks with my friend, Wendy, at her apartment.

* Halibut Crudo was fantastic! It also gave me an excuse to go to my favorite Asian market. I couldn't get my family to eat it. Something about raw fish deters them so. (;

* The Crab-stuffed Deviled Eggs were great. I went light on the mustard and cayenne just for personal tastes, but the recipe was solid. My family really loved them.

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't fully know what to make of this cookbook. I heard that a famous chef recently bagged on author David Tanis with the comment, "A platter of figs is NOT a recipe!" That's kind of how I feel about this cookbook as well, but that's not to say I disliked it.

I mean, the guy is a good writer, and his ideas about food are simple and very noble sounding (nothing but the highest quality ingredients, in season). This book starts with about 14 Kitchen Traditions he enjoys (such as making Spanish Chorizo at home or eating oatmeal), and then offers up a series of seasonal themed menus (Vietnamese, Calabrian, Thanksgiving). There are recipes in this particular cookbook, but there are also many of his infamous "non-recipes".

But allow me to provide a parody, if you will, of some of his "non-recipes". It goes something like this: "When I traveled to Paris (insert other international city here), I greatly enjoyed the ham sandwiches (insert worldly food of your choice here). Here is how to make the best version of this dish: Start with good bread, butter it, and top with the best sliced ham. (Insert fairly obvious instructions here.)

He's probably right about a lot of these suggestions, but sometimes I feel like I'm not getting an amazing recipe from a chef per se; it's more like Tanis provides us as readers with a Platonic ideal of a Ham Sandwich to try to create at home. This is, for me, a totally different way to thinking about cookbooks- not a bad one, just different.

[penny shima glanz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes all I want in a cookbook is the recipes and I don't care if there is anything else. That doesn't happen very often.

Thankfully Tanis has written a book that is much more. It is a wonderful story of his relationship with food and cooking and happens to include seasonal recipes and menu ideas that are inspiring and provide a basis for further creativity.

Seriously, how could I not enjoy the writings of a man with a deep love of those zippered plastic bags that I find useful for everything? While I might not have the chutzpah to travel with my own jalapenos, or perhaps I a knob of ginger would be more me, Tanis has shown me his real kitchen journeys. In Heart of the Artichoke he doesn't come across as anyone but someone who loves food and cooking and I appreciate that all the more.

What I love more than his essays on his rituals are his menus. It's not that I often need to serve a multi-course menu, I still struggle to figure out what to pair with my main dish. The suggestions are helpful and I will turn to them often as I grow in this area of my cooking.

The photographs, by Christopher Hirscheimer, are warm and inviting and add a depth which left me hungry and looking around my kitchen for the next step in my own kitchen journey.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

a friend sent this book to me. what a great gift. photos are beautiful. recipes and writing are interesting too. i'm a fan of David Tanis so that helps too. the book is worth it for the photos alone however the perspective that good food is for everyone and not just hipster foodies is how I've always felt about food and cooking. Remember when we didn't need to put the word local or natural (whatever that means now) in front of food packaging because, well, it just was? that's not to say that there aren't unique flavor profiles in the book, just that I appreciate an approach that feels accessible and, I suppose, old school at this point. some of the recipes require thought and more than just beginner cooking skills, that's fine with me because i'm not new to cooking. I also like his narratives about cooking. i'm planning on re-reading this book.

[Mir · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another Christmas present, from my friend Erin.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feared this might be another of the highbrow coffee table "cookbooks" put out by so many foodies but was pleasantly surprised. Quite a few bookmarks!

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the book I decided on as my prize from a cookbooker.com challenge. It is as much fun to read as cook from. There are many things I like about this cookbook but only one thing I don't like. The thing I don't like is that not all recipes give serving sizes.

The book starts out with a "Little Disclaimer" telling you the book isn't about artichokes even though it does have a few artichoke recipes. Then it goes on to tell you how he came up with the name for the book.

Next comes "A Cuisine in My Head", this is where you get to know a little about the author and how he cooks and writes and some of his favorite cooking tools. After that you get "Kitchen Rituals" which includes the types of recipes the author cooks for himself when he's alone or for just himself and a friend.

Then comes the "Seasonal Menus", where you get menus for Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Tanis believes in cooking things in the season they are at their peak. Finally you get menus for "Simple Feasts for the Long Table". These are menus for when you want to have several guests over and therefor need to put out a longer table to seat a crowd.

I've made several things form this book already -- Jalapeño Pancakes, Mexican Breakfast, Asparagus Scrambled Eggs, Fork Mashed Potatoes, and Lobster Salpicon with Avocado.
The last one I used crab instead of lobster as suggested by the author. He also said you could use shrimp and I think it would be good with any of these including the lobster. For Valentine's Day 2011 for hubby and myself I made the entire menu from the winter section called " Dead-of-Winter Dinner From the Supermarket". The dishes were: Romaine Hearts with Shaved Parmigiana & Lemon Dressing, Panfried Steak with Steak Sauce and optional Herb Butter, Classic Potato Gratin -- which I made in individual heart shaped ramekins, and finally for dessert Broiled Pineapple with Rum. We loved everything except the dessert which neither of us cared for.

[Lisa Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is the first cookbook I have read straight through cover-to-cover as one would a non-cookbook. In part this is because of Tanis's chatty, personable narration and the way the book is set up by seasons and menus. There is a wholeness to the section that you do not get when a cookbook is divided by types of food. The menus he has created seem absolutely sybaritic, despite the fact that they often contain simple ingredients. Perhaps this is because of the spices he chooses, the emphasis on freshness and his own obvious pleasure in the dishes. Tanis even makes tongue and tripe sound like things I could consider eating. Mind you I said could consider...we'll see.

Of course the real test of a cookbook is in the cooking and I have not yet cooked a recipe from the book. I will first make the Vegetables a la Greque for my cookbook book club this week. Other group member will be making other things so I end up trying 7 of the dishes from the lot. Then, we will use the book for two more meetings. In other words, I am not yet able to appraise the actual recipes and ease of use as I will be, but the book is a pleasure to read. Four stars for readability, perhaps five once I have actually used the recipes.

Now I have had the Spice Pears in Red Wine - Divine. The grilled zucchini with fresh mozzarella - nice fresh dish that could be a side or starter, The Molasses-Pecan Squares- again fab! The Pasta Timballo - excellent. The shrimp stuffed Avocados-Yum! I made the Vegetables a l Greque and they were wonderful. I love this cookbook!

[Cindy Dyson Eitelman]

I won't give this a rating because I expected more anecdotes and less recipes but that's not the book's fault. I copied out a couple of the recipes but they're generally not my cup of tea. Again, not the fault of the recipes, just a mismatch between what I like to eat and how he likes to cook. They could be perfectly good recipes.

Some interesting stuff all the same. When he remakes an old favorite, like "Shrimp Cocktail In a Glass", I bet his version is a lot better tasting than anything I've ever had in a restaurant. Some of the simpler ones look right up my alley, like the "Platter of Jicama, Avocado, Radishes, and Oranges." It's basically a salad of fruits and vegetables seasoned with lime juice, salt and ground chili. However, since I've never tasted it and don't know what it's supposed to taste like, how am I supposed to mix the spices "to taste"? The instructions are a little weird, too, saying to "dip the lime half in the chile mix and rub on the spices." What spices? The spice(s) are the chile mix--chile powder plus salt.

His recipe for a slow rise bread is going to inspire my next attempt to make bread. (Which will turn out flat, burnt, and dry, but that's just me.)

[Marg · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic read, and how often is a cookbook something you read cover to cover? I enjoyed the opening - devoted to David Tanis' private food rituals. The heart of the book was a four-part tribute to the simple pleasures offered up by the seasons. The finish was a set of simple menus, though almost every section of the book was structured as, at least, a three course menu.

I adapted the sweet lamb tagine stew recipe for a pork shoulder and it was marvelous. Because his recipes were described in such devoted prose, I followed his steps to the letter - not something I often do - and I was rewarded with a stew worthy of his adjectives.

I am now attempting his "Honest Loaf" - a simple bread recipe that takes two days, but really little effort in all. I am hoping it will become a Sunday - Monday ritual. His recipes certainly endorse ritual pleasures like this.

The only unusual thing I noted absent in his storytelling was any mention of Alice Waters, the backbone of Chez Panisse, save for a brief thanks in the notes.

[Loraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

If one is a meat-eater, one should disregard the rating I have given this beautifully constructed cookbook. I don't eat meat, and as a consequence would not buy this cookbook--there are just too many critter recipes among its pages. I grew up on a farm--I know where my food comes from. My path toward vegetarian eating began relatively early. First it was lamb, because I as a child I helped my grandmother bottle feed lambs rejected by their mothers. Then it was pig, because they're just so damned smart. Finally, it was beef. Now, it's the terrible agricultural practices followed by factory farms, and the amount of resources that go into raising a pound of some other critter's flesh.

The photographs are beautiful. The recipes--well--they're top of the line. So are the essays written by Tanis, who promotes eating locally and eating in season. He's spot on, of course. But this cookbook would burn the hands of a Vegan for sure!

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

From a 6-month-on chef at Chez Panisse, this is a cookbook with soul. It reads like an intimate diary full of musings and practical applications. I've always wanted to try making Pho, and have finally found a recipe that coaxes out that desire in just the right way. The thematic menus are just as inviting, and I would likely first try "The Ripeness of Red Chiles", including a Platter of Jicama, Radishes, Avocados and Oranges; Slow-Cooked Carne Adovada with Hominy; and Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream (I absolutely believe in Tanis' ability to guide me back to the well-seasoned cocina of New Mexico- and, like Tanis, I confess I "like the look of dried chiles hanging from rafters and doorways"). Wish list!

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't realize when I picked this up that it was the same author as A Platter of Figs. I'm glad I didn't, because while PoF was a nice read, I didn't find it a particularly useful cookbook. Mine and Tanis's palettes hadn't aligned--until now.

Heart of the Articoke is significantly more my speed. The book has three primary sections: Kitchen Rituals (found it somewhat useless), recipes by season (still a brilliant way to order a book, imo) and large-group recipes (significantly less useless than I thought it would be, even as someone who doesn't assemble 15-person dinner parties). The pictures are still lovely. The writing is quite enjoyable. I bookmarked way more food this time than last to boot!

Thanks, Mr. Tanis.

[Sue Gregoire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this one! I dont care for cookbooks that are dry and read like textbooks. Conversely, I also don't care for those where I find the author's voice intrusive. This one gets the balance just right. David Tanis conveys his genuine enthusiasm for food without being preachy or coming off like a food snob. One or two of the recipes seemed a little much for the average home cook, but there were more that I plan to try. And the book itself is gorgeous - its printed on heavy, high quality paper and the photos are lovely.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some day. Some day I'm going to own these David Tanis cookbooks and I will puruse through them and commit to a whole menu of his once a month. I love how he has a section of Spring Menus and talks about the importance of arugula and how to use it (pesto! what a great idea!) and uses ingredients that would be in season at that time. I wish I had the time to commit to this book, but like his last one, I'll chose one or two recipes, I'm sure, be absolutely nuts over the recipe and then tell myself that I'll have more time later...

Great book!

[Liana Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I put this on my wish list as soon as I heard about it, and bought it the week it came out. I loved PLATTER OF FIGS and, if possible, HEART OF THE ARTICHOKE exceeded my expectations.

The book is divided into three main sections: meals for one or two people, meals for a family-size group (the same style as PLATTER - divided by season ect), and meals for a gathering. I've cooked my way through most of the book, and read all the accompanying stories a dozen times. Once again, Tanis charms and entertains while he talks about his passion... food.

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of all the famous chefs associated with the glorious Chez Panisse, I think David Tanis has to be my favorite. I love this cookbook--love the way the recipes are divided into season (as it should be) and is delightfully full of stories about Tanis' lifelong relationship with food. And so many pictures..! Love this one. His Tomato salad with olives and coriander is so amazing that you can take out the garlic and onion and it is still bursting with flavor! I really recommend this cookbook. It is one of my favorites.

[Erin Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up off the recently-returned shelf at the library because I love artichokes, not to mention food memoirs. When I saw that the author is connected to Chez Panisse, well, I was sold. A mixture of stories and recipes, interspersed with delectable-looking photographs of the menus, this is worth a skim for any foodie of the Michael Pollan persuasion. My only complaint is that it's now overdue, so I won't have time to copy out all the recipes I wanted to try.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book with delightful tales of the author's experiences with food, both on his own and sharing with others. Somehow, his recounts (both vivid and personal) seem to be able to transport me to the various countries mentioned and I found myself savouring the dishes. What's more, the recipes are too irresistible to be ignored; I can't wait to try them!

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Tanis, part time chef at Chez Panisse, prefers to cook at home. His book is beautifully written and photographed and is brimming with recipes that are not overly complicated using seasonal ingredients, and great for the home cook. Kudos for creating recipes for small, medium and large meals. Not everyone cooks for an army every night. This one will get lots of use.

[False · Rating 1 out of 5]

A beautifully published book, and I certainly agree with his food philosophies of seasonal eating and regional growing, but...the recipes made me wonder how they will turn out. They seem a "tad" general in construction, so that it could be just as he says, and the dish is delicious, or...it could need a lot of tweaking. Time will tell as I test them.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so lovely - a lot like Nigel Slater's Kitchen Diaries. It's a very romantic view of food, with solid recipes. There are a few pretentious parts (the section on supermarket foods was especially annoying), but overall it was great.

[Lindsay Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not too many helpful recipes, but I like his food philosophy. Recipes are a bit lofty for me (obscure foods). My favorite quote is regarding jam: "I am not making it for posterity. I am making it for breakfast."

[Julien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exquisite mix of delicious stories, mouth-watering photography, outstanding design and finely selected and ordered recipes, this is without contest the signal best cookbook I've had the pleasure to read.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Soulful and simple recipes with a focus on fresh, high-quality ingredients. I particularly appreciated the emphasis on ritual when cooking for one and the lovely stories included with each recipe/menu.

[Shoshana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was lovely, didactic but in a totally amusing way, and had a bunch of recipes I want to try. I can't really review it yet (and the four stars are tentative/premature) because I haven't tried any of them yet, but I'm totally excited to do so! And it was a fun read/flip-through.

[Beth Lequeuvre · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is food memoir just as much as it is cookbook. Enjoyable read. I love how it is divided into 3 parts: 1st where you are pretty much just cooking for yourself, 2nd cooking for 4-6 and 3rd cooking for 15-20. I'd consider purchasing this one.

[Lillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick skimming read for some good stories + tips, with a grain of salt -- although didn't deep dive into any recipe ideas.

[Beka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting food writing and solid recipes. I can't wait to read more of his work.