Destination Cuisines: Nos recettes de la compagnie des comptoirs
The first thing I have always done when buying a cookbook is to flick through the pages to check out the photography and see if there is anything that might whet my appetite. And in Destinations Cuisines by Jacques and Laurent Pourcel - who own the three-Michelin-starred Le Jardin des Sens in Montpellier, France, and are partners in a chain of La Compagnie des Comptoirs brasseries - I found pages and pages of fancy pictures where it soon became obvious that the photographer knew his colours and how to get depth and strength in his imagery.
After skimming through the pictures, I then tried to digest the contents of the recipes, some of which are classic combinations and some of which look like they have seen better days. However, I do think the Pourcels have some excellent ideas for canapés and amuse-bouches. The presentations are very handy as there are lots of foods stabbed with pieces of bamboo and accompanied with a dip.
The purpose of the book seems to be to highlight new-style tapas food, which is popular at the moment and which has no boundaries in terms of crossing cuisine styles; but for me, personally, this type of food has no meaning. But then I'm possibly stuck in a classical time-warp, which makes it difficult for me to understand why something like langoustines should be plastered in Thai red curry.
The dishes in the book are presented on various bespoke plates (you'd need a deep pocket if you wanted to get all the different designs in) but, unfortunately, this just highlighted the fact that there was nothing of substance in the dishes themselves. I'm sure the Pourcel twins are masters of delicate taste blending, but you cannot lick flavours or smell aromas from book pages, and I failed to be convinced by the food.
The recipes, by-and-large, are straightforward but there does seem to be the freedom to ad lib at any time. How can you have a recipe that needs half a punnet of coriander, for example? I think it would be difficult to reproduce a dish that you might eat in one of the Pourcels' restaurants.
The food may not be my cup of tea, but the recipes in the book do have the look of real passion, a vital ingredient when running a successful restaurant. I am sure, too, that Joe Public will go crazy about these guys - the fact that they are the spitting images of the Thompson twins from the Tintin cartoons adds a certain character appeal as well.
In conclusion, I would say Destinations Cuisines is interesting for fusion chefs who like to play with food and fashion. It's like reading a holiday brochure conjuring up memories of sun, sea and sand, and light, delicate dishes washed down with wine. Unfortunately, I always find that style of food difficult to replicate on a cold, soggy February morning in London.
Andrew Turner, executive chef, the Bentley hotel, London
Destinations Cuisine: Nos Recettes de la Compagnie des Comptoirs
Jacques and Laurent Pourcel
Hachette
£23
ISBN 2-0123-6745-6
