There are two cardinal reasons to buy this cookbook.
First, the recipes and the writing are exceptional. This is a smashing book, one that you will treasure.
Oh, treasure. That’s the second reason to buy Perfect Plates. Author John Whaite is a sparkling young man, mid-twenties, and he has plans for 20 or 30 more cookbooks over the span of his career. Imagine twenty years out if you have an entire collection of John’s books, including that much used first edition of Perfect Plates. It’ll be worth a bloody fortune. You could auction it off and pay for a semester of college for your kid. But you won’t do that. You’ll tell your kid to take out a loan because Perfect Plates is a keeper.
John won the third series of The Great British Baking Show in 2012 while he was finishing law school. The law career was put aside. He did his graduate work at Le Cordon Bleu, wrote two baking books and now presents this breakout book Perfect Plates.
You may have seen John this Tuesday on the Today show where he did three recipes in three minutes with his usual speed and charm. I had met John on Monday to discuss his book. I asked him about one recipe which he said would be there on the Today show.
“That Stilton Sriracha Sauce,” I began, “that goes with the Rice-Krispie Coated Chicken Tenders, that would not have appeared on Queen Victoria’s table, would it?”
John smiled. “No.”
“So,” I continued, hold up my copy of the book with lots of stickies on lots of recipes, “is this a classic British cooking book or a world cooking book or a Britain in the 21st century book?”
Another smile. Another laugh and John took the 21st century option. Far more than Americans, the British eat at home and cook, really cook. There are two types of eaters in Britain, John explained. The “egg and chips” folks and everybody else. There are lot of “everybody elses” out there. John now lives two hours north of London in a non-urban area. But his local shops and farmers’ markets there can keep him supplied with all the world-spanning ingredients he needs for his recipes — recipes that contain elements for his signature introduction of flavor, texture, and color.
John’s tact in this book is wonderful food with a mere five ingredients, plus of course salt and pepper and butter. You may have seen and tried such “minimalist” books before. This book is different. It works. The recipes are not “just get by” dishes but fully fledged delights with aroma, relish, and accented visual appeal. Wait until you see his Middle Easter Lamb Nachos dotted with pomegranate seeds. It’s food to be sure but you might be confused into imagining the colorful triangles as Christmas ornaments. That’s one of the many surprises for you.
There are chapters for plates, enough for a few people at least, to share at breakfast and during the day. Simple everyday plates and hearty ones. Posh plates with decided elegance and his worth-the-wait plates. Just because you have only a few ingredients, don’t think this is fast food. There is a Five-Hour Lamb with Potato Gratin that looks amazing and that takes, well, hours. You’ll see a picture next week because Suzi and I are making it for Easter. Here are some of the recipes I put stickies on:
Chicken, Leek and Cider Mug Pot Pies
Garlicky Cheesy Giant Hassleback Potatoes
Lady Grey Poached Prunes with Yogurt and Caramelized Oats
Lamb cutlet with Potatoes, Figs and Sherry
Monkey Bred with Coffee Syrup
Nectarines with Thyme, Honey and Strawberry Yogurt Cobbler
There is a dessert chapter with very contemporary and slightly complex fair:
Rose Water and Nutmeg Pearl Barley Pudding
Amaretto Apricots with Brown Sugar Meringue
Sticky Toffee Pudding Banana Upside-Down Cake
Secret Ingredient Chocolate Fudge Cake
Ah, the Fudge Cake. The secret ingredient is tomato soup. I think this is an idea from the American South. I’ve seen the recipe, never eaten it, never tried it. But, if John suggests it, how can I resist. Oh, the Sticky Toffee Pudding Banana Upside-Down Cake? John for some reason has the audacity to conclude the recipe saying you should cool the cake, wrap it up, and wait a day before eating. Now, any self-respecting Type 2 Diabetic is going to last maybe one hour before plunging a fork into a toffee-surrounded banana. Wait a day? Indeed not.
Joking aside, when you begin a relationship with a new cookbook author like John, there is one critical question: can I trust this person? After all, you are investing in the book, then in the time and ingredients to prepare a dish or more. Is it worth it? Here is part of the headnote from John’s Tahini and Honey Chicken and Paprika Potatoes:
In Paris, on Rue Mouffetard, there is a small stand from which chicken and potatoes are sold. The chicken is slowly cooked on a rotisserie, and the fat weeps down onto the potatoes, basting them as they cook. Served in a white foil bag, it makes for the ultimate Parisian lunch, devoured from a park bench.
Now, Suzi and I have walked down the steep and narrow Rue Mouffetard a hundred times. We have stopped at that stand, taken our foil bags to the park at the bottom of the hill, and marveled at that chicken and those “wept upon” potatoes. The ability of John to capture the romance and terroir of this dish and the street speaks to his skills as a writer, chef, and teacher. And every recipe in the book has the same careful detail.
I can only suggest that Perfect Plates be the very next cookbook you purchase. If you do, I can predict with certainty the first three words that will follow your first bite: “Oh, my God.” Perfect Plates is, of course, not a religious book but it is the grandest of cookbooks. There are exceptional food journeys and experiences here for you, amazingly in five ingredients. Don’t wait.