Olives Dessert Table or Magic of Provence

Olives Dessert Table: Extraordinary Restaurant Desserts You Can Make at Home

Author: Todd English

Todd English soared to stardom in the culinary world with his distinctive style of layering flavors and textures, a style that has made his restaurants, and the cookbooks that feature his dishes, so popular. The philosophy for the desserts served at Olives is the same as that for the entrées: "We like to pull things out of the country and dress them up," says Todd. "We take very simple things and layer them together to compose a more complex dish." The result? Desserts that are always more than the sum of their parts, combining familiar and comfortable flavors in unique and unexpected ways. Extravagant creations such as Mango Tarte Tatin with Pastry Cream and Chocolate Pastry; Apple-Topped Gingerbread with Hot Applesauce and Cinnamon Ice Cream; Butterscotch Pudding in a Chocolate Crumb Crust with Fudge-Topped Toffee Cookies and Chocolate Lace Cigarettes; Blue Cheese Danish with Port-Poached Pears; Cranberry-Lime Sorbet with Walnut Rugelach; Double Chocolate Soufflé with Deep, Dark Chocolate Ice Cream, Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Chocolate Anglaise. Best of all, each of the 43 spectacular desserts featured is made up of building block recipes (more than 145 in all), many of which can be prepared ahead of time, and many that taste great on their own. So you can wow your guests with White Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding with Caramel Semi-Freddo and Boozy Caramel Sauce. Or simply serve your family the best banana bread they'll ever have. No matter which option you choose, the results will be extraordinary.

Publishers Weekly

The dessert names alone can run almost as long as the average list of ingredients for those traditional "country" recipes that English either enhances or overdoes, depending on your palate. The chef-owner of Figs and Olives, two Boston-area restaurants, English isn't shy about piling on the flavors or textures--whether he's taking on custards, souffl s, tarts, ice cream or cakes. Sometimes it seems as if all categories are present and accounted for in a single concoction (e.g., Double Chocolate Souffl with Deep, Dark Chocolate Ice Cream and Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cookies and Chocolate Anglaise), but not all the 43 desserts presented here are as involved. Nectarine-Blueberry Crisp with Oatmeal Crumble and Buttermilk "Ice Cream" sounds positively low-key, while Apricot and Goat Cheese Tart in a Pistachio Shell brings a continental luster to the table. The food is sumptuously described, while the recipes themselves are given somewhat briskly (perhaps too briskly for the casual baker). Best of all, however, is the compartmentalized approach the authors (Retus is the Olives pastry chef; Sampson co-authored The Olives Table) have taken to dessert making, where certain simpler components of more elaborate concoctions, such as the oatmeal shortbread shell in the Silky Chocolate Cream Pie, can stand alone, in this instance as a delectable cookie. (Nov.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

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Magic of Provence: Pleasures of Southern France

Author: Yvone Lenard

When Yvone Lenard returned to her native France and purchased a house in a hilltop village of Provence, an enchanted world of food, wines, and unusual adventures–including chicken rustling, flirtatious advances from neighbors, and a séance–opened up before her. This is her account of the spell cast on her by Provence, from her first morning’s visit by a charming prince bearing a jug of the village’s vin rose to the growth of her friendship with a duchess in the local chateau. Lenard shares tales of travels to St. Tropez and visits from American friends who find unexpected romance and magic in Provence. Told with verve, wit, and Lenard’s deep understanding of the French language and culture, this memoir includes tales of others who have been drawn to the region, including Vincent van Gogh, Brigitte Bardot, and Princess Caroline of Monaco. Ways to re-create the magic of the region’s sensuous way of life include recipes for food and drinks, as well as tips for entertaining in the Provençal style.