The Flavor Bible, Read it Religiously

Christmas and books go together like lamb and chile peppers, allspice and beef, anchovies and lemon, angelica and cream and Dornenburg and Page. If you have doubt, then picking up two copies – one for your library and one as a gift of the culinary duo's latest tome, The Flavor Bible, will reassure your beliefs that great things go hand in hand.

For fans of the duo – and there are many- The Flavor Bible is a gift that adds flavor to every cookbook shelf. Billed as "the essential guide to culinary creativity, based on the wisdom of America's most imaginative chefs" the pages guide the reader through a pairing of ingredients that assist and add to any culinary artist's creativity.

Developing a repertoire of food and flavors is not an easy task. And, although most chefs believe they have the ability to meld and fold ingredients together it takes more than a dash of this and a dollop of that to truly create a palate pleasing plate.

Of course we all think our food is some of the most flavorful on the planet or at least the menu, but do the majority of us really have the ability to decide if garlic and cinnamon compliment each other when sprinkled on carrots?

The Flavor Bible answers these questions. Don't think this is a cookbook. It's not. However, it definitely helps lay the groundwork and foundation for a creative vision that so many of us seek Dornenburg and Page have managed to include tips and trivialities that some would consider secrets from the worlds most renowned culinary artists. The duo summoned contributions and advice from a list of experts from the world over. Jose Andres, Meeru Dhalwala, Michel Richard, and Eric Ripert are only a few of the names that grace these pages.

With Christmas less than a week away, this is the perfect gift for anyone in your kitchen. But more importantly, the book should be read as it not only spurns the creative juices but will also offer a new outlook on your future.

At a time when we are all under unbelievable pressure, it's not that bad to take this book, scan the pages, pick a section, read it and then let your mind wander. A vision appears with a new menu for the New Year. Flavors are impact full: dishes dance with ingredients your customers never imagined possible in your restaurant. Suddenly the colors come together and the plate again becomes a canvass. The techniques you have quickly learned and the combinations make the marriage of salt and pepper look like a mundane relationship. You are out of the rut. Your menu changes between Christmas and New Year's Eve. The New Year looks brighter. All because of The Flavor Bible. Buy it. Read it religiously.