Author: Ha, Christine

Brand: Rodale Books

Color: Multicolor

Edition: 45708th

Features:

• Rodale Books

Binding: Hardcover

Number Of Pages: 224

Release Date: 14-05-2013

Details: Product Description Easy Vietnamese comfort food recipes from the winner of MasterChef Season 3. In her kitchen, Christine Ha possesses a rare ingredient that most professionally-trained chefs never learn to use: the ability to cook by sense. After tragically losing her sight in her twenties, this remarkable home cook, who specializes in the mouthwatering, wildly popular Vietnamese comfort foods of her childhood, as well as beloved American standards that she came to love growing up in Texas, re-learned how to cook. Using her heightened senses, she turns out dishes that are remarkably delicious, accessible, luscious, and crave-worthy. Millions of viewers tuned in to watch Christine sweep the thrilling MasterChef Season 3 finale, and here they can find more of her deftly crafted recipes. They'll discover food that speaks to the best of both the Vietnamese diaspora and American classics, personable tips on how to re-create delicious professional recipes in a home kitchen, and an inspirational personal narrative bolstered by Ha's background as a gifted writer. Recipes from My Home Kitchen will braid together Christine's story with her food for a result that is one of the most compelling culinary tales of her generation. Amazon.com Review Amazon Q&A for Recipes from My Home Kitchen. Graham Elliot, MasterChef judge, chef and restauranteur interviews Christine Ha, author of Recipes from My Home Kitchen. Graham Elliot: When you first auditioned for MasterChef did you ever imagine you we'd be talking about your very own cookbook a year later? Christine Ha: Definitely not. I mean, it was my dream, yes. Out of the trophy/title, monetary winnings, and the cookbook deal, the cookbook was the prize I wanted the most. It only made sense--I am a writer, and by nature, writers want to share themselves with the world through their stories. What better way to marry the two loves of my life--food and word--than with my very own cookbook? But to compete against more than 30,000 home cooks across America? I don't like to get my hopes up, so I tried not to give it much thought. Well, I realize now that nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it and play it smart. GE: Gordon Ramsay, Joe Bastianich and I were always blown away by your ability to present beautiful, edible creations. How are you able to produce such visually stunning dishes without your sense of sight? CH: Ah, that seems to be the million dollar question. Well, I've always had an elephant's memory, and this was only perpetuated with my vision loss. Now that I can't depend on my eyes to see what's laid out on the counter, I have to memorize where I put the basil, the knife, the sauté pan full of hot oil. This memory of how foods look--shape, their color, their texture--is what aids me when I plate a dish. I think having to feel your food forces you to become more connected with it; that's the belief of those cultures that eat their meals with their hands--touching your food with your fingers increases awareness. I also believe the fact that I can't see the small imperfections on a plate--say, the microgreens not being set exactly 2.5 inches apart--makes for a more organic and, in my opinion, aesthetically more pleasing plate. GE: Which aspects of your cooking style do you think will be most popular with the average American home cook? CH: Oh, Graham, I'm smart, but I'm not psychic! Is there really such a thing as an "average American home cook"? Americans are hardly average at all. Like I said, our country is just so diverse. Plus home cooks are becoming quite sophisticated these days--just look at the range of talent you see on each season of "MasterChef." I will say, however, that with demographics moving more and more towards dual income households, and even in the case of stay-at-home parents who are busy taking care of the kids and the house, people have less time and energy to cook dinner every night. For these reasons, I think many home cooks would appreciate r

EAN: 8601406704961

Package Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.6 x 0.7 inches

Languages: English