Hometown boy turned superstar, Michael Symon is one of the
hottest food personalities in America. Hailing from
Cleveland, Ohio, he is counted among the nation’s greatest
chefs, having joined the ranks of Mario Batali, Bobby Flay,
and Masaharu Morimoto as one of America’s Iron Chefs. At his
core, though, he’s a midwestern guy with family roots in
old-world traditions. In Michael Symon’s Live to
Cook, Michael tells the amazing story of his whirlwind
rise to fame by sharing the food and incredible recipes that
have marked his route.
Michael is known for his easy,
fresh food. He means it when he says that if a dish requires
more than two pans to finish, he’s not going to make it.
Cooking what he calls “heritage” food–based on the recipes
beloved by his Greek—Italian—Eastern European—American
parents and the community in Cleveland–Michael draws on the
flavors of traditional recipes to create sophisticated
dishes, such as his Beef Cheek Pierogies with Wild Mushrooms
and Horseradish, which came out of the pierogies that his
grandpa made. Michael translates the influences of the
diverse working-class neighborhood in which he grew up into
dishes with Mediterranean ingredients, such as those in
Olive Oil Poached Halibut with Fennel, Rosemary, and Garlic;
Italian-style handmade pastas, like Linguini with Heirloom
Tomato, Capers, Anchovies, and Chilies; and re-imagined
Cleveland favorites, such as Mac and Cheese with Roasted
Chicken, Goat Cheese, and Rosemary.
Part of Michael’s
irresistible allure on the Food Network comes from how much
fun he has in the kitchen. To help readers gain confidence
and have a good time, Michael Symon’s Live to Cook
has advice for cooking like a pro, starting with basic
instructions for how to correctly use techniques such as
braising, poaching, and pickling. There’s also information
on how caramelizing vegetables and toasting spices can give
dishes a greater depth of flavor–instead of a heavy,
time-consuming stock-based sauce–and why the perfect
finishing touch to most meat or fish dishes can be a savory
hot vinaigrette instead.
With fantastic four-color
photography throughout and tons of helpful “Symon Says”
tips, Michael Symon’s Live to Cook is bound to get
anyone fired up about getting into the kitchen and cooking
up something downright delicious.