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By Joseph Romero
LOS ANGELES, 5 JUNE 2012 — Once, the thought of "vegetarians"
triggered deep-rooted race memories of secret, unsavory earth-cults, ripe
for a visit from the Spanish Inquisition. But time has moved on, and
vegetarian cuisine can now be haute cuisine, as demonstrated by
the inspired cookery book from Swiss chef Pietro
Leemann.
After working with the renowned chefs
Gualtiero Marchesi and Fredy Giradet, Pietro Leemann went on to
create Ristorante Joia, a fashionable
Michelin one-star (1996) "tendenzialmente vegetariana" in Milan. Since
then, and like many talented European chefs, Mr. Leemann has spent time in
the Far East, notably China and Japan, in a quest for more subtle
flavours.
Now, under the guise of a cookery book of seasonal
recipes from his Milanese restaurant, Mr. Leeman documents his years of
research and attempts to mentor the adult reader beyond hedonistic
consumption to a more cognitive and sensory appreciation of mostly
vegetarian haute cuisine or at the very least, cuisine
bourgeoise.
Richness, Life and Death, Pleasure,
Consistency, Taste, Smell, Sight, Healthy Nutrition are among the key
topics treated in his philisophically coherent and thoughtful
introduction. Four course meals suitable for each of the four seasons
range in difficulty from a simple, autumnal second course of "Noble
Vegetables Braised with Thyme" to a complicated, but delicate, spring
dessert of "Steamed Meringue in a Caramel Cage" paired with "Champagne of
any kind". Side bars on the "architecture of the dish", informative tips
on the food chemistry of particular ingredients and excellent wine
pairings complete the elegant page layout. Opposite each recipe is a full
page still life by the Swiss photographer Jean Bernard Aegerter. Brief
chapters on the selection and use of balsamic vinegar, herbs, spices,
sauces, cooking technique and equipment bring this unusual and fascinating
volume to a close.
Joia
Colours, Flavours and Consistency in Natural Haute
Cuisine
By Pietro Leemann
With the
collaboration of Nicola Nardi
Photographs by Jean Bernard
Aegerter
Hardback: 216 pages
Abitare Segesta
ISBN 10: 8886116594
ISBN 13: 9788886116596
Headline photo: Pietro Leemann
Joseph Romero is Editor-in-Chief of
Culturekiosque.
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