|
 In
a city known for its skyscrapers, Alfred Portale's
food at the famed Gotham Bar and Grill mirrors
New York's architecture: His towering plates are
as legendary for their complex presentations as
for their complex flavors.
Portale's
interest in food was piqued by reading Julia Child's
Mastering the Art of French Cooking; his
subsequent career change from jewelry designer
to world-class chef began with an education at
the Culinary Institute of America, where he graduated
first in his class in 1981. For three years Portale
worked with some of France's most renowned chefs
— Michel Guerard, the brothers Troisgros,
and Jacques Maximin — during which time he
continued to refine and master classical French
technique. As he gained experience, a personal
style evolved, and Portale became one of the founders
of New American Cuisine.
Eager
to share his wealth of knowledge and creativity
back in New York, Portale became chef at the Gotham
Bar and Grill, which was first awarded three stars
by the New York Times in 1986, a feat it
has since repeated.
Influenced
by his mother, who learned Italian cooking from
her mother and then adapted it to American ingredients,
Portale borrows from several cultures to infuse
his dishes with a wide range of flavors.
In
1992 Portale opened a seafood restaurant to fill
the city's gap between high-end and cheap-eats
seafood offerings. One Fifth Avenue became New
York's seafood restaurant of choice, supplied
daily by a salmon farm and by a fisherman in Maine.
In his seafood dishes, Portale combines the gutsy
flavors of the Mediterranean and the abundance
of the Atlantic coast with the technical flourishes
of France.
Whether
visiting relatives in his hometown of Buffalo,
N.Y., or at home with his wife and family, Portale
is never far away from the kitchen. He is actively
involved in charities dedicated to providing food
for the needy, such as Share Our Strength and
Citymeals-on-Wheels, and has participated in the
American Chefs and Winemakers' Tribute to James
Beard and Wolfgang Puck's Annual American Food
and Wine Festival. In 1990 he was given the Ivy
Award by the respected trade magazine Restaurants
& Institutions.
Recipes
published:
Pumpkin
Crème Brûlée
Potato
and Butternut Squash Gratin with Gruyere
Pumpkin
and Sweet Garlic Custards
|
 Alfred Portale's 12 Seasons
Cookbook
by Alfred Portale, Andrew Friedman (Contributor)
Hardcover
- 400 pages (October 17, 2000)
Broadway Books; ISBN: 0767906063
To
purchase click here
Reviews
of
Amazon.com
Alfred Portale is one of our foremost chefs. His
cooking at Manhattan's Gotham Bar and Grill is
widely acclaimed for its refined yet down-to-earth
deliciousness. "When it comes to cooking,"
Portale says, "there are 12 seasons,"
a truth his 12 Seasons Cookbook explores
in bountiful detail. Reflecting that each month
embodies its own seasonal and psychological moment,
and therefore makes its own demands in the kitchen,
he presents more than 100 recipes matched to the
culinary calendar. Though many of these require
a cooking workout, a sufficient number are simple
enough for most cooks to try when the mood strikes.
Portale
characterizes the months. November means Thanksgiving
and December Christmas, and for these he provides
recipes like Pumpkin and Sweet Garlic Custards
and Lamb Chops and Truffled Mashed Potatoes. The
depths of February require a little "culinary
sunshine" in the form of Lemon Risotto with
Spot Prawns, among other dishes, while May is
"the big bang of the culinary year,"
a rebirth celebrated with dishes including Grilled
Soft-Shell Crabs with Asparagus, New Potatoes,
and a Lemon-Caper Vinaigrette. July is "birthdays
and barbecues"--Montauk Chowder salutes this
height of summer--while September signals a return
to school and work, demanding "recipes for
busy times" such as Orichette with Chicken,
Swiss Chard, and Reggiano Parmigiano. A wide range
of dessert recipes, such as Coconut Panna Cotta,
are also included. Throughout, Portale offers
"flavor building" ideas for dressing
up recipes, "thinking ahead" notes for
staggering preparation, and dish variation suggestions.
With 150 illustrations, thematic menus, what-to-drink
advice, and a section on basics like stocks, the
book presents a culinary calendar that works for
year-round dining enjoyment. --Arthur Boehm
Book
Description
"When it comes to cooking, there are twelve
seasons," says Alfred Portale, the world-renowned
chef of the Gotham Bar and Grill restaurant. To
him, each month is a season unto itself--not just
because crucial ingredients peak at different
points during the traditional four seasons, but
also because each month carries with it a unique
set of emotions and associations.
Alfred
Portale's 12 Seasons Cookbook takes the home cook
on a deeply personal journey through the year
in food. Many chapters are...
You
can order a copy of Alfred Portale's 12
Seasons Cookbook by clicking here.
|
