On
the 18th of March, 2001 after two years of work, Dutch
Chef Jonnie Boer published his second cookbook. The
first was called 'Pure'. To reflect the progression
of his food and his focus on cooking simple, honest
- no nonsense cuisine, his second book was named 'Puurder'
- i.e. more pure.
Jonnie
cooks with indigenous commodities remaining loyal
to Zwolle the region in which his restaurant De
Librije is located. His style and recipes are
wild and imaginative, incorporating uncommon commodities
like eel, North Sea Gurnard and River Perch that he
serves with smoked garlic froth and coriander pesto.
Dishes like these have brought Jonnie fame and two
Michelin stars.
The
unique edge of Puurder continues with the inclusion
of a small book on wine. This smaller book has been
inserted into the exterior of Puurder's cover.
This tiny gem highlights some simple theories of wine
pairing. Written by Jonnie's wife, partner and master
of wine Thérèse Boer-Tausch, Thérèse
preaches her words on wine akin with religion, referring
to her thoughts in Biblical terms - the ten and twelve
apostles just like the Old and New Testament.
In
Puurder the food takes center stage. Every
dish is skillfully enriched through the lens of Jan
Bartelsman - offering fantastic, original, inspirational
images of Jonnie's food. A novice would be challenged
with the recipes as they require some interpretation
but this is a book that could go 'head to head' with
any offering of Charlie Trotter or Gordon Ramsay.
