ESSENCE- RECIPES FROM LE CHAMPIGNON SAUVAGE BY DAVID EVERITT MATTHIAS

• Biased about this book - no chance. What is there to be biased about i've only eaten there 4 times, bought the book from the restaurant, went to school down the road , had the book signed from the chef, got invited into the kitchen to make bread which i declined, silly now but fear was the reason. So of course I'm biased, this is the best damn restaurant in the world in my eyes.
  
  It was on our first visit to this establishment that i saw the book for sale. Not only was it amazing to be eating in our first 2 Michelin starred restaurant, but a chance to purchase the man's book was somewhat exciting, making the whole experience that little more special.
  
  
  When Essence was first published it was widely claimed to be the English equivalent of The French Laundry Cookbook, and rightly so. David Everitt Matthias is not a celebrity chef, although very well known and respected in culinary circles, David is a chef who has not missed a service for 17 years in his restaurant, a distinction not many could surpass. The food he produces is excellent while his wife Helen runs a faultless front of house. Why the Michelin guide still has them down at two stars is beyond many, and belief.
  
  With the authors cooking firmly rooted to the terroir(land), this shows throughout the book with recipes using foraged wild foods and a quirky little section at the back devoted to identification.
  One of the strong points of this book is the break down of each recipe enabling the user to adapt parts to other ingredients. The author explains throughout that most preparations can and will work with other related ingredient parings, which in turn makes this a very user friendly cookbook at the high end of the market!
  Another surprise is the authors love of cheaper cuts and little used fish. This shows the authors great understanding of cooking and ingredients, and how with the right skills the cheaper fresh ingredients can be turned into the sublime. A section at the front describes some of the pre-starters such as crispy pigs ears,gougeres, and a lovely vichysoisse of alexanders. All of this is supported by good photography and wonderful recipes.
  
  Retailing at £25/$40 - a book that is honest and sincere and lives up to it's title Essence!
  
  191 pages
  isbn- 1-9045735-2-5
  http://www.absolutepress.co.uk/
  
  Le Champignon Sauvage
  24-28 suffolk Road
  Cheltenham
  Gloucestershire
  GL 50 2 AQ
  TEL (44) 01242 573449
  http://www.lechampignonsauvage.co.uk