Peeking Into A Luxury Hotel's Kitchen
The Waldorf=Astoria Cookbook by
John Doherty with John Harrisson
The Waldorf=Astoria Cookbook by John Doherty (with John Harrisson) is one of those big, beautiful books that makes you want to stick your nose between the pages and take a big, deep breath. It's a coffee table book with slick pages featuring gorgeous dishes cooked at one of the most famous hotels in the world.
History Served Up With Devine Dishes
Once you get past the aesthetic beauty of the compilation, you'll find the story of the Waldorf=Astoria as well as recipes scaled down to feed families or small groups. It's hard to separate the history from the dishes though the book begins with a walk down memory lane and then the recipe sections are traditional in format so that the book can be used as an actual kitchen cookbook.
The history portion is fairly short but packed with interesting tidbits. The first hotel was built, in part, to irritate the aunt with the adjoining property. Her personal castle did not look so grand next to a full-scale mega hotel. She moved. Eventually a cousin bought out next door and that's how the = came to be part of the hotel name. They had 30 inches between the businesses (just in case), but the two operations functioned as one.
At one point the Waldorf=Astoria was sold, but the name went with the purchase. This was in 1929 during the Depression. The Empire State Building went up on the old site, and the Waldorf=Astoria moved to the present location.
The hotel was innovative and set the standard for elegance when conceived, and that tradition has continued through today. The foods served matched the overall elegance, and many recipes made famous at the Waldorf=Astoria are familiar nationwide today. Most people have heard of Waldorf Salad. And, though Red Velvet Cake is considered a southern creation, it's a signature dessert at the hotel and uses beets as coloring rather than lots of red food coloring.
Are The Recipes Authentic?
In some ways, this is an armchair dream book for the cook. After all, most people don't have the time to spend cooking full-time. Certainly, you're not going to get 30-minute meals — nor should you expect to.
On the other hand, the recipes are scaled back in terms of servings (for 6 to 8 people on average), and the recipes are easy to follow though many do involve a number of steps. There are several recipes that I'd try out including Country-Style Black-Bean Soup with Cilantro Cream and Eggs Baked in Prosciutto with Tomato Salsa. The drink mixes look simple enough. And, I have to give that Red Velvet Cake a whirl here is my kitchen.
There are some ingredients that would be difficult to round up in a smaller town. I know better than to ask the manager at the local IGA where he keeps the quail eggs. I'd have better luck hunting up a farmer and asking him where the quail are nesting around here. On the plus side, Doherty adds notes after most recipes and gives some ingredient alternatives or tips that help in making the dish. In some cases, a cook could just do the main portion of the recipe and skip sauces and toppings, though I'm sure those are what make the dishes listed really stand out.
A Slice of Americana
The Waldorf=Astoria is a wonderful, nostalgic journey through the kitchens of an American icon. The dishes are lovely enough to make your mouth water just flipping through the pages. Though I don't think my boys are going to be thrilled if I spend all day making bacon wrapped rabbit loin, I do think I'll be making some of these dishes for special occasions. They'll clearly take a bit more time and effort, but I'd hate to think that one of the best hotels in the world tossed frozen French fries and fish sticks in the oven for dinner. Even when I don't feel like cooking, this book is a real taste treat involving all the senses.
