BOOK REVIEW: Two Chefs, Jan Jorgensen's new book "A Cook's Table"
Now that the holiday season has thankfully passed, it is time to redeem those Amazon gift cards and TREAT yourself to a copy of longtime Miami chef, Jan Jorgensen’s new cookbook, A Cook’s Table.
For 30+ years, South Florida foodies, wine lovers, locals and savvy visitors have considered Two Chefs restaurant a fine dining oasis; a sophisticated gourmet getaway located in an unassuming strip mall off bustling US 1 in South Miami. In fact, part of this restaurant’s long- running appeal has been the discovery of such fine dining in a suburban neighborhood.
In addition, chef/owner Jan Jorgensen has been one of Miami’s most successful chef/owners with his soulful, robust contemporary American fare with influences from Italy, France, and Germany.
But the secret is out with Chef Jorgensen’s newly released cookbook, A Cook’s Table.
Co-authored with former South Floridian, journalist and renowned wine expert Todd Wernstrom, A Cook’s Table is a compilation of more than 125 recipes from Jorgensen’s career ranging from his childhood favorites to his innovative dishes at Two Chefs.. The recipes run the gamut from simple selections (such as spinach soup with eggs and hazelnuts and Two Chefs’ famous meatloaf) to more advanced dishes, from biksemad (Scandinavian hash) to boeuf sauté stroganoff and escargot pot pie. “This book is truly a celebration of my life as an eater and cook, beginning with dishes from my childhood along with Two Chefs classics that have stood the test of time,” says Jorgensen
“This was surely no easy feat, but I have dreamed of collecting my favorite recipes into a book for years and it took time to make it a reality. A huge part of that was Todd’s vision of simultaneously celebrating wine and food.”
A longtime fan and friend of Jorgensen and the former executive editor of Wine News, it was Wernstrom’s idea to embrace Two Chef’s reputation as a wine lover’s paradise and organize the recipes into categories according to the recipes’ suggested pairing – Syrah/Shiraz, Chardonnay, Champagne, Zinfandel, etc. We have come a long way from “white with fish” and “red with meat” and this book gives tips on different pairings to enhance the dishes.
“The harmony between wine and food has been instrumental to Two Chefs’ and Jan’s success,” Wernstrom notes, “so it was important to have that element at play in A Cook’s Table.”
Available for sale nationwide via Amazon and Barnes & Noble, as both hard cover and soft cover, the book spans close to 400 pages, overflowing with personal insights, recipes, mouthwatering photography, and a carefully curated glossary of terms, which combines definitions with helpful hints on selecting ingredients – i.e. how to pick out the best lemon and how to make stocks from scratch.
“The glossary is more than just terms and definitions,” adds Jorgensen. “Proper technique starts with proper sourcing and the proper building blocks, things like sauces and stocks. The most delicious food comes from the bottom up so the glossary was as much a labor of love as the recipes themselves.”
A Cook’s Table is published by Page Publishing. Available for sale in hardcover and softcover.
Treat your yourself as a well earned reward for a holiday season well done!
Amazon link HERE
Two Chefs
8287 South Dixie Highway in Miami, Florida.
Telephone: (305) 663-2100;