Product Description
In this long-awaited book, Marcus Samuelsson introduces the simple techniques and exciting combinations that have won him worldwide acclaim and placed Scandinavian cooking at the forefront of the culinary scene. Whether it's a freshly interpreted Swedish classic or a dramatically original creation, each one of the dishes has been flawlessly recreated for the home cook. Every recipe has a masterful touch that makes it strikingly new: the contrasting temperatures of Warm Beef Carpaccio in Mushroom Tea, the pleasing mix of creamy and crunchy textures in Radicchio, Bibb, and Blue Cheese Salad, the cornflake coating on a delightful rendition of Marcus's favorite "junk food," Crispy Potatoes.
In "The Raw and the Cured," Marcus presents the cornerstone dishes of the Scandinavian repertoire, from a traditional Gravlax with Mustard Sauce (which gets just the right balance from a little coffee) to the internationally inspired Pickled Herring Sushi-Style. The clean, precise flavors of this food are reminiscent of Japanese cuisine but draw upon accessible Western ingredients.
Marcus shows how to prepare foolproof dinners for festive occasions: Crispy Duck with Glogg Sauce, Herb-Roasted Rack of Lamb, and Prune-Stuffed Pork Roast. Step by step, offering many suggestions for substitutions and shortcuts, he guides you through the signature dishes that have made Aquavit famous, like Dill-Crusted Arctic Char with Pinot Noir Sauce, Pan-Roasted Venison Chops with Fruit and Berry Chutney, and Fois Gras "Ganache."
But you'll also find dozens of homey, comforting dishes that Marcus learned from his grandmother, like Swedish Roast Chicken with Spiced Apple Rice, Chilled Potato-Chive Soup, Blueberry Bread, Corn Mashed Potatoes, ethereal Swedish Meatballs with Quick Pickled Cucumbers, and Swedish Pancakes with Lingonberry Whipped Cream.
From simplest-ever snacks like Sweet and Salty Pine Nuts and Barbecued Boneless Ribs, to satisfying sandwiches like Gravlax Club, to vibrant jams and salsas and homemade flavored aquavits, Marcus Samuelsson's best recipes are here. Lavishly photographed, Aquavit and the New Scandinavian Cuisine provides all the inspiration and know-how needed for stunning success in the kitchen.

Amazon.com Review
What kind of food would a French-trained Manhattan chef, born in Ethiopia and raised in Sweden, produce? The unique food of Aquavit, the Scandinavian restaurant whose refined, contemporary cooking Marcus Samuelsson presents in his eponymous debut cookbook. Samulesson's cuisine reflects the Swedish love of seafood, game, and pickled and preserved dishes, enlivened by Indian spices (brought to Sweden in the 17th century), plus other approaches. Thus Aquavit offers reborn Scandinavian favorites like Gravlax with Mustard Sauce and Swedish Roast Chicken with Spiced Apple Rice plus delights like Tandoori-Smoked Salmon with Goat Cheese Parfait, Hot-Smoked Char with Lemon Broth, and Glazed Salmon with Wasabi Sabayon. Though the book includes among its 150-plus recipes fare that's definitely friendly to the home cook--like Barbecued Boneless "Ribs" (made with boneless pork shoulder) and Slow Roasted Turkey Wings--this is fundamentally a chef's collection, and will probably be pored through more readily than cooked from. Nonetheless, for readers interested in the food of singular talent, presented in an oversized format as lovely as the cooking itself, the Aquavit is essential.

Chapters cover the basic menu stops, including soups, salads and sides, plus the likes of Steamed Crab Rolls from "Bites, Snacks and Little Plates"; Blueberry Bread from "Crackers and Breads"; and Lamb Sausage Wrap from "Sandwiches." Chapters on dessert offer such treats as Swedish Pancakes with Lingonberry Whipped Cream and Chocolate "Blini"; and a drinks section includes the unusual and very palatable likes of Lemon, Pepper, and Dill Aquavit and Yellow Mary Mix, a yellow-tomato bloody mary descendant. Illustrated with ravishing color photos that reiterate the sleek pleasures of the food, Aquavit is as special as its innovative and very worldly author. --Arthur Boehm

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 15 reviews)

Aquait

Impressive Marcus Samuelson book. Gorgeous pix of inventive dishes. My used copy is in great condition and arrived quickly.

October 02, 2008

Aquavit:And the New Scandinavian Cuisine

This book is a delight to read, and the photographs are marvelous. The recipes are excellent and have provided inspiration for exploring my cultural heritage in a delicious and healthy way. I particularly appreciate the emphasis on fish and seafood.
November 11, 2006

Great pictures, flawed directions

I tried the recipes for My Grandmother's Chicken Soup, Dill-crusted Artic Char with Pinot Noir Sauce, and Corn Mashed Potatoes. All had major flaws in them: The chicken soup not only did not match the picture (which shows hunks of chicken, lemon grass, fresh thyme, and what look like tomatoes, none of which appear in the recipe) and gave no directions for a major ingredient (garam masala). The finished product was bland (I included the garam masala in the roasting step), but usable. The artic char was completely overwhelmed by the sauce, although the seared skin and potato layer (way to much dill, though) was a good idea. Finally, the potato dish turned into soup when I added even less than the specified half of the cooking liquid; I remedied this by cooking the mixture (not called for in the recipe) which, after all, did contain two raw egg yolks at that point, until it thickened up to a reasonable consistency. The product was quite good, and the corn is a nice addition to this simple accompaniment. In summary, the ideas in this cookbook are intriguing, and I will continue to experiment with them, but a lot more kitchen testing of the printed recipes was needed before releasing this beautiful, but expensive and inaccurate cookbook.
April 09, 2006

Compelling, beaufiful to view

I just received Aquavit as a gift, so have to add a disclaimer - I haven't cooked from it yet. But cookbooks either cast their spell instantly or don't. This is a captivating book. To begin, it's visually stunning, with beautiful photographs and an attactive wide layout.

The content is equally enjoyable. The story of Marcus's journey is interesting, and his narrative style is warm and engaging. His recipe introductions are very effective putting the dishes in the context of his upbringing and culinary training.

The recipes are a good mix of food and technique. The "raw and cured" section is an interesting change of pace, and his treatments of fish, meat and poultry all have appealing Scandinavian flair.

Marcus frequently integrates a vegetable or side dish recipe with a main dish recipe, layering each dish with multiple flavors, textures and color. The result is recipes that are enjoyable to read and think about.

The other Scandinavian cookbook on my shelf is Kitchen of Light by Andreas Viestad (2003), which has a greater emphasis on Scandinavian culture and mood. Both are good, Aquavit is a much lighter, easier read than KOL.

I'm giving Aquavit 5 stars based on the reading and visual experience, with the assumption the recipes will cook just as well.
January 02, 2006

A different type of fusion

Having become interested in northern european food of late, I decided to buy this book on a whim. Of my cookbook collection, which is a reasonable size, I rate this book in the top 5. Comparable to both of Thomas Keller's, this book combines inspirational recipes with different ideas about flavour and beautiful food photography. I read it 5 times over in the 2 days after I recieved it. I would recommend it to anyone who is a serious reader of culinary works and a great place for those new to collecting cookbooks to start.
August 02, 2005

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