Review: Anthony Bourdain's 'Kitchen Confidential'

Anthony Bourdain is an asshole. With that said, however, I enjoyed reading this book...or well most parts anyway. Bourdain takes you into the kitchen frenzy of New York's culinary scene.

His text ignited my inner desire to become a vegan chef and left me wanting to know more about great cuisine and go cook something vegan and delicious.

I think reading this book as vegan ensures a completely different perspective than that of non-vegans. Such a great concentration is placed on feasting upon the dead, french delicacies such as fois gras, veal, and amazing creatures from the sea (which is really quite saddening). These "delicacies" are tradition, passed down from generation to generation but a transition is definitely being made. Some are stiff about their food preferences but it's becoming quite trendy to eat more natural- delicious food that maybe raw and significantly contributes less to the warming of planet earth.

(This have went from review to rant/rave) I feel my English skills slipping away as a the summer passes. Thankfully I'll be continuing my English and writing skills this fall.

Confessions of a Chocoholic

Velvet Cake from How it All Vegan

filled with

Caramel Filling From Vive Le Vegan

covered in

Chocolate Frosting

Gnocchi

In an attemp to cure stomach cramps that I swear are out to kill me, Imade some gnocchi.

It seemed to do the trick however, gnocchi is best made with the one you love.

But it's Sunday night and the only date I have is with the stack of homework that seems to have grown over the weekend so gnocchi alone must suffce.

Note: Itailicezed because I mock alone. In actuality I'm not alone but rather in my sister's presence as she plays Moby's latest song over and over and over on myspace. Well her space.

The preparation of gnocchi is really very simple. You don't even need a recipe ,just flour and potatoes or yams or sweet potatoes. Tonight was the first time I ever did it with yams which were fine but I still think that I like potatoes better.

To prepare the dough you can really cook the potatoes any way you like.

Boil them. Cook them in the oven. Roast them over a campfire. Bake them with a recycled cardboard box. Steam them.

Just make sure they're soft.... or your trek to gnocchi may become a difficult one.

Smash the potatoes and start combining with flour. For about six small potatoes or two medium to large yams, I would recommend about 2 cups. But add the flour in parts just until you have a doughy glob that you can roll- just like when you made snakes with playdo as a child (or still do).

Then cut into inch sized pieces.

The next step is ridge making.

(Ridges help sauce stick to the pasta)

You can invest in a gnocchi ridege maker or the fork.

Press rideges gently into gnocchi.

Then drop the gnocchi into salted boiling water. When they're done they'll rise to the top. (About 2 or 3 minutes)

Remove from water with a slotted spoon and enjoy!

A Few Gnocchi tips-

• Don't let the name scare you. Its really quite delicious to say and eat
  
• Salt the water well and make sure it's boiling like crazy before you drop in the gnocchi
  
• A ridge maker is absolutely necessary, well not really but it's more fun


• Gnocchi is way better than boxed pasta


• Just a little pepper on top will do or go for some pesto or marinara or roasted red pepper sauce