Forklore: Recipes and Tales from an American Bistro

by Ellen Yin

Book Overview

A collection of recipes and stories, this book tells the beginning of Fork, and how it coincided with Philadelphia's second restaurant renaissance. It describes how Fork was born, and the chefs who... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1592136516
• ISBN13: 9781592136513
• Release Date: October 2007
• Publisher: Temple University Press
• Length: 259 Pages
• Weight: 2.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 8.1" x 9.8"

Customer Reviews

Misunderstood yet interesting book

I have been to Fork more times than I can count, and so when I heard of Fork lore I was of course interested. I feel this book is a little misunderstood because people are expecting to get a cookbook out of it, and it does include recipes, but it is far from a cookbook. It is a true story of the beginning of a legend in the Philadelphia dining community, the inception and pursuit of a fine culinary establishment, and an interesting read at that (especially for anyone who has ever considered opening their own restaurant). However as far as recipes go I was not expecting much. Fork has always been about getting the freshest local ingredients from area farms and then doing their best to prepare the food without getting in the way. It isn't complicated food and it isn't complex, but it is delicious because of the expert preparation and freshness of the ingredients. The recipes in this book are just like the ones they make at Fork, simple, and rely on their keen sourcing of in season food. Anyone purchasing this book looking to run to the supermarket and make a few of the recipes is going to be sorely disappointed, as they only shine when you use ingredients beyond the quality easily available to the home chef. Scout out a few farmer's markets, learn where you can get some fresh cuts of beef, free range chicken, or fish caught only hours ago and I'm sure you'll enjoy the recipes as much as when you have them in the restaurant. The book paints an interesting and not oft seen picture of how the making of a restaurant that stands the test of time looks from the point of mere ideas to a decade of service, and it also carries a message about food, freshness, and ingredients that is reflected in the recipes contained therein; the whole is no more than the sum of its parts.