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A Passion for Potatoes
by Paul Gayler
The Lyons Press
ISBN 1-58574-463-8
Published July 2002 - Hardcover - 176 pages - $24.95

I'm officialy a Chef Paul Gayler fan.  I love his beautiful cookbooks (I'm seeking them all out), and this one on potatoes, is no exception.  I adore potatoes, in many forms.  My favorite?  Mmmm, I'd have to say perhaps roast potatoes (the English way), or boiled/baked sweet potatoes with a little butter, or potato salad.  What about scalloped potatoes?  Or even rösti.  And don't think potatoes are a vegetable only suitable for main and/or side dishes.  Chef Gayler, Executive Chef at the Lanesborough Hotel in London, offers us Soups, Appetizers, and Salads; Mash, Gnocchi, and Dumplings; Gratins, Bakes, and Roasts; Sautés, Fritters, Potato Cakes, and Fries; Breads, Pancakes, and Pies; Main Courses, and A Few Sweet Ideas.  I'd forgotten just how many varieties of the potato there are out there, and they're a healthy source of potassium, vitamin C, and they don't have any cholesterol.  It's how we cook them that makes them fattening.  Not being one for making exotic dishes (I prefer simple dishes using simple ingredients) doesn't mean I don't like exotic meals.  These recipes appealed to me, as I salivated and constantly wiped my mouth: Roasted Sweet Potato Bisque with Avocado and Lime Salsa; Aloo Chat; Red Potato, Onion, and Herb Cheese "Brik"; Celeriac (yum yum) and Potato Trouffade; Stacked Potato Blintzes with Bacon and Bananas, and Garlic Braised Chicken with Lemon and Rosemary Potatoes and Olives.  Do take a look at "Sauces for Boiled Potatoes" - very useful.  Many of these recipes are great for vegetarians.
See my review of Chef Gayler's A Passion for Cheese and A Passion for Vegetables and Raising the Heat.
Conclusion - Mouthwateringly delicious recipes for all occasions.