The Flavor Bible

So I don't know that there's a shortcut, but I do think that I hope my flavor wheel helps just to start having the language, which allows you to sort of enter into that world.

But I also heavily relied on a book called The Food Bible.

which I feel like used to be niche, but now I hope everyone has it.

And there's been many other people who've made the food encyclopedia or the flavor component matrix or whatever, but I still think the food bible is the best.

Where do you look for models and that kind of thing?

Yeah, I'll always buy a book that my friend is writing.

So those immediately become my baking Bibles.

I have the great advantage of being friends with really talented bakers as well.

But La Russe Gastronomique, I think, still is fascinating, interesting, a great read, and also has a lot of the answers.

And then anything by Dornenberg and Page, you know, the Flavor Bible is great.

I like the Flavor Bible a lot because the question of what goes with what is a very important question for many chefs.

Eventually you learn that anything can go with anything if you finesse the balance enough, sour, salt, sweet, bitter.

And so I'd say the Flavor Bible, La Russe, La Technique, La Méthode.

Let me pick something from recent times.

I'm obviously a huge fan of cookbooks.