[.ca] Cooking With Patrick Clark (ISBN 1580080731)

From Amazon.com:
If experiencing the taste of a man's life seems implausible, then you need to cook from Cooking with Patrick Clark, a cookbook generated by Charlie Trotter as a way of giving honor to the memory of one of America's great chefs. Patrick Clark died at age 42, waiting for a heart transplant. He left behind a wife and five children. Proceeds from this book go to an education fund for the Clark children. Like an underlying drumbeat, the comments of more than 50 of the chefs who knew and worked with Patrick Clark and who contributed recipes to this book continually come back to Clark's humanity, his warmth, his dedication to his art, his dedication to his family, and his ability to inspire the best in everybody. Clark always meant to write a cookbook, but with career and family and the considerable amount of time he put into charity food events, he never got around to it. Cooking with Patrick Clark, then, is as close as we will ever come. This is classy food, challenging food. Clark was a highly skilled and trained chef who raised the bar on American cooking. Try the Crab, Artichoke, and Potato Salad to discover Clark's delight in the mystery of how disparate ingredients can come together in a peculiarly American style. You'll find Roasted Salmon with Moroccan Barbecue Sauce, or Black Sea Bass with Israeli Couscous. Clark can get as elegant as Rabbit Loin with Leeks and Wild Mushrooms, and as down-home as barbecued Ribs with Spicy Coleslaw and Buttermilk-Chile Corn Muffins. The single note that rings true and clear through all of his recipes is passion. Then there are the contributions of the many invited chefs, who add their memories of and feelings about Patrick Clark. Nancy Silverton's addition is a Strawberry-Rhubarb Cobbler with Brown Butter Biscuits. She may sum up everyone's feelings best when she says, "I chose this dessert because it's just like Patrick--warm and comforting." A special note of gratitude must be made to Charlie Trotter. This book might not have made it to print were it not for his drive and determination to see a fitting memorial for his friend and colleague. --Schuyler Ingle

Not what I had expected!:
Seeing Patrick Clark's recipes come to life in bold color was astonishing to say the least. I was truly in awe of his depth of cooking.I've never met him personally but I felt his warmth through the kind and admirable words spoken by his family and friends. The downfall was that I was expecting a little more input from his colleagues and friends. For someone of the calibre of Patrick Clark I would have expected more than one and two liners from the contributors. Many commented on his warm smile and committment to his family. That is wonderful, but I wanted to hear more about his professional life. What did they think about his cooking? Also the idea from what I gathered was that each contributor would add a recipe of his or her own in rememberance of Patrick Clark. Emeril and Nancy Silverton actually dedicated or made mention of Patrick with their respective recipe. The other contriutors just through in a recipe without any connection to Patrick Clark. What significance did their recipes have in regard to the professional life of Patrick Clark? I was even expecting more from his family. This book was a real let down. Charlie Trotter did an honorable job, but all in all the book seemed to be nothing more than an advertising tool for many of the contributors.

I am Drooling Thinking About it. . .:
When I need inspiration and cannot figure out what to make for a meal, I turn to this book. I was never able to eat any of Patrick Clark's food, however, I can only imagine if I can take his recipes and turn them into something wonderful, what he would have done with them. I make his ribs at least once a month, when I am asked for the recipe, I point to the book. While I could give them the recipe, I want more people to buy this book. I have made many of Patrick's recipes, and have not found a single entry that was sublime. God Bless you Patrick.

GASTRONOMIC 'DREAM TEAM':
Thank you Chef Charlie for putting together this delightful array of WORLD RENOWNED CHEFS and for including REGIONAL CHEFS, such as Mark Filippo from Cafe Meze in Westchester, NY. The late Chef Patrick would be proud of this MOUTH WATERING MEMORIAL. I see several chefs are not waiting for the weekending April 25 DINNER CELEBRATION to release their delicious contributions. They have already added them to thier present menu. These UNIQUE CULINARY DELIGHTS can not only be used over and over and, but also passed from generation to generation. THIS VOLUME IS A MUST FOR COLLECTORS. If you've said or heard the phase "I'll be home late, Honey" too often, here's a recipe for moving ahead faster then a cake rises. PLAN AHEAD - pop one of these GREAT CHEF'S recipes in the oven and read the "2000 Percent Solution" by Mitchell, Coles and Metz. You'll spend more time with Chef Charlie and these GUEST CHEFS when you learn to avoid TIME-WASTING STALLS that keep you from reaching your full career potential.

As good as a cookbook can get!:
Where else can one get a cookbook which has so many recipes from the world's greatest chefs and at the same time contribute to such a worthy cause? This is such a neat concept! I've made several of these recipes for entertaining. Patrick's recipes have sophistication and comfort all rolled up in one. Diners at my table have raved about the food prepared from his recipes. This is a keeper! Buy one for yourself and give many to all those who love food and cooks!

A wonderful book that is more than "just" a cookbook:
Patrick Clark was a hero of sorts to me, an idol if you will. I would watch his occasional guest spots on the food network with pen in hand to write down the show numbers so I could download the recipes he made. He seemd to me, through the looking glass that is the television, to be a warm man that loved his work and his world. This cookbook, more a tribute and rememberance than just a cookbook, brings out the story of the man. Half the recipes are his and the other half are recipes shared by other great chefs in his honor, along with their fond recolections of Patrick Clark the chef, the husband, the father and the man. I have made several of the recipes in this book and they are wonderful, as you would expect them to be. They are easy to follow, in most casses, and the results of my bit of cooking were enjoyable. The book is also a worthy read while sitting on the sofa and warming by the fire. It is reassuring to know that the personality that came across on the Television is so close to the real man. His passing left the culinary world short one shining star. I am sorry I never got a chance to taste his cooking first hand. With this cookbook I am able, at least in a secondhand way, to taste the work of the man.