State Bird Provisions

Starred review from September 4, 2017
Brioza and Krasinski, chef-owners of the award-winning San Francisco restaurant State Bird Provisions, along with food writer Goode, share the recipes behind the restaurant’s groundbreaking dishes in this superb collection. Voted Best New Restaurant in the country by Bon Appétit, the restaurant is best known for its fried quail, the state bird of California, served with lemon and rosemary onions, and the recipe for that dish is among a wide array included here that will intrigue and delight. The chefs dedicate an entire chapter to exceptional pancakes flavored with the likes of ginger and scallion and sweet corn and cheese. Even humble toast is elevated to new levels when topped with tomato and pickled anchovies, asparagus with black trumpet aioli, or marinated chanterelle mushrooms with chanterelle aioli. Chips and dips also reach new heights when served with fresh-cured trout roe and horseradish crème fraîche. Duck liver mousse with warm duck-fat financiers (small almond cakes) combine sweet and savory, while littleneck clam, pork belly, and kimchi stew melds briny with the smooth, rich umami of a low, slow braise. The chefs also offer equally inventive and excellent meats, seafood, vegetables, and desserts, such as ice cream sandwiches made with a lemon verbena sabayon. Beautifully written and photographed, this collection will inspire generations of diners and chefs to come.

August 1, 2017

This earnest debut book from the chefs and owners of State Bird Provisions in San Francisco, Brioza and Nicole Krasinski, with food writer JJ Goode, has all the elements of a great restaurant cookbook: artful photographs, enlightening recipes, and a compelling story of triumph in the face of hardship. The dishes within (e.g., ginger-scallion pancakes with sea urchin and soy-lime glaze, saffron-raspberry ice cream sandwiches with peaches and hazelnuts) are the sort that require formidable skill and a willingness to procure a fermenting crock and electric smoker. While this title is unlikely to end up dog-eared on the average kitchen counter, it will inspire and motivate home cooks to explore new ways of combining flavors and textures. Like Nicolaus Balla and Cortney Burns's Bar Tartine, it includes a wide selection of recipes for foundational components such as stocks, dressings, powders, and pickles. VERDICT Highly recommended for aspiring chefs and readers interested in contemporary fine dining.

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