New World Kitchen

February 3, 2003
Five years after publishing Norman's New World Cuisine, the chef at Florida's acclaimed Norman's restaurant turns in another collection of signature fusion recipes. The selections provide an introduction to his unique blend of Caribbean, Asian and Latin and North American cooking, ranging from tapas and soups through fish and meats to basic pantry preparations and cocktails. Van Aken was not trained in a culinary school and his preparations steer clear of jargon or complex techniques; specialized ingredients are seldom more exotic than scotch bonnet chiles, tomatillos or jicama (which, nowadays, are widely available). That said, he does offer such recipes as Savory Chicken Stew with a Corn Crust and Deviled Lobster, which are straightforward but have long ingredient lists and require time and careful attention to execute correctly. Combined with Van Aken's many thoughtful sidebars and notations, the sophistication of these recipes make this a treat for serious home cooks.

April 15, 2003
In Van Aken's fourth cookbook (after Norman's New World Cuisine), he treads increasingly familiar ground: nuevo latino cuisine. The Miami-based chef of Norman's in Coral Gables, FL, succeeds in providing recipes of great geographic range that often share common origins or ingredients. By also including recipes from the Caribbean, he moves beyond the limits of nuevo latino cooking. The recipes, however, may intimidate novice cooks. Worse still for diet-conscious readers, a number of recipes call for frying. Although Van Aken provides wine and beer pairings for the foods, he does not suggest many ways to adapt the recipes to less well stocked pantries or to cook ahead to meet a busy schedule. Happily, the book does offer a separate chapter on beverages, something many cookbooks do not explore. However, while the recipes will lure fans of the cuisine and experienced cooks, the lack of step-by-step illustrations will put off others. Readers may wish to consider instead cookbooks by Rick Bayless, Douglas Rodriguez, or others among the bibliography that Van Aken provides. Suitable for larger public libraries. (Photos and index not seen.)-Peter Hepburn, Univ. of Illinois at Chicago Lib.

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