The Noma Guide to Building Flavour

Redzepi, the founder of the Copenhagen restaurant Noma who recently resigned following allegations of abuse, and Noma’s staff deliver a creative if out-of-reach follow-up to the bestselling The Noma Guide to Fermentation. Redzepi promises this experimental assortment of oils, sauces, preserves, spice mixes, and other building blocks of flavor “can be made by anyone in any kitchen,” despite many requiring specialized equipment and ingredients. The hazelnut and fresh mustard seed oils, for instance, call for a nut press, while both the roasted umami salt and pumpkin seed praline require a dehydrator. Sourcing components will also be a significant issue: the pine cones that Redzepi transforms into “olives” come from dwarf mountain pine trees, fresh bear meat is needed to make “bearamel” (a bear caramel sauce), and rose petal salt calls for liquid nitrogen and frozen ants. Though Redzepi notes that “in many recipes, omitting an ingredient or two is fine,” he doesn’t clarify which ingredients can be skipped without compromising flavor. Instructions are otherwise clear, occasionally including helpful step-by-step photos, and come with dozens of intriguing suggestions, such as using milk skin in lieu of tortillas for barbecue pork tacos, seasoning a whole chicken with a gooseberry pumpkin spice mix, and adding strawberry leather to a pot of tomato sauce. This is best suited for professional chefs and truly adventurous and ambitious foodies. (Apr.)