Cooking, a culinary adventure

By Ilse Dumont and yannick Tirbois

World travellers Yannick and Ilse share their love of food discovered in all the places they've visited and lived in over the last 20 years. From Thailand to Vietnam, from Qatar to Abu Dhabi and Singapore to China...

Food is all about sharing and creating social occasions that are both enjoyable and memorable for the right reasons!

 

Would you like to know how gastronomical professionals Yannick and Ilse manage to cook up some amazing dishes while travelling the world? Join them on this trip and discover their culinary adventures through 60 unique fun and functional recipes with plenty of cooking tips and tricks.

 

Cooking, a culinary adventure makes cooking accessible to all, whatever your experience and without the complicated, culinary techniques. With helpful chapters including 'Minimum equipment needed' and 'Useful skills for cooking without stress' – This cookbook is perfect for both, new and seasoned cooks.

 

Are you ready for this culinary adventure?

• Language: English
• Publisher: yannick Tirbois
• Release date: Apr 6, 2021
• ISBN: 9789464005219

Book preview

INTRODUCTION

My partner and I lived a crazy, unusual life and this is our story. I'm French and llse is Belgian, and it’s because of our fascination for exotic places, that our paths crossed on a tiny tropical island in the Gulf of Thailand. That's where our adventure together started in the spring of 1999 on Koh Samui, a stunning coconut island that was just gaining popularity and where facilities were still very authentic. We met in a little bar on the beach in Bophut Fisherman's Village.

An adventurous love story was the start of a culinary adventure that resulted into our cook book.

Ilse was a tour guide around Thailand and Indonesia. I had come from working in Vietnam via Bangkok and was executive chef at a boutique resort. A common love of travelling, a passion for good food and an appetite for high standards have proven to be a good foundation. After working in the best hotels and resorts, we eventually opened our own semi-fine dining restaurant, The Mangrove, overlooking a mangrove swamp. We also helped others realise their own culinary dreams.

After twelve amazing years on Koh Samui, our spirit of adventure got the better of us and we decided to move on. We ended up in China via Singapore, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, spending a few years in each to soak up the varied cultures and making more friends. Meanwhile, we catered to a wide range of people, from friends and family to sheiks and celebrities, adding up to another eventful eight years.

In homage to our twenty years together and in response to all our friends and customers who have nagged us to do this, we decided to commit and produce a cookery book. We want to make cooking accessible to all, whatever your experience, without the complicated culinary techniques. We've chosen dishes that are fun and functional, food that's a little unusual but straightforward to make. There is something for everyone, whether they're vegetarians, pescatarians, carnivores or just picky eaters.

"Time is money, but it's worth spending the extra time and effort to find local producers or individual, specialised suppliers.

These professionals will gladly advise you as to what’s best and seasonal."

Most of all, we want to inspire you to make some of the delicious dishes that have formed such a great part of our culinary adventures. For us, food is all about sharing and creating social occasions that are both enjoyable and memorable for the right reasons!

Have fun with the creation of your own culinary adventures … Bon Appetit!

Yannick & Ilse

HOW TO HAVE FUN WHILE COOKING

Read the recipe all the way through before starting. Be certain to follow the instructions to the letter when cooking for the first time.

We use little icons to indicate how much time you need for the preparation and the cooking as well how many portions you can make with the recipe.

Make sure you understand all the culinary terms. We tried to avoid using them but just in case you need them, there is a short list of basic terms at the back of the book. Besides there is always the internet for further details.

If possible, involve family and friends. The workload is lessened and it’s more fun!

Organise your ingredients and equipment and check the time required to make the recipe. For those who have a habit of running late in general… add 15 minutes☺

Prepare, measure and get as many ingredients as possible in advance, ready to use before you start cooking. It will always make your cooking less stressful.

Is your kitchen ready and clean? Prepare a note pad, pencil, some music and a coffee or a glass of wine…make sure you feel comfortable and relaxed but not too relaxed…

Be careful not to over season. You can always add more ingredients but you can’t take them out.

If something is not working the way you expected, learn from your mistake, just start again and keep smiling.☺ All great chefs started where you are now!

Enjoy the experience!

COOKING is like a sport, the more you practice the better you get!

MINIMUM EQUIPMENT NEEDED

Knives

There are different sizes, qualities and prices. The important thing is to find a knife that feels comfortable in your hand. It’s all about balance and grip. Your knife must be sharp, a dull knife is likely to slip and cut you. Knives should be washed by hand and not in the dishwasher to keep their sharpness. I like to say that the knife is the extension of your arm. Remember to always keep your fingers clear of the blade when cutting. Curl your fingers so that the knife is guided by the joints.

A basic ‘home’ collection should consist of:

Paring knife (5-8cm) for fruits and vegetables.

Boning knife (12-15cm) slightly flexible for fish and meat.

Chef’s knife (20-25cm) for slicing and chopping.

Bread knife (25cm) with a serrated blade.

Pots and pans

Some materials are better than others when used for specific cooking methods. If you don’t have any yet, buy the best quality you can afford. The better the quality the longer they will last. Handles should be heat proof. Pots and pans with steel handles have the advantage of being able to finish the cooking in the oven. Lids should fit correctly on each pot.

Essential pots and pans to get you started:

Sauté pan or frying pan: you will use it all the time for searing and sautéing. The frying pan has rounded sides, which makes it easier to flip food around. Sauté pans are shallower and often come with lids. The sauté pan should be at least 25 to 28 cm diameter