The Paley’s Place Cookbook

Oregon reminded us of France, where ingredients are stars. In New York’s kitchens, I saw you could get anything at any time. I also noticed that not much came from close by. While Kimberly and I didn’t necessarily want ours to be a French restaurant, we knew we wanted to sustain what we learned in France about being closer to the sources of food. In Portland, we see not only where the food comes from, but who grows it. Here our food is shaped by connections with people and the ingredients they bring to the restaurant door – mushrooms, potatoes, truffles, chestnuts. A signature reference on our menu to “George’s Gathered Greens” (page 60) doesn’t refer to the chef, but to the farmer, George Weppler. (pg. 2)

I read a lot of cookbooks but seldom include them in my reading statistics nor have I ever reviewed one – but The Paley’s Place Cookbook: Recipes and Stories from the Pacific Northwest is different. Vitaly Paley is a Russian-born and French trained chef. His wife Kimberly manages their Portland Oregon restaurant and also runs their wine program. My dad has eaten at Paley’s and was so impressed he returned the next night to eat again and purchase their cookbook.

This is much more than a cookbook – interspersed throughout are essays on the providers of the food, the inspiration and genesis of a dish, even Paley’s reflections on the simple french fry. I found these essays to be delightful and they served the purpose of engaging me in the recipes or the food which seems to be Paley’s motivation. He wants diners to know what they are eating, were it came from, how it came to be.

I’m driving  west from Portland toward Vernonia with Lars, whom I refer to as The Mushroom Guy. He is a broker who forages and sells mushrooms and truffles directly to our restaurant. Lars has been foraging for mushrooms in Oregon fo twenty-five years. His expertise is deep and his opinions are strong and in a day of hunting mushrooms with him, I will get lessons in practical geology, forestry, political economy, ecology, history, and mushroom culturing, along with a precious small harvest of morels. (pg. 72)

Paley also encourages you to experiment – to use the recipes as a starting off point, “…trust your senses to help you take a dish to its logical conclusion rather than blindly following the recipe.” (pg. 2). The directions seem clear and easy to follow, and while not every recipe has a photo to go with it, the majority do which I appreciate. I like to see where I am going.  The recipes do range from the simple to the complex, leaning more toward complex but he seems to explain techniques well so when reading a hard recipe I wasn’t too intimidated. In addition, he includes some step-by step photos such how an Aioli looks at three different states or how to make a Chicken Rolade wrapped in caulfat.

Like many restaurant cookbooks, there is a wide gamut of recipes (appetizers to desserts) including a section entitled “Bar and Pantry” which has a recipe for homemade ketchup I am dying to try. There are far too many recipes I want so I think this one will go on the Christmas list. I did copy one recipe – a Summer Green Bean and Grilled Peach Salad (pg. 62). I love the combination and the simplicity of this dish and plan on making it for the potlucks we have with our summer concerts in the park.

I will close with a quote from the end of Chef Paley’s introduction as it sums up what I think about food lately, the quest for consistency, adapting recipes, and the search for the exciting. He also feels about food the way I feel about food – it should be both a joy to make and a joy to eat.

For me cooking is about both soulful searching and rigorous technique. It is influenced by mood and memories, yet it also requires constant repetition and a tireless quest for both perfection and consistency alongside a readiness to adjust on the fly. Cooking is an art whose disciplined performance must retain what I like to call a fresh drop of blood – the ability to be new and exciting and to be inspired every time you do it. May this book inspire you to cook with care and add to your joy in making food. (pg. 3)

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