So-phis-ti-cat-ed (s&-‘fis-t&-‘kAt-d)
adj.
- Having acquired worldly knowledge or refinement; lacking natural simplicity or naivete.
- Very complex or complicated: the latest and most sophisticated technology.
- Suitable for or appealing to the tastes of sophisticates: a sophisticated drama.
Gourmet (gur-‘mA, gur-)
n.
- A connoisseur in eating and drinking; an epicure.
There has always been something about the words ‘gourmet’ and ‘sophisticated’ that intimidates me. While browsing through local book stores, I find myself shying away from any title that includes the word gourmet so when I saw the name of this new cookbook The Sophisticated Gourmet
Noel Tyl has been termed ‘a true renaissance man.’ He earned his degree in social relations from Harvard University, is one of the ‘foremost astrologers in the world,’ has written
twenty-nine books (including astrology textbooks), is a world-traveler, lecturer, opera singer, and now cookbook author. On a personal note, I think Noel Tyl should also be known as a humorist because of some of the names of the recipes included in his book, including ‘Happy-as-a-Clam Sauce,’ ‘Who-was-Alfredo-Anyway? Fettuccini,’ ‘Jumpin’ Catfish,’ ‘No-Laughing-Matter Prune Sauce,’ ‘Crabby Sea Salad,’ and ‘Eat-Your-Heart-Out Belgium Chocolate Sauce.’
Throughout this cookbook, Tyl not only gives detailed recipes but also adds a unique style of instructions and background descriptions on preparing the dishes as well as origins of various dishes, ingredients, and serving ideas. As Tyl himself states in the introduction, ‘A good cook dispenses happiness. It’s an expression of art. It’s a joy of civilized living. When we eat well, we think well. We behave well. We smile. Share the fun of cooking! Read, experiment, and grow in skill!’
Tyl is a very descriptive writer even to the point of being verbose in some instances. But his descriptions are fun to read. In the first part of the book, for example, when he discusses the various types of pasta available and the manner to cook them, he catches the readers’ interest by giving the following method to determine the doneness of the pasta.
Take one strand off your fork; taste it. If it says, ‘I’m still too tough and I need to cook a bit more before I get to the plate,’ count out another bit of time (1 minute for the heftier pasta). The timer has got you to this point of judgment ahead of time, which is better than later! You are in control.
There are several instances in this cookbook where I had to use substitutions for brand names of products which are not available in my small Midwest location. But the recipes I did try turned out good. I still do not consider myself to be a sophisticated gourmet, but maybe with trying more of Noel Tyl’s recipes, those words could be added to the phrases used to describe me.
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| Makes | Servings |
| Units | |
| Prep Time | 6minutes |
- 2 big handfuls golden corn kernels frozen
- 1/2 handful green beans frozen
- margarine or Butter
- peanut sauce (recommended: Bangkok Padang brand, House of Tsang)
Ingredients
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- Boil water, about 2' deep in a medium-sized, lidded pan
- Put corn and green beans into the boiling water, cover, lower heat to medium.
- Set timer for 5 minutes.
- Drain off water into a colander; return corn and beans to the hot pot; add margarine or butter and four or five shakes of the Peanut sauce; stir around; replace lid. Put the pot aside, half-on the turned off burner.
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