I am reading Thomas Keller’s cookbook, based on what he serves at his restaurant: the French Laundry. The interesting parts are not so much the recipes, but the essays in between.
I just finished one where he explains why he prefers to serve multiple, small dishes. The idea is simple; diminishing returns apply to many areas, including taste. The first bite is a jolt of excitement, the tenth is ho hum. In the world of fine dining, it’s all about the jolt.
The bit that sticks with me is the ending, where he remarks on the two exceptions he makes, truffle and fois gras. Most people place those ingredients into the caviar category; expensive, underwhelming, and massively overrated. This is because most people, due to the cost, only get a stingy serving. For Keller, he likes to go overboard, so that his diners finally understand “Oh, this is what it’s all about”.
I really like that.