Malibu Farm Cookbook - Recipes from the California Coast

Malibu, California is one of those places that cannot be described in entirety until you have actually felt the sand fill between your toes and breathed the crisp, salty-sweet ocean air. About 75 years ago Malibu was a sleepy town, populated with some of the surfing world's greats like Miki Dora and Greg Noll. Fast-forward to today, and you will find a Malibu that has much changed. The beach is still a central focal point, but the population is different. Rich and famous abound, there mind-blowing homes nestled along the coastline. My days as a fine dining server at a local country club taught me that where there are rich people, there is going to be food. Delicious food. Just like the kind you will find being served at Malibu Farm. Situated at the end of a pier, past the locals holding fishing poles, you will find this humble restaurant. Although they are not serving your typical fried fish and burgers - options that always seem to be available at the end of a pier, they pride themselves in preparing locally-sourced produce and sustainable meats, fresh-squeezed juices, and honey harvested from their own bees.

At initial inspection, I thought this book was going to be a snooty, destined to be put on display rather than put to use regularly. The kind of book with insane demands for ultra-fresh and equally rare ingredients. To my fantastic relief, this book is nothing what I had imagined. Sure, the author does put a priority on using amazing ingredients. However the recipes are simplistic and refined, and pleasantly composed. Exactly like dishes that you get from a restaurant. Try the grilled smashed potatoes with parmesan and roasted garlic, a lovely twist for your next side dish. Salmon with grain mustard, and tenderloin of beef with horseradish sound really good as well. One caution though: if you are not moderately confident in your cooking skills, you may find the steps to each recipe a bit confusing and frustrating though. The photographs of Malibu are enjoyable, conjuring up memories of family road-trips to the beach, saltwater taffy wrappers littering our sun-bleached beach towels. The pictures of the food are brilliantly depicted, without the over-polished and staged look that you will find in most cookbooks.

Overall Malibu Farm Cookbook does a terrific job of presenting California flavors in a fresh and humble manner. Even if you have never been to Malibu or California for that matter, this book can take you there without hesitation. Definitely a welcome addition to my cookbook library.




I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my review.