Cutting-edge techniques used by the world’s best chefs "The most important book in the culinary arts since Escoffier. " — Tim Zagat A revolution is underway in the art of cooking. Just as French Impressionists upended centuries of tradition, Modernist cuisine has in recent years blown through the boundaries of the culinary arts. Borrowing techniques from the laboratory, pioneering chefs at world-renowned restaurants such as elBulli, The Fat Duck, Alinea, and wd~50 have incorporated a deeper understanding of science and advances in cooking technology into their culinary art. The authors and their 20-person team at The Cooking Lab-scientists, inventors, and accomplished cooks in their own right-have achieved astounding new flavors and textures by using tools such as water baths, homogenizers, and centrifuges, and ingredients such as hydrocolloids, emulsifiers, and enzymes. Modernist Cuisine is a work destined to reinvent cooking. How do you make an omelet light and tender on the outside, but rich and creamy inside? Or French fries with a light and fluffy interior and a delicate, crisp crust that doesn’t go soggy? Imagine being able to encase a mussel in a gelled sphere of its own sweet and briny juice. Or to create a silky-smooth pistachio cream made from nothing more than the nuts themselves. Modernist Cuisine offers step-by-step, illustrated instructions, as well as clear explanations of how these techniques work. Through thousands of original photographs and diagrams, the lavishly illustrated books make the science and technology of the culinary arts clear and engaging. Stunning new photographic techniques take the reader inside the food to see cooking in action all the way from microscopic meat fibers to an entire Weber grill in cross-section. You will view cooking-and eating-in a whole new light.

The Wright stuff The definitive publication on America’s greatest architect Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) is widely considered to be the greatest American architect of all time; indeed, his work virtually ushered in the modern era and remains highly influential today. His wide-ranging and paradigm-shifting oeuvre is the subject of TASCHEN’s three-volume monograph that covers all of his designs (numbering approximately 1100), both realized and unrealized. Made in cooperation with the Frank Lloyd Wright Archives in Taliesin, Arizona, this collection leaves no stone unturned in examining and paying tribute to Wright’s life and work. From his early Prairie Houses (typified by the Robie House) to the Usonian concept home and progressive «living architecture» buildings to late projects like the spiral Guggenheim Museum in New York and the development of his fantastic vision of a better tomorrow via his concept of the "living city, " all of the phases of Wright’s career are painstakingly described and illustrated herein. Volume 1 covers the early Chicago years and the Prairie Houses, the period which provoked a profound influence on European architects. Wright’s architectural work during these early years was mostly residential, as it would be throughout his career, and from his earliest work, Frank Lloyd Wright demonstrated a knowledge of and respect for natural materials. In the ten years betweeen 1896 and 1906 he developed and perfected the so-called "prairie house. " Wright believed the architect should have complete charge of architectural design, and for him this meant interior furnishings as well as exterior landscape. The 1908 Avery Coonley residence, the administration building for the Larkin Soap Company (1903-1905), and the Unity Temple (1905) are examples of major works from the period. The author: Bruce Brooks Pfeiffer became Frank Lloyd Wright’s apprentice at the Taliesin Fellowship in 1949. In 1957, he attended the Ecole Nationale des Beaux-Arts in Paris, returning in 1958 to continue his apprenticeship with Wright until his death in 1959. He remains at Taliesin to this day, as director of the Frank Lloyd Wright Archives, a vice-president of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, and author of numerous publications on Wright’s life and work.

Big-billed technicolor marvels 51 ready-to-frame art prints John Gould’s toucans are arguably the most striking and dramatic bird illustrations ever published. Gould (1804-1881), one of the most prolific ornithological artists of the 19th century, had a romantic enthusiasm for winged creatures, as well as a passion for natural history and a impulse to catalog. Drawing on his outstanding scientific and artistic talents, he embarked on a series of projects that would eventually make him the leading publisher of ornithological illustrations in Victorian Britain. Gould’s unparalleled career spanned five decades, during which he produced a series of books depicting birds from all over the world. The dazzling illustrations from Gould’s Monograph of the Ramphastidae, or Family of Toucans, 1852-1854 represent his most dramatic, magnificent images. The amazing range of vivid colors-shiny black, vibrant red, yellow, and orange-creates an unprecedented sense of animation. Shown against simple backgrounds, Gould’s toucans look very much alive, as if they were about to take flight. The inspiration for Toucans came while Gould was working on his Birds of Europe, when he became fascinated by the toucan collection of a fellow ornithologist. He made several trips to central European museums to gather material for Toucans, and after publication of the first edition, redrew some of the plates and added 20 new birds to this revised and expanded second edition. All are included in these touchingly beautiful reproductions of Gould’s hand-colored lithographs. The author: Jonathan Elphick is a British natural history author, editor, consultant, researcher and lecturer, specializing in ornithology. His many books include an acclaimed historical survey of ornithological illustration, Birds: The Art of Ornithology. Based in London, he is a Scientific Fellow of the Zoological Society of London and a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London.

When Kunstwerke und Gerathschaften des Mittelalters und der Renaissance (1852-1863) was published, what purchasers in fact bought was a small printed museum of unusual treasures. With 216 hand-colored copperplate engravings, the publication gives a comprehensive overview of applied arts in Europe from the 9th to the 16th centuries. The objects presented comprise furniture, metalwork, jewelry, tapestries, and works of bookbinding. Carefully selected masterpieces such as the gilt Corvinus goblet, an enamelled saltcellar, and medieval ivory combs are depicted, along with a decorative sword, now lost. The editor Jakob Heinrich von Hefner-Alteneck (1811-1903) was head of the Royal Cabinet of Prints and Drawings in Munich and later director of the Bavarian National Museum. His work helped influence the creation of new museums of art and design — the South Kensington Museum in London (today the Victoria and Albert Museum), founded in 1852, being the very first — in which artists could study the hand-crafted masterpieces of earlier epochs. Although the co-editor Carl Becker (1794-1859) commissioned various artists to make drawings of the historical originals for Kunstwerke und Ger?thschaften, the signatures on the plates show that most of the illustrations stem from the hand of artist Jakob Heinrich von Hefner-Alteneck and he can therefore be considered as the work’s main draughtsman; considering that Becker died before the completion of the work, the most influential figure behind it was undoubtedly Hefner-Alteneck. Before his collaboration with Becker, Hefner-Alteneck had previously published Trachten des christlichen Mittelalters (Costumes of the Christian Middle Ages). With their publication, Jakob Heinrich von Hefner-Alteneck and Carl Becker gave expression to the 19th century’s revived interest in the art of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. By selecting masterpieces from public and private collections, and reproducing them faithfully in pictures, they created a document of artistic quality in itself, which also provides evidence of works which have since been lost.

A collection of Helmut Newton’s test Polaroids Polaroids occupy a special place in the hearts of many photo enthusiasts who remember a time when «instant photography» meant one-of-a-kind prints that developed within minutes of clicking the shutter. What was once a crucial tool for photographers to test their shots before shooting on film has now become obsolete in the face of digital photography. Luckily for us, legendary photographer Helmut Newton saved his test Polaroids, allowing a privileged and rare chance to see the tests from a selection of his greatest shoots over a period of decades, including many from the TASCHEN titles SUMO, A Gun for Hire, and Work. Selected by his widow, June Newton, from over 300 photos featured at the 2011 exhibition «Helmut Newton Polaroids» at the Museum fur Fotografie in Berlin, this collection captures the magic of Helmut Newton photo shoots as only Polaroids can. The artist: Helmut Newton (1920-2004) was one of the most influential photographers of all time. Born in Berlin, he arrived in Australia in 1940 and married June Brunell (a.k.a. Alice Springs) eight years later. He first achieved international fame in the 1970’s while working principally for French Vogue, and his celebrity and influence grew over the decades. Newton preferred to shoot in streets or interiors, rather than studios. Controversial scenarios, bold lighting, and striking compositions came to form his signature look. In 1990 he was awarded the Grand Prix national de la photographie; in 1992 the German government awarded him Das Grosse Verdienstkreuz for services to German culture, and he was appointed Officier des Arts, Lettres et Sciences by S.A.S. Princess Caroline of Monaco. In 1996, he was appointed Commandeur de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by Philippe Douste-Blazy, the French Minister of Culture at the time. Working and living in close companionship with his wife until his death at 83, his images remain as distinctive, seductive and orginal as ever.

The world through Linda’s eyes A retrospective of Linda McCartney’s life and photography In 1966, during a brief stint as a receptionist for Town and Country magazine, Linda Eastman snagged a press pass to a very exclusive promotional event for the Rolling Stones aboard a yacht on the Hudson River; her fresh, candid photographs of the band were far superior to the formal shots made by the band’s official photographer, and she was instantly on the way to making a name for herself as a top rock ’n’ roll photographer. In May 1968, with her portrait of Eric Clapton, she entered the record books as the first female photographer to have her work featured on the cover of Rolling Stone. During her tenure as the leading photographer of the late 1960s’ musical scene, she captured many of rock’s most important musicians on film, including Aretha Franklin, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Simon & Garfunkel, The Who, The Doors, and the Grateful Dead. In 1967, Linda went to London to document the "Swinging Sixties, " where she met Paul McCartney at the Bag ’O Nails club and subsequently photographed The Beatles during a launch event for the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album. Paul and Linda fell in love, and were married on March 12, 1969. For the next three decades, until her untimely death, she devoted herself to her family, vegetarianism, animal rights, and photography. From her early rock ’n’ roll portraits, through the final years of The Beatles, via touring with Wings to raising four children with Paul, Linda captured her whole world on film. Her shots range from spontaneous family pictures to studio sessions with Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson, as well as artists Willem de Kooning and Gilbert and George. Always unassuming and fresh, her work displays a warmth and feeling for the precise moment that captures the essence of any subject. Whether photographing her children, celebrities, animals, or a fleeting moment of everyday life, she did so without pretension or artifice. This retrospective volume-selected from her archive of over 200,000 images-is produced in close collaboration with Paul McCartney and their children. Included are forewords by Paul, Stella, and Mary McCartney. As such, it is a moving personal journal and a lasting testament to Linda’s talent. The photographer: Linda McCartney (nee Eastman) was born in New York in 1941. She took a photo course with Hazel Archer and studied art history at the University of Arizona before settling in New York City, where she began her photo career shooting rock portraits. Outside of her photography, which has been exhibited in over 50 galleries worldwide including the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, the National Portrait Gallery, London, the Bonni Benrubi Gallery, New York, and the International Center of Photography, New York, Linda McCartney is known for her passionate animal rights activism and her staunch vegetarianism. She wrote cookbooks and founded her own brand of frozen vegetarian meals, all the while raising a family, continuing to take photographs, and participating as a Wings band member alongside Paul McCartney. She died in 1998 at the age of 56

Fashion’s dynamic duo. This is a photographer’s tribute to his greatest muse. Mario Testino is recognized as the ultimate fashion photographer of his generation but his pictures of Kate Moss transcend fashion. The consequence of two decades of extraordinary friendship, and phenomenal glamour, this iconic collaboration is an intimate insight into the lives and minds of two of the world’s definitive style leaders. Follow the journey of one of fashion’s most creative collaborations, from early days backstage at the shows to behind-the-scenes glimpses of the ground-breaking editorials they continue to produce for the world’s most respected magazines. Many photographs have been chosen from Testino’s private archive and are published here for the first time. This book is Mario’s personal homage to his greatest muse: a young girl that captured his heart and eye with her beauty, humor and spirit, and whose image in his photographs has captured imaginations the world over.

12 volumes in slipcase Travel wisdom in your pocket Get around New York, Paris, Berlin, and London in high style Following the smashing success of our city travel guide series, TASCHEN brings you the entire collection in a box set of 12 volumes. Each city-Paris, New York, London, and Berlin-is covered in three separate volumes for hotels, restaurants, and shops. These guides are just as stylish as the originals, now easier to slip in your pocket while you explore! Highlights include: London: Number Sixteen, a chic South Kensington hotel in a beautiful Victorian townhouse with romatic gardens, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s restaurant and social project, Fifteen, where teenagers cook the meals, and Dover Street Market, the multi-floor concept store founded in 2004 by Comme des Gar?ons. New York: the Maritime Hotel, a former sailors’ dorm, now Chelsea’s coolest hotel, the Waverly Inn, Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter’s exclusive salon for the glitterati, and where to buy New York’s best cheesecake Paris: Laduree, the best macaroons in the city, the ultra-luxurious Ritz hotel on elegant Place Vendоme, and Colette fashion concept store Berlin: hip nightspot Green Door, where one rings the doorbell to gain entrance, oriental delight at Edd’s, the best Thai restaurant in Berlin (perhaps in Germany), and experimental store Bless, «publicizing artistic values through products».

Summer at the Serpentine Ten years of temporary pavilions by top architects Since 2000, the Serpentine Gallery in London’s Kensington Gardens has called on some of the world’s top architects to design summer pavilions — temporary structures that are erected next to the Gallery itself for a three-month period. The Serpentine, which was built in 1934 as a tea pavilion, opened in 1970 as a showplace for exhibitions of modern and contemporary artists ranging from Matthew Barney to Dan Flavin, Ellsworth Kelley, Louise Bourgeois or Rachel Whiteread. The pavilions in the Programme that was conceived in 2000 by the Serpentine Director Julia Peyton-Jones, are the work of international architects or design teams who at the time of the Serpentine’s invitation have not completed a building in England. A maximum of six months from invitation to completion is allotted. The only architecture program of its type in the world, the Serpentine Gallery Pavilions attract up to 250,000 visitors each summer. The Serpentine Pavilion is regularly ranked in the top 5 most attended architecture and design exhibitions worldwide in The Art Newspaper’s annual survey of museums and galleries visitor figures. The architect Richard Rogers has stated, "The pavilions, erected for reatively little money, are unbelievably good. I coudn’t single one out that I have liked more than the others — they have all been masterpieces. " The projects completed or envisaged include the work of Zaha Hadid, 2000 Daniel Libeskind, 2001 Toyo Ito, 2002 Oscar Niemeyer, 2003 MVRDV, 2004 (un-realised) Alvaro Siza and Eduardo Souto de Moura with Cecil Balmond, 2005 Rem Koolhaas and Cecil Balmond, 2006 Olafur Eliasson and Kjetil Thorsen, 2007 Frank Gehry, 2008 SANAA, 2009 Jean Nouvel, 2010 Other works such as Zaha Hadid’s temporary 2006 installation Lilas are included in the book as well. This book is the first to bring together all of the Serpentine Pavilions. Interviews of Serpentine Director Julia Peyton-Jones and Co-Director Hans Ulrich Obrist complete the description of the pavilions, illustrated by the original drawings by each architect and photos of the completed works. The author: Philip Jodidio studied art history and economics at Harvard, and edited Connaissance des Arts for over 20 years. His books include TASCHEN’s Architecture Now! series, and monographs on Tadao Ando, Norman Foster, Richard Meier, Jean Nouvel, and Zaha Hadid. He is internationally renowned as one of the most popular writers on the subject of architecture.

A la carte Appetite for art: over one hundred years of menu graphics Until restaurants became commonplace in the late 1800s, printed menus for meals were rare commodities reserved for special occasions. As restaurants proliferated, the menu became more than just a culinary listing. The design of the menu became an integral part of eating out and as such menus became a marketing tool and a favored keepsake. Menu Design is an omnibus showcasing the best examples of this graphic art. With nearly 800 examples, illustrated in vibrant color, this deluxe volume not only showcases this extraordinary collection of paper ephemera but serves as a history of restaurants and dining out in America. In addition to the menu covers, many menu interiors are featured providing a epicurean tour and insight to more than a hundred years of dining out. An introduction on the history of menu design by graphic design writer Steven Heller and extended captions by culinary historian John Mariani accompany the menus throughout the book. Various photographs of restaurants round out this compendium that will appeal to anyone who enjoys dining out and its graphic and gastronomic history. Nearly 800 stunning examples of menu design Covers more than a century of exquisite vintage design

The anatomy of letters Everything you could ever want to know about printing letters and numbers Looking back as far as man’s first efforts to communicate with visual signs and drawings, Letter Fountain is a completely unique typeface handbook: in addition to examining the form and anatomy of every letter in the alphabet (as well as punctuation marks and special characters), the book cross-references type designs with important works of art and art movements from Gutenberg’s times until today. Further attention is given to the esthetics of the digital age and typographical recommendations such as the choice of the right typeface for a job. Rounding out the guide are an in-depth comparison between sans-serif and serif typefaces, an essay about measuring systems and indications, advice about typographic rules, plus a manual for developing digital fonts. Over 150 typefaces, their origins, and font characteristics are discussed in detail, visually explained by full page tables including scale, weight, and useful alternatives. The extensive appendix contains a general index, a typeface index (more than 300 are depicted in the book), an index of over 250 type designers, an exhaustive index of type foundries, a graphical dictionary, and a bibliography for further reading. The original Dutch edition Letterfontein received a Certificate for Typographic Excellence from Type Directors Club New York (TDC) in 2010, and a red-dot design award from the Design Zentrum Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. Special features include: thoroughly hardbound in half linen with three ribbon bookmarks 144 pages appendix with resourceful glossary and indices convenient typographic ruler with conversions between four measurement systems and hidden shortcuts for your Apple keyboard!

500 years of spectacles ranging from classic to outrageous For over two decades eyewear designer Moss Lipow trawled eBay, auction houses, garage sales, and flea markets worldwide, amassing glasses and photographs for his renowned collection. This book traces eyewear’s journey over the past 500 years, and features the finest examples from Lipow’s collection as well as pieces from preeminent collections around the world. There is a wealth of examples included herein-from a rudimentary bone sunshield and curious contraptions of leather and wood to lorgnettes, pince-nez, monocles, aviators, and bedazzled cat eyes. Eyewear has experienced a surprising and fascinating evolution; what was once a purely practical apparatus has grown into a multibillion-dollar global industry catering to both the visually impaired and the fashionably inclined. Accompanying the wealth of images in this wide-ranging volume is an insightful history informed by a wide variety of sources, including ancient texts, old catalogues, vintage magazines, and out-of-print publications of every kind.