Appetites: A Cookbook

I bought this for my girlfriend's birthday and so, she made ratatouille for Thanksgiving. Oh, so good, even if Bourdain's recipe has an abundance of steps. Although this is obviously a cookbook, there is a lot about technique and a philosophy of cooking. A good read, even when you're not in the kitchen.

It's a beautiful book, but so artsy-craftsy that it's a little difficult to read. I'm enjoying the artwork, but not that it's a cookbook. I love Anthony Bourdain's TV travel shows and appreciate his real interest in the people wherever he goes. I also love to learn about the foods around the world. And I admire his ability to consume whatever he is served! The book doesn't succeed in conveying any of this to me because I'm trying to work my way through the artwork. All of this in spite of the fact that appreciation of art is one of my most consuming hobbies. I have visited most major museums around the world and enjoy their catalogues. I just didn't understand this to be the purpose of this book.
"Long story short", I'm enjoying the book, but not for the reason for which I ordered it.

Today, the world wakes up to no more Anthony Bourdain, he committed suicide last night in France, June 7th, USA time zone. His fans, worldwide, are sorrowing, and prayers go out to his family and friends, but mostly to Tony himself. To take one's life is a tragedy, and his soul needs our love and prayers for his healing - a tough passage at best. Like many others, I am sure, I am buying what books I can from him. I don't want him to leave our household, and this is one way I can achieve that, and perhaps help his family with monies earned from his books. He is a gift to us all......let us not lose sight of his wisdom even if his human body is no longer with us. (I know he'd hate that last bit!)
Cheers, my Anthony friends. Try something new today, in honor of him.

The cover art is amazing. Bourdain likes food he does not make it into something that is so sophisticated it loses it's taste. He gives you what he likes and if it is not what you like there is other recipes in the book.

I bought this for my girlfriend's birthday and so, she made ratatouille for Thanksgiving. Oh, so good, even if Bourdain's recipe has an abundance of steps. Although this is obviously a cookbook, there is a lot about technique and a philosophy of cooking. A good read, even when you're not in the kitchen.

It's a beautiful book, but so artsy-craftsy that it's a little difficult to read. I'm enjoying the artwork, but not that it's a cookbook. I love Anthony Bourdain's TV travel shows and appreciate his real interest in the people wherever he goes. I also love to learn about the foods around the world. And I admire his ability to consume whatever he is served! The book doesn't succeed in conveying any of this to me because I'm trying to work my way through the artwork. All of this in spite of the fact that appreciation of art is one of my most consuming hobbies. I have visited most major museums around the world and enjoy their catalogues. I just didn't understand this to be the purpose of this book.
"Long story short", I'm enjoying the book, but not for the reason for which I ordered it.

Okay, this is one of those books that when you pick it up in your grubby little hands it says, yeah, I'm hella cool, I'm badass, I got a Ralph frigging Steadman cover and you will not be through with me until I say you are, punk! Now, first, as someone long in the publishing industry world this is a gorgeous book. It feels really good in your hand, has a wonderful weight and heft to it and a nice contrasting cover of high gloss and an almost burlap sensuality. 100%. Open it up and the gorgeous full color photos just don't stop. They are enticing, clear and evocative of the sensibility and meaning of the courses portrayed and there is that unmistakable Bourdain wit at work in most of them. 100%. Then you get to the recipes and it just doesn't let up. Bourdain is at work here too in his off the cuff repartee about food and dishes (wait till you get to his dessert "chapter") and it makes for as entertaining, and useful, a read as the best of the Bourdain essays. I think this is a book I will start at the beginning and read through like a potboiler (all puns shamelessly intended) and then flip it back over and just start making the damn things from the first page. Oh, I know some lucky people who are getting this for Christmas! A must have for any fan of Bourdain, any foodie, or anyone who just loves beautiful books. Buy one to get trashed in the kitchen and another to sit pristinely on top of the stack of books on the coffee table.

A must if you like Bourdain. I like Tony and his shows. He's a mixture of culture, travel, politics, socio-economics and oh yeah, cooking. If you like his persona and his shows, you'll like this book. It's personal, contains interesting shorts on what he holds dear, cooking and otherwise. Not so sure about the no-lettuce policy on the burgers though he does concede mayo is possible. The book covers what he like to cook for friends and family and that's precisely why I bought it -- I love to cook for friends and family and have a "peek" into what others are doing for same. Overall a wonderful book for the price. Highly recommended.

Andrew is a nut case - but very enjoyable! Would love to have his lack of fear in what he eats on his programs. The book is beautifully illustrated, well and humorously written with great recipes and insights into the rationale for his choices. A good read as well as a good cookbook. I highly recommend the book and his show for fun, entertainment and information.

I’m in LOVE with the book... unfortunately I bought this book as a gift, and when I opened up the box, I noticed that the book was slightly damaged. The cover was torn, and all the corners are smashed. If it weren’t a gift I wouldn’t care. The book itself is amazing.

I received this book last week and have made two of the recipes both of which were very good and well within my humble abilities, my only gripe with this book and not the author's fault is that although this book was touted as being Mr. Bourdain's first geared toward the home cook, I have found that quite a few of the recipes list ingredients and cooking terms I don't have a clue about. This is not to say that I cant figure it out or that it isn't fun to increase my culinary abilities through taking on challenging recipes, but only that for someone who had hoped for something truly aimed at the home cook this book might be a disappointment. The illustrations are beautiful and the author's directions are clear and written in a way that often makes them humorous and generally very readable.

I've been cooking with Bourdain's Les Halles cookbook for years, have read his books and seen a lot of his shows, so I looked forward to this cookbook eagerly.

PROS:
Gorgeously produced with a nice heavy cover, great paper and color
The macaroni and cheese was very good and everyone loved it; I'm looking forward to trying more of the recipes soon
I agree with him about desserts
Genuinely funny

CONS
I don't mind the profanity, but the numerous photos of dead poultry heads and feet - not to mention Ripert spitting - kill MY appetite.
The design and typography is overcomplicated and frequently difficult to read. Three fonts on one page is too much.
The recipes are either very simple or very complex - the Les Halles book was more balanced and cohesive.
I like Steadman but this cover leaves me nonplussed. I like the boar head on a plate photo from the back cover better.

I've spent the past hour or so simply enjoying the design and photography in this book. Graphic story tip-in at the back is fun too. Great job. Oh yeah, now I'll get back to it and start using the recipes. Really happy to have this book!

So let me start this by saying I love the book. Typical Bourdain humor and sarcasm in a cookbook. The only negative things i have to say don't involve the book, but instead the awful shape they arrived in from the store. It looked like somebody stuffed them in a package too small then threw it down three flights of stairs. I returned the two copies I bought from the store and bought them from Costco instead for the same price where they came with dust covers.

Bourdain, in his travels, was one of the only human beings that made me want to open my arms to hold and console humanity. It's too bad my arms aren't big enough for all that hurt. We really are all the same, but as heartbreaking as this is, I don't think a man like this would have gone any other way. You did it all your way, Tony - Rest, and come back and do it again...

I enjoyed the variety of recipes you consider for your family. They include so many different cultures and ethnic renditions of our world's tradition.
I personally could have used a translator for some of the wording. I do have quite a bit of personal knowledge when it comes to foodies so this was an way read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. With some of my own recipes that I used being simular it would be easy to incorporate some of your ideas into mine. Congratulations on another book well read.

Okay, this is one of those books that when you pick it up in your grubby little hands it says, yeah, I'm hella cool, I'm badass, I got a Ralph frigging Steadman cover and you will not be through with me until I say you are, punk! Now, first, as someone long in the publishing industry world this is a gorgeous book. It feels really good in your hand, has a wonderful weight and heft to it and a nice contrasting cover of high gloss and an almost burlap sensuality. 100%. Open it up and the gorgeous full color photos just don't stop. They are enticing, clear and evocative of the sensibility and meaning of the courses portrayed and there is that unmistakable Bourdain wit at work in most of them. 100%. Then you get to the recipes and it just doesn't let up. Bourdain is at work here too in his off the cuff repartee about food and dishes (wait till you get to his dessert "chapter") and it makes for as entertaining, and useful, a read as the best of the Bourdain essays. I think this is a book I will start at the beginning and read through like a potboiler (all puns shamelessly intended) and then flip it back over and just start making the damn things from the first page. Oh, I know some lucky people who are getting this for Christmas! A must have for any fan of Bourdain, any foodie, or anyone who just loves beautiful books. Buy one to get trashed in the kitchen and another to sit pristinely on top of the stack of books on the coffee table.

A must if you like Bourdain. I like Tony and his shows. He's a mixture of culture, travel, politics, socio-economics and oh yeah, cooking. If you like his persona and his shows, you'll like this book. It's personal, contains interesting shorts on what he holds dear, cooking and otherwise. Not so sure about the no-lettuce policy on the burgers though he does concede mayo is possible. The book covers what he like to cook for friends and family and that's precisely why I bought it -- I love to cook for friends and family and have a "peek" into what others are doing for same. Overall a wonderful book for the price. Highly recommended.

Andrew is a nut case - but very enjoyable! Would love to have his lack of fear in what he eats on his programs. The book is beautifully illustrated, well and humorously written with great recipes and insights into the rationale for his choices. A good read as well as a good cookbook. I highly recommend the book and his show for fun, entertainment and information.

I’m in LOVE with the book... unfortunately I bought this book as a gift, and when I opened up the box, I noticed that the book was slightly damaged. The cover was torn, and all the corners are smashed. If it weren’t a gift I wouldn’t care. The book itself is amazing.

I received this book last week and have made two of the recipes both of which were very good and well within my humble abilities, my only gripe with this book and not the author's fault is that although this book was touted as being Mr. Bourdain's first geared toward the home cook, I have found that quite a few of the recipes list ingredients and cooking terms I don't have a clue about. This is not to say that I cant figure it out or that it isn't fun to increase my culinary abilities through taking on challenging recipes, but only that for someone who had hoped for something truly aimed at the home cook this book might be a disappointment. The illustrations are beautiful and the author's directions are clear and written in a way that often makes them humorous and generally very readable.

I've been cooking with Bourdain's Les Halles cookbook for years, have read his books and seen a lot of his shows, so I looked forward to this cookbook eagerly.

PROS:
Gorgeously produced with a nice heavy cover, great paper and color
The macaroni and cheese was very good and everyone loved it; I'm looking forward to trying more of the recipes soon
I agree with him about desserts
Genuinely funny

CONS
I don't mind the profanity, but the numerous photos of dead poultry heads and feet - not to mention Ripert spitting - kill MY appetite.
The design and typography is overcomplicated and frequently difficult to read. Three fonts on one page is too much.
The recipes are either very simple or very complex - the Les Halles book was more balanced and cohesive.
I like Steadman but this cover leaves me nonplussed. I like the boar head on a plate photo from the back cover better.

I've spent the past hour or so simply enjoying the design and photography in this book. Graphic story tip-in at the back is fun too. Great job. Oh yeah, now I'll get back to it and start using the recipes. Really happy to have this book!

Below is a picture of the meatloaf in the book with the mushroom gravy. I also made cauliflower mashed potatoes to go with it, not the ones in the book. Great recipe for meatloaf. I am looking forward to making more things out of the book and adapting them.

How brilliant to release this just before Thanksgiving. I've obsessed over his recipes for the last 2 days. My husband said "this year is going to be epic, baby!" We have a deep, mutual love for Bourdain. I hand wrote the weeks food planning. What I share with Tony is focused preparation, a desire to entertain, a need for my food to be effing amazing, and for everyone to have a good time or get out! This book screams of these and I soaked it all up.

To the reviewer complaining about his scrambled eggs recipe. I didn't notice anything about a nonstick pan. And I'd be confused if I had. For him to suggest that amongst the rest of his hilarious (and correct) cooking "ethics", would be a crazy thing to overlook when being edited.

I was one of the very first to review his previous book. I am always certain to have them immediately. Because I love him.

Tomorrow, the cooking begins.

That is all.

UPDATE: It's the day after Thanksgiving and I can say that the gravy, sweet potatoes, and EFFING CRANBERRY SAUCE were amazing. I noticed I was trying like hell not to tell the recipe for the sauce, but I gave in. Taking 3 days to make the gravy was quite enjoyable. I followed the recipe for the gravy to the T and it was a huge hit amongst my foodie guests. One used to work for Mario Batali and said I was creating flavors he hadn't had in years. Thank you, Tony. You added dishes to my lineup that will remain forever.

YUGE fan of Bourdain, and an even more avid fan of his cookbooks. There are some simple items in here, and there are some very, very rich recipes as well - but not impossible. They did a nice job. The Steadman cover is perfect. The jabs at his buddy Eric are gold. Cool stuff and FUN. This is supposed to be fun afterall, right?

Since we just received this, and I was super excited about the prospects, I narrowed down what to make first. First thing I eyeballed was his "Lasagna Bolognese" recipe. This is not something you just slap together, and took me a while to put it all together. It took me 3.5 hours this first pass. Bechamel sauce? That's pretty decadent, but WOW - nice touch! I've attached the end result which is cooling as I type this. The moz on top browned a bit too much(my fault), but I'm sure my family will conquer this tomorrow regardless. Note: the chicken livers make the dish - so good!

We're going to try the macau pork sandwich next weekend. Fun!

Some of these review that doubt his techniques should not even try to cook. We cook bacon in ovens all the time( even cooking, doesn't smoke and stink up the kitchen, nice and crispy) and you Crack an egg on a flat surface so the shells don't become part of what you are cooking.. the thing that really upsets me the most.. the reviewer hasn't even tried some of the recipes. Blows my mind!! But hey why not question the techniques of a veteran Chef of 30 some odd years. SMH

I love this book! So many recipes across a wide range of skill levels. I've been trying to get more creative in the kitchen, now excuse me I need to go fetch some duck fat.

Also, I think the pictures are fantastic. There's really only two types of real men imho, those who have looked an animal in the eye while it gives it's life for your sustenance, acknowledging the brutality of natural existence with thanks, and vegetarians. So if your grossed out by seeing a picture of a severed boars head, stick to eating your McChicken in the closet.

This is the first cookbook I own written by Anthony Bourdain. I enjoy his food show and was sure that he would have a lot of good and surprising things in his cookbook. I haven't made anything from the cookbook yet since I just received it from the store yesterday, but I can tell a lot of the recipes were fabulous. The recipes run the gamut from staples like chicken salad to laksa. Caveat emptor, the recipes weren't the biggest surprise. There are five or six pictures of dead birds- like severed heads and feet. On one you can even see where the throats was cut. I imagine this is how the bird was killed as my husband used to kill chickens this way as a child when he lived in the Phillipines. I get that thinking meat is a bloodless entity magically appearing in the supermarket is hypocritical. I appreciate that an animal gave up its life for my meal. I just don't want to see bloody severed feet and heads when I'm planning my next meal. I realize most people probably won't be bothered. I'm mentioning all this for the people who would be distressed. I was bothered enough that I considered returning the cookbook. Yet, the recipes truly look fantastic. Anthony Bourdain knows his food. I decided to keep the cookbook. I'll just creatively cover the few pictures that bother me. I gave the cookbook five stars because I think it's a wonderful cookbook. Once I've made some recipes from it, I'll update my review. I'm very excited about trying out these recipes, including some dishes that are new to me.

Mr. Bourdain is a fabulous and engaging writer who shared some awesome recipes. However, to give a fair critique, I grew tired of reading "heavy bottomed pan" and it was somewhat sad to read about his "family," that as it turns out....was non-extant. How could he be so out of touch with reality while being famous for a reality show?

Great cook book for Bourdain fans. It arrived in perfect shape. Cover price says $37.50 but the store sold it new for $22.50. It was a gift, so I only got to flip through it, but it has good looking recipes, cool photos, and some classic Bourdain charm. They LOVED getting this gift! Oh uea, and Ralph Steadman cover art? Whats not to like?!

Great pictures. Full length recipes are challenging, just what I expected. I get tired of too simple and these recipes gave me a chance to experience in my home what I can't get in any restaurant where I live. Must practice so I can impress my friends.

The weirdest cookbook I have ever read. More like 2.5 stars, okay? I really, truly enjoy watching Anthony Bourdain, and reading his other books, but I call baloney on this cookbook. It's totally disjointed. I am a huge fan of his show, a huge fan of Italy (been twice) and a huge fan of eating and cooking really great food. I am a pho addict, and I will also go to great lengths to make a perfect sourdough bread, including spending two weeks creating a starter from scratch. I want to be moved by a cookbook to try new things, but this one doesn't inspire me at all. I was so disappointed. It doesn't make any sense to have this cookbook, other than to have another book to add to the Anthony Bourdain collection. This is a collection of recipes of food that he likes, and it thererfore includes his many opinions on how regular food should be served (I agree with a lot of it). Yet Bourdain has not cultivated anything original here, and I did not get excited enough to try the more complicated recipes. A non-fan might not know what this cookbook even stands for. Is this book for a housewife who doesn't know how to cook an egg or make tuna salad, or an aspiring gourmet (who probably already knows how to make bone stock)? Does anyone really need to be told what goes on a hamburger, how to serve crudites or how to make a deviled egg? I can Google that stuff, or better yet, buy a church fundraising cookbook. My mom does potato salad better than the recipe offered here. Seriously? National reviews are calling Bourdain "accessible", but in reality it goes from 0-120 mph with nonsensical, weird stuff in between (i.e. "Fight!"): Readers will get a recipe for scrambling an egg (I refuse to scramble an egg in a nonstick pan with a fork. Metal will ruin a good pan, no matter what J. Pepin does. I won't follow stupidity to the grave.) to extremely complicated Asian soups. Yes, I'm sure they are delicious, but no, I am not going to acquire all of those exotic ingredients, and yes, they are inaccessible and a bit pretentious no matter what you say. I love those soups, too, and I will leave that to the street vendors. There is no desert section because Bourdain prefers Stilton cheese and a good postprandial port wine. A.B.'s publishing house is making bank on this book, not food. Not really. That's for sure. Buy this cookbook for your A.B. book collection, anyway. Anthony Bourdain's schtick is that he is non-pretentious, edgy. The truth is that he IS pretentious, and the fact that he simply doesn't care what we think is what makes him punk. Now that it is his "thing" it is getting kind of lame. The book just isn't that great, and it is kind of a slap in the face to those cooks who actually spend a lot more time painstakingly cultivating recipes for us to enjoy at home.

Bought this as a gift for a foodie who really likes Anthony Bourdain. They were very happy with this cookbook and were already talking about it later that evening. This book is a reflection of Anthony, straight forward and to-the-point.

VERY DISSAPOINTED ! I think I can make a Mortadells sandwich with cheese. or chicken salad a roasts beef po boy? Come ON! . most of these are just ordinary everyday plates, unless you consider spaghetti garlic and anchovies exotic. or unique.
Don't spend the money on this . the recipies are nothing unusual. or tempting at all . Pure and Simple money grab if you ask me. anyone with any type of basic cooking talent will find this boring at best. He has a great tv show but this shows he's just capitalizing on the success of the tv show.

The Korean Fried Chicken recipe is amazing!!! Check out this book if you're a foodie, Anthony Bourdain fan, or just love looking at amazing meals. Great gift from a friend that I'm so happy with. Definitely worth checking out and giving as - gift!

Fantastic cookbook by the great Anthony bourdain. He isn't afraid to get down and dirty in his description of preparations of some of his dishes. There's a great bechemel bolognese lasagna, meatloaf, veal chops with wild mushrooms. I saw at least 25 receipes I can't wait to try. If your a fan of bourdain you will not be disappointed. Occasional cursing, but hey what you see is what you get. I wouldn't want it any other way. Run out and pick up the book and if your in New York, you can meet him personally today for a book signing and pics. I would have went but I don't like hassling with crowds. Anyway, lots and lots of great receipts and he even tells you what to avoid in making certain dishes, so lots of tips and tricks

Very disappointing. I watch his show. Expecting some exotic recipes. The first recipe was how to scramble an egg.....simple. The book is filled vital very simple recipes that could be looked up on pinterest or the Internet. I would have sent it back but it was a gift for my husband.

Glance through this book at your public library (as I did) or a bookstore, and then decide whether to buy it. Avid Bourdain fans might still purchase this book; others probably not. Even though it is a well-constructed book, sadly there are too many pedestrian recipes accentuated with arty non-food related photos. The Sausage with Gravy instructions say ‘Spread each biscuit half generously with margarine…’ Yep, the recipe says ‘margarine.’ The recipe follows a full-page head shot of Anthony Bourdain with gravy slobbering out of his mouth and dripping down his chin. Elsewhere in the book, there is another full-page photo of Anthony Bourdain eating a sandwich while sitting on the toilet. The profane verbiage in the cookbook is clearly meant to shock. If you are an Anthony Bourdain fan, buy his book. If not, keep looking.

If you love Anthony Bourdain, you might like this book. However, I was turned off by photos of sweat-soaked hair, food squished on the bottom of a shoe. food oozing between bare toes, ad nauseum. Recipes may be ok, but I lost my appetite so didn't explore further.

I'm a huge Bourdain fan and got a lot of laughs from this book. It's typical Bourdain -- funny, cynical, snarky and profane. Not for those who are prissy about swear words! Some of the photos are a total hoot. All this said, I didn't really care for the recipes. I got it out of the library and the only recipe I photocopied was for the Macau-style pork chop sandwich -- and mostly because my spouse wanted me to. Everything else is either too time-consuming, calls for weird ingredients or just doesn't appeal to me (chopped liver, oysters, caviar, anchovies, duck fat, etc.). Still, it was a fun read.

Every once in awhile, I'm reminded of an exhortation I found in Guy Peellaert's "Rock Dreams" that was quoted from Revelations: "Be hot or be cold, or else God will spit you from his mouth!"

That's "Appetites" in a nutshell. It's disgusting, ugly, pretentious, nasty, and uncompromising. It reminds you that humans are gross destructors of the world. We tear, rend, chop, eviscerate, mangle, and slice living, thinking, loving creatures, even the unborn, for our dark pleasures.

You’ll either adore this book or hate it.

Anthony Bourdain is the temptation angel of our better natures, an unblinking guide to the deep pleasures of seared flesh, cooked muscle, boiled intestines, fried brains, and sauteed livers.

This is probably the only cookbook sporting a cover by Ralph Steadman, who iconized Hunter S. Thompson. He drew Bourdain, small and at the bottom of the page, with a clown nose and his lolling drooling tongue of a congenital idiot, while behind him a large head explodes in various shades of red and pink, a ghostly Id with its brains blown out, like what Hunter did, only Bourdain does it sensibility, with macaroni and cheese and tomato soup with oyster crackers.

Bourdain explains in his introduction that this is his family cookbook. (It should be noted that, as this book was published, Bourdain abandoned his family for his television work.) "These are the dishes I like to eat and that I like to feed my family and friends. They are the recipes that ‘work,’ meaning they've been developed over time and have been informed by repetition and long -- and often painful -- experience.”

That means you get recipes for Sausage and Pepper Hero with a shot of Bourdain eating on the toilet (pants up; he’s no Zappa), and an explanation of how he can't resist this street food, "served at temperatures that would be probably be considered suboptimal by the New York State Department of Health, squashed on a dirty griddle and then piled into a squishy hero roll with some browned onions and peppers, the whole thing a greasy, soggy, unmanageable mess that generally falls apart in my hands before I can eat it. And within an hour of consumption, I'm [EXPLICATIVE DELETED] like a mink."

The chapters are idiosyncratic: "Salads," "Soups," "Pasta," "Birds," "Hamburger Rules," "Party 101," "Fight!" (about Brazilian martial arts, his now ex-wife's passion), and "Dessert" (where he dismisses the subject with a two-word phrase, one of them too horrible for the store to display.)

The photos are of a piece with the author. You don't get colorful pretty set-ups of perfectly prepared dishes in warm wood-and-tiled, copper-pot displaying kitchens. You get black-and-white pictures of precisely placed and shot godknowswhat. Turning the pages at random, there's a two-page spread of a dog lunging for a piece of tossed meat (appetites, remember?), a boned seabass, its skeleton holding the tail and head (blanked-eyed, shocked expression still on its face), a Macau-style pork chop sandwich with a bite taken out and tossed on the floor, a partially deboned veal chop stood on end amid a pile of sliced mushrooms, a plate of seasoned cauliflower with inexplicable dark stains on the tablecloth next to it (the sesame sauce; or something much worse?). Many images are deliberately abused, out of focus and off-center. It wouldn't look out of place at an art school showing of first-year photography students.

Underneath its carefully curated punk aesthetic and ripped-from-the-(now ex-)family recipes, "Appetites" is also unintentionally a meditation on life and how it should be lived. Reading Bourdain's commentaries, you get the sense that “Appetites” reflects the man and his experiences. Perhaps because I lived a deliberately safe and sheltered life, I can taste the textures and tones that went into his. When you live your life in the world, devouring all that you see, you're marinating in what you consume. You are what you eat, literally, emotionally, and figuratively.

And to Bourdain, unapologetically.

(Book gifted from HarperCollins as part of a blogger event.)

Anthony Bourdain never disappoints me. Appetites is an incredible cookbook/memoir. Reading Appetites reminded me of when I was a child and read The Joy of Cooking. I'm going to buy this book. I will learn to cook like a chef and I'll have Anthony Bourdain to thank!

Deliciously fun for the eyes and taste buds. Mr. Bourdain is someone that I would love to meet in Asia and drink non-sensical cocktails while comparing adventures. I am testing my range and have finally made the best freaking eggs benedict of my life. Nothing disappointing here.

Great pictures. Full length recipes are challenging, just what I expected. I get tired of too simple and these recipes gave me a chance to experience in my home what I can't get in any restaurant where I live. Must practice so I can impress my friends.

The weirdest cookbook I have ever read. More like 2.5 stars, okay? I really, truly enjoy watching Anthony Bourdain, and reading his other books, but I call baloney on this cookbook. It's totally disjointed. I am a huge fan of his show, a huge fan of Italy (been twice) and a huge fan of eating and cooking really great food. I am a pho addict, and I will also go to great lengths to make a perfect sourdough bread, including spending two weeks creating a starter from scratch. I want to be moved by a cookbook to try new things, but this one doesn't inspire me at all. I was so disappointed. It doesn't make any sense to have this cookbook, other than to have another book to add to the Anthony Bourdain collection. This is a collection of recipes of food that he likes, and it thererfore includes his many opinions on how regular food should be served (I agree with a lot of it). Yet Bourdain has not cultivated anything original here, and I did not get excited enough to try the more complicated recipes. A non-fan might not know what this cookbook even stands for. Is this book for a housewife who doesn't know how to cook an egg or make tuna salad, or an aspiring gourmet (who probably already knows how to make bone stock)? Does anyone really need to be told what goes on a hamburger, how to serve crudites or how to make a deviled egg? I can Google that stuff, or better yet, buy a church fundraising cookbook. My mom does potato salad better than the recipe offered here. Seriously? National reviews are calling Bourdain "accessible", but in reality it goes from 0-120 mph with nonsensical, weird stuff in between (i.e. "Fight!"): Readers will get a recipe for scrambling an egg (I refuse to scramble an egg in a nonstick pan with a fork. Metal will ruin a good pan, no matter what J. Pepin does. I won't follow stupidity to the grave.) to extremely complicated Asian soups. Yes, I'm sure they are delicious, but no, I am not going to acquire all of those exotic ingredients, and yes, they are inaccessible and a bit pretentious no matter what you say. I love those soups, too, and I will leave that to the street vendors. There is no desert section because Bourdain prefers Stilton cheese and a good postprandial port wine. A.B.'s publishing house is making bank on this book, not food. Not really. That's for sure. Buy this cookbook for your A.B. book collection, anyway. Anthony Bourdain's schtick is that he is non-pretentious, edgy. The truth is that he IS pretentious, and the fact that he simply doesn't care what we think is what makes him punk. Now that it is his "thing" it is getting kind of lame. The book just isn't that great, and it is kind of a slap in the face to those cooks who actually spend a lot more time painstakingly cultivating recipes for us to enjoy at home.

Bought this as a gift for a foodie who really likes Anthony Bourdain. They were very happy with this cookbook and were already talking about it later that evening. This book is a reflection of Anthony, straight forward and to-the-point.

I love my cookbooks &mread them like a novel. This was the worst. Bourdins ego couldn't fit in my whole house, the White House, the entire continent. U nine what makes u think we WANT pictures of your chubby handed daughter included in this book? I'm surprised this idiot has a fan base. Pictures of food? NO Anthony's feet covered in four, Anthony's mouth streatched as large as a boa devouring an elephant chewing down on a disgusting sandwich, Anthony's cabinets, Anthony's pantry, Antony's refrigerator. Praise the lord he didn't subject us to Anthony's private parts! Totally disgusting & a complete waste of money! There may be good recipes' I don't know. No real food photos & the repeated pictures of Anthony made me want to burn my eyes out. Come on folks, the reviews were rather "subdued" but really folks, tell it like It is! Unless you collect pictures of boudain, pass on this book. It's more than off putting it is nauseating, now I know why Guy hates the man. Forget this book.

I purchased four of these for Christmas gifts and was so excited thinking I had finished shopping for 3 friends. I was keeping one. Unfortunately, I have returned ALL four. I love cookbooks and the ideas they generate, but this book is so eclectic and scattered that the only idea it generated was, What? Honestly, how many recipes does one need for making Hoagies? I'm thinking one, maybe two, with an option insert. Well there's an entire chapter about sandwiches. I too enjoy his television shows and his respect for food and it's origin. I didn't find any of that attitude within this book. I also found the photography off putting. A number of full color, glossy pages filled with dead chicken heads and feet. The unplucked hind end of a foul sticking out of a bag. Yes, I'm a carnivore, but I don't need that in my face. It's like sausage. If you watched it being made you'd probably never eat it again. Anyway, so sorry I was so disappointed. Back to the catalogues looking for Christmas gifts.

When I saw the Ralph Steadman cover I thought this is going to be good. Boy was I wrong. There is nothing in this book I would cook - many standards that aren't anything new. The photography makes the food if there is anything shown and not the aftermath of dirty plates makes the book seem like some Lampoon parody. I like Bourdain just fine but this book is a joke. We get it you're a rebel and this is all supposed to be cool but what a useless book for your readers.

The only recipe I tried, Candied Sweet Potatoes, was a try-out for Thanksgiving, since I had volunteered to bring sweet potatoes to the family gathering. It was OK but the bourbon and apple cider in the recipe, which I THOUGHT would be great, actually made the sweet potatoes taste off in some way. That's it for me: If the first recipe isn't great, the cookbook goes out. The book is about the personal food Anthony Bourdain cooks for his family, including a young daughter. The book is interesting reading and his love for family comes through. However, I think he uses far too many curse words for a family man.

Photos of recently killed animals throughout....yes dead animals, some plucked but with eyes open. Some photos of just decapitated heads covered in fur on a platter. Disgusting ! I know that Bourdains personality is to be shocking...but I couldn't USE this book in any way it was so unappetizing. Get a NEW Artistic Director Anthony !

This cookbook seeks to entertain but falls short with obnoxious, in-your-face humor that is barely informative. I don't normally associate cookbooks with tone, but this one is so over-the top that it leaks into the dish titles and photographs, catching drooling spittle and oh-so-artistically blurred images. The selection of recipes is decent and offers a variety, but nothing special or that you wouldn't find in a quick online search. Mainly, I was so distracted by the language the book uses that it was an unpleasant experience attempting to cook with it.

If I didn't know that the store would let me return this book, I'd be ripping it to shreds. How can Bourdain smugly assume that his omission of a chapter on desserts would be amusing?! Really? Maybe if he hadn't cheekily put that photo of Stilton cheese across from a chapter header entitled "Desserts" followed by, well, nothing, would be happily received by his loyal fans. I haven't had my blood boil this much since somebody used that nasty adage "A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips" as he greedily consumed my 1st effort at creme brûlée. I don't know about other amateur cooks, but I always consult a cookbook when I have invited folks for dinner, & I always search for a dessert idea to make the event memorable. What's the deal here? Did France run out of chocolate all of a sudden? Oh, and, Anthony, I don't ever consult a cookbook before making a sandwich. I know I am segueing (sp.) here so I won't belabor my point. But please, Mr. Bourdain, consider your hungry admirers who can't afford to romp about the world for 200 days a year...without dessert, of course!

Antony Bourdain’s travel show, Parts Unknown, is the best. So, when I heard him interviewed on NPR regarding his new cookbook, Appetites, I ordered it on the spot. He explained that it was a simple collection of recipes for ordinary folk, what the average “wanna be” cook needs to know. He reminisced about mom’s cooking, what food made him happy as a child, and his renewed interest in cooking these things for his daughter and her friends, like pancakes after a sleepover. (no pancake recipes are in the book)

What a shock. The book is nothing like he described in the interview. It is filled with grotesque photography and splattered with profanity. The few (unhelpful) photos of actual food preparation are far outnumbered by photographer Bobby Fisher’s Freudian nightmares (or Bourdain’s, or both.)

There are some recipes for the ordinary guy, like me, such as meatloaf, chicken pot pie, eggs benedict, etc. Eventually, I might try them if I can get over Bourdain’s arrogance and sarcasm. But, my guess is, his mom never made octopus and squid soup, and never will I. Nor would that qualify as a home standard everyone needs to know, as the promotional chatter for the book promised.

Weird stuff: “Crack an egg on a flat surface.” What? Show me a picture of that one. And, his oven baking recipe for bacon sounds strange (no picture, of course.) I’ve used a broiler pan under a broiler for decades and gotten it right every time. Of course, I have not tried any of the recipes, and probably no one should write a review till trying a few. If I think about it, I could revisit this in a year.

And, I hate to add, but the fact that the “happy family” he boasts about so in his introduction, dissolved upon publication of this book, brings up images of insincerity and opportunism. Oh, and, don’t sit on a toilet eating a hero and get your picture “took.” ‘Nuff said. If you want to lose your “appetite,” buy Appetites.

Look at the reviews, others love this book. Go figure. Viva la diversity!!!!

There is nothing new in the book and it is poorly written. I wish he had tried to write a book that showcased his talent. i now question if he has any besides drinking on TV and eating things I would never want to eat. Also the ingredients in a lot of the recipes are impossible to find.

I bought this for my niece and her family after watching Anthony talk about the book on TV and how he was cooking for his daughter. I thought this would be a great family cookbook. I found the language in the book to be terribly offensive and inappropriate to be shared with children of any age. This book will be returned.

Hate to submit a negative review, but in light of Anthony Bourdain's recent passing am compelled to visit the dark side of myself. My recent "Appetites" order was canceled. Pretty sure it was stocked but when AB passed, bids went up, I got juiced. Huge fan of the man..read every book and looked forward to the cookbook. Now passed grubby hand$, I mourn no longer. RIP Chef, Godspeed & FU $(H)ellouts

I bought this for my niece and her family after watching Anthony talk about the book on TV and how he was cooking for his daughter. I thought this would be a great family cookbook. I found the language in the book to be terribly offensive and inappropriate to be shared with children of any age. This book will be returned.

Hate to submit a negative review, but in light of Anthony Bourdain's recent passing am compelled to visit the dark side of myself. My recent "Appetites" order was canceled. Pretty sure it was stocked but when AB passed, bids went up, I got juiced. Huge fan of the man..read every book and looked forward to the cookbook. Now passed grubby hand$, I mourn no longer. RIP Chef, Godspeed & FU $(H)ellouts