The Books

I´ve seen an unbound proof of Book 1 and it will blow your mind.

Not so much for the technical wizardy that you see in Book 3 or even Book 2 but because it´s the genesis. It´s like discovering the origins of sentient life.

You see photos of young Ferran and teenage Albert in the kitchen - rapturous while tasting - of the early plates, and even architectural floorplans of the original El Bulli kitchen. Like an archeological dig.

The proof - with handscribbled notes - was a birthday present from Ferran himself to Soledad. More background tomorrow on Sole - and her husband Matias - who are spending their honeymoon as stagiaires at El Bulli - he in cuisine, she in pastry.

I just got Book 3 in English - will get Book 2 in Spanish - and told Albert I want Book 1 in Catalan. There´s actually a Catalonian cultural center in the Marais in Paris where I´m going to take lessons. I want to read in the original voice.

The photographer´s in the kitchen now shooting the current dishes for Book 4.

I did in fact start pastry yesterday and I just need to tell you that I´m still giddy. Not only do we have the Pacojet of course, but also liquid nitrogen, custom made resin molds - with which we´re making hollow ice spheres, and - my favourite new thing in the kitchen - a fucking centrifuge.