Eat Me: The Food and Philosophy of Kenny Shopsin: A Cookbook

This book maintains the high standards of the NYC restaurant which happens to reliably serve the most interesting breakfast in North America.

Shopsin's is a very unique dining establishment in NYC which I make certain to eat at every time I visit NY. He has a very quirky personality, and it's sometimes said that the Seinfeld Soup Nazi episode is modeled after him.This book had a massive impact on my home cooking philosophy. In addition to pointing out how he embraces the characteristics of poorly cooked eggs for certain dishes in his egg chapter, his soup chapter was particularly life changing. I've always followed the "big batch" soup method, where I make my soups in very large batches and tune as needed. This has the effect of making all of the flavors mingle together. Kenny's philosophy is that this is not always ideal, and haven eaten many of his soups, I never realized the contrast but now agree. He keeps an assortment of broths on hand for his soups, but makes each bowl to order. Each time an order for a bowl comes in, he will prepare the additions as needed, usually by sauteing. This gives more distinct separation of the flavors.To put this into practice this week, I used a mushroom/asparagus/onion dish that I created to serve as a side with some steak this week. This gave me three different soups in practice:Soup A: Chunky Mushroom and Asparagus Soup (I just heat the broth and filling, and combine, season to taste. The veggies stay Al dente without turning into mush.)Soup B: Creamy Mushroom and Asparagus Soup (Same as Soup A, I just stir in some Creme Fresh)Soup C: Mushroom and Asparagus Bisque (Same as Soup B, just Vitamixed)I like adding crushed cashews to all three soups at serving.I don't think I'll go back to huge batches of soups that I get bored with. While I always have a fresh batch of broth from the previous couple of weeks scraps, I can now change which soups I make out of the broth each day.

Important chapter and family in NYC history.This restaurant, this family, the neighborhood that used to be, and most importantly, their philosophy of food -- and recipes! Kenny Shopsin narrates his recipes replete with curse words, --- you'll feel like you're in his kitchen.Shopsin's was the eatery on Bedford and Morton Streets in Greenwich Village down the corner from where I lived -- where you could get hundreds of types of soups with more than a serving of NYC attitude. Truly the best food around, -- plus we had the life of the Shopsin family all through our eating experience and neighborhood life. These are New Yorker's that gave New York its allure to city dwellers and visitors alike. I'd invite my mother down, just to have pancakes and eggs with them. This family was noble in their own unique way.This book is a must for anyone who was ever fed by the Shopsins, and for those who wonder what all the fuss about New York City authenticity was about. Buy this book and give it to people who like the real thing, who love recipes, who want a good read, who are renegadesforever,AnnieAnnie Lanzillottoauthor of "L is for Lion: an italian bronx butch freedom memoir" SUNY Pressand "Schistsong" BORDIGHERA Presswww.annielanzillotto.com L Is for Lion: An Italian Bronx Butch Freedom Memoir (SUNY series in Italian/American Culture) Schistsong (Via Folios) Blue Pill Carry My Coffee (Live) Eleven Recitations

Effective translation from one art form to another is a high wire act of the greatest difficulty - readers may agree for example that the film director faces an uphill battle to craft an effective cinematic experience from even the most masterfully written novel.Those who have had direct experience of the unique restaurant and social environment described in this book will, I am sure, be able to confirm to a wider public that the author, his collaborator and illustrator have created a grand success in making Shopsin's live and breathe realistically and delightfully within the covers of this work. This is a success fully as memorable and arresting as film director Henri-Georges Clousot's "The Mystery of Picasso" which did the same in sharing and preserving the leading Twentieth Century artist's mercurial character and irrepressible creativity.Enfolded copiously among the many recipes are anecdotes, philosophical ruminations, and historical comments on the legendary Greenwich Village of a previous generation -- many of which are presented in a deceptively casual, even profane manner. These amount to a second book nestled within a diverse collection of recipes.The illustration and design work on this book are labors of love by Kenny Shopin's daughter, Tamara Shopsin -- an artist of increasingly wide reputation in her own right.A cookbook reviewer should be pleased to report that such a publication does a good job at showing the reader how to prepare good food. This presentation far exceeds that worthy result: it provides a window on how to be a genuine human being on one's own terms.

Really enjoyed reading this book, a really true NYC icon that is really well documented in this book. Next time I'm in New York I'll be heading to Shopsins for some soup and a shake.

Ho conosciuto Shopsin dal meraviglioso docu-film I like killing flies, e non ho potuto fare a meno di amarlo; secondo me è inutile presentare un personaggio come questo a parole, o attraverso un libro (questo potrebbe essere, al limite, un promemoria), e non si può capire Kenny Shopsin senza avere visto il suo faccione e le sue mani muoversi tra miriadi di sgommarelli e forchettoni nella sua minuscola cucina caotica (quella che appare nel film oramai da culto).Tuttavia, se dovessi usare solo il verbo per descriverlo (il verbo biblico, beninteso), Shopsin è carne e sangue del Greenwich e una sintesi culinaria di Manhattan, ma non tanto per la qualità o il servizio accurato o per qualche piatto particolarmente gourmet da scegliere tra i 900 del suo eclettico e folle menu': è perché lui è l'uomo del posto che cucina per voi qualsiasi cosa di qualsiasi provenienza, con la sua filosofia della vita che non si eleva su nulla e che non crede negli assoluti, e che, una volta risolti i conti del giorno, non eccede nel business, non vuole la pubblicità e le guide, non accetta clienti incravattati o non riempie il locale come fosse un pollaio.Per dirla semplice, mi sembra che abbia il merito di riportare il cibo alla sua dimensione non so se giusta, ma certamente ironica, quotidiana, né televisiva né foodporn, né fighetta né modaiola: e intanto è ostinatamente sé stesso e quell'incrocio di tutte le culture che l'ha creato, una sintesi perfetta e un documento di un modo di essere.

I picked up this book after seeing it featured in another book! The witty writing and dry humor of it really pulled me in. When you read the book you'll love Kenny, then you'll get mad at him, then you'll love him again. He's a complicated character and he doesn't shy away from contradicting himself or pulling genius out of nowhere.If there's one thing I'll carry forever is his crepe recipe. Seriously folks, it tricked everyone in my household including a couple professionally trained chefs and it tastes better than my old crepe recipe. If you only make one thing in this book let it be crepes.This book will inspire you, frustrate you, and give you lots to ponder and cook! Couldn't recommend it more!

Great man great book

I love this book everyone who enjoys food needs to read it