First Look: Alex Atala's D.O.M. Cookbook

You're probably not going to cook much from chef Alex Atala's upcoming cookbook, D.O.M.: Rediscovering Brazilian Ingredients, and it's not because its recipes call for things like immersion circulators and centrifuges. (Although they do, occasionally.) By and large, the Brazilian ingredients mentioned in the title — everything from ants to zebus — aren't going to be available at Whole Foods. But the point of this book isn't really to enable you to recreate the experience of Atala's Sao Paolo restaurant at home. Instead, the book aims to educate readers about Brazilian ingredients and give them context for understanding what Atala is doing with them. It's an introduction to the sixth best restaurant in the world.

Below, a look inside as well as exclusive details on Atala's three-city North American book tour with stops in New York, Toronto, and the Bay Area.

It must be said that the photography in D.O.M. is stunning. And, refreshingly, is not of Atala himself but rather the food, which is shot with gloriously glossy light on black backgrounds. The book showcases the Brazilian ingredients, with Sergio Coimbra's food photos presenting each unfamiliar flavor like it's an ad for sports cars or luxury watches. The format of the book follows suit: each ingredient gets a quick contextual explanation followed by a recipe. It's a simple concept and, to a certain extent, one imagines it mirrors the actual experience of eating at D.O.M.

And for those of you who will not be satisfied until you actually make something from a cookbook, there's always the D.O.M. caipirinha recipe. And according to Atala, "Caipirinhas made with good cachaca do not cause hangovers." So go ahead, have a few. D.O.M. is out from Phaidon October 8 (pre-order on Amazon).

Alex Atala 2013 North American Book Tour

Toronto

Tuesday, October 15: Alex Atala and Daniel Patterson- Live on Stage

6:30 PM Book signing to follow
George Ignatieff Theatre
University of Toronto
15 Devonshire Place
Toronto, ON M5S 2E2
[Tickets: $60, includes a copy of the book]

New York City

Friday, October 18: Bank of America Dinner Series

New York Wine and Festival
D.O.M: Rediscovering Brazilian Ingredients
Hosted by Alex Atala
Location: Bank of America Building
One Bryant Park
42nd Street and 6th Avenue
New York, NY
[Tickets: SOLD OUT]

Saturday, October 19: Times Talk: Alex Atala and David Chang

5:00pm New York Wine and Food Festival
The New York Times Center
242 West 41st Street
New York, NY
[Tickets: $35]

Oakland, California

Monday, October 21: Traditional Galinhada Dinner in honor of Alex Atala

6:00 pm
Camino
3917 Grand Street
Oakland, CA 94610
[Tickets: $85]

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