American Quotes

These people are real to me, and situations keep coming up where their emergence feels natural. It's like meeting old friends. I hope readers feel the same way.

The key to this collaboration - which we undertook after much deliberation - was to stretch creatively. New characters, new locales, new form (the novella).

The characters emerge from my rather twisted mind. That's another enjoyable part of the job making stuff up.

That's what's so great about my job. I get paid to do what got me in trouble in grade school space out and play with my imaginary friends. In terms of Isaac, when the time's right.

That has to remain the principal reason for doing it, doesn't it? I know it's possible to write for money, and many very good writers have done so. But for me, it has to remain the principal thing that I actually want to do the writing.

It didn't feel difficult at the time because I was so charged up about both books. Afterward, however, I was pretty tired. In a good way, like after a great workout.

I don't practice, but I am still officially in paediatrics. I keep in touch with journals, and I have a very good data bank of medical information and there is a key thing for a writer knowing where to go. I know where to go to get the information that I need.

Each novel is harder than its predecessor because I must work harder at not repeating myself. However, I enjoy the challenge. This is the greatest job in the world.

They know what my standards are. They know what I need and how to get it to me, and they know how to communicate with me if for some reason they can't get it.

Then, as the day progresses, depending on how the product is coming in - for instance, the fish man will fax us and say black bass is great - throughout the day, we'll also make judgment calls and adapt to what's available.

The law of diminishing returns is something I really believe in.

The book is there for inspiration and as a foundation, the fundamentals on which to build.

Some of the recipes in the book have evolved for us. Many haven't.

Once you understand the foundations of cooking - whatever kind you like, whether it's French or Italian or Japanese - you really don't need a cookbook anymore.

Now the restaurants have begun to catch up with the wine-making; there are numerous great restaurants in Napa Valley, and it's wonderful because the people are there for just that: great food and great wine.

No, it's funny, when I eat out it's not typically in the kind of restaurants people might imagine.

My favorite wines are Zinfandels.

It's one thing you aspire to: someday, you'll be able to write a book.

It wasn't about mechanics; it was about a feeling, wanting to give someone something, which in turn was really gratifying. That really resonated for me.

In any restaurant of this caliber, the chefs are in the same position, building relationships.

I wanted to write about what we were doing at the French Laundry, the recipes and the stories.

I think every young cook wants to write a book.

I like to drink young wines, wines which are robust and have a lot of forward fruit to them.

I hope the cooks who are working for me now are getting that kind of experience so they can use what they're learning now as a foundation for a great career.

I have no formal culinary training, right.

Hopefully, imparting what's important to me, respect for the food and that information about the purveyors, people will realize that for a restaurant to be good, so many pieces have to come together.

But once in a while you might see me at In and Out Burger; they make the best fast food hamburgers around.

A kaiseki meal is like that, very small courses over a long period of time.

My childhood wasn't full of wonderful culinary memories.

I drank more wine when I wasn't working as much, to be honest.