Not expecting a recipe book, darn

Heart of the Artichoke
And Other Kitchen Journeys
by David Tanis

I won't give this a rating because I expected more anecdotes and less recipes but that's not the book's fault.  I copied out a couple of the recipes but they're generally not my cup of tea.  Again, not the fault of the recipes, just a mismatch between what I like to eat and how he likes to cook.  They could be perfectly good recipes.

Some interesting stuff all the same.  When he remakes an old favorite, like "Shrimp Cocktail In a Glass", I bet his version is a lot better tasting than anything I've ever had in a restaurant.  Some of the simpler ones look right up my alley, like the "Platter of Jicama, Avocado, Radishes, and Oranges."  It's basically a salad of fruits and vegetables seasoned with lime juice, salt and ground chili. However, since I've never tasted it and don't know what it's supposed to taste like, how am I supposed to mix the spices "to taste"?  The instructions are a little weird, too, saying to "dip the lime half in the chile mix and rub on the spices."  What spices?  The spice(s) are the chile mix--chile powder plus salt.

His recipe for a slow rise bread is going to inspire my next attempt to make bread.   (Which will turn out flat, burnt, and dry, but that's just me.)