Grant Proposal

Wunderkind chef Grant Achatz brought his unconventional (and critically acclaimed) brand of cuisine to New York last night, where he unveiled Alinea, a cookbook named for his Chicago restaurant. During a demo at the Astor Center, he wowed the assembled foodies with creations designed as much to titillate the olfactory senses as the palate. The evening's pièce de résistance was a rabbit dumpling skewered on an oak twig. With dramatic flourish, the twig was briefly set aflame to infuse the rabbit with the autumn-evocative scent of charred leaves. If you're bold enough to try this sort of cooking at home, pick up a copy of Grant's tome, available now. Oh, and make sure to temporarily disconnect your smoke alarm.

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