French Books - Page 3

The Escoffier Cookbook and Guide to the Fine Art of Cookery: For Connoisseurs, Chefs, Epicures Complete With 2973 Recipes

Auguste Escoffier

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Fascinating to read, but not a "cookbook" in the modern sense 4 out of 5 stars.
27 of 27 people found this review helpful.

"The Escoffier Cookbook" is a heavily abridged American version of Auguste Escoffier's 1903 book "Guide Culinaire". It is a fascinating look at the art of professional European cookery at the beginning of the 20th century.

However, to appreciate this book fully, it's important to understand exactly who it was written for. Escoffier's original guide was never for a second intended for the home cook. Escoffier was a pioneer with respect to the education of professional chefs, and originally wrote this book for the use of those working in grand houses, in hotels, on ocean liners, and in restaurants who might not have had access to contemporary recipes. Accordingly, the original book does not attempt to teach basic cooking or food preparation techniques. The American translation does include some details on cooking techniques and utensils unfamiliar to the average American chef (such as poeleing, worth the cost of the book alone, and the old French form of braising), but even in the translation it is assumed that the reader is a trained, experienced chef.

The recipes themselves are clear and simple to follow, but represent only a small subset of French cooking of the early 20th century. An earlier reviewer mentioned that there was no recipe for onion soup; this is true, but it should be understood that onion soup would never have been accepted by the class of restaurant patron Escoffier cooked for. Much of what has arrived on this side of the Atlantic as "French cooking" - dishes such as pot-au-feu, onion soup, and steak frites - is distinctly middle-class, and consequently would have been rejected by the clientele of quality restaurants of the time as being unspeakably boorish. Escoffier personally enjoyed bourgeois cooking, but as an astute, intelligent businessman he provided the haute cuisine his clients demanded.

One interesting difference between modern cooking and the cooking featured in this book is that Escoffier uses few spices, and indeed declaims on the foolishness of using large amounts of spices in meat dishes. This appears bizarre from our vantage point, but Escoffier had sound economic reasons for his proscriptions. Most diners of the time grew up in the days before refrigeration, when old deteriorating meat was heavily spiced to make it palatable. Fresh, unspiced meat was a sign of the highest quality. The association between strong spices and poor quality was powerful enough to survive long into the 20th century, as any reader of a 1950s American cookbook can attest.

As for the recipes themselves, I doubt that many of them could be prepared by the North American home cook. Most of us cannot afford (if we can even find) foie gras, truffles, or capons, and few have espagnole sauce or fish fumet available at all times. However, many recipes can be adapted for the modern cook - using cepes or porcini mushrooms for truffles, for instance - and those that can be prepared really are delicious.

Editorial Review:

An American translation of the definitive Guide Culinaire, the Escoffier Cookbook includes weights, measurements, quantities, and terms according to American usage. Features 2,973 recipes.

The Tasha Tudor Cookbook: Recipes and Reminiscences from Corgi Cottage

Tasha Tudor

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Return to Grandmother's kitchen 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Tasha Tudor's cookbook makes you long for the past when your grandmother taught you how to make the perfect pie crust. Ms. Tudor's own illustrations add to the charm of a book that reminds you of happy times spent in the kitchen. Her recipes and personal stories encourage you recreate that time with your own children and grandchildren.

Tasha Tudor's World -- a birdseye view! 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Anything by Tasha Tudor is a work of art! Her illustrations, and down to earth practicality, is revealed -- upclose -- in this delightful book! This is the kind of book you can give a little girl of any age -- even 99!

Not quite what I expected 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I bought this more for nostalgia, so in that case it gets 5 stars for pictures and memories. Most of the recipes are modern, yet impractical. There are a few that I would say are great heirloom recipes, but that's all.

The Tasha Tudor Cookbook 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This book is so charming. The artwork is lovely and the recipes are good too. It's a book to use and treasure for years to come.

Tasha Tudor cookbook. 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This cookbook is actually very beautifull. Havent tried the recipes in it yet, it was a gift for my mom. She really loved receiving it. It took a little longer to come to my house than i expected, but i did order it right around Christmas, so i guess that can be expected. I cant wait to try the recipes. The pictures are georgous!!

We've Always Had Paris...and Provence: A Scrapbook of Our Life in France

Patricia Wells, Walter Wells

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Patricia Wells, long recognized as the leading American authority on French food, and her husband, Walter, live the life in France that many of us have often fantasized about. After more than a quarter century, they are as close to being accepted as "French" as any non-natives can be. In this delightful memoir they share in two voices their experiences—the good, the bad, and the funny—offering a charming and evocative account of their beloved home and some of the wonderful people they have met along the way. Full of the flavor and color of the couple's adopted country, this tandem memoir reflects on the life that France has made possible for them and explores how living abroad has shaped their relationship.

Written in lyrical, sensuous prose and filled with anecdotes, insights, and endearing snapshots of Walter and Patricia over the years, We've Always Had Paris . . . and Provence beautifully conveys the nuances of the French and their culture as only a practiced observer can. Literally a moveable feast to be savored and shared, including more than thirty recipes that will delight readers and cooks alike, the couple's valentine to France and to each other is delicious in every way.

Le Bernardin Cookbook: Four-Star Simplicity

Maguy Le Coze, Eric Ripert

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

At Le Bernardin, seafood is always the star. From the day this posh restaurant opened in New York City, it was recognized for revolutionizing the way fish was prepared. Chef-owner Gilbert Le Coze and his sister, Maguy, quickly gained an exalted four-star rating for their original, impeccable, exquisite food, which you can now reproduce at home using their recipes.

Le Coze avoided using classic sauces because, lacking professional training, he did not know how to make them. Instead, he created Carpaccio of Tuna, a kind of paper-thin sashimi on a plate, Baked Sea Urchins, and Roast Monkfish on a Bed of Sautéed Savory Cabbage with Bacon, a dish that is both rustic and rich. When Gilbert died in 1994, at just 48, his chef de cuisine, Eric Ripert, stepped in and has continued to dazzle with his own fish dishes. Ripert, who had a classical chef's training, is especially innovative in his Poached Lobster in Lemongrass-Ginger Bouillon. If following three pages of meticulously clear instructions for handling the lobsters, puréeing their coral, and much more is not for you, try the salmon fillets served in a magically cream-free but creamy lemon sauce, the Roast Cod Niçoise flavored with basil, capers, and black olives, or the saffron-and-orange-perfumed Fish Soup.

Le Bernardin's desserts are famous, too. A reasonably competent cook can create ecstasy with the Bitter Chocolate Soufflé Cake, lavish with dark chocolate, butter, eggs, and just one tablespoon of flour.

If you read mostly cookbooks, the spirited dialogue between Ripert and Maguy, their anecdotes of culinary adventures, and characteristically Gallic commentary may divert you. Typically, Maguy says, "My favorite way to eat calamari is with a nice green salad. How American!" Seems the French only ate a lettuce salad with meats until nouvelle cuisine came along in the 1970s, and Maguy still considers it an aberration with seafood. Just as her taste has changed, this book may open you to new experiences with seafood. --Dana Jacobi

Joie de Vivre: Simple French Style for Everyday Living

Robert Arbor, Katherine Whiteside

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 27 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

In Joie de Vivre, Robert Arbor, a Frenchman transplanted to New York City, explains the French philosophy on life and argues for its adoption by stressed Americans. In a funny way, this is sort of a self-help book for people who admire the French lifestyle, and for those who believe that good food is the secret to a happy life. The premise of the book is that you will find "domestic happiness" when you learn to enjoy the most mundane details of your everyday life: "It's about making time for family, growing some vegetables in your garden, chatting with the butcher, and cooking for your family and friends." Quality of life, explains Arbor, is only improved when your pillowcases smell like lavender, and you make your own hot chocolate.

Although there are 50 recipes dispersed throughout the book, Joie de Vivre is not a cookbook. Most of the recipes are for dishes like A Really Good Fried Egg, mayonnaise, and café au lait, but there are interesting as well, such as Carrot Râpée, Beet Vinaigrette, and Fish in Papillotte. The recipes are included more as a way to better describe the French experience and to show how easy it is to adopt as a way of life; a method which works particularly well for those of us who know that the best way to understand and appreciate a foreign culture is through its food. --Leora Y. Bloom

My French Kitchen: A Book of 120 Treasured Recipes

Joanne Harris, Fran Warde

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Excellent and easy 5 out of 5 stars.
8 of 8 people found this review helpful.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about this cookbook. People have mentioned the beautiful photos and yes, they are certainly there. The writing helps to weave a spell about the recipes. You are not just making a soup, but the soup her aunt used to make when...

The recipes will knock your socks off. The roasted tomato tart is worth the price of the book. My book club was blown away by the bluberry tart. A gluten intolerant guest was thrilled with Gateau Lawrence. (Flourless chocolate. Easy, intense, and will make you a legend among your friends). The soups are excellent too. Oh yes, and the cabbage pie (galette) I made just because it sounded so weird, that was wonderful too. The recipes seem to 'work' if you know what I mean. You may choose to reduce the butter and make adjustments, but they turn out beautifully as written.

One complaint and it is an issue of layout, not content. The recipe introductions are, for some mind boggling reason, printed in very light grey and can be hard to see. Probably the layout design person was in their early 20's with perfect vision! Pretty is nice, but books are meant to be read people!

I'm going to get her other cookbook too, while it's still in hard cover. Buy this. You will use the recipes and love them!

Editorial Review:

In My French Kitchen bestselling author Joanne Harris, along with acclaimed food writer Fran Warde, shares her treasured collection of family recipes that has been passed down from generation to generation. All the classics are here: Quiche Lorraine, Moules Marinière, Coq au Vin, and Crème Brûlée, plus an entire chapter devoted to French chocolate, including cakes, meringues, and spiced hot chocolate.

Bistros and Brasseries: Recipes and Reflections on Classic Cafe Cooking (The Culinary Institute of America Dining Series) (The Culinary Institute of America Dining Series)

John W. Fischer, Lou Jones

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A must for any serious lover of food, French or otherwise! 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

The Culinary Institute of America (or "The CIA") is a prestigious, not-for-profit, culinary college founded in 1946 in New Haven, CT. This book is a part of their Dining Series and was written by two CIA professors, John W. Fischer and Lou Jones, both of whom possess the passion and knowledge necessary to take on a subject as broad and as endearing as this, the quintessential French institutions of bistros and brasseries.

As the book explains in the beginning of the first chapter, the term "bistro" is generally meant to be applied to restaurants that are "unpretentious, uncomplicated, casual, comfortable and relatively affordable" (it should be mentioned that much of the world, especially Europe, spends a great deal more of their income on food than do Americans, so the word "relatively" is important here). The word Brasserie comes from a Middle French word for brewery and usually refers to "a casual restaurant that serves more beer than wine". If the definitions seems rather plebeian consider the fact that casual food in France includes dishes such as Ragout de Champignons, Coq au Vin and Steak Tartare.

Fischer and Jones compiled recipes from bistros and brasseries both in France (several stories include accounts of their dining experiences during their "Tour de France Gastronomique" in 2004, a 2000 kilometer, seven day culinary sojourn) and the US, including the Blue Ribbon Brasserie in New York.

Scattered throughout this small but beautifully designed book are informational sections that enlighten the reader and add to their overall understanding of this culinary genre. French wines are discussed and suggested for the corresponding dishes; there is an introduction to the world of French cheeses; the phenomenon known as "The French Paradox" (why the French can eat the way that they do and not die from a massive, national heart attack) is explained; cooking techniques are shared; and ingredients are examined (such as the lovely ode to the Brussels sprout). The authors live up to what I would expect from a pair of experienced culinary academics.

The chapter titles are written in both French and English. Here is the English list:

1. An introduction to the Pleasures of Casual French Dining
* Here the authors discuss French Wines and Cheeses.

2. Appetizers and Soups
* Recipes are included for classic French dishes such as Escargot, Frog Legs and Onion Soup.

3. Pancakes and Egg Based Dishes
* Recipes include those for Spinach and Cheese Crepes, Raclette and Ham and Gruyere Omelet.

4. Side Dishes
* In this chapter is a great recipe for Oignons Farcies (Stuffed Onions) as well as those for Tartiflette, Pomme Frites and five others.

5. Main Dishes
* This is by far the largest chapter in the book, with well over two dozen recipes, such as: Butter Roasted Capon; Sliced Duck Breasts with Cherries; Duck Confit; Rabbit Stew; garlic Sausage on Green Lentils; Braised Lamb Shanks with White Bean Puree; Steak au Poivre; etc.

6. Desserts
* The simple but delicious deserts served at family-style French restaurants include Caramelized Apple Tart, Peach and Goat Cheese Tart, Poached Pears with Roquefort and more.

7. Fonds de Cuisine
* In this chapter the authors explain the cooking techniques necessary in order to tackle this style of cooking, such as: testing dishes for doneness; making clarified butter; the making of various stocks and sauces; etc.

A highlight of this book for me was the photography. Veteran food photographer Ben Fink captures the warmth and earthiness of these classic versions of French comfort food with a style that is both contemporary and timeless . His shot of the Soupe a l'Oignon Gratinee sent me hurrying to the grocery store for the ingredients.

This book is not an exhaustive treatment of the subject of French rustic cuisine (such as Paula Wolfert's classic "The Cooking of Southwest France") but it serves as both an introduction to this style of food and a reminder to some of us to the pleasures of simple, joyful cooking. This will be a book that I turn to often. Very well done!

Editorial Review:

With this inaugural Dining Series title, the CIA takes a more personal approach to its traditional cookbooks. The conversational tone of the recipes makes one feel as if Chefs Lou Jones and John Fischer are standing beside you giving suggestions and reassurance.Many classic French recipes, faithful to the traditions of French bistros, will be new to modern readers. In addition to traditional bistro and brasserie recipes, Chef and Sommelier John Fischer shares his expertise with wine, beer and food pairings.

Chez Jacques: Traditions and Rituals of a Cook

Jacques Pepin

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Of the 20-plus cookbooks Jacques Pépin has written, Chez Jacques is his most personal and engaging. Now starring in his tenth PBS series, Pépin ranks among America’s most beloved cooking teachers, and this book shows us why.

The book’s 100 recipes—for soups and appetizers, main courses, side dishes, and desserts—are Pépin’s own favorites among the thousands he has created over a lifetime of cooking. Using readily available ingredients and relying upon familiar techniques, these are the dishes he makes when preparing food at his Connecticut home. But Chez Jacques is more than a collection of well-liked recipes; it’s also a captivating sentimental journey. Each dish is introduced by a recollection—of picking dandelion greens for a spring salad, of buying fresh eggs from the local farmer—that invites readers to share in the traditions and rituals of Pépin’s most intimate circle.

This treasury of great food, lore, and memory is exquisitely illustrated with a sampling of Pépin’s paintings, as well as hundreds of color photographs of the finished dishes and of Pépin in all his “natural habitats”—pitching boules with a group of friends, savoring a glass of chilled rosé in the afternoon sun, painting landscapes, designing menus, and, of course, working in his kitchen.

Paris Sweets: Great Desserts From the City's Best Pastry Shops

Dorie Greenspan

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Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Dorie Greenspan's most vivid memory of her first trip to Paris doesn't have anything to do with the Eiffel Tower, but rather a heavenly strawberry tartlet. Overwhelmed by its extraordinary flavor, texture, and appearance, Greenspan was "hooked on Paris and hooked on the city's sweets." Paris Sweets is the result of 30 years of searching for the most delectable, delicious, awe-inspiring pastries she could find, and then convincing their creators to part with the recipes.

Scattered throughout this delightful book are whimsical illustrations and beautifully written stories about each of Greenspan's favorite pastry shops and the chefs who created them. Some of their recipes, such as Boulangerie Poilane's sweet, buttery, bite-size cookies called Punishments, are quick and easy enough for even a novice baker. And with Greenspan's clear, step-by-step, detailed instructions, Robert Linxe's Grandmother's Creamy Chocolate Cake, an elegant fudgy decadence, and Poujauran's rich, nutty-flavored Financiers, become child's play. Greenspan manages to demystify even the complicated multilayered Opera Cake from Dalloyau.

From the most perfect Crème Brulee and Coffee Eclairs to the stunning Fresh Strawberry and Marshmallow Tart, made with homemade strawberry marshmallows, Greenspan will have you torn between making Paris Sweets at home and going there yourself. And in case you can do both, she's included all the addresses you need. --Leora Y. Bloom

Simple French Food

Richard Olney

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 17 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Richard Olney, best known as a general food writer, is one of America's most erudite experts on authentic French cooking, but it's difficult to find anyone who knows much about him, except for such authorities as Patricia Wells and the late James Beard. The reprinting of Olney's classic and indispensable Simple French Food offers readers the chance to learn more about this most idiosyncratic and accomplished of cooks. No pared down, paint-by-numbers recipes here: Olney is obsessed not only with showing you how to cook, but how to see, smell, feel, listen, and taste as well. Read, for example, Olney's description of Scrambled Eggs and you will understand what you are missing when they are not properly prepared (as they almost never are): "correctly prepared, the softest of barely perceptible curds held in a thickly liquid, smooth, creamy suspension." To scramble eggs, Olney insists on a wooden spoon, a generously buttered copper pan or bain-marie, and a precise control of the temperature--very simple to accomplish, as all his recipes are, as long as you take care to absorb fully his sensuous and exact instructions. --Sumi Hahn Almquist