5 comments about French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating For Pleasure.

1. I feel that some people are taking this book too literally. This book, like any other diet book, is about changing some habits from unhealthy to healthy. And it promotes thinking about food in a different way, and using different ingredients than you normally would.
   I used to go to the farmers market every Saturday and buy loads of healthy food, and then let it all go to waste because I was either too lazy or uninspired to do anything with it.
   After reading this book I am planning my meals more, thinking about at least 3 different recipes I could use for one kind of fruit or vegetable when I buy them (to prevent waste), and balancing my meals better.
   Sure, sometimes it can come off as condescending, but what diet book doesn't?
   Instead of nitpicking maybe people should just get over their attitude and enjoy the book for what it's worth.



2. I was very excited when I first got this book, but I grew more and more disappointed the more I read. The constant stereotyping was mildly irritating- yes, more Americans are overweight than the French, but we are not all the same, and we are certainly not stupid and do not need to be talked down to. Also, almost everything the author said was either common sense or just plain wrong. Anyone writing a book about weight loss who does not even know that fats and lipids are the same thing should NOT be taken seriously, and starting off on a diet of leeks only is NOT nutritionally sound. I would not recommend this book to anyone unless they are looking for a few French recipes.
   
   The title of this book is memorable; sadly, the book is not worth your time.



3. "Kazakh women do not get fat or old or anything" this should have been the title of the next book in the series of stories how French/Japanese ("Japanese women do not get old or fat")/Kazakh /Other foreign women come to the US, gain 20-30 pounds, return home and loose all that baggage, in no time, thanks to local cuisine. By the way, anyone who has ever been to Almaty, Kazakhstan notes how slim and gorgeous are women there. I could share my story of abandoning unhealthy American food and going back to my roots, literally. But I would not. The truth is that after spending 2 years (guess where) in Alabama I lost one size and now I am a tiny size 00. I have never been in a better shape. The reason: I looked around and tagged along Alabamians at what Americans are the best: sports and organic food. There are lots of organic food stores and you can get great personal training for a very affordable price. Now that I moved to Paris I can see the difference, and I prefer my "D1" work - outs to those of the "Vit'Halles" .
   I remember when my dear chubby American friend asked me what do I do to stay so thing and young and I replied "Watch your diet," munching on a piece of bread spread with 100% fat homemade butter. It was organic, of course.
   My point is that in some places people insist more on having fresh food and the food industry has to comply. In some countries it is commonplace to buy directly from the farmer, which and almost impossible in the US. Food produced by big corporations and fast food chains is packed with chemicals that affect your weight and health. So watch your diet and you will not have to travel to France/Japan to lose weight.



4. Um, isn't it obvious, they all smoke like chimneys! In all honesty, I lived with a French woman and I'll tell you how she stayed thin, 1 hour a day at the gym and she considered a "meal" one laughing cow cheese slice.
   
   Not rocket science, they just don't eat much at all!



5. Nice sized book but difficult to get into as the author uses a lot of European terms and slang that Americans don't know or use and it's difficult and dry reading. She does offer some interesting recipes but I'd never do a leek soup regime for a week or even a few days to kick-start my weight loss. I regret buying it.

5 comments about The Tasha Tudor Cookbook: Recipes and Reminiscences from Corgi Cottage.

1. 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.



2. 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!



3. 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.



4. 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.



5. 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!!

5 comments about Mastering the Art of French Cooking Vol. 2 (Paperback).

1. Julia Child is a master in the art of French cooking. I read this book after reading her biography. I am 15 and all I have seen of Julia Child is her in her old age.... I highly suggest buying thid book and also Volume I which has a phenominal recipe for French Onion Soup. Jen



2. Rarely are we able to say with certainty that a book is at the top of its subject in regard and quality. This book, the continuation of `Mastering the Art of French Cooking' by Julia Child and Simone Beck is certainly in that most unique position among cookbooks written in English and published in the United States.

   This volume is truly a simple extension of the material in the original work, which was recently published in a 40th anniversary edition by its publisher, Alfred E. Knopf and its principle author, Julia Child. As told in Ms. Child's autobiography, the original manuscript brought to Judith Jones at Knopf ran to over a thousand printed pages. About two fifths of that material was put to the side and most of it appears in this second volume. All this means is that you are unlikely to really have a full coverage of the subject of French Cooking as intended by the authors unless you have both volumes.

   The first chapter has a clear sign that this volume rounds out the work in that it gives soups a much more thorough coverage than the first volume. Most importantly, it includes recipes for that quintessential French dish, bouillabaisse. To complement this subject is coverage of seafood such as a tour of the anatomy of a lobster that would put seafood specialist cookbooks to shame.

   The biggest single addition to the subject in this book is its coverage of baking and pastry. Here is one place where the book may be seen to diverge from its focus of the French housewife's cooking practice. As the book states clearly in the first chapter, practically no baking is done at home, since there is a Boulangerie on every street corner. I generally find the level of detail on baking in cookbooks specializing on savory dishes to be much too light to give the reader an adequate appreciation of the subject. This book covers baking with a level of detail which would make most baking book authors blush. A sign of this deep, quality coverage is the diagrams used to illustrate baking techniques. The line drawings typically succeed where photographs do not in that they can be easily incorporated into the text and the drawing can eliminate extraneous detail and show the reader only what is important in understanding the technique. The section on making classic French bread ends with a `self-criticism' section we may nowadays call a debugging section. It lists several different things that may go wrong with your product, and how to fix them. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in only baking, let alone the rest of us.

   The quality of presentation continues with the coverage of pastry. Some books on pastry give one pie dough. Some good books on pastry may give three or four. This book gives eight, with a clear indication of the differences in when to use the various doughs. Some books on pastry describe how to make puff pastry. This book gives a really complete explanation, with abundant diagrams. I suspect that very few people want to make their own puff pastry, but anyone who uses store-bought pastry will benefit from knowing how it is made. This section is worth five different expositions on the subject on the Food Network rolled into one.

   Another major subject untouched in the original volume is the long chapter on Charcuterie. That is, the techniques needed to make sausages, salted pork and goose, pates, and terrines. Like the description of puff pastry, this chapter contains a lot you may never need, but then again, I am a great believer in serendipity. You never know where you may hit upon an idea to add interest to you cooking practice. The simplest product you can garner from these techniques is the method for making breakfast sausage, which needs no casing. The subject really wakes up when you realize that the subject arose as a method for preserving meats, just like canning and pickling were developed to preserve fruits and vegetables. If economy and the old hippie / whole earth catalogue ethic are your thing, this is something you will want to check out. And, I have seen this subject covered in recent books such as Paul Bertolli's `Cooking by Hand', and this book's coverage of the material is more useful.

   Another gem in this book is the coverage of desserts, including frozen desserts, custards, shortcake, meringue, charlottes, and on and on and on. The guidance on novel uses of puff pastry has probably been a source for more TV shows on the subject than you can count on your fingers. The recipe for leftover pastry dough is just another indication of how practical the material in this book can be.

   The appendices contain `stuff' that virtually no other cookbooks touch. One contains a cross listing of recipes for meat and vegetable stuffings. I did not have enough room in my review of volume one to cite the quality of the material on kitchen equipment. As both books have been updated several times since the early sixties, both contain modern tools such as the food processor and the latest heavy-duty mixer attachments. Aside from being as complete a catalogue of hand tools I have ever seen, I find the presentation done with the kind of good humor which was the hallmark of Julia Child's PBS shows.

   The last major feature of this volume is a two-color index that covers both volumes. Please be warned. These books have neither simple cooking nor low calorie dishes. The object of this style of cooking was to make the very best of inexpensive ingredients.

   Each page offers more reasons to be impressed by this work. Any true foodie should be ashamed if they do not own and read these volumes.




3. Very helpful. I have been trying to figure out how to make my french bread crust crispy. The directions of Julia came about as close as you can get without a commercial oven.



4. Fabulous book. Worth the price simply to learn how treacherously simple it is to astound and amaze your friends with home made chocolate truffles. I recommend 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier in place of 4 tablespoons of any other orange liqueur, though.



5. Everyone should know this is a must have cookbook. It teaches the novice the basics and explains everything clearly. Just the information regarding the sauces is worth the purchase. Timeless information that will allow anyone to set a good table.
   
   I just purchased this for our eldest daughter who is to be married but never developed any skill in the kitchen. She will now have to sink or swim in her own kitchen. This classic teaching book will serve her well and I am not worried about her success.

3 comments about Pierre Gagnaire: Reinventing French Cuisine.

1. An Interesting book. Shows the trend of food that the chef does from years to years.



2. Product was as described and arrived in good time.
   
   I bought it for the recipe for the seasoning "Vadouvan". EXCELLENT!



3. I love Gagnaire's technique and appreciate him fully as an artist and culinary innovator. But this book is a total disappointment. It lacks cohesion, has recipes which are very difficult to cook, and poor on illustrations and photography. Does not at all deserve the high price tag it has. I don't think I will make any use of this book and will ever turn a page again for this reason I did not like it at all.

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

1. "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.



2. `The Escoffier Cookbook' is an English translation of the `Guide Culinaire' by the renowned French chef, Auguste Escoffier, the most important figure in modern professional French culinary practice. One may argue that Antonin Careme is more important simply because Careme influenced Escoffier and write many books on culinary technique, but I suspect every culinary professional reads Escoffier today and few outside academic circles read Careme's original works.
   
   One of the most reliable symptoms of Escoffier's importance can be found in the first essay of Michael Ruhlman's `The Soul of a Chef' dealing with the Certified Master Chef examination given at the Culinary Institute of America. Whenever the candidates were presented with a problem in an unfamiliar area and had the night to consider the problem, they consulted Escoffier for their preparation. This is because most of the situations in the problems came straight from the practice defined by Escoffier a 100 years ago.
   
   For these and many more reasons, this book is THE standard by which all French culinary issues should be judged. Therefore, my review is less on why this is a good book and more on why you should pay attention to it if you are serious about cooking.
   
   For starters, this 920 page book with 2,973 recipes lists for about $20. Admittedly, the text describing many of those recipes is pretty terse, being based on techniques from one or more earlier recipes. Therefore, you must be committed to really getting involved with this book and mining it for its riches rather than expecting to make a quick search for a particular recipe you can copy or scan at the library on the way home. Of course, if you are already a fairly experienced chef, many of the recipes suggestions are all you need to follow up with a good improvisation based on techniques at your fingertips.
   
   The very first thing you learn from this book is that professional French culinary doctrine was concerned about lightness, using fresh ingredients, and eliminating excess fat a century ago. This is not an invention of modern nutritionists and Alice Waters. The next most important lesson is less surprising. This is the importance of sauces in French cuisine and therefore, the importance of stocks, fonds, consommés, essences, and glazes. James Peterson's great book, `Sauces' may be just a bit more accessible to modern readers, but this is the book from which he got all his material. Stocks, sauces, and many other basics are covered in `Part I Fundamental Elements of Cooking'. These 135 pages should be read from front to back by anyone who is remotely serious in doing good cooking and adapting the ability to improvise with food.
   
   Readers like myself who are impressed by Alton Brown's footwork with details about cooking technique will be happy to discover that the French like Escoffier knew a thing or two about careful observation and measuring, as when Escoffier discusses temperatures of various frying media such as butter, various animal fats, and vegetable oils.
   
   Next comes `Part II Recipes and Methods of Procedure', organized by how various dishes typically appear on standard menus. This means chapters on:
   
   Appetizers
   Eggs
   Soups
   Fish and Seafood
   Releves and Entrees of Meats
   Poultry and Game
   Roasts and Salads
   Vegetables and Starchy Foods
   Appetizers and Snacks
   Desserts and Sweets
   
   A quick look at the egg chapter shows 192 egg recipes, almost as many as in my favorite book dedicated entirely to egg recipes. There are 22 recipes dedicated entirely to poaching. These counts just suggest the depth to which Escoffier covers this subject, as many recipes will refer to one or more recipes in other parts of the book, as we find for `Careme Hard-Boiled Eggs' which involve a timbale crust and a Nantua sauce from other chapters. One small symptom of how `modern' Escoffier is with his recipes is in his recipe for scrambled eggs. Many authorities, including James Beard, will insist on scrambled eggs being done in a water bath (bain-marie). Escoffier allows that it can be done on direct heat, as long as the cook is especially careful with using only moderate heat.
   
   One thing you may have noticed from some of my quotes is that you will need or expect to acquire knowledge of basic French cooking terms to understand this book, even in this excellent English translation. Learning the term `releves' will take you deep into the history of French cuisine and how that contrasts with the Russian style of service popularized in France by Antonin Careme. The Russian style of one course following another became so popular that today we are inclined to think that is a French invention. Not so! By the way, entrees are dishes based on tender cuts of meat and releves are braised, poached, or roasted dishes done with less tender cuts of meat. You will not be able to dip into a recipe at random in this book without a firm handle on terms such as poach, braise, sautee, croquette, blanch, julienne, and several other terms.
   
   This is the one book I believe a food lover should unequivocally have on their bookshelves. Cook all you want from Saint Julia's `Mastering the Art of French Cooking', but come to Escoffier to really understand the underpinnings of French culinary practice.



3. Fantastic! A "must read" for ANY chef or "want-to-be chef"! Highly recommended! This is the Bible of the culinary world! Don't even go into a kitchen without reading and memorizing Esccoffier First!



4. The English language version of the Escoffier Cookbook appears to be a literal translation from the French and is sometimes difficult to understand due to long and sometimes awkward sentence structure. The recipes for French cooking foundations (consommes)are clearly, if not begrudgingly offered for the benefit of the uninitiated. In a different time, this would be a handy tome for learning the detailed art of French cooking. Unfortunately, work and other life priorities keeps me from enjoying this book as it was intended to be appoached; that is, as a singular focus borne of culinary passion. I would recommend this book to those who have the requisite time and resources (e.g. shin of older beef) readily available to them. Otherwise, I have a newfound appreciation for the art of French cooking and will make it a priority to at least try a few haute French restaurants near me. While I don't believe the brasserie can ever be replaced, the classic "high French" repertoire clearly deserves respect. Escoffier, the cuisine's devoted representative, merits equal treatment. Proceed with caution, but proceed if you dare. This book likely holds many secrets to culinary joy.



5. This book is great for the foodie that enjoys reading about cooking and recipes. I have my book marked and tagged thruout with notes on techniques etc. A great reference book and just fun to read. Some of the recipes are a kick to read and hopefully someday I'll beable to try them all, or at least more of them..... I highly recommend this book for the true foodie.

5 comments about Simple French Food.

1. I haven't cooked a single recipe from this book, but I have learned more from it than from every other book on cooking I have read in the last ten years. It is that good. Every chapter packed full of tips, hints, and the important stuff - e.g. fennel works with this, oregano doesn't, don't put brandy in a marinade, and so on and so on. And every one of those hints and tips has lead me to a better meal. Buy in bulk and mail them to every person you know who thinks about what they cook and can read.



2. If you are interested in learning how to cook "real", unpretentious French food, this book is the place to begin.



3. In the 1970s, I picked this up in a San Francisco book store. The table was stacked with what must have been 50 copies and they were on sale for a couple of dollars. Now I wish that I had scooped them all up to give out to friends, as, for a time, it was hard to come by this book. This reissue in hardcover is most welcome.
   
   Olney--to me--was an American Elizabeth David, however, his recipes did offer more detail. He was an excellent cook and writer. His menu book is also excellent, as he takes the designing of a menu very seriously.
   
   It is this book, however, that I come back to time and again. The first recipe I tried back in 1974 was the Hot Onion Omelet with Vinegar (Omelette a la Lyonnaise) on page 94 of the original. It is pure heaven and I have made it about once a month since then (that makes about 360 omlets). It is a perfect meal with a simple salad of arugala or mesclun and a light vinaigrette.
   
   On the subject of vinaigrette Olney states, "As I understand it, it is made of salt, freshly ground pepper, good red-wine vinegar, and first cold-pressing olive oil. It is so easy to make that to prepare a quantity in advance to be stored is risibly impractical. Its commonest faults are: An excess of vinegar; poor oil; poor vinegar." He goes on to say that the best olive oil he has found on the American market is James Plagniol. While this is a nice olive oil we have many, many superior choices now available to us in "America".
   
   Several of the recipes reflect the fish and seafood he had readily available to him in the south of France, where he lived. I especially like his vegetables recipes for their diveristy and often interesting treatment.
   
   While I have not prepared every single recipe in the book, I can say that I have made most without one loser.



4. Even if you have no desire to prepare French food, this book will mesmerize you with its chatty conversational style. You feel like you're sitting on a bar stool in Richard Olney's kitchen, soaking up every word, and wondering when James Beard and Julia Child are going to drop in for a cup of cafe au lait. With character and wit, Olney walks us through the art of French cooking --- some aspects simple, as the title hints, and other areas a bit more complicated. But all-in-all, you'll be transported to a culinary world you knew existed, but in which you've never been included so intimately. 5 stars.



5. Following ANNE95816's glowing review of the Hot Onion Omelet with Vinegar (Omelette a la Lyonnaise) from this book, I gave it a try.
   
   Following Mr. Olney's directions in this book, mine was a dismal failure. :)
   
   "THREE LARGE sweet onions, halved and finely sliced" to only THREE eggs? How can this possibly be correct, I wondered?
   
   Pulling out the egg volume from the Time-Life series of cookbooks that Mr. Olney edited, I found a recipe for Omelet Lyonnaise and realized what the problem was -- this isn't for my idea of an omelet (light and foldover style) but for a sort of egg/onion flat/thick pancake. (Mr. Olney gives no indication of this whatsoever in the instructions in Simple French Food, but there's a photograph of an omelet in this style in the Time-Life book.)
   
   And herein is my only criticism with this book. Mr. Olney can be a little vague in the directions he provides at times.
   
   If you want to give this alternative recipe for Omelet Lyonnaise a try, the recipe from the Time-Life books Mr. Olney edited is as follows:
   
   1. Heat butter in a large omelet pan over low heat (until bubbling stops but before butter begins to brown).
   
   2. Put in onion (THINLY chopped) and some chopped parsley, and season with salt and pepper. (That's all there is -- no idea how many onions, but that's okay, you can use your judgment. One large one should do.) Cook the onions until they are translucent and lightly browned. (The Simple French Food book says to cook them until just before they begin to brown and not to allow them to brown.)
   
   3. Pour 3 eggs (presumably stirred with a fork first to break them up) over the onion mixture and heat until the underside is lightly brown and the top side almost set.
   
   4. Turn it over (like a pancake) and cook for one minute, then transfer to a serving dish that's been pre-warmed in an oven.
   
   5. Heat a bit of butter in the pan and when it stops foaming (but before it browns) drizzle the butter over the omelet. (This step is borrowed from the recipe in Simple French Food and does not appear in the Time-Life instructions.)
   
   6. Add white wine vinegar to the hot pan, bring it quickly to a boil, and sprinkle it over the omelet just before serving.
   
   Enjoy.
   ____________________
   
   Also, because I loved these books so much, but they're little known (and they may appeal to people who like good cooking and things French or Italian), you might want to check out At Home in France by Ann Barry and also Extra Virgin by Annie Hawes.
   
   Both are absolutely wonderful and somewhat hidden gems here in the U.S.

5 comments about Sunday Suppers at Lucques: Seasonal Recipes from Market to Table.

1. I've had this beside my bed for a month so that I can read through each and every recipe. I love how she used seasonal items and splits the book into Seasons instead of Appetizer, Entree, etc. Great recipes. I totally recommend this cookbook.



2. I am an avid reader of cookbooks having collected and read many. This is one that I always come back to. Lucques is one of my favorite restaurants in L.A. and we always take out-of-town guests there - and then tell them about this cookbook!
   
   One thing - as other reviewers have pointed out - access to a good farmer's market makes all the difference. it's tough to do a lot of these recipes correctly without all the proper ingredients. The Meyer lemon tort (with or without the chocolate) is fairly easy and the flavor is just fabulous!



3. I've made three recipes (warm mushroom herb salad, duck in banyuls, turnip/parsnip gratin). All three have been easy to make, without undue fussing at the end of the preparation. I monkeyed with the greens in the mushroom dish, and punted on types of mushroom (substituting less expensive baby bellas in amongst the pricey chanterelles and oyster mushrooms), without any problems with the outcome of the dish.
   
   I find her prep to be consistent with the skills of the interested home cook. The way the recipes are presented (lots of verbiage rather than bullet style) makes it harder for me to remember what steps are coming next. I just rewrite the steps in bullet form, and go forward. I'm recommending this cookbook to many friends.



4. Most of the recipes in this book involve many ingredients or many steps, or both. I was amazed, for example, at just how involved an initially simple-sounding pasta with cauliflower, black kale and currants was. But the fuss was worth it -- it was excellent, and much more than the sum of its parts. Every single recipe I've made from this book has turned out wonderfully and have made for some of my favorite ever home cooked meals. They have always received raves. This is not an everyday go-to cookbook. But when I can take the time to shop, read the recipe thoroughly and cook, I know that I will be well rewarded.



5. I've enjoyed my book. It came in a timely manner and it was in great condition. I look forward to using it much more.
   
   To truly appreciate this book you MUST love to cook. I used to work in the Library and would see many cookbooks out there. I checked this one out several times and finally bought it last month. Yes the recipes take long and call for specific ingredients that you might have to search sometimes 2 or 3 stores for. But in the end, it's all worth it. Someone made a comment in their review that the book isn't specific enough on the measurements and temperatures. I think that's what makes it great! You have a blueprint for your entree, and you make it your own.
   
   When the seasons changed I become so excited to make items from here. My favorite is the "Pumpkin" Bread made from Kabocha Squash. I like to double up on the pecan toppings and it comes out perfect every time.

No comments about At the Crillon and at Home: Recipes by Jean-Francois Piege.

5 comments about Bistro Cooking.

1. This is a cookbook as a cookbook should be. The recipes are direct, succinct and just what one needs to prepare the dish without elaborate fuss. And most of the dishes are great. If I had to settle for one cookbook only, this would be it.



2. This book is great! I've lived in France and I believe this book really does deliver classic bistro fare without all the grease you can find in so many sub par Paris bistros! I agree with another reviewer that the recipes are hit and miss. For instance, the potato gratin just doesn't do it for me.
   
   Most of the dishes require ingredients you find at the regular grocery store, are quick to make, and delicious to eat. I appreciate her complement/menu ideas. I feel that I've slightly improved on a couple of her lamb recipes and now include them in my list of recipes for entertaining.
   
   I wish I had the same quality of book for southern French style of cooking.



3. This cookbook contains a collection of recipes inspired by and taken from a wide array of French bistros. Patricia Wells has assembled a terrific array of cookbooks, but this may be her best. With a few exceptions, these recipes take what I consider to be basic ingredients and turn them into a wide array of delicious, easy to prepare dishes. There are a few recipes that call for things that are uncommon to the American palate (e.g. rabbit), but overall this cookbook contains a huge number of easy to make, accessable recipes that will be enjoyed by Americans. The book is divided into 12 sections covering salads, desserts, pasta, soups, etc. It is also a regional tour through France with a diverse selection of recipes from big city bistros and small town or rural restaurants. Each recipe has a paragraph or two describing the bistro from which it was taken and some discussion of regional cuisine. One thing that I REALLY liked about this cookbook is that it will give you ideas for other concoctions. That is, as I was trying some of the recipes, I was constantly thinking `using A with B' is a great idea. For example, there is a great recipe for poached eggs in a wine sauce. A great idea! Another (minor but important) thing that I liked about this book was that it was bound so that it could be propped open on the kitchen counter. There are also flaps on the front and back cover that can block the page open so that you don't have to go fishing through the book if it does flip closed. This is a cookbook that we return to again and again, definitely worth the money.



4. Very basic advice: a roast beef and tomato sandwich with creme fraiche for example. Simple recipes with thrifty cuts of meats for stews, soups (just add liquid!) along with many potato recipes (with more creme fraiche) from well-known and obscure bistros throughout France. Note: quiche is called 'tarte' here with no cross reference. Salads with anything you'd put into a sandwich, oil and vinegar dressing. Good new-cook gift or a quick read for the armchair traveler but I expected more from this famous food writer.



5. I love the recipes in this book. The first one I tried (Cheese puffs) have been in demand in my house ever since. This book is a nice introduction into French cooking without being overwhelming. It's comfortable and down to earth... plus, the food has been delicious.

5 comments about Escoffier: The Complete Guide to the Art of Modern Cookery.

1. For this new translation, the dust jacket proudly proclaims 'Here, for the first time, is presented to the English-speaking public the entire translation of...' The copy on these dust jackets is usually just ad copy written by the sales department, and I would not take what it says too seriously. When I was much younger, I had the Crown version of this book as I happily puttered around in my kitchen. I no longer have it, and am unable to verify claims as to the superiority of this new translation over the older version (according to the editorial page, this translation dates to 1979 and is based on the 1921 French edition).
   
   Escoffier was today's equivalent of a master chef in the finest hotels in England and France during the days of Edwardian elegance. That is the best quality ingredients, time, and resources used in unlimited amounts, costs be damned. He is also credited with formalizing classic, haute cuisine. The dedicated cook (home or professional) can always learn from such a talented chef as Escoffier, but Escoffier's roots must be taken into account when attempting his recipes. This is cooking for restaurant kitchens, not home ones.
   
   Just for fun, I costed out a recipe for pheasant and truffles. I estimated the labor and ingredient cost for a service of 4 at $200. Assuming an industry average for food cost of 35%, this entree would go for $150 per person, not including soup, salad, appetizer, wine, dessert, beverage, or gratuity.
   
   For the amateur home chef or foodservice professional, this book is an important one to have on your shelf. Many of the recipes are no longer current, but up until a couple of decades ago it was a standard professional reference book everyone was expected to have and be familiar with. Even today, it is an invaluable source of culinary information and is still very relevant (forcemeat and garnished consomme, to name just two important but often neglected restaurant items). Cooking your way through this book would be a culinary education all by itself (not that I am advocating such a silly thing, of course). It is enlightening to compare how things are done today and Escoffier's instructions; some things have changed, others have not. For example, in the soup chapter there are classic haute cuisine recipes that have since passed on to bistro cooking: Potage Garbure a l'Oignon and Soupe a la Grand-Mere. If you need a (restaurant) haute cuisine recipe or a garnishing plate presentation for a dish, you will probably find it here.
   
   For the average home cook, however, the situation is more difficult. Many of the recipes are beyond the horizon of a home cook, and even beyond all restaurants except major, four star, international hotel chains (e.g. in the sauce chapter, any sauce based on Espagnol or demi-glace). Other recipes are actually easy to do and should be used with abandon in the home kitchen (e.g. in the sauce chapter: sauce Bourguignonne, cream sauce, butter sauce, sauce Mornay, sauce Soubise). Problem is, being able to identify which is which. The recipes assume a good amount of skill and experience; this book is a simple encyclopedia of recipes, and there is no explanatory material. It is not an educational tool. The recipes are a 100 years old, and they do not take into account today's ingredients, tools, cooks, or home kitchens; one usually has to adapt the instructions at least a little, sometimes a lot. Many recipes call for other components, but in some cases it is not easy to figure out what that other recipe is. The rice and potato chapter has many recipes that even a home cook can do (Escoffier's recipes for these are superior to most that you will find in current, best-selling cookbooks); his versions of bookmaker's sandwich, mulled wine, lemonade, and iced coffee are simple for anyone to do, yet they are absolutely correct and the best versions of these recipes you will find anywhere. On the other hand, you should avoid all recipes that include: cock's comb, marrow, truffles (here, Escoffier uses the $1000+ per pound white, winter truffles, not the black summer ones we can get here in the US for a mere $300-400 per pound), salt ox tongue, demi-glace, veal gravy, meat glace, or any sauces that derive thereupon. Escoffier often uses salt pork, but it is invariably just a covering for cooking, and is always discarded at the end and never served.
   
   The culinary subjects it covers are comprehensive. It has chapters on sauces (280), garnishes (192), soup (440), hors-d'oeuvre (377), eggs (257), fish (628), meat (841), poultry (506), game (251), composite entrees (naught), cold preparations and salads (109), roasts (71), vegetables and farinaceous products (355), sweets, puddings, and desserts (414), ices (197), savouries (46), compotes, jams, and drinks (50). Total recipe count (which is easy to tabulate because all recipes are numbered): 5012. It has a glossary, actual menus served by Escoffier, and an unusual index that includes both recipe # and page # but can be confusing to use.
   
   Main complaint: the table of contents lists sub-chapters, but only the name thereof and not the page number to flip to, so you are more or less obligated to leaf through an entire chapter to get at a specific sub-section.



2. I had been looking for a decently priced copy of this book for some time. My original copy was a 1960's print and I was loathe to buy one online for fear of getting the bastard copy that was limited in repitiore and scope but this book is the real deal. I use it mainly for reference and ideas as I am responsible for feeding over 2000 people daily and a menu for 16 or more items and try to infuse some classic dishes into the fray. Whenever I have a question on a classic preparation of a dish I no longer have to hope that I find something online and can consult the expert on culinary tradition. THIS BOOK IS A MUST BUY FOR ALL SERIOUS COOKS WHO WISH TO BECOME CHEFS! If you are a chef you probably already own this book or like me need to replace your stolen copy so get this one. Enough said. -M



3. This is the cookbook of all cookbooks. I have heard it described as the bible of cooking. Highly recommended especially if attending a cooking school.



4. I'm not a chef, just a serious hobbyist. If you've ever wondered at the designations given dishes on shows like Top Chef and Iron Chef, you'll find this book quite illuminating. What makes that 'sauteed' or 'pan-fried' fish 'a la Meuniere'? This book will tell you all about it and hundreds of other equally compelling dishes and techniques. The book is arranged in an intuitive manner, with a master recipe followed by variations. This really can be a useful book for any home cook. Because it provides very basic 'root' recipes, it's easy to see the formulas by which recipes are created. This book makes all your other cookbooks double their value!



5. This is not your average cookbook. This is more of a text book or a reference guide and should be treated as such. The recipes contained in this book require a fair amount of culinary knowledge to be prepared successfully. If you are a professional chef or a culinary student and you don't already own it I would highly recommend it.