5 comments about PATRICIA WELLS AT HOME IN PROVENCE: Recipes Inspired By Her Farmhouse In France.

1. In luscious pictures (by Robert Freson), recipes and anecdotes, "Patricia Wells At Home In Provence" contributes enthusiastically to America's love affair with the place. Seasonal freshness is paramount and Wells prefers her meats and fish whole and unboned. Organized by course, Recipes include tips for storage, techniques, accompaniments and wines.
   
   Many recipes are simple - a "caviar" made with black olives and butter, Goat Cheese Gratin ("pizza without the crust"), raw Grated Beet Salad, Quick Chicken Lemon Soup, Potatoes Roasted in Sea Salt, Lemon-Thyme Lamb Chops.
   
   Others require a bit more time - Beef and White Wine Daube From Arles with Anchovies and Capers, Chanteduc Rabbit with Garlic and Preserved Lemons, Sea Bass in Parchment with Warm Pistou.
   
   One of the nicest aspects of Wells style is her penchant for describing techniques and the reasoning behind them - from the action of citrus in a seviche to filleting a fish to blanching olives or cutting up a rabbit.
   
   A delightful treat for sensuous cooks.



2. ...we all just want to be living in it. Perhaps what makes her cookbooks so popular is the impression she gives that we can. Good food, grown yourself or obtained fresh, simply prepared, and appreciated with friends--these things do not require a farmhouse in Provence to enjoy. Nevertheless, owning such a farmhouse would be a joy, and Wells, along with photographer Robert Freson, charmingly captures the experience of farming, cooking, and entertaining in Provence. As for the recipes, they are, like those in all of Wells' books, fairly simple to execute, fresh, appealing, and very tasty. By baking an olive oil brioche, roasting a chicken, or mixing up a simple tapanade, we too can experience the pleasure that comes from making food with our own hands and sharing with family and friends.



3. I bought this book in 1997, made many of the truly excellent recipes, but somehow forgot about it -- the result, I suspect, of my hobby of (addiction to?) purchasing cookbooks. But, while searching for something different to fix for 2005's Christmas dinner, I remembered Patricia's recipe for "City Steak" and, voila, we enjoyed a marvelous meal of City Steak, Fake Frites and Cheesemaker's Salad -- so easy, so delicious!
   
   Thumbing through my copy and the contemporaneous notes I always write for each recipe tried, I was reminded of how we happily devoured the Amazing Sorrel Soup, Turnip and Cumin Puree, Monsieur Henny's Eggplant Gratin, Checchino Dal 1887's Spaghetti alla Carbonara, Steamed Salmon with Warm Lemon Vinaigrette and the Beef and White Wine Daube from Arles, to name a few. I suspect this book will now be a somewhat permanent fixture in my kitchen since there are dozens of recipes I can't wait to try -- even the breads and desserts that usually don't interest me. Yes, it truly is a treasure.



4. This is a WONDERFUL cookbook containing some of the best recipes I have ever prepared. But more than that, it's an invitation to enjoy the landscape and history of Provence. Excellent work, Patricia!
   
   Warm regards, Linda Quest :)



5. Wells is a very well-known foodie, with an enviable life spent writing cookibooks, eating French food, and enjoying what sounds like an idyllic farm life in the heart of Provence. If you watch Food Network, you've seen her pop in and out of some of your favorite shows. (I particularly remember her guesting on Barefoot Contessa, where she made a delish light lunch.)
   
   Anyway, she writes a mouth-watering preamble to every recipe and provides wine suggestions for main dishes. It's one of the few cookbooks worth actually READING straight through, rather than picking and choosing only the recipes that sound good.
   
   I've found some of the recipes a bit more difficult than others, but all the ones I've tried so far have been really good. AND the book has really inspired me to cook foods that I haven't worked much with before. For example, I've never been a big turnip-eater, but Wells made the turnip and cumin puree sound so good that I had to attempt it. And it was DE-LISH.

5 comments about The Food of France: A Journey for Food Lovers (Food Of Series).

1. There are a great many cookbooks featuring french food. My problem with most of them is that they seem to feature ingredients and equipment that I can't find locally. So often these ingredients are simply standard things that I can find but called by a French name. I realize they are proud of their language, but it makes the book fairly useless. The advantage of this book is that the ingredients seem to have been Americanized so that I can find what they use. It also seems that this book has gone to some effort to make the instructions reasonably simple to follow.
   
   I suppose that these simplified ingredients and instructions mean that the resulting dishes are slightly different than the originator might have prepared, but the resulting dishes are a lot better to eat than something that can't be made due to the way the cookbook is written.
   
   As for the book itself, it is profusely illustrated, and contains a huge number of recipies that I find myself ready to try the next time people come over. What more can you ask of a cookbook?



2. I actually found this book in Paris, France on a recent vacation but decided not to purchase due to size, however my friend bought the book. After surfing through the pages, I returned to the store to purchas a copy of my own, but arrived 2 mintues after closing. My friend suggested Amazon so I jumped online upon my return and found the book for less the 1/2 the cost she paid in the bookstore, even with shipping charges! This book is beautifully illistrated and provides step by step instructions for each recipe. I would recommend to anyone who loves a great cookbook!



3. I ordered this book from Amazon, thinking that I can handle it. Yes, I have been taking culinary classes, but I couldn't even understand some of the recipes! Reading the book carefully, I perceived that the book may be written for someone who has a lot more experience than I had. Of course, that seems a bit obvious, but seriously, when it's just sitting there on that book rack, and when you wish you could just HAVE it, you can't help but buy it, thinking it's awe-inspiring. But it isn't. At least not for somebody like me. For chefs and people who are more adept, accomplished, or more qualified than I am, this book could be beneficial for them. For me, it was a waste of money. I love the recipes and I yearn to have them, but another problem with French cooking is the use of alcohol and pork. Being who I am, I cannot eat pork, and even other meat choice is very limited for me. While some people can go to Ralph's and buy a package of venison or veal I have to go to a special store, where the meat is limited (only chicken, beef, turkey most of the time). It seems like, to get venison, I have to go hunting in some uninhabited forest to catch Bambi.
   
   Anyways, for me, alcohol is completely prohibited, and I can't even think about pork. Oh yeah, and, I can't catch Donald either (the duck). So basically, I'm limited to the vegetarian recipes (not many veggies, surprisingly. little timmy will be happy), the desserts (that do NOT contain alcohol or raw eggs), and anything else that does not contain intoxicants (aka booze), venison, duck, or pig meat (aka pork, ham, etc). Unfortunately, I can't find some of the cheeses either. You might want to go to France.
   
   Oh, and uh...beware of salmonella. At least a 1/4 of the recipes have raw eggs as one of their ingredient.
   
   Overall, I think I would recommend this to anyone above the age of 18, someone who has had experience cooking, someone who knows where everything is in the kitchen, someone who has space in their refrigerator (a LOT of space), and also a lot of time on their hands. I will now list some of the recipes:
   
   Boullabaisse (what???), Petits Farcis (eggplants stuffed with hearbs, meat or cheeses. Smoked trout gougere. Desserts include Mixed Berry tartlets, pear and almond tart, chocolate souffles (dun, dun, dun. SALMONELLA! But still good), Creme brulee (the BEST). So in the end, the recipes are great, but you will have to toil and sweat to gain the perfect taste, quality, and deliciousness. I wouldn't have recommended this book to a person like me, but the photographs are so good, anyone can appreciate this work of art.



4. I saw this book while window shopping in Anthropology - flipping through and finding the pictures tempting. After getting it from Amazon, I've made 3 dishes from the book, all received wild welcomes from my friends.
   
   This is a wonderful source for dinner parties. Even though it doesn't have a lot of pictures for each recipe, the descriptions are very concise, clear, and easy to follow. Having zero experience cooking western food prior to this book, I did not expect to cook anything descent on the first try at all. I was very surprised to see how well these dishes turned out. A must-have if you love cooking.



5. After a recent trip to France I decided that I would like to prepare some of the local fare. I had heard about this book from a friend of mine and decided to try it. I have prepared many of the recipes that I had tried in France and am really pleased with their authenticity. The book is easy to use and understand.

5 comments about Ducasse Flavors of France.

1. the only person in france to decide to cook what he want without the roules of french cooking, and a great lover of mediterranean food he has the determination to propose the fusion of french cuisine and mediterranean flavors in montecarlo firte and then in paris, aGENIUS



2. Blue are the pages of this book ... blue like the sea in Monaco where the three Michelin stars shine on Louis XV first Alain Ducasse restaurant. Three other stars were offered by Michelin to the same Alain Ducasse for his second restaurant in Paris in 1998. He became the only chef in the world to be granted with 6 stars by famous Michelin France Red Guide Book. Everything is beautiful in this book. Linda Danneberg explains how she installed a photographic studio in the barn close to the third restaurant "La Bastide de Moustiers". There, on the straw from the Alpes de Haute-Provence, she helped Pierre Hussenot, photographer, to install freshly made preparations under the sun of Midi (and projectors). I did not try the recipes. This is why I will not comment them. They are detailed in plain english. Comments on Alain Ducasse 9-days-a-week lifestyle bring value to this book. It is not only a collection of recipes. It is a comprehensive deep analyis of success-factors from the king of chefs. This book is a monument as his model.



3. There is no denying Alain Ducasse is the chef of the moment. However, this book was somewhat of a disappointment. The recipes are interesting, the photography decent. But the problem lies in the ingredients. Too many recipes call for ingredients that are flat out impossible to find - and he offers no alternatives. It is one thing to ask for truffles, caviar, or duck confit. It is another to require specific mediterranean fish that are not found in this country, or obscure wild game and offal that cannot be had. Substituting chicken, or even quail or pheasant just doesn't cut it.



4. Big, bold and beautiful describe this volume.

   From one of the greatest French chefs, too much of this fare is unavailable to the home gourmet. However, savory and well done is this book with its exceptional photos and stylish intros to setup this exquisite cuisine.

   Some of the soups and simple seafood dishes are about all anyone except the pros could attempt due to lack of ingredients and guts to go after some of these rather complicated recipes.




5. I purchased this book on sale for $24.95, however I would have paid the list price of $60 because I feel it is worth it.

   The photography is absolutely stunning. If you are familiar with Roger Verge's "Entertaining in the New French Style", the photographer is the same.

   Recipes I have tried with success:
   Dark Chocolate Tart with Rich Pastry Dough Crust
   Pear Tart: Raw and Caramelized
   Jasmine Pots de Creme

   Criticisms
   -Many of the recipes require ingredients unavailable in this country.
   -Many times, the pictures do not quite match up with the recipes, which is very frustrating when looking for visual clues.

   Overall, this book is for serious chefs or those who want to look like serious chefs by putting this book on their coffee table. Many of the recipes are simple: the filling for the chocolate tart only contains 4 ingredients, but this makes them all the more challenging: there is nothing easy about the recipes.

5 comments about Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume One.

1. I am using regularly this book as a practical user guide manual
   when it is my job to prepare a good and delicous dinner for family on Saturday evenings.

   The receipts and workflows of making meals are detailed and easy to follow.

   Risto Salmela




2. With the help of this book, I taught myself to cook using the basic French cooking instructions in the book. Thirty some years later, after two-year's work/study in a small (then non-accredited) cooking school, I still refer to it. I refer to it for many reasons, least of which is to jog my memory. My ancient copy (circa 1960?) is coming apart at the binding, so I need to replace it. This book is inspiration!



3. I discovered this cookbook several years ago and, at least gastronomically, it changed my life forever. The recipes are broken down into the absolute simplest steps possible. The sauces are phenomenal. One can finally appreciate the notoriety that French cooking has (deservedly) earned by preparing and tasting any of these recipes. Julia has confirmed me as a French cooking fan!



4. I became interested in cooking when I moved out of the dorm in 1970. The quest for good food led to a life-long passion for honest good food. The French approach eating with a sincereity Americans lack. Julia has been able to present classic French Cuisine to generations of Americans. This set of two volumes contains the essence of French cooking that will serve as a foundation to wherever one travels on the food road. Mine is almost disentegrating from years of loving use, and I am replacing one for the library, but plan to continue to use my dog-eared friend!



5. Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume OneMy book group read "Julie & Julia" this month and I purchased Julia Child's book to compare. I thorougly enjoyed looking for Julia's recipes that Julie prepared over her year of cooking. I actually made three of Julia's recipes to share with my book group. We had a great time!

5 comments about the girl & the fig cookbook: More than 100 Recipes from the Acclaimed California Wine Country Restaurant.

1. This book by restaurant owner Sondra Bernstein, with recipes by executive chef John Toulze represents the cuisine served at a chain of Sonoma County based restaurants after which the book is titled. Based on the passions of Ms. Bernstein and her staff, the book and the restaurants focus on figs; dishes based on figs; the produce of Sonoma County; the cuisine of Provence, France; and the similarity of the terroir of Sonoma with Provence.

   One object of the book is to publicize the chain of restaurants and the line of products based on the owner's love of figs. This is not too unusual, as I am certain this is one of the motives behind every celebrity chef / restaurant owner's cookbook. Some, like Tom Colicchio are less obvious about this interest. Others, like Emeril Lagasse, are pretty out front about this objective. All restaurant based cookbooks aim at providing the reader with some twist to their cuisine or it's presentation which adds sugar to the bait to create an interest in the restaurant(s).

   One special feature of this book is borrowed from Ms. Bernstein's distinguished California culinary neighbor, Thomas Keller of the French Laundry. This is the addition of sidebars on some of the restaurants' more important, or, at least, more interesting suppliers. This includes fig, mushroom, and cheese vendors, past and present. This highlights one weakness to the book, in that it is so thoroughly based on what is available from the gardens and vineyards of Sonoma County. Not everyone in the United States is blessed with access to wild mushrooms and the talented foragers who supply them, or to cheeses from artisinal cheese makers. Happily, the chef / recipe writer has supplied generally available products to substitute for his Sonoma pantry.

   The cornerstone of the book's cuisine is the parallel between the Sonoma and Provence produce and the cuisine which can be based on that similarity. Therefore, it should be no surprise to see most recipes appear to be straight out of the pages of books by Patricia Wells and Lydie Marshall. One of the most pleasant parallels is that the Bernstein / Toulze cuisine is based on fairly simple recipes, often with the kind of recipe modularity of sauces and pantry preparations common to an influence from Julia Child. The recipes for stocks, for example are about as simple as they come. There is no Thomas Keller / Judy Rodgers obsessiveness about technique here. Most recipes follow a recent quote I heard from Wolfgang Puck who said that the trick was to start with great ingredients and try not to mess them up. There are some unusual twists, such as the cooking oil of choice, a `blended oil' of one part olive oil and three parts canola oil. I am totally baffled that disciples of Provencal cuisine should eschew pure olive oil.

   The recipes are organized by size and role of the dish rather than by main ingredient. Recipe chapters are:

   `a small bite' hors d'ourves with figs, radishes, mushrooms, olives, shellfish, charcuterie, and crackers
   `from the garden to the stockpot' soups, including many Provencal classics
   `in the salad bowl' with lots of vinaigrettes, figs, asparagus, beans, endive, beets, walnuts, and cheese
   `large plates' 25 familiar dishs such as pastas, coq au vin, duck cassoulet, and lamb shanks
   `sauce over and under' with lots of butter, aioli, pistou, rouille, citrus, shallots, remoulade, and figs
   `on the side' with lots of balsamic reductions, familiar vegetable, polenta, couscous, olives, mushrooms...
   `sweets' with lots of figs, apples, pears, nuts, lavender, cheese, and cream

   The cuisine owes a fair amount to the exchange of cuisine between Provence and northern Italy, with a fairly substantial contingent of recipes involving pasta, risotto, polenta, cipollini onions and balsamic vinegar. This makes the abandoning pure olive oil in favor of the blended oil even more puzzling. In spite of this mystery, I am certain that these recipes, especially those based on figs, are superior to many and worthy of the authors' dedication to Provence.

   One very serious aspect of the restaurants' connection to Provence is Ms. Bernstein's commitment to wines based on varietals originating in the Rhone valley rather than the wines which made Napa and Sonoma wines famous. These are the Carignane, cinsault, Grenache, Roussanne, Syrah and Vognier grapes. All but the Syrah are unfamiliar to me, but that's just a symptom of my ignorance of wine. Each recipe gives a very simple recommendation of wine selected from this list. The emphasis on simple is important to contrast it to the elaborate, sometimes arcane recommendations given by Patricia Wells and others.

   The authors' dedication to their chosen cuisine and their featured product is genuine and fruitful, producing many simultaneously simple and worthy recipes. There are occasionally long recipes for standards such as cassoulet and coq au vin, but that should be no surprise. They have convinced me to look forward to a visit to their restaurants if I ever get to northern California.

   Recommended recipes for even novice cooks. A good read at a fairly reasonable list price. If you already own 10 books on Provence cuisine, you may want to take a pass.




2. As a local who lives and works within two blocks of the girl & the fig restaurant, I admit to being biased, but I just have to correct the previous reviewer: the girl & the fig restaurant is not and has never been a chain! There's only one restaurant, and it's my favorite place to take visitors who want to experience authentic Sonoma Valley cuisine at its very yummiest and most inspiring. The cookbook is a delicious introduction to the area for foodies who are still planning their first visit ... and a great way to keep the experience alive for those who can't wait to come back. I highly recommend it.



3. My first experience with Girl and the Fig was it's first home in Glenn Ellen, CA. which is still there. The restaurant quickly became a favorite. The newer restaurant in the town of Sonoma, also excellent, has a wonderful bar. Great place to join friends for a glass of wine from their excellent wine list or enjoy one of the best martinis. They have also opened a restaurant in Petaluma, CA.
   I am delighted that they have finally come out with this wonderful cook book. It represents the best of the Girl and the Fig's cuisine. I love to cook and I am thrilled to have this cook book in my collection.



4. I purchased this for a Christmas present and she loved it! There are some recipes that are a little too fancy for my taste, but otherwise this book includes great recipes to serve with individual wines.



5. For me, this book was a fun and very usable introduction to a new world of foods...and the Rhone-style wines that go with them.
   
   I admit it: I'd rather go to Sonoma than to Napa. And when I do go to Sonoma, I always try to visit the author's restaurant, The Girl and The Fig, located on the corner of the Town Square. When I can't be there, I love using the book at home to remind me of being there.
   
   I like this book a lot and use it about once a month.

3 comments about Paris Bistro Cooking.

1. Neighborhood bistros of Paris have a charm and ambience all their own. Linda Dannenberg captures their flavor in her picturesque book Paris Bistro Cooking. Photographer, Guy Bouchet, captures their appeal with his delightful photographs, which whisks you into the amicable atmosphere of savory meals and congenial company. Coquille Saint-Jacques, Sole Grenobloise, Cassoulet Toulousain, Gratin Dauphinois, Pots de Creme au Chocolat, Galette de Pommes de Terre au Chevre en Salade, and Tarte Tatin--are just a very few of the mouthwatering recipes included. Ms. Dannenberg also lists sources for bistroware, supply houses, furniture, mail-order emporiums, etc., in a directory at the back of the book. Paris Bistro Cooking is bound to bring pleasure. But, beware! This book inspires hunger!



2. I am a professional Chef in Boulder, Colorado. My apprenticeship included nine months in Paris and during that time I was entranced by Bistros of all types. This book not only captures the spirit and the essence of the Bistro experience, but also serves as a very useful guide to eating well, looking well, and being seen well while in Paris. I am ordering a second copy today since the first has met the demise of most loaned out books.



3. Excellent quality paper stock and hard-bound. Excellent and authentic recipes from Paris' finest bistros. I've made many of the recipes and have also travelled to these bistros. A trip to Paris planned around these bistros is really fun. Readers should also check out Linda Dannenberg's other Paris "cookbook", Paris Boulangerie-Patisserie.

5 comments about Grand Livre de Cuisine: Alain Ducasse's Desserts and Pastries.

1. I purchased the Desserts and Pastries at the same time as the other Grand Livre de Cuisine on savory food. My professional expertise was in breads and pastry, so it is easier for me to appreciate the example recipes in this book. The book is by no means exhaustive. It is an excellent resource with some fantastic pastry ideas and good ingredient combinations. It is also easier to find most of the ingredients in this volume than the savory book.
   
   The photography is superb, but don't expect to be able to reproduce the look of the photographs without some professional baking or pastry experience. The recipes lack explanations and expect you to know foundation techniques.



2. Alain Ducasse is a master of his craft. To enjoy this book, though, one must have a clear understanding of the pastry arts. There are not recipes for every element; however, the methods that are presented are easily followed. Not recommended for the novice, unless you want a beautiful book to display on your shelf. The photographs are phenomenal.



3. I purchased this book after doing a considerable amount of pastry, breads, desserts, etc. This book offers hundreds of recipes, easy to follow, great photos, clear explanations. It is a must have for anyone serious about their collection of cookbooks, and for anyone searching for the perfect dessert recipe. Any one of the recipes can be used as a guide to creating your own inventions. I would highly reccommend this book, and it is pricey, but considering I am a passionate cook, this was a must have and a true reward for myself! Enjoy! [...]



4. I bought this book as a reference book when it first came out, I read French with a little difficulty, but with a list of a few keywords the ability to reproduce recipes were not difficult. The pictures are great, and they layout of the book based on ingredients make doing a quick search a dream. I would add this to you library of Pastry Must Haves. This is a book for Professionals, but a really good understanding of the 12 basics of Pastry you can make anything in this book.



5. It's nice to look at but quite hard to copy these recipes. It's a good source of inspiration at the highest level.

5 comments about SmartFrench: Learn French from Real French People.

1. I have been studying French from textbooks so far. My greatest weakness is understanding how French people speak in real life amongst themselves. While I can read reasonably well, I have difficulty understanding native French spoken at normal speeds. I also struggle to understand French movies.
   
   SmartFrench addresses my needs quite well. It offers a CD product that emphasizes listening to native French people speaking at normal everyday speed and then meticulously explaining how the spoken words, phrases, sentences are actually pronounced and linked together. For non-natives like us, a major reason that French pronunciation and aural comprehension are so difficult is due to liaisons and unpronounced syllables/words during speech. Smartfrench addresses this very well by highlighting the places where words are glided together i.e. liaisons and also where the syllables/words are silent. The CD and the booklet that comes with the CD marks out in red all the alphabets/words that are silent during speech and underscores all the liaison links. This is radically different from my other French courses where I hear natives speaking but not told where, how and why certain alphabets or words are silent or abbreviated during speech or where the liaisons occur. The CD goes through 15 interesting dialogs with a beautiful model, a chef, a gallery owner, a singer, a diplomat and so on. Their speech accent, style and level of formality varies, which give good practice in listening to how different natives speak. The product's website offers a DEMO that gives a flavor of how the program works.
   
   I found SmartFrench to be the most focussed on teaching the student how to listen by giving valuable tips and an effective listening road-map along the way. It does not distract by trying to teach grammar & vocabulary at the same tim, but single-mindedly zeroed in on helping the student to develop the critical listening techniques for understanding real life French. For beginners, this approach may be daunting, but I would still recommend to practice listening right away, at the inception of learning French. This will familiarize the ear to the sound, rhythm and intonation of real-life native speech and trains the ear from day one how to listen. The SmartFrench technique is very effective in that regard. For rank beginners, SmartFrench offers a separate 'Introduction to French' product that teaches basic grammar, conjugation, vocabulary and sentence building, to complement its unique Listening method mentioned earlier. You can check it out at their website.
   
   If you want to train your listening skills to eventually understand what the natives are saying, or watch an undubbed movie, news or documentary, SmartFrench is a great training product to add to your French language tool-kit.



2. "SmartFrench' Audio CDs (Intermediate/Advanced
   Half the program was in Beginner French, "Intermediate French" took up eight pages, "Advanced French" took up all of nine pages. No Vocabulary, no grammar. It was a $23 joke. No addresses to contact so the money went down the drain.
   HOW YOU GOT A GROUP OF 4 STAR REVIEWS AND NONE LESS LAUDATORY SUGGESTS THET THE AUTHORS HAD A BUNCH OF RELATIVES!



3. If you want to learn French like the French children do, use this product. If you want to start with grammar and vocabulary, try the excellent SmartFrench - Introduction to French, Vol.1 and 2. I use both in combination with this product and I am very satisfied. It's very clear, very efficient and very fast. Thank you.



4. This method made learning French much easier for me. I started using them on my own at first and then got so interested in learning the language that I found myself a teacher. But even taking some classes - I still use the method because it is so helpful to help my comprehension level and conversation skills. Highly recommended.



5. SmartFrench and SmartSpanish at first glance may appear unorthodox. Their method is so different from the "standard" foreign language teaching techniques that most Americans are accustomed to, that some people may be put off because it's not what they expected. But if you have an open mind and are willing to try a new approach, you will be rewarded.
   
   For a motivated adult who wants to not just go through the motions, but really learn a language and get to the point of actually being able to converse and function in a foreign language, the SmartFrench series is vastly superior to Berlitz and most every other audio CD method I have seen.
   
   I am a native English speaker who learned French and Spanish as an adult (in my twenties). I can now say that I am fluent in both those languages, but I also spent a lot of time and sweat in inefficient study that, looking back, could have been much accelerated. I only wish SmartFrench and SmartSpanish had existed then.
   
   I've tried a wide range of methods, including traditional in-person language schools. I took five years of German in high school and college, and while I got excellent grades and my grasp of vocabulary and grammar was good on paper, if you drop me into a German beer hall I have no idea what people are saying -- and that's the problem with the way most foreign language is taught. I "know" German, but I can't speak it. If that's your goal, SmartFrench may not be for you. But if your goal is to get quickly to the point where you can actually converse in a foreign language, then I can't recommend this audio product highly enough.
   
   SmartFrench doesn't follow the traditional academic pattern. If you judge it by that expectation, you'll be disappointed, and I think this accounts for the negative reviews. It does something much more valuable -- teaches language the way the brain is actually wired to learn language. It may feel unfamiliar at first, but if you stick with it, you'll see results that will actually pay off, and probably quicker than you expect.

No comments about Immoveable Feast: A Paris Christmas (P.S.).

5 comments about From Julia Child's Kitchen.

1. Book received very quickly & in even better condition than advertised, just like new. Did not expect to get it before Christmas and it showed up a week earlier than anticipated. Outstanding!



2. 
   I have purchased several of her books and I like this one the best. I particularly like her use of fresh herbs. I began growing herbs and find that they make a huge difference in flavor.
   
   A couple of years ago my sister came for Thanksgiving and I made the turkey using her method of mirapoix, wine and fresh herbs (someone had posted it on an internet site before I bought the book). Only change I made was to add a lot of fresh sage. The family is still talking about what a wonderful flavor the turkey and the gravy had.



3. In actual fact, this is Volume III of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and I am extremely grateful to get it. The first two volumes are works of tremendous importance in our culinary history and while my experience of Volume three is only just beginning, I am looking forward with great anticipation to working through many of the recipes. If you like, contact me in six months and I will tell you how I'm getting along.



4. This cookbook does not have all the fancy pictures that many today have, but it has great instructions and information. I made the best potato soup I've ever had following her recipe. Julia does not just give a plain recipe, but offers additional information so you know why you're following the steps she lays out. She also gives alternatives one can use, which allows me to feel more creative and inventive. We've only scratched the surface of all the book offers, but my husband and I reach for it again and again.



5. Those interested in cooking à la Julia usually make their way to Mastering I and/or II, fine volumes both, but there is good reason to choose this volume instead. In my opinion it should be considered Julia's finest achievement as a cookbook author, and if I could have only one book in my kitchen, this would be it. It is a superb teaching volume and ideal for beginning home cooks, but even those with experience would benefit from owning it.
   
   This is the first book that Julia developed and wrote entirely herself, and for that reason it is quite a bit more individual than its predecessors. In her autobiography "My Life in France" she describes it as both the hardest and most rewarding project of her career. Unlike the Mastering volumes, which were meant to be practical textbooks on French cooking, this book is much more wide-ranging and exploratory, with Julia trying out everything from pizza to curried dinners to hard boiled eggs to Christmas fruitcake. It's like a snapshot of how she cooked in the early 1970s. By then she had worked through some fundamental recipes for almost two decades and solved many problems still unsettled in Mastering I, which means that the versions of them published here often contain small but vital improvements. An example occurs in the very first recipe, for Potage Parmentier, that most basic and delicious of soups. Julia adds a simple flour thickener as a liaison, which adds a step, but in my experience it results in a better-textured and nicer-tasting finished product than one gets with her earlier versions of this recipe. Not only that, but following it gives you a little lesson on thickeners, which you can then apply elsewhere. The book is filled with little touches like that. I adore her way with chicken in this book; most of the recipes are simpler than those in Mastering I and II, but always delicious. The beef chapter is superb and I have become known as a great cook by serving this version of her Boeuf Bourguignon. I have also made the best puff pastry of my life by following this book's instructions, and Julia's chocolate mousse--well, it's like a dream come true! I've probably cooked three-quarters of the recipes in this book and am always impressed, and I learn something every time I cook with it.
   
   Of all her books, this is the one in which Julia's personal culinary preferences and predilections come through most clearly. There is quite a bit of editorializing before and between recipes, and from these mini-essays you get a sharp sense of what she valued in food. This book should be seen as a summary Julia Child's achievement, culminating the work of her earlier publications. Her later books, while worthwhile, do not add much to the picture that doesn't already receive treatment here.
   
   I cannot recommend this book enthusiastically enough. Try to get one of the 1970s printings if you can, since they are of fine quality, unlike the 90s-era reprinting.