Customer Reviews (2)

My Most-Used Gourmet Cookbook
Anne Willan's books are great.In this series, especially this particular book she shows how to cook dishes that are gourmet, but breaks the information into steps with multiple photos and drawings for each step.Everything I cooked from this book became a family favorite.

Description ....
Since Amazon hasn't provided an editorial review for this book, here's the description from the back to help you decide if this book is for you:"The step-by-step cookbook that shows you what each dish should look like, teaches you exacltly what to do, tells you how long it will take." This book is loaded with picutres of every dish as well as some hints and techniques.A very nice cookbook no matter what your level of skill. ... Read more

Product Description
"An indispensable cookbook."
- Jeffrey Steingarten, Vogue

When Paula Wolfert's The Cooking of Southwest France was first published in 1983, it became an instant classic. This award-winning book was praised by critics, chefs, and home cooks alike as the ultimate source of recipes and information about a legendary style of cooking. Wolfert's recipes for cassoulet and confit literally changed the American culinary scene. Confit, now ubiquitous on restaurant menus, was rarely served in the United States before Wolfert presented it.

Now, twenty-plus years later, Wolfert has completely revised her groundbreaking book. In this new edition, you'll find sixty additional recipes - thirty totally new recipes, along with thirty updated recipes from Wolfert's other books. Recipes from the original edition have been revised to account for current tastes and newly available ingredients; some have been dropped.

You will find superb classic recipes for cassoulet, sauce perigueux, salmon rillettes, and beef daube; new and revised recipes for ragouts, soups, desserts, and more; and, of course, numerous recipes for the most exemplary of all southwest French ingredients - duck - including the traditional method for duck confit plus two new, easier variations.

Other recipes include such gems as Chestnut and Cepe Soup With Walnuts, magnificent lusty Oxtail Daube, mouthwatering Steamed Mussels With Ham, Shallots, and Garlic, as well as Poached Chicken Breast, Auvergne-Style, and the simple yet sublime Potatoes Baked in Sea Salt. You'll also find delicious desserts such as Batter Cake With Fresh Pears From the Correze, and Prune and Armagnac Ice Cream.

Each recipe incorporates what the French call a truc, a unique touch that makes the finished dish truly extraordinary. Evocative new food photographs, including sixteen pages in full color, now accompany the text.

Connecting the 200 great recipes is Wolfert's unique vision of Southwest France. In sharply etched scenes peopled by local characters ranging from canny peasant women to world-famous master chefs, she captures the region's living traditions and passion for good food.

Gascony, the Perigord, Bordeaux, and the Basque country all come alive in these pages. This revised edition of The Cooking of Southwest France is truly another Wolfert classic in its own right. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Brand new
The book took quite a while to get to me in New Zealand and I think there was a hold up at this end.The book is brand new in excellent condition.An amazing cookbook

Forever changed how I thought about cookbooks
While traveling I bought the original edition of this book at a used bookstore and spent free time during that trip reading with increasing fascination.Not cooking, mind you; this book is also good just reading.This isn't just a book of recipes but a detailed view into how a cuisine reflects a way of life.Many French ingredients that I had thought to be "fancy"--like duck confit--actually grew out of the rhythms and necessities of farm life, with its need to economize on foods, waste as little as possible, and have food that held through the winter.With goose and duck, for example, this book explains why you might well cook the breast meat in one way, cook the thigh meat in another way, take the skin and render the fat for other cooking, take the rendered skin and make a kind of crackling from it, and save the neck and backbones for stock.We spent a delicious weekend doing all these things and were left amazed and even ashamed by how much LESS a modern American family typically gets out of one such bird.

Wonderful Recipes
One of the best cookbooks ever written. Authentic rural roots of some well known French dishes. Try the Chicken with Garlic Pearls and Sauterne, or the Mussels smoked over pine needles.
Lori H.

essential french cooking
I ordered this after by chance coming upon a tossed out copy of another of Wolfert's cookbooks. I can only assume the person did not like to cook. Wolfert deserves as much acclaim as Julia.This is authentic, delicious French cooking, and with a mind to --somewhat--reduced cholesteral.No collection should be without it. I intend to hunt down all of her other books.

It's Just Like Being in the South of France!
After visiting the southwest of France 3 months ago, I fell in love with their rustic cuisine.This book, the recipes & writtings, is just like reliving our fabulous 10 day vacation.This is a true gem, I can't wait to use my first recipe from it! ... Read more

Product Description
Simple French Food
"For twenty years Richard Olney's Simple French Food has been one of my greatest sources of inspiration for cooking at Chez Panisse." —Alice Waters

"I know this book almost by heart. It is a classic of honest French cooking and good writing. But it, read it, eat it." —Lydie Marshall

"I need this new edition badly because Simple French Food is the most dog-eared, falling-apart book in my library. Here it is newly bound to enrich one's life." —Kermit Lynch, author of Adventures on the Wine Route

"Simple French Food has the most marvelous French food to appear in print since Elisabeth David's French Provincial Cooking.... The book's greatest virtue is that the author...really teaches you to cook French in a way I've never seen before. Here you acquire the methods, the tour de main, the tricks that are the heart and essence of French food, unforgettable once acquired in this book because of their logical, well-explained presentation." —Nika Hazelton, The New York Times

"I am unable to find an adequate adjective to express my enthusiasm.... I find Simple French Food marvelous. I have never read a book on French cuisine that has so excited and absorbed me." —Simone BeckAmazon.com Review
Richard Olney, best known as a general food writer, is one ofAmerica's most erudite experts on authentic French cooking, but it's difficult to find anyone who knows much about him, except for such authoritiesas PatriciaWells 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 ScrambledEggs and you will understand what you are missing when they are not properlyprepared (as they almost never are): "correctly prepared, the softest ofbarely perceptible curds held in a thickly liquid, smooth, creamysuspension." To scramble eggs, Olney insists on a wooden spoon, a generouslybuttered 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 toabsorb fully his sensuous and exact instructions. --Sumi Hahn Almquist ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Amazing Book
this is an amazing book, written by a master. no kitchen should be without it.

Simple French Food by Richard Olney
An inspirational classic with for the most part simple, tasty recipes imbibed with the essence & tradition of French cooking. Whatever other favorite cookbooks you have it's a relief to dip into this small volume to charge the cooking batteries & be amazed at old traditional yet fresh & superb ways of dealing with simple favorites like eggs, pork, soups salads etc, it's about the essence of food & taste & not just a string of recipes, Alice Waters called it her inspiration for Chez Panisse & cooked from it for 20 years, Nuff said. If you love to cook get it immediately why waste time being without it? & it's inexpensive in paperback.

An overlooked classic
At least, overlooked by me.Mr. Olney writes well and manages to evoke the pleasures of a life in southern France while describing his approach to cooking.The recipes I have made are excellent and the book is fun to read even if you don't cook from it.

A fine book, but not a great cookbook
I always enjoy reading this book.The author comes across with a real and tangible point of view on every page.Some books on cooking micromanage the reader into producing really good meals; others might succeed in conveying some sort of grasp of the the overall philospohies imbedded in a given cuisine or dining tradition.In my opinion, this book is all about attitude. Open up to any random page of Simple French Food, read a paragraph or so, and you'll get the gist of this book.I'll always end up reading through a whole section or two, just for enjoyment. In addition, I find that the text usually inspires me to work harder at my improving my grasp of French cuisine.

As for SFF being a cookbook: I have tried about half a dozen of its recipes and I am still looking for one that causes someone to request that I make the same recipe again.Now, clearly, this may be a comment on my cooking ability: In fact, I don't at all consider myself to be a great cook, but I am an avid cook and I have had my share of good fortune in the kitchen.I just find the recipes in SFF to be sort of exotic in an unappetizing way, and I am jealous of the other, more positive, reviewers here who have had successes with these recipes.

In summary:I have given up on it as a source for meal recipes, but it's a legit addition to any cookbook shelf ... there are things to be learned from this book.

Shaking My Head in Disbelief
Alice Waters and Jeremiah Tower, according to another reviewer, "accept Richard Olney as an authority on French food." Ahem, ahem, cough, cough.So what? It took me more than a moment or two to compose myself from laughter before I could begin writing.First of all, was this supposed to be a compliment?

Goodness gracious, if somebody considers any one of this triumvirate (Waters, Tower, or Olney) as an authority on French cuisine then one needs to get out more.I'll accept, for sake of argument, that they are an authority on how a few eccentric Californians interpreted the nouvelle cuisine movement. Just to make sure, I checked out Alice Waters' Chez Panisse menu (restaurant, not bistro) before editing.What I found was basically incoherent, like Olney's book. Oh yeah, Alice uses a lot of fresh produce.Cue the Church Lady - "isn't that special."

This in not a very good book.It is not a consistent presentation of classical cuisine, nouvelle cuisine, or regional French cooking.It's Olney cuisine - a quirky, funky, meandering mess.Olney has a bad habit of attempting to speak over his readers' heads on even the simplest of matters.A Frenchman wouldn't have a clue what he's talking about half the time.

I can see where the pseudo-literati foodie would be attracted to the volume.It reminds me of a website I've visited which featured examples of really bad masters and doctoral theses - convoluted and complex sentences and paragraphs that upon first reading sound very learned, but nobody is willing to admit they haven't a clue what is being said.Welcome to Olney.Perhaps this book is a proxy for the really lousy dissertation he never had a chance to write in some other field of study.Another reviewer claims to have a dog-eared copy.I doubt very many copies can be so described.Neat to have on your shelf though.Maybe place it strategically on the kitchen island before a dinner party.Spill something on it.Hope somebody opens it up and reads a paragraph or two from the foreword and then sets it down very quickly.

There are a lot of books about French cooking (assuming you're interested in cooking and not being a poseur)you need before buying this one. Olney's book appears at the moment to sell at a significant discount, is far from scarce, and used copies are plentiful and not surprisingly listed in 'very good' condition. I would list a few books that are better but frankly they're all better. Do a search on "French Cuisine," put on a blindfold, and throw a dart.As long as the dart doesn't land on this book you most likely will have done better.

... Read more

Product Description
In 1984, Dorothy Cann Hamilton founded The French Culinary Institute with a singular vision: She wanted to create a culinary school that combined classic French techniques with American inventiveness in a fast-paced curriculum. Since then, the FCI has gone on to become one of the most prestigious culinary schools in the world, boasting a list of alumni that includes the likes of Matthew Kenney and Bobby Flay and a faculty of such luminaries as Jacques Pepin, Andrea Immer, and Jacques Torres. But perhaps the greatest achievement of the FCI is its Total Immersionsm curriculum, in which the classes prepare a student to cook in any type of kitchen for any kind of cuisine.

Now, for the first time ever, all the best that the FCI has to offer can be found in a single sumptuous volume. The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Cuisine presents the six- and nine-week courses taught at the FCI that cover all 250 basic techniques of French cooking. Along with more than 650 full-color photographs, the book features more than 200 classic recipes as well as new recipes developed by some of the school's most famous graduates. Complete with insider tips and invaluable advice from the FCI, this will be an indispensable addition to the library of serious home cooks everywhere. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

fundamental techniques of classic cuisine
the book is fine.have to have more than a basic knowledge to get a lot out of it.the place I purchased it from wasa bit unreliable.used, was supposed to be in better condition...the binding was completely disconnected...very disappointed for an expensive book.first time I had a bad experience with an Amazon purchase.

Just like attending LeCordon Bleu Cooking School without the yelling!
Absolutely excellent book giving/showing/teaching basic cooking techniques.....after this book, "the World is your Oyster!"..... There are no finer books on the subject. 5/5-STARS....after this book, get Julia Child's book.....

Excellent content poor construction
This publication is excellent in providing the reader with an abundant amount of information on french cooking techniques.With bright illustrations easy to read text and great recipes this book is a must in every kitchen.The downside of the publication is it's poor binding construction.The pages started coming apart when I first opened the book.

Great Content Poor Construction
This is a great book with lots of good content but the book itself is constructed poorly. The binding broke within minutes of opening and it feels like a few pages may fall out. Until it does completely fall apart though I will use it to learn french cooking technique.

Priceless
It took me a long while to get this book and it's definitely worth it! It's a good book for someone who's looking to learn the fundamental and basic techniques as a start without paying a lot of money to attend the culinary school. ... Read more

Product Description
A companion volume to ITALIAN VEGETARIAN COOKING, this stunning volume is a collection of more than 200 tasty recipes of the marvelously varied vegetarian cuisine of France--where provincial cookery varies enormously from region to region. This cookbook contains regional and local specialties from all the provinces from Flanders to Provence. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Unbelievably Delicious, Unbelievably Easy
As a vegetarian for almost 30 years, this was the cookbook I had always been waiting for.For inexplicable reasons, France appears to be anti-vegetarian.Though the food seems so easily adaptable to vegetarians, instead of leaving the meat out of the amazing and wonderful dishes, usually the top French restaurants in the US and restaurants in France would serve a vegetarian nothing but a plate of grilled vegetables, albiet exquisitely arranged.(Though I noticed that as side dishes or additional courses, meat eaters would often get some delectable vegetarian dishes.)Finally, there is a great cookbook that tells you how to make these dishes and how to make them vegetarian.What's even more amazing is how easy these recipes are.So many books will include in their titles words such as "quick", "in less than 30 minutes", "five ingredients only" but the recipes are really not that simple, easy or quick.But this book actually is simple and easy, though it doesn't bill itself as such.(Soups are so delicious and easy that it can be part of everyday meals with very little fuss or preparation.)I've made most of the recipes and everyone was absolutely delicious.The ingredients are simple and easily substitutable.Most importantly, as you use the book a little, you develop an understanding for how the different types of dishes are made and become independent of the book - so you can create your own quiches, crepes, flans, tians, and gratins.The French really are amazing cooks and they do it with simple but good ingredients and this book makes that possible for vegetarians.The recipes are great for non-vegetarians as well.My carnivirous father-in-law was unbelievably impressed.

My favorite cookbook
French Vegetarian Cooking has become my favorite cookbook. It almost converted me to being a vegetarian. The recipes are simple, withsublime combinations of readily available ingredients. The recipes are wonderful for whipping up a quick afterwork meal or vegetable dish that tastes like good French restaraunt food. If you're tired of eating the same old-same old, buy this book. You'll be thrilled with the results ofthrowing together a few classic ingredients that producea fabulous tasting and refreshing change from your regular fare.

It will impress your family too. If you're going to feed themgreen beans you might as well pour on a little combination of lemon, garlic, olive oil and basil to make a superb side dish. (Great for taking to parties too).As long as you're making baked potatoes, it takes no time to throw together a cream, mushroom and herb concoction to stuff them with. So much better than boring old spuds. And even the kids will be tempted by the lovely creamy, cheesy mornay sauce you can pour over the brussel sprouts. Really! My 8 year old loves that dish.

So if you want to impress friends and family using simple, fast recipes that produce surprisingly scrumptious results,get this cookbook. You will find yourself using it often and loving it.

It's French, it's vegetarian, but it's not intimidating.
Paola Gavin has done down-to-earth cooks a huge favor by proving that the words "French" and "vegetarian" can co-exist in peace and simplicity. Refreshingly short ingredient lists grace the pages, presented in an austere format which belies the tempting and tasty dishes that will result. ... Read more

Product Description
Author Michael Buller introduces you to 38 of the chefs who have made French cuisine so famous. 20 photos illustrate selections of recipes from each of the chefs included in this volume. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

nice stories but bad recipes
the anecdotes that go with the recipes are nice, but these famous chefs don't give any of their secrets out. The beef bourguignon recipe, for example, is absolutely horrible. Better know what you're doing if you use these recipes, and be prepared to either alter them or eat bad food.

Takes me back to France
A wonderful book that reminds the reader of all the great meals they have had in France.The receipes may be a bit complex for the weekend chef such as I, however, the stories will inspire any food lover. ... Read more

Product Description
Cooking provincial French from Hors d'ouevres to desserts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

39 years of great cooking
I've owned this book for 39 years. I still love the photographs and recipes. I just gave it as a present to a family member because I only just realized that MFK Fisher is the author! Obviously, it's a good read. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (11)

Tre'sor for the home French cook
FINALLY a "hit" gift for my francophile friend.The illustrations are worthy of any coffee table or space on the nightstand (so she says, and I agree).Most of the recipes are practical (even with some out of the ordinary ingredients, like certain animal parts).

Pretty, but impractical
I am somewhat surprised by all the glowing reviews for this book. Yes, it's a very nice-looking book. Lovely photographs. It's cute and whimsical. But this is supposed to be a cookbook, so the big question is, how well does it serve that purpose?

This is a very frustrating book to use. Other reviewers have raved about the design, but from a usability standpoint, I think the design is awful. There are now some pictures of the inside pages available, so you can look for yourself and see if you agree. As you can see, there are multiple recipes per page. The name of the recipe appears twice, once in French in a cursive font, and once in English in all caps. Font size in both cases is fairly small, not much larger than the font of the recipe text. Any designer should know that cursive is not easy to read at a glance. Nor is all caps. What this means for someone trying to find a recipe in this book is that it is not easy to skim through the titles quickly to find something to make.

There is also a picture above of the table of contents. Yes, that's right, those pages that look like a picture of writing on a chalkboard, that's the table of contents. Once again, not easy to find something at a glance.

Then there are the recipes. Now we are getting down to the meat of the matter. Unfortunately the recipes in this book are vague in the extreme. Basic instructions are left out such as whether a dish should be cooked covered or uncovered, or cooked over high or low heat.

All of these problems combined make the book pretty useless as a cookbook. If all you want is a coffee table book, then this might be for you. If you want to cook, I'd suggest any of Richard Olney's books for delicious French recipes that work.

YEAHHH!!!!!
So glad to have found this great big book for such a little price. Cheers!

Absolutely beautiful book that will delight any French foodie!
I was very pleasantly surprised at the size and breadth of this book!It was so much more than I expected.Not only are the recipes wonderfully authentic, but the foods are well paired with suggested wine selections.There are beautiful pictures of each dish, along with much information on various ingredients, techniques, a little history, etc.Very creatively compiled, in an unfussy, approachable way, with a great padded cover, witty yet refined artwork and attached ribbon bookmark.An extra treat was the section on aperitifs, including the proper way to make a pastis (a personal favorite).Probably the only two books, of French cuisine, one will ever need in the kitchen are this marvelous book and Julia Child's.Makes a gorgeous and practical gift to family and friends!
Bon appétit!

Rustic beauty
Whoa, I'm actually blown away by the quality of this cookbook, and I have a lot of cookbooks. The cover is slightly three dimensional, a little plush, and the book has real heft. The photography is insanely lovely. Most dishes have full page photo spreads, and the food styling is minimal. She uses the same beat up pots, pans, and gratin dishes for a lot of recipes. However, if you're not an experienced cook (especially of French food), you'll have to decide whether you can deal with the bare bones recipes in which precise ingredients are listed but actual cooking method is roughly summarized. I like the premise there, but I'd want to look carefully online before trying any of the recipes. But this book does truly inspire and make me want to cook. Just beautiful. ... Read more

Product Description
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of French Women Don’t Get Fat offers a long-awaited collection of delicious, healthy recipes and advice on eating well without gaining weight.

With French Women Don’t Get Fat, Mireille Guiliano wrote the ultimate non–diet book on how to enjoy food and stay slim, sparking a worldwide publishing phenomenon. Now, in her first-ever cookbook, she provides her millions of readers with the recipes that are the cornerstone of her philosophy—mouthwatering, simply prepared dishes that favor fresh, seasonal ingredients and yield high satisfaction.

Organized around Mireille’s three favorite pastimes—breakfast, lunch, and dinner—these recipes emphasize pure flavors, balanced ingredients, and easy cooking methods. Eating pleasurably is just as important as eating healthfully, and Mireille does not neglect dessert and chocolate (essential components of any French woman’s diet) and incorporates advice on entertaining, menu planning, and wine selection. And once again, Mireille offers tips and tricks to reduce one’s waistline (including a secret family recipe from Mireille’s beloved Tante Berthe for a delicious breakfast that melts away pounds effortlessly). 

Filled with stories from Mireille’s childhood in France, her life in Paris, Provence, and New York, and her extensive travels and meals for business and enjoyment, The French Women Don’t Get Fat Cookbook is a beautiful, practical lifestyle guide to living well, eating wonderfully, and getting the most out of life with the least amount of stress. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Amazing and Delicious Even for a Novice Cook
I hate to cook, and I hate to grocery shop and I'm too busy to do either.So in an effort to create a healthier lifestyle for myself I picked up this book at the library.Needless to say, I needed to purchase a copy immediately thereafter.Even for a novice like myself, these recipes are easy to prepare.I've enjoyed all the recipes I've cooked so far and it hasn't taken me nearly HALF the time so many other recipe books promise to save you!A very worthy purchase!

The French Women Don't Get Fat Cookbook
Love the book! Love the recipes, love the stories! The author is so enjoyable!
I find the receipes quite tasty too.The French Women Don't Get Fat Cookbook

Great Everyday Cookbook
What I like about this book is the simplicity of the recipes. They are all made with just a few ingredients. The style of cooking is easy, and the combinations of ingredients are atypical. I made the pasta with anchovies, spinach and pine nuts. It was fantastic and the entire meal took less than 15 minutes to put together. I'll try the pasta with eggplant and fresh tuna next. These recipes are so delicious that I can invite friends over and cook something so straightforward, perhaps open a bottle of wine, and have a lovely evening together.This is the French way to do things, at least according to her books. Eating for pleasure. I highly recommend this book for its healthy and delicious recipes.

yummy
I have all of the Mireille Guiliano's books and love them all.The recipes in here are really great, I was a little dissappointed though that some of my favorite recipes from her website were not included.The recipes are all fairly easy and are homemade and fresh!Its a good way to eat.

transaction good, book mediocre
good transaction with seller, book in great condition (purchased through secondary seller).
Unfortunately the book's contents didn't live up to the positive transaction experience. The author tends towards the sanctimonious. I read to be informed and entertained, not to be chastised for failing-to-be-just-like-the-author. ... Read more

Product Description
In this cookbook series, every stage of each recipe is photographed in close-up detail, from assembling the ingredients and necessary equipment, through every step of the preparation to the finished dish. This book covers French country cookery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

French Regional Cooking
If there were six stars in the rating system, French Regional Cooking would take them all.

Want to make the perfect Tarte Des Demoiselles Tatin?It's here!Coq au vin?Oui!

The recipes are easy to follow andthe most authentic that I have ever used.

Anne Willan writes wonderfullywell and her recipes will never let the user down.If there is a faultwith the book, it is that Mme. Willan assumes that the reader is not abeginner in the kitchen.

And who said the English can't cook? ... Read more

Product Description
A savory tribute to the simple joys oflife in Provence—great company, deliciousfood.

More than thirty years ago, Mary Ann Caws, then a young professor, moved toProvence to translate thepoetry of Provençal poet René Char. What sounded like a simple romanticsojourn turned into a journey ofself-discoveryon the joys ofliving simply and enjoying themaxims of the Provençal "good life"—goodcompany, good food, and great wine,preferably from yourneighbor's vineyard. There was little else in the way of material goods. Herlittle cottage, hercabanon, had no running water, no heat, no electricity. When shearrived thatfirst day with her young family in tow, the house was even missing a wall and almost half of the roof. The rest of the placeseemed held together onlyby weeds and brambles. Mary Ann and her family were neverhappier.

The beauty of theolive trees, cherryorchards, marketplace and vineyards dictated therhythm of their new lives. Theprocess of preparingfood and then sharing it with friends and neighbors came to embody the essence oftheir existence on thehillside of MountVertaux. Now, in this delightful and lyric meditation on Provence and itsfood, Mary Anninvites you to sit down at her table and share in some of her favorite recipes, the recipes ofher neighbors, and her deliciousmemories of life inFrance.

Customer Reviews (2)

Who would have thought French food could be so easy........
If you are the type of person that doesn't need exact measurements and timing for cooking this is the book for you. Caws, the author, does give some measurements and some time table but most of it is left to your taste.I was first drawn to the cover at the library. After checking it out and finding the stories and picture very charming. I found the recipes even more charming due to the way they are written. The measurements for the ingredients are spelled out and not numerical which makes them look more like stories than recipes.If you like French food and have some common sense in the kitchen then this is just the book for you.

A combination memoir and cookbook
Complex does not mean better. "Provencal Cooking: Savoring the Simple Life in France" is a combination memoir and cookbook as Mary Ann Caws reflects on her time in Provence and the lessons she learned about food and drink during her time there. Living without even the bare essentials, Caws learned to embrace the simple things, and brings readers her experiences alongside over forty recipes, such as Aubergine Paradis and Poulet Marche. "Provencal Cooking" is a must for those who want to learn how the French eat when being simple about it.
... Read more

Product Description
This is a cookbook of recipes made by the famous french cook Elizabeth David. She was famous before Julia Child. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Elizabeth David Classics
Elizabeth David Classics: Mediterranean Food, French Country Cooking, Summer Cooking This is a compilation of three of David's wonderful classic cookbooks.I've used many, many recipes from these three books over many years and highly recommend them.Most recipes are simple, easy to make, and delicious!I wore out three individual paperback copies of these books so was delighted to find that they had been put together in one hardcover book.I've had my copy for some time and ordered this one for my sister who was thrilled to get it!It is, alas, out of print so you will have to search, but it's well worth the chase.

Essential for all serious foodies.
This is a classic and the publishers who reprinted this edition of three of the authors titles are to be commended for such an attractive edition. A must for any literate food lover. ... Read more

Product Description

When it comes to making the most of life, nobody does it better than the French. Now, with Joie de Vivre: Simple French Style for Everyday Living, an inspired fusion of art, style, and easy-to-implement ideas, anyone can feel like they spent a weekend in the French countryside, no matter where they live.

Renowned restaurateur Robert Arbor puts a refreshing emphasis on simplicity and accessibility, explaining the rituals and traditions that comprise a typical French day. Featuring dozens of simple, everyday recipes, Joie de Vivre captures the family meals, market trips, and charming domestic settings that make the French way of life so plea- surable. In eight chapters, illustrated with 85 full-color and black-and-white photographs, Arbor details how you, too, can achieve the simplicity and relaxing life the French treasure.

Le Matin (The Morning) lays out the elements of a relaxing breakfast (as well as the secret to great coffee), and Le Potager (The Garden) describes the pleasures and rewards of growing your own own vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Le Marché (The Market) and Le Déjeuner (Lunchtime) follow Arbor to the market, the butcher, and the baker before serving up a trove of delicious ideas for light lunches and snacks. Le Dîner (Supper) outlines strategies for crafting cozy family dinners; creating enchanting dinner parties of all sizes; and preparing fun, simple meals for children.

Arbor's memories and experiences of growing up in France and his flair for casual elegance can't help but inspire the chef and decorator in everyone.

Sidebars sprinkled throughout the book offer tips and insights on how to make the perfect cup of hot chocolate, a French perspective on truffles and foie gras, the French and their love of chocolate, and why French butter tastes so good.

Joie de Vivre is a lavishly illustrated guide to the French style of living that will show you how to bring a little joie to your life.Amazon.com 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 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (36)

joie de vivre
nice little book full of stories, recipes from a man who grew up in France and is now living and operating a restaurant in NYC.A light and enjoyable read.

Full of Joy
It doesn't matter if all the events described in this book are 100% accurate and true, because the experience feels real. And that's what is important. The author makes you cherish every one of the moments in his life. Arbor doesn't scam the reader; he's a poet at heart and makes the world seem full of possibility and wonder.

Delighting in life's small moments--easy to do in France, perhaps--is luxurious fun. And makes this reader want to grab her passport and book a plane ticket.

Loved it, but...
This book is entertaining and should appease the francophile in the average reader, including me. I couldn't get past the misspelling of espresso ("expresso"), though it was a minor annoyance. However, I felt it romanticized French life without providing alternative scenarios that were more accommodating to most Americans. The title combined with the author's 'authority', which he (indirectly) implied was due to the fact he lived in both countries, focused solely on the glories of France. What can Americans do to experience "joie de vivre"? I didn't get a feel for what the answer was, despite his implied authority. No matter, though. I really did enjoy the book tremendously....

Joie de Vivre
Excellent book!!! Great way to experience the French way of life without going to France.

Deliciously inspiring
For something quick to read and to be inspired and swept away at the same time, I recommend Joie de Vivre. Robert Arbor is a restaurateur who knows his stuff when it comes to what constitutes an enjoyable meal and good times spent with family and friends.There are no frills or expensive equipment used here; he shows you his own kitchen with it's low tech range and rustic charm.His recipes for good, wholesome and satisfying meals are simple for just about anyone to make and add to their own repertoire.Roast chicken, croque monsieur, perfect hot chocolate and good coffee.Make them, savor them and be transported to a little French village somewhere warm and fragrant with lavender. ... Read more

Product Description
The proprietor of the world famous Moulin de Mougins in the south of France near Cannes presents a tribute to his love affair with vegetables. More than 150 recipes for sauces, soups, salads, gratins, terrines and other methods to bring out the natural goodness of high-quality produce are beautifully garnished with 100 color photographs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Beautiful recipes!
Wonderful recipes.Beautiful book.Not just your ordinary veggie recipes--very gourmet and delicious!

The best veggie cookbook ever
I have been cooking for nearly 50 years.About ten years ago I happened on the French original of this book, but I was unable to get a copy in the States.I bought the translation and have used it probably monthly since then--this a lot since I normally don't use cookbooks. The book is full of advice, great pictures and fabulous recipes.Go for it.


It's a book that you'll use often even though many of the recipes are quite complicated.They often wow my vegetarian guests, particularly friends last night, who demanded how to get hold of the book.It's regrettable that it is out of print, but it is still widely available.

Creme de la creme
There is no better book out there about cooking vegetables.From beginning to end Verge communicates his love and knowledge of vegetables.From the very simple to the technically challenging, the recipes herein contained are not to be out done.So good in fact are these recipes that I was inspired to travel to France just to eat in Verge's restaurant.Sound stupid?If you make even 10 of the recipes in this book you might not think so.

Merci Monsieur Verge
If I could write a letter to Monsieur Verge I would thank him for sharing his passion for vegetables and transporting me to France each time I open this beautiful book.The recipes are outstanding and although some may intimidate the novice cook, I urge you to try them.The results will delight and you will find they are not as difficult as you may have thought. A favorite book and a pleasure to look at with a nice glass of Chardonnay.But not for long...you'll soon be back in the kitchen!

the best vegetable cook book that i have, and i have alot
this book is excellent. the recipies range from simple to complex and each one tastes wonderful once compleeted. there are recipies for almost every vegtable imaginable as well as information about the tast, texture and howto select that particular ingreedient. i have and have read many, many cookbooks, vegitatian and non and this is by far one of the most comprehensiveand interesting around. it is easy to use and the results are fantastic. ... Read more

Product Description
"Classic French Cooking is a collection of iconic recipes that are the base from which all other French cooking derives. Luard is very conscious that classical French cuisine can be complicated and lengthy on method and that most home cooks do not have endless hours to prepare family meals, nor are they always willing to give over an entire day to cook for a dinner party. She has analyzed the methods carefully and wherever possible has simplified the process without losing the most important feature of the French kitchen--flavor. Luard has demystified the process with her common sense approach. And for this reason "Classic French Cooking is an exciting and welcome addition to any cook's library. Her text is thorough and the pages are peppered with her enchanting line drawings of dishes, kitchen utensils, ingredients and market stalls. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Charming, Informative, Very Cozy Cookbook
Not being quite ready yet to tackle the rather intimidating cookbooks of Julia Child, I decided to start my excursion into French cooking with this simple but thick guide -- and, having used it now for two months or so, I'm extremely happy with it: my palate and digestion are equally delighted.The strong and very clear recipes aside, this is an unusually personal cookbook, both in terms of its easily held and very cozy trim size, and in terms of the author's occasionally nostalgic and obviously in-love-with-France style.(Her breezy little illustrations complete the feel-good quality of the book.)I've had a lot of fun with this cookbook -- and a lot of success.And for someone who just never really adored quiche I can now say, admittedly with a small edge of embarrassment, that I sometimes dream of fresh, warm, authentically made Quiche Lorraine. ... Read more

Product Description
Julie & Julia, the bestselling memoir that's "irresistible....A kind of Bridget Jones meets The French Chef" (Philadelphia Inquirer), is now a major motion picture.Julie Powell, nearing thirty and trapped in a dead-end secretarial job, resolves to reclaim her life by cooking in the span of a single year, every one of the 524 recipes in Julia Child's legendary Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Her unexpected reward: not just a newfound respect for calves' livers and aspic, but a new life-lived with gusto.The film is written and directed by Nora Ephron and stars Amy Adams as Julie and Meryl Streep as Julia.Amazon.com Review
Julie & Julia is the story of Julie Powell's attempt to revitalize her marriage, restore her ambition, and save her soul by cooking all 524 recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume I, in a period of 365 days.The result is a masterful medley of Bridget Jones' Diary meets Like Water for Chocolate, mixed with a healthy dose of original wit, warmth, and inspiration that sets this memoir apart from most tales of personal redemption.

When we first meet Julie, she's a frustrated temp-to-perm secretary who slaves away at a thankless job, only to return to an equally demoralizing apartment in the outer boroughs of Manhattan each evening. At the urging of Eric, her devoted and slightly geeky husband, she decides to start a blog that will chronicle what she dubs the "Julie/Julia Project." What follows is a year of butter-drenched meals that will both necessitate the wearing of an unbearably uncomfortable girdle on the hottest night of the year, as well as the realization that life is what you make of it and joy is not as impossible a quest as it may seem, even when it's -10 degrees out and your pipes are frozen.

Powell is a natural when it comes to connecting with her readers, which is probably why her blog generated so much buzz, both from readers and media alike. And while her self-deprecating sense of humor can sometimes dissolve into whininess, she never really loses her edge, or her sense of purpose. Even on day 365, she's working her way through Mayonnaise Collee and ending the evening "back exactly where we started--just Eric and me, three cats and Buffy...sitting on a couch in the outer boroughs, eating, with Julia chortling alongside us...."

Inspired and encouraging, Julie and Julia is a unique opportunity to join one woman's attempt to change her life, and have a laugh, or ten, along the way. --Gisele Toueg ... Read more

Customer Reviews (581)

If You Really Want To Read About Julia by Julia, Check Out. . .
"My Life in France," Julia Childs' memoir about her time in France and Germany after the end of World War II.
While the film "Julie and Julia" covered this era quite well, but the book is well worth reading in that it better conveys the wit, charm and doggedness (her life at that time was not without its frustrations and setbacks) that exemplified Childs.

Movie better than the Book
I have to say for the first time in my life the movie is way better than the book, it is totally disjointed and full of unnecesary profanity. The author comes across as very immature and a total whiner. Don't bother buying it, the movie is much more enjoyable.

The book is not the movie - get over it
So I am really dismayed to see how many people watched the movie, and then read the book and gave it a bad review. Seriously? Did these people wake up yesterday and have no way of realizing that movies made from books are rarely exact matches and, in fact, each really needs to be taken as a separate thing? Did they think they had woken up in alternate book-and-movie-twin universe? Did they possibly not realize, despite the fact that the movie is about writing it, that there is an entire huge available BLOG they could have spent seconds going to and previewing Julie Powell's writing style before buying the book and whining about how it's not like the movie in utterly useless Amazon reviews? No? Really? REALLY?

Diatribe aside, I have not seen the movie, and did not intend to see the movie until I'd read the book and put it aside for at least a good three or four months. So now that I've read the book, I'll probably catch the movie on cable sometime next year. Because I don't want the experience of reading the book to taint my enjoyment of the movie (HINT!), and because honestly something about Meryl's Streep's performance in the previews annoys me. Personally, I found the book completely charming. Julie sounds very much like someone who I could be friends with. And I appreciate that even though she decided to step onto a world stage (the internet is a world stage, even if no one is looking in your direction), she did it as herself. Sometimes strong, sometimes full of self-pity, sometimes over expletive-laden in her choice of expression, sometimes stupid in her choice of footwear, always very real and often charmingly witty, she is always herself.

This book is written by a real person, about her real life. It is amusing, and painful, and has some honest introspective discussion that certainly makes ME think about some of the food choices I make. And some of the life choices I make. It has also done a great job of rousing my interest in French cooking. Do I want to do what she sets out to do? Hell no? Do I want to make that one recipe with the breadcrumb encrusted liver? Awfully much. This book is NOT the cute PG-13 version of Julie, interwoven with Julia Child's own story. This book is the R-rated, sometimes even X-rated real life version of Julie, the real Julie, with a teeny bit of Julia Child for purposes of clarifying references. Let me say it again, this book is JULIE'S story as told by JULIE. If you want a cutsy Amy Adams version of Julie, watch the movie again. If you want to know more about Julia Childs, read a book about Julia Childs. If you are interested in what really happened to Julie in this year that she took on this amazing challenge, well, this would be a place to start. Did she sound whiny? Sometimes yes. But I think anyone who's ever worked a fulltime job and taken on a big project at home at the same time can kind of sympathize with that. I know I can.

On a side note, I read that Julia Child said that if Julie had trouble with the recipes, Julie must not be much of a cook. It kind of makes me wonder what universe Julia Child lives in, because just about any professional chef will tell you that classical French cooking, the kind Julia Child is all about, is one of the more difficult cuisines to master. And saying that about someone who basically revived her pretty mediocre cookbook after years of obscurity, makes Julia Child sound like kind of a self-involved bitch. Which from what I've read, she apparently was, at least in her later life.

Movie? Good. Book? Grand.
I read this book just recently, a year or more after the rest of the world, but this is what I discovered: It's worth five stars for its vocabulary alone, and I'm not talking about her frequent use of the f-word! Julie Powell has an incredible way with sesquipedalian words so her prose is somehow casual and sophisticated at the same time. I want to hang out with Julie for a day, shopping and exchanging witty comments and drinking gin.

I saw the movie before reading the book and while the movie is well-done and fairly loyal to the book's storyline and general spirit, the book outshines the movie ten to one. I'm going to have to buy more bookshelves if I keep reading books like this. Enjoy!

Watch the movie instead
The movie was pretty good.The book left me feeling violated, like I needed a hot shower with a strong soap. I don't blame Julia Child for the way she felt.Had I been Julia, I would have sued to keep my good name from being connected with this piece of work. ... Read more

Product Description
This treasury of over 250 classic and traditional French dishes offers recipes that are not only approachable, but are also geared to the contemporary American life-style. "Grausman's book will help you conquer your awe of French cooking."--Publishers Weekly. 2-color line drawings throughout. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Hats off to Richard Grausmam - He is a Master!
There is a plethora of books that have flooded the market on French Cooking and a lot of them are coffee table books & pretty to look at till you try one of the recipes. Then the results are either mediocre or a flop!

For me its very simple - What is the true test of a great Teacher, Chef & a book? That it stands the test of time again & again & again. 'At Home with the French Classics' does all that & more. I have been cooking since I was 9 and there are few people in the cooking world that I hold in high esteem & Mr. Grausman is definitely on the top of that list.

It does not matter if you are a novice or an expert if you want to cook like a pro, with guaranteed excellent results, for me there is only one book I turn to and that is 'At Home with the French Classics by Richard Grausman'

He writes simply and with excruciating detail which guarantees that I cannot fail in the kitchen. His personal accounts and tips allows me to understand the principle & thinking behind the recipe. I have owned this book since it first entered the market & even though I also own the book by Le Cordon Bleu Institute,it is his that is on my kitchen counter-top, dog-eared, in tatters & beurre-blanc stained!


It is for this reason that I reference him so often as I write my food blog WEAVE A THOUSAND FLAVORS - [...]

If you are going to buy one book on French Cooking, this should be it!

Sincerely,

Devaki Das

A Desert Island Cookbook
I lucked on to this book more than 20 years ago and have made delicious meals from it ever since. The dishes are mostly classics with a few fun surprises added to make it fresh and interesting. The steps are intelligently pared down so that the results taste as they should with a minimum of effort. (Often you're given the option of skipping steps or ingredients.) One reviewer mentioned context, and I agree--the suggestions for side-dish and wine pairings are helpful when planning a meal.

I have a number of other books on French food but if I only had one, it would be "At Home with the French Classics." The others are not as clearly written, contain too many unappealing recipes, ask more than reasonable effort, or dumb things down too much. Grausman gives you maximum results for an amount of effort suitable for foodies who have real lives and need to be efficient. If you want to make wonderful French food for yourself and guests, buy this book. It's the only one you'll ever need.

Grausman's "At Home with the French Classics" is a classic
As Dean of a Culinary and Hospitality School I am aware of the importance of finding materials which are easy to understand - especially as one struggles learning new cooking techniques. Richard Grausman's "At Home with the French Classics" provides insights into each recipe, helping the reader contextualize the dish; easy to understand directions; and offers serving suggestions with which to pair the recipe. Additionally, the sketches in the book can be of great use when learning how to devein shrimp or stuff truffles beneath the skin of a chicken. Students who have been exposed to this book have also commented on it thoroughness, yet approachability which is so often absent in many of today's cookbooks.

Only One Cookbook?Make it "French Classics"
I have dozens of cookbooks on my shelf but "French Classics" is always my "go to". From soup to dessert, the recipes are clearly written, easy to follow and mouth-watering. It assumes that the reader might want clear directions for a variety of culinary skills. The first time I brought home leeks I found them full of soil. Not to worry, on page 211, Mr. Grausman taught me how to clean them. What a relief to find that I was not the only person who might have found that a challenge. The Coq au Vin, fragrant and soul-satisfying, would be enough to recommend the cookbook but every page yields a happy new choice. Some take little time to prepare withoutdetracting from their presentation, for instance, the elegantly simple Oranges au Champagne. Never patronizing or intmidating, Richard Grausman understands what is best in French cuisine and is willing to share its secrets. I think he understands me, too.

Provides clear, easy instructions
Thirty years ago I took cooking classes with Richard Grausman. I was unable to boil water, but by the end of the week, I could make Profiteroles Au Chocolat, Souffle Au Grand Marnier, Mousse Au Chocolat, Poule Portugais and much more.As long as I did things exactly as he tought and demonstrated, my results came out perfect, every time.My career, however, kept me very busy and for the next several decades I had to leave the kitchen.

Now that I have some time, I was very excited to find Rick's book on the shelf.I turned to page 270 and made my favorite dessert, Profiteroles au Chocolat.The instructions and illustrations are so clear and so easy that, for the first time in over 25 years, I made perfect Profiteroles! Armed with this confidence I went on and made all of my favorites, and they came out to perfection.Here is a book filled with foolproof recipes.

Last night I made Chicken with Mushrooms, Tomatoes and Olives, Riz Pilaf and a Grand Marnier Souffle along with Salade Verte. It was so much fun watching my guests enjoy great food.

Step by step, word for word, illustration by illustration - this is a great book and I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description
The author of A Passion for Potatoes offers two hundred foolproof recipes gathered from three generations of a Provencal family, as well as anecdotes of her time in her native region of France. 25,000 first printing. $25,000 ad/promo. Tour. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

SOUTHERN style
I do not want to make any negative remarks about this book, rather I am just giving feedback for consideration of purchase.I should have considered the title --cooking from the south of france.The recipes are heavier than most french recipes and, what i found to be most frustrating was the repeating of recipes, over and over, with just the slightest variation.For instance, there are 13 recipes for fruit tarts.It also seems the author fancies a few ingredients and those are repeat again, and again, without much branching out to new ones.There is a recipe for a gratin, and then there's a recipe for gratin with mushrooms.Recipe for Gnocci and then recipe for gnocci with mushrooms.

The anecdotes, introductions, and tales of living in france are enjoyable.

I bought this book because Ms. Marshall's cooking school and books were highly favored by Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa.I'm glad I bought this book used and saved a lot.I would be disappointed if I had paid full price.I only gleaned a small handful of useable recipes from this book.

Brilliant!
I got this book some time ago. If you ever thought French cooking was tedious, this book defies that idea. The recipes that Ive tried not only make a massive amount of food, but everything come out perfectly if youfollow the steps. I swear by their pastry crust recipe-it's foolproof andthe basis for all the quiches that I do when not using the book. Thevegetable recipes are also a winner as well-and a winner with family andfriends! One of the best-and most user-friendly French cookbooks around. ... Read more