Mastering the Art of French Cooking - The classic cookbook that spawned a movie
Written: Dec 30 '07 (Updated Aug 09 '09)
Product Rating:
Pros: Large selection of clearly written recipes
Cons: No pictures of prepared dishes
The Bottom Line: If you want to make French food the French way using readily available American ingredients, Mastering the Art of French Cooking will tell you how.
dusksunset's Full Review: Julia Child, Simone Beck, Louisette Bertholle - Ma...
The late Julia Child spent many years studying at the best cooking schools in France before she got together with her friends Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck to write "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." Their goal was to make it possible for American cooks to prepare meals in the true French style in their own homes. The book does exactly that, though I've found that many of their recommendations can be ignored and still end up with wonderfully edible results.
For example, right in the foreward they insist that the cook must dirty as many different pots, pans, and bowls as they specify. Most of us would rather not make such a big mess in the kitchen, so we find ways to reuse things that surely make Julia turn over in her grave.
One wise bit of advice is the admonition to read the recipe in full before starting. This enables the cook to be sure all needed equipment and ingredients are on hand.
From basic info to specific details
The book covers all of the basics, like how to measure flour and chop vegetables, before beginning a dizzying list of recipes. Everything is covered, from soup to entrees to desserts. Ingredients are listed on the left of each recipe with preparation instructions on the right. There are no photographs of finished dishes, but there are some clear line drawings of various cooking techniques. The book is 684 pages long with an excellent index in both French and English.
I learned how to make quiche from this book years ago and still do so to this day. However, Julia would be horrified to know I use frozen pie crust and milk instead of the carefully prepared pastry shell and whipping cream she specifies. It doesn't matter. I think of her every time I make quiche and enjoy the results.
So if you aspire to making quiches, souffles, duck a l'orange, or salade nicoise in the authentic French way, get a copy of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." You will find clear, complete instructions from three caring authors. No serious cook should be without this book.
Note for movie buffs
This is the book the movie "Julia and Julie" is based on. Seems Julie was a young woman living in NYC whose life was not going well. On a quest to find meaning in her life, she decided to cook all of the recipes in this book and then blogged about it. Her actions, combined with Julia Child's true life story, were then made into the movie. I can't think of another cookbook that was the source of a film.
Anyone can cook in the French manner anywhere," wrote Mesdames Beck, Bertholle, and Child, "with the right instruction." And here is the book that, fo...More at CHEFS Catalog
Mastering The Art of French Cooking is for both seasoned cooks and beginners who love good food and long to reproduce at home the savory delights of t...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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