The Country Cooking of France
by Anne Willan
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Book Reviews of The Country Cooking of France
Book Review: Excellent preparation, fine execution!
Summary: 5 Stars
Make no mistake about the title, "Country" implies neither lack of sophistication, nor compromise on quality of recipe. That said, this book provides a broad spectrum of French cuisine, which makes use of everyday ingredients, prepared in a manner which does not require a mastery of culinary skills. Use of French terminology and the French language itself, is done with purpose and not over-emphasized, nor confusing. Every aspect of a French meal, in terms of courses, dishes and ingredient types, (minus wine) are covered. Dedicated chapters for soups, breads, desserts, various vegetables, "innards & extremeties," frogs and snails, and sauces are all presented in the same descriptive narritive and colorful photography. In addition to the beautiful photography and well written instructions on preparation and execution, there is also a glossary of terms, techniques, ingredients and (basic) recipes, and, scattered throughout the various chapters, vignettes on people, places, and ingredients associated with French cuisine.
If one is to find fault with this book, it is on quantity of photographs. Without actually counting, there are about eight to ten recipes for every, actual, photo of a finished dish. This does not diminish the desire to attempt these delicious dishes, rather it does limit those who wish to make a visual connection with a dish, prior to attempting its replication. Otherwise, recipes are cross-referenced, and the index is well organized.
Technically, this book is a beautifully crafted work of graphic artistry. From the lace-cut dust jacket to the the font, to the country pantry motif, this book is executed well and presented exquisitely, which makes it a great addition to a personal library, and a very fine gift item.
Book Review: Marvelous addition to French cooking references
Summary: 5 Stars
Many years ago, I remember reading through cookbooks. Anne Willan's La Varenne, named for her cooking school, offered tremendous insight into technique applied to based French dishes, and I learned much from it. So I was delighted this Christmas Eve day to receive a review copy of her new book, The Country Cooking of France. There are many books on French country cooking, and, yes, you'll find Salade Niçoise and Pot-au-Feu, but she pulls in many recipes that I hadn't heard of - for example, Galettes Bretonnes au Sarrasin, or Breton buckwheat galettes, in which buckwheat crepes can wrap around such fillings as ham, cheese, or egg (and I'll be trying these tomorrow morning, as we're having ham tonight, and I'll want to do something with the leftovers). There's Turbot Vallée D'Auge (turbot with apple and cider sauce), the Burbundian cheese puff called Gougères, and Salade Tiède de Pommes de Terre, Saucisse À L'Ail (warm potato salad with garlic sausage). The book is beautifully produced - hardback with great photography by France Ruffenach. The only fault I can find is that when I opened the back cover, it started to come away from the spine, which might have been a singular defect, but at a list price of $50 it is a shortcoming that should not be tolerated. All in all, a marvelous new text from someone who deeply understands French cooking and how to write and structure a useful cookbook.Book Review: Excellent book! Don't think twice, just buy it!
Summary: 5 Stars
I decided to buy that book because it features some recipes that my French grandmothers used to make. I have not been disappointed! I tried several of them already (watercress soup, the coq au vin) and I found exactly the taste of my chilhood diners. The recipies are very well explained, accompanied with the tips and tricks that make a dish absolutely perfect. The book covers lot of areas of France, from the most famous to some least known recipes, with historical tidbits of those French regions that are both informative and pleasant to read. The book is also a pleasure to the eyes. The photographs are beautiful. The book is of very good quality. So that can be a beautiful coffee table or a perfect gift. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who want to become familiar or perfect their French cuisine cooking skills. Finally, I find this book very helpful for any French living in the US, who like me is looking for authentic recipes without having to go through the convertions and translation of the French recipes.Book Review: This is the best cookbook I've ever owned.
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is more than a cookbook. To sit down and read it is to be transported to the French countryside in the company of someone who knows and loves local ingredients and traditional French recipes passed down by generations.
The recipes are meticulously cross referenced with with techniques and the glossary of terms. The section on cheeses is like a basic primer and cheat sheet about French artisan cheese. Each recipe has a narative at the beginning that makes you understand what the end result should be like, by giving you it's history or a story about how the person who's recipe it is lives.
If my house was burning, I'd grab this book. Of course after my dog and cat.
Book Review: Amazing French Cookbook!
Summary: 5 Stars
Forget the pictures, it's all about having great recipes to work with, and this book delivers. I like just picking out random recipes from the book and being able to whip them out. I've found recipes in this book that are hard to find elsewhere like Tarte Flamme (an Alsatian onion pizza), Choucroute, and the delicious Canneles de Bourdeaux. What sold me on the book was the Cannele recipe. After looking online for a good recipe I was ready to give up since I couldn't get the ingredients, however, my Canneles came out just as good or even better than some of the ones I've sample in Paris. Stop hesitating and get the book, and cook away.