Wonderfully simple and elegant
Rating:
5 / 5
OK I bought this book on a whim. I'm not sure why I bought it over the other dozens of books on french cooking/lifestyle that I read the reviews about. I suspect it was on someone's list and they made it sound appealing. I have read it (parts of it I have reread). I have cooked many recipes from it. The book is appealing. First, the recipes are wonderful. The saute of wild mushrooms is the best. The browned veal stock took me alot of research on epicurious.com (reviewing other recipes) to fill in the missing steps. Once I experimented with it, I thought it was excellent. I never appreciated the importance of homemade stock until I read this book. Now I have lots of it ready for defrosting. But the book has more to offer than recipes. This book is perhaps at its best in that it sheds light on a way of life that has passed or is passing. It provides insight into the very different regions and origins of the people of early twentieth century France. I came away with a new appreciation for the people and their cuisine. A very worthwhile investment.
Extraordinarily good recipes, rich reading; a simple joy .
Rating:
5 / 5
I first encountered this book through the aisles of my public library. I re-checked it so many times that I had to see if it was still in print. To my happy surprise it was. I love it for the great recipes and the warm and rich memories of a by-gone time; though I did find mention of a place I had travelled to on my honeymoon in 1996--a qaint little town called Annecy, in France. She described her experience much as I had recalled my own happy time there! This book is simply enchanting and everything I've made from it has been a rewarding and deliciously wonderful dining experience. Try the Green Beans Brittany Style or the simple Escarole Salad. Really good!
Old-World-French-Cuisine...Resurrected!
Rating:
5 / 5
Is it really possible to cook French food? I wonder how hard this recipe book will be...probably impossible. Aren't all French cookbooks a little hard to understand, my last one was...oh well, I have jet lag keeping me awake, I might as well read this somewhat interesting French cookbook my mother set out for me to read on our return from Europe...here goes! Incredible! Amazing! When can I start cooking this food? I'm going to give this book as Christmas gifts to all my "Reader-Friends" because this isn't just a classy cookbook, this is an old world novel! You'll never know that French cooking could be so de---liciously-romantic (need I go on?); possible to cook? - even for the novice (like yourself!); exciting! - because you can use all the taboo "fat" foods like butter and cream (we all know that butter and cream makes everything taste better), and without gaining weight (!!)... Yes, you'll never know until you read "When French Women Cook" (similar to reading a classic, century-old-novel) that you too can actually cook this practical, sumptuous food and be known as a gourmet French chef. (well, almost!) At least you can say you read this fantastic cookbook-novel that inspired you to cook these incredible tasting dishes! I think one should go to Madeleine Kamman's French Cooking School in France to really qualify as a pro French chef. OK ?...Let's go!...Bonjour!
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