Perfect Capture of the Tastes of Paris
I've been cooking from this book for a couple of months now, and it's become my current favorite. And there ARE a lot of simple recipes in here, along with some that take up to two days. For example, there is a recipe for sole à la meunière which takes about 15 minutes to execute if you work leisurely. The seared scallop recipe takes about 5 minutes. And of course, grinding allspice and pepper on buttered bread takes about 30 seconds. But the bottom line is that whether it took me seconds or days to make something from this book, everything has been flavorful and actually tastes as if it might really come from the restaurant which lent the recipe, instead of a home kitchen like mine.
Perhaps one of my most used recipes is for the sun-dried tomato and goat cheese appetizer. The description in the book really doesn't do it justice and I only tried it on a whim after picking up some goat cheese on sale. The tomato paste takes about 5 minutes to make in a food processor and you could do it during a spare moment, and from that point the entire recipe is fast, simple, and tastes like way more than the sum of its parts. The sun-dried tomato begins to actually glisten a bright burnt red under the broiler, which makes it nice to look at, too.
This isn't really a comprehensive tome of Parisian cuisine, more like a collection of various smatterings from all types of sources, only having geographic placement in common. One recipe comes from a different tradition, and different perspective than the one before it. But Paris is a city so alive with culinary tradition and interest that even a taxi driver's wife could end up in the very same book as Robuchon. And Wells' voice is always very friendly and straightforward, making it very easy to follow the instructions of preparation. I highly recommend this charming book.
great
Patrician Wells always has wonderful, usefull cookbooks with original French recipes that are easy and delicious. Can't go wrong.
Simple Classic French Fare
I love this French cookbook. I've lived in France and adore the simplicity of how the French can bring a few fresh ingredients to life in a simple delicious recipe. I've made several of the recipes in this book and all are fantastic, authentic, and EASY to make. No exotic ingredients, not time consuming. French cooking at it's best---simple and fresh! Love it!
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