-48% $23.60$23.60
FREE delivery Monday, July 29
Ships from: Bostonrrrs Sold by: Bostonrrrs
$15.29$15.29
Ships from: Amazon Sold by: NWFL Books
Learn more
1.27 mi | ASHBURN 20147
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Image Unavailable
Color:
-
-
-
- To view this video download Flash Player
- 2 VIDEOS
Follow the authors
OK
Essential Pépin: More Than 700 All-Time Favorites from My Life in Food Hardcover – Audiobook, October 18, 2011
Purchase options and add-ons
In his more than sixty years as a chef, Jacques Pépin has earned a reputation as a champion of simplicity. His recipes are classics. They find the shortest, surest route to flavor, avoiding complicated techniques.
Now, in a book that celebrates his life in food, the world’s most famous cooking teacher winnows his favorite recipes from the thousands he has created, streamlining them even further. They include Onion Soup Lyonnaise-Style, which Jacques enjoyed as a young chef while bar-crawling in Paris; Linguine with Clam Sauce and Vegetables, a frequent dinner chez Jacques; Grilled Chicken with Tarragon Butter, which he makes indoors in winter and outdoors in summer; Five-Peppercorn Steak, his spin on a bistro classic; Mémé’s Apple Tart, which his mother made every day in her Lyon restaurant; and Warm Chocolate Fondue Soufflé, part cake, part pudding, part soufflé, and pure bliss.
Essential Pépin spans the many styles of Jacques’s cooking: homey country French, haute cuisine, fast food Jacques-style, and fresh contemporary American dishes. Many of the recipes are globally inspired, from Mexico, across Europe, or the Far East.
In the accompanying searchable DVD, Jacques shines as a teacher, as he demonstrates all the techniques a cook needs to know. This truly is the essential Pépin.
- Print length704 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherHarvest
- Publication dateOctober 18, 2011
- Dimensions7.94 x 1.88 x 10 inches
- ISBN-100547232799
- ISBN-13978-0547232799
Books with Buzz
Discover the latest buzz-worthy books, from mysteries and romance to humor and nonfiction. Explore more
Frequently bought together
Similar items that may ship from close to you
- Jacques Pépin Quick & SimpleHardcoverFREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Saturday, Jul 27
- Jacques Pépin New Complete TechniquesHardcoverFREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Saturday, Jul 27
- Jacques Pépin Heart & Soul in the KitchenJacques PépinHardcoverFREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Saturday, Jul 27
- Jacques Pépin Cooking My Way: Recipes and Techniques for Economical CookingJacques PépinHardcoverFREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Saturday, Jul 27
- Jacques Pépin Art Of The Chicken: A Master Chef's Paintings, Stories, and Recipes of the Humble BirdJacques PépinHardcoverFREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Saturday, Jul 27
- The Apprentice: My Life in the KitchenJacques PépinPaperbackFREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Saturday, Jul 27
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
When the weather gets cooler in the fall, I make soup. I generally cook up a big batch and freeze some for whenever I need it. This one, with sausage, potatoes, and cabbage, is hearty and good for cold weather. It’s terrific served with thick slices of country bread, and if you have a salad as well, you’ve got a complete dinner.
Sausage, Potato, and Cabbage Soup
Serves 8
Ingredients
8 ounces mild Italian sausage meat2 small onions, cut into 1-inch-thick slices (1 ½ cups)
6 scallions, trimmed (leaving some green) and cut into ½-inch pieces (1¼ cups)
6 cups water
1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch-thick slices
8 ounces savoy cabbage, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces (4 cups)
1¼ teaspoons salt
Crusty French bread
Break the sausage meat into 1-inch pieces and place it in a saucepan over high heat. Sauté, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to keep the meat from sticking, for 10 minutes, or until the sausage is well browned.
Add the onions and scallions and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the water, potatoes, cabbage, and salt and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 45 minutes.
Serve the soup in bowls with chunks of crusty French bread.
Baker’s Wife PotatoesThis classic potato gratin is made in France in many places, as is the famous dauphinois gratin, which is made with cream, milk, and garlic. The dauphinois has many more calories than this one, which is flavorful and ideal with any type of roast, from a roast chicken to a leg of lamb.
The potatoes are sliced but not washed, which would cause them to lose the starch that binds the dish. A good chicken stock and a little white wine are added for acidity, and the gratin is flavored with thyme and bay leaves. It can be prepared ahead and even frozen.
Serves 8
Ingredients
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
1 tablespoon peanut oil
4 cups thinly sliced onions (about 14 ounces)
6 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced (3 tablespoons)
3 cups homemade chicken stock (page 612) or low-salt canned chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup dry white wine
3 bay leaves
2 fresh thyme sprigs
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into ⅛-inch-thick slices.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan. When it is hot, add the onions and sauté them for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, including the potatoes, mixing gently, and bring to a boil. Transfer the mixture to an 8-cup gratin dish.
Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until most of the moisture is absorbed and the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Serve.
Chicken Legs with Wine and YamsI love both yams and sweet potatoes and use them in different ways, sometimes in soup, sometimes simply split in half and roasted in the oven. You can use either sweet potatoes or yams in this casserole, which also includes mushrooms, chicken, and wine. This is a great dish for company. It can be prepared ahead and reheated--which makes it even better.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 whole chicken legs (about 3 pounds total), skin removed, drumsticks and thighs separated
¼ cup chopped onion
4 large shallots (about 6 ounces), sliced (about 1½cups)
8 medium mushrooms (about 5 ounces), cleaned and halved
4 small yams or sweet potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and halved lengthwise
1 cup dry white wine
8 large garlic cloves, crushed and chopped (2 tablespoons)
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken pieces in batches and sauté over medium-high heat until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.
Add the onion and cook for 1 minute. Add the shallots, mushrooms, yams or sweet potatoes, wine, garlic, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat, and boil very gently for 20 minutes.
Garnish with the parsley and serve.
Review
"A must-have for any cookbook fan."
--Edward Ash Millby for USA Today "...simple without being dumbed down; approachable yet still adventurous... Whether he's explaining how to make Escoffier quenelles with mushroom sauce, black sea bass gravlax...or tarte tatin, [Pepin] makes it seem doable and shares tidbits of wisdom to boost confidence and kitchen knowledge... For serious cooks and beginners alike, this is an instant classic that would enhance almost any collection."
-Publishers Weekly, starred "Jacques Pépin has been a constant inspiration to me. This book is a distillation of the very best of his creations, showing both the remarkable breadth of his cooking and the beautiful continuity of his dishes over the past sixty years. He makes food the way it should be made: Simple, seasonally ripe, pure, and impossible to resist."
—Alice Waters "Jacques Pepin is The Master. The undisputed authority on . . . well, just about everything relating to food. If Jacques Pepin tells you this is the way to make an omelet — or to roast a chicken, then for me, the matter is settled. As with all his works, this is a vital, essential volume that should live in your kitchen forever. Nobody knows more or does it better."
—Anthony Bourdain "If there's a 'best of the best' in cookbooks, this is it--a lifetime of greatest hits from our favorite ambassador of French cuisine. These recipes are more than just mouthwatering; they are as lively, unpretentious, and appealing as the man behind them, reminding us (as if we needed reminding) why we fell in love with French food, and with Jacques Pépin, in the first place. An essential collection from an essential chef."
—Dan Barber "Jacques Pepin is a true artist and a masterful one at that. His commitment to excellence and dedication to quality education are evident throughout his storied career. Essential Pepin reflects his incredible body of work in what feels like an important literary achievement, and we, his pupils, are ever so fortunate to benefit from the breadth of knowledge within its pages. I often find that with Jacques Pepin, whether in print or on television, I walk away from my time with him having learned a little something more, and I feel a bit richer for that."
—Lidia Bastianich —
From the Back Cover
About the Author
The winner of sixteen James Beard Awards and author of over 30 cookbooks, including The Apprentice, Essential Pépin, and Jacques Pépin Quick & Simple, JACQUES PEPIN is a chef, author, television personality, educator, and artist, and has starred in 12 acclaimed PBS cooking series. His dedication to culinary education led to the creation of the Jacques Pépin Foundation in 2016.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Tomato Chowder
with Mollet Eggs and Croutons
Serves 4
A French favorite, mollet (moll-ay) eggs are similar to poached eggs in texture, with runny yolks and soft whites. The eggs are cooked in their shells in barely boiling water for about 6 minutes, then thoroughly cooled and carefully shelled. This basic tomato soup, topped with the eggs and large croutons made from country-style bread, can be made vegetarian by replacing the chicken stock with vegetable stock or water.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
(1 1/4 cups)
6 scallions, trimmed (leaving some green) and chopped (3/4 cup)
1 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
(1/2 cup)
3 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups homemade chicken stock
(page 612) or low-salt canned
chicken broth
12 ounces cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes
GARNISHES
4 slices country-style bread, preferably stale, for croutons
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small garlic clove
4 large eggs
1/4 cup grated Gruyère or Emmenthaler cheese
Heat the olive oil in a large stainless steel saucepan. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the onion, scallions, carrot, and garlic and cook over high heat, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour on top of the mixture, stir thoroughly, and cook for 1 minute longer, stirring. Mix in the stock.
Add the cherry tomatoes to the soup, along with the salt, pepper, thyme, and sage. Process the can of plum tomatoes for 5 seconds, and add to the soup. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes.
Using a hand blender, blend the soup for 15 to 20 seconds (or process in a food processor and return to the pan).
MEANWHILE, PREPARE THE GARNISHES: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Brush the bread slices with the olive oil and arrange them in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until nicely browned. Rub one side of the croutons with the garlic clove, and set them aside.
Using a thumbtack or pushpin, make a hole in the rounded end of each egg. Gently lower the eggs into a pan containing enough boiling water to cover them and cook for about 6 minutes in barely boiling water. Drain the hot water from the pan and shake the pan to crack the shells of the eggs on all sides. Fill the pan with ice and water and set the eggs aside to cool completely.
When the eggs are cool, peel them carefully (so as not to damage the yolks, which are still runny) under cool running water. Keep the eggs in cold water until just before serving. (The eggs can be cooked up to a few hours ahead and refrigerated in the cold water.)
At serving time, drain the cold water from the eggs and replace it with hot tap water. Let stand for 5 minutes, so the eggs are lukewarm inside.
Bring the soup to a strong boil, and ladle it into four bowls. Place an egg in the center of each bowl, and wait for a couple of minutes for the eggs to warm in the center. Place a crouton in each bowl and serve, sprinkled with the cheese.
Grilled Veal Chops
with Caper and Sage Sauce
Serves 4
This is a good summer recipe. I sear the chops briefly on a very hot grill and then transfer them to a warm oven, where they continue to cook slowly in their own residual heat. The sauce, a simple mixture of onion, capers, lemon juice, and olive oil, is made separately and the chops are coated with it before they are served.
Be sure you don't overcook the chops. Although veal is not served rare, as beef is, it should be slightly pink inside and juicy throughout.
Chicken or even a piece of fish also goes well with the caper and sage sauce.
4 veal rib chops trimmed of excess fat (about 10 ounces each), and 1 inch thick
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
SAUCE
1/2 cup diced (1/4-inch) red onion
2 tablespoons drained capers
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
2 teaspoons julienned lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons homemade chicken
stock (page 612) or low-salt canned chicken broth
Heat a grill until it is very hot. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees.
Rub the chops with the oil and sprinkle them with the salt and pepper. Put the chops on the clean grill rack and cook for about 2 1/2 minutes on each side. Transfer them to the oven and let them rest and finish cooking for at least 10 minutes (the chops can be kept in the oven for up to 30 minutes).
MEANWHILE FOR THE SAUCE: Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
At serving time, place a chop on each of four plates and coat with the sauce.
Iced Grand Marnier Soufflé
Serves 6 to 8
Iced soufflés are not real soufflés that cook and inflate in the oven, but look-alike frozen desserts. A collar of aluminum foil or parchment paper 3 to 4 inches higher than the rim of the soufflé dish is attached to the dish, so the mixture can be molded higher than the sides. When the collar is removed, the soufflé looks as though it has just emerged from the oven. It's a perfect dessert for a party, and it must be made ahead. After the soufflé is prepared and its collar secured, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil so it doesn't pick up tastes from the freezer.
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup Grand Marnier or Cointreau
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
6-8 ladyfingers or the same amount of sliced génoise or pound cake
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
Combine the sugar, water, and orange rind in a saucepan, bring to a boil, and boil for 3 to 4 minutes, until it turns into a light syrup.
Meanwhile, put the yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer.
While beating at high speed, pour the hot syrup in a steady stream over the yolks and continue beating for 12 to 15 minutes. The mixture should be thick, smooth, and pale yellow. Add 1/4 cup of the Grand Marnier or Cointreau and beat for another 30 seconds on high speed.
Whip the cream in a large bowl to a soft peak. With a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the soufflé mixture. Cover the bottom of a 1-quart soufflé dish with a thick layer of the mixture (about 2 inches thick). Arrange the ladyfingers or cake slices on top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Grand Marnier. Fill the mold right to the top with the cream mixture; refrigerate the remainder.
Using a doubled long sheet of aluminum foil or parchment paper, make a collar around the mold, extending 2 to 3 inches above the rim, and tie securely with a string. Place the mold in the freezer for 1 hour, or until it is firm.
When the frozen soufflé mixture is firm, add the remainder of the mixture, which should bring the soufflé to at least 2 inches above the rim of the mold. Return to the freezer until frozen.
Transfer the soufflé to the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving.
Just before serving, sprinkle the top with the cocoa. Remove the collar and serve.
Product details
- Publisher : Harvest; HAR/DVD edition (October 18, 2011)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 704 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0547232799
- ISBN-13 : 978-0547232799
- Item Weight : 3 pounds
- Dimensions : 7.94 x 1.88 x 10 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #27,843 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #20 in French Cooking, Food & Wine
- #61 in Cooking, Food & Wine Reference (Books)
- #243 in Celebrity & TV Show Cookbooks
- Customer Reviews:
Videos
Videos for this product
2:52
Click to play video
Truly essentials of French cooking
Shopper's Sidekick
Videos for this product
7:30
Click to play video
Watch an author video
Merchant Video
About the authors
Jacques Pepin is the author of twenty-one cookbooks, including the best-selling The Apprentice and the award-winning Jacques Pepin Celebrates and Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home (with Julia Child). He has appeared regularly on PBS programs for more than a decade, hosting over three hundred cooking shows. A contributing editor for Food & Wine, he is the dean of special programs at the French Culinary Institute in New York City. Before coming to the United States, he served as personal chef to three French heads of state.
Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the recipes excellent, with no weird eggy aftertaste. They also describe the book as impressive, beautifully illustrated, and fun for amateurs. Readers say the content is detailed and easy to follow. They appreciate the wonderful resource and teaching tool, and the fact that most recipes do not call for weird or expensive ingredients. Customers also appreciate the thoughtful writing style and good organization. However, some customers feel the book lacks pictures.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the recipe content excellent, delicious, and a collection of recipes they could ever need.
"Wide range of recipes, some exotic [for me], but all seem clearly explained...." Read more
"...so that watching the show is such a pleasure, and better than reading a recipe...." Read more
"Wonderful recipes. Technique skills covered. A very impressive book. Highly recommend." Read more
"It has many really good recipes. Get adventurous and add this to your library!" Read more
Customers find the book very impressive, innovative, and charming. They also say it's interesting, with great ideas and recipes. Readers also mention that the chef is amazing and great to watch on TV. They say the book is well written and easy on the eyes.
"...This cookbook is good for cooks with all levels of experience. I appreciate the very many hand drawings throughout the book." Read more
"...I've already tried nearly a dozen of the recipes and all have worked well and tasted good...." Read more
"Wonderful recipes. Technique skills covered. A very impressive book. Highly recommend." Read more
"...The recipes are excellent, 5 stars in breadth and content, but the lack of pictures is a serious flaw...." Read more
Customers find the book's content clear, detailed, and easy to follow. They also say the recipes are manageable for the home cook and do not require much effort.
"...of Chef Pepin, the approach is straightforward, simple, and techniques explained. This cookbook is good for cooks with all levels of experience...." Read more
"...That's the beauty of so many of Chef Pepin's recipes...they're simple and delicious...." Read more
"...His explanation of technique is wonderful. He will explain perfectly how to get the ultimate result without making me feel like a total beginner...." Read more
"...I love Pepin's clear, concise directions and the way he approaches the recipes themselves...." Read more
Customers find the ingredients in the book wonderful, practical, and simple. They also say the recipes are easy to follow, practical and simple, and that the book is needed in the cookbook world today. Readers also mention that the recipes use common ingredients and do not call for weird or expensive ingredients.
"...began by copying recipes from M. Pepin's tv show is that he is an AMAZING teacher -- very clear about how and why to do various techniques, so that..." Read more
"Wonderful recipes. Technique skills covered. A very impressive book. Highly recommend." Read more
"...of the DVD, because even though these are basic techniques--it's a great tool. Plus there are more videos on the publisher's website...." Read more
"This cookbook has been a wonderful resource and teaching tool for me...." Read more
Customers find the writing style very thoughtful, clear, and organized. They also say the book has a nice forward and tips.
"...Paper is sturdy, the font is readable, and the cover is cushy and pleasant to hold. The index is comprehensive and helpful...." Read more
"...It's okay, he says, here's how to fix it.I love Pepin's clear, concise directions and the way he approaches the recipes themselves...." Read more
"...It is a great, complete recipe collection. Pepin writes a nice forward and throws in some tips occasionally, but this book is all about the recipes..." Read more
"...It is wonderful to read, because no one actually has time or talent to DO any of the recipes! :-) Seriously, it's a beautiful, big book...." Read more
Customers find the book a great gift idea.
"...This book would make a wonderful shower or wedding present or just a gift for a friend who loves to cook or wants to learn...." Read more
"Worth the price!! Wife loved it!!Great gift idea" Read more
"This book could be your new go-to cookbook. Pepin has a gift for making the simple elegant, and his recipes are mostly very easy...." Read more
"...It also would make a great gift for that special cook." Read more
Customers find the recipe book has a wealth of recipes for all to cook at home. They also say it covers a wide array of food that range from easy to very challenging, and that low-cal options are also available.
"...The variety is just amazing...." Read more
"...This book covers a wide array of food that range from easy to very challenging to prepare...." Read more
"...Lots of great stuff in this collection - must have book!" Read more
"...Always perfect, down to earth explanations. This book has a wealth of recepies for all of us to cook at home...." Read more
Customers find the illustrations in the book lacking.
"...These are fantastic.Unfortunately there are no pictures in the book, but perhaps that's what keeps the price so reasonable for all this..." Read more
"...But what's glaringly absent are pictures. There's not one picture of one completed dish in the book. Why?..." Read more
"Don't worry about the lack of photos in this book. Compensated partly by a DVD on most of the basics. Very familiar with Jacques...." Read more
"...Many classic recipes. No pictures which saved a fortune in costs and made the book more affordable." Read more
Reviews with images
-
Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
The frontispiece features nine nice pictures of the chef, from boyhood to a photo of him with his friend and sometime collaborator Julia Child. Chapters are:
Soups
Salads
Eggs and Cheese
Pasta, Rice, Grains, and Potatoes
Breads, Sandwiches, and Pizzas
Shellfish and Fish
Poultry and Game
Meat
Charcuterie and Offal
Vegetables and Side Dishes
Fruit Desserts
Puddings, Sweet Souffles, and Crepes
Cakes, Cookies, and Candies
Tarts, Pies, and Pastries
Frozen Desserts
Basics (which includes subchapters on Seasonings; Stocks; Sauces, Butters, and Oils; Relishes and Pickles; and Drinks).
Each chapter contains quite few recipes, which are geared toward accessible French country styles (recipes from the chef's family and techniques he's learned at various restaurants), but also Italian and Mexican recipes too. It's a very well-rounded collection. Each recipe is introduced in a paragraph that might discuss ingredients or accompaniments, call attention to a technique, or relate the history of the dish. Occasionally there are factoid boxes.
The cover states that these are more than 700 of the chef's all-time favorites and so it is a compilation, with recipes pulled from many of his other books; so, if you already have every other Pepin cookbook (and there are many) you might not want this, but even then you might appreciate the organization and comprehension of this volume. The Meat chapter, for instance, has 24 beef (including carpaccio, marinated flank steak and pot-au-feu), 13 veal, 16 lamb, and 18 pork recipes. I've already tried nearly a dozen of the recipes and all have worked well and tasted good.
Now one big reason I began by copying recipes from M. Pepin's tv show is that he is an AMAZING teacher -- very clear about how and why to do various techniques, so that watching the show is such a pleasure, and better than reading a recipe. BUT, what is wonderful is that there's a DVD included, which contains over 60 mini-lessons, the author showing and explaining many basic techniques -- everything from tying an apron to seeding a pomegranate. Each runs from 30 seconds to several minutes. These are fantastic.
Unfortunately there are no pictures in the book, but perhaps that's what keeps the price so reasonable for all this information from one of the best chefs and teachers around. Paper is sturdy, the font is readable, and the cover is cushy and pleasant to hold. The index is comprehensive and helpful.
Highly recommended.
This is a massive cookbook. Recipes on everything one could imagine--even offal (brains, tripe, etc. But what's glaringly absent are pictures. There's not one picture of one completed dish in the book. Why? Many people choose recipes with their eyes. I'm not such a good cook that I could judge whether or not I want to make something just by reading the ingredients. I can't understand this glaring omission as the other cookbooks I've owned of his had all had great food photography. This is all the more a glaring omission as when I bought this book, I also bought The Family Meal: Home Cooking with Ferran Adria which not only features pictures of each and every dish--but also pictures of each and every step in cooking the dish! Still, I love Chef Pepin's introductory blurbs with each recipe. They do, on some level, make up for the lack of pictures as they draw you in... make you want to try it, experience this recipe.
The full line up of contents are (as there was no preview when I bought it):
Soups
Salads
Eggs and Cheese
Pasta, Rice, Grains, and Potatoes
Breads, Sandwiches and Pizzas
Shellfish and Fish
Poultry and Game
Meat
Charcuterie and Offal
Vegetables and Side Dishes
Fruit Desserts
Puddings, Sweet Souffles and Crepes
Cakes, Cookies, and Candies
Tarts, Pies, and Pastries
Frozen Desserts
Basics (Seasonings, Stocks, Sauces, Butters, and Oils, Relishes and Pickles, and Drinks)
One of the best chapters (IMHO)is on fruit desserts. I've never seen such great variety. Our family loves to have fruit based desserts (lessens the guilt;)), so this has been a godsend. From a simple baked apple, to apple and banana fritters, banana bread pudding, and one of our simple favorites favorites... fruit (blueberries although we've used bananas too), greek yogurt, and brown sugar. That's the beauty of so many of Chef Pepin's recipes...they're simple and delicious. One thing to point out is that some people may assume French food=expensive food...based on what restaurants charge. In reality, this cookbook is frugal cooking at its best. Chef Pepin often gives you options on how to change a dish around (turning a white bean/chicken dish into a cassoulet, for example), freeze things, or use a cheaper/more economical ingredient. Many of us recipes are quick and easy--such as a few recipes for great pita pizzas--no need to make pizza dough--or sandwiches. The variety is just amazing.
The DVD comes in this weird envelop thing that you have to rip out of the book to open. Once you tear open the plastic on the back, you can get into it--but you're going to want to put it in a good case. You can see more video demonstrations at the publisher's website. There are basic techniques given for each of the major categories of recipes, along with some more advanced techniques:
Basics: how to tie an apron (really), sharpening a knife, knife skills, sauteing like a chef, grinding and crushing peppercorns, opening wine and champagne, making butter roses, cutting parchment paper
Vegetables: peeling, crushing, chopping garlic; peeling a carrot; washing leeks; peeling and trimming asparagus; shelling peas and fava beans; trimming corn; peeling broccoli; cleaning spinach; prepping artichokes; peeling peppers; peeling tomatoes, making tomato roses; cutting potatoes
Fruit: peeling, coring, and slicing apples; removing the seeds from a pomegranate; peeling and julienning orange skin, segmenting an orange; cutting lemons
Eggs: separating eggs; making mayonnaise; cooked eggs; cooking and unmolding an egg cocotte; deep frying an egg; a classic omelet
Fish and Shellfish: shucking oysters and clams; cleaning calimari; peeling and cleaning shrimp; killing a live lobster, removing the meat from a cooked lobster; scaling a fish; boning, cutting, and serving salmon; boning monkfish and black bass; cleaning sole and boning a cooked sole
Poultry and Meat: trussing a chicken; cutting up a chicken for stew, boned wings, lollipops, boned legs; cutting and boning a chicken for galatine; carving a roasted chicken; cleaning and cutting a beef filet; cutting & grilling NY strip steak; preparing sausage and cooking in a circulator; cleaning, boning & dividing a leg of lamb; skinning and skewering lamb kidneys; and cleaning and cutting a rabbit.
Stock and Consomme: skimming chicken stock, clarifying stock: consomme
Breads: Forming and making breads: baguette, gros pain, and epi; making melba toast
Desserts: making crepes; making, forming, and rolling pie dough; making, rolling, and forming sweet dough; making and working with puff pastry; making and piping meringue; cutting a genoise; chocolate-covered leaves; chocolate balloons; working with sugar: making cages, making angel hair.
This is where Chef Pepin SHINES! He is an incredible teacher. I'm looking forward to the PBS series--but I have no idea how they're going to even approach such a great breadth of recipes. Should be interesting!
Merci Bien Chef Pepin for such a great cookbook. Please, though, next time could you include some pics?
Top reviews from other countries
I strongly recommend this book.