French Provincial Cooking

Nice read - no photos

'Elizabeth David's books belong in the libraries of everyone who loves to read and prepare food and this one is generally regarded as her best; her passion and knowledge comes through on every page. She was one of the foremost writers on food in the latter half of the 20th century and this book has her most celebrated writing. "French Provincial Cooking" should be approached and read as a series of short stories, as well written and evocative as the best literature. The voice is highly personal and opinionated, sometimes sharp but always true and always entertaining. Here is a long essay on French cuisine, offering background stories and sketches of recipes more than the slavishly didactic type of recipes that most modern readers might be used to today. For many Elizabeth David was the first to introduce us to the French notion of la cuisine terroir, sometimes interpreted as 'what grows together goes together'. For David, this is the heart of regional cooking, and the thing which most distinguishes it from cooking in haute cuisine restaurants where diners arrive at any time or any season and expect to be able to order any well known French speciality. One of the passages which best characterizes David's approach to a lot of cooking is her opening statement on the perfect omelette: 'As everybody knows, there is only one infallible recipe for the perfect omelette: your own.' The book starts with a short essay on each of the major culinary regions of France, starting perhaps not surprisingly with Provence which is blessed an abundance of produce. The largest portion of the book consists of chapters on cuisine by type of dish: Sauces, Hors-D'oeuvres and Salads, Soups, Eggs and Cheese, Pates and Terrines, Vegetables, Fish, Shellfish, Meat, Composite Meat Dishes, Poultry and Game, and Sweet dishes. The book is all the more valuable in that it paints a picture of a cooking style which existed before modern equipment such as the food processor. Most importantly, the recipes work if your aim is to produce the most excellent food imaginable. What initially may seem to be annoying details (e.g., for omelettes, eggs 'should not really be beaten at all, but stirred,' whereas for scrambled eggs, they should be 'very well beaten') are actually secrets to be treasured, that elevate a good dish to a superb one. The lesson is that good food should be done simply, but it takes care, attention to detail, and frequently, time. A hardback edition of "French Provincial Cooking" has been unavailable for many years and Grub Street is re-issuing it because of overwhelming demand. '

I've had this book for a couple of decades, and it is always the first one I go to for a good French recipe; in fact, of my many recipe books, I might even say it is my favourite. The best quiche lorraine, boeuf a la bourguignonne, etc - every French dish you think you know well but realise, after tasting Elizabeth David's version, that you've never had the real thing before. The creamy onion tart, the apple tart with butter-sauteed apples, or the fruit tart made with yeast dough are amazing. You will always find something in here to impress your guests and family and give them a memorably delicious meal, and many dishes start with cheap ingredients. This copy was for my sister, who was fed up with hearing me describe dishes without passing on the recipes.

I was glad to locate this hardback reprint of this Elizabeth David classic. My 1973 paperback edition was falling apart after nearly 40 years of constant use. I recommend it without hesitation to anyone who enjoys simple but creative home cooking in the French style. It is a far cry from lavishly illustrated books by modern ego-tripping celebrity chefs. Its only illustrations are a few line drawings. The many recipes are generally straightforward and rely on quality basic seasonal ingredients and are geared to a kitchen without modern gimmicky gadgets. It was compiled long before deep freezers or imported exotic foods affected our approach to cookery. It is very much a 'back to basics' book. It has very many useful comments about techniques and the handling of specific ingredients and a mine of information on how to prepare and use them. As a bonus it has a comprehensive index. It is also full of anecdotes and makes a pleasant book for any amateur chef to browse.

Bought to create authentic French dishes after travels in France. It would probably now be my 'Desert Island' book. Evocative, no-nonsense, very well and very thoroughly researched. It is surely still the definitive source of authentic French regional recipes. A deeply practical classic. As well as a treasured hard back, I downloaded a copy to my Kindle because that gives me the most immersive reading experience

The contents of the book are wonderful for anyone who likes cooking. But this edition is in tiny print, hard to read and in fact badly printed. No fun to read because it's too small.

I have wanted a copy of this book for 25 years, since I first started to visit France. At last, I have got round to buying a copy and am enjoying reading it almost like a novel. It has become my companion, left where I can pick it up when I sit down. David incorporates the history of French cooking and explains why they do things like they do, then I become inspired to try a new recipe. After almost 50 years of family cooking, this is no mean feat!

An interesting recipe book - quite 'old school'. No glossy photos but plenty of good ideas and almost stories instead of recipes. I like it but others may prefer a more traditional recipe book with the ingredients listed in order at the top. This book lets you know the ingredients as you read the recipe. Cauliflower soup was delicious!

Highly recommend this to all serious home cooks who want to up their knowledge and cooking game

Boa seleção dos pratos essenciais

Very comfortable-feeling recipes, several of which have already become mealtime staples for us. This hardback is a reprint, the 1970 revised edition of the 1960 original, and that's just why I wanted it--no over-gloss of "dietary recommendations," and presumes the cook knows what she wants to eat and why. A good selection/variety of regional cooking, with just a few dishes, as David says, that are meant to be made once or twice a year and take much more effort. The vegetable section is especially lovely. Often she'll talk about using a coffee cup to measure, a "dinner" or "breakfast" size, and as she is a British author writing about French food, measurements are not standard US. I like the small challenge of this, but if someone is very rigid about measuring, this likely would not work well for them.

One has to consider that this book was written 63 years ago - a time when cook books were written in quite a different style compared the easy reference books of today. David's book about French Provincial Cooking is cooking literature about different styles of cuisines throughout the vast French culinary landscape. For those interested in culinary history and back to the roots cookery (including wonderful original recipes) - this one is for you. For those ones who want a quick and easy recipe book - you might be overburdened. I love it and find it quite enjoyable to read, soaking up the flair of yesteryear.

great recipes, well written