Simple French Cooking: Recipes from Our Mothers' Kitchens

"To all mothers: Those queens of our hearts, whose simple and generous cooking inspires and sustains us!"--Georges Blanc. Even the greatest cooks had to start somewhere--and for famed restaurateur Georges Blanc, it was the kitchen of his grandmother, an illustrious and well-known chef herself. Now Blanc presents 10 French "mothers," professionals who lovingly maintain and guard the country's classic culinary tradition. They come from every province, and each reveals the secrets of her regional French cuisine so you too can easily create the same time-honored dishes at home. Atmospheric photography captures the essence and style of French cookery: the old-fashioned pots in which the food simmers and bakes; the freshness of its vegetables, the richness of the country patés, the crispness of a perfectly baked duck with olives, and of course, the perfection of its presentation. Among the irresistible temptations: a beautifully made omelette with artichokes; a gorgeous salade Niçoise; sautéed frog's legs with herbs; Coq au Vin; and a heavenly orange cake flavored with Grand Marnier. You won't need any other book on traditional French cookery--this has it all. 9 1/8 X 10 1/2.

Slightly more accessible French cooking appears in Georges Blanc and Coco Jobard's Simple French Cooking: Recipes from Our Mothers' Kitchens. Blanc, who named his own multistarred restaurant in honor of his mother, has documented the cooking of outstanding French women chefs from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. These women started restaurants mostly out of obligation to their families' personal finances. Most hailed from the Lyon region of France, but some conquered the rarefied gourmet circles of Paris itself. Reading these women's inspirational stories only makes one hungrier to sample their recipes. Typical of the best French cooking, they rely on top-of-the-line ingredients, but the meticulous home cook can handily conquer the stews, casseroles, and soups. Several renditions of multimeat Pot au Feu make excellent dishes for winter dinner parties. Others, such as the homey yet very French Macaroni and Cheese, make even the plainest meals special. Mark Knoblauch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Despite the male-dominated hierarchy of most of its restaurant kitchens, France has another culinary tradition exemplified by les meres, talented female chefs, most of them born in the late 19th century, who were known for their classic, regional, bourgeois cooking. Elisa, or Mere Blanc, the grandmother of three-star chef Georges, was one of these women, and here he and food writer Jobard pay tribute to her and nine other grandes dames. They provide brief biographies of the women, five of whom were associated with Lyons, one of France's gastronomic centers, the others from various regions including the famed Mere Poulard (whose omelets gained an international reputation) of Mont Saint Michel. Their stories, illustrated by period photographs, menus, and other memorabilia, are followed by 100 or so recipes, from the Bresse Chicken in a Creamy Sauce that was Mere Blanc's signature dish to a surprisingly contemporary Samphire Salad with Marinated Sea Bass and Salmon. A charming glimpse into an important part of French culinary history.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.