Average customer rating:
- Mixed Bag, But I Use It Regularly
- Interesting Concept, Recipes don't work
- Yummy for baby and us too!
- Perfect for picky toddlers/husband
- one word - boring
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The Baby Bistro Cookbook: Healthy, Delicious Cuisine for Babies, Toddlers, and You
Joohee Muromcew
Manufacturer: Rodale Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1579547222 |
Book Description
If Julia Child were to have written a cookbook for new moms, this would be it. The Baby Bistro Cookbook speaks to a growing population of parents who want the same fresh and healthy, great-tasting dishes for their children as they have come to expect for themselves. Not only will these recipes satisfy little ones, but they are delicious enough for the entire family. Unlike previously published baby and toddler cookbooks that either appear outdated or offer unsavory health food alternatives, The Baby Bistro Cookbook demonstrates how easy and satisfying it can be to cook for little ones with thoughtfully conceived and smartly written recipes. The book is chock-full of helpful sidebars and timesaving tips, such as: -Substitutions for children with food allergies -Directions for preparing an entire week's supply of dishes that can be easily refrigerated or frozen -Lists of the best finger foods and snacks to have on hand -Hints on what foods to pack when traveling with children -Pediatrician-approved information on adapting recipes to suit your child's age and tastes
Customer Reviews:
Mixed Bag, But I Use It Regularly.......2007-06-18
THE BABY BISTRO COOKBOOK is not my favorite cookbook, but it is one that I have come back to again and again. When a very picky relative (meat and starch but no vegetables or spices) came to visit, THE BABY BISTRO COOKBOOK was perfect. If you have never considered cooking for your child, this is a great book to add to your shelf.
However, I could not get by with THE BABY BISTRO COOKBOOK as my only toddler cookbook. In my view, the strengths of THE BABY BISTRO COOKBOOK are in its treatment of some basics.
RECIPES WE LOVE: Baked Sweet Potato Sticks, Zucchini Coins, Vegetarian Black Beans and Rice, Korean Barbecue, Cheddar Chicken and Broccoli Casserole, Cornmeal Catfish (though we spice ours up more), Gingersnaps, Coconut Macaroons, Horchata
RECIPES WE LIKE: Apple Cider-Glazed Carrots, Risotto (though I had to add lots more liquid), No-Peanut Sesame Noodles, Shepherd's Pie, Curried Chicken, Salmon and Polenta (okay but have not liked it enough to repeat it)
NOT SO GREAT: Lemon and Rice Soup, Pumpkin Ravioli (will try this again)
RECIPES THAT DID NOT WORK FOR US AT ALL: Kiwi-Lime Agua Fresca (first recipe I tried, and it was wretched; there is no sweetener, so this is a very sour and tart drink); Steamed Japanese Egg Custard
NOTE ABOUT ALLERGIES: This is not a great cookbook if your child is sensitive to dairy or wheat. I was not able to do much with the book until my baby started to outgrow his dairy sensitivity.
ONE MORE NOTE: She recommends eating organic foods, but her cooking times seem to be based on white rice. If you are enough of a health nut to want brown rice, you'll need to make adjustments.
Interesting Concept, Recipes don't work.......2007-06-04
This book has some great ideas and the overall concept is a good one, but the hype gets lost in the details. Many of the actual recipes, as others have reported, just don't work. The vanilla cupcakes are salty and rubbery, the chicken soup has no flavor, the blueberry muffins stick and aren't done at the prescribed time. It makes me wonder if anyone ever tested the recipes before they were published. Don't waste your money on this book - just modify recipes that you already like and you'll probably end up with better results.
Yummy for baby and us too!.......2007-05-18
I just got this cookbook and already I have made quite a few recipes from it. My daughter loves them, and her mom and dad do too. They are easy to follow and well thought out. I really like this cookbook.
Perfect for picky toddlers/husband.......2007-05-06
Good food that is easy to make, and doesn't require a trip to the store every time you want to make something. Many of my favorites, including the sesame noodles, peanut sesame noodles, mexican rice and black bean soup can be made with pantry ingredients. My 2 year old ate everything I have made from this book, without any bribes. My 1 year old loves the cheddar coins, and they are easy to make, even with two toddlers in the kitchen helping. She has lots of good ideas, and its food you actually want to eat. I recommend this book to all my friends who have kids, its great because you don't have to make separate food for your toddler.
one word - boring.......2007-04-07
Thanks but no thanks. I do not need a recipe for mashed potatoes or applesauce. If you want boring and basic, this cookbook is for you. But if you want new and exciting flavors for your baby to enjoy, find another baby cookbook.
Amazon.com
In this warm look into the world of French bistro food, eminent food writer Patricia Wells reveals her love for this simple, robust cuisine in a collection of recipes garnered from France's best bistros. From Warm Potato Salad with Herbed Vinaigrette to Lamb Stew in White Wine to Pear Clafoutis, Wells admits her preference for hearty, homey bistro dishes. Through clearly written recipes, Wells encourages cooks to buy the best ingredients and turn them into fragrant, warming dishes. Each recipe has a note telling where it came from and alluding to its flavor. Pithy quotes throughout the book relate to bistro style--in cooking, serving, and eating--and historical quotations give a cultural connotation. Wine choices reach deep into the heart of France, from a crisp white from Provence such as a Chateau Simone with lamb, to a good Côtes du Rhone (Cru du Coudelet) with guinea hen. From the introduction to the last dessert recipe (for Prunes in Red Wine), Bistro Cooking is sure to please not just the novice in the kitchen, but the experienced cook as well. --Susan Loomis, Amazon.co.uk
Book Description
Bistro is warm. Bistro is family. Bistro is simple, hearty, generous cuisine-robust soups and country omelets, wine-scented stews and bubbling gratins, and desserts from a grandmother's kitchen. Researched and written by Patricia Wells, author of The Food Lover's Guide to Paris and The Food Lover's Guide to France, together with over 220,000 copies in print, here is a celebration of the no-nonsense, inexpensive, soul-satisfying cuisine of the neighborhood restaurants of France.
BISTRO COOKING contains over 200 scrumptious bistro recipes made lighter and quicker for the way we cook today. Warm Poached Sausage with Potato Salad. Benoit's Mussel Soup. Guy Savoy's Fall Leg of Lamb. Beef Stew with Wild Mushrooms and Orange, Chicken Basquaise, Pasta with Lemon, Ham, and Black Olives, L'Ami Louis' Potato Cake, Provencal Roast Tomatoes, Pears in Red Wine, and Golden Cream and Apple Tart.
Throughout, lively notes and sidebars capture the world of bistro owners in the kitchen, les grands chefs, and more. Selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club. Winner of the 1989 IACP Seagram Food and Beverage Award. Over 166,000 copies in print.
Customer Reviews:
How can one do so much with such basic ingredients and simple recipes?.......2007-08-29
This cookbook contains a collection of recipes inspired by and taken from a wide array of French bistros. Patricia Wells has assembled a terrific array of cookbooks, but this may be her best. With a few exceptions, these recipes take what I consider to be basic ingredients and turn them into a wide array of delicious, easy to prepare dishes. There are a few recipes that call for things that are uncommon to the American palate (e.g. rabbit), but overall this cookbook contains a huge number of easy to make, accessable recipes that will be enjoyed by Americans. The book is divided into 12 sections covering salads, desserts, pasta, soups, etc. It is also a regional tour through France with a diverse selection of recipes from big city bistros and small town or rural restaurants. Each recipe has a paragraph or two describing the bistro from which it was taken and some discussion of regional cuisine. One thing that I REALLY liked about this cookbook is that it will give you ideas for other concoctions. That is, as I was trying some of the recipes, I was constantly thinking `using A with B' is a great idea. For example, there is a great recipe for poached eggs in a wine sauce. A great idea! Another (minor but important) thing that I liked about this book was that it was bound so that it could be propped open on the kitchen counter. There are also flaps on the front and back cover that can block the page open so that you don't have to go fishing through the book if it does flip closed. This is a cookbook that we return to again and again, definitely worth the money.
A french bistro classic.......2007-07-23
This book is great! I've lived in France and I believe this book really does deliver classic bistro fare without all the grease you can find in so many sub par Paris bistros! I agree with another reviewer that the recipes are hit and miss. For instance, the potato gratin just doesn't do it for me.
Most of the dishes require ingredients you find at the regular grocery store, are quick to make, and delicious to eat. I appreciate her complement/menu ideas. I feel that I've slightly improved on a couple of her lamb recipes and now include them in my list of recipes for entertaining.
I wish I had the same quality of book for southern French style of cooking.
can't be beat.......2007-04-12
This is a cookbook as a cookbook should be. The recipes are direct, succinct and just what one needs to prepare the dish without elaborate fuss. And most of the dishes are great. If I had to settle for one cookbook only, this would be it.
Favorite French Cooking Book.......2007-04-10
This is my all time favorite french cooking cook book. I know there are other better books, including some of the author's other books, but for all around cooking, this is the one I turn to the most. My favorite are the potato dishes. Amazing how subtle differences in the recipes yield such wonderfully different and delicious results. The roasted tomatoes recipe is worth the price of the book alone. I've actually made a tomato tart using the recipe for the roasted tomatoes to make a tart that has people wetting their forks to get every last crumb. The very simple Chicken Sauteed with Shallots recipe is another example of how simple technique can have a huge payoff. I hate onions but love shallots, especially with garlic. Two tablespoons of brandy in the dish really elevate it.
For everyday French cooking, this is the book I buy as gifts to other people. If you're just starting out with French cooking, or want everyday meals with the French flair, this is the book to buy.
bistro cooking.......2006-11-05
This book is a classic of simple French Soul Food recipes. So far I've tried about one third of the recipes without a disappointment. And not a single trip the local botique market for pricey, exotic ingredients. The descriptions of how Patricia found these gems adds further warm and fuzzies.
Book Description
In this long-awaited cookbook, Anthony Bourdain reveals the hearty, delicious recipes of Les Halles and the provocative tricks of the trade that have made him a celebrated name across the globe.
Before stunning the world with his bestselling Kitchen Confidential and A Cook's Tour, Anthony Bourdain spent years serving some of the best French brasserie food in New York. With its no-nonsense, down-to-earth atmosphere, Les Halles matches Bourdain's style perfectly: a restaurant where you can dress down, talk loudly, drink a little too much wine, and have a good time with friends. Now, Bourdain gives us his Les Halles Cookbook, a cookbook like no other: candid, funny, audacious, full of his signature charm and bravado.
So bring a sharp knife, a big appetite, and a willingness to learn, as Bourdain teaches you everything you need to know to prepare classic French bistro fare. While you're being guided, in simple steps, through recipes like roasted veal short ribs and steak frites, escargots aux noix, and foie gras aux pruneaux, you'll feel like he's in the kitchen beside you-reeling off a few insults when you've scorched the sauce, and then patting you on the back for finally getting the steak tartare right.
As practical as it is entertaining, Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook is a can't-miss treat for cookbook lovers, aspiring chefs, and Bourdain fans everywhere.
Customer Reviews:
Got my "meese" going..........2007-09-24
Anthony's book fits well with my bent-witted and highly unprofessional kitchen antics.
As a therapy escape from my day job, I cook, and this book tosses out not only a fun challenge but also a bit of colorful humor. Anthony knows his stuff and as you read, you'll know it too.
My only regret...I missed his local book signing event because of my darn day job!
Good to read but better to cook with.......2007-09-07
This is alot more interesting than most cookbooks. Mostly because of the personable style in which the chapters and/or dishes are written and described. There is a little profanity contained in a few sections, so if this is a gift or you plan on lending it out you may want to be careful to whom you give it. However I found what little profane language the book contained was meant to be more irreverent than offensive and it came off as a personal joke between the author and the reader, but that's just me. You'll have to decide if this presentation is for you.
The recipies are laid out well, concise, organized, and while some cuts of meat and ingredients are difficult to come by, or possibly called something else in your part of the country, with a little work you can come up with suitable substatutes and the results are amazingly good.
If you're a cook you'll love this book.
Excellent Recipes.......2007-08-21
I really enjoyed cooking with this book. The recipes are easy to follow and taste wonderful. It's also commical the way Anthony Bourdain describes how to put some of the recipes together. Cooking is fun and this book had me laughing in my kitchen.
Full of fun.......2007-08-21
What can you expect from a book written by a chef 'labeled' as stylish and character? It's a book full of fun to read. The front part really gives you most of the in-depth thoughts you need to be a happy cook (yeah, happy - not successful).
For the recipes part - I cook for my family every weekend and this part inspired me a lot. Though some recipes require stuffs which I cannot acquire locally in Hong Kong, you can still make use of the many tricks and wisdom Anthony shared in the books - some literally, some hidden!
Enjoy.
An excellent read; excellent directions; humor to cook with!.......2007-08-14
If you've read any of Bourdain's books, you know what type of humor I am refering to . His writing style for this book is as if he was standing next to you instructing.....and leting you know when you screwed up. I wished he would have included the French translations of dishes in the Glossary. Some of the recipes require some "difficult to locate ingredients" and while I am a big proponent of making your own stock, continuing on to reduce and make a demi-glace may be a bit too much time-wise for some cooks, especially when you can get it on the Internet....and while it may be pricey....consider your own time in doing it, especially when you are only adding a tablespoon to a receipe. I recommend this if you want to cook bistro type food.
Book Description
Bistro cooking captures the gastronomic esprit of France, conjuring memories of the perfect lunch or cozy dinner in a charming little restaurant in Paris, or perhaps Provence or Normandy. But true bistro cooking can be a bit tricky for a vegetarian -- that is, until now. Marlena Spieler has traveled across France collecting favorite recipes from street cafe and corner restaurants and developing her own adaptations of beloved bistro fare. She brings fresh flavor and zest to the best-selling tradition of bistro cookbooks, presenting an enticing array of authentic dishes without meat. Destined to become a classic, The Vegetarian Bistroreveals a wonderfully healthful and decidedly delicious new side of traditional French bistro cookery.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent recipes.......2005-07-12
Delicious food and easy to prepare- all of the recipes we have tried from this book were winners. I have lots of vegetarian cookbooks, but this one has plenty of recipes and combinations that are missing in the others. There are also wine and side dish serving suggestions. However, I just can't stand the deckeled edges of the book. Sure- it gives a quaint, rustic appeal to the book, but it makes flipping through the pages impossible. The lack of photos and the layout of the pages takes away from an otherwise great cookbook. If it were redesigned, I'd buy another copy in a heartbeat.
Great French Fare.......2002-06-11
This cookbook offers a great selection of dishes that taste like authentic French fare. The author provides short vignettes with each recipe, sort of travelogue pieces that set the stage for the dish. There are charming illustrations peppered throughout the book. The writing is straight-forward and the author's zest is apparent. She is more liberal with the fats than I would be, but this is easily adjusted. She also admits to a fondness for lots of garlic-- here too the recipes can use one clove instead of her preferred five cloves, or the garlic can be roasted to provide a mellow rather than biting flavor.
There are a variety of satisfying dishes that are quite true to their origins. The author provides some filling entrees, such as Puree Of Beans And Potatoes Over Roasted Red Peppers; Stuffed Savoy Cabbage; Pasta With Pistou And Goat Cheese; and Potato Cheese Cakes. She also presents a number of stews and souffles. Among the soups are great recipes for Fennel, Zucchini And Leek; Asparagus And Tomato; Celery And Celeriac; and Carrot And Tomato With Cumin. The salad section does not rely on greens: recommended are the Fennel And Red Pepper; the White Beans With Black Olive Dressing; and the Belgian Endives Baked With Roquefort. There are also good cheese and dessert sections in this wonderful cookbook.
Second purchase.......2001-09-26
I am buying a second copy for myself as I have no idea where the first one is. I loved the recipes. Loving all things french, these recipes make me think I am right there in France. I have a lot of cookbooks and this is still one I want on my shelf.
Authentic, creative vegetarian solutions to French cooking.......1999-11-11
Having grown up in France, I have yearned for authentic vegetarian recipes. This brings France home. The recipes are easy, full of flavor, worth sharing with non vegetarians proudly. Even my kids ate the recipes. Some are higher in fat than I like, but I found them easy to adapt successfully (and I would not consider myself a cook). Worth every penny and a fun read.
Excellent.......1998-07-07
Everything I've tried in this book has been delicious. The ingredients are easy to find and the instructions are simple to follow. You have to try the Garlic Soup!
Amazon.com
Payard Pâtisserie and Bistro has won the devotion of Manhattan's pickiest sweet tooths, who hardly know which of its treats to devour first: the extra-tart Lemon Tart, the Chocolate Mikado Cake, or the Frozen Coconut Soufflé, among other delights.
Besieged with requests for the recipes, the store's award-winning owner and pastry chef, Françoise Payard, has responded wisely with a book geared to the home baker. Simply Sensational Desserts presents over 140 Payard classics transformed (where necessary) to make their preparation absolutely accessible. Everyday and advanced bakers alike will delight in Payard's easy yet uncompromised formulas, not to mention the results they yield.
Beginning with chapters devoted to ingredients, fundamental techniques, and pastry basics like sweet tart dough and genoise--the building blocks of Payard's repertoire and never more simply conceived--the book also presents dessert soups, cookies and petits fours, chocolate cakes (don't miss the Chocolate Pudding Cake), tarts, soufflés, candies, ice creams, and granités. Special chapters devoted to weekend cakes like pain d'epices--portable treats designed for casual munching--and holiday cakes, cookies, and bites conclude the feast. And a feast it is: besides recipes for the four-star goodies mentioned above, Payard includes Rhubarb Lemongrass Soup, Pistachio-Almond Biscotti, Pecan Reine de Saba, Rustic Peach Tart, Chestnut Yule Log, and Soft Chocolate Caramels. Payard also offers his special take on Belgian waffles, tuiles (his pistachio-almond version is stellar), macaroons, pound and fruit cakes, charlottes, and that most perfect dessert (and dessert accompaniment), vanilla ice cream, among others. Color photos profile Payard's homey yet sophisticated desserts--all designed, as Payard tellingly notes, to be made. --Arthur Boehm
Book Description
He was named Pastry Chef of the Year by both the James Beard Foundation and Bon Appétit. Payard Pâtisserie and Bistro in New York has been hailed as a "culinary Shangri-la" by New York magazine. His dazzling cookies, cakes, and tarts, with their intricate detail and explosion of flavor, are coveted coast-to-coast. And now, François Payard shares his breathtaking desserts with home cooks.
Yes, his innovative recipes are remarkably simple. Here's what America's leading chefs are saying about François Payard and this stunning collection of spectacular desserts:
"François Payard is the best pastry chef that France ever exported to tantalize the American palate. From the useful chapters on technique, equipment, and basics, down to the many innovative and contemporary creations with clearly written recipes, this book is a must for the passionate baker.
Simply Sensational Desserts will make François's mouth-watering desserts the hit of your next dinner party."
--Daniel Boulud, chef/owner of Daniel and Café Boulud
"It was a great day for New York when François Payard brought his whisks and wizardry to town. Now, all of America can rejoice in his creations. With this wide-ranging collection, François shares his extraordinary talent and surprises us with his knack for simplifying even the most sophisticated sweets. There isn't a single recipe for one of his astonishing desserts that can't be made--perfectly--by anyone with an oven, a mixer, and a sweet tooth.
Simply Sensational Desserts is simply swell.
--Dorie Greenspan, author of
Baking with Julia and
Desserts by Pierre Hermé
"I have always been inspired by the brilliance and passion of François Payard. His depth of knowledge is what we all aspire to. Through his accessible and easy-to-use
Simply Sensational Desserts, François can now inspire everyone--pastry chefs and home cooks alike. What a treat!"
--Claudia Fleming, pastry chef, Gramercy Tavern
With fifty full-color photographs and 140 simple, spectacular recipes, information on ingredients and equipment, innovative techniques and decorating ideas, and an entire chapter on basic pastry recipes, this long-awaited collection guarantees simply sensational desserts every time.
Customer Reviews:
the best ..........2007-06-04
this book is for everybody who love good dessert, simple, easy and result are absolutely fantastic, even my sons (13 years old) use it
Practical, not over-charging resources, spectacular. .......2006-05-21
I am highly impressed with this book. There are too many cookbooks on the market written by chefs that advertise their own restaurants, or require highly expensive and inaccessible ingredients, or with recipes that require a whole weekend to construct just for visual effects, or all of the above. Francois Payard truly understands the needs and resources of a home cook.
So far, I have tried 5 dessert soups (mango soup with gingered raspberries is my favorite, and it caused a standing ovation from my family and guests), a few cookies (coconut tuiles are sooo simple and sooo delicious), 4 cakes ( the Chocolate Pudding Cake is the simplest cake in its category across several cookbooks, and fantastic in terms of flavor and impressive in terms of presentation; Gateau Alexandra caused deep envy of my husband's male friends :)), and 4 tarts, all of which turned out delicious and quite original. I appreciate that the author gives one recipe for tart dough which works for several of the sweet tarts (there are variations for some other tarts). I already had 6 lemon tarts/pies/cakes in my cooking repertoire, but Payard's lemon tart is just unbelievably flavorful, tasty, beautiful, and so simple! Mediterranean Swiss Chard tart is very original, takes little time to make (you can make several batches of tart dough once and use a prepared in advance batch), and is versatile - try it with other nuts, or golden raisins, or soak raisins in Amaretto instead of rum, or use dried cherries instead of raisins and soak them in Kirsch instead of rum. Hazelnut Tart with Chocolate Chantilly Cream also gives an ubelievable return on investment: it tastes great and looks very sophisticated for the actual time required to make it. It is somewhat rich, so I had to preceed it with a lighter entree when serving it as a dinner dessert course. There are recipes for warm souffles and for frozen souffles, which gives a good representation for one book. The photographs are beautiful. Not only is this book very practical, but it will also make a great gift.
I believe that this book is worth every penny and I recommend it very highly. Bravo, Francois Payard!
Fantastic book - wish I'd bought it earlier.......2005-09-15
I've been purchasing books from Amazon for ages. I love cookbooks - but especially books on baking. I've had my eye on this book for a while but I wish I'd bought it earlier. I've used several recipes from the book and they all turn out fantastic -some require a bit of effort - but you will be well rewarded. I made the bunny cake for my son's 3 year old birthday and every single person who tasted the cake raved and raved. Delicious recipes and great instructions. Thank you Mr Payard.
Disappointing, overall.......2005-08-10
Although there are a few good recipes, I found this cookbook to be disappointing overall. I'll start off with the good: The lemon tart recipe is not only delicious, but a breeze to make and worth the price of the book. The chocolate sorbet is also delicious. The quality of the paper and photographs are excellent, with many beautiful color photographs illustrating the finished product. Now the bad: There is at least one glaring typographical error in this book. The recipe for Linzer Cookies calls for over 2 sticks of butter, 1 cup of hazelnut flour and 1/3 cup of flour. These proportions simply do not work. I had to add at least 1 1/2 cups of flour to prevent the cookies from melting into puddles of butter in the oven. Given that the cover price is $35.00 and the author is a prominent N.Y.C. pastry chef, this alone justifies the two star rating. There simply should not be any recipes whose failure is not attributable to any individual person's taste preferences but to incorrect ingredient proportions. In addition, for what it's worth, three other recipes that I tried (Apricot Tea Cakes, Pineapple Tea Cakes, Golden Banana Cake) tasted very bad in my opinion.
For a good cookbook containing French-style pastries, try "Paris Sweets," by Dorie Greenspan instead.
Big Hoopla, Mediocre Recipes.......2004-09-18
This cook book starts out with many promises and a big name attached to a famous patisserie. There are some good points; in the end, however, it turns out to be a decent, if undistinguished, dessert book. This book is especially valuable for those who are fans of the author's eateries.
All of the popular, wonderful items at Payard's patisserie on the East Coast have been adapted for the home kitchen. Gone are the multiple component creations that take several days to execute at home, as are the sophisticated decorative touches that take talent and look like Picasso or Dali on a bad day. There are few components to do (e.g. only one pie crust recipe, rather than the dozen or so you will find in competing books), and all that is left is the wonderful taste. This, at any rate, is the stated intention of the author. Problem is, the recipes themselves are things you can find in almost any all purpose cook book, and there is little reason to pick this one over a cook book you might already have on your bookshelf. It is true, however, that all of the finicky bits are missing and procedures for the most part are not that difficult to do, and do not require any special skills.
The first part is a good step. It lists delineates tools, techniques, and basic recipes (genoise, simple syrup, buttercream, apricot glaze, etc.) that are crucial, but are often relegated as boring stuff tossed in at the end of many cook books. This book, happily, lists weights as well as volume measures for both liquid and dry ingredients, the mark of a good cook book author (thank you, chef). However, it has several lapses. It does not describe the proper procedure to beat egg whites, fold batter, or tell you what a batter that "ribbons" means. For ingredients: he specifies grade AA large, but does not indicate that the size ("large") and not the grade is important (AAA, AA, A, and even B will work as long as the egg size is correct); Armagnac is specified, but substitutes for those who cannot get or afford it are not specified (in fact, any decent quality brandy will do; I use California ones and usually get better flavors than with Armagnac), and a similar remark applies to his choice of chocolate (whenever a cookbook specifies Callebaut, I substitute Hershey's Special Dark, and always get identical results).
The Fruit Soup chapter is like Mexican agua fresca with Asian flavors (lemongrass, ginger, and five spice powder). Note that the Cookie chapter is about classic French cookies (tuiles, sables, macaroons, etc.), and not American ones. The Cake chapters were uninteresting, but the tarts were pretty good (especially the Lemon, and also the individual Tartes Tatin). In the Souffle chapter, half of them were frozen souffles (really just frozen mousse). I cannot tell you about the ice cream chapter, since I do not have an ice cream machine or a freezer cold enough to make granite. The last two chapters on Holiday stuff and Candy have some decent recipes. A listing of all recipes in the table of contents or chapter heads would be an improvement.
Book Description
Paris claims to have invented the restaurant with the opening of Beauvilliers in 1784, and here are over 100 dining places that keep the city at the crossroads of culinary tradition and innovation. Rival indulges the reader with a discerning selection of splendid historic restaurants, notorious brasseries, down-to-earth bistros, and contemporary hot spots. Each is described in delectable detail. From the glittering decadence of Michelin 3-star chef Guy Martin's Le Grand Véfour, to Jacques Garcia's trendy Hôtel Costes, and from Philippe Starck's Bacarrat wonderland to the student haven at Polidor, the restaurants presented here are tried and true; they define the delights of dining à la française.An indispensable black book provides the reader with contact information for the featured restaurants as well as other exceptional eateries in the food capital of the world. Rival covers all the notable addresses in a volume that serves as both a practical reference as well as an exquisite visual feast for the armchair traveler.
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful Book..........2006-07-23
If you have dined at any of the restaurants listed in this book, you'll want it (Le Grand Véfour, Jules Verne, Taillevant...) The photography is stunning, and it is an historical view of the greatest restaurants in the world. There is something magical about looking at the pages and saying "Wow! I sat right there... and enjoyed one of the most memorable meals of my life!"
If you have never dined at any of these restaurants, you may wish to buy it- just so you can plan a trip there......
Book Description
Authentic recipes from Parisian bistros are perfect for simple, celebratory meals with family and friends. Classic dishes like French Onion Soup, Coq au Vin, and Tarte Tatin capture the tastes of easy, old-fashioned French cooking. A description of each bistros style and neighborhood guides to nearby sights and amusements lead readers on a gourmet tour of Paris.
With sections on how to order like a true Parisian, a bistro menu glossary, and suggestions for dining bistro-style at home, this is the perfect volume for confirmed francophiles, first-time visitors to France, and everyone interested in enjoying French cuisine, family style. The accompanying compact disc of tunes by Edith Piaf, Django Reinhardt, and George Gershwin sets a stylish and romantic Parisian mood to complete the bistro experience.
Customer Reviews:
Sucess in the kitchen!.......2005-04-20
I have had great sucess with many of the recipes here. The recipes are easy to follow, the photos of the finished dish are inspiring,and the result is very tasty! There is just a step or two in these recipes that really elevate these dishes. The best Coq a vin and cauliflower gratin I have ever tasted! I look forward to trying the desserts next.The accompanying CD was a fun surprise...It is actually very pleasant to listen to when cooking: upbeat but not too loud,all rather "hummable" and fun.This cookbook and CD is perfect for a relaxing Sunday afternoon preparing a special Sunday dinner.Highly recommended.
Great gift for any francophile.......2003-12-29
Now a confirmed francophile after honeymooning in Paris, my daughter is delighted with this collection of authentic bistro recipes and music. With the CD and recipes, easy enough even for her novice cooking skills, she can re-create the Parisian mood at home while entertaining family and friends. The only thing lacking are more photographs of the prepared recipes as food is to be savored by our mouth, nose and eyes.
Amazon.com
Gordon Hamersley's Bistro Cooking at Home makes a much-explored culinary style newly exciting. Hamersley, chef-owner of Hamersley's Bistro in Boston, has won praise for fare that, though straightforward, is often flubbed, due to poor ingredients and technique. Bistro Cooking repeats his success, providing 150 classic and innovative recipes for irresistible dishes like Tian of Summer Vegetables Provençale and Spicy Lamb Shanks with Couscous and Preserved Lemons. Immediately appealing--open the book to any recipe and you'll want to start cooking--the book also boasts cook-friendly asides like "How to Make a Great Vinaigrette."
The organization is equally enticing. Beginning with "The Art of the Salad," which includes a particularly good version of frisée salad with lardons and poached egg, and "Small Plates," like Wild Mushroom and Roasted Garlic Sandwich, the book then pursues savory tarts, gratins and galettes, such as Fresh Goat Cheese, Roasted Beet and Walnut Tart; starchy dishes including Crabmeat Risotto with Peas and Mint and bistro-style fish like the quick-and-easy Halibut with White Wine, Shallots and Basil. Meat and vegetables are equally well represented--there's a mini-repertoire of roast chicken and duck confit dishes--as are simple but "finished" desserts like Souffléed Lemon Custard and Chocolate Mousse Cake. With a useful section on techniques (moderate-temperature "walk away roasting" ensures juicer results, says the author), good pantry-stocking advice, and color photos that further excite kitchen action. --Arthur Boehm
Book Description
Bistro cooking—bold and full-flavored—is more like the best home cooking than restaurant fare, featuring slow-cooked stews, exquisitely roasted chickens, perfectly seared steaks, vibrant salads, fresh fruit tarts, and comforting custards. Now Gordon Hamersley of acclaimed Hamersley’s Bistro in Boston helps home cooks bring these classic dishes into their own kitchens.
Bistro Cooking at Home offers a complete menu of versatile selections for cooks who crave sophisticated but easy-to-prepare comfort food. Many of the dishes allow for “walk-away cooking,” such as stews, roasts, or braises. And many of these same dishes taste best if prepared a day or two ahead, making entertaining foolproof. Although the accent is French, dishes such as hamburgers stuffed with blue cheese and Pear Cranberry Crumble reflect Gordon Hamersley’s all-American roots.
Start a bistro meal at home with Hamersley’s classic Onion Soup au Gratin or signature Wild Mushroom and Roasted Garlic Sandwich. For a main course there is roast chicken (you can cook it ahead and reheat it under the broiler), New England Bouillabaisse with Rouille and Croutons, or Moroccan lamb shanks. Pasta, polenta, and risotto are given French finesse in dishes such as Lemon-Scented Risotto with Morels and Chives and Oven-Baked Penne with Onions, Walnuts, and Goat Cheese. The Savory Tarts, Gratins, and Galettes chapter holds such richly satisfying dishes as Portobello Mushroom and Roquefort Galette or Creamy Bistro Potato and Leek Gratin, each practically a meal in itself. Even vegetables are made exciting in dishes ranging from Roasted Artichokes with Garlic and Pancetta Bread Crumbs to Garlicky Mashed Potato Cakes. Bistro-inspired desserts include Maple Crème Brûlée, Profiteroles with Easy Chocolate Sauce, and a dense Chocolate Truffle Cake.
All the main dishes are accompanied by knowledgeable, down-to-earth wine recommendations from Fiona Hamersley, Gordon’s wife, who runs the wine service at the restaurant. With the Hamersleys’s expert guidance every step of the way, you can re-create the romance of bistro dining—at home.
Customer Reviews:
Superior autumn/winter cookbook.......2007-01-09
A truly great cookbook. Not something I reach for during the hot summer months but one I reach for routinely the rest of the year. He's in love with heavy cream as an ingredient, something I try to avoid normally, but I have had success substituting half the heavy cream called for in several recipes with evaporated skim milk and that has worked out just fine and made me feel better about lightening the fat content.
Hamersley's in your home!!.......2006-04-21
If you've ever been to Hamersley's you know what a gift this book is to the culinary world. If you have never been there... get the book. You'll then understand. Magnificent!
Fabulous Cookbook.......2006-02-17
Great cookbook. Really tasty recipes that appeal to modern tastes. So far no recipe takes more than about 45 minutes.
well written - reliable recipes.......2006-01-17
Love this cookbook!
If you like French bistro cooking you'll love this book. Excellent! He gives very clear directions for simple French fare. I especially like his selection of stocks and sauce basics. I've made quite a few of the recipes and each one was delicious.
Buyer Beware! Once you open it..........2006-01-08
no other cookbook will do! I stumbled across this gem at my local library one warm summer day. The rest, as they say, is history: my other cookbooks have been gathering dust ever since.
Every recipe I've tried has been really fabulous - truly, there isn't a dud in this book. The Curried Zucchini Risotto (a dream of saffron, sherry, fresh mint and cilantro - along with the titular ingredients) was an instant hit, the roast chicken recipe IS as good as they say, and the Lemon Lavendar sugar cookies were the star of holiday care packages.
Another nice feature is the range of options here: though we enjoy meat, we only eat it once or twice a week, and Hamersley offers a wealth of delicious vegetarian dishes - from hearty salads (the roasted vegetable salad with romesco sauce is a regular on our table, well worth the lengthy prep time) and soups to delicious gratins and tarts.
There's a lot to love about this book!
Book Description
The best home-style cooking in the world comes from the best bistros in Paris. Linda Dannenberg's Paris Bistro Cooking serves up 19 of the greatest, from the classic bistros to the deluxe, all-night, and neo-bistros -- each with its own special menus and romantic ambiance -- with more than 100 stellar recipes and 150 full-color photographs by Guy Bouchet.
Customer Reviews:
This book captures the essence of the Bistro experience........1998-10-26
I am a professional Chef in Boulder, Colorado. My apprenticeship included nine months in Paris and during that time I was entranced by Bistros of all types. This book not only captures the spirit and the essence of the Bistro experience, but also serves as a very useful guide to eating well, looking well, and being seen well while in Paris. I am ordering a second copy today since the first has met the demise of most loaned out books.
A must-have for lovers of French cookery!.......1998-04-22
Neighborhood bistros of Paris have a charm and ambience all their own. Linda Dannenberg captures their flavor in her picturesque book Paris Bistro Cooking. Photographer, Guy Bouchet, captures their appeal with his delightful photographs, which whisks you into the amicable atmosphere of savory meals and congenial company. Coquille Saint-Jacques, Sole Grenobloise, Cassoulet Toulousain, Gratin Dauphinois, Pots de Creme au Chocolat, Galette de Pommes de Terre au Chevre en Salade, and Tarte Tatin--are just a very few of the mouthwatering recipes included. Ms. Dannenberg also lists sources for bistroware, supply houses, furniture, mail-order emporiums, etc., in a directory at the back of the book. Paris Bistro Cooking is bound to bring pleasure. But, beware! This book inspires hunger!
Customer Reviews:
A 'must have' cookbook.......2005-07-22
I LOVE this cookbook. As opposed to some cookbooks which I use for maybe only one or two recipes, I use many of the recipes in this book; they have almost always been successful. If I had to choose just four books from my fairly extensive cookbook collection, this would be one of them!
French cuisine for everyone.......2000-06-11
Anyone who wants to enjoy fast, easy and authentic French cooking in the comfort of their own home should definitely buy this book. The recipes are simple and well explained, and readers will enjoy success after success. Planning an entire informal French meal is easy, as courses are divided into sections in the book.
Most of all, the recipes are delicious and truly French.
Excellent recipes with enticing illustrations.......2000-05-17
After making most of the recipes in this book, we've decided it's one of the best we own. Everything we have made from this book has been exceptionally tasty and original, and many are relatively easy. We use it a lot during the week when our time for cooking is very limited. Don't let it's slim size and pretty pictures deter you -the illustrations are helpful and enticing, and the porportion of recipes worth making repeatedly is very high.
Clever Recipes In A Lovely Package.......1999-08-27
I just bought this cookbook last week, and was astounded at the simplicity and beauty of each recipe. The directions are clear and concise, and unlike a lot of French cooking, you don't use every pot and bowl in the house. I liked especially the way the book was formatted - appetizers, soups, main dishes, desserts - you can form a complete menu for a special meal and never need to leave the book! The glossary in the back spells out some of the obscure or unknown techniques employed in the recipes, such as the easy way to roast and skin peppers. The tone of the writing helps to inspire confidence. There's no assumption that you should know all about the intricacies of cooking; just have fun! One caveat: This is not a cookbook for those on a low-fat diet. But, in moderation, each recipe can be enjoyed.
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