Imagine you're in France with a marvelous teacher, learning to turn artichokes, simmer soups, and poach perfect eggs. Renowned author and cooking instructor Wells (Bistro Cooking) calmly guides readers through essential techniques (e.g., blanching, steaming, braising) and offers illustrative "master recipes" to learn and reinterpret. Simple, seasonal dishes such as steamed cod with rosemary and seaweed butter, seared beef rib-eye steak with mint chimichurri, and individual rose and raspberry pavlovas will send gourmands to the kitchen for leisurely cooking. Don't expect shortcuts; Wells's recipes are fiercely precise and personal. If you're missing a particular tool or appliance (e.g., tea strainer, food processor, baking stone), you'll need to devise an alternative.
VERDICT Wells's latest is beautiful and instructive, and her recipes and notes are a pleasure to read. If you're lamenting the loss of Julia Child and Richard Olney, this is a must.
Comment Policy:
Comment should not be empty !!!