The Cooking of South-West France

Rating:
Summary: This gem of a cookbook.
Review: I simply couldn't believe that anyone hadn't already reviewed and raved about Paula Wolfert's Cooking of S-W France. More than a cookbook, Wolfert takes us on a journey through one of the most wonderful regions of French cuisine. Written in an intelligent and passionate manner, she provides all the classics and adds many other recipes and insights collected during her travels through the region. If you adore french country cuisine, and you haven't seen this book already, you've missed something! Together with Jeanne Strang's "Goose fat and Garlic", I would rate this in my top ten French cookery books.

Rating:
Summary: My Favorite Cookbook, Hands Down
Review: Paula Wolfert's The Cooking of South West France is my absolute favorite cookbook. The food of South West France has always been intriguing to me and Paula's book is the best by far on the subject. Thusfar I have cooked over half of the recipes inside (working on the Air-Dried Duck Breast as we speak) and have the goal of completing all of them. The recipes range from the simple and delicious (Eggplants w/Garlic, Asparagus w/Asparagus Sauce) to the complex and delicious (Cassoulet in the Style of Toulouse, Garbure). In addition to great recipes, there is a great introductory section and excellent intros and notes for almost all the recipes. It would be a great read even if you never cooked from it (though that would be a shame). My personal favorite is Andre Daguin's Fava Bean Cassoulet. This is a book that should not be missed.