The Food and Flavours of Haute Provence

Rating:
Summary: Provence becomes close to downtown Manhattan
Review: I have been a fan of Georgeanne Brennan's writing and recipes ever since I picked up a copy of France: The Vegetarian Table several years ago. This book about Provencal cooking had exactly the same effect on me. Apart from being charmingly designed, it is well thought-out, organized into chapters based on typical Provencal ingredients (olives, certain herbs, cheeses etc) and so beautifully written that one is nearly transported to the South of France as one cooks. I have tried numerous recipes from this book and have never been disappointed with a single one: they have all been wonderful. They are uniformly precise and simple to follow. Georgeanne Brennan has a superb sense of cooking with what is to hand, following the availability of seasonal produce, and focussing on abundant fresh vegetables and herbs. This book is a total treat. I think it is one of the best books on cooking of this region since Richard Olney's efforts...

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful kitchen companion
Review: This is really a wonderful cookbook. The recipes are delicious, and whenever ingredients would be hard to find in the U.S., Brennan talks about more-readily available options and how they change preparation. Even better, though, are the descriptive essays that precede each section in the book. Brennan describes how the food fits into the culture of Haute Provence. It's not only pleasant reading, but you learn how the natives mix flavors, so you can begin to develop recipes on your own that have provencal flavors. I'm sorry to see it currently unavailable, so snap it up used if you see it!

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful kitchen companion
Review: This is really a wonderful cookbook. The recipes are delicious, and whenever ingredients would be hard to find in the U.S., Brennan talks about more-readily available options and how they change preparation. Even better, though, are the descriptive essays that precede each section in the book. Brennan describes how the food fits into the culture of Haute Provence. It's not only pleasant reading, but you learn how the natives mix flavors, so you can begin to develop recipes on your own that have provencal flavors. I'm sorry to see it currently unavailable, so snap it up used if you see it!