Product Description

Despite our growing kitchen savvy, many Americans still find French food too intimidating, too time-consuming, and too complicated. Richard Grausman, a well-known teacher of French cooking, has had a long-time mission to dispel this fear and make French cooking accessible and understandable to the American home cook. The result? AT HOME WITH THE FRENCH CLASSICS. This compendium of over 250 classic and traditional French dishes offers recipes that are not only approachable, but are also geared to the contemporary American lifestyle. The author has cut back on salt, fat, eggs, butter, and cream without any loss of authenticity or taste. The recipes have been streamlined by the use of modern appliances. Certain classic techniques, which are neither sensible for the modern kitchen nor vital for the recipe's success, have been revised or eliminated. Mediterranean Fish Soup. Roquefort Cheese Souffle. Zucchini stuffed with Mushrooms and Ham. Broiled Baby Chickens with Herbs and Mustard. Poached Chicken with Creamy Tarragon Sauce. Pepper-Coated Steak with Cognac and Cream. Rack of Lamb with Watercress. And for dessert, Pears Poached in Port Wine, Chocolate Mousse, and Rich Vanilla and Chocolate Custards. Starting with first courses and ending with after-dinner chocolates, the book contains dozens of possibilities for entertaining. Many of the dishes can be made ahead of time. Others can be made in stages, from days to weeks in advance. Selection of Better Homes & Gardens Family Book Service and Book-of-the-Month Cooking & Crafts Club. 82,000 copies in print.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #619581 in Books
• Published on: 1987-12-15
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .96" h x 7.43" w x 9.09" l, 1.64 pounds
• Binding: Paperback
• 432 pages

From Publishers Weekly
If you are cowed by puff pastry, souffles and things sauteed, Grausman's book will help you conquer your awe of French cooking. His title reflects his aim: to make classic French recipes and techniques approachable for the average cook. With more than 20 years of experience as a teacher in this country of the Cordon Bleu technique, Grausman knows the classic dishes inside out but favors the exercise of independent judgment in preparing them, on the theory that "there is always more than one way to achieve a desired end." Accordingly, he advises flexibility and creativity as a cook's cardinal virtues; urges us to adjust ingredients to taste in recipes; and notes that the "timing given in recipes should be viewed merely as a guide, not an absolute." Where practical, recipes have been shortened and do-ahead steps included. Grausman reduces or even eliminates certain staples (salt, sugar, egg yolks, cream) and uses appliances (e.g., food processors) to blend, chop and mix.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
"French Cooking Without Fear" might be another title for cooking teacher Grausman's book; his aim is to update traditional French cuisine by cutting out calories and salt, simplifying preparation and techniques, and using readily available ingredients. His intentions are good, but there is still a fair amount of butter and cream--and time--required in many of these recipes; that is part of classic French cuisine. And are all of Julia Child's and Jacques Pepin's books really so intimidating? For larger collections.-- JS
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
If you are cowed by puff pastry, souffles and things sauteed, Grausman's book will help you conquer your awe of French cooking. His title reflects his aim: to make classic French recipes and techniques approachable for the average cook. With more than 20 years of experience as a teacher in this country of the Cordon Bleu technique, Grausman knows the classic dishes inside out but favors the exercise of independent judgment in preparing them, on the theory that "there is always more than one way to achieve a desired end." Accordingly, he advises flexibility and creativity as a cook's cardinal virtues; urges us to adjust ingredients to taste in recipes; and notes that the "timing given in recipes should be viewed merely as a guide, not an absolute." Where practical, recipes have been shortened and do-ahead steps included. Grausman reduces or even eliminates certain staples (salt, sugar, egg yolks, cream) and uses appliances (e.g., food processors) to blend, chop and mix.
(Publishers Weekly )

"French Cooking Without Fear" might be another title for cooking teacher Grausman's book; his aim is to update traditional French cuisine by cutting out calories and salt, simplifying preparation and techniques, and using readily available ingredients. His intentions are good, but there is still a fair amount of butter and cream--and time--required in many of these recipes; that is part of classic French cuisine. And are all of Julia Child's and Jacques Pepin's books really so intimidating? For larger collections.-- JS
(Library Journal )