Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home

Whenever I am preparing a large meal for our guests, I take the time to consult this wonderful book. I think of cookbooks as a source for ideas and guidelines, and I feel free to modify the recipes that I find. This book, like the others by Julia Child, is simultaneously an ordinary cookbook where you can follow the recipes to the letter, and at the same time a great book that literally teaches the reader how to cook. The idea of showing the disagreements and style differences between two great cooks turns out to be helpful as well as entertaining: "Oh, is that how YOU do that? Well, this is how I do it!" Bon appetit.

This book is a companion to a PBS television series on cooking demonstrated by Julia Child and Jaques Pepin where they concentrate on largely French home cooking, with much of the `meat' of the book being created by differences in approach between the two great culinary educators. Julia Child's justly famous `Mastering the Art of French Cooking' and the long series of PBS cooking shows are well known. It may be less well known outside the foodie world that Jaques Pepin is one of the leading authors of professional level books on cooking technique. The best known of these volumes is `La Technique' and `La Methode'. Pepin is also a professional educator in his role as dean at the French Culinary Institute in New York City.It is probably pure destiny that these two culinary legends should collaborate on one or more projects. Pepin came to the United States in 1959 and almost immediately got a position as a chef at La Pavilion, based on his great good luck of being the chef to the family of Charles DeGaulle while DeGaulle was President of France. Three years later, Julia Child's book was published and Pepin was dumbstruck, as he felt that this is the book he should have written himself. Pepin was lead from the strenuous world of the professional kitchen to a career of writing and teaching when he was seriously injured in an automobile accident and he could no longer spend the long hours of standing.This volume is a delight to read, even if you prepare none of the recipes in the book. In fact, the recipes tend to take a back seat to the dialogue between the two principles credited with the creation of the book. The book also enjoys one of the best possible support staffs available for culinary literature. Alfred A. Knopf publishes the book and the editor is Judith Jones, the same editor who convinced the Knopfs to print Julia Child's first landmark book. Knopf's artistic and production talent available for a major book publication has been applied to full effect. The text has the benefit of having been assembled by a professional culinary wordsmith, David Nussbaum, who culled the recipes and comments from the `authors' notes and the videotapes of the PBS TV series.The general layout of the book is that each principle author provides a recipe on an important ingredient or dish such as mussels, shrimp, hamburger, or potato salad. Each major ingredient is accompanied by sidebars by one or both of the principle authors on either handling the ingredient or strategies for preparing the dish. Some of the most interesting encounters come when the principle authors do not agree on a technique. Some disagreements are surprising, as when Chef Pepin prefers the American technique of making a hamburger while Ms. Child prefers the French, where a savory shallot saute is worked into the middle of the hamburger patty. The index very cleverly color codes recipe titles indicating whether they were supplied by Ms. Child or Chef Pepin.The point at which the recipes wrest

My husband and I have recently moved to a completely new area. I had been given this marvelous book as a christmas gift. I had watched the PBS series based on the book and loved the recipes. The first week we were in our new 'abode' my husbands office held a party, for which I was to bring dessert! So I made a Chocolate Roulade ala Jacque Pepin. It was fantastic, and so easy. It also looked wonderful. I am not a bad cook to begin with, but I have learned so much from this book. The 'tid-bits' of information that both Julia and Jacque give are invaluable, and their techniques are very easy to follow. I also love the fact that they use ingredients that are easily available to even those of us that have moved to a more 'rural' area! Consequently I have since used the book often, and haven't needed to unpack my other cookery boks. I thoroughly recommend this book to everyone that loves to cook and learn. And encourage you all to make the Roulade, it's worth the effort!

I accidentally bought this book, planned to return it, and now intend to keep it as a handy reference for all the basics of gourmet American food. Every kind of food that belongs on a well-groomed American table is explored in loving detail by both chefs, from salmon gravlax to the perfect omelet to quick stocks and fine chowders, hamburgers, roast chicken and turkey, fish, creme caramels and other simple desserts. There are great tips all over the place, from how to turn out a perfect omelet to seasoning food in stages, as it cooks, so that all the flavors are brightened instead of ending up with a salty, overseasoned dish. You could plan buffets and banquets from this one book, and while you won't be congratulated on the extraordinary originality of the food, both conservative eaters and gourmands will enjoy the quality and simplicity. Therein lies the greatness of Julia and Jaques.There is a lot of information here, not only on how to cook but also on how Julia and Jacques think and feel about food, in the margins and in the recipes. They don't hesitate to explore their differences of opinion, from seasonings to what to do if you make a mistake. As a weekend gourmet cook, I find this extremely helpful. It has already enhanced my comfort and ease with the food I cook, and that, to me, is worth it.