Escoffiers Ma Cuisine

Bearing in mind that this book was written in the era of Mrs. Beaton, when home cooks knew how to cook and when an author could use words like "veloute" without wondering if his audience would understand them, this is a fantastic cookbook. Yes, the recipes are a bit more complex than Betty Crocker, but the rewards are vast for the educated, refined palate. The recipes are antiquated, as they are aimed at the tastes of the 1930's, and, as such, they are not daily fare, but they will be valuable additions to a well rounded repertoire of cuisine.

As far as cook books go this is a fantastic book to opt for. It ranges from delicate sauces to the most complex of deserts. This book has only two flaws which in a sense are not real flaws. The first is that this book is definately designed for the experienced cook. Though it offers an explantion of many of the complicated tasks in its recipes, there is a lot of knowledge it takes for granted. So while this book is definately not for the rank amateur, with a combination of other books this could be a fantastic referece book to own. As for the second flaw, the ingredients required are not always the easiest to find. Some of the things neccessary for the recipes can not be found in your everyday super-market. But if you have access to some specialized markets you will be cooking like a professional in no time at all.