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Mastering the Art of French Cooking (2 Volume Set) |  | Authors: Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle, Simone Beck
Publisher: Knopf
Category: Book
List Price: $89.95
Buy New: $44.84
as of 7/30/2010 18:21 MDT details
You Save: $45.11 (50%)
New (37) Used (15) Collectible (1) from $44.84
Seller: Holston Book
Rating:  108 reviews
Sales Rank: 325
Format: Box set
Media: Hardcover
Edition: Reprints
Number Of Items: 2
Shipping Weight (lbs): 6.4
Dimensions (in): 10.7 x 7.4 x 3.6
ISBN: 0307593525
Dewey Decimal Number: 641
EAN: 9780307593528
ASIN: 0307593525
Publication Date: December 1, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Both volumes 1 & 2 in a hardcover slipcase.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 108
THE French cookbook, after all these years December 12, 2009
Joanna Daneman (Middletown, DE USA)
202 out of 204 found this review helpful
Like the famous Julie of "Julie and Julia", a lot of us aspiring amateur cooks tried to work through this book in the 70's. We made a lot of the recipes, including a memorable "Dacquoise" meringue and praline cake for grad school parties. (We eked out a seminar dinner budget to cover the speaker and two or three guests at a restaurant and turned it into dinner for 30 or so by cooking at a faculty member's house. This was our main cookbook for many of those dinners.)
The basics on vegetables are here--maybe a bit plain by today's standards, or sometimes overly complicated (who is going to fight with an artichoke or make a moussaka a la turque steamed in a lining of eggplant skin in a timbale mould) but most of the recipes are well worth the effort.
Book One has main dishes and a few desserts, soups, of course and vegetables. Book Two has more ambitious baking (the infamous Dacquoise) and even baguettes, which still don't come out quite right as American flour has a different ash content and American ovens don't produce steam like professional ovens. The pastry section is particularly good in both; you can learn to make a pate sable or a kind of sugar-cookie like crust that is dead useful for tarts. I've also used the Creme Bavaroise many a time; a lot of work, beating gelatin, cream and carefully unmolding what looks like a simple mousse in a decorative ring mould but is a very elegant dessert that serves quite a few, especially sliced, and plated with fresh berries and a drizzle of sauce. It adapts to many flavors (passion fruit, strawberry, chocolate, mocha) and is one of my favorite classics that you just don't see anymore. The Reine de Saba cake (chocolate almond, under-baked in the center and with a ganache glaze) is equally elegant and again, serves a number of people when sliced and plated elegantly.
This book has the only French Onion Soup recipe I really like. A lot of work (you have to peel and slice a hellacious pile of onions, oh the tears) and when I had this book the first time, there were NO food processors. Even so, with the food processor, it takes a lot of time to cook down and brown those onions and you need REALLY good broth but the result is by far the best onion soup there is. Just writing about it makes me want to go slice onions this very minute.
I can't imagine being without these books, and the packaging is nice, as the originals were two different sized volumes and sit kind of funny on the shelf.
I suppose I should mention that even if you aren't going to make most of these dishes (who can find veal these days?) the book is excellent reading on culinary arts.
Few books have had such a profound influence in their field December 8, 2009
kdj (Philadelphia)
57 out of 57 found this review helpful
There are very few books that have had such a profound effect on their field. This book set is transformative - you will never view cooking food the same way again. I grew up watching Julia Child on my local PBS affiliate with no idea that she was anything other than a local cooking talent with a strange affect. After college, I found a copy of volume one in a used book store and can hear her voice in every recipe, stage of directions, and sage advice.
After many years, my family loves her beef stew - a regular dinner in our home. I despised French Onion soup growing up, but after following her directions it is my favorite.
One criticism of this book is the production. After many years of publishing technology improvements, the lack of photos to explain some butchery techniques makes this set a bit dated if you expect visual guides to some steps. Be patient, re-read, and have confidence. These are spectacular dishes made with simple techniques that even someone who grew up on canned soup and boxed dinners figured out.
If I was trapped on a remote island with only one cooking instructional resource, then this would be my choice. Everything else is a far distant second place.
To me this book is irreplaceable, so I'm ordering a new one. August 23, 1998
JBulharowski @ (aebul@azstarnet.com) (Tucson, AZ)
73 out of 81 found this review helpful
With the help of this book, I taught myself to cook using the basic French cooking instructions in the book. Thirty some years later, after two-year's work/study in a small (then non-accredited) cooking school, I still refer to it. I refer to it for many reasons, least of which is to jog my memory. My ancient copy (circa 1960?) is coming apart at the binding, so I need to replace it. This book is inspiration!
Can make anyone into a French Chef December 12, 1998
David S. Lopez (Southern California)
51 out of 57 found this review helpful
I discovered this cookbook several years ago and, at least gastronomically, it changed my life forever. The recipes are broken down into the absolute simplest steps possible. The sauces are phenomenal. One can finally appreciate the notoriety that French cooking has (deservedly) earned by preparing and tasting any of these recipes. Julia has confirmed me as a French cooking fan!
WOW-The Very Best Cookbook of any cuisine September 22, 1999
35 out of 38 found this review helpful
I became interested in cooking when I moved out of the dorm in 1970. The quest for good food led to a life-long passion for honest good food. The French approach eating with a sincereity Americans lack. Julia has been able to present classic French Cuisine to generations of Americans. This set of two volumes contains the essence of French cooking that will serve as a foundation to wherever one travels on the food road. Mine is almost disentegrating from years of loving use, and I am replacing one for the library, but plan to continue to use my dog-eared friend!
Showing reviews 1-5 of 108
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