Pampille's Table: Recipes and Writings from the French Countryside

by Shirley King

Veteran cookbook author Shirley King has translated and adapted a gastronomic gem of a book for the modern American kitchen: Les Bons Plats de France, originally published in 1919 and still regarded in France as a classic. Pampille's Table is a delectable mix of savory food writing and more than 200 traditional recipes from twenty-two regions of France. Unfussy, authentic recipes that are sure to become part of your culinary repertoire include Grape Harvester's Turkey from Gascony and Celestine's Chicken from Burgundy, variations on classic Bouillabaisse, called Matelote, from Lorraine and Ile de France, Kougelhopf and Onion Tart from alsace, eggplant and artichokes prepared in classic Provencal style, and Chocolate Savoy Cake and Bourdelots - pastry-wrapped apples and pears - from Normandy. There is also a chapter on France's great national dishes, including delicious soups, ragouts, and fricassees, and a chapter on simple, versatile sauces. Sprinkled throughout are Pampille's charming essays celebrating the particular culinary virtues of the different regions of France, lauding seasonal fruits and vegetables, satirizing a bad dinner party, and always giving her own strong opinions about the proper preparation of food.

Genres: Cookbooks

274 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1996