Simply French: Patricia Wells Presents the Cuisine of Joel Robuchon

by Patricia Wells, Steven Rothfeld (Photographer), Robert Freson (Photographer)

How can a good cook become a great cook? It's all in the details.

Becoming a good cook means learning principles that will last you a lifetime in the kitchen; with Simply French, you will never cook the same way again.


Knowing when to season and how
Appreciating the simple process of reducing a sauce
Allowing meats and poultry to rest so they release maximum flavor
The simple art of straining a sauce for a refined condensed flavor
Knowing why dried herbs are no substitute for fresh
In Simply French acclaimed food critic and best-selling author of Trattoria Patricia Wells works side by side with award-winning French chef Joel Robuchon to distill the best of the French table for the American cook. Among the 125 exciting recipes youll find in Simply French are Potatoes "Chanteduc," a perfect Roast Chicken, Beef Tenderloin Roasted in Herb-Infused Salt Crust, Marbleized Chocolate Wafers, and Cinnamon-Chocolate Mousse.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, France, Food

368 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1991

About the author

Patricia Wells (born 5 November 1946 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is a cookbook author and teacher who divides her time between Paris and Provence. Her book Patricia Wells at Home in Provence (1996) won the James Beard Award for Best International Cookbook. Wells is the only American and the only woman to be a restaurant critic for a major French publication, L'Express (1988–1991). She was also a restaurant critic for the International Herald Tribune from 1980 until 2007.

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorites. The "Grandmother's Roast Chicken" is an amazing recipe for roasting the moist succulent, tender chicken ever, thanks to a special flipping technique described in the book. My other faves are the Ratatouille which is so delicious when served with a fried egg on top and you dip your crusty baguette right in! I use this book so much that that pages in the center are not even attached anymore. So now the book "cover" is more like a folder :) but that's part of the charm of a well-used cookbook!

[Stephen Simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not the most practical cookbook I own, and I think most people will be hard-pressed to try all of the recipes. It's also not simple or designed for the casual home cook - some of the ingredients may be hard to get and some of the techniques will be time-consuming and/or difficult.

All of that said, the recipes I have tried have been universally excellent and I believe there are several recipes that all on their own justify owning the book. I don't look at it as a staple French cookbook (others, including Julia Child, are better for that), but it's a great book for cooks who want to stretch a bit and try some high-end recipes.

[Beverly · Rating 3 out of 5]

8 of us cooked from this book and shared the food. None of us were particularly inspired by the book, HOWEVER the food was fantastic. Several folks also had real trouble with the instructions being less than thorough. The recipe I made gave poor guidance for amounts. I had enough lamb filling for 8 (as planned) but only enough vegetable wrapping for 4 tarts - after very faithfully following the instructions.

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A master who is renowned in French cooking by Americans

[albin james · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happiness is opulence
The supermarkets are my temples

[Jane Dugger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some really nice & different salad recipes.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to eat her roasted chicken at least once a week.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice collection of classic French recipes made accessible for home cooks.