I Know How to Cook

by Ginette Mathiot

The bible of French home cooking, Je Sais Cuisiner , has sold over 6 million copies since it was first published in 1932. It is a household must-have, and a well-thumbed copy can be found in kitchens throughout France. Its author, Ginette Mathiot, published more than 30 recipe books in her lifetime, and this is her magnum opus. It's now available for the first time in English as I Know How to Cook. With more than 1,400 easy-to-follow recipes for every occasion, it is an authoritative compendium of every classic French dish, from croque monsieur to cassoulet.

Clear, practical and comprehensive, it is an essential guide to the best home cooking in the no cuisine is better than French at bringing the very best out of ingredients to create simple, comforting and delicious dishes. The recipes have been carefully updated by a team of editors led by Parisian food writer Clotilde Dusoulier, to suit modern readers and their kitchens, while preserving the integrity of the original book. The great reputation of I Know How to Cook has been built over three generations by the fact that it is a genuine each recipe has been cooked many times, and because it is used by domestic cooks rather than chefs. And with its breadth of recipes and knowledge of techniques, I Know How to Cook doesn't just teach you how to cook French, it teaches you how to cook, period.

In the tradition of Phaidon's other culinary bibles, The Silver Spoon, 1080 Recipes and Vefa's Kitchen, I Know How to Cook offers menus by celebrated French bistro chefs at the end of the book, including recipes by Daniel Boulud and Francois Payard.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Reference, Nonfiction, France, Food and Drink

976 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2002

About the author

Ginette Mathiot (1907–1998), Officier de la Legion d'Honneur, taught three generations how to cook in France and is the ultimate authority on French home cooking. She wrote more than 30 best-selling cookbooks, covering all subjects in French cuisine. Je sais cuisiner was her definitive, most comprehensive work, which brings together recipes for every classic French dish.

Reviews

[Kyla · Rating 2 out of 5]

It could not be prettier - the graphics are so lovely and retro. It seems like the kind of Food Bible I would just have to have, especially with Clotilde from C and Z on board and a truly vintage pedigree. But this book proves the opposite of my Southern preserves book reviewed earlier - the ingredients just don't fit in with what I have available. As I'm not to eat tripe or sweetbreads or many of the other organs in here, I turned to the Vegetables. All were cooked with meat or buttery sauces - and I love buttery sauces but c'mon, sometimes you just gotta leave a carrot in peace. All the desserts involved fruits I could never get fresh or chestnuts, equally exotic. This book reminded me that indeed, I don't cook meat and really turn to my local suppliers. Readers, it appears I walk my own personal dietary talk more than I thought. I was disappointed to literally not find one recipe I had to make in such a heavy tome - but happy that I do actually burrow into my own little corner of my food world and stay there.

[Dayna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up at the library several months ago (maybe about a year ago by now), after seeing it at a bookstore (on prominent display). It had caught my attention, and while I knew that I would never buy it, I still wanted to take a closer look. It's a novelty. I remember that it was cute, in a retro & French way. I remember paying close attention to the bechamel sauce and its variants. But, it's not a book I would ever actually cook out of. I remember being a little overwhelmed, as I was flipping through it. That's saying something...because I love huge cookbooks with an overabundance of recipes. It's not like you will get to all of them, and that's okay, because it's fun just reading them... but, as I recall, I started getting bored with these. [Note: I did not actually cook anything, so I can't comment on how easy the recipes are to follow or how well any of them turn out...the point of borrowing it from the library was to decide if it was worth its price tag, and this little "review" is a reminder to myself of what I thought about it.]

[Orchid · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Moodthy, how can you possibly put this massive cookbook on your reading list?" Because I'm obsessed with it. Everytime i'm stumped for inspiration on what to do with the various fruit or veg in my veg box (and god help me, right now we're in cabbage and brussle sporut season) this book has a billion offerings, and makes them tasty (you have to saute the sprouts in butter after boiling them for 8-10 mins). I'll be frank: this book is useless if you can't eat eggs. For all other things (grains, dairy, meat, fish -all of which right now seem to throw my immune system into a frenzy) you can sub out things and more or less follow the recipe, but eggs are everywhere: in mouses, choux pastry and the thousand and one creams and sauces.

For me, this book means I can finally have dairy free creme caramel and gluten free eclairs again. I know how to cook cabbage and make it tasty, and that's something I never thought would happen.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book could easily replace 'Mastering the Art of French Cooking' on most bookshelves (if you're inclined to have that kind of book on your shelf). It's like 'The Joy of Cooking's cheeky, French cousin. The book is as much an instructional book as it is a recipe source, giving extensive guidance on most techniques. There are a lot of creative ideas in here, and oddly enough I found the appetizer section to be one of my favorites.

Yes, there is a lot of butter and this is kind of formal - but that's to be expected in a French cookbook. A lot of the dishes were homey and could be prepared from a few ingredients. The illustrations are great.

This isn't for everyone (it's also HUGE). But if you have a friend who's into cooking, or you're into French food, this is an incredible book to have around.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book. After reading the Italian version "Spoon", I could not wait to read this recipe collection. It is very French. The author assumes that you have grown up in the cuisine with your maman.You know the basic techniques and just need a little reminder. This might make the recipes seem vague or unclear to some American cooks. For cooks that need exact instructions on the size of pans and souffle dishes, this is not the book for you. What was most interesting to me was to discover the numerous recipes that I thought were classic French, but are not in this book at all! It is a great extensive collection and a must for any cookbook reader. You could use this as a weight for your next terrine it is so heavy!

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

How many of these brick-like cookbooks does a person really need? First there was Silver Spoon which was interesting for simple Italian recipes but which rarely gets opened in our house because it's daunting to look anything up only to find a 4 sentence recipe that honestly doesn't have much potential. This book is the same only for French cooking. Each recipe is given a paragraph at best which is fine but then its over 2000 pages long and do you know how many recipes that is?! It's completely overwhelming.

Makes a good doorstop though.

[Gillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is HUGE but it's so cool. My partner bought it for me at Christmas and being a cookery geek I have actually read it cover-to-cover - it's a complete French cookery course with about 800 recipes and it's AMAZING.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

My sister gave this to me for Christmas, and I've had great luck with the recipes I've tried so far. Clotide Dusoulier did a great job of editing it for American readers.

[Julielf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Le livre de base à avoir dans sa cuisine

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have found many lovely recipes in here, quite a few my mother, an authentic French cook remembered from her childhood days. This is a great all round French cooking book to have.

[Catherine Wynne Lartigue · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I see that many reviewers aren't all that crazy about this book--some find it repetitive. I think it is an excellent source if you are looking for "old school French home recipes". This was actually put to the test presently. Example: My better half, a Frenchman was waxing nostalgic about a dessert he had as a youngster both in France and Switzerland. The dessert "Omelette Norvegienne". The quick way was to look the recipe up on the net. Every recipe was a take on Baked Alaska. When I mentioned this to him he said that the recipe for Omelette Norvegienne clearly was NOT a baked Alaska and that the cake/icecream was covered in a soufflé like batter which was then placed in the oven. Lo and behold, I took this book off my shelf (I should have referenced it in the first place) and did, in fact, find the recipe he remembered! I've found many basic recipes in this book as well. In fact, I find it simpler to follow than any of my Julia Child books--just sayin'! If you do like the simple basics of French home cooking, this is a great book to use as reference--like Joy--only it's the French version!

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

As much as I appreciate the value of a comprehensive French cookbook, this one is a bit outdated, and it's huge and unwieldy – just not practical for a cookbook.

I would recommend this if you know nothing about traditional French cuisine – yes, including plenty of offal – but as someone with reasonable knowledge of the basics, I found it long and repetitive. As another reviewer says: there are 20 pages of egg recipes, it's just too much.

Sure, if your library has a copy, like mine did, you might as well have a leaf through but if you're looking for a simpler, more down to earth French cookbook, my go-to is Bistro Cooking. If you're looking for something more modern/fusion then I absolutely adored Luke Nguyen's France: A Gastromonic Adventure.

They've done a lovely job in updating it though, and the retro drawings are lovely.

[Suzanne (Chick with Books) Yester · Rating 3 out of 5]

Move over Julia, there's a new French cook in town! I Know How To Cook by Ginette Mathiot is a literal feast! For over 75 years Ginette Mathiot has been showing new cooks how to cook, and it shows. The recipes in this cookbook are easy and well written. Not only is there over 1400 recipes in I Know How To Cook, but there is a wealth of practical information ranging from what herbs to add to spice up your dishes and how they do it, to what basic tools every kitchen should have. Ginette Mathiot makes French cooking fun! This cookbook is a big, bold and beautiful! Recipes are usually only one paragraph long, are in bold type to make it easier to read, and there is plenty of room on the pages to write any personal notes about how you may have tweaked a recipe. If you love cooking you will enjoy this cookbook! Everything I have made so far from this cookbook has been deelish!

[Jennifer]

I'll probably never finish this book. Unlike "How to Cook Everything" or other favorites of mine, it doesn't really offer what I'm looking for in a cookbook. It's a treasury of all recipes French - but not a resource on how to cook the basics, how to improvise, how to think about flavor combinations. But I will flip through it for a while, pick out a few recipes to try, and enjoy imagining some of the wilder meals in here.

[Paula]

A keeper. Originally published in 1932, this hefty book presents traditional French recipes ranging from simple (red cabbage with bacon) to complex (frogs' legs with cream). Wide layout with lots of white space, mid-century-style color illustration, nice looking photos that don't try to slam you in the face with the deliciousness.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this weighty tome! Beautiful to look at, recipes are delicious and relatively simple. It is written for someone that knows how to cook, doesn't need pages long explanations and appreciates simple, flavorful French cooking.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Too many recipes to take in! Throughout the book, Mathiot explain various techniques of cooking and also education on all types of ingredients. This book is mostly for french cooking but as an American I leanred much from this.

[Tama · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mammoth--Fantastic--you have to experience this one.

[Junio]

Apparently the bible of home cooking in France, now translated into English for the first time.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

First English translation of the 1930's French 'Joy of Cooking' - excellent look at what a French woman should know and have access to. This is home cooking at its best.

[Dawn Gayapersad · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite go to book when I forget how to make something simple like a white sauce or something complicated like a beef bourgignon. Its my good cooking bible.

[Nativida]

Illustrated by Blexbolex.

[Alli P · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thus is one of those books on my shelf that I havent explored enough of. Yet.

[Isa Millot · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a family story!
It was in my grandmother's kitchen, my mother has a copy and now it's my turn to have one!
As a self-respecting Frenchwoman, cooking and I are a love story. I got this passion from my mother who is a real cordon bleu so having this book in my library is obvious.

It is a book that crosses the ages and generations. Don't expect to find the latest culinary trends or quick recipes. Inside this book as it is a total immersion in traditional French home cooking.
First of all, the book is very well done (I'm talking about the French edition) as many pages are dedicated to food, how to cook it, types of cooking... It is a very practical part to acquire the first basics.
Then, the recipes and there I find that the book is detailed and very precise. It is divided into several sections: starters/main courses/desserts/everyday menus/festive menus. Everything is explained step by step to create tasty and elaborate dishes, and the author even advises which wines go with each.

For me, this is classic cooking, a heritage and a know-how of women that is passed on. The recipes that are offered have always been part of my life so I find it hard to find them exceptional but for someone who wants to be introduced to French cooking this is a book to own. Don't be fooled by the old-fashioned look of the book as it is a real goldmine!

[Julie H. Ernstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

This gorgeous hard-cover tome by Phaidon is the English-language version of Je sais cuisiner updated regularly since its first publication in 1939. A colleague was culling her books prior to a move and I was the lucky person who responded to her offer to rehome select items. I am so psyched to have this lovely book and to experiment with many of its contents (sorry veal, not gonna happen). We've had a cool snap, so I am starting with something from the soup section and a croque monsieur with ham. Starting on my shopping list now!

[Lalida · Rating 5 out of 5]

My go to cookbook. I love it. So simple, so decadent.