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French Cooking
COOKBOOK INSPIRATION
Plats du Jour is a British cookbook that was originally published in 1957. Thankfully, it has been republished by Persephone Books in England because it is an absolute treasure for anyone who enjoys wine and / or cooking. It's really more than a cookbook. It's a European primer on cheeses, wines, mushrooms, cuts of meat, fish and poultry. Full of recipes, essays and illustrations by a now renowned British artist.
Here's an except from the cookbook Plats du Jour from the chapter entitled: "Applying the Heat"
"The object of cooking is, to put it in its lowest terms, to bring about a transformation in food which would offend were it presented in its natural state. The alteration of taste and texture, the transformation of what is by nature tough into something tender, the development of a crude taste into a delicate flavor, are the result of chemical changes brought about by the application of heat, in the form of grilling roasting before the fire, baking in the oven, immersion in boiling water or hot fat, and similar processes.
Most culinary disasters are the result of a failure to apply the proper intensity of heat, for the proper length of time - misjudgements arising from a lack of experience which only practice and an understanding of the chemical changes brought in cooking can rectify."
Plats du Jour makes an entertaining gift for cooks who have already read and love Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Plats du Jour a fun addition to any kitchen cookbook bookshelf.
Links: Mastering the Art of French Cooking |
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