Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Elisabeth Luard has written a captivating book. If you read cookbooks for pleasure, this book is simply a must-have. Ms. Luard takes both a scholarly and a very practical approach to the subject. She describes in detail the development of peasant cooking, and each recipe is prefaced with an interesting aside or personal story. Reading this book, you will learn how a foie gras is judged while still in the duck, how a pig filled a winter larder and how to choose a perfect earthenware dish for Romanian Tocana de pui (chicken pot roast).
As a practical cookbook, it is wonderful. Each recipe is clear, concise and easy to follow. Ms. Luard gives suggestions for compatible side dishes and wine, as well as what to do with leftovers. (Did I mention most recipes are meant to serve 6 or more strapping farmers?) Each recipe is followed with suggested substitions, which comes in handy when you do not have sorrel or you don't care for prunes. More than 300 recipes are included, and they come from all over Europe, from Iceland east to Scandinavia, and south to Italy, not skipping a country in between. The book is divided into sections by ingredients, which I find extremely useful. The sections are: vegetable dishes; potato dishes; corner cupboard dishes (beans and grains); pasta, noodles and dough-based dishes; barnyard and dairy; fish and food from the sea; poultry; small game; pork; shepard's meats; beef, reindeer and grilled meats; bread and pastry dishes; sweet dishes; and the rustic kitchen. The last section is a great resource on herbs, mushrooms, oils and cheeses, and how to preserve meats.
There isn't space enough to tell you how great this book is. This is, without a doubt, my all-time favorite cookbook.
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The Old World Kitchen: The Rich Tradition of European Peasant Cooking
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