Didier Quemener

This is a lovely little cookbook written by a French-American. The recipes are perhaps the simplest version of their kind, but that is no reason to think that they will not be good. French bistro cooking began in apartments with only a single hotplate as a heat source.

Everything here, from soups to desserts, features winter ingredients – parsnips for example – and are chosen for their warming and cheering qualities.

Beware though that Chef Q's notion of how long it takes to prep is often too short. Wrestling celeriac isn't the matter of an instant. Nor is caramelizing onions. Last year there was a huge online dustup about the correct way to caramelize onions and how long it takes. The winner: 45 minutes over slow heat.

I really like unpretentious cookbooks like this that present good food prepared without unneeded ruffles and flourishes.

I received a review copy of "Chef Q in Paris: The Winter Collection" by Didier Quémener (Velvet Morning Press) through LibraryThing.com.… (lisätietoja)

This cookbook was really wonderful to read through - and has some unique recipes. The author gives insight into each dish: the history, a story about where he came across it, or other options if you don't like the recipe he has included. What I love most about it is that it always gives a wine or cocktail pairing with the dishes. The ingredients list and instructions are easy to read and follow. I received this as an ebook and perhaps I will purchase the actual book for the kitchen. I received this ebook free from Librarything.com for my honest review.… (lisätietoja)