Synopses & Reviews
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 world: 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 cookbook: 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.
Review
"
I Know How to Cook—all 975 pages and 5.2 pounds of it—meets this high practical standard?it includes everything you need to know—about tools, techniques, ingredient choice and menu-building—to take on almost any reasonable home-cooking challenge with Gallic flair."
–The Wall Street Journal
"A comprehensive collection...Under Mathiot's guidance, the vanilla soufflé did exactly as told, which is really all you can ask."
–The New York Times Book Review
"Pure French cuisine."
–Associated Press
Synopsis
The bible of traditional French home cooking, I Know How to Cook is to France what The Silver Spoon is to Italy. A best-seller since its first publication in 1932, it is now available in English for the first time. I Know How to Cook reveals all the secrets of good, simple French cooking and the foundations of modern cuisine. Containing more than 1,400 authentic, simple and easy-to-follow recipes, this classic text is fully updated for modern kitchens by experts in classic French cooking. French bistro food has grown hugely in popularity, and I Know How to Cook demonstrates how easy and accessible classic dishes like boeuf bourguignon and tarte tatin can be.
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
I Know How to Cook was her definitive, most comprehensive work, which brings together recipes for every classic French dish.
About the Contributor
Clotilde Dusoulier lives in Paris. Her award-winning blog, Chocolate and Zucchini, first launched in 2003.