| In preparing delicious french food, it really is worth | | | | Instead, he has given the different proportions for |
| the effort to spend the little extra money, time and | | | | various herbs to be employed in their preparation. |
| trouble in buying and cooking just the required | | | | The judicious use of herbs and seasoning can, and |
| amount of top-quality food, instead of playing around | | | | does, make such a difference to soups and |
| with an unnecessary amount of the second-best. It | | | | stews.Many will be familiar with the great Alexandre |
| should be borne in mind that the presentation of a | | | | Dumaine (one of the greatest French chefs of the |
| carefully prepared dish is of considerable importance. | | | | 20th century). Two conclusions can be drawn from |
| For example, it can make a great deal of difference | | | | Alexandre's remark that "exactness in cooking is |
| as to how a dish is arranged and set on the table. It | | | | difficult to achieve". One is that the difficulty resides |
| can easily be made to look both attractive and | | | | in achieving the exact required result, according to |
| appetizing. Lack of interest or imagination will result in | | | | the precise indications in the recipe; the other, that |
| the opposite, distressing, effect.In a recently | | | | you have to reckon with your own particular taste |
| rediscovered gem of a book - "The Art of Simple | | | | and that of the family, or of your guests. We are |
| French Cookery", a few recipes state that a sauce | | | | not all born with uniform palates: you may like garlic, |
| should be reduced, or cooked gently, until it thickens, | | | | others may not; some prefer lemon juice, instead of |
| Careful and closely watched reduction and blending of | | | | vinegar, in the salad dressing etc. There must, |
| a sauce can make all the difference to a dish which, | | | | therefore, remain a margin in the prescribed amount |
| in itself, may have required exacting measurements | | | | of herbs and seasoning to be used in the preparation |
| and preparation. So, surely, as far as sauces are | | | | of these dishes.Alexandre Dumaine was, indeed, in |
| concerned, it is worth both time and trouble to stay | | | | the opinion of many acclaimed gourmets, the most |
| in the kitchen and to cook the sauces cautiously | | | | skilled and inspired chef of his generation in France. |
| without having to go off to attend to other | | | | Throughout his gastronomic investigations, the author |
| household matters.That little extra patience in the | | | | of "The Art of Simple French Cookery" has made |
| kitchen will also be rewarded if you wish to please | | | | the acquaintance of most of the well-known chefs in |
| your guests by preparing your own Sauce Tomate, | | | | Paris and throughout France. But none he had known |
| Sauce Mayonnaise, Sauce Hollandaise (according to | | | | were as impassioned with their culinary pursuit as |
| the easy recipes provided in the book) instead of | | | | Dumaine. During the numerous discussions they had |
| buying tasteless, commercial 'concentrated' | | | | together, concerning both simple and classic French |
| substitutes.Whenever possible, use dry white wine, | | | | cooking, he reiterated, with great solemnity that |
| wine vinegar, and fresh, unsweetened cream in | | | | commanded respect, that for him "their existed no |
| cooking. And when butter is mentioned, it must be | | | | finer profession".Further information about this |
| pure butter, and not a substitute. Brillat-Savarin, the | | | | amazing book ("The Art of Simple French Cookery") |
| celebrated author of "The Physiology of Taste", | | | | can be obtained via the Resource Box appended to |
| claimed that one of the basic principles of cooking | | | | this article.We at Kersland Direct scour the globe, on |
| was the use, in the kitchen, of the finest quality table | | | | behalf of our readers, for the very finest |
| butter.The use of herbs and seasoning is also of | | | | informational products and resources. This amazing |
| great importance in both simple and classic French | | | | gem of a book, "The Art of Simple French Cookery", |
| cooking. in "The Art of Simple French Cookery", the | | | | was rescued from the dusty shelves of a forgotten |
| author deliberately avoids naming, or advising the use | | | | bookstore. |
| of bottled flavoring products for these recipes. | | | | |