Your Kitchen
Can Be a Bistro Too
Wonderful memories of France and mouth watering bites of
simple, yet elegant, dining come to mind as you browse
through Bistro
Cooking by Patricia Wells. It's not
just a cookbook; it's a visit to French kitchens. All 200
recipes transport you to another place, accompanied by new
friends: the fishmonger, the baker, the gardener and the
local chef, all providing their recommendations and
personal tips for culinary success, as well as serving
suggestions.
Bistros are establishments that serve uncomplicated home
cooking. In other words, French comfort food. They're found
everywhere, from Paris to the smallest country town. Their
hallmarks include local produce, fresh herbs, the butchers'
best and hot baguettes always served, of course, with a
local wine.
Wells' recipes use typical French ingredients, and you'll
find almost all of them available in your local grocery
store. The recipes are easy to understand and replicate at
home, normally in six steps or less. There are no
complicated cooking terms. The measurements suggested are
precise and the cooking times are accurate. I've prepared
more than half of the dishes, many of them multiple times.
Whether you're an accomplished cook, or a beginner, you'll
enjoy tremendous success with these recipes.
My favorites include Roast Leg of Lamb with Potato, Onion
and Tomato Gratin, an easy, elegant and delicious one-dish
meal for even the fanciest occasion; Provencal Mussels,
prepared with tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and white wine;
and Fresh Pineapple Flan, a creamy custard poured over
pineapple wedges and baked until golden.
There's also a list, of well over 100, of Wells' favorite
bistros located throughout France in a chapter titled "When
In France." This is more than just a nice touch; it's a
jackpot of dining information. Among her long list of
credentials, Wells has been the food critic for
The
New York Times and The
International Herald Tribune. Her most famous book
is The
Food Lover's Guide to Paris, now in its 4th printing.
I highly recommend the book. It will create vivid, happy
pictures in your mind of reading menus in old town Nice,
visiting friends at a farmhouse in Provence and eating a
plat-du-jour lunch in Lyon, even if you've never been
there. And, best of all, you'll be able to recreate these
wonderful recipes, time and time again, with complete
confidence. Your guests will pay you the greatest
compliment possible: enjoying your food.