MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING

Three veterans of Paris' famous L'Ecole de Cordon Bleu have compiled a veritable tome of Callic dishes which is not an ""all-inclusive"" collection (believe it or not) but a selection designed to enable the American cook to master several basic techniques and procedures peculiar to French cooking, using only ingredients which are readily available in her regular supermarket or grocery store. This aim is realized in the design of the cookbook, so that each category of food is divided into a number of sections, and all of the recipes in any one section belong to the same family of techniques. Chapters and sections are preceded by enlightening introductions, and the recipes are especially easy to follow in the Pecolumn form of ingredients on the left with their respective instructions directly to the right. Most of the main-course dishes are accompanied by suggestions for appropriate wines and vegetables. Although not all of these dishes are inexpensive and none of them are short on time of preparation, the authors have indicated, wherever possible, the point to which each recipe can be prepared in advance. Needless to say, all of the recipes are tantalizing. For the woman who has dreamed of having the time and opportunity of attending a good school of French cooking, this is the perfect ""at home"" course.