FRENCH COOKING: En Famille

According to Burdick, a Texan who's been enjoying French home cooking since his student days in the 50's, ""French cooks almost never make at home what can be easily bought in the neighborhood""; hence, his book does not go into ""complicated techniques that belong to the glorious world of French restaurants."" French home cooks are, however, serious about their sauces, which is where this excellent tutorial begins. And though they buy confit when they need it for a recipe, that is not so easy here--so Burdick shows you how to make it for your cassoulet, inexpensively, with turkey legs and wings. More comprehensive and more down-to-earth than Murielle Johnston's French Family Feasts (1988) for entertaining, this collection abounds in simple egg dishes, hearty meat stews, interesting frugalities (such as croquettes of leftover risotto), and other venerable dishes from kitchens unaffected by the nouvelle revolution.