THE CUISINE OF THE ROSE: Classical French Cooking from Burgundy and Lyonnais

by Mireille Johnston ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 14, 1982

A companion-piece to Johnston's The Cuisine of the Sun (1976), a culinary exploration of her native Nice and Provence. Again Johnston's recipes (organized into twelve menu categories ranging from soups and hors d'oeuvres to homemade liqueurs and cheese spreads) are just about uniformly appealing; but they are not uniformly workable for people accustomed to having procedures minutely spelled out and all deviations from the norm tidied away. The sauces for two versions of saupiquet, the celebrated Burgundian ham dish, are thickened with nothing except the action of acid ingredients on three cups of cream (unreduced after it is added to the sauce); those expecting a sauce of orthodox ""saucelike"" consistency will be puzzled. Knowledgeable cooks not thrown off stride by such details still may not be sure what to make of the ""dry dairy cheese, grated"" listed among the ingredients for a fromage fort (ripened cheese mixture). But proficient cooks will rejoice in a spirited anthology particularly rich in good salads and imaginative egg and vegetable (especially potato) dishes. Johnston does not disdain simple inspirations like lait de poule (a light eggnog), salt-pork cracklings dressed with vinegar, or pears and quinces poached in freshly crushed white grape juice. She also provides plenty of mighty main dishes: a pot-au-leu with croutons and grated cheese; a whole head of cabbage stuffed with apples, prunes, rice, salt pork and ham and served with sausages; various fish stews; and (of course) coq au yin. For the kitchen-wise, a lovely collection.

Pub Date: Oct. 14, 1982

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Random House

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1982

Categories: NONFICTION