All the chefs like this one!!, 30 Nov 2008
So I took this book into work to show the other chefs along with my newly aquired copy of Alinea by Grant Achatz, Wondering which would be the most popular.

I'm sure ripailles has turned out better although the photography and the content is better in Alinea, You probably would never be able to make anything from this book, And that is where ripailles wins you could make every recipe in it without too many problems and the photography fits in nicely with the French rustic food.

So I will definitely try some of these recipes! One other reason to buy it is it only cost's £10.00 from Amazon at the moment (nov 08) and it has the most amazing cover on it which is padded, Thats what made me want it when I first saw it in the bookshop.


Superb authentic French recipes, 27 Nov 2008
Having lived in France, I have long tried to find an authentic recipe book that captured that French 'difference' in its cooking. I could never understand the secret of why meals made in France tasted so different to English recipes.

And god knows I have tried many recipes books from people who claim to be writing 'authentic' recipes! - from Rick Stein (who is not bad, admittedly) to the awful 'French Leave' from John Burton Rice. My home is littered wth discarded recipe books, that have been tossed aside in frustration.

Ripailles is the first one I have tried that shocked me when I served up the meal! It was like a different cook had been let loose in the kitchen! I haven't tried any of the more exotic meat recipes, but some of the more standard recipes - eg the 'braised beef with carrots' tasted fabulous and made me feel I had landed in Granny Leroux's farm kitchen in Provence, surrounded by all her family.

The range of recipes is vast, they go from simple soups/lunches like:
'potage cultivateur' (farmer's vegetable soup)
'garbure' (gascon cabbage and vegetable soup)
'oeuf cocotte au roquefort' (baked egg with roquefort cheese)

to standard meals:
'épauloe farcie' (stuffed lamb shoulder)
'rôti de cochon tout simplement' (roast pork, pure and simple)
'canard à l'orange' (duck à l'orange)
'moules marinières' (steamed mussels in white wine)

to more exotic sounding stuff:
'civet de sanglier acidulé' (Jugged boar in a sharp sauce)
'rouille du pêcheur' (stewed octopus with rouille sauce)

And yes, there's recipes for frogs' legs and snails! There's also a sugar section wth recipes for eg brioche, mille-feuilles, profiteroles, flourless chocolate cake, crème brulée - and Galette des rois (Epiphany cake), to name but a few.

There really is a huge number, and the book is beautifully illustrated. There is a lot of humour too in the book, it's quite quirky (eg one recipe instruction is 'buy a stone cottage in France and build a bbq'. I wasn't too keen on that part, but I guess that's just a personal thing.

The only other gripe I had is that sometimes the recipes are so simple, the novice cook (like me) who wants to be lead by the hand could be a bit disconcerted by the vagueness/freedom, but it's still a wonderful book. At the price on Amazon it's a bargain, so I'll definitely be giving a few away for Xmas.


Creative layout and great recipies, 26 Nov 2008
I just got Ripailles as a gift for my birthday and I am amazed by the beautiful photos, funny illustrations and great recipies. It will probably be one of my favourite books to refer to. It has everything from foie gras to creme brulee, and interesting info about everything :) I give four stars, because there was something i was missing in the book - some good french bread recipies. But otherwise - buy it or wish it, you won't regret!

Fabulous!, 27 Oct 2008
Buy it and make the wild boar recipe with kirsch and creme de mur - it is out of this world!

Ripailles - the best French cookery book on the shelves, 09 Oct 2008
I've just bought this book and have spent the last 2 hours pouring over the amazing photography, quirky drawings and huge array of recipes. If you love French cookery, the French way of life and want to have a go at recreating their unique style - this book will show you the way. Some of the French to English translations are a bit eccentric but it all adds to the charm of this mouthwatering encylopeadia of traditional French cookery. Forget all the celebrity nonsense from TV chefs, Stephane Reynaud could easily give Gordon Ramsay and his counterparts a run for their Euros. Nearly 500 pages of fantastic recipes. Charming, eccentric but also highly accessible. Francophiles and foodies will not be disappointed. Comes with charming gingham material bookmark.

All the chefs like this one!!, 30 Nov 2008
So I took this book into work to show the other chefs along with my newly aquired copy of Alinea by Grant Achatz, Wondering which would be the most popular.

I'm sure ripailles has turned out better although the photography and the content is better in Alinea, You probably would never be able to make anything from this book, And that is where ripailles wins you could make every recipe in it without too many problems and the photography fits in nicely with the French rustic food.

So I will definitely try some of these recipes! One other reason to buy it is it only cost's £10.00 from Amazon at the moment (nov 08) and it has the most amazing cover on it which is padded, Thats what made me want it when I first saw it in the bookshop.


Superb authentic French recipes, 27 Nov 2008
Having lived in France, I have long tried to find an authentic recipe book that captured that French 'difference' in its cooking. I could never understand the secret of why meals made in France tasted so different to English recipes.

And god knows I have tried many recipes books from people who claim to be writing 'authentic' recipes! - from Rick Stein (who is not bad, admittedly) to the awful 'French Leave' from John Burton Rice. My home is littered wth discarded recipe books, that have been tossed aside in frustration.

Ripailles is the first one I have tried that shocked me when I served up the meal! It was like a different cook had been let loose in the kitchen! I haven't tried any of the more exotic meat recipes, but some of the more standard recipes - eg the 'braised beef with carrots' tasted fabulous and made me feel I had landed in Granny Leroux's farm kitchen in Provence, surrounded by all her family.

The range of recipes is vast, they go from simple soups/lunches like:
'potage cultivateur' (farmer's vegetable soup)
'garbure' (gascon cabbage and vegetable soup)
'oeuf cocotte au roquefort' (baked egg with roquefort cheese)

to standard meals:
'épauloe farcie' (stuffed lamb shoulder)
'rôti de cochon tout simplement' (roast pork, pure and simple)
'canard à l'orange' (duck à l'orange)
'moules marinières' (steamed mussels in white wine)

to more exotic sounding stuff:
'civet de sanglier acidulé' (Jugged boar in a sharp sauce)
'rouille du pêcheur' (stewed octopus with rouille sauce)

And yes, there's recipes for frogs' legs and snails! There's also a sugar section wth recipes for eg brioche, mille-feuilles, profiteroles, flourless chocolate cake, crème brulée - and Galette des rois (Epiphany cake), to name but a few.

There really is a huge number, and the book is beautifully illustrated. There is a lot of humour too in the book, it's quite quirky (eg one recipe instruction is 'buy a stone cottage in France and build a bbq'. I wasn't too keen on that part, but I guess that's just a personal thing.

The only other gripe I had is that sometimes the recipes are so simple, the novice cook (like me) who wants to be lead by the hand could be a bit disconcerted by the vagueness/freedom, but it's still a wonderful book. At the price on Amazon it's a bargain, so I'll definitely be giving a few away for Xmas.


Creative layout and great recipies, 26 Nov 2008
I just got Ripailles as a gift for my birthday and I am amazed by the beautiful photos, funny illustrations and great recipies. It will probably be one of my favourite books to refer to. It has everything from foie gras to creme brulee, and interesting info about everything :) I give four stars, because there was something i was missing in the book - some good french bread recipies. But otherwise - buy it or wish it, you won't regret!

Fabulous!, 27 Oct 2008
Buy it and make the wild boar recipe with kirsch and creme de mur - it is out of this world!

Ripailles - the best French cookery book on the shelves, 09 Oct 2008
I've just bought this book and have spent the last 2 hours pouring over the amazing photography, quirky drawings and huge array of recipes. If you love French cookery, the French way of life and want to have a go at recreating their unique style - this book will show you the way. Some of the French to English translations are a bit eccentric but it all adds to the charm of this mouthwatering encylopeadia of traditional French cookery. Forget all the celebrity nonsense from TV chefs, Stephane Reynaud could easily give Gordon Ramsay and his counterparts a run for their Euros. Nearly 500 pages of fantastic recipes. Charming, eccentric but also highly accessible. Francophiles and foodies will not be disappointed. Comes with charming gingham material bookmark.

amazing, 18 Nov 2008
What a beautiful book. The recipes( although VERY labour intensive) are amazing. the photographs beautiful If you love food, then this is for you- This is 3 star cooking, if you need to know the meanings of confit/boiled/blanched etc. its not for you.(unless you buy it for the beautiful images)
Amazing


One for the competant and confident., 30 Sep 2008
An engrossing book.
This book gives an excellent insight into the work and philosophy of a first rate chef. Most of the recipes are quite sophisticated, and the book is probably not one for a novice or nervous cook. The photographs are beautiful, and give splendid ideas for presentation. As a vegetarian, I was particularly interested in the puddings, which use pectin as a setting agent, rather than gelatine. Interesting and useful too are the 'mini recipes' - the bits between the main productions with instructions and techniques on making and using such things as powders, oils and stocks.

Great book, 22 Sep 2008
"Mummy.... MUMMY! What's for supper?"

"Its white truffle oil-infused custards with black truffle ragout".

"Again!?"

"Well you don't have to eat it".

Fantastic, 09 Aug 2008
This book is amazing. Not only does it look great, the recipes contained within it are superb. It is so beautifully produced that it wouldn't look out of place on your coffee table or in your kitchen.

However, it is the food that this is really about. The French Laundry has three Michelin stars and is consistantly voted the best restaurant in North America and one of the top five in the world. Having been lucky enough to eat there and then wondered how the chefs are able to create such amazing dishes, I now know.

This book makes it possible to create Michelin star dishes at home. Sure, they can be very fiddly and a lot of work, but you can do it and it really makes you appreciate the work that goes into putting that marvellous food in front of the customers, day in/day out.

If you are really serious about good quality, haute cuisine then this book is a must. If you're not, then enjoy it for the fabulous photography and anecdotes, and leave it on your coffee table to impress guests.

One step out of the ordinary, 25 Nov 2007
Truly an amazing book, if you happen to be at the stage where you have mastered the basics of home cooking, and begin to be bored by the ideas of Jamie or Nigella. Thomas Keller admits to his recipes being a little complicated at times, and they are, but they were definitely the next step for me. Oh, and you should not think that all his Michelin-stars and all those years in professional kitchens have taken Keller too far from average home cooks: in most recipes, he notes the things you might see and would probably be alarmed by and tells you how things look when they are normal and when you should start lowering the heat. If you're prepared to spend a few hours in the kitchen to get some "wow"-s and "oh my God, you're a genious"-s from your guests or family, buy the book.

All the chefs like this one!!, 30 Nov 2008
So I took this book into work to show the other chefs along with my newly aquired copy of Alinea by Grant Achatz, Wondering which would be the most popular.

I'm sure ripailles has turned out better although the photography and the content is better in Alinea, You probably would never be able to make anything from this book, And that is where ripailles wins you could make every recipe in it without too many problems and the photography fits in nicely with the French rustic food.

So I will definitely try some of these recipes! One other reason to buy it is it only cost's £10.00 from Amazon at the moment (nov 08) and it has the most amazing cover on it which is padded, Thats what made me want it when I first saw it in the bookshop.


Superb authentic French recipes, 27 Nov 2008
Having lived in France, I have long tried to find an authentic recipe book that captured that French 'difference' in its cooking. I could never understand the secret of why meals made in France tasted so different to English recipes.

And god knows I have tried many recipes books from people who claim to be writing 'authentic' recipes! - from Rick Stein (who is not bad, admittedly) to the awful 'French Leave' from John Burton Rice. My home is littered wth discarded recipe books, that have been tossed aside in frustration.

Ripailles is the first one I have tried that shocked me when I served up the meal! It was like a different cook had been let loose in the kitchen! I haven't tried any of the more exotic meat recipes, but some of the more standard recipes - eg the 'braised beef with carrots' tasted fabulous and made me feel I had landed in Granny Leroux's farm kitchen in Provence, surrounded by all her family.

The range of recipes is vast, they go from simple soups/lunches like:
'potage cultivateur' (farmer's vegetable soup)
'garbure' (gascon cabbage and vegetable soup)
'oeuf cocotte au roquefort' (baked egg with roquefort cheese)

to standard meals:
'épauloe farcie' (stuffed lamb shoulder)
'rôti de cochon tout simplement' (roast pork, pure and simple)
'canard à l'orange' (duck à l'orange)
'moules marinières' (steamed mussels in white wine)

to more exotic sounding stuff:
'civet de sanglier acidulé' (Jugged boar in a sharp sauce)
'rouille du pêcheur' (stewed octopus with rouille sauce)

And yes, there's recipes for frogs' legs and snails! There's also a sugar section wth recipes for eg brioche, mille-feuilles, profiteroles, flourless chocolate cake, crème brulée - and Galette des rois (Epiphany cake), to name but a few.

There really is a huge number, and the book is beautifully illustrated. There is a lot of humour too in the book, it's quite quirky (eg one recipe instruction is 'buy a stone cottage in France and build a bbq'. I wasn't too keen on that part, but I guess that's just a personal thing.

The only other gripe I had is that sometimes the recipes are so simple, the novice cook (like me) who wants to be lead by the hand could be a bit disconcerted by the vagueness/freedom, but it's still a wonderful book. At the price on Amazon it's a bargain, so I'll definitely be giving a few away for Xmas.


Creative layout and great recipies, 26 Nov 2008
I just got Ripailles as a gift for my birthday and I am amazed by the beautiful photos, funny illustrations and great recipies. It will probably be one of my favourite books to refer to. It has everything from foie gras to creme brulee, and interesting info about everything :) I give four stars, because there was something i was missing in the book - some good french bread recipies. But otherwise - buy it or wish it, you won't regret!

Fabulous!, 27 Oct 2008
Buy it and make the wild boar recipe with kirsch and creme de mur - it is out of this world!

Ripailles - the best French cookery book on the shelves, 09 Oct 2008
I've just bought this book and have spent the last 2 hours pouring over the amazing photography, quirky drawings and huge array of recipes. If you love French cookery, the French way of life and want to have a go at recreating their unique style - this book will show you the way. Some of the French to English translations are a bit eccentric but it all adds to the charm of this mouthwatering encylopeadia of traditional French cookery. Forget all the celebrity nonsense from TV chefs, Stephane Reynaud could easily give Gordon Ramsay and his counterparts a run for their Euros. Nearly 500 pages of fantastic recipes. Charming, eccentric but also highly accessible. Francophiles and foodies will not be disappointed. Comes with charming gingham material bookmark.

amazing, 18 Nov 2008
What a beautiful book. The recipes( although VERY labour intensive) are amazing. the photographs beautiful If you love food, then this is for you- This is 3 star cooking, if you need to know the meanings of confit/boiled/blanched etc. its not for you.(unless you buy it for the beautiful images)
Amazing


One for the competant and confident., 30 Sep 2008
An engrossing book.
This book gives an excellent insight into the work and philosophy of a first rate chef. Most of the recipes are quite sophisticated, and the book is probably not one for a novice or nervous cook. The photographs are beautiful, and give splendid ideas for presentation. As a vegetarian, I was particularly interested in the puddings, which use pectin as a setting agent, rather than gelatine. Interesting and useful too are the 'mini recipes' - the bits between the main productions with instructions and techniques on making and using such things as powders, oils and stocks.

Great book, 22 Sep 2008
"Mummy.... MUMMY! What's for supper?"

"Its white truffle oil-infused custards with black truffle ragout".

"Again!?"

"Well you don't have to eat it".

Fantastic, 09 Aug 2008
This book is amazing. Not only does it look great, the recipes contained within it are superb. It is so beautifully produced that it wouldn't look out of place on your coffee table or in your kitchen.

However, it is the food that this is really about. The French Laundry has three Michelin stars and is consistantly voted the best restaurant in North America and one of the top five in the world. Having been lucky enough to eat there and then wondered how the chefs are able to create such amazing dishes, I now know.

This book makes it possible to create Michelin star dishes at home. Sure, they can be very fiddly and a lot of work, but you can do it and it really makes you appreciate the work that goes into putting that marvellous food in front of the customers, day in/day out.

If you are really serious about good quality, haute cuisine then this book is a must. If you're not, then enjoy it for the fabulous photography and anecdotes, and leave it on your coffee table to impress guests.

One step out of the ordinary, 25 Nov 2007
Truly an amazing book, if you happen to be at the stage where you have mastered the basics of home cooking, and begin to be bored by the ideas of Jamie or Nigella. Thomas Keller admits to his recipes being a little complicated at times, and they are, but they were definitely the next step for me. Oh, and you should not think that all his Michelin-stars and all those years in professional kitchens have taken Keller too far from average home cooks: in most recipes, he notes the things you might see and would probably be alarmed by and tells you how things look when they are normal and when you should start lowering the heat. If you're prepared to spend a few hours in the kitchen to get some "wow"-s and "oh my God, you're a genious"-s from your guests or family, buy the book.

Easy to do with Excellent results, 26 Sep 2008
I bought this book because I wanted to improve my cooking skills and enjoy home cooked French food. I found the recipes very easy to follow with great end results. There are two and three course menu suggestions for different occasions at the back of the book which is a great idea.

Well worth buying., 31 Mar 2008
I liked this book because it has got simple and step-by-step instructions with basic ingredients that you can not find in most of other cookery books. Highly recommended.

Very special book.........., 10 Feb 2008
I chose this book as a birthday present, my father said "good luck" as he had used Raymond Blanc books previously, finding them over complicated.

The pancakes with spinach, mushrooms & gruyere were wonderful, I served them with roasted cherry tomatoes, on the vine, and rocket salad, and they were well worth the effort.
The chicken breast with courgette ribbons takes a bit of effort the night before but on the day it is simple and very tasty.

I did not find the recipes over complicated, they do require some effort but to produce exceptional food (like in this book) when don't you need to put in the effort.


A superb intro to classic French food , 17 Jun 2007
Great selection of classic French recipes given in an easily followed fluid style, Great to impress a loved one. Inspired me to follow on and buy Recipes from Le Manoir Aux Quat' Saisons, Yes the title is French but it is available in English, same style, photos all the way through and just as easy to follow. Follow Raymond Blanc to the letter and you will produce great food.

so that's how it's done!, 19 Nov 2006
Raymond Blanc is one of the most respected and accomplished chefs in England.I can still remember vividly the fantastic experience of eating at his "Manoir aux Quatre Saisons." This book makes it possible to create spectacular and delicious meals. M Blanc shares some of his philosophy of cooking in a logical and passionate way. I have managed to achieve some very tasty results simply by following his straightforward recipies. If you like this book then I would recommend his "cooking for friends."
Also to be recomended is Ken Hom's simple Thai cooking; It works!

All the chefs like this one!!, 30 Nov 2008
So I took this book into work to show the other chefs along with my newly aquired copy of Alinea by Grant Achatz, Wondering which would be the most popular.

I'm sure ripailles has turned out better although the photography and the content is better in Alinea, You probably would never be able to make anything from this book, And that is where ripailles wins you could make every recipe in it without too many problems and the photography fits in nicely with the French rustic food.

So I will definitely try some of these recipes! One other reason to buy it is it only cost's £10.00 from Amazon at the moment (nov 08) and it has the most amazing cover on it which is padded, Thats what made me want it when I first saw it in the bookshop.


Superb authentic French recipes, 27 Nov 2008
Having lived in France, I have long tried to find an authentic recipe book that captured that French 'difference' in its cooking. I could never understand the secret of why meals made in France tasted so different to English recipes.

And god knows I have tried many recipes books from people who claim to be writing 'authentic' recipes! - from Rick Stein (who is not bad, admittedly) to the awful 'French Leave' from John Burton Rice. My home is littered wth discarded recipe books, that have been tossed aside in frustration.

Ripailles is the first one I have tried that shocked me when I served up the meal! It was like a different cook had been let loose in the kitchen! I haven't tried any of the more exotic meat recipes, but some of the more standard recipes - eg the 'braised beef with carrots' tasted fabulous and made me feel I had landed in Granny Leroux's farm kitchen in Provence, surrounded by all her family.

The range of recipes is vast, they go from simple soups/lunches like:
'potage cultivateur' (farmer's vegetable soup)
'garbure' (gascon cabbage and vegetable soup)
'oeuf cocotte au roquefort' (baked egg with roquefort cheese)

to standard meals:
'épauloe farcie' (stuffed lamb shoulder)
'rôti de cochon tout simplement' (roast pork, pure and simple)
'canard à l'orange' (duck à l'orange)
'moules marinières' (steamed mussels in white wine)

to more exotic sounding stuff:
'civet de sanglier acidulé' (Jugged boar in a sharp sauce)
'rouille du pêcheur' (stewed octopus with rouille sauce)

And yes, there's recipes for frogs' legs and snails! There's also a sugar section wth recipes for eg brioche, mille-feuilles, profiteroles, flourless chocolate cake, crème brulée - and Galette des rois (Epiphany cake), to name but a few.

There really is a huge number, and the book is beautifully illustrated. There is a lot of humour too in the book, it's quite quirky (eg one recipe instruction is 'buy a stone cottage in France and build a bbq'. I wasn't too keen on that part, but I guess that's just a personal thing.

The only other gripe I had is that sometimes the recipes are so simple, the novice cook (like me) who wants to be lead by the hand could be a bit disconcerted by the vagueness/freedom, but it's still a wonderful book. At the price on Amazon it's a bargain, so I'll definitely be giving a few away for Xmas.


Creative layout and great recipies, 26 Nov 2008
I just got Ripailles as a gift for my birthday and I am amazed by the beautiful photos, funny illustrations and great recipies. It will probably be one of my favourite books to refer to. It has everything from foie gras to creme brulee, and interesting info about everything :) I give four stars, because there was something i was missing in the book - some good french bread recipies. But otherwise - buy it or wish it, you won't regret!

Fabulous!, 27 Oct 2008
Buy it and make the wild boar recipe with kirsch and creme de mur - it is out of this world!

Ripailles - the best French cookery book on the shelves, 09 Oct 2008
I've just bought this book and have spent the last 2 hours pouring over the amazing photography, quirky drawings and huge array of recipes. If you love French cookery, the French way of life and want to have a go at recreating their unique style - this book will show you the way. Some of the French to English translations are a bit eccentric but it all adds to the charm of this mouthwatering encylopeadia of traditional French cookery. Forget all the celebrity nonsense from TV chefs, Stephane Reynaud could easily give Gordon Ramsay and his counterparts a run for their Euros. Nearly 500 pages of fantastic recipes. Charming, eccentric but also highly accessible. Francophiles and foodies will not be disappointed. Comes with charming gingham material bookmark.

amazing, 18 Nov 2008
What a beautiful book. The recipes( although VERY labour intensive) are amazing. the photographs beautiful If you love food, then this is for you- This is 3 star cooking, if you need to know the meanings of confit/boiled/blanched etc. its not for you.(unless you buy it for the beautiful images)
Amazing


One for the competant and confident., 30 Sep 2008
An engrossing book.
This book gives an excellent insight into the work and philosophy of a first rate chef. Most of the recipes are quite sophisticated, and the book is probably not one for a novice or nervous cook. The photographs are beautiful, and give splendid ideas for presentation. As a vegetarian, I was particularly interested in the puddings, which use pectin as a setting agent, rather than gelatine. Interesting and useful too are the 'mini recipes' - the bits between the main productions with instructions and techniques on making and using such things as powders, oils and stocks.

Great book, 22 Sep 2008
"Mummy.... MUMMY! What's for supper?"

"Its white truffle oil-infused custards with black truffle ragout".

"Again!?"

"Well you don't have to eat it".

Fantastic, 09 Aug 2008
This book is amazing. Not only does it look great, the recipes contained within it are superb. It is so beautifully produced that it wouldn't look out of place on your coffee table or in your kitchen.

However, it is the food that this is really about. The French Laundry has three Michelin stars and is consistantly voted the best restaurant in North America and one of the top five in the world. Having been lucky enough to eat there and then wondered how the chefs are able to create such amazing dishes, I now know.

This book makes it possible to create Michelin star dishes at home. Sure, they can be very fiddly and a lot of work, but you can do it and it really makes you appreciate the work that goes into putting that marvellous food in front of the customers, day in/day out.

If you are really serious about good quality, haute cuisine then this book is a must. If you're not, then enjoy it for the fabulous photography and anecdotes, and leave it on your coffee table to impress guests.

One step out of the ordinary, 25 Nov 2007
Truly an amazing book, if you happen to be at the stage where you have mastered the basics of home cooking, and begin to be bored by the ideas of Jamie or Nigella. Thomas Keller admits to his recipes being a little complicated at times, and they are, but they were definitely the next step for me. Oh, and you should not think that all his Michelin-stars and all those years in professional kitchens have taken Keller too far from average home cooks: in most recipes, he notes the things you might see and would probably be alarmed by and tells you how things look when they are normal and when you should start lowering the heat. If you're prepared to spend a few hours in the kitchen to get some "wow"-s and "oh my God, you're a genious"-s from your guests or family, buy the book.

Easy to do with Excellent results, 26 Sep 2008
I bought this book because I wanted to improve my cooking skills and enjoy home cooked French food. I found the recipes very easy to follow with great end results. There are two and three course menu suggestions for different occasions at the back of the book which is a great idea.

Well worth buying., 31 Mar 2008
I liked this book because it has got simple and step-by-step instructions with basic ingredients that you can not find in most of other cookery books. Highly recommended.

Very special book.........., 10 Feb 2008
I chose this book as a birthday present, my father said "good luck" as he had used Raymond Blanc books previously, finding them over complicated.

The pancakes with spinach, mushrooms & gruyere were wonderful, I served them with roasted cherry tomatoes, on the vine, and rocket salad, and they were well worth the effort.
The chicken breast with courgette ribbons takes a bit of effort the night before but on the day it is simple and very tasty.

I did not find the recipes over complicated, they do require some effort but to produce exceptional food (like in this book) when don't you need to put in the effort.


A superb intro to classic French food , 17 Jun 2007
Great selection of classic French recipes given in an easily followed fluid style, Great to impress a loved one. Inspired me to follow on and buy Recipes from Le Manoir Aux Quat' Saisons, Yes the title is French but it is available in English, same style, photos all the way through and just as easy to follow. Follow Raymond Blanc to the letter and you will produce great food.

so that's how it's done!, 19 Nov 2006
Raymond Blanc is one of the most respected and accomplished chefs in England.I can still remember vividly the fantastic experience of eating at his "Manoir aux Quatre Saisons." This book makes it possible to create spectacular and delicious meals. M Blanc shares some of his philosophy of cooking in a logical and passionate way. I have managed to achieve some very tasty results simply by following his straightforward recipies. If you like this book then I would recommend his "cooking for friends."
Also to be recomended is Ken Hom's simple Thai cooking; It works!

"Cut a cockrerel into joints"...., 05 Aug 2007
I bought this book on eBay and found myself in proud possession of a hardcover `second edition' reprint from 1965. (I have no idea if the current version is updated or even converted to metric, sorry).
Elizabeth is a darling ! and definitely the first English Domestic Goddess, long before Nigella et al came onto the scene. Her delivery of these many, many regional recipes is neither as school madam-ish as early Delia, nor as infuriatingly chummy as Jamie-the-mockeny-Oliver. She engages us in such a way as to make one really believe that nobody cooks like the French, but at the same time that anyone can recreate this culinary wonderland here in grey old England.
This book is so much more than a list of recipes, it is an adventure in France. Given that, when it was written, France was somewhere most of us had only heard of, this book takes us on a fascinating tour into the psyche of a foreign people.
Buy this book today. Even if you have absolutely no interest in cooking. It really is that rip-roaring a read !

A perfect pot of memories , 14 Dec 2006
I still have my first copy given me in 1975. Its very well thumbed! A great read, written like a recipe journal, in an easy flowing style, with a no nonesense approach to ingredients - only the best and freshest is tolerated, cooked to bring out the best in the ingredients- you get out what you put in - and a ton of butter! A palpable feeling of nostalgia pervades these recipes. Having cooked with fresh ingredients in many countries, I understand completely why ED warns us against attempts to recreate authenticity. It cannot be done. All we can do is turn the pages and let her memories guide us through all our yesterdays....our tongues savouring the memory of perfect carrot soup or pot au feu cooked up 27 years ago on the camping stove in a field in the Dordogne as we watched the sun set,sniffed the dew in the air and.....Ahhh, those were the days.....

Penguin degrades the experience, 11 Apr 2006
I bought this edition to replace our Penguin book from 1964 which had gradually worn into a pile of disconnected pages over decades of loving use. All the inspiring writing is still there, of course, all the no-nonsense, no compromise common sense of Elizabeth David that makes this book an essential for anyone who loves to eat well, cook well, or both. But oh, Penguin, you have chosen the cheapest of thick paper, and the print is woefully smaller than the old edition, on pages that are larger! This looks like a scan of a hardback edition. Juliet Renny's delicate line drawings now appear coarsened. Once upon a time, French Provincial Cooking was mostly for browsing -- you simply could not find all the ingredients. Today you can get everything, so you have the pleasure of cooking authentic French dishes with Elizabeth David's unparalleled expert guidance. Nevertheless, you will still want to settle down and read your way through recipes you plan to make some day and learn what makes them so good, and you might just want to do it with a rather nicer edition than this one. So 4 stars out of 4 for the content and 0 stars out of 1 for the production.

Simply the best, 20 Jan 2006
This is undoubtedly the greatest cookery book ever published in the UK.

Mrs David's passion and knowledge just comes through on every page. The background essays are fascinating, as are the various chapter introductions.

The style is authoritative, even authoritarian in places, but with writing as lucid as this there is hardly any room to quibble about Mrs David's somewhat didactic tone.

This book has been my constant reference point ever since the mid 1980s and it is the basis for virtually everything I cook.

The best cookery book!, 09 Aug 2005
Provided you have a few basic skills, this book is excellent.

The recipes are authentic, imaginative and always go down well with guests. The techniques suggested bring out the flavour of the ingredients to a tee and are transferrable with application of one's own imagination.

The recipes are also not fussy or predicated on knowing your butcher on first name terms.

You could cook from this book for ever.

All the chefs like this one!!, 30 Nov 2008
So I took this book into work to show the other chefs along with my newly aquired copy of Alinea by Grant Achatz, Wondering which would be the most popular.

I'm sure ripailles has turned out better although the photography and the content is better in Alinea, You probably would never be able to make anything from this book, And that is where ripailles wins you could make every recipe in it without too many problems and the photography fits in nicely with the French rustic food.

So I will definitely try some of these recipes! One other reason to buy it is it only cost's £10.00 from Amazon at the moment (nov 08) and it has the most amazing cover on it which is padded, Thats what made me want it when I first saw it in the bookshop.


Superb authentic French recipes, 27 Nov 2008
Having lived in France, I have long tried to find an authentic recipe book that captured that French 'difference' in its cooking. I could never understand the secret of why meals made in France tasted so different to English recipes.

And god knows I have tried many recipes books from people who claim to be writing 'authentic' recipes! - from Rick Stein (who is not bad, admittedly) to the awful 'French Leave' from John Burton Rice. My home is littered wth discarded recipe books, that have been tossed aside in frustration.

Ripailles is the first one I have tried that shocked me when I served up the meal! It was like a different cook had been let loose in the kitchen! I haven't tried any of the more exotic meat recipes, but some of the more standard recipes - eg the 'braised beef with carrots' tasted fabulous and made me feel I had landed in Granny Leroux's farm kitchen in Provence, surrounded by all her family.

The range of recipes is vast, they go from simple soups/lunches like:
'potage cultivateur' (farmer's vegetable soup)
'garbure' (gascon cabbage and vegetable soup)
'oeuf cocotte au roquefort' (baked egg with roquefort cheese)

to standard meals:
'épauloe farcie' (stuffed lamb shoulder)
'rôti de cochon tout simplement' (roast pork, pure and simple)
'canard à l'orange' (duck à l'orange)
'moules marinières' (steamed mussels in white wine)

to more exotic sounding stuff:
'civet de sanglier acidulé' (Jugged boar in a sharp sauce)
'rouille du pêcheur' (stewed octopus with rouille sauce)

And yes, there's recipes for frogs' legs and snails! There's also a sugar section wth recipes for eg brioche, mille-feuilles, profiteroles, flourless chocolate cake, crème brulée - and Galette des rois (Epiphany cake), to name but a few.

There really is a huge number, and the book is beautifully illustrated. There is a lot of humour too in the book, it's quite quirky (eg one recipe instruction is 'buy a stone cottage in France and build a bbq'. I wasn't too keen on that part, but I guess that's just a personal thing.

The only other gripe I had is that sometimes the recipes are so simple, the novice cook (like me) who wants to be lead by the hand could be a bit disconcerted by the vagueness/freedom, but it's still a wonderful book. At the price on Amazon it's a bargain, so I'll definitely be giving a few away for Xmas.


Creative layout and great recipies, 26 Nov 2008
I just got Ripailles as a gift for my birthday and I am amazed by the beautiful photos, funny illustrations and great recipies. It will probably be one of my favourite books to refer to. It has everything from foie gras to creme brulee, and interesting info about everything :) I give four stars, because there was something i was missing in the book - some good french bread recipies. But otherwise - buy it or wish it, you won't regret!

Fabulous!, 27 Oct 2008
Buy it and make the wild boar recipe with kirsch and creme de mur - it is out of this world!

Ripailles - the best French cookery book on the shelves, 09 Oct 2008
I've just bought this book and have spent the last 2 hours pouring over the amazing photography, quirky drawings and huge array of recipes. If you love French cookery, the French way of life and want to have a go at recreating their unique style - this book will show you the way. Some of the French to English translations are a bit eccentric but it all adds to the charm of this mouthwatering encylopeadia of traditional French cookery. Forget all the celebrity nonsense from TV chefs, Stephane Reynaud could easily give Gordon Ramsay and his counterparts a run for their Euros. Nearly 500 pages of fantastic recipes. Charming, eccentric but also highly accessible. Francophiles and foodies will not be disappointed. Comes with charming gingham material bookmark.

amazing, 18 Nov 2008
What a beautiful book. The recipes( although VERY labour intensive) are amazing. the photographs beautiful If you love food, then this is for you- This is 3 star cooking, if you need to know the meanings of confit/boiled/blanched etc. its not for you.(unless you buy it for the beautiful images)
Amazing


One for the competant and confident., 30 Sep 2008
An engrossing book.
This book gives an excellent insight into the work and philosophy of a first rate chef. Most of the recipes are quite sophisticated, and the book is probably not one for a novice or nervous cook. The photographs are beautiful, and give splendid ideas for presentation. As a vegetarian, I was particularly interested in the puddings, which use pectin as a setting agent, rather than gelatine. Interesting and useful too are the 'mini recipes' - the bits between the main productions with instructions and techniques on making and using such things as powders, oils and stocks.

Great book, 22 Sep 2008
"Mummy.... MUMMY! What's for supper?"

"Its white truffle oil-infused custards with black truffle ragout".

"Again!?"

"Well you don't have to eat it".

Fantastic, 09 Aug 2008
This book is amazing. Not only does it look great, the recipes contained within it are superb. It is so beautifully produced that it wouldn't look out of place on your coffee table or in your kitchen.

However, it is the food that this is really about. The French Laundry has three Michelin stars and is consistantly voted the best restaurant in North America and one of the top five in the world. Having been lucky enough to eat there and then wondered how the chefs are able to create such amazing dishes, I now know.

This book makes it possible to create Michelin star dishes at home. Sure, they can be very fiddly and a lot of work, but you can do it and it really makes you appreciate the work that goes into putting that marvellous food in front of the customers, day in/day out.

If you are really serious about good quality, haute cuisine then this book is a must. If you're not, then enjoy it for the fabulous photography and anecdotes, and leave it on your coffee table to impress guests.

One step out of the ordinary, 25 Nov 2007
Truly an amazing book, if you happen to be at the stage where you have mastered the basics of home cooking, and begin to be bored by the ideas of Jamie or Nigella. Thomas Keller admits to his recipes being a little complicated at times, and they are, but they were definitely the next step for me. Oh, and you should not think that all his Michelin-stars and all those years in professional kitchens have taken Keller too far from average home cooks: in most recipes, he notes the things you might see and would probably be alarmed by and tells you how things look when they are normal and when you should start lowering the heat. If you're prepared to spend a few hours in the kitchen to get some "wow"-s and "oh my God, you're a genious"-s from your guests or family, buy the book.

Easy to do with Excellent results, 26 Sep 2008
I bought this book because I wanted to improve my cooking skills and enjoy home cooked French food. I found the recipes very easy to follow with great end results. There are two and three course menu suggestions for different occasions at the back of the book which is a great idea.

Well worth buying., 31 Mar 2008
I liked this book because it has got simple and step-by-step instructions with basic ingredients that you can not find in most of other cookery books. Highly recommended.

Very special book.........., 10 Feb 2008
I chose this book as a birthday present, my father said "good luck" as he had used Raymond Blanc books previously, finding them over complicated.

The pancakes with spinach, mushrooms & gruyere were wonderful, I served them with roasted cherry tomatoes, on the vine, and rocket salad, and they were well worth the effort.
The chicken breast with courgette ribbons takes a bit of effort the night before but on the day it is simple and very tasty.

I did not find the recipes over complicated, they do require some effort but to produce exceptional food (like in this book) when don't you need to put in the effort.


A superb intro to classic French food , 17 Jun 2007
Great selection of classic French recipes given in an easily followed fluid style, Great to impress a loved one. Inspired me to follow on and buy Recipes from Le Manoir Aux Quat' Saisons, Yes the title is French but it is available in English, same style, photos all the way through and just as easy to follow. Follow Raymond Blanc to the letter and you will produce great food.

so that's how it's done!, 19 Nov 2006
Raymond Blanc is one of the most respected and accomplished chefs in England.I can still remember vividly the fantastic experience of eating at his "Manoir aux Quatre Saisons." This book makes it possible to create spectacular and delicious meals. M Blanc shares some of his philosophy of cooking in a logical and passionate way. I have managed to achieve some very tasty results simply by following his straightforward recipies. If you like this book then I would recommend his "cooking for friends."
Also to be recomended is Ken Hom's simple Thai cooking; It works!

"Cut a cockrerel into joints"...., 05 Aug 2007
I bought this book on eBay and found myself in proud possession of a hardcover `second edition' reprint from 1965. (I have no idea if the current version is updated or even converted to metric, sorry).
Elizabeth is a darling ! and definitely the first English Domestic Goddess, long before Nigella et al came onto the scene. Her delivery of these many, many regional recipes is neither as school madam-ish as early Delia, nor as infuriatingly chummy as Jamie-the-mockeny-Oliver. She engages us in such a way as to make one really believe that nobody cooks like the French, but at the same time that anyone can recreate this culinary wonderland here in grey old England.
This book is so much more than a list of recipes, it is an adventure in France. Given that, when it was written, France was somewhere most of us had only heard of, this book takes us on a fascinating tour into the psyche of a foreign people.
Buy this book today. Even if you have absolutely no interest in cooking. It really is that rip-roaring a read !

A perfect pot of memories , 14 Dec 2006
I still have my first copy given me in 1975. Its very well thumbed! A great read, written like a recipe journal, in an easy flowing style, with a no nonesense approach to ingredients - only the best and freshest is tolerated, cooked to bring out the best in the ingredients- you get out what you put in - and a ton of butter! A palpable feeling of nostalgia pervades these recipes. Having cooked with fresh ingredients in many countries, I understand completely why ED warns us against attempts to recreate authenticity. It cannot be done. All we can do is turn the pages and let her memories guide us through all our yesterdays....our tongues savouring the memory of perfect carrot soup or pot au feu cooked up 27 years ago on the camping stove in a field in the Dordogne as we watched the sun set,sniffed the dew in the air and.....Ahhh, those were the days.....

Penguin degrades the experience, 11 Apr 2006
I bought this edition to replace our Penguin book from 1964 which had gradually worn into a pile of disconnected pages over decades of loving use. All the inspiring writing is still there, of course, all the no-nonsense, no compromise common sense of Elizabeth David that makes this book an essential for anyone who loves to eat well, cook well, or both. But oh, Penguin, you have chosen the cheapest of thick paper, and the print is woefully smaller than the old edition, on pages that are larger! This looks like a scan of a hardback edition. Juliet Renny's delicate line drawings now appear coarsened. Once upon a time, French Provincial Cooking was mostly for browsing -- you simply could not find all the ingredients. Today you can get everything, so you have the pleasure of cooking authentic French dishes with Elizabeth David's unparalleled expert guidance. Nevertheless, you will still want to settle down and read your way through recipes you plan to make some day and learn what makes them so good, and you might just want to do it with a rather nicer edition than this one. So 4 stars out of 4 for the content and 0 stars out of 1 for the production.

Simply the best, 20 Jan 2006
This is undoubtedly the greatest cookery book ever published in the UK.

Mrs David's passion and knowledge just comes through on every page. The background essays are fascinating, as are the various chapter introductions.

The style is authoritative, even authoritarian in places, but with writing as lucid as this there is hardly any room to quibble about Mrs David's somewhat didactic tone.

This book has been my constant reference point ever since the mid 1980s and it is the basis for virtually everything I cook.

The best cookery book!, 09 Aug 2005
Provided you have a few basic skills, this book is excellent.

The recipes are authentic, imaginative and always go down well with guests. The techniques suggested bring out the flavour of the ingredients to a tee and are transferrable with application of one's own imagination.

The recipes are also not fussy or predicated on knowing your butcher on first name terms.

You could cook from this book for ever.

L'air du temps ... , 09 Jun 2007
It is always a sheer pleasure to read his books. But this one stands out: it starts off with his diary, and gradually shows you traditional French cuisine (and a few exotic dishes French people eat). The book itself has a calm and nostalgic tone in the background (one pity is not all recipes have a picture of the finished dish. So unless you have seen the programme, it is difficult to see if you got it right)

I do know that some poeple were a little puzzled / annoyed, and I did feel the same when, in this programme, he highly praised French cuisine and by contrast slugged off Britain and its food culture a little ... specially this programme was made right after his "Food Heroes in Britain" where he had praised British produce and producers.

However, in real life, we appreciate both French and traditional British cuisine at the same time, don't we? You really cannot say which is better as they both have its own charm. What could possibly be better than having a wonderful British Pub lunch on a sunny Sunday afternoon that is followed by a strong French coffee in a cafe with Sunday paper? We mix the very best of theses two different cuisines to enjoy life.
Apart from referring to the recipes, I sometimes read this book when I want to forget all the troubles and feel better about things. It is nice to know there are places where the time passes at a different pace from where you are.

The reason why I love his books and his TV programmes is you can sense his passions for food, and his enthusiasm to share them with you. I specially love when he appears on telly when he is a bit tipsy - he looks more relaxed and gets even more passionate about food! What a great man he is.

But there is one HUGE disappointment. The TV programme was so very well made, and was unforgettably stunning. But, oh why, is it NOT available on DVD?

(PS: DVD will be available on the 1st of October 2007. Hurray!! Now what I hope is BBC publish 'Mediterranean Escapes' and 'Rick Stein and the Japanese Ambassador' on DVD soon!! 7/Sept 07)


Impress your friends!, 09 Jan 2006
I received a grand total of three of these books for Christmas (which just shows how well my husband and friends know me!)and was delighted as it was definitely on my Christmas list.

Having spent the weekend actually using it I can honestly say it is brilliant. The recipes are impressive enough to become a talking point at dinner parties (we made the little ragu of seafood) but easy enough to follow. Once tasted you can't understand how you used to make do with pasta or boring sausages and mash!

The pictures are beautiful - just make sure you don't read it when you are hungry! And each time you pick it up you are inspired to get in the kitchen - even though my kitchen is actually a building site at the moment and my City job doesn't enable me the time spend hours in the kitchen. It is a total pleasure and real relaxant to follow Rick's wonderfully traditional recipes. Together with the glorious photography and imagery of France it is a joy.

I highly recommend this to lovers of France and lovers of food!

Excellent, 08 Dec 2005
One of my favorite books. Filled with excellent French recipes. I also enjoy and recommend Simple and Simply Delicious by Sylvie Rocher as another excellent French cookbook. I think these are the best of the lot.

Visual and gustatory feast in Steinworld, 02 Oct 2005
To say that this book is an essential accompaniment to the television series is to do it a disservice, because it is a delightful publication in its own right. But combined with the television, it creates another wonderful window into Steinworld. Oh how I wish I were Rick Stein rather than a city solicitor! I would far rather get paid to drift down the Canal du Midi than drive through wretched Livingstone's congestion zone to a City office: what a wonderful world Rick inhabits. The TV series is a gem: the sights, the sounds, the people, the landscapes; one can almost smell and taste the foods he buys and prepares. Rather fun, too, is watching as he (and the crew) slosh their way through a hearty French country lunch with lashings of good vin de pays, all ending up glowing and bibulous -- often a prompt for some Stein philosophical musings to camera. Where the book, which is beautifully produced and printed, really shines is to allow one to read at leisure the recipes that flash by all too quickly on the TV screen, too quickly to scribble down anyway. And the recipes are a delightfully eclectic collection; none seems to be beyond the abilities of a reasonably experienced home cook, and everything is written with the characteristic Stein good humour and practicality. Steinworld has its food heroes in the UK, but those encounters are so often earnest and ponderous; in France, and this book, everything, including recipes, is infused with a passion and enthusiasm that is inspiring. Welcome to Steinworld.

Over 100 recipes, 18 Sep 2005
inspired by the flavours of France........

From the D/J inner flap:-

'Intrigued by a little book by a yachtsman who preferred to use the canal system to get to the Mediterranean rather than sailing round Spain and Portugal, Rick embarks on his own journey of gastronomic discovery from Padstow, Cornwall, to Bordeaux and then to Marseille.
On the way he browses in French markets, meets the producers of wine and food and eats in family-run cafés.....Fully illustrated with beautiful food and landscape photography, this book is both a souvenir of an unusual and idyllic journey through rural France and an inspiring collection of classic and original recipes.....
The good news is that the French rural gastronomic dream is still a reality and the best of its food can be reproduced at home.'

216 shiny high quality pages split over 2 main parts:-

(1) Diary - `Notes from a Journey'

(2) The Recipes:-

Soups and Starters
Light Lunches
Fish and Shellfish
Poultry and Game
Meat and Offal
Desserts
Accompaniments and Basics

with a full index, enhanced by italics denoting pictured dishes.

Each recipe opens with typical Rick text, the title/s and number of servings, clear ingredients and the clearly laid out method.

'Why yet another recipe for 'French Onion Soup', you may ask?
The simple answer is that I have an enthusiasm for rescuing previously special recipes that have become too popular and thus subject to corner-cutting or over-inventiveness.
The main constituents of a good onion soup to me are onions - lots of them - slowly cooked over a long period to make them sweet, caramel brown and soft, a good beef stock and Gruyère cheese, which must be served bubbling and aromatic on top of the whole soup.'


A taste of the other recipes within:-

Cream of Mussel Soup *
Charentais Melon Salad
Seared Foie Gras on Sweetcorn Pancakes
Buckwheat Galettes
Steak Tartare
Cep Omelette
Roasted Sea Bass with Pastis
Zander Braised in Pinot Noir
Duck Confit with Braised Red Cabbage
Roast Partridge with Dubonnet *
Salt Pork with Lentils
Cassoulet
Bullfighter's Beef Stew with Macaronade
Roast Rack of Lamb
Griddled Spatchcock Quail
Moroccan Lamb Tagine
Roast Loin of Veal with Madeira Sauce
Ribeye Steaks cooked over an open fire
Baked Lemon Cheesecake
Tarte Tatin
Hazelnut and Chocolate Dacquoise
Crunchy Walnut Tart *
Hot Vanilla Soufflés
Petits Pots au Chocolat
Normandy Cider and Apple Sorbet
Crème Caramel
Passion Fruit Crème Brûlée

* - pictured on 'Amazon Images' above

With, Rick's noble acknowledging of others along the way:-

'Egg Mayonnaise'
'This recipe is from 'Simon Hopkinson', who joined us for part of the filming while we were in Marseille. You might almost be asking yourself, do we really need a recipe for something so simple? Yet this is one of those classic dishes that has been forgotten, and yet is fantastic when done well, which is sadly not always the case.'

and a bit of history, here and there:-

'Henry IV Poule au Pot'
Henry IV of France was born in Gascony, and as I have become to really like the Gascon enthusiasm for good, honest cooking, so has Henry IV become a bit of a hero to me.
First because in the 15th Century, as King, he said during his coronation speech, 'I want every peasant to have a chicken in the pot on Sundays.'
Secondly, in true Gascon style, he had such a love of garlic, particularly raw, that his bride Marguérite de Valois refused to share his bed on one occasion because of his bad breath.
Would that this recipe from those times, a masterpiece of flavour, sensible nutrition and economy, could be as popular again in a world gone mad on fast food..........'

this is far more that just another superb cookery book, published to accompany the BBC TV series of the same name.

All the chefs like this one!!, 30 Nov 2008
So I took this book into work to show the other chefs along with my newly aquired copy of Alinea by Grant Achatz, Wondering which would be the most popular.

I'm sure ripailles has turned out better although the photography and the content is better in Alinea, You probably would never be able to make anything from this book, And that is where ripailles wins you could make every recipe in it without too many problems and the photography fits in nicely with the French rustic food.

So I will definitely try some of these recipes! One other reason to buy it is it only cost's £10.00 from Amazon at the moment (nov 08) and it has the most amazing cover on it which is padded, Thats what made me want it when I first saw it in the bookshop.


Superb authentic French recipes, 27 Nov 2008
Having lived in France, I have long tried to find an authentic recipe book that captured that French 'difference' in its cooking. I could never understand the secret of why meals made in France tasted so different to English recipes.

And god knows I have tried many recipes books from people who claim to be writing 'authentic' recipes! - from Rick Stein (who is not bad, admittedly) to the awful 'French Leave' from John Burton Rice. My home is littered wth discarded recipe books, that have been tossed aside in frustration.

Ripailles is the first one I have tried that shocked me when I served up the meal! It was like a different cook had been let loose in the kitchen! I haven't tried any of the more exotic meat recipes, but some of the more standard recipes - eg the 'braised beef with carrots' tasted fabulous and made me feel I had landed in Granny Leroux's farm kitchen in Provence, surrounded by all her family.

The range of recipes is vast, they go from simple soups/lunches like:
'potage cultivateur' (farmer's vegetable soup)
'garbure' (gascon cabbage and vegetable soup)
'oeuf cocotte au roquefort' (baked egg with roquefort cheese)

to standard meals:
'épauloe farcie' (stuffed lamb shoulder)
'rôti de cochon tout simplement' (roast pork, pure and simple)
'canard à l'orange' (duck à l'orange)
'moules marinières' (steamed mussels in white wine)

to more exotic sounding stuff:
'civet de sanglier acidulé' (Jugged boar in a sharp sauce)
'rouille du pêcheur' (stewed octopus with rouille sauce)

And yes, there's recipes for frogs' legs and snails! There's also a sugar section wth recipes for eg brioche, mille-feuilles, profiteroles, flourless chocolate cake, crème brulée - and Galette des rois (Epiphany cake), to name but a few.

There really is a huge number, and the book is beautifully illustrated. There is a lot of humour too in the book, it's quite quirky (eg one recipe instruction is 'buy a stone cottage in France and build a bbq'. I wasn't too keen on that part, but I guess that's just a personal thing.

The only other gripe I had is that sometimes the recipes are so simple, the novice cook (like me) who wants to be lead by the hand could be a bit disconcerted by the vagueness/freedom, but it's still a wonderful book. At the price on Amazon it's a bargain, so I'll definitely be giving a few away for Xmas.


Creative layout and great recipies, 26 Nov 2008
I just got Ripailles as a gift for my birthday and I am amazed by the beautiful photos, funny illustrations and great recipies. It will probably be one of my favourite books to refer to. It has everything from foie gras to creme brulee, and interesting info about everything :) I give four stars, because there was something i was missing in the book - some good french bread recipies. But otherwise - buy it or wish it, you won't regret!

Fabulous!, 27 Oct 2008
Buy it and make the wild boar recipe with kirsch and creme de mur - it is out of this world!

Ripailles - the best French cookery book on the shelves, 09 Oct 2008
I've just bought this book and have spent the last 2 hours pouring over the amazing photography, quirky drawings and huge array of recipes. If you love French cookery, the French way of life and want to have a go at recreating their unique style - this book will show you the way. Some of the French to English translations are a bit eccentric but it all adds to the charm of this mouthwatering encylopeadia of traditional French cookery. Forget all the celebrity nonsense from TV chefs, Stephane Reynaud could easily give Gordon Ramsay and his counterparts a run for their Euros. Nearly 500 pages of fantastic recipes. Charming, eccentric but also highly accessible. Francophiles and foodies will not be disappointed. Comes with charming gingham material bookmark.

amazing, 18 Nov 2008
What a beautiful book. The recipes( although VERY labour intensive) are amazing. the photographs beautiful If you love food, then this is for you- This is 3 star cooking, if you need to know the meanings of confit/boiled/blanched etc. its not for you.(unless you buy it for the beautiful images)
Amazing


One for the competant and confident., 30 Sep 2008
An engrossing book.
This book gives an excellent insight into the work and philosophy of a first rate chef. Most of the recipes are quite sophisticated, and the book is probably not one for a novice or nervous cook. The photographs are beautiful, and give splendid ideas for presentation. As a vegetarian, I was particularly interested in the puddings, which use pectin as a setting agent, rather than gelatine. Interesting and useful too are the 'mini recipes' - the bits between the main productions with instructions and techniques on making and using such things as powders, oils and stocks.

Great book, 22 Sep 2008
"Mummy.... MUMMY! What's for supper?"

"Its white truffle oil-infused custards with black truffle ragout".

"Again!?"

"Well you don't have to eat it".

Fantastic, 09 Aug 2008
This book is amazing. Not only does it look great, the recipes contained within it are superb. It is so beautifully produced that it wouldn't look out of place on your coffee table or in your kitchen.

However, it is the food that this is really about. The French Laundry has three Michelin stars and is consistantly voted the best restaurant in North America and one of the top five in the world. Having been lucky enough to eat there and then wondered how the chefs are able to create such amazing dishes, I now know.

This book makes it possible to create Michelin star dishes at home. Sure, they can be very fiddly and a lot of work, but you can do it and it really makes you appreciate the work that goes into putting that marvellous food in front of the customers, day in/day out.

If you are really serious about good quality, haute cuisine then this book is a must. If you're not, then enjoy it for the fabulous photography and anecdotes, and leave it on your coffee table to impress guests.

One step out of the ordinary, 25 Nov 2007
Truly an amazing book, if you happen to be at the stage where you have mastered the basics of home cooking, and begin to be bored by the ideas of Jamie or Nigella. Thomas Keller admits to his recipes being a little complicated at times, and they are, but they were definitely the next step for me. Oh, and you should not think that all his Michelin-stars and all those years in professional kitchens have taken Keller too far from average home cooks: in most recipes, he notes the things you might see and would probably be alarmed by and tells you how things look when they are normal and when you should start lowering the heat. If you're prepared to spend a few hours in the kitchen to get some "wow"-s and "oh my God, you're a genious"-s from your guests or family, buy the book.

Easy to do with Excellent results, 26 Sep 2008
I bought this book because I wanted to improve my cooking skills and enjoy home cooked French food. I found the recipes very easy to follow with great end results. There are two and three course menu suggestions for different occasions at the back of the book which is a great idea.

Well worth buying., 31 Mar 2008
I liked this book because it has got simple and step-by-step instructions with basic ingredients that you can not find in most of other cookery books. Highly recommended.

Very special book.........., 10 Feb 2008
I chose this book as a birthday present, my father said "good luck" as he had used Raymond Blanc books previously, finding them over complicated.

The pancakes with spinach, mushrooms & gruyere were wonderful, I served them with roasted cherry tomatoes, on the vine, and rocket salad, and they were well worth the effort.
The chicken breast with courgette ribbons takes a bit of effort the night before but on the day it is simple and very tasty.

I did not find the recipes over complicated, they do require some effort but to produce exceptional food (like in this book) when don't you need to put in the effort.


A superb intro to classic French food , 17 Jun 2007
Great selection of classic French recipes given in an easily followed fluid style, Great to impress a loved one. Inspired me to follow on and buy Recipes from Le Manoir Aux Quat' Saisons, Yes the title is French but it is available in English, same style, photos all the way through and just as easy to follow. Follow Raymond Blanc to the letter and you will produce great food.

so that's how it's done!, 19 Nov 2006
Raymond Blanc is one of the most respected and accomplished chefs in England.I can still remember vividly the fantastic experience of eating at his "Manoir aux Quatre Saisons." This book makes it possible to create spectacular and delicious meals. M Blanc shares some of his philosophy of cooking in a logical and passionate way. I have managed to achieve some very tasty results simply by following his straightforward recipies. If you like this book then I would recommend his "cooking for friends."
Also to be recomended is Ken Hom's simple Thai cooking; It works!

"Cut a cockrerel into joints"...., 05 Aug 2007
I bought this book on eBay and found myself in proud possession of a hardcover `second edition' reprint from 1965. (I have no idea if the current version is updated or even converted to metric, sorry).
Elizabeth is a darling ! and definitely the first English Domestic Goddess, long before Nigella et al came onto the scene. Her delivery of these many, many regional recipes is neither as school madam-ish as early Delia, nor as infuriatingly chummy as Jamie-the-mockeny-Oliver. She engages us in such a way as to make one really believe that nobody cooks like the French, but at the same time that anyone can recreate this culinary wonderland here in grey old England.
This book is so much more than a list of recipes, it is an adventure in France. Given that, when it was written, France was somewhere most of us had only heard of, this book takes us on a fascinating tour into the psyche of a foreign people.
Buy this book today. Even if you have absolutely no interest in cooking. It really is that rip-roaring a read !

A perfect pot of memories , 14 Dec 2006
I still have my first copy given me in 1975. Its very well thumbed! A great read, written like a recipe journal, in an easy flowing style, with a no nonesense approach to ingredients - only the best and freshest is tolerated, cooked to bring out the best in the ingredients- you get out what you put in - and a ton of butter! A palpable feeling of nostalgia pervades these recipes. Having cooked with fresh ingredients in many countries, I understand completely why ED warns us against attempts to recreate authenticity. It cannot be done. All we can do is turn the pages and let her memories guide us through all our yesterdays....our tongues savouring the memory of perfect carrot soup or pot au feu cooked up 27 years ago on the camping stove in a field in the Dordogne as we watched the sun set,sniffed the dew in the air and.....Ahhh, those were the days.....

Penguin degrades the experience, 11 Apr 2006
I bought this edition to replace our Penguin book from 1964 which had gradually worn into a pile of disconnected pages over decades of loving use. All the inspiring writing is still there, of course, all the no-nonsense, no compromise common sense of Elizabeth David that makes this book an essential for anyone who loves to eat well, cook well, or both. But oh, Penguin, you have chosen the cheapest of thick paper, and the print is woefully smaller than the old edition, on pages that are larger! This looks like a scan of a hardback edition. Juliet Renny's delicate line drawings now appear coarsened. Once upon a time, French Provincial Cooking was mostly for browsing -- you simply could not find all the ingredients. Today you can get everything, so you have the pleasure of cooking authentic French dishes with Elizabeth David's unparalleled expert guidance. Nevertheless, you will still want to settle down and read your way through recipes you plan to make some day and learn what makes them so good, and you might just want to do it with a rather nicer edition than this one. So 4 stars out of 4 for the content and 0 stars out of 1 for the production.

Simply the best, 20 Jan 2006
This is undoubtedly the greatest cookery book ever published in the UK.

Mrs David's passion and knowledge just comes through on every page. The background essays are fascinating, as are the various chapter introductions.

The style is authoritative, even authoritarian in places, but with writing as lucid as this there is hardly any room to quibble about Mrs David's somewhat didactic tone.

This book has been my constant reference point ever since the mid 1980s and it is the basis for virtually everything I cook.

The best cookery book!, 09 Aug 2005
Provided you have a few basic skills, this book is excellent.

The recipes are authentic, imaginative and always go down well with guests. The techniques suggested bring out the flavour of the ingredients to a tee and are transferrable with application of one's own imagination.

The recipes are also not fussy or predicated on knowing your butcher on first name terms.

You could cook from this book for ever.

L'air du temps ... , 09 Jun 2007
It is always a sheer pleasure to read his books. But this one stands out: it starts off with his diary, and gradually shows you traditional French cuisine (and a few exotic dishes French people eat). The book itself has a calm and nostalgic tone in the background (one pity is not all recipes have a picture of the finished dish. So unless you have seen the programme, it is difficult to see if you got it right)

I do know that some poeple were a little puzzled / annoyed, and I did feel the same when, in this programme, he highly praised French cuisine and by contrast slugged off Britain and its food culture a little ... specially this programme was made right after his "Food Heroes in Britain" where he had praised British produce and producers.

However, in real life, we appreciate both French and traditional British cuisine at the same time, don't we? You really cannot say which is better as they both have its own charm. What could possibly be better than having a wonderful British Pub lunch on a sunny Sunday afternoon that is followed by a strong French coffee in a cafe with Sunday paper? We mix the very best of theses two different cuisines to enjoy life.
Apart from referring to the recipes, I sometimes read this book when I want to forget all the troubles and feel better about things. It is nice to know there are places where the time passes at a different pace from where you are.

The reason why I love his books and his TV programmes is you can sense his passions for food, and his enthusiasm to share them with you. I specially love when he appears on telly when he is a bit tipsy - he looks more relaxed and gets even more passionate about food! What a great man he is.

But there is one HUGE disappointment. The TV programme was so very well made, and was unforgettably stunning. But, oh why, is it NOT available on DVD?

(PS: DVD will be available on the 1st of October 2007. Hurray!! Now what I hope is BBC publish 'Mediterranean Escapes' and 'Rick Stein and the Japanese Ambassador' on DVD soon!! 7/Sept 07)


Impress your friends!, 09 Jan 2006
I received a grand total of three of these books for Christmas (which just shows how well my husband and friends know me!)and was delighted as it was definitely on my Christmas list.

Having spent the weekend actually using it I can honestly say it is brilliant. The recipes are impressive enough to become a talking point at dinner parties (we made the little ragu of seafood) but easy enough to follow. Once tasted you can't understand how you used to make do with pasta or boring sausages and mash!

The pictures are beautiful - just make sure you don't read it when you are hungry! And each time you pick it up you are inspired to get in the kitchen - even though my kitchen is actually a building site at the moment and my City job doesn't enable me the time spend hours in the kitchen. It is a total pleasure and real relaxant to follow Rick's wonderfully traditional recipes. Together with the glorious photography and imagery of France it is a joy.

I highly recommend this to lovers of France and lovers of food!

Excellent, 08 Dec 2005
One of my favorite books. Filled with excellent French recipes. I also enjoy and recommend Simple and Simply Delicious by Sylvie Rocher as another excellent French cookbook. I think these are the best of the lot.

Visual and gustatory feast in Steinworld, 02 Oct 2005
To say that this book is an essential accompaniment to the television series is to do it a disservice, because it is a delightful publication in its own right. But combined with the television, it creates another wonderful window into Steinworld. Oh how I wish I were Rick Stein rather than a city solicitor! I would far rather get paid to drift down the Canal du Midi than drive through wretched Livingstone's congestion zone to a City office: what a wonderful world Rick inhabits. The TV series is a gem: the sights, the sounds, the people, the landscapes; one can almost smell and taste the foods he buys and prepares. Rather fun, too, is watching as he (and the crew) slosh their way through a hearty French country lunch with lashings of good vin de pays, all ending up glowing and bibulous -- often a prompt for some Stein philosophical musings to camera. Where the book, which is beautifully produced and printed, really shines is to allow one to read at leisure the recipes that flash by all too quickly on the TV screen, too quickly to scribble down anyway. And the recipes are a delightfully eclectic collection; none seems to be beyond the abilities of a reasonably experienced home cook, and everything is written with the characteristic Stein good humour and practicality. Steinworld has its food heroes in the UK, but those encounters are so often earnest and ponderous; in France, and this book, everything, including recipes, is infused with a passion and enthusiasm that is inspiring. Welcome to Steinworld.

Over 100 recipes, 18 Sep 2005
inspired by the flavours of France........

From the D/J inner flap:-

'Intrigued by a little book by a yachtsman who preferred to use the canal system to get to the Mediterranean rather than sailing round Spain and Portugal, Rick embarks on his own journey of gastronomic discovery from Padstow, Cornwall, to Bordeaux and then to Marseille.
On the way he browses in French markets, meets the producers of wine and food and eats in family-run cafés.....Fully illustrated with beautiful food and landscape photography, this book is both a souvenir of an unusual and idyllic journey through rural France and an inspiring collection of classic and original recipes.....
The good news is that the French rural gastronomic dream is still a reality and the best of its food can be reproduced at home.'

216 shiny high quality pages split over 2 main parts:-

(1) Diary - `Notes from a Journey'

(2) The Recipes:-

Soups and Starters
Light Lunches
Fish and Shellfish
Poultry and Game
Meat and Offal
Desserts
Accompaniments and Basics

with a full index, enhanced by italics denoting pictured dishes.

Each recipe opens with typical Rick text, the title/s and number of servings, clear ingredients and the clearly laid out method.

'Why yet another recipe for 'French Onion Soup', you may ask?
The simple answer is that I have an enthusiasm for rescuing previously special recipes that have become too popular and thus subject to corner-cutting or over-inventiveness.
The main constituents of a good onion soup to me are onions - lots of them - slowly cooked over a long period to make them sweet, caramel brown and soft, a good beef stock and Gruyère cheese, which must be served bubbling and aromatic on top of the whole soup.'


A taste of the other recipes within:-

Cream of Mussel Soup *
Charentais Melon Salad
Seared Foie Gras on Sweetcorn Pancakes
Buckwheat Galettes
Steak Tartare
Cep Omelette
Roasted Sea Bass with Pastis
Zander Braised in Pinot Noir
Duck Confit with Braised Red Cabbage
Roast Partridge with Dubonnet *
Salt Pork with Lentils
Cassoulet
Bullfighter's Beef Stew with Macaronade
Roast Rack of Lamb
Griddled Spatchcock Quail
Moroccan Lamb Tagine
Roast Loin of Veal with Madeira Sauce
Ribeye Steaks cooked over an open fire
Baked Lemon Cheesecake
Tarte Tatin
Hazelnut and Chocolate Dacquoise
Crunchy Walnut Tart *
Hot Vanilla Soufflés
Petits Pots au Chocolat
Normandy Cider and Apple Sorbet
Crème Caramel
Passion Fruit Crème Brûlée

* - pictured on 'Amazon Images' above

With, Rick's noble acknowledging of others along the way:-

'Egg Mayonnaise'
'This recipe is from 'Simon Hopkinson', who joined us for part of the filming while we were in Marseille. You might almost be asking yourself, do we really need a recipe for something so simple? Yet this is one of those classic dishes that has been forgotten, and yet is fantastic when done well, which is sadly not always the case.'

and a bit of history, here and there:-

'Henry IV Poule au Pot'
Henry IV of France was born in Gascony, and as I have become to really like the Gascon enthusiasm for good, honest cooking, so has Henry IV become a bit of a hero to me.
First because in the 15th Century, as King, he said during his coronation speech, 'I want every peasant to have a chicken in the pot on Sundays.'
Secondly, in true Gascon style, he had such a love of garlic, particularly raw, that his bride Marguérite de Valois refused to share his bed on one occasion because of his bad breath.
Would that this recipe from those times, a masterpiece of flavour, sensible nutrition and economy, could be as popular again in a world gone mad on fast food..........'

this is far more that just another superb cookery book, published to accompany the BBC TV series of the same name.

Fantastic book from a fantastic restaurant, 16 Jul 2008
This isn't a cookbook for the faint-hearted. It is a genuine restaurant book that gives you the precise recipes for some of David's most famous dishes.
The instructions are clear and, much more importantly, they work. David's use of seasonal, British produce and wild ingredients makes for one of the most interesting and pleasing books around. I can't recommend this book and everything I have ever made from it has blown people away.

Strange ingredients, 10 Jun 2008
Let me start by saying I am a great fan of David and Helen and some of the best meals of my life have been eaten at Le Champignon Sauvage. I am also a reasonably accomplished cook. But having rushed to buy this book I must say I am disappointed because of the large number of unusual and hard to get ingredients, making most of the recipes out of the range of people who do not have access to his excellent sources. The photography is excellent and some of the techniques are educational but as a practical book for the aspirational cook it's a bit of a dud. Ferran Adria is easier.

Simply Superb, 29 Jul 2007
If you want to recreate Michelin star food for dinner parties this is the book for you. The recipes are actually the ones used at 'Le Champignon Sauvage' Michelin 2 star restaurant in Cheltenham. Though they all comprise several components and take a while to prepare the instructions are clear and precise including how to assemble the finished dishes. The forward interestingly is written by Gordon Ramsay but this book is far superior in recipe quality to any of his watered down offerings.
David Everitt-Matthias deserves every success with this bible.
Simply Superb!

Excellent , 18 Apr 2007
Even As a professional chef i have rarely been interested in chef written books as i have been in Essence. Superbly written, great Photos and excellent Recipes. yes they are quite complicated but they are written in such detail and simplicity i have to congratulate David Everitt-Mathias. I have long wanted to go Champignon sauvage and this book has intensified this. Well done to all concerned with Essence as its one of the very best Thankyou

A step above the average, 25 Jan 2007
Bought the book on reviews alone and wasn't disappointed.

The recipes definitely aren't your average, but then neither is the depth of writing or the methodologies.

I've not cooked many of the dishes in their entirety but many of the elements are so polished that they are infinitely useful in other dishes.

Not for the lazy chef or the fainthearted but brilliant non the less

All the chefs like this one!!, 30 Nov 2008
So I took this book into work to show the other chefs along with my newly aquired copy of Alinea by Grant Achatz, Wondering which would be the most popular.

I'm sure ripailles has turned out better although the photography and the content is better in Alinea, You probably would never be able to make anything from this book, And that is where ripailles wins you could make every recipe in it without too many problems and the photography fits in nicely with the French rustic food.

So I will definitely try some of these recipes! One other reason to buy it is it only cost's £10.00 from Amazon at the moment (nov 08) and it has the most amazing cover on it which is padded, Thats what made me want it when I first saw it in the bookshop.


Superb authentic French recipes, 27 Nov 2008
Having lived in France, I have long tried to find an authentic recipe book that captured that French 'difference' in its cooking. I could never understand the secret of why meals made in France tasted so different to English recipes.

And god knows I have tried many recipes books from people who claim to be writing 'authentic' recipes! - from Rick Stein (who is not bad, admittedly) to the awful 'French Leave' from John Burton Rice. My home is littered wth discarded recipe books, that have been tossed aside in frustration.

Ripailles is the first one I have tried that shocked me when I served up the meal! It was like a different cook had been let loose in the kitchen! I haven't tried any of the more exotic meat recipes, but some of the more standard recipes - eg the 'braised beef with carrots' tasted fabulous and made me feel I had landed in Granny Leroux's farm kitchen in Provence, surrounded by all her family.

The range of recipes is vast, they go from simple soups/lunches like:
'potage cultivateur' (farmer's vegetable soup)
'garbure' (gascon cabbage and vegetable soup)
'oeuf cocotte au roquefort' (baked egg with roquefort cheese)

to standard meals:
'épauloe farcie' (stuffed lamb shoulder)
'rôti de cochon tout simplement' (roast pork, pure and simple)
'canard à l'orange' (duck à l'orange)
'moules marinières' (steamed mussels in white wine)

to more exotic sounding stuff:
'civet de sanglier acidulé' (Jugged boar in a sharp sauce)
'rouille du pêcheur' (stewed octopus with rouille sauce)

And yes, there's recipes for frogs' legs and snails! There's also a sugar section wth recipes for eg brioche, mille-feuilles, profiteroles, flourless chocolate cake, crème brulée - and Galette des rois (Epiphany cake), to name but a few.

There really is a huge number, and the book is beautifully illustrated. There is a lot of humour too in the book, it's quite quirky (eg one recipe instruction is 'buy a stone cottage in France and build a bbq'. I wasn't too keen on that part, but I guess that's just a personal thing.

The only other gripe I had is that sometimes the recipes are so simple, the novice cook (like me) who wants to be lead by the hand could be a bit disconcerted by the vagueness/freedom, but it's still a wonderful book. At the price on Amazon it's a bargain, so I'll definitely be giving a few away for Xmas.


Creative layout and great recipies, 26 Nov 2008
I just got Ripailles as a gift for my birthday and I am amazed by the beautiful photos, funny illustrations and great recipies. It will probably be one of my favourite books to refer to. It has everything from foie gras to creme brulee, and interesting info about everything :) I give four stars, because there was something i was missing in the book - some good french bread recipies. But otherwise - buy it or wish it, you won't regret!

Fabulous!, 27 Oct 2008
Buy it and make the wild boar recipe with kirsch and creme de mur - it is out of this world!

Ripailles - the best French cookery book on the shelves, 09 Oct 2008
I've just bought this book and have spent the last 2 hours pouring over the amazing photography, quirky drawings and huge array of recipes. If you love French cookery, the French way of life and want to have a go at recreating their unique style - this book will show you the way. Some of the French to English translations are a bit eccentric but it all adds to the charm of this mouthwatering encylopeadia of traditional French cookery. Forget all the celebrity nonsense from TV chefs, Stephane Reynaud could easily give Gordon Ramsay and his counterparts a run for their Euros. Nearly 500 pages of fantastic recipes. Charming, eccentric but also highly accessible. Francophiles and foodies will not be disappointed. Comes with charming gingham material bookmark.

amazing, 18 Nov 2008
What a beautiful book. The recipes( although VERY labour intensive) are amazing. the photographs beautiful If you love food, then this is for you- This is 3 star cooking, if you need to know the meanings of confit/boiled/blanched etc. its not for you.(unless you buy it for the beautiful images)
Amazing


One for the competant and confident., 30 Sep 2008
An engrossing book.
This book gives an excellent insight into the work and philosophy of a first rate chef. Most of the recipes are quite sophisticated, and the book is probably not one for a novice or nervous cook. The photographs are beautiful, and give splendid ideas for presentation. As a vegetarian, I was particularly interested in the puddings, which use pectin as a setting agent, rather than gelatine. Interesting and useful too are the 'mini recipes' - the bits between the main productions with instructions and techniques on making and using such things as powders, oils and stocks.

Great book, 22 Sep 2008
"Mummy.... MUMMY! What's for supper?"

"Its white truffle oil-infused custards with black truffle ragout".

"Again!?"

"Well you don't have to eat it".

Fantastic, 09 Aug 2008
This book is amazing. Not only does it look great, the recipes contained within it are superb. It is so beautifully produced that it wouldn't look out of place on your coffee table or in your kitchen.

However, it is the food that this is really about. The French Laundry has three Michelin stars and is consistantly voted the best restaurant in North America and one of the top five in the world. Having been lucky enough to eat there and then wondered how the chefs are able to create such amazing dishes, I now know.

This book makes it possible to create Michelin star dishes at home. Sure, they can be very fiddly and a lot of work, but you can do it and it really makes you appreciate the work that goes into putting that marvellous food in front of the customers, day in/day out.

If you are really serious about good quality, haute cuisine then this book is a must. If you're not, then enjoy it for the fabulous photography and anecdotes, and leave it on your coffee table to impress guests.

One step out of the ordinary, 25 Nov 2007
Truly an amazing book, if you happen to be at the stage where you have mastered the basics of home cooking, and begin to be bored by the ideas of Jamie or Nigella. Thomas Keller admits to his recipes being a little complicated at times, and they are, but they were definitely the next step for me. Oh, and you should not think that all his Michelin-stars and all those years in professional kitchens have taken Keller too far from average home cooks: in most recipes, he notes the things you might see and would probably be alarmed by and tells you how things look when they are normal and when you should start lowering the heat. If you're prepared to spend a few hours in the kitchen to get some "wow"-s and "oh my God, you're a genious"-s from your guests or family, buy the book.

Easy to do with Excellent results, 26 Sep 2008
I bought this book because I wanted to improve my cooking skills and enjoy home cooked French food. I found the recipes very easy to follow with great end results. There are two and three course menu suggestions for different occasions at the back of the book which is a great idea.

Well worth buying., 31 Mar 2008
I liked this book because it has got simple and step-by-step instructions with basic ingredients that you can not find in most of other cookery books. Highly recommended.

Very special book.........., 10 Feb 2008
I chose this book as a birthday present, my father said "good luck" as he had used Raymond Blanc books previously, finding them over complicated.

The pancakes with spinach, mushrooms & gruyere were wonderful, I served them with roasted cherry tomatoes, on the vine, and rocket salad, and they were well worth the effort.
The chicken breast with courgette ribbons takes a bit of effort the night before but on the day it is simple and very tasty.

I did not find the recipes over complicated, they do require some effort but to produce exceptional food (like in this book) when don't you need to put in the effort.


A superb intro to classic French food , 17 Jun 2007
Great selection of classic French recipes given in an easily followed fluid style, Great to impress a loved one. Inspired me to follow on and buy Recipes from Le Manoir Aux Quat' Saisons, Yes the title is French but it is available in English, same style, photos all the way through and jus