- Hardcover: 304 pages
- Publisher: Clarkson Potter (Mar 14 2000)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0609602268
- ISBN-13: 978-0609602263
- Product Dimensions: 28.2 x 22.1 x 2.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 1.4 Kg
- Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #473,773 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon
From My Château Kitchen revolves around three subjects: the author's life in the 17th-century Burgundian château she and her husband own; the work of the farmers, vintners, restaurateurs, and others who live in the area and define its spirit; and Burgundian food, the glorious regional plats that represent a time-honored yet ever-evolving cuisine. Anne Willan, founder and president of La Varenne cooking school (now headquartered at the château), skillfully weaves these strands into a romantic but down-to-earth memoir. With more than 300 color photos and 160 adroitly selected recipes, the book offers both armchair excitement and practical kitchen direction. Those drawn to French regional cooking and the life that anchors it will embrace the book.
In chapters such as "The Adventure Begins," "On Burgundian Tables," and "The Wider Scene," Willan comes, sees, and is conquered--repeatedly. Best of all are her shrewdly drawn human portraits. We meet, among others, the château gardener who picks vegetables only at maximum size, a blacksmith who guards his homemade ratafia in a cathedral cellar, and a father-son pair who operate a traveling cider press. Willan's recipes--all meticulously written--accompany the discussions. Traditional Beef Bourguignon (a definitive formula), Warm Wild Mushroom Mousse, Madame Milbert's Rabbit Terrine, and Apple Gâteau Le Fey are just some of the dishes that illustrate a time, place, or person. Closing with a chapter that presents the château wedding of Willan's daughter (and includes the wedding cake recipe), the book comes full circle; it returns readers to a beginning and reminds them that food, which is the life of the Burgundian land, is without break, beginning or end. --Arthur Boehm
From Publishers Weekly
Owner of La Varenne cooking school and author of La Varenne Pratique, Willan chronicles her culinary adventures at Ch?teau du Fey, a 17th-century Burgundy ch?teau that she and her husband bought in 1982. There are many f?tes at which Willan hobnobs among neighboring ch?telains (dubbed the "ch?teau mafia") with privileged lineages, but her memoir is also punctuated by a colorful cast of local characters--such as caretakers Monsieur and Madame Milbert, cheese expert Hugues Parret, bread baker Robert Haumont? and artisan charcutier Georges Clopin. Her regional dishes include Pork Chops with Mustard and Bacon, Venison Stew with Black Mushrooms and Ratafia (a grape juice liqueur) and Snails with Anise en Cro?te, along with fresh takes on such classics as Truffled Brie, White Cheese Ice Cream, and Cabbage and Goat Cheese Quiche. Willan also showcases select signature dishes (e.g., Roasted Scallops with Sesame and Parsley Salad) of local Michelin-starred Burgundian chefs, family, friends and La Varenne students. Willan's prose is vivacious, her erudite pedagogy underscored with tart, droll humor. While she occasionally basks in the grandiose moments afforded an eminent ch?teau owner, she respectfully recognizes the community of local artisans who have contributed to the success of her beloved Le Fey. (Apr.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Exquisite French Countryside Cooking!,
By
This review is from: Anne Willan: From My Chateau Kitchen (Hardcover)
Exquisite and sumptuous describes both this cookbook and food from it. The layout, accompanying text and color photos are just fabulous, showing the history of Ann and her family moving to the Chateau in the French Burgundy area, and the subsequent game, produce and food products of the area which she utilizes in her cooking, in her cooking school and for these recipes.Each recipe is given after its introduction into Ann's life, and this is just so unique in the delightful manner that she presents it. Just a sampling of such: Gratin of Potatoes with Bacon and Cream (and Monsieru Milbert's potatoes); Poached Figs with Pistachio Frangipane (and Madame Andrea's discovery of "blindness" in fig trees); Poached Trout in White Wine with Spinach (and her fisherman/carpenter foriend Henri); Goat Cheese Puffs (and their accompanying Chablis from Laroche); Crustades of Red Peppers with Goat Cheese (and The Owl's Loft restaurant); and my favorite=Snails with Anise en Croute (and Chef Claude's hunting them in the woods); Whole Tangerine Souffle (which is how I discovered this wonderful lady, seeing her do this with Martha Stewart). Will now want to sample some of her other cookbooks which the other reviewers rave about as well.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Potatoes,
By Judith Marshall (Beaver, PA United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Anne Willan: From My Chateau Kitchen (Hardcover)
The creamy potatoes with bacon (near the front of the book) is the best potato dish I have ever eaten. I served it at a dinner party recently and the comment was: "awesome". Also, recently I had the twice baked spinach omelet except mine was made with gruyere cheese only, no spinach. It was cooked one day and re-cooked the next. It was fabulous and it is great to know that it can be made ahead. I love Anne Willan!!
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must have!!!,
By A Customer
This review is from: Anne Willan: From My Chateau Kitchen (Hardcover)
This book is a great example of why the Internet recipe sites will never replace cookbooks. Nowhere can you find such beautiful pictures, and wonderful recipes as this book. Ms. Willan has written a meticulously researched cookbook that is just as much at home on the coffee table as it is on the kitchen counter.I must respectfully disagree with a previous reviewers comments. The "Gateau le Fe˙" does work exactly as written. I've created this beautiful dish a couple of times now with no problem. I could see how this might not turn out if your oven temperature is incorrect, so it might be a good idea to test your oven with an oven thermometer prior to starting this dish. As for the point to wait until they do a new printing with corrections, it should be noted that if there were corrections to be made, you'd think that Ms Willan would have done so when she appeared on Martha Stewart the first week of February 2001, and made this dish, just as it is written.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Want to see more reviews on this item?
|
Most recent customer reviews |
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
