The Soups of France [Hardcover]

What a treasure! The Soups of France feels luxurious, with its heavy-stock paper and stunning color photographs of the French countryside, and is peppered throughout with thoughtful literary quotes about food and sweet M.F.K. Fisher-style commentary by the author, Lois Anne Rothert. Rothert spent 10 years collecting these recipes, translating them from French, and clarifying the older ones that used measurements like "handfuls." She shares their origins in a way that will transport you to the villages, hamlets, and farms where she found them. Some of the recipes are familiar, such as Soupe au Pistou and pot-au-feu, but most are more unusual. From the southwest, Rothert presents a rich, comforting Chestnut and Pumpkin Soup, and from the Rhone-Alps, an Alpine Cheese-Glazed Root Vegetable Soup that's hearty and filling, with an intoxicating aroma.

Surprisingly, many of the soups are quite easy to prepare, such as a puréed Wild Mushroom and Hazelnut Soup from the Franche-Comté (the resulting texture is almost velvety), and a Garlic, Sausage, and Red Pepper Soup from the Basque country that's ready in about half an hour. There are recipes for the more adventurous too, including Frogs' Legs in Watercress Cream and Stinging Nettle and Potato Soup. But what's most wonderful about this book is the pleasure you'll get from it even when you're not cooking. Francophiles will love reading about Rothert's experiences, and foodies will love her generous descriptions of the traditions, history, and techniques she learned about while researching The Soups of France. --Leora Y. Bloom

Of the 84 soups, potages, marmites and more that Rothert draws from 17 Gallic regions, some are unusual twists on tradition (Cabbage Soup with Walnut Oil) and others have stood for many generations (Potage Crecy or Cream of Carrot Soup), although even the latter she tweaks by adding a bit of optional curry powder. Arranged in six chapters, the soups feature Fresh Vegetables; Dried Beans and Grains; Fish and Shellfish; Meat and Poultry; Game and Wild Delicacies; and Cheese and Eggs. Most of those in the first two sections such as Leek and Potato Soup and Lyonnaise Rice and Onion Soup are sublimely simple. Coming along later, Calais Crab and Seafood Soup and Beef, Sausage, Ham and Rabbit Soup are considerably more challenging. Even so, directions are clear and unambiguous and the results from a few hours in the kitchen promise a tableful of happy eaters. On the easier side, it would be hard to resist Garlic Cream Soup with Snails, which takes those little creatures to new heights of savory richness. Butter and cream, of course, are frequent components, although not excessively so. While the price may be steep considering the many soup books available, this is an admirable collection, nicely designed and with striking photos by Don Smith. (Nov.)
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Of the 84 soups, potages, marmites and more that Rothert draws from 17 Gallic regions, some are unusual twists on tradition (Cabbage Soup with Walnut Oil) and others have stood for many generations (Potage Crecy or Cream of Mushroom Soup), although even the latter she tweaks by adding a bit of optional curry powder. Arranged in six chapters, the soups feature Fresh Vegetables; Dried Beans and Grains; Fish and Shellfish; Meat and Poultry; Game and Wild Delicacies; and Cheese and Eggs. Most of those in the first two sections--such as Leek and Potato Soup and Lyonnaise Rice and Onion Soup--are sublimely simple. Coming along later, Calais Crab and Seafood Soup and Beef Sausage, Ham and Rabbit Soup are considerably more challenging. Even so, directions are clear and unambiguous and the results from a few hours in the kitchen promise a tableful of happy eaters. On the easier side, it would be hard to resist Garlic Cream Soup with Snails, which takes those little creatures to new heights of savory richness. Butter and cream, of course, are frequent components, although not excessively so. While the price may be steep considering the many soup books available, this is an admirable collection, nicely designed and with striking photos by Don Smith. -Publishers Weekly

In France, a nation of small villages, an incredible variety of soups have evolved over time, with cherished family recipes handed down from generation to generation. The Soups of France uncovers those recipes, many still enjoyed today, others long forgotten. From famed Pot-au-Feu and Bouillabaisse to Baratxuri Salda, a spicy Basque broth of garlic, sausage, and red pepper, and the Dordogne’s Sobronade, ham and bean soup, each of the 90-plus recipes celebrates a melting pot of flavor. Rich with glorious photographs illustrating the lush countryside, quaint villages, and vibrant marketplaces, The Soups of France is a delightful culinary ramble. A labor of love on an art the French take for granted, this is a treasure no true collection of cookery books should be without.

Lois Anne Rothert is the founder of duJour, an Indiana restaurant of French-influenced cuisine. She has spent the last ten years collecting the many soup recieps served at the restaurant and travelling the French countryside in search of their origins. Don Smith is a photographer, film editor, and producer. He is professor of film and video at Columbia College in Chicago and lives on Pretty Lake in northeast Indiana.