Rating: 
Summary: Magnificent, Incomparable
Review: A book of unique importance in the culinary (& cultural) history of the United States. Before Child, this country was mired in a cuisine that had never really emerged from the depradations of wartime rationing, was being manhandled into the unsavory tinned world of industrialized food (soup in a can, noodles in a box, adulterated, nothing fresh), & had never had much in the way of a national cuisine. Onto this bare plate Child (& her co-authors) placed a sumptuous feast of perfect French food, & with it, an awareness of a better way of eating, a better way of living.
A watershed, a monument. But how does it stand up as a cookbook? In a word, it remains one of the best cookbooks ever written. The recipes are elegant & their products are nearly without exception delicious. The writing is graceful, witty, & informative. The index & glossary are excellent.
This book can teach you to cook. If you can cook, this book can teach you to cook better. If you can't cook, but love to eat, give it to someone who will cook for you, & you will eat better.
Try the Potage Parmentier. The soul of simplicity & gustatory delight.
Rating:
Summary: Still the best after all these years
Review: After forty years, MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING still remains the best cookbook ever written. One can toss every other book on technique and on French cuisine, one can ignore the curriculum of every cooking school, and instead rely solely on this massive work. MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING was the book which CREATED America's fascination with gastronomy, long before many of today's readers even were born. Any aspiring cook who works his or her way from the beginning to the end will be an accomplished chef by the time the project is completed, so thorough are Julia Child's instructions. Julia Child is a genius. This new edition of MASTERING remains the gem it always has been, and this book proves why Julia Child has earned a unique place at the top of every list of food writers.
Rating:
Summary: wonderful!
Review: Every recipe I have made from this book has been amazing! I would not, however, recommend it for anyone looking for quick or cheap recipes or those uninterested in cooking. Julia is serious with her art, and it is art! These recipes are fairly complex and many of them involve looking at two or three different recipes at a time. However, they are worth every bit of effort. I really loved the beginning of the book, too. I learned some new things about my ingredients! The beef stew was absolutely succulent, and the mornay sauce was beyond words. I would not have thought it possible for me to make such things at home, but I was surprised every time!
Rating:
Summary: wonderful!
Review: Every recipe I have made from this book has been amazing! I would not, however, recommend it for anyone looking for quick or cheap recipes or those uninterested in cooking. Julia is serious with her art, and it is art! These recipes are fairly complex and many of them involve looking at two or three different recipes at a time. However, they are worth every bit of effort. I really loved the beginning of the book, too. I learned some new things about my ingredients! The beef stew was absolutely succulent, and the mornay sauce was beyond words. I would not have thought it possible for me to make such things at home, but I was surprised every time!
Rating: 
Summary: A must-have for any serious home cook.
Review: Every serious home cook should have a good collection of Julia Child's recipes in the kitchen. Although many of the recipes are elaborate and time consuming, they are all clearly explained and easy to follow. I have never had a Julia Child recipe fail. I refer to this book constantly for basics such as pie crust. It is also my first line of defense for company meals.
Rating:
Summary: Historic Rendering of Classic for Every Cook's Shelf
Review: I am so glad I went ahead and purchased this commerative edition of a classic I've neglected to add to my growing collection. What I gained from the beginning was the story of Julia's start in French cuisine while in Paris with her diplomatic husband. Her blossoming association with this classic cuisine and her eventual copatriots of bringing this cuisine to the world (Bertholee and Beck and Chef Bugnard) was a treat to read. Growing admiration for Julia, where she's been and what she is all about. A true blessing to the field! The break into the publishing world of Knopf is delightful! Masterful intro to the techniques and puchase and prep of ingredients and their adaptation to modern kitchens is well done. Even supermarket shopping is included. Secrets and options and illustrative helps permeate its pages as does sumptuous recipe collection. I am into such as" Escalopes de Veau a' l'Estragon (sauteed veal scallops with brown tarragon sauce) and those heavenly Cassoulets! Who does them better than the French? Another rich, easy to do dish that will knock out guests is "Poulet au Porto (Roast Chicken Steeped with Port Wine, Cream and Mushrooms). For cleanup, tarts are so French, and the collection here is tempting. This will prove to be a turn-to resource for continual guidance and inspiration.
Rating:
Summary: Best base cooking book in my kitchen book shelf
Review: I am using regularly this book as a practical user guide manual
when it is my job to prepare a good and delicous dinner for family on Saturday evenings.
The receipts and workflows of making meals are detailed and easy to follow.
Risto Salmela
Rating:
Summary: WOW-The Very Best Cookbook of any cuisine
Review: I became interested in cooking when I moved out of the dorm in 1970. The quest for good food led to a life-long passion for honest good food. The French approach eating with a sincereity Americans lack. Julia has been able to present classic French Cuisine to generations of Americans. This set of two volumes contains the essence of French cooking that will serve as a foundation to wherever one travels on the food road. Mine is almost disentegrating from years of loving use, and I am replacing one for the library, but plan to continue to use my dog-eared friend!
Rating:
Summary: Can make anyone into a French Chef
Review: I discovered this cookbook several years ago and, at least gastronomically, it changed my life forever. The recipes are broken down into the absolute simplest steps possible. The sauces are phenomenal. One can finally appreciate the notoriety that French cooking has (deservedly) earned by preparing and tasting any of these recipes. Julia has confirmed me as a French cooking fan!
Rating:
Summary: Essential
Review: I hardly ever buy cookbooks without pictures, but this is the exception. I find myself refering to this and the second volume more than any other cookbook I own. If you are one of us who knows that French is THE cuisine, then you must own these two books.
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