French food has an intimidating reputation. Delicious and
spectacular, yes, but also complicated, time-consuming, rich for
today's tastes and requiring a professional chef 's arsenal of
techniques and equipment. Not so! Laura Calder, host of Food
Network Canada's hit program French Food at Home, has a
different approach, and she's here to show you that French food is
easier, lighter and even more wonderful than you ever
imagined.
French Taste focuses on modern French home cooking,
keeping all of the flavour and flair of classic cuisine but making
it simpler and fresher. Over 100 recipes cover regional and
traditional favourites, such as Tian of Provençal Vegetables and
Poule au Pot, together with quick, modern meals like Tuna in a
Black Poppyseed Crust, and dishes that reflect the multicultural
influences in today's France, such as Chicken Tagine. In addition
to recipes, Calder provides delightful pensées-wonderful
short essays on everything from enjoying the act of cooking, to
entertaining with easy grace, to learning how to shop for fine
cheese without fear.
French cooking has evolved and so should our approach to it. It
isn't necessary to master the entire canon just to bake a tarte
au citron. Calder reminds us that if we get too caught up in
the rules and the recipes, we miss the true art of French cooking:
making food that looks as beautiful as it tastes, enjoying what we
eat and savouring the social, sensual pleasures of the kitchen and
table.