Bocuse in Your Kitchen
Simple French Recipes for the Home Chef
by Paul Bocuse

Reviewed by Rachel Levin

The true test of a classic cookbook is its ability to remain fresh and relevant over time.  This edition of Bocuse in Your Kitchen marks the 25th anniversary of its original publication.  Because of the enduring focus on traditional French cooking and a no-frills attitude aimed at the beginner, the book has achieved classic status.  French chef Paul Bocuse, world renowned for popularizing nouvelle cuisine at his restaurant L’Auberge du Pont de Collonges near Lyon, is a humble and articulate host in this tour of French basics.  He makes no assumptions about the skill level of his readers and dispenses sensible advice about organizing and stocking the kitchen.  Fittingly, he also includes a guide to serving and choosing (and talking about) French wines for the novice.  His mission is to help even inexperienced home cooks elevate simple, everyday fare with top-quality, fresh ingredients and time-tested techniques.

Though the recipes at times reflect the North African and Italian influences on French cuisine, by far the most appealing recipes in the book are tried-and-true French standards.  Neophyte chefs will be enticed by the prospect of mastering quintessential dishes like onion soup, gougères, spinach quiche, pot-au-feu, mussels marinière or coq au vin.  Rustic choices like baked eggs with cream, veal shank with baby vegetables or pot-roasted chicken will make a big impression on company but remain accessible.  Dessert recipes are failsafe yet elegant, especially the chocolate mousse with warm almond cookies and pears in red wine.  Though simplicity is the theme, there are plenty of “trimmings”—sauces, dressings, compotes and jams—to allow home cooks the freedom to cater to “the tastes of those involved,” as Bocuse says in his introduction.  His generosity of spirit and straightforward delivery of his trade “secrets” will keep Bocuse in your kitchen for at least the next quarter century.

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