Gastronomic delight is really the domain of the French.
Preparation and planning, plus the love and care of food are what it’s all about when reading a cookbook. With Chef Alain Braux’s “Healthy French Cuisine”, there is, dare I say it, a certain “je ne sais quoi”, that indefinable something, that sets this cookbook apart.
For one thing, this book puts us into the right frame of mind about food. It comes down to the simple, and not the extraordinary elements that make a great meal. This is a remarkable book, in that it’s not a "frou-frou" French cookbook, but instead a real life, practical guide for Cooking French Food.
Today's cooks can use this book and glean lots of healthy ideas laid out in plain print. “Healthy French Cuisine” is a book meant to inspire. And then-there are some dynamite recipes that I am itching to try…
One caveat – Although this book seems to be tailored for the hoi-polloi, (the common man), admittedly it’s not for the lower end income bracket. Chef Alain has broken meals down to average about $10.00 per person per day...This puts the tab at about $1000 a month for a family of four, so some of these are not everyday dishes.
But French cooking is something that is prepared, not simply consumed. It is meant to inspire us all. From the time before there was a Julia Child we learned from Simone Beck and others about the joys of French Cooking. And ever since Miss Julia wrote about French cooking way back in the sixties, I have loved the very concept of French Food.
One of my favorite restaurants was this small French place around the corner from where I lived in Tampa
The first half of the book deals with some things that we have all heard many times before regarding healthy eating. But, since the emphasis is on Health, it’s worth hearing them again. For instance, portion control is something the French do well. Chef Alain writes fondly of his Grandmother “Mamie’s” home cooked meals. This is where he is taking us when he emphasizes the fresh foods and our need to cook from the home (and with feeling!)
The second half of the book delves into the recipes. He breaks them down seasonally, and also by cost, which again, I’m not convinced is going to be as helpful for some living in different regions-he is pricing from Austin , Texas
Once you get into the recipes, you’ll be hooked. He goes through all four seasons, and lays out the types of food and best produce to buy for the time of year. An inspired move, I’m thinking.
Recently, a prominent cookbook editor wrote about some of the best types of cookbooks she had come across. One thing she stressed above all else was: “Can you find the ingredients?” Chef Alain does help us to bring each season into focus by doing just that.
Another important factor the editor looked for was the type of equipment the cook will use. In this book, Alain even goes into the pantry and lies out the, for the most part, simple equipment that he uses in his own kitchen. But the last thing this cookbook editor was looking for was a certain “something” that sets the recipes apart. Because, after all, the food is the heart of the matter!
In this book, some of the best recipes I saw were the most deceptively simple ones. Haricots verts (Green Beans), steamed with lemon vinaigrette, Braised purple cabbage with goat cheese, Flourless Chocolate cake (heavy on the cream!), and Cod Au Gratin with Parmesan Cheese. There were many varieties of chicken to try, which I rather admire just knowing that many “food-ista’s” are a bit snobby about cooking with chicken. (They will tell you chicken has just been done to death.) But Alain manages to find a way with the Cornmeal-crusted Chicken Nuggets with Blackberry Mustard. It is to die for.
It's important to note that most of these recipes are Gluten Free or can be converted to a Gluten Free diet. And, as someone who lives Gluten Free and has done so for 18 years, I can't wait to read Alain’s G.F. book. In conclusion, the only thing left to add after reading Chef Alain’s book is: Bon Appetit!
