Synopses & Reviews
Sauces Classical and Contemporary Sauce Making Second Edition James Peterson "After a couple of decades of anarchy and chaos in the kitchen disguised as la nouvelle cuisine, a treatise such as Sauces, grounded in common sense, infuses one with renewed faith." So says no less an authority than Richard Olney, who as the acknowledged master of the contemporary culinary arts, possesses the perspective to judge what is merely history, and what is truly historic. Since its publication in 1991, Sauces has proven itself a landmark work, winning The James Beard Foundations Cookbook of the Year award, and garnering worldwide acclaim for its author, James Peterson, who with his very first book established a reputation as one of the most literate and knowledgeable individuals among the vast ranks of culinary writers. By marrying the best of well-practiced techniques and methods with the adventurous innovation of the contemporary art, Peterson has forged a new direction for sauce making that rings as true for home cooks as it does for professional chefs. Sauces has been as much a celebration of cooking as it was a teaching volume because it is, at its heart, a reflection of Petersons romance and devotion in the kitchen. Sauces is firmly dedicated not only to broadening the cooks appreciation and understanding of sauce-makings traditional principles, but also to empowering the reader to become an adept improviser. We are reminded that cooking is an art, and no art can thrive without the freedom to change and evolve. More than just a compendium of recipes, Sauces explains how and why the ingredients of a sauce are combined. Structured around the framework of classical French cooking, it provides in thorough detail explanations of, and instructions for, preparing both traditional and contemporary versions of most every sauce imaginable. Classic white and brown sauces, both starch-thickened and flourless; popular meat and fish sauces made with drippings and juices; sauces based on egg yolks, including béarnaise, hollandaise, mayonnaise and their variations; sauces made with butter, including the beurre blanc-based sauces that revolutionized modern cooking; vegetable purees; dessert sauces, and many more. The Second Edition addresses the growing appreciation for Asian cuisine, whose bold flavors have helped make it a staple of the modern healthy diet. Peterson serves up an overview of both ingredients and techniques for a collection of favorite Asian recipes. Pasta sauces, which were absent in the first edition, get Petersons meticulous treatment here, and the techniques for making other types of sauces can be used here to create flavorful and satisfying dishes. Peterson goes straight to the heart of the culinary art to explain, in plain language, how ingredients work together, and groups the recipes according to their basic ingredients such as olive oil, seafood, and vegetables. As always, Peterson reminds the reader that the recipes are ultimately a guide, and encourages cooks to explore great new tastes through their own creative efforts. Joining the more than 500 recipes in the Second Edition are the authors 190 color photographs that clearly illustrate the fundamentals of good sauce making. Peterson also provides a practical discussion of pairing wine and food, as well as guidelines for improvisation and tips for restaurant chefs. A new bibliography and source list of purveyors enables readers to expand their knowledge and enhance their creativity, all in all making a must-have reference for one of the most exciting and challenging areas of cooking.
Synopsis
"Here is yet another cookbook that can stand among the best reference works. I suspect its a harbinger of kindred books to come as publishers begin to respond to a growing audience of cook-readers who hunger for connected, nuanced, reliably researched information
." Gourmet Magazine "James Peterson has done for sauces that which Escoffier did for the cuisine of La Belle Époque
. Sauces is a manual for the professional cook and, as such, it will rapidly become a classic and indispensable reference
." Richard Olney, From the Foreword "Its the single contemporary reference on the subject that is both comprehensive and comprehensible. I love Jims recipes (and there are gems all over the place here), but whats special about Sauces is the text: It reads so well that this is the kind of book you can take to bed." Mark Bittman, From the Foreword "This is a book I wish I had written myself
. Every few decades a book is written that says all there is to say on a subject, or has all the information and passion that sets the standard for professional and amateurs alike. Sauces is one of the best culinary books of this century in English
." Jeremiah Tower, Stars Restaurant "The art of sauce making is the cornerstone of serious cooking. This book is a must for the new generation of creative cooks who wish to build on the classical French foundation with contemporary, delicious variations." Daniel Boulud, Daniel "It is a special reference bookcomprehensive and inspiring
." Alice Waters, Chez Panisse
Synopsis
"Here is yet another cookbook that can stand among the best reference works. I suspect its a harbinger of kindred books to come as publishers begin to respond to a growing audience of cook-readers who hunger for connected, nuanced, reliably researched information
." Gourmet Magazine "James Peterson has done for sauces that which Escoffier did for the cuisine of La Belle Époque
. Sauces is a manual for the professional cook and, as such, it will rapidly become a classic and indispensable reference
." Richard Olney, From the Foreword "Its the single contemporary reference on the subject that is both comprehensive and comprehensible. I love Jims recipes (and there are gems all over the place here), but whats special about Sauces is the text: It reads so well that this is the kind of book you can take to bed." Mark Bittman, From the Foreword "This is a book I wish I had written myself
. Every few decades a book is written that says all there is to say on a subject, or has all the information and passion that sets the standard for professional and amateurs alike. Sauces is one of the best culinary books of this century in English
." Jeremiah Tower, Stars Restaurant "The art of sauce making is the cornerstone of serious cooking. This book is a must for the new generation of creative cooks who wish to build on the classical French foundation with contemporary, delicious variations." Daniel Boulud, Daniel "It is a special reference bookcomprehensive and inspiring
." Alice Waters, Chez Panisse
Synopsis
The winner of the James Beard Foundation Cookbook of the Year Award when it was first published nearly two decades ago, Sauces is, in the words of Mark Bittman, "the single contemporary reference on the subject that is both comprehensive and comprehensible." Through two successful editions, it has established itself as a modern cookbook classicand an essential reference for every serious cook.
James Peterson trained as a chef in France, and the book offers a thorough grounding in the art of classical French sauce making, from velouté, béchamel, and demi-glace to hollandaise, mayonnaise, and crème anglaise. But Peterson also presents a wide variety of lighter contemporary saucesincluding pan sauces, purées, and vinaigrettesas well as sauces from around the world, including salsas, pasta sauces, and Asian-style dipping and curry sauces. Best of all, he includes recipes not just for sauces, but for finished dishes. These recipes give Sauces a broader scope, showing how good cooking and sauce making are intimately relatedand demonstrating how a correctly prepared sauce can transform a well-cooked dish into something truly sublime.
Now, with this new edition, Peterson has thoroughly revised and expanded Sauces to make it even more indispensable. You'll find more than sixty all-new recipes for dishes that showcase the leading role of sauces in cooking, such as Chicken Tagine with Harissa Sauce, Osso Buco with Julienned Vegetables, Lobster à la Nage, and Gold-Plated Chicken with Ginger, Saffron, and Almonds. There are intriguing historical recipes from medieval and seventeenth-century Europe as well as broth-based classics such as Pot au Feu and Bollito Misto. And, by popular request, Peterson at last includes a recipe for traditional American Roast Turkey with Giblet Gravy.
This new edition has been completely redesigned to make it easier to use and includes more than thirty beautiful new color photographs of finished dishes with sauces. If you're a fan of the book's previous editions, you should note that Peterson has not cut any recipes for this edition, and that he has reinstated the popular sauce charts that appeared in the first edition.
Lively, erudite, and authoritative, Sauces remains the definitive modern work on the subject. And with this edition's additional recipesthere are now a total of 440it is now even more valuable as a general cookbook. You'll find all the techniques and know-how you need to master the art of sauce making, and you'll also discover how sauces can take your cooking to a whole new level.
Synopsis
The winner of the James Beard Foundation Cookbook of the Year Award when it was first published nearly two decades ago, Sauces is, in the words of Mark Bittman, "the single contemporary reference on the subject that is both comprehensive and comprehensible." Through two successful editions, it has established itself as a modern cookbook classicand an essential reference for every serious cook.
James Peterson trained as a chef in France, and the book offers a thorough grounding in the art of classical French sauce making, from velouté, béchamel, and demi-glace to hollandaise, mayonnaise, and crème anglaise. But Peterson also presents a wide variety of lighter contemporary saucesincluding pan sauces, purées, and vinaigrettesas well as sauces from around the world, including salsas, pasta sauces, and Asian-style dipping and curry sauces. Best of all, he includes recipes not just for sauces, but for finished dishes. These recipes give Sauces a broader scope, showing how good cooking and sauce making are intimately relatedand demonstrating how a correctly prepared sauce can transform a well-cooked dish into something truly sublime.
Now, with this new edition, Peterson has thoroughly revised and expanded Sauces to make it even more indispensable. You'll find more than sixty all-new recipes for dishes that showcase the leading role of sauces in cooking, such as Chicken Tagine with Harissa Sauce, Osso Buco with Julienned Vegetables, Lobster à la Nage, and Gold-Plated Chicken with Ginger, Saffron, and Almonds. There are intriguing historical recipes from medieval and seventeenth-century Europe as well as broth-based classics such as Pot au Feu and Bollito Misto. And, by popular request, Peterson at last includes a recipe for traditional American Roast Turkey with Giblet Gravy.
This new edition has been completely redesigned to make it easier to use and includes more than thirty beautiful new color photographs of finished dishes with sauces. If you're a fan of the book's previous editions, you should note that Peterson has not cut any recipes for this edition, and that he has reinstated the popular sauce charts that appeared in the first edition.
Lively, erudite, and authoritative, Sauces remains the definitive modern work on the subject. And with this edition's additional recipesthere are now a total of 440it is now even more valuable as a general cookbook. You'll find all the techniques and know-how you need to master the art of sauce making, and you'll also discover how sauces can take your cooking to a whole new level.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. [583]-588) and index.
About the Author
About the Author After studying chemistry at the University of California at Berkeley, James Peterson fell in love with food while picking grapes for a winemaker in the south of France. He studied in France at Le Cordon Bleu, and later worked at the then three-star restaurants Le Vivarois and Chez La Mere Blanc (now Georges Blanc). Peterson returned to the United States in 1979 and was partner and chef at Le Petit Robert in New York's Greenwich Village, and has also taught and developed curriculum at The French Culinary Institute in Manhattan and taught at Peter Kump's New York Cooking School. Peterson has translated six French books on pastry and baking, and is the author of Sauces: Classical and Contemporary Sauce Making, the first edition of which was The James Beard Foundation Cookbook of the Year in 1992. He also wrote Splendid Soups, which was nominated for a James Beard Foundation award in 1994, and Fish and Shellfish, winner of the International Association of Culinary Professionals Julia Child Award for best book on a single subject. His latest book, Vegetables, appeared in the spring of 1998.
Table of Contents
A Short History of Sauce Making.
Equipment.
Ingredients.
Stocks, Glaces, and Essences.
Liaisons: An Overview.
White Sauces for Meat and Vegetables.
Brown Sauces.
Stock-Based and Nonintegral Fish Sauces.
Integral Meat Sauces.
Integral Fish and Shellfish Sauces.
Crustacean Sauces.
Jellies and Chauds-Froids.
Hot Emulsified Egg-Yolk Sauces.
Mayonnaise-Based Sauces.
Butter Sauces.
Salad Sauces, Vinaigrettes, Salsas, and Relishes.
Purees and Puree-Thickened Sauces.
Pasta Sauces.
Asian Sauces.
Dessert Sauces.
Appendix.
Glossary.
Sources.
Purveyors.
Bibliography.
Index.