A Chef in Provence [Hardcover]

Edouard Loubet (Author), Peter Mayle (Preface)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2004

In this cookbook, Edouard Loubet shares the recipes that have earned his restaurant, 'Moulin de Lourmarin', two Michelin Stars. There are 80 authentic recipes full of imagination and individuality.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Hachette (May 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1844300684
• ISBN-13: 978-1844300686
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 9.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #407,002 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Culinary Travelogue with an Interesting Idea., May 31, 2004

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B. Marold "Bruce W. Marold" (Bethlehem, PA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Chef in Provence (Hardcover)

This book of recipes by chef Edouard Loubet of the two star restaurant Moulin de Lourmarin belongs to the class of `Cookbook as Travelogue', where the object is not to use the book as a means to travel to exotic locations as to experience them vicariously. The other prominent aspect of the book is as an advertisement for the chef / author and his Provencal restaurant.

The first objective has never held much interest for me in a cookbook. To switch metaphors somewhat, a cookbook is much more commonly looked upon as a collection of plans for building furniture than as a book of pictures of either great modern pieces or antique furniture. The only type of cookbook I may ever buy with no expectation of actually preparing dishes from them is a historically important book such as the Roman Apicius' famous `first ever cookbook'.

I am almost certain that the author(s) assembled this book with the expectation that the typical American reader or even the typical French reader (the book is translated from an originally French publication) will simply not be able to reproduce the recipes as written. For example, a single recipe requires the ingredients sea squirts, germander leaves, baby octopuses, saltwort, purslane, and nigella leaves. Admittedly, this is an extreme case, but virtually every recipe calls for some genuinely rare or unusual ingredient. Shaved truffles look positively ordinary beside the sea squirts, germander leaves, and saltwort. My spell checker does not even recognize most of these names. At least I know I can mortgage my house to actually buy a truffle at my local megamart. This book does not even provide the usual list of Internet sources for these unusual ingredients. I suspect that is because many are simply not available outside of a garden in Provence.

I make this case of impracticality to be sure that any reader who is on the lookout for a book of Provencal recipes does not buy this book by mistake. They are sure to be disappointed. If this is what you want, please get a copy of either of Patricia Wells' books on Provencal home cooking or Lydie Marshall's book `A Passion for My Provence'. Two out of three of these books are in trade paperback, and I suggest you get both Marshall's book and Wells' first of two, `Patricia Wells At Home in Provence'.

Since I hope you are now sufficiently armed with knowledge of what this book is not, let me say that the book includes at least one really interesting general culinary idea, which explains most of the unusual ingredients. The author's big idea is that many fragrant edible items simply do not taste the same as they smell. Loubet's objective, then, is to contrive a set of ingredients and a method of preparation which reproduces in the act of eating, the same experience one gets when they smell certain fragrant edibles. On a physiological level, I suspect there is something bogus to this idea, but I do believe there is a grain of gustatory truth in this idea. The difference between this idea and some of the more extreme notions of great chefs such as Charlie Trotter or Thomas Keller is that with some effort, you can actually reproduce them with only a modest expense in your own kitchen, and verify for yourself the effect of the preparation.

The second prominent aspect of this book has little or no redeeming side to it. In many ways, the book is an extended advertisement for the chef and his restaurant. Buying it to use as a cookbook has much the same effect as buying a baseball cap with the Chevrolet or `Shrek 2' or TopFlite golf ball logo on the front. You are paying them to advertise a product to yourself.

One sure sign of the nature of the book is the fact that almost all the non-recipe text in the book was written not by Loubet, but by Catherine Vialard, a home economist and culinary journalist, whose text sounds for all the world like copy written for an extended advertising brochure. The book is full of tales and pictures of the author strolling through picturesque Provencal gardens and scenery with all sorts of talk about the surprising rise of Loubet's career from ski pro to chef. Loubet is joined in these pastoral reveries by his parents, grandparents, and agricultural purveyors. I appreciate many of the pictures, but I am not impressed in the same way that I was impressed by books of great recipes by Paul Bocuse and Joel Robuchon, both of whom amazed me by their modesty almost as much as they impressed me with their great culinary skill.

The only text with a degree of genuine warmth in it is the introduction by Peter Mayle, he of `A Year in Provence' fame.

Recommended if you like cookbooks as travelogues and are fascinated by unusual culinary notions. The three star rating is done as a warning to all that may mistake this for a true cookbook. The only things preventing me from giving it two stars are the very good tables of recipes by page and by name at the end of the book, plus the modest bibliography, needed if you want to really understand the unusual ingredients.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I have worked for this chef, February 26, 2007

By 

Geoffrey D. Armstrong (Burbank, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Chef in Provence (Hardcover)

I worked for Chef Loubet in Bonnieux at his restaurant Bastide de Capelongue. He is a man who goes to extremes to have the freshest ingredients in his kitchen. He has thouroughly trained his right-hand man, Chef Julien Boutet, to accept nothing less than perfection in his kitchen.

I received this book as a thank you from the chef when I left his restaurant. It is full of beautiful ideas, wonderful pictures, and recipes that are difficult for the average North American to reproduce (sometimes due to the ingredients involved, and sometimes due to the skill required).

This book is a wonderful "coffee table book" here in North America, but reminds me constantly of the quality and freshness of food served at La Bastide de Capelongue. I am forever indebted to Chef Loubet and his assistant, Chef Boutet.

5.0 out of 5 stars Astounding!!!, August 9, 2010

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J. Stoneberger "Michelin sized dreams" (Charleston, Sc) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Chef in Provence (Hardcover)

This is the book that was 3 years ahead of its time. Look at the LOCAL Provençal herbs and foraged items!!! Rene @ Noma really likes this chef. This isn't a book for home cooks other than mainly flavor combos. It's an ego-centric chef celebration of the bounty of Provence and the wonderful mystique of France. @ $10 used this was probably the best purchase other than OLD WORLD KITCHEN I have bought in 2 years (I own 280 culinary books).