Cooking in Provence [Hardcover]

Alex Mackay (Author), Peter Knab (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2008

In 2000, Alex Mackay and Peter Knab opened Le Baou d'Infer, a cooking school in the heart of the Provencal countryside. Cooking in Provence is a collection of recipes born out of this experience—dishes cooked by Alex and his students and inspired by their love not just of the intoxicating flavors and food of the region, but its way of life. The recipes reflect the changing seasons, from refreshing summer dishes such as Salade Niçoise and Pissaladiere to the warming comfort of Daube en Boeuf and Bouillabaisse, authentically evoking the region's unique identity. Peter Knab's stunning photographs sit alongside Alex's vivid descriptions of the scenery, markets, and people. Together they conjure a vision of Provence and the food integral to the region—from the fish caught along its beautiful coastline to the aromatic herbs and vegetables harvested from its fields and the fruit grown in its orchards. This book provides not just a wonderful collection of mouthwatering dishes, but a slice of the warmth and beauty of Provence itself.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A joint venture of photographer Knab and chef Mackay, this beautiful, coffee-table quality cookbook celebrates the team's partnership in the cooking school Le Baou d'Infer in Provence. Reminiscent of Richard Olney's Provence: the Beautiful Cookbook and Patricia Wells at Home in Provence, the volume will satisfy both armchair travelers and armchair chefs. Each section begins with a charming, personal introduction to a particular aspect of classic Provençal cooking: fresh produce, local seafood, daubes and bouillabaises, wild foods such as game and mushrooms, fruit-filled desserts and pantry standards such as pâtés, purées, confit and confiture (jam). These chapter introductions and the recipe head notes are also peppered with Mackey's amusing insights on the region's customs and idiosyncrasies. Near the beginning of the volume, for example, he describes the legendary mistral wind, which can be so irritating that "if it lasts for more than 5 days, a husband has a legal right to kill his wife" (or so the rumor goes). The design of the book has a restrained elegance; Knab's photographs of the food, the French and the environs are vivid enough to inspire envy in those who do not live in Provence. Since the volume focuses on classic recipes for traditional dishes like Petite Friture (Deep-Fried Whitebait) and Salade Niçoise, there are few new tastes in this cookbook. But there are variations: in addition to a clear and simple recipe for the classic Beignet de Courgettes et Ses Fleurs (Courgette Fritters), Mackay offers an alternate way of preparing these ephemeral short-season squash blossoms: Fleurs de Courgettes Farcies aux Tomates (Stuffed Courgette Flowers with Tomatoes). This lovely cookbook will surely tantalize the inexhaustible interest of Provence fans.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"I watched Alex Mackay become a master during his time with me at Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, and I have always said he is more French than a Frenchman. The recipes in this book show his passion and knowledge while taking you on a tour of all the things I love to eat and experience whenever I'm in Provence."

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Ebury Press; New Ed edition (October 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0091924944
• ISBN-13: 978-0091924942
• Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 7.8 x 10 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,272,813 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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