French Tarts: 50 Savory and Sweet Recipes [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

Linda Dannenberg (Author), Guy Bouchet (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 5, 1997

Glossy, tempting, and brazenly luscious, the French tart is a scrumptious seductress. In French Tarts, Linda Dannenberg presents fifty of the most delectable and easy-to-prepare savory and sweet tarts from the top bakers, chefs, and great home cooks of France. The featured tarts hail from many different regions--Provence, Burgundy, Bordeaux, the Riviera, and, of course, Paris. Photographed on location throughout France, Guy Bouchet's full-color images, combined with the charming illustrations and rustic hand lettering of renowned illustrator Vavro, create the literary equivalent of an authentic French culinary experience.

Among the savory tart recipes are: a pungent Pissal-adiFre--the onion, black olive and anchovy tart so popular in Nice; the GGteau dePommes BoulangFre, a traditional "Baker's Wife" potato-and-goat-cheese tart; and the remarkable Tartelettes NapolTon au Saumon FumT, an intensely flavored smoked salmon tart.

French Tarts also contains recipes for sweet tarts including: a delectable version of the traditional Tarte Tatin, this one an upside-down apple-and-pear tart from the Anjou region of France; the Tarte aux Framboises Proventale, a baked raspberry-and-flan tart from the C(te d'Azur; and an exquisite Tarte au Chocolat InfusT au Basilic--an intense chocolate tart perfumed with basil.

Savory with cheese and vegetables or sweet and succulent with fresh fruit, nothing captures the essence of French pastry more eloquently than the tart.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Dannenberg, the author of a half dozen other books on France and French cooking, presents tarts, tourtes, and quiches from patissiers, top chefs, and home cooks. There are classics like Tarte aux Poireaux (Leek Tart), more unusual creations such as Tartelettes Tatin au Foie Gras, and variations on the theme, like French Toast Plum Tart. Many of the recipes are accompanied by stunning color photographs, and whimsical illustrations decorate the text. For most baking collections. [BOMC selection.] Willard, a New York food writer, might be described as a pie fanatic; she likes pie at any time of the day, and when she has it for breakfast, it's likely to be freshly baked rather than a leftover. She offers recipes for any occasion, from "quick pies for when friends drop in" to "knock-'em-dead creations and labors of love." There are both savory and sweet pies here, along with "pie history," tips on dealing with the fear of piecrust, and anecdotes about friends and fellow pie bakers. For most collections.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Inside Flap

Glossy, dripping with color, brazenly luscious and tempting, the French tart has no shame. Just one look at this scrumptious seductress primes the mouth for the pleasure of its contrasting textures--sensuously smooth at first bite, followed by the crust's delicate counterpoint of crunch. Sweet with fresh fruit or savory with cheese and harvest vegetables, nothing captures the essence of French pastry more eloquently.

In FRENCH TARTS, Linda Dannenberg presents fifty of the most delectable and easy-to-prepare tart recipes from the top bakers and chefs of France. The delicious array includes savory tarts to serve as hors d'oeuvres, appetizers, or light main courses, followed by sweet tarts for dessert. Provencal chef Rene Berard offers a pungent Pissaladiere, the onion, black olive and anchovy tart so popular in Nice, while famed Paris chef Michel Rostang contributes his memorable Tarte aux Tomates et au Prosciutto, a quick and easy tomato, prosciutto and basil tart. Sister chefs Isabelle and Valerie Ganachaud creat crunchy, bite-size apricot tartlets, culinary master Alain Ducasse bakes his bittersweet chocolate-hazelnut tartlet--even Toulouse-Lautrec's rum-soaked cookie-tart recipe is included.

Photographed on location, Guy Bouchet's full-color images, combined with the charming, sunny illustrations and rustic hand-lettering of renowned illustrator Vavro, make FRENCH TARTS the literary equivalent of an authentic French culinary experience, second only to a trip abroad.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Artisan (January 5, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1885183399
• ISBN-13: 978-1885183392
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #950,485 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #95 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Baking > Pies

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A cook and traveller's feast, October 15, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: French Tarts: 50 Savory and Sweet Recipes (Hardcover)

I wanted this book so much and had to have it now, that I foolishly bought it in Australia at the bookstore. Even with the vagaries of the Australian dollar and Amazon.com's shipping charges I could have waited and had it for half the price. But I just couldn't wait, and haven't for a moment regretted my (A$54) outlay. It's worth every cent. Splendid recipes -- both sweet and savory, references to places of origin, superb photos. If like me, you have a fear of pastry buy this book and open up a whole new world of menus for yourself. I defy anyone not to work their way through the entire book and be eating French tarts for a month. Then start again and see if you can do them better! Bon appetit.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great book, March 21, 2000

By 

Cornelis Van Es (Upper Princess Quarter, Sint Maarten Netherlands Antilles) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: French Tarts: 50 Savory and Sweet Recipes (Hardcover)

I have lived in France for a number of years and know about tarts . With the help of this book you can make tarts just as wonderfull as you can savour them in the best french bistro's I consider it a must for every amateur chef , and even most professionals could benefit from it

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not a good collection of recipes..., May 4, 2006

By 

S. Ilkay "Perfectionist" (California, United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: French Tarts: 50 Savory and Sweet Recipes (Hardcover)

Mediocre cookbook; I lived in Paris and I can tell you that the recipes in Linda Dannenberg's French Tarts are not the best collection on the subject. I have been a fan of Linda Dannenberg's books ever since I took interest in collecting cookbooks five years ago and was very disappointed with her work on French Tarts. I think one would be better off to try to find a cookbook written by a French chef on this subject, because tarts to be perfect they need to be well balanced in taste and texture and must be very precisely prepared.