The Concise Larousse Gastronomique

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The best cooking book i have ever had - Rated
How could i now live without this book? I helps you learn so many things, gives you cooking inspiration when you have chefs block. What else can i say? Buy it quick!!!

A wonderful standard reference - Rated
This is, without a doubt, the most thumbed book in our kitchen. Over the past few years it has become our standard reference in all things cookery.

Starting with the downsides:

- precious little in the way of illustrations;
- the recipes that form part of some of the entries tend assume a great deal of background knowledge and are not for the novice;
- the book is French and comes at the subject from the standpoint of that cuisine. Some of the remarks about "foreign" cooking are a little offhand (though the British kitchen is spoken of warmly - I checked in the French languauge version in a bookshop and it's not just a tactful addition to the English version!)

On the plus side:

- everything is here. If you want to know what to do in the unlikely event of being presented with a freshly shot donkey, or what a "figatelli" is or what was the sequence number of the pressed duck Edward VII ate at the "Tour d'Argent" it is in here.

This book gave me the confidence to buy things that looked interesting without having the faintest notion of how to cook them, secure in the knowledge that the answer would be found. I cannot commend it highly enough.

Something to tickel everyone's tastebuds - Rated
As a self-confessed food snob, I was delighted to receive this book as a Christmas present, and having perused its contents for some time now, I would say that Larousse deserves a place on any decent cooks bookshelf. It covers everthing from the history of food and famous gastronomes of the past and present, to recipes, preparation hints and tips, and vital information about ingredients.

My only minor criticisms are that it is dominated by French cuisine (the underlying assumption apparently being that French cuisine is the only one worth bothering with) and that it sometimes assumes a knowledge that one might not necessarily have. I kept having to refer to other entries to clarify a point made in the one I was reading. However, these distractions were invariably entertaining and informative!

I'm not sure about the recipes though. They are, for the most part, quite complicated and could be daunting even to an experienced home cook. However, this has not put me off trying a few of them and I haven't poisoned anyone yet so I'll stick with it.

Overall, a wonderful cornucopia of knowledge - recommended!

A must for anyone who really enjoys cooking - Rated
I received my copy as a very thoughtful gift and I was fascinated by the detail, the recipes and just how handy it was for anyone who loves cooking. I am about to purchase three more as Christmas Gifts.

Essential kitchen reference guide with great ideas too - Rated
What makes the Larousse Gastronomique an essential kitchen reference for me is its comprehensive coverage of all classical food ingredients. Whether you want to know how to cook that pheasant you picked up at the butchers', or if you wondered how olives get from the tree to your table, it's all in there. Bear in mind that the ingredients and styles in the book are classical french, and for modern recipes and methods, you'll still need to refer to Jamie Oliver or Nigel Slater. Balsamic vinegar, for example, doesn't get a mention. Buy this as a companion for the back to basics approach. Get yourself a modern book for inspiration too.