Long before the American public was aware of the great French cuisine, Je Sais Cuisiner was on the bookshelves of French women throughout the various regions of France. Considered indispensable by French women, the enduring success of the book is attributable to its ease of use, and to the simple but glorious French recipes, ones that have pleased decades of discriminating French women, providing dishes that have graced the tables in home after French home. The true glory of French cooking lies at home, not in the four-star chef restaurants, and I Know How to Cook brings this glory to American tables. The range of the book is breathtaking: its 1,400 recipes cover popular, classical dishes as well as rare dishes that have never been seen in previously published French cookbooks. The recipes are down-to-earth: they are written to be used, and they follow a simple, uncluttered format. This is the French culinary bible, the heart and essence of Gallic cooking, with millions of copies sold in its native land. French women know how to cook.
Though revised several times in the author's lifetime, the edition chosen for translation, and necessarily for updating was the 1932 edition. Many of the later editions included dishes from other areas of Europe that have been more fully explored elsewhere. Given that there are 1400 recipes in the book, we can only wonder what those editions must have looked like. There are recipes for the basics, a short section on terminology, and an extensive section on the many French sauces, the building blocks of French cuisine. In addition to an expansive introductory section, the book is divided into fourteen chapters: Sauces & Basic Recipes, Hors d’oeuvres, Milk, Eggs & Cheese, Soup, Fish, Meat, Poultry, Game, Vegetables & Salads, Pulses, Rice & Pasta, Fruit, Milk & Egg Puddings, Ices, Cakes & Pastries, Sweets, Preserves & Drinks.
French women are famous for their frugality, their ability to stretch pennies while creating memorable meals. I Know How to Cook respects the limited budget of the average housewife who in 1932 would go to market, eye the prices and return home with the least expensive ingredients. Frivolity was not their forte, and the greatness of the French home cooking developed by penny-pinching, by using quality ingredients on which the French worked their imaginations.
Simplicity is the key to I Know How to Cook. There are no lengthy discussions to bog the cook down, just simple, direct and clear steps to achieve what is the glory of French cuisine, the art known to women through the centuries. The author studied the science of cooking, and it was her brilliance to apply that science to written recipes. While America was first learning of French cuisine, poring through books with lengthy recipe instructions that often took more time to read than prepare, French women were whipping up what they deemed a simple stew known as Boeuf Bourguignon, or a Lobster Bisque, a Crepe Suzette, or a Croque Monsieur, that elegant version of grilled cheese. From the simplest creations, one can move on to more elaborate, but also simple spectacular dishes.
For those who have experienced fear while reading large tomes filled with complex techniques, the book is a revelation. At first glance, one thinks that it can't possibly be so easy, but once working with the recipes, one discovers the true pleasure of cooking without worry. As but one example, choux pastry is really quite simple, almost foolproof, and the lovely choux can be filled with sweet or savory stuffings, can be turned into a ring of delight surrounding any number of preparations.
As a finishing touch to the book, fourteen top French chefs, all of whom acknowledge their debt to this book, have contributed three dishes each at the back. These ‘guest chefs’ include Anthony Demetre from Arbutus, Henry Harris from Racine, Pascal Aussignac from Club Gascon and other stars from around the globe. There are color photographs throughout to guide the eye.
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