In 1984, Dorothy Cann Hamilton founded The French Culinary Institute with a singular vision: She wanted to create a culinary school that combined classic French techniques with American inventiveness in a fast-paced curriculum. Since then, the FCI has gone on to become one of the most prestigious culinary schools in the world, boasting a list of alumni that includes the likes of Matthew Kenney and Bobby Flay and a faculty of such luminaries as Jacques Pepin, Andrea Immer, and Jacques Torres. But perhaps the greatest achievement of the FCI is its Total Immersionsm curriculum, in which the classes prepare a student to cook in any type of kitchen for any kind of cuisine. Now, for the first time ever, all the best that the FCI has to offer can be found in a single sumptuous volume. The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Cuisine presents the six- and nine-week courses taught at the FCI that cover all 250 basic techniques of French cooking. Along with more than 650 full-color photographs, the book features more than 200 classic recipes as well as new recipes developed by some of the school’s most famous graduates. Complete with insider tips and invaluable advice from the FCI, this will be an indispensable addition to the library of serious home cooks everywhere.

"An indispensable addition to any serious home baker's library, The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Pastry Arts covers the many skills an aspiring pastry chef must master. Based on the internationally lauded curriculum developed by master pâtissier Jacques Torres for New York's French Culinary Institute, the book presents chapters on every classic category of confection: tarts, cream puffs, puff pastry, creams and custards, breads and pastries, cakes, and petits fours. Each chapter begins with an overview of the required techniques, followed by dozens of recipes—many the original creations of distinguished FCI graduates. Each recipe even includes a checklist to help you evaluate your success as measured against professional standards of perfection! Distilling ten years of trial and error in teaching students, The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Pastry Arts is a comprehensive reference with hundreds of photographs, a wealth of insider tips, and highly detailed information on tools and ingredients—quite simply the most valuable baking book you can own."

The French Culinary Institute’s international bread-baking course, created in 1997, is taught by some of today’s greatest artisanal bread bakers and regarded as one of the top programs in the world. The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Bread Baking follows the outline of the FCI’s complete 12-week bread-making course. Serving not only as a reference in the classroom, but also as a guide for professionals, amateur chefs, and home cooks who desire total immersion in the art of bread baking, this book instructs readers on French, Italian, German, Middle European, and gluten-free breads. Encyclopedic in scope and format, it is sure to become an essential item in every home cook’s library. Praise for Fundamental Techniques of Classic Bread Baking: “The only bread-baking book you’ll ever knead.”—Justin Chapple, Food & Wine !--?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /-- “The supremely technical bread book of the year is The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Bread Baking by Judith Choate and the breadologists at the French Culinary Institute. . . . No doubt one could learn much about the art of dough from cooking their way through it. But also, holy bread porn!” —Eater.com “There are other bread books, some very good ones. But The French Culinary Institute’s The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Bread Baking is in a class of its own. The instructions are clear, the photography is wonderful, and recipes for virtually every classic bread are included. The book’s greatest virtue is its sensible organization, which makes it perfect for the self-teacher.” —Mark H. Furstenberg, Owner of Bread Furst “To make a perfect loaf of bread, the baker needs just five essential ingredients: flour, water, salt, yeast—and this indispensable book!” —Iacopo Falai, Owner of Falai, Caffe Falai, and Falai Panetteria “The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Bread Baking is an essential reference book for every bread baker, from novice to seasoned professional. The rich array of information shared by the French Culinary Institute is based on knowledge that is deeply rooted in experience and tradition. The beautiful photos of well-made bread, with dark crusts and irregular holes, will raise the standards of ‘good bread’ for bakers everywhere.” —Amy Scherber, Owner of Amy’s Bread

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The definitive cookbook on French cuisine for American readers: "What a cookbook should be: packed with sumptuous recipes, detailed instructions, and precise line drawings. Some of the instructions look daunting, but as Child herself says in the introduction, 'If you can read, you can cook.'" —Entertainment Weekly “I only wish that I had written it myself.” —James Beard Featuring 524 delicious recipes and over 100 instructive illustrations to guide readers every step of the way, Mastering the Art of French Cooking offers something for everyone, from seasoned experts to beginners who love good food and long to reproduce the savory delights of French cuisine. Julia Child, Simone Beck, and Louisette Bertholle break down the classic foods of France into a logical sequence of themes and variations rather than presenting an endless and diffuse catalogue of dishes—from historic Gallic masterpieces to the seemingly artless perfection of a dish of spring-green peas. Throughout, the focus is on key recipes that form the backbone of French cookery and lend themselves to an infinite number of elaborations—bound to increase anyone’s culinary repertoire. “Julia has slowly but surely altered our way of thinking about food. She has taken the fear out of the term ‘haute cuisine.’ She has increased gastronomic awareness a thousandfold by stressing the importance of good foundation and technique, and she has elevated our consciousness to the refined pleasures of dining." —Thomas Keller, The French Laundry

A beautiful new edition of one of the most beloved cookbooks of all time, from “the Queen of Italian Cooking” (Chicago Tribune). A timeless collection of classic Italian recipes—from Basil Bruschetta to the only tomato sauce you’ll ever need (the secret ingredient: butter)—beautifully illustrated and featuring new forewords by Lidia Bastianich and Victor Hazan “If this were the only cookbook you owned, neither you nor those you cooked for would ever get bored.” —Nigella Lawson Marcella Hazan introduced Americans to a whole new world of Italian food. In this, her magnum opus, she gives us a manual for cooks of every level of expertise—from beginners to accomplished professionals. In these pages, home cooks will discover: • Minestrone alla Romagnola • Tortelli Stuffed with Parsley and Ricotta • Risotto with Clams • Squid and Potatoes, Genoa Style • Chicken Cacciatora • Ossobuco in Bianco • Meatballs and Tomatoes • Artichoke Torta • Crisp-Fried Zucchini blossoms • Sunchoke and Spinach Salad • Chestnuts Boiled in Red Wine, Romagna Style • Polenta Shortcake with Raisins, Dried Figs, and Pine Nuts • Zabaglione • And much more This is the go-to Italian cookbook for students, newlyweds, and master chefs, alike. Beautifully illustrated with line drawings throughout, Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking brings together nearly five hundred of the most delicious recipes from the Italian repertoire in one indispensable volume. As the generations of readers who have turned to it over the years know (and as their spattered and worn copies can attest), there is no more passionate and inspiring guide to the cuisine of Italy.

A follow-up to the author’s acclaimed Bon Appétit, Y’all, featuring 150 recipes that combine Southern flavors with time-honored French technique, and include a sophisticated variation that kicks each dish up a notch to make it brilliant. Virginia Willis has a knack for giving French recipes a downhome Southern feel. In Basic to Brilliant, Y’all, she builds on her signature style by offering 150 dual recipes: a soul-satisfying basic recipe accompanied by a technique, garnish, additional step, or short recipe that transforms a wonderful dish into a show stopper. A weeknight classic like Mama’s Chicken Pot Pie becomes sophisticated dinner party fare when it’s baked in a winter squash, and Old Fashioned Stove Top Low-Country Broth can be transformed into a Bouillabaisse-style broth with just a few simple changes. Throughout the book, Virginia paints a vivid picture of her Southern upbringing, drawing readers in with her vibrant tales of food and friends.

This comprehensive introduction to Italian cooking features 250 step-by-step kitchen techniques, 130 authentic regional Italian recipes, and 8 video tutorials. Italian cuisine is one of life's great pleasures and Italian Cooking offers the step-by-step kitchen techniques that are the secret to success. An overview of fundamental cooking methods offers expertise in preparing antipasti, pizza dough, fresh and dried pasta, risotto, polenta, sauces, seafood, and ice cream.--