Larousse Gastronomique: The World's Greatest Culinary Encyclopedia, Completely Revised and Updated |  | Author: Librairie Larousse
Publisher: Clarkson Potter
Category: Book
List Price: $90.00
Buy New: $54.99
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Rating:  10 reviews
Sales Rank: 19,033
Media: Hardcover
Edition: Rev Upd
Pages: 1216
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 7.1
Dimensions (in): 10.4 x 9.4 x 2.1
ISBN: 0307464911
Dewey Decimal Number: 641.3003
EAN: 9780307464910
ASIN: 0307464911
Publication Date: October 13, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Larousse Gastronomique has been the foremost resource of culinary knowledge since its initial publication in 1938. Long revered for its encyclopedic entries on everything from cooking techniques, ingredients, and recipes to equipment, food histories, and culinary biographies, it is the one book every professional chef and avid home cook must have on his or her kitchen shelf. In fact, Julia Child once wrote, "If I were allowed only one reference book in my library, Larousse Gastronomique would be it, without question."
The culinary landscape has changed dramatically in the last decade, prompting a complete revision of this classic work. Larousse Gastronomique has now been updated to add the latest advancements that have forever changed the way we cook, including modern technological methods, such as sous-vide cooking and molecular gastronomy. All-new color ingredient-identification photographs give this edition a fresh, elegant look. And for the first time, Larousse features more than 400 reportage photos–candid images of upscale restaurants from around the world–that give behind-the-scenes access into the kitchens where the finest food is created. Dozens of new biographies of people who have made significant contributions to the food world debut in this revision, including such luminaries as Ferran Adrià, Daniel Boulud, Alice Waters, Gaston Lenôtre, Thomas Keller, James Beard, and Julia Child.
With entries arranged in encyclopedic fashion, Larousse Gastronomique is not only incredibly user-friendly, but it is also a fantastic read for anyone who loves food. Skip from Roasting to Robert (a classic French sauce), and then to Robiola (the Italian cheese); or go from Sake to Salad–with dozens of recipes–and on to Salamander, a type of oven used in professional kitchens for caramelizing (and named after the legendary fire-resistant animal). An index at the end of the book of all 3,800 recipes for cuisines from around the world makes it easy to find a myriad of preparations for any ingredient (eggs or chicken, for example) or type of dish (such as cakes or sauces).
The unparalleled depth and breadth of information–from the traditional to the cutting-edge–make this newest edition of Larousse Gastronomique indispensable for every cook.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 10
 Excellent reference October 13, 2009
Jackal (Singapore)
20 out of 20 found this review helpful
This a a reference A to Z book on world food, but still overweighted on French cuisine. The earlier editions had even more of a French focus and I would imagine that future editions will be even more balanced. I find this edition superior to the 1961 edition, which was 95% focused on French food. The current editions contain much fewer receipes than the 1961 edition, but you don't buy this book for recipes. You buy it for A to Z entries. I can really recommend this book for French cuisine (more modern coverage) and other cuisines (no competition with previous editions).
An alternative is Davidson's "Oxford Companion to Food". That book is more quirky since it is the work of one person. Both are good, but I would consider the current book as a better general reference.
The Bible of French food and cooking November 12, 2009
Michael A. Duvernois (Minneapolis, MN United States)
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
In essence, this volume is an attempt to define French cuisine, French gastronomy, French cooking, and French food. Yes, now you can find the molecular gastronomy influence (look up nitrogen, liquid in this encyclopedia), and you can find ingredients sneaking in from each corner of the Earth, Pacific Island taro, South American tanko beans, and New Zealand spinach. Mole Poblano shows up and there's a turkey mole recipe. French cooking is not just the old cordon bleu, but the vocabulary of that sort of cooking, seasonal and fresh, elaborate preparations of few ingredients is the basis for this. The exquisite souffle section confirms that. Or turn to the basic cooking process/item of panada: seven recipes for the basic repertoire.
Each edition of the book has gotten larger, covering still "French" cooking but it's that subject which is getting larger. Larousse discusses the rodent, informing us that in 1870 Paris (under seige) rats were sold for 10-15 sous, and it discusses wine production in the United States. There's something for everyone who is interested in food.
Since the book is expensive, it's worth noting that most anyone who wants to save some money could sensibly consider the recent editions from 2001 or 2005, and if one is interested in the classic form of French cooking then the 1961 (first English translation) is also worth considering. Just don't complain about the use of butter or lard in the recipes.
have to have November 9, 2009
susan smith (ga)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book is a tell all about all foods and a must for those who love to cook but dont know everything about it. Its a dictionary of foods and has the best photos ever. A must have.
The Ultimate guide November 29, 2009
Lucas E. Hirst
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
As a chef, my previous Larousse edition had reached it's lifetime, the new edition steps into the future of Noveau cuisine and epitomises the necessity of the very foundations of cooking....a great guide and a great read.
A great addition to a library for a lifetime June 1, 2010
Entertainment Cellist (Malibu and Glendora, CA)
A fantastic encyclopedia. It has been useful for finding the meanings of culinary terms that may not be found elsewhere.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 10
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