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OUR FAVORITE COOKBOOKS
LARRY COX
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‘Sauces: Classical and Contemporary Sauce Making’
By James Peterson (Wiley, $49.95)
When “Sauces” was first published in 1991, it became an instant
classic. It received the James Beard Foundation Cookbook of the Year
Award and remains an essential reference for every serious cook.
James Peterson has updated his cookbook to make it even more
accessible. The third edition embraces the traditions of diverse
cuisines and features more than 60 all-new recipes. The collection
serves up nearly 450 recipes as well as charts for easy reference on
Classic White Sauces, Derivative Brown Sauces, Classic French Fish
Sauces, Crustacean Sauce Variations plus mouth-watering color
photography that highlights the beauty of the finished dishes.
Comprehensive and steeped in research, “Sauces” provides a classical
foundation from which anyone, from home cooks to professional chefs,
can draw inspiration and gain new insight. Since Americans are making
more healthful choices, many of the featured sauces have been lightened
in accordance with current culinary trends.
Peterson leaves nothing to the imagination in his excellent
collection. For example, there are 20 chapters and hundreds of recipes
for every type of sauce and the dishes they complement, from a basic
Mushroom and Lemon Sauce to the more exotic Bordelaise Sauce Made with
Red Wine Stock. This expanded new edition also contains added
historical material, with special attention paid to French and Italian
cooking. Especially intriguing are medieval and Renaissance recipes
that might be difficult to translate for the modern palate but are
nevertheless fascinating to read.
What makes this collection work is, of course, Peterson’s lack of
pretension. His assuring voice is a common thread throughout the book,
encouraging and guiding.
This lively, erudite and authoritative reference is the definitive
modern work on the subject. All of the techniques and know-how needed
to master sauce making are contained in this fantastic book.
Tucsonan Larry Cox’s
“Shelf Life” reviews of fiction and nonfiction books and his “Treasures
and Trends” antiques column run Thursdays in Calendar Plus. For more,
go to tucsoncitizen.com/ calendar. E-mail: contactlarrycox@aol.com