Larousse Gastronomique: The World's Greatest Culinary Encyclopedia Book

Since its first publication in 1938, Larousse Gastronomique has been an unparalleled resource. In one volume, it presents the history of foods, eating, and restaurants; cooking terms; techniques from elementary to advanced; a review of basic ingredients with advice on recognizing, buying, storing, and using them; biographies of important culinary figures; and recommendations for cooking nearly everything.

The new edition, the first since 1988, expands the book’s scope from classic continental cuisine to include the contemporary global table, appealing to a whole new audience of internationally conscious cooks. Larousse Gastronomique is still the last word on béchamel and béarnaise, Brillat-Savarin and Bordeaux, but now it is also the go-to source on biryani and bok choy, bruschetta and Bhutan rice.

Larousse Gastronomique is rich with classic and classic-to-be recipes, new ingredients, new terms and techniques, as well as explanations of current food legislation, labeling, and technology. User-friendly design elements create a whole new Larousse for a new generation of food lovers.

Library Journal

First published in 1938 and last revised in 1988, Larousse Gastronomique one of the culinary world's most familiar reference sources has been updated again with a sleek, stylish look for a new generation of cooks. The encyclopedia continues to retain its focus on the classic continental culinary tradition, but this new edition acknowledges the growing importance of other cuisines by including, for the first time, entries on American cooking and by offering more information on terms, ingredients, and dishes from other parts of the world. Larousse does overlap with The Oxford Companion to Food (LJ 10/15/99), a recent addition to the culinary reference shelves, in that both works cover ingredients, dishes, famous persons, and cooking techniques. However, even when the same topics are covered, such as chocolate or lemons, there is enough difference that libraries will want to have both. Larousse will probably be the first choice of cooks who need information on culinary terms and cooking techniques, and, unlike Oxford, it contains more than 3500 recipes and an array of gorgeous color photographs. An indispensable part of any culinary reference collection, this is highly recommended for all libraries. John Charles, Scottsdale P.L., AZ Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.