The first volume of this fortieth anniversery edition of a classic cookbook updates this accessible guide to French cuisine by continuing to introduce the subtleties of French cooking to the American reader. 40,000 first printing.

This beautiful book, with more than one hundred instructive illustrations, is revolutionary in its approach because:

Since there has never been a book as instructive and as workable as Mastering the Art of French Cooking, the techniques learned here can be applied to recipes in all other French cookbooks, making them infinitely more usable. In compiling the secrets of famous cordons bleus, the authors have produced a magnificent volume that is sure to find the place of honor in every kitchen in America.

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Books > Cooking > Regional & Ethnic - French

Happy birthday, Julia!

The woman who revolutionized the way Americans eat and treat food will turn 90 on August 15. That's hard to believe, but it's even harder to remember the world of food without the influence of the vibrant, vivacious Julia Child. She was our liberator, an army of one who freed us from our provincial, 1950's food mentality and allowed us to learn to cook and eat real French food, right here, right in our own kitchens. Her first foray was Mastering the Art of French Cooking written with Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle (the first cookbook I ever owned). It appeared in 1961 and was hailed as "a masterpiece" and "the definitive work for nonprofessionals." James Beard said, "I only wish that I had written it myself." Then, just a year later, Julia went on television as The French Chef, and the rest is history—delightful, delicious history. A special 40th anniversary edition of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, volume one, (Knopf, $40, 752 pages, ISBN 0375413405) was recently published with a new intro by the birthday girl, and both volumes one and two are available in paperback, as are her six other fabulous cookbooks.

Sybil Pratt has been cooking up this column for many years.