Jacques Pépin Heart & Soul in the Kitchen

I am a traditionalist. Jacques Pepin is an artist. The picture above is one of many of his original drawings that decorate the inside covers and the pages of his sometimes cookbook, sometimes storyboard. Jacques taught me not to waste food. It is okay to be an artist in the French kitchen--to mix wine and berries, honey, and a little basil and mint into something strange and delicious alongside blue cheese on a salad. (Not one of his recipes, but something cleaning my refrigerator led to). I love my Chef Jacques, and I don't do anything without asking aloud, "Well, WWJPD?" Yes, he is THE homme!

This is my favorite cook book of all time. Every recipe in here is approachable yet still elegant. He finds a way to make a recipe simple, with common ingredients, but the end result is like a fine dining experience. So far I have made 8 recipes out of this book and they've all been wonderful, the linguine with clams was great, the black lentil salad is amazing, and I can't remember what it was called but there's a simple chicken thigh in a mushroom cream sauce recipe that I used as a starting point for one of my own recipes. I can't stress enough the simplicity of the ingredients he uses, that's the problem I have with a lot of chefs on TV, they have an unlimited budget so they use ingredients that are way beyond the price range of the average person, so people don't even bother making them. Pepin doesn't do that for the most part, every recipe I've made so far I've been able to get everything at the regular grocery store.

Great book. The stories, the artwork and the recipies are all what you would expect from this man. I love how simple ingredients make delicious meals and like most of us over the year Mr. Pepin has expanded his repotoire to include international flavors as well as those he grew up loving. Isn't that true of all our lives in the kitchen? We update and recreate our favorites growing up and learn new ingredients, techniques, and flavors from our own experiences which we share through our food with loved ones. It doesn't have to be complicated or difficult to be delicious. So adventure out with a new ingredient, Mr. Pepin will lovingly guide you to add some new flavors, techniques, or recipies to your own. Unlike many new cookbooks from star-chefs, you will be able to make these recipies without lots of gadgets and gizmos, and still have time to spend with your guests because as Mr. Pepin recognizes that is the most important part of any meal, the fellowship.

Excellent Cookbook. I think a beginner cook and someone who is an experienced cook can both benefit from this book. If you have enjoyed other cook books by Jacques Pepin, then you will probably enjoy this book too. He says, in the book, that past cook books have had "various themes" whereas this book contains recipes he cooks at home and loves and enjoys. The range of recipe topics are: Hor d'Oeuvres; Soups and Salads; Eggs, Cheese and Bread; Fish and Seafood; Poultry and Meat; Organ Meats; Rice and Pasta; Vegetables; Fruit Desserts and Preserves; Cakes, Cookies, Custards, and Chocolate; and some suggested Meal Menus . Within each topic there is quite a range of recipes. In addition, there is a good Index for the recipes. Also, There are some nice family and friends pictures as well as there are many very nice paintings that I understand are done by Jacques Pepin.

My wife wanted this cookbook badly and she mentioned it to me in passing. I decided to surprise her with it and I am extremely glad I did. She really loves watching Pepin's videos and now she is "armed" with this cookbook. Her outstanding cooking has added a new dimension and I am a direct beneficiary. The old adage, "happy wife; happy life" is certainly applicable here. She delights in using his recipes as a point take off on her culinary voyages in the kitchen and I love the results! She has mentioned there is another one of his books she wants and I am planning yet another "Pepin surprise" for her soon.

I have only the best cooks represented in my cookbook collection. I waited a long time to add Jacques Pepin, simply because I didn't know which of his books would best exemplify his amazing art of cooking. This is such an amazing book, complete with some of his artwork and his beautiful granddaughter cooking beside him. He has shared such personal moments, and I feel honored to learn from him. Thank you, Jacques Pepin, for sharing your talent with us.

This book is a must own for home cooks. The best thing about these recipes is that they are down to earth, not hard to execute while at the same time being complete and sophisticated. I also LOVE that most recipes don't require special trips to the store.Jacque's intros to each recipe are helpful and usually explain or teach something that is useful in more than just the dish on that page. It is also nice to have such a variety of recipes and different proteins to choose from.If you are looking for a book with wonderful recipes that will improve how you cook, this is it.

Great book, with clear recipes, and all feasible. He has the knack of making it seem simple, like all true professionals.

I love Jaques Pepin, and this is the best book of his that I have.

My wife likes it. She likes Mr. Pepin approach to cooking, but the book has too few recipes for its large size and the recipes are too simple and too obvious. She expected some more sophisticated ones that she could cook per expert advice. The large print with a lot of white space between the verses makes it easy to read perhaps, but it makes the whole book very large with not so much text in it. From that point of view the price is rather high for the value of the content.

Beautifully written with a pleasant narrative quality to it - much more than just recipes and photos. Jacques Pepin is a charmer, even in writing! This is a lovely book for anyone's cookbook shelf or coffee table, and would make a lovely gift for any foodie, cook or Jacques Pepin fan.

Pepin is a legend in the culinary industry. However, I found this cookbook to be dated. Basic French cooking is there but old style cooking.