The Bistros, Brasseries, and Wine Bars of Paris

October 31, 2005
The premise of this savvy, stylish cookbook is that French chefs can teach us a thing or two about fast food. Young (The Paris Café Cookbook
) trains his investigative palate on Paris's sophisticated but informal eateries: wine bars, bistros and brasseries. In his well-researched introduction, he distinguishes the three types of establishments, offering a short history of each (all three, it happens, have evolved in a similar direction, so that classifications like "gastro bistro" and "brasserie du luxe" are less descriptive than they used to be). Cooking in such places elevates local, seasonal and often cheap ingredients into inventive concoctions, like a chicken roasted with crushed hazelnuts and cauliflower florets, or Nectarine Gratin with Mango Coulis. Many of the recipes are simply classic: Cheese Puffs (Gougères
),Warm Lentil Salad, Onion Soup Gratinée, Pan-Grilled Rib Steak with Béarnaise Sauce, Choucroute
and Chocolate Profiteroles. For a somewhat experienced chef with a willful disregard for cholesterol, these are easy to make at home. For the more casual cookbook browser, Young has also included a dining guide of the essential bistros, brasseries and wine bars he so temptingly describes. B&w photos.

February 1, 2006
Francophiles and food lovers will all enjoy Young's ("The Paris Café Cookbook") compendium of classic bistro, brasserie, and wine bar fare like Poached Skate Wing with Brown Butter Sauce and new favorites like Willi's Wine Bar Mix, which can easily be made by any North American cook. From appetizers to main courses and desserts, the book features something for every cook, no matter what her or his comfort level in the kitchen. Readers are also offered an examination of the differences among the three titular establishments and a directory for each, which will especially interest those wanting to learn more about these typically Parisian places. Young, who worked as the restaurant critic for the "New York Daily News", spends part of the year in Paris, and his knowledge of the city certainly comes through. A useful and enjoyable addition to public libraries." - Shelley Brown, Richmond P.L., Vancouver, B.C."

Copyright 2006 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.