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Bocuse in Your Kitchen - Simple French Recipes for the Home Chef
by Paul Bocuse
Flammarion
ISBN 2-0803-0560-2
Published April 2007 - Hardcover - 304 pages - $29.95

Chef Bocuse says it all for me: "Everything is too fast nowadays - but we still need to sit down to eat.  [My argument.]  I am convinced that this little bible of simple but wholesome dishes still holds true today - because good food does not have to be expensive and complicated." [ I couldn't agree more.]  And Paul Bocuse knows a thing or three about cooking - with all due respect, he's been around for some time.  This book is a new edition of his famed book first published back in 1982, and "it is aimed at the beginner, or indeed anyone who wants to expand their repertoire of wholesome, satisfying dishes, and demands no complex techniques or equipment."  As it should be, in my opinion.  More gadgets doesn't equal excellence.  I also say, "learn from those who know," and who better than Chef Bocuse to help us elevate our cooking skills!  His contents include: Soups; Starters and First Courses; Eggs; Sauces; Fish and Shellfish; Meat and Poultry; Vegetables; Pasta and Rice, and Desserts.  All you need to feed a family or a few friends.  Some of his recipes that I'd like to try are: Pumpkin Soup (yay, NO canned pumpkin!); Country-Style Vegetable Soup; Poached Sausage with Warm Potato Salad; Hake with Cream Sauce; Mussels Marinière (my favorite French dish!); Beef Stew Burgundy-Style (a great family meal); Spinach or Broccoli (we need green veggies); Baked Potatoes with Tomatoes, and Pears in Red Wine.  His Lemon Pie and also his Chocolate Mousse recipes sound as though they'd be instant hits at your table.  Please read and digest Bocuse's "General Advice", especially if you're a beginner.  You'll even find a recipe for Bacon and Eggs!  And his "Sauces" are extremely useful.
Illustrated.  No nutritional guides.
Conclusion - All novice cooks need to read this book.  It's infinitely helpful, and classy.