French cooking in ten minutes? Yes, it can be done! Our modern life moves fast. Yet in 1930, Edouard de Pomiane - scientist, doctor, cooking show host, food author - wrote a little French cookbook called "French Cooking in Ten Minutes" because life was so hectic back then. (Oh, how we grow nostalgic for what we think of as the "quieter, simpler" past!)
Just finding time to eat, let alone preparing a meal, is sometimes a challenge. So here we are in a busy world eating fast food, take-out food or a quick microwave meal when what we really want is a good old fashioned home cooked meal made with fresh ingredients. Cooking quick and delicious home cooked meals can be done with a little planning, and Dr. de Pomiane shows us how. He writes for those who have only an hour for lunch or dinner, giving them the chance to eat a delicious meal and still have time to enjoy a good cup of coffee and a nice chat.
Edouard de Pomiane was born in 1875 and raised in Paris. He was a medical doctor whose specialty was gastroenterology - digestion and stomach juices. This led him to an interest in preparing food. So his writing occasionally includes bits about how and why food is cooked the way it is.
The best part of this gem of a French cook book, though, is that we are taken by the hand and shown how to prepare the basics. Dr. de Pomiane explains how to make a simple white sauce, then takes us further to transform it into a Bearnaise sauce or a Mornay sauce. He gives us the confidence to cook! And he does so with clear, simple instructions infused with a light humor.
How would you like to be able to put together the following meals in ten minutes or less?
- Noodles Czechoslovakian style, rib steak with onions, cucumbers with sour cream, cheese, fruit
- Smoked sausage and olives, loin lamb chops, sauteed potatoes, green salad, cheese, fruit
- Mussels with saffron, buttered spinach, tomato salad, omelet flambe, fruit
- Creme of mushroom soup, frankfurter sausages, potato salad, cheese, coeur a la creme
Many of his foods begin with pre-cooked meat and canned food. After all, you can't roast a chicken in ten minutes. But you can bring home a rotisserie chicken from the deli and use it to prepare a delicious lunch or dinner using a recipe from "French Cooking in Ten Minutes." Even if you never make any of these recipes, you will enjoy reading this book for its sensible ideas and friendly style.
I must admit there are a few ingredients in "French Cooking in Ten Minutes" that seem odd today, such as Larks and Hare Steak, but you can substitute more commonly available items for the recipes. The ingredients may vary but the premise is unchanged - creating delicious and quick French food.
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