Jacques Pépin Art of the Chicken
A Master Chef's Paintings, Stories, and Recipes of the Humble Bird
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- $12.99
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
From legendary chef Jacques Pepin, a book celebrating his lifelong love of chickens—featuring dozens of his celebrated paintings, a treasure trove of poignant and often humorous stories, and sprinkled with recipes throughout.
Chicken may not be an extravagant ingredient, but for master chef Jacques Pépin, it is the one he turns to most frequently—to cook and to paint. In this beautifully illustrated book, Jacques reminisces on his life through the lens of the humble bird, from his childhood in rural France, where he chased chickens and watched as his maman turned them into her poulet à la crème, to his demanding apprenticeship and long, illustrious career—cooking Chicken Chasseur for Charles de Gaulle and his family, turning down a chance to work as JFK’s White House Chef for a job at Howard Johnson’s, and appearing on television alongside food-world luminaries like Julia Child. Throughout are Jacques’ favorite chicken and egg recipes, conveyed as if he were sharing them over a dinner table. Most significantly, the book displays dozens of Jacques’ stunning paintings of chickens. “If it clucks or scratches, it’s likely that Jacques has painted it.” This unique book is the next best thing to a visit to Jacques’ home, which would include a tour of his art studio, captivating conversation as he cooks, and a toast with a glass of wine over a simple meal of perfect roast chicken.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
That old culinary workhorse, the chicken, gets a clever consideration in this delightfully illustrated combination cookbook and memoir. In laying out the dozens of recipes, venerable chef Pépin (Jacques Pépin Quick & Simple) offers a thumbnail sketch autobiography, with anecdotes from his life setting the scene and providing segues between the recipes. There are no ingredient lists or measurements here; the recipes are presented narratively, so that, for instance, in recalling a grilled chicken dish made by Pépin's younger brother, Pépin writes that the birds were split in half, rubbed with butter, herbs, and spices, and grilled "until the skin had darkened." The Ultimate Meal (roast chicken with potatoes and salad), as taught in a class at Boston University, culminates in the exhortation to "cook with your heart," while Scrambled Eggs Done Right offers a twist on standard preparations by pouring in a few tablespoons of raw egg and "a bit of cream" at the end of the cooking process. Pépin's whimsical paintings of chickens appear throughout, whether pecking at grain, in the guise of vegetables, or gazing plaintively. It's a lovely book on its own, and also a winning companion volume to Pépin's memoir, The Apprentice.
