As dedicated chefs will know, one cannot rush in the preparation of these recipes and the downside, for most of us who are career people, is finding the time and energy to prepare most of the recipes contained here. They are by no means ones you can whip up in thirty minutes or less. Some take the best part of the day to prepare so perhaps these recipes are best set aside for special occasions, week-ends or for some event where time is not a factor. "The Paris Cookbook" will make a great addition to any library. Most of the recipes tried to date are excellent such as the Bonaparte's Chicken Salad and the Zucchini and Curry Soup; however, you might want to pass by the White Bean Soup - it left a lot to be desired and had the same appeal as wallpaper paste! Oh, well, we cannot expect every recipe to be perfect.

65 of 70 found the following review helpful:

Appealing Fare  Oct 24, 2001
By disco75 "disco75"
Wells has assembled a fine collection of recipes culled from the many wonderful restaurants in Paris, whose chefs she seems to know, and from other sources such as French magazines and newspapers. What she seeks to present is a sampling of quintessentially French urban fare that reflects the tastes of a populace enamored with daily marketing, locally grown, fresh produce, and distinctive saucing. The recipes are well written, clear for both newer and more seasoned cooks, and generally straight-forward, non-complex.

Her instructions provide the rationale behind each dish, and her selections stray from the familiar French cuisine found in the myriad other cookbooks on the subject. The book has a distinctive appearance, with B&W photos displaying the cooks, restaurants, and markets rather than the food. Wells is a connoiseur of food and other social features, and her writing is mildly pretentious, but the food is accessible and the dishes come out tasty and reliable.

The book contains separate chapters for Appetizers, Salads, Breads, Vegetables, Potatoes, Pasta/Grains, Soups, Fish, Poultry, Meats, and Desserts. Its offerings are produce friendly so that it works well for vegetarians. Interesting recipes include the Aspargus Veloute, a soup made from the oft-discarded stems of the spears; Carrot Salad with Cumin and Lemon Juice; Spinach, Bacon, Tomato and Avocado Salad; Asparagus and Arugula Salad; Zucchini Stuffered with Goat Cheese and Mint; Jerusalem Artichoke Puree; Cooked Carrots with Orange and Cumin; Potatoes Anna; Penne with Mustard and Chives; Polenta Fries; and Pumpkin Soup. There are several bean dishes and polenta recipes.

28 of 29 found the following review helpful:

If you love French cuisine, this is for you  Jul 18, 2002
By Joanna Daneman
I was so impressed with this cookbook. First, I adore Paris and love the art of French cooking. I learned French style cooking years ago and I love to watch how my French friends put together a seemingly simple meal that turns out so impressively. And the black-and-white photos of Paris that illustrate the book are great reminders of visits past.

The key to these seemingly simple recipes in "The Paris Cookbook" is good ingredients, a knack for combination, some fundamental traditional ideas, and a passion for excellence. For example, some of the most interesting recipes to me were for peasant cooking from Provence. There was a soup of spelt (a wheat-like grain with many healthful properties.) It was combined with barley and the green French de Puy lentils to make a Mediterranean-style meal-in-a-pot soup. The use of spelt is more common in Germany --however the Provencal use it as one would use rice, in risottos or as here, in a soup. There is also a recipe for a simple version of bouillabaise fish soup that I really want to try.

The other recipe that got me excited was for an ordinary gazpacho cold tomato soup but...with a savory mustard ice cream as a garnish. Now THERE'S an interesting idea. If you have ever had a blob of cream in a tomato-based soup, you know how nicely cream blends and smooths the flavor of the acid fruit. But to add the cream in the form of ice cream, but unsweetened and with a spicy mustard, now that is exciting! I will be making that for my next summer dinner party. I also got the idea to modify the recipe and make wasabi green tea ice cream (wasabi is the green Japanese mustard you get with sushi.) I can pair that with a cold cucumber-crab soup.

That's what I adore about this cookbook. Not only great recipes, but they are in essence, fundamental and can be adapted with your own creative ideas.

The author also includes information about each restaurant where she obtained the recipes--chef, address, notes. So if you go to Paris, you essentially have quite a good restaurant guide.

The only caveat about this cookbook is that to make any of these recipes, you must get top-quality ingredients, as they are the backbone of each dish. This means a trek to the farmer's market, to the specialty shop, the farm, your backyard garden, the dairy or mail-order as many grocery store items will just not measure up. I can tell you from experience that the quality of the ingredients is paramount to success, and grocery store cream and butter in most of the US just can't do the job. And don't get me started on the vegetables.

29 of 31 found the following review helpful:

The Paris Cookbok  Nov 14, 2001
By Paul Madden
Nobody has a finger on French cooking like Patricia Wells and certainly nobody has the pulse on the Parisian food story like Madame Wells. She has been at the epicenter of the Parsian restaurant scene and has incredible access to the powers that be. Patricia Wells not only is a superb journalist but her taste in food is au courant. She has gathered recipes that not only enliven the palate but also are very practical. The recipes are uncomplicated and have easily obtainable ingredients. The book has the flavor of Paris - one can almost be there and smell the glorious aromas. This is not a coffee table type cookbook. It is a black and white themed portrait from its blurred image of the Eiffel Tower to the intimate photographs around and inside the greatest food scene in the world.

13 of 13 found the following review helpful:

Panaromic View of Parisian Dishes  Dec 07, 2001
By rodboomboom
Can't say it anybetter than book's inside flap: "covers all facets of the city's dynamic food scene, from the three-star cusine of France's top chefs, to traditional bistro favorites, to the prized dishes of cheese-makers, market vendors and home cooks."

Must have been fun to experience these favorite 150 recipes and then put them in a cookbook form. Will continue to dive with excitement into such marvelous, succulent recipes as: Tante Louise's Caramalized Cauliflower Soup; Eggplant, Tomato and Parmesan Gratin, and JR's Burnt Cream.

Fantastic that the author worked with the famed Joel Robuchon, and many of his offerings are here for all of us to try. There is also an ample Pantry section as well as Menus Planner.

Delightful French cuisine at several levels.

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