French Country Cooking: Meals and Moments from a Village in the Vineyards: A Cookbook

I'm a huge fan of Mimi Thorisson's blog and I also own her first cookbook. I preordered this second one the day I found out about it and after waiting several months finally received it last week. The book, as expected, is gorgeous; the pictures, the writing, the fantasy of the life they live.However, Mimi's books need to be approached as "coffee table cookbooks" rather than everyday cooking books. What I mean is that while they are perfect to look at, not all recipes on her blog or in her books are flawless.Some of the recipes become inaccessible because of the ingredients required (I don't live in a place where I can get dried vines for using as grilling wood, or have foie gras handy in my fridge, or have a butcher who can get me some black-footed pig chops), some of the recipes fall flat because the ingredients in France are often of a higher quality than elsewhere (I tried some of her recipes when I lived in France and they turned out delicious & tried them again back in the US and something just didn't work), and lastly because some of them are just too complicated for an average home cook.Having said that, if you approach this book as a beautiful food journal with some recipes to try and most others to dream of, then you will find yourself super happy!

I have made about 7 things out of this book already and all have come out wonderfully. Yes, not all of the ingredients are readily available. But you'd be surprised how easily it is to google substitutes and still end up with a delicious meal. I don't think this is a book for picky eaters or for timid cooks. And if you're not fond of baking or good at following the recipe to the letter, some of the desserts might be a little advanced. But most of the dinners I've made have taken 30 minutes or less; the rest still clocked in at under an hour.It's a beautiful book both in writing and in photography. And if you're adventurous, in cooking or in eating, I think you'll enjoy the recipes as well.

Having grown up in rural Germany many years ago with a garden and chickens, goats and a pig which vanished when it got cold and came back as hams and sausages, and a mother who turned a lump of butter, a hand full of flour and some eggs in to the most delightful deserts for her girls this book is a trip back to very happy times.We may not be able to get some of the ingredients but we can improvise and we can learn to execute our tasks with ease and grace and bask in the happiness we spread to those around us.Just a warning: you will fall in love with the cookware, the mismatched flatware, all the vintage dishes and especially the black enameled cast iron cookware from STAUB Mimi is so fond off. Amazon has lots of it at great prices and with Prime shipping is fast and free, an important factor with heavy cast iron. Life is good.

Mimi's books are a joy. The photography is beautiful. I would say they are lifestyle and cooking books....and very inspiring. The food is consistently traditional. I grew up on many of these dishes, and they remain true to form. Her coq au vin is superb, and I have about 20 French cookbooks. I was looking for a great chicken recipe and stumbled upon her blog Manger. The pirate chicken is on constant rotation now, and every dish, however humble or sophisticated, has turned out. The girl can cook. I was a bit worried as many blogger cookbooks seem to be a bit too style focused and less substance. Not so here. This is becoming a favorite.

After checking this book out from my local library a few times I decided it needed to be in my kitchen library. I'm no professional chef but I do love new cooking adventures. I've tried about a third of the recipes in the book so far; some dishes my family has enjoyed several times already (Chou Farci, Poulet Chasseur, Comte & Ham Feuillete, Fennel & Sausage.) Sounds fancy but recipes feature simple ingredients, albeit good quality, and one should enjoy the process.Aside from flavorful food & wine pairing suggestions, the author is a talented writer & the photos of the food and region are gorgeous. Recipes are given in U.S. measurement and alternative suggestions for occasionally hard to find ingredients (e.g. Rabelais) are provided. Did I mention desserts? I'll never make Rice Pudding any other way again. After trying several recipes in this book, I also bought her older book and having fun with it too. I really enjoy leafing through the book and fixing post-its to recipe pages I'll make next. Although she has shared many of the recipes on her website, she deserves to be paid for her books and I'm pleased to have them in my kitchen.

Beautiful pictures but recipes not always easy to make. Many ingredients not available in this country. Not practical for everyday cooking and not all the recipes are good.

I adore this cookbook. I'll admit that I've mostly made the cake recipes until now. But the cakes are so easy and so tasty, it's really great. The photography is beautiful and the recipes in general are written in a very approachable, easy way. I'm not a great cook, but any recipe I've tried has turned out great, as long as you follow it. Sometimes, as you're making something, you think to yourself that it doesn't seem right, that the consistency is too thick or something along those lines - but it always turns out fantastic at the end. Highly recommend!

I've tried 2 of Mimi's cake recipes and both of them turned out rather dense. I am a beginning baker so maybe certain knowledge she took for granted and didn't write into the recipes, but I've been disappointed the heavy, dense nature of both the cakes I've tried to make from her book.

I own hundreds of cookery books but use only a few. A gorgeous book with well-written recipes - I can tell this is going to be a favourite.

What a great work! Content is unique. Photography is top quality. Printing and binding great too. 5 stars +

I have already bought five copies, one for me, the rest to offer as a gift to beloved ones. This book mesmerises your senses and touches your soul. Food in its best, pure, form, presented so beautifully ...in Mimi's words and Oddur's ( her husband's) pictures. A point of reference for my cooking and a source of inspiration for many things beyond that...

Have made many of the recipes in this book and have not been disappointed.It's possibly my most used book over the last few months. Beautifully written and the photographs add a lovely feel to it.

I have one of her cook books in French but this is much easier. Mimi's recipes are really good to use