#ReadThis Jacques Pépin Art of the Chicken A Master Chef's Paintings, Stories, and Recipes of the Humble Bird By Jacques Pépin
It's not who you know, it's WHOM YOU KNOW and thank you Jonathan, we met Jacques Pepin. Thank goodness he came to America to cook way before Peachy was born because he revolutionized how we as Americans eat! And in his hit parade of culinary achievements over his lifetime, the most recent one is The Art of the Chicken. We are completely honored to review it and it is a must-have for everyone that is part of humanity that eats. If you thought chicken was boring in any way whatsoever, your outlook will be totally transformed. Also, it is a delight to see his artistic skills in painting and drawing and the endless array of happy cluckers brought to life on these pages, collected over the years! We don't know what was in the air in France in November and December 1935 but we shall call it excellence because can you believe Alain Delon and Jacques Pepin were born a month apart!?!? Everyone should wish to age as well as them like a fine wine.
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!
From legendary chef Jacques Pépin comes a book celebrating
his lifelong love of chickens, featuring dozens of his
celebrated paintings and a treasure trove of poignant and
often humorous stories, along with many recipes
What came first, the chicken or the egg?
It's completely irrelevant until they both met Jacques Pepin.
It's completely irrelevant until they both met Jacques Pepin.
Note that the recipes presented are much more poetic and storytold than the ordinary recipe. But who would want ordinary anyway when it comes to Pepin! We love his respect and appreciation for the Gallic Rooster and his admiration of its history that starts off this gem.
The history of Jacques Pepin himself is priceless and his story is absolutely golden, growing up in Bresse, not far from Lyon. New York is mentioned on page 6 where Pepin roasts a chicken not long after his arrival in 1959. Do you know that he says if he had to pick a single ingredient that he could not live without it would be the egg? Personally before ever this book existed, Peachy watched his egg videos many times to improve her eggs and there is no better teacher.
If you want to make yourself hungry, read page 14: Whole Chicken Baked in Bread Dough. Seriously, who needs turkey on Thanksgiving when you are reading this French genius. And if you are a cookbook author, all of you can learn something from this example because we have never read a cookbook we liked more in our life than this one.
His mastery of design is also something many can learn from and who knew Picasso had such competition from Pepin? (see page 22). The boundless creativity that is uniquely Pepin made us think Pucci when we saw page 47. If there was ever a fashion show for chickens, this book is the runway.
It's interesting to note in this world there is more than one Oeufs Benedictine. You're going to learn a lot inbetween these pages including what a Poularde is.
Finally, if you have trouble getting to sleep or wake up in the middle of the night and want something completely pleasant to read, this is just the ticket. Definitely read it on a full stomach. Our studies show you will have sweet dreams post-reading Art of the Chicken. All chicken goes from ordinary to extraordinary, and you never thought chicken had so many incarnations.
ART OF THE CHICKEN HAS EARNED OUR HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION.
JACQUES PEPIN IS SIMPLY THE BEST.
Jacques Pépin Art of the Chicken:
A Master Chef’s Paintings, Stories, and Recipes of the Humble Bird
Publication Date: September 27, 2022
Harvest Books
ISBN: 9780358654513
Ebook: 9780358654476
Audio: 9780358727880
One of the world’s most iconic, beloved chefs, Jacques Pépin helped change the way America cooks and eats. Since his childhood in France, the chicken has been like Proust’s madeleine for Jacques—conjuring memory and sparking inspiration. Indeed, this most commonplace fowl has lived at the intersection of his two passions: cooking and painting. In his beautifully illustrated new book, Jacques Pépin Art of the Chicken: A Master Chef's Paintings, Stories, and Recipes of the Humble Bird (Harvest/An Imprint of William Morrow; September 27, 2022; $30.00), this legendary chef celebrates a lifelong love, combining dozens of his vibrant and whimsical paintings with poignant and humorous reminiscences from his life and storied career—garnished with recipes.
Renowned for teaching essential technique to the everyday cook, Jacques presents his recipes not as lists of ingredients and steps, but as narratives that lead the cook through the process as if working alongside the master chef in his own kitchen. From Arroz con Pollo inspired by his beloved wife to the favorite Cream of Chicken Soup from his famed Potagerie restaurant to his Maman’s Egg Gratinée, the recipes are cook friendly and the eating is sublime. At center stage is Jacque’s mastery as an artist, and his fanciful, colorful paintings.
With accustomed congeniality, Jacques delights as he chronicles his life with chickens. He shares his mother’s simple, delicious recipes from her restaurant in Lyon as well as the more exalted preparations of his Paris apprenticeship at the Grand Hotel de l’Europe. He reports on the simple tastes of President and Madame De Gaulle when he served as their chef during his military service. Later, in New York, he cooked for the rich and famous at Manhattan’s finest French restaurants, made chicken salad with Danny Kaye, deboned chickens and made countless omelets with his great friend Julia Child. Turning down an offer to work as JFK’s White House Chef, he came on board at Howard Johnson’s and gained a new appreciation for cooking for the masses—including HoJo’s legendary fried chicken.
“Chicken and egg cooking, chicken stories, chicken lore, and chicken painting are all aspects of who I am,” Jacques writes. “From early on, chickens and eggs have been tightly woven into my professional and social life. The unique character of chicken is that it fits and is part of all levels of cooking in all parts of the world, from very rich to very poor. It is truly universal and essential in all cuisines—French, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, African, Indian, Arab, and many others. It will appear on the plate of a three-star Michelin restaurant as well as in a diner, hospital cafeteria, small bistro, hotel menu, or food truck. I have cooked and eaten chicken all my life in all different forms from soup to roast to grilled, from stew to salad to friend, and in pâté.”
“A must for foodies, certain to bring a smile to readers and their dinner guests,” says Kirkus. Jacques Pépin Art of The Chicken is a heartfelt gift from an illustrious master—and the perfect gift for cooks, food lovers, art lovers, and anyone who savors well-prepared chicken or eggs: which is to say, just about everyone.
About the Author
The winner of sixteen James Beard Awards and author of over 30 cookbooks, including The Apprentice, Essential Pépin, and Jacques Pépin Quick & Simple, Jacques Pépin is a chef, author, television personality, educator, and artist, and has starred in 12 acclaimed PBS cooking series. His dedication to culinary education led to the creation of the Jacques Pépin Foundation in 2016.
Jacques Pépin Art of the Chicken:
A Master Chef’s Paintings, Stories, and Recipes of the Humble Bird
By Jacques Pépin
Publication Date: September 27, 2022
Harvest Books/An Imprint of William Morrow
HarperCollinsPublishers
ALSO BY JACQUES PEPIN
Jacques Pépin Quick & Simple, ISBN: 9780358352556, Harvest, Hardcover
Menus: A Book for Your Meals and Memories, ISBN: 9781328497666, Harvest, Hardcover
A Grandfather’s Lessons: In the Kitchen with Shorey, ISBN: 9780544824393, Harvest, Hardcover
Jacques Pépin Poulets & Légumes: My Favorite Chicken & Vegetable Recipes,
ISBN: 9780544920934, Harvest, Hardcover
Jacques Pépin More Fast Food My Way, ISBN: 9780618142330, Harvest, Hardcover
Jacques Pépin Fast Food My Way, ISBN: 9780618393121, Harvest, Hardcover
Jacques Pépin Heart & Soul in the Kitchen, ISBN: 9780544301986, Harvest, Hardcover
Essential Pépin: More Than 700 All-Time Favorites from My Life in Food, ISBN: 9780547232799, Harvest, Hardcover
The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen, ISBN: 9780544657496, Harvest, Trade Paperback
