The frantic energy in a great French kitchen is a humbling experience... (from Chapter 2; How the French Really Cook) 

{HISTORY]

With the assistance of several French chefs working in both American and European kitchens. authors Peter and Nancy Kranz have taken the complexities out of cooking notoriously difficult French sauces in the 1966 Sauce Cook Book.  So that all American cooks can add this delightful component to their homemade food repertoire, this book as much a technical textbook as much as it is a cookbook.   Peter and Nancy have described sauce making and the success of it, from all angles, including the ideal equipment to use, the myths that might dissuade the act, and even the chemistry aspect of what makes a sauce wonderfully delicious in texture and consistency. 

It's often noted that in culinary school, the sauce-making portion of the classwork syllabus is often one of the most challenging. Aspiring cooks either love this material or they loathe it. Thanks to Nancy and Peter and the chefs they learned from, you'll be in the former category by book's end. 

There is not much biographical information on Peter or Nancy, but there is plenty of culinary knowledge steeped in the pages of this book, so rest assured, home cooks are in good hands. George Moriaz (1921-2014), a French-born chef who ran a successful restaurant in Cold Spring, NY during the 1960s-1970s offered much guidance in the way of making this cookbook accessible to the skill level,  and space constraints of the home kitchen. Flavor profiles were addressed thanks to the creative study and research by an industrious team of chemists at the food flavor consulting firm, Arthur D. Little.  And over 25 chefs in both France and the US lent their knowledge and expertise to produce this book. 

Thickening agents, clarity, flavor maintenance, reduction processes, consistency, texture and timing are all discussed here. A host of recipes follow chapters of detailed instruction highlighting tips and techniques learned throughout.  Interesting recipes include Chicken with Plum Tomatoes, Filet Stroganoff, Lobster in Sherry Sauce, Sole with White Port, Jambon a la Creme Gratinee, Duck with Cherries, Brandied Chicken, Sweetbreads Normand and Chicken in Foie Gras Sauce a L'Ecorce.

Now a hard-to-find book, The Sauce Cook Book is a great example of the emerging interest of preparing fine, restaurant-quality food at home experienced during the mid-20th century.

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

- Published 1966 by Stein and Day

- 192 pages

- Hard to find cookbook

{CONDITION}

As you might expect from a sauce-making book, this one does contain some cooking spots and splatters but overall it is in lovely vintage condition. The interior pages are clean and bright. There a few light cooking spot on the front overboard as well as on the exterior spine and top edge of the book. Please see photos. 

{SIZE}

Measures 8.5" inches (length) x 5.75" inches (width) x .75" inches (thickness) and weighs  just under 1 lb. 

{FOR THE FRENCH COOK}

Find more vintage French cookbooks in the shop here.