Cooking Provence: Four Generations of Recipes and Traditions

Nation's Restaurant News, August 28, 1995 by Michael Schrader

Bouterin, who was born in Provence and is now the head chef at Le Perigord in New York City, teamed up with Schwartz, co-author of "Memories of a Cuban Kitchen," to write this interesting book on Provencal cooking.

It is a very personal work, filled with reminiscences of Bouterin's childhood spent in Provence, where he lived in the 400-year-old farmhouse in which his father was born. The family lived close to the earth, with cherished pigs and geese given names and the cycle of the seasons defining their lives. Bouterin learned how to cook from his mother and grandmother and decided at an early age to be a chef.

As he explains: "If you ask me what Provencal cooking -- my cooking -- is all about, I would say simplicity, respect for the natural taste of foods, staying in tune with the seasons and the earth's rhythms, and being creative. We rarely use butter or cream in Provence, and most of our meals, relying on vegetables, fish, poultry, garlic and herbs, are healthful and naturally low in cholesterol."

Many of the more than 200 recipes showcased here have been served at Le Perigord. They are grouped in the cookbook as small meals, soups and sauces, vegetables, fish and shellfish, meats and furred game, poultry and feathered game, and desserts and breads.

Standouts are warm asparagus with orange sauce; spicy sweet potato pie; fisherman's bowl, a stew that uses mussels and Dungeness crab; breaded fiddlehead ferns; country casserole, with creamy potatoes and cheese accented by seasonings; spinach cake; and lamb chops Provencal.

This cookbook will appeal to all those who love French cooking. Operators of French restaurants will find many dishes they can adapt to their menus.