Ducasse Flavors of France

I purchased this book on sale for $24.95, however I would have paid the list price of $60 because I feel it is worth it.

The photography is absolutely stunning. If you are familiar with Roger Verge's "Entertaining in the New French Style", the photographer is the same.

Recipes I have tried with success:
Dark Chocolate Tart with Rich Pastry Dough Crust
Pear Tart: Raw and Caramelized
Jasmine Pots de Creme

Criticisms
-Many of the recipes require ingredients unavailable in this country.
-Many times, the pictures do not quite match up with the recipes, which is very frustrating when looking for visual clues.

Overall, this book is for serious chefs or those who want to look like serious chefs by putting this book on their coffee table. Many of the recipes are simple: the filling for the chocolate tart only contains 4 ingredients, but this makes them all the more challenging: there is nothing easy about the recipes.

There is no denying Alain Ducasse is the chef of the moment. However, this book was somewhat of a disappointment. The recipes are interesting, the photography decent. But the problem lies in the ingredients. Too many recipes call for ingredients that are flat out impossible to find - and he offers no alternatives. It is one thing to ask for truffles, caviar, or duck confit. It is another to require specific mediterranean fish that are not found in this country, or obscure wild game and offal that cannot be had. Substituting chicken, or even quail or pheasant just doesn't cut it.

I've had this book for awhile, but wanted to wait to try out some recipes before I properly reviewed it. I've done 4 recipes thus far (french toast with seasonal fruit, shrimp toasts, sauteed pumpkin slices crusted with szechuan peppercorns, duck l'orange, and the orange sauce is phenomenal with pork tenderloin as well) as well as using his method for stockmaking. All of which were at worst extremely delicious, or at the top, the best versions I've ever had. His stock technique in particular is so simple, you'll get a noticeable increase in quality (clarity) with minimal increase in work. Were the recipes slightly more fussy than the typical methods? Yes. Are they worth the extra work? So far, yes. Are there shortcuts you can take to make some of the fussiest recipes more accessible? In my short experience with it, also a yes- for example, Bonewerks veal stock is a lifesaver for myself, who doesn't have access to veal bones. Here's some other positives and negatives:...Read more