The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread
It's a testimony to the merits of this book that I have not been able to put it down despite my busy and hectic schedule this week.
Jacques Pepin's autobiography is an enthralling tale of a gourmet; he says he is most at home in the kitchen and from what he says, that is true (he stayed up until dawn cooking his own wedding feast at Craig Claiborne's house). He talks about everything in terms of what he ate or cooked, or what he hunted or scavenged from the countryside to cook up.
At the end of each chapter is a recipe or two, each one interesting and relevant, and the collection worth a book if its own. But of course they are perfect for the autobiography of a chef.
The thing I enjoyed most about this book was its humanity. Pepin talks about his wife and daughter with love and obvious affection, as he does his friends. When he mentions celebrities, they're always his friends, or people he cooked for or met in passing; it's not so much name dropping as setting the scene. He's humble, talks about his mistakes with humour (there's an episode with the consomme during his apprenticeship that is almost painful), and yet he is sure of himself and his tastes. It's more like being invited to sit in his kitchen and hear him talk about his life than it is about what he's done and how famous he is.
If you read only one foodie biography this year, read this one.
# Posted by ayse