Susan Pinkard’s new book A Revolution in Taste: The Rise of French Cuisine showcases her intimate knowledge of how French cuisine became what it is. Her mastery extends beyond this — she has excavated some of the most influential recipes and cooking techniques from the early modern French kitchen, from master chefs like Marin, La Varenne and Bonnefons.

A couple nights ago, I had a whole chicken, some leeks, a bunch of parsley, and a whole lot of butter, so I gave one a whirl!

Here are the recipes I used, and the results were superb.

Each week, I’ll post more historical recipes from early modern France, and Pinkard will contribute some myth-busting articles about the origins of many of our favorite dishes and techniques.

Trust me, they’re sure to shake things up.

Read the rest of this entry »