Jacques Pépin Quick & Simple

Well, that never happened. Usually I use 1-2-3 recipes from a cookbook....this one is easy to follow, lots of pictures and explanations that are simple to follow when you're in a hurry! So far everything has turned out delicious. I have now made some of the recipes part of my standard fare. I have used tons of his veggie recipes, plus the heart egg/potato breakfast, a chicken recipe, etc. He also gives some general kitchen teachings that are applicable to our other cooking. LOVE this book. It really is Quick & Simple. I also bought his Cooking with Shorey (his granddaughter). It's also wonderful and I'm moving along with that one also! New in the kitchen? Good place to start with this one. It'll give you confidence in yourself.

I am a long time follower of Jacques Pepin--a pre-internet fan. This book is a remake of an earlier book by Jacques, "The Short Cut Cook" from 1990. The new book is about a hundred pages longer, and does have some new recipes, and much better presentation and "feel". I am glad I bought it. If you are wondering what's inside, or if you should replace your old copy, here is what you might find useful to know:The Good:(1) The Physical Book is Better. Specifically, the paper is better quality--coated and perfectly cut, not a deckled long edge like the hardback I have of the previous title. The coated paper (what they use to print colored inks) should not yellow as quickly as the older version has.(2) The format of the book is better. Specifically, each recipe begins on a new page, the ingredients have been placed on the outside edge of each page and identified in a different color--a deeper blue ink, not a hard-to-read-when-the-flour-is-flying pale color (THANK you Editors!). These things make using the book in the kitchen a little easier. The old title did identify the recipe in different typeface (italic), but often you had to flip back and forth between ingredients and instructions when the recipe started mid=way in a page and continued on the the next page. That is far less frequent in the new book.(3) There are photographs and colored artwork--not every page, not every recipe, but some folks feel they "need" the photos for inspiration and they are there. The old book was entirely black ink, and only had few tiny bits of art drawings.(4) The grouping of recipes is more selective (more chapters). I compared three chapters in the new book to the old, (the chapters are broken up differently in the new book and some recopies have been reclassified (e.g. cheese tart went from the appetizer chapter to a bread chapter, etcetera).(5) Each chapter lists the recipes. The old title only had the index.(6) There are new recipes. In my chapter compare of the fish & seafood, I found a dozen new recipes and 2 recipes that were dropped from the new edition. I checked 2 other chapters, (appetizers and soups) and found just 3 new recipes, and 2 drops (example: a consume soup was dropped, though a different consume based soup was among those added).The "Bad" (honestly, in this case, I would say unfortunate, not actually bad):(1) Some recipes dropped (like a broiled snapper and a Herring Lyonnaise). Looking at what dropped vs what added, this may reflect changes in availability/sustainability, and/or simple changes in taste (new fish available, a different red snapper treatment was added).(2) Chapter introductions were dropped--but each recipe still maintained it's own introduction.The Different--neither good nor bad, just a change:(1) Much of the text is unaltered, save in some very subtle ways-- a phrase moved, sentences arranged into different paragraphs. The most significant case i found, a clam recipe cleaning the beards is now done in the first instruction, whereas before it was done after boiling. Other changes are VERY minor.(2) Some recipes have changed ingredients: Example: The cheese tart originally used allspice and tabasco--the new suggests either a salsa (recipe provided) or a bottled siracha sauce. Not bad, just different.(3) The new book is substantially longer: 283(last numbered page) vs 376(last printed page)--this does NOT reflect a huge number of new entries (but there are several), but rather other factors: Each recipe starting on a new page; The introduction of photographs (lots of them full page); Full page artworks of Jacques; and now each chapter lists the recipes contained therein.

This is a wonderful cook book. Easy simple recipes using common ingredients. Many have interesting use of ingredient I would never have thought of. I'm working my way through all the recipes.

Spiral very sturdy and well done. These are simple everyday type recipes that actually make me up my “simple everyday” when I’m feeling a little to LAZY. Love the lay flat and one whole recipe without turning a page.‘

For an expensive cook book with such a great layout and presentation, I feel every recipe should have a picture of the final product. Isn't that the point of an expensive cookbook - to see what you are making (or to see if it is a dish you would want to make). Maybe it is just me. Otherwise quite satisfied with the book, recipes, ingredients and instructions.

Mr. Pepin is truly a class act in the culinary world. I have several of his cookbooks and have enjoyed each one of them. His style and approach to world of food and its preparation are straightforward. This is a fine text that I believe most cooks - young and old will enjoy.

I adore Jacques Pépin. His talent is sometimes overlooked in its simplicity. You probably don't need a cookbook to tell you how to slice tomatoes or open a can of sardines, but you do need this book to remind you to do it. He offers priceless tidbits of advice and information throughout. His stories are entertaining. Simple meals that are simply entertaining. I bought the Kindle version. It is a great value. Buy the book. It needs to be in your recipe collection. Try some of his simple pairings even if it is out of your normal fare. You won't be disappointed.

First, it is full of Jacques beautiful art art work. That alone is worth the price of the book. He is a very fine painter.THe book is full of tips, some on each page of a recipe to teach you the correct way to do things and everything you should know on how to make a particular recipe. The recipies are marvelous with pictures of the dishes. I bought one for my self and then got more for my sons and granddaughter. I have many cookbooks and like this one the best. I am kosher and the book is filled with recipes I can use and some that arent, I can substitute the non kosher ingredients with othe things to make a delicious meal.One of my granddaughters doesnt cook and by choice is on a very limited diet. I showed her the book and she asked me to buy her one. It has everything from appatizers thru desert in it. He also tells you all of the tools you should have. I just love this book.

After hearing about Jacques Pepin's new cookbook, I initially borrowed it from my Public Library. After only going through the first quarter of the book I had put SO many sticky notes in it for recipes that looked amazing that I realized it would be wiser to just purchase the book for myself. Totally happy I did. I've only had it for less than two weeks and last night I tried a recipe for Marinated Lamb Chops. Deelicious! Buy this book! You won't regret it.

Excellent cookbook. I liked the recipes. They were easy to cook and delicious. 😋 Thank you Jacques Pepin.

Es de buena calidad bonitas fotos pero todas las camtidades son en el sistema americano (pounds, ounces, cups, inches), for anyone in Europe is very difficult to follow)

Bought for a present after watching him on facebook having been recommended to me. We also share our surname

I love Jacques style of cooking ,so simple and easy and food turns out so tasty! His old recipes are the best !