Michel Roux: Pastry

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Michel Roux is a purist, a traditionalist, and yet his approach is thoroughly modern in clarity and purpose. Read and follow his instructions in Pastry: Savory & Sweet (Wiley 2009), and you will be, with plenty of practice, an expert at French pastries. You'll be able to turn out a pate sablee for a Pear Clafoutis (p. 96) or choux paste for Gougeres With Mushroom Duxelle (p. 236) like a pro. All of the pastries in this book can be made in an electric mixer but as a purist, I prefer the artisinal approach, working by hand where appropriate, and I urge you to join me in pie dough-making in its purest form. And why not, if the results are going to be so beautiful, tasty and superior to anything you can buy in a package. Like Michel's book on Eggs (see Super Chef review), Martin Brigdale expertly photograph illustrate Pastry – photos are essential for the complicated pastry making descriptions. Martin captures the hand movements as Michel crimps pastry dough, and his focus as he scores a fish en croute. The little Quiche Lorraine (p. 26-27) that call for pate brisee, look perfectly puffed straight from the oven. After going over the basics, Michel introduces short pastries like pate brisee and tart pie dough (pate a foncer) and then recipes that use each kind of dough. He doesn't stick to French classics alone, including Cornish Pasties (p. 50), Beef and Cheese Empanadas (p. 53) and even a Sweet Pumpkin Tart with Toasted Almonds (p. 67) that would make a great change to the standard pumpkin puree at Thanksgiving. Once you've mastered simpler pastry, its time to tackle puff pastry, and with encouragement from Michel and simple steps to create both Classic Puff Pastry (pp. 108-111) and Rough Puff Pastry (pp. 112-113). Make it yourself and freeze it and you won't go back to store-bought. You'll be making the elegant feuilletes and bouchees and even little Individual Chicken Pies (p. 142) with a decidedly sophisticated turn. Capture the first cherries of the season in Feuillette with Warm Cherries and Mint Ice Cream (p. 158). Pastry is a rich, tasty, and elegant book, full of both classic and imaginative recipes. Michel's text will entice you to create your own pastry: For me, it is always a magical moment each morning around 7am at The Waterside Inn, when our tourier Douglas starts baking the croissants. The wonderful aroma from the oven gently pervades the corridors and sleeping guests share the magic. They tell me it's like awakening from a dream that's good enough to eat…(p. 208) Sounds like a vacation at The Waterside Inn is in order. Previous articles: Michel Roux: Eggs FOODFLICKS: Michel Roux's Eggs [Cookbook Reviews - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging, cookbooks, cookbook reviews --> back to Cookbook Reviews --> back to Super Chef