Ooh La La!
Kids Cook French
Barbara Beery’s cheerful children’s cookbook Ooh La La! pairs fresh flavors with classic French recipes to inspire international palates.
From ratatouille to quiche Lorraine, gratin to crème brûlée, French comfort foods are highlighted through gorgeous full-page color photographs and side-by-side recipes. Its arrangement sensible, the book introduces herbs, their popular combinations (as in herbes de Provence), and mother sauces first, followed by appetizers, soups, main courses, salads and vinaigrettes, breads, pastries and desserts, and drinks. Appealing to children’s tastes with plenty of cheese-laden fare and sweet handheld treats, the book is balanced by attention to healthy vegetables.
The section introductions describe French serving practices (salad, for instance, is not served first, as it often is in the United States) alongside curious tidbits, such as what defines an artisan boulanger. The recipes are straightforward: They list accessible ingredients with shortcuts for convenience, including store-bought pie crusts and puff pastry; feature clear, numbered steps; and indicate the number of servings each dish yields. Difficulty levels are also noted; the soufflés, macarons, and croissants are the toughest because of their delicate natures and need for baking finesse.
On occasion, the cooking instructions presume prior knowledge: The recipes for baguettes and flatbread detail placing a container of ice in the oven while baking without explaining why. Further, the mother sauces aren’t called for again elsewhere in the book, nor are suggestions for their uses given. Still, the collected recipes are a solid introduction a cherished cuisine.
A fun cookbook for young cooks, Ooh La La! spotlights delectable bistro and homestyle French favorites.
Reviewed by
Karen Rigby
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
