The Provence Cookbook was featured on FirstLookBooks.com (by Harper Collins) in January. Advance galleys of The Provence Cookbook were mailed to individuals who volunteered to read and review the book. The following reader reviews were provided by Harper Collins.
| Charlotte (Middleburg Hts., OH) |
Magnificent!! Ms. Wells has outdone herself with The Provence Cookbook! The recipes and details are wonderful, I made the Roasted Salmon with Sorrel Sauce, Salmon has never tasted better. I would highly recommend this book to everyone.
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| Quetzi (South Bend, IN) |
Whoever thought that a cookbook could be a fun and interesting read?? I really enjoyed The Provence Cookbook and am looking forward to preparing the delicious meals in it! I loved learning more about Provence from a culinary expert's point of view. Patricia Wells not only has an eye for food, but also, what makes food so special. She gives you all kinds of background information on each recipe, so you have a greater understanding of why each recipe is so special. I felt this information helps you to create a perfect Provence meal. She includes which wines go better with each flavorful recipe and where they may be purchased. One of the main things that attracted me to this book is because all of her recipes are very easy to follow and are within a normal budget. I'm dying to prepare her aromatic Summer Herb Bread and her Salad of Tomatoes, Pine Nuts, and Basil, drizzled with lemon juice & oil. She also gives you addresses so you know where you can purchase the best flavored Olive Oil, wines, or whatever is needed to prepare a perfect recipe. I truly enjoyed this book. I'm going to purchase all of her cookbooks, because she makes a culinary bouquet of flavors that will tempt everyone's distinctive palate.
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| Michelle (Lenexa, KS) |
The Provence Cookbook has easy to follow recipes and the menus in the back are helpful in planning a full meal or dinner party. I like the sidebars that provide additional tips and information to recreate the feeling of Provence. The recipes my husband and I tried were delicious and will make it on the "make-it-again" list. This cookbook makes it easy to make the French Provencal dining experience come alive in your kitchen.
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| Laurie (Dallas, TX) | Just finished reading this cookbook and I can't decide whether to go to the grocery store or call the travel agent. The account of truffle poachers and the mouth watering description of this morel make this book worth buying. The recipes, simple but elegant, make it a keeper.
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| Judy (Owensboro, KY) |
I've never traveled to Provence, but after reading through Wells' cookbook, I feel like I have been there, tasted the food, smelled the air, and met the people. Her "cookbook" is so much more...it is really a guidebook to Provence. This cookbook made me nostalgic for a place I've never been. The recipes were a combination of elegance and simplicity. Some would be quick and easy to make for a simple family dinner; others would take more preparation time and be the main event of a fancy dinner party. I really enjoyed reading the recipes, remembrances and observations. The beautiful photos scattered generously throughout the book were food to my eyes. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review a different kind of book!
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| Bethany (Potomac, MD) |
Brings the flavors, aromas, and foods of a magical region to your home. Easily reproduced recipes and charming anecdotes provide a vacation in a book! A must for anyone who has been to or yearns to visit Provence.
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| Huguette (Auburn,, NY) |
I enjoyed very much reading "The Provence Cookbook " It was like revisiting some familiar places with my parents and enjoying a delicious leisurely lunch in a quiet village. The bonus was trying some of the recipes. They are easy to follow, and the ingredients easy to find here. A wonderful way to spend a delightful afternoon on an otherwise dreary Central New York day. I would recommend it to gourmet cooks and travel enthusiasts alike.
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| Sheryl (Roanoke, VA) |
Patricia Wells carries her readers along on a journey of tastes and visual sensations. You become her guest at a party; you are living Provence!
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| Cecile (San Anselmo, CA) |
Patricia Wells' new book, The Provence Cookbook, is a delightful trip through her own personal Provence. It is a beautiful book with unique photographs of the foods, people, and markets of the region. I especially enjoyed Patricia's own recipes which always included a charming story about what the recipe meant to her. Patricia's writing is so vivid it makes one feel they are right there with her inhaling the aromas of fish, freshly baked bread and olives at her local market. The Provence Cookbook will appeal to Francophiles, cooks and lovers of good food, wine and travel. It's a great gift book too. If you can't take that trip to France this year this is the next best thing!
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| Radhika (Round Rock, TX) |
If you are ready for a feast of the senses, Patricia Wells treats you to a banquet in “The Provence Cookbook.” Along with 175 recipes, Wells takes her reader on a personal gastronomical tour of Provence. The book reads more like a journal as the author strings each recipe together with her favorite memory about, a restaurant, a person or a tradition, and ends up creating a unique bouquet of Provence. As you turn the pages of this book you might find yourself transported to a village butcher shop in Provence with a rotisserie slowly turning the load of plump farm chickens into a golden brown or at the village markets with an endless variety of olives and cheeses. You meet people like the olive vendors of Vaison la Romaine and Ludovic Cornillon the wine maker and before you know it you are in a different world experiencing the rich aromas, sounds, flavors, and hues of Provence. Each recipe starts with a little history followed by brisk and easy to follow directions. The ingredients and equipment are organized to the left hand corner of each page which makes for more interesting reading. After studying Well’s book, you might feel more confident about ordering from an all-French menu the next time you dine at a French restaurant because each recipe is simultaneous named in English and French. Unlike traditional cookbooks where color photos are the life blood, The Provence Cookbook’s black and white photos, which are not about the recipe but about the ingredients or influences that created the recipe, serves to enhance the tone of the book. In case you are tempted to curl up with the book and take an armchair tour through the pastoral region of France, Well’s gently nudges you to bring a bit of Provence into your own kitchen and to create your own memories of the ingredients and the people you might share these dishes with.
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| Aileen (Canal Winchester, OH) |
This book is full of tasty recipes, local lore and recommendations for shopping and eating that make me want to be in Provence. Through this cookbook, I can at least bring a little bit of France into my kitchen through a variety of wonderful recipes. I can't wait until this summer to try them with fresh ingredients.
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| Jaclyn (Mequon, WI) |
This delightful culinary adventure into the heart of Provence captures the essence of the region through mouthwatering recipes and stunning photographs. The colorful recipe introductions set the scene for each inspiring combination of ingredients, and helps the reader feel the love and warmth that goes into creating each dish. The wine suggestions, restaurant information, and fascinating profiles add a unique touch of elegance and charm to this French masterpiece of food. |