A Grandfather's Lessons: In the Kitchen with Shorey

Product Description The grand master of cooking has a new apprentice in the kitchen: his granddaughter. Jacques Pépin is one of the nation’s most famous cooking teachers, renowned for his knife skills. Ever since she was very young, his granddaughter, Shorey, has loved “helping” him in the kitchen. Now that she is twelve, Jacques gives his charismatic pupil a short course on preparing “food that is plain, but elegant, and more than anything, fun.” In the process, he proves himself as inspiring to her as he is to the country’s greatest chefs. Curly hot dogs, spinach with croutons, sushi salmon cakes, skillet bread and homemade butter, raspberry cake: These recipes will become irresistible new classics for kids. Along the way, Jacques imparts lessons in kitchen etiquette, from how to set a table to how to fold a napkin properly—even how to load a dishwasher. And perhaps the most important lesson of all: that the best meals are the ones shared at home with family. Review "In his many decades at the stove, the chef Jacques Pépin has accumulated a priceless depth of knowledge, and he communicates it freely, with wit and self-effacing charm. Any novice cook, not just a teenager, has much to gain as Mr. Pépin describes cooking with his 13-year-old granddaughter." —Florence Fabricant (New York Times) "Recipes include ultrasimple crowd-pleasers (curly dogs with pickle relish, meringues) as well as palate-expanding gourmet foods (Chinese mushroom salad, sushi salmon cubes), and while a touch more refined than those in other cookbooks for kids, they’re perfect for parents who want to jump-start their child’s gastronomic education. " —Lisa Campbell, Library Journal "Pépin is a familiar face from decades of television shows and cookbooks ( Jacques Pépin Heart & Soul in the Kitchen), and in 1996 he introduced his daughter Claudine ( Kids Cook French) to audiences. Now he brings his granddaughter, Shorey, into the family business with this endearing cookbook that is accompanied by links to 10-minute videos hosted by Sur la Table. Sections on proper table manners and napkin folding impart an old-fashioned feel, and while Pépin admonishes parents not to coddle children but to serve them adult food, the book overflows with typically kid-friendly American dishes, such as English-muffin pizzas, curly hot dogs with relish, and raspberry Jell-O with strawberry sauce. More challenging projects include a loaf of bread hollowed out and stuffed with fish and shellfish (then baked until crusty), and chocolate cups made by dipping inflated balloons into melted chocolate. Recipes that showcase specific techniques—such as a combination of sausages, potatoes, onions, and mushrooms cooked en papillote—are useful. As always, Pépin is a gently encouraging guide, and he makes an able spokesperson for family dinner, but no new ground is broken, and pull quotes from Shorey about how much she adores her “Papi” and loves cooking give little hint of her personality." — Publishers Weekly About the Author The winner of sixteen James Beard Awards and author of twenty-nine cookbooks, including A Grandfather’s Lessons, Jacques Pépin Heart & Soul in the Kitchen, and Essential Pépin, JACQUES PÉPIN has starred in twelve acclaimed PBS cooking series. He was awarded France’s highest distinction, the Legion of Honor.