****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
Simply wonderful!! That's about how to describe a thoroughly enjoyable way to spend some time with two of the greatest French chefs!!I have two opinions of this 4-disc set, with the first being the positive; the second opinion I label as OK, not negative, because there are no negatives when you watch these two veterans of classic French cuisine.To begin with, you have an beautifully filmed series that brings you into the home of the great Julia Child, so you feel very much a welcomed guest. And the grand dame of French cooking has invited Chef Pepin to join her in teaching you the finer points of this marvelous cuisine, so you have much to anticipate for both eyes and palate.They play off each other as old friends would, and you will be entertained as well as taught. You'll see Julia in a firefighters outfit ready with the extinguisher as she prepares for Jacque to make a flaming dessert or "calling all ducks" with a duck whistle; then you have Jacque in a Julius Caesar ensemble to introduce the namesake salad...............all of it as corny as you can get, and all of it exquisite morsels that hint of the friendship that existed between these two icons. You also cannot help but notice that our Julia has aged, and that makes the friendship between her and Jacque all that more touching. He shows his admiration and his loving respect for her by doing much of the physical work, but do not fret, she is as fiesty as always.Most of all, you will not be disappointed in the recipe jewels contained within these 4 discs of French cooking joy:(Volume I)BEEF:Steak DianeBistro SteakSteak au PoivreChateaubriandHamburger DeluxeDESSERTS:Strawberry SabayonGateau of CrepesCrepes SuzetteSALAD:Classic Caesar SaladPotato SaladSalad NicoiseComposed SaladSANDWICHES:Croque MonsieurCroque MadamPagne BagnatSeafood LoafLobster RollVEGETABLES:Stuffed ArtichokesMushroom DuxellesVery Green BeansHaricot VertsBruised PeasFrench Style PeasSTEW:Beef BurgundyPot Roast(Volume II)FISH:Sole Meuniere with Black Butter SaucePoached Snapper with CucumbersTURKEY FEAST:Giblet GravyCornbread and Sage StuffingCranberry ChutneyCreamed OnionsBraised Brussel SproutsSOUP:French Onion SoupLeek and Potato SoupVichyssoiseWatercress SoupMediterranean Fish StewEGGS:Scrambled EggsClassic OmeletteMushroom OmeletteOmelette PiperadeEggs BenedictPORK:Roast Prok LoinSauteed Pork Tenderloin with Port and PrunesGrilled Pork ChopsCREAMY DESSERTS:Creme AnglaiseIce Cream ProfiterolesCreme CaramelCreme Brulee(Volume III)SHELLFISH:Oysters and Clams on the Half ShellShrimp CocktailMoules MariniereBilli-bi SoupMoules RavigoteROAST CHICKEN:Savory Stuffed ChickenButterflied Chicken with Spice RubSOUFFLES:Cheese SouffleScallop SouffleChocolate RouladeWINTER VEGETABLES:Stuffed CabbageCauliflower au GratinGlazed Carrots and TurnipCelery Root RemouladeCHARCUTERIE (sausages and pate):Homemade SausagesSauages in BriocheCountry PateCOMFORT FOOD:Poached Chicken on a Bed of RiceChicken Pot PieCountry Style Apple Tart(Volume IV)SALMON:GravlaxSalmon TartareSalmon UnilateralOven-Roasted SalmonSalmon en PapilloteROASTS OF VEAL AND LAMB:Veal roast en CocotteSauteed Mushrooms in CreamEggplant and Zucchini GratinRoasted Leg of LambPOTATOES:A Perfect Baked PotatoPommes ByronGarlic Mashed PotatoesPommes BoulangereGratin DauphinoisePomes SoufflesDUCK:Skillet Duck with Parsnips and ShallotsTwo-Way DuckDuck Giblets and Escarole SaladNow for the "OK" part of all of this. As another reviewer mentioned, the packaging was a bit shoddy in that all the CD's arrived loose within their container because they had fallen out of the plastic grips; I think it would have been better if they had each been secured within separate plastic jackets.That being said, each disc begins with the commercials that preceded every episode of this wonderful series. But now being on DVD, they are only at the start of each disc and not each episode; they run only two minutes so they are brief. But keep in mind that theses companies helped to underwrite the cost of such an excellent series, therefore I think anyone would be hard-pressed to be upset.So for any gourmand of cooking, and even if that person is yourself, you will enjoy the series that brought you 85 recipes, 2 people, and one great time that you will appreciate. Besides, as Julia tells you, "it's real cooking, not for fluffies!"
