An irreplaceable reference

Because of its size, its consequent price conciseness recipes that requires some technical knowledge, it is not a beginner's book, or even a practical manual that can remain open without damage on a kitchen table. But information found there is broad if not exhaustive, well written, clear, albeit condensed, well illustrated, and especially serious that I never faulted. This changes the multitude of books that appear, sometimes known authors of modest and relevant.

In my personal pantheon cookbooks I ranks first modern general works, just before the great and inexpensive book "The Kitchen amateur" Jean-Philippe Derenne and old but already irreplaceable "French Cuisine" in Bocuse. There are of course lots of other interesting books for beginners, or on specialized topics, truly creative and generous leaders know their books, but this one is the work to which I refer first if doubt or ignorance, for a precise answer on a technical point, vocabulary or history, to check the suitability of a recipe caught elsewhere, to synthesize more revenue and better understand the essential, ready for an unusual product to find original ideas without being wacky, short to enrich the unique experience of a high-level panel of experts and good sense.

Note that I have this work for ten years but I recently bought a copy: it was to give to my daughter who keeps poking me mine!