By: Erik Orsenna

This is a really old school book that I have had for years. It is part of a series  – one of which centers on Joel Robuchon and on which I worked with Patricia Wells when I was living in Paris – that explores a chef’s point of view on a particular set of ingredients. This one by Alain Senderens might be my favorite. I love his ideas for salt and truffles. I love the exploration from complex thinking and simple recipes. Sometimes a book can serve as a jumping off point for ideas about cooking. This is one of them for me. You can check with my favorite bookstore, Kitchen Arts and Letters, to view or find this book.