Book Review: French Farmhouse Cookbook

Perhaps the cookbook that I love the most is "The French Farmhouse Cookbook" by Susan Herrmann Loomis.  I received my copy of the French Farmhouse Cookbook as a Bridal Shower gift. I had never heard of the author before, and was not sure if this would be my kind of book.

After I was married, I opened this book and started to read it like a book. It was the most interesting book I had ever seen. Ms. Loomis, an American Francophile living in France, takes a trip throughout the entire French countryside in search of real down-to-earth French food. She describes each province and the people with whom she stays and offers recipes from that region. She described each region so well, I had a deep longing to go there myself and experience France as she is doing!

I loved this book! I decided to start making the recipes. Each one I made was very easy to understand and very easy to make. Ms. Loomis explains some of the different ingredients used in France, and offers comparable American equivalents. Some of the French ingredients have recipes of their own in the back of the book too!

Susan Herrmann Loomis is a renowned food writer living in Normandy France. She offers culinary vacations to the culinary adventuresome! If interested, check out her site out!

I highly recommend anyone to buy this cookbook. Whether you love French food or not, the food is simple yet elegant and extremely delicious.

PAIN D'ESPICES
© 1996 Susan Herrmann Loomis

~Excerpted from "French Farmhouse Cookbook" published by Workman Publishing Co., Inc.~

No reproduction or Internet use without written permission from the publisher.

2 cups milk
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1-teaspoon ground cloves
1-teaspoon ground cardamom
2 tablespoons whole anise seeds
2 1/4 cups mild, flowery honey
7 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup orange marmalade or red currant jam
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 tablespoons warm water

Method
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour two 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pans.

2. Combine the milk and the spices in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat, and whisk gently. As soon as bubbles have formed around the edges of the milk, remove it from the heat, cover and let the spices infuse for 10 minutes.

3. Heat the honey in a saucepan just until it is liquid. Transfer it to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of the electric mixer, add the spiced milk, and mix well. Add 2 cups of the flour and mix well. Then add the jam (marmalade). Slowly add the rest of the flour, stirring until the mixture is thoroughly combined.

4. In a small bowl mix together the baking soda and the warn water; the mixture will fizz and bubble. Stir this into the batter and continue mixing (at medium speed if using a mixer) until the dough is satiny, at least 10 minutes (5 minutes in a mixer). 

5. Divide the batter between the two prepared loaf pans (the batter will come very close to the top of the pans). Place them in the center of the oven, leaving room between the pans so the heat can circulate. Bake until the loaves are puffed and golden and spring back when touched 1 hour and 20 to 40 minutes.    

6. Remove the pans from the oven, then remove the loaves from the pans and let them cool on wire racks. When cool, wrap in waxed paper, then aluminum foil, and wait at least 24 hours before tasting, as the flavors need a chance to mature. This bread will keep well, wrapped and stored in an airtight container in a cool place for at least 2 weeks. They can also be refrigerated for up to 1 month and frozen for up to 2 months, though they lose their most subtle aroma in the freezer. 

16 servings

"French Farmhouse Cookbook"
by Susan Herrmann Loomis
Workman Publishing Company; (November 1996)
Paperback: 560 pages; Dimensions (in inches): 1.35 x 9.20 x 7.42
ISBN: 1563054884