Bruno's cookbook Recipes and traditions from a French country kitchen

Review by Booklist Review

Readers of Walker's popular Bruno, Chief of Police, series will immediately recognize the ethos of the beloved character in these nearly 100 recipes from France's Dordogne region, known to locals as Périgord. Admittedly not professional chefs, Walker and his coauthor and wife, Watson, boast considerable culinary backgrounds and have accomplished the almost unthinkable: delightful recipes that rarely require more than a page of instruction. Accompanied by photographs of both the dishes and the French countryside Bruno (and the authors) call home, the narrative is structured by food-related occupations: the vegetable plot/the market, the fisherman, the butcher, the hunter, the cheesemaker and dairyman, the baker, the forager, and the winemaker. The authors address traditions, as in "the question of chabrol" (in which a combination of soup and red wine is drunk like a goat would), and explain ingredients (sea salt, goose and duck fat). Readers will take away a sense of the region's community and some very tempting tastes: red onion tarte tatin, gratin of mussels with parsley and garlic, yogurt mousse in a strawberry sauce. Bon appetit!

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Mystery writer Walker (To Kill a Troubadour) joins forces with his wife, food journalist Watson, to share a vivid collection of recipes inspired by the Perigord region of France, where Walker's Bruno Chief of Police mystery series takes place. Throughout, the authors immerse readers in the series's fictional town of St. Denis by sharing anecdotes ("Bruno devised this terrine to make use of the Perigord's other famous treasures: prunes and walnuts," they write of the duck, pork, prune, and walnut terrine) and even including a short story featuring Bruno. They showcase the diversity of fresh ingredients Perigord has to offer in a red onion tarte tatin, gratin of mussels with parsley and garlic, chicken braised in wine with roasted grapes, and fig frangipane tarts. The authors also share fascinating historical and cultural context, noting that the pot roast chicken Henri IV--style was inspired by the French king who declared that everyone in France should have chicken every Sunday. Home cooks should take note that while all the recipes offer straightforward instructions, some dishes, such as the six-hour leg of lamb with garlic and cream sauce, won't come together quickly, and others, like flambéed langoustines, require advanced cooking techniques. Still, series fans and ambitious home cooks will find plenty to savor. Agent: Caroline Wood, Felicity Bryan Assoc. (Nov.)

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Review by Library Journal Review

Fans of Walker's "Bruno, Chief of Police" mysteries know that these books are equal parts celebration of the food and culture of the Périgord region of France and cleverly constructed crime fiction. Now writing with his wife, Watson, Walker brings together more than 90 recipes for some of the favorite dishes of Bruno and his friends. Rather than being arranged by course, the cookbook is divided into chapters like "Vegetable Plot" and "The Market, Hunter, Baker, and Cheese Maker and Dairy Man," with the recipes in each section showcasing the ingredients found therein. From walnut and green olive tapenade to Périgord quiche to "A Most Indulgent Chocolate Cake," every recipe includes an entertaining introductory note and is written in an easily accessible style. The gorgeous color photographs not only splendidly illustrate the dishes but also help immerse readers in the southwestern corner of France. VERDICT Written with a generous measure of culinary joie de vivre and a keen appreciation for the people and culture of Périgord, this captivating cookbook will charm fans of Walker's long-running series as well as any cook wishing to explore the bountiful riches of French country cooking.--John Charles

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