French Country Kitchen - Geraldene Holt

Summer cooking has never been a strong point for me, so the aim of this first pass through my collection is to add to my repertoire of light but tasty meals suitable for the hot weather.

My first book is a Hay-on-Wye find, French Country Kitchen, by Geraldene Holt. This battered paperback is a treasure trove of recipes from the Ardeche and Provence, collected by the author. The recipes are organised by the key ingredient groups of the regions such as the Pig, the Olive, herbs, cheese, as well as the usual categories.

This little book is definitely a keeper. There are a few ingredients listed which are not available to the British shopper, but in the main the recipes are accessible and aside from the cheese based dishes (only to be produced when Joe is away) they are family friendly. The recipes that I am most drawn to are for winter cooking, including a couple of pork recipes, so I will be revisiting the book in the autumn, however I will be trying a couple of dishes this week - just for the girls (boys are away).

- Mushroom and Cucumber Salad
- Vermicelli with Pork and Prawns
- Madeleines
- Mushroom Tart
- Quatres-Quarts aux Cassis - a french pound cake with a layer of fresh fruit

Sue 

French Country Kitchen by Geraldene Holt, published 1987. ISBN 0 - 14 - 04674 1- 6