According to Jacques Pepin, internationally renowned French chef, "the moment for a child to be in the kitchen is from the moment they are born.” Amen to that! When I was asked to review Kids Cook French: Les enfants cuisinent a la française, a cookery book written by Jacques' daughter, Claudine Pepin I was very excited. The book is described in the blurb as "a fun interactive cookbook for kids" and I was drawn to the fact that each recipe in the book was presented in both French and English as Lara is very much enjoying learning the french language a present.
One of the first things that I look for in a children's cookbook is photographs of the food to really get my two girls excited about the food that they could try to cook. Unfortunately, Kids Cook French doesn't have any photographs at all, just very cute water colour illustrations that hint at one or two of the primary ingredients. While the style may be appealing to some, it really didn't engage my two daughters, or me and when asked, Lara didn't really feel eager to cook any recipe from the book.
Its a shame because Kids Cook French does feature some very yummy french-inspired dishes and Pepin-family favourites such as Gougeres (cheesy dough balls), ratatouille, quiche, herb-roasted chicken which, in fact, is exactly what I cooked for the whole family this weekend.
And I think that's key - I cooked it. Not the girls. I have yet to read a recipe in this book that I think actively invites a child in. Several of the recipes seem too involved for young children - perhaps my girls are a bit too young for this book? In every good children's cookbook I like to see ideas for how to get children, however young, feeling involved with as many tasks as possible and when I read the foreword, this is what I had been expecting from this book.
I did enjoy reading each recipe and chapter in french and it is nice to have a cookbook which tells me how to make some traditional staples such as cherry clafoutis or Creme Brulee but I can't see Lara eagerly sitting down with this cookbook to choose her next cookery adventure.
To order Kids Cook French at the discounted price of £10 including p&p* (RRP: £12.99), telephone 01903 828503 or email mailorders@lbsltd.co.uk and quote the offer code APG309.
*UK ONLY - Please add £2.50 if ordering from overseas.
Its a shame because Kids Cook French does feature some very yummy french-inspired dishes and Pepin-family favourites such as Gougeres (cheesy dough balls), ratatouille, quiche, herb-roasted chicken which, in fact, is exactly what I cooked for the whole family this weekend.
And I think that's key - I cooked it. Not the girls. I have yet to read a recipe in this book that I think actively invites a child in. Several of the recipes seem too involved for young children - perhaps my girls are a bit too young for this book? In every good children's cookbook I like to see ideas for how to get children, however young, feeling involved with as many tasks as possible and when I read the foreword, this is what I had been expecting from this book.
I did enjoy reading each recipe and chapter in french and it is nice to have a cookbook which tells me how to make some traditional staples such as cherry clafoutis or Creme Brulee but I can't see Lara eagerly sitting down with this cookbook to choose her next cookery adventure.
To order Kids Cook French at the discounted price of £10 including p&p* (RRP: £12.99), telephone 01903 828503 or email mailorders@lbsltd.co.uk and quote the offer code APG309.
*UK ONLY - Please add £2.50 if ordering from overseas.
