I have had this book for over 12 years and still refer to it. My family and I have some favorite recipes from it. I am buying one for my niece now.

My copy of this book is falling apart from use--I've owed it since 1976!

A friend loaned me her copy of this book. It's her favorite, and I see why. Lots of recipes for everyday type meals, with glossy color pictures. Recipes for Trout, Lamb, Pork, Pastries...you name it. Well organized and easy to follow.

I've had this book for about 20 years and loved it. It's not for the inexperienced cook, but it is well written and it is easy to follow. It challenges even the experienced cook. Great illustrations of final presentation makes deciding what to serve easy. Wonderful book and now I have to replace mine, because mine was destroyed while overseas.

I have had this cook book for about 12 years now and am always pulling it out for new ideas and yummy recipies. Even though I'm no longer a novice and can cook without a recipe now, this book has been one of my favorites since I purchased it. It has color photos and detailed instructions to help anyone prepare successful, mouthwatering recipes. I like the fact that The Creative Cooking Course book not only covers all areas of the culinary arts, but general information on tools, kitchen arrangement, equipment, as well. I highly recommend it! D. Wood - Atlanta, GA

Larousse Gastronomique is a must have for any serious cook or for anyone who would just like to know more about the food that they eat. Whether the reader is looking for information about something exotic or commonplace, it's all there. Larousse Gastronomique will provide the reader with a better understanding of the ingredients, techniques, "hows" and "whys" involved in every recipe. I highly recommend reading it from cover to cover. It will serve as an invaluable reference for any cook for many years to come.

First published in 1938 and last revised in 1988, Larousse Gastronomique one of the culinary world's most familiar reference sources has been updated again with a sleek, stylish look for a new generation of cooks. The encyclopedia continues to retain its focus on the classic continental culinary tradition, but this new edition acknowledges the growing importance of other cuisines by including, for the first time, entries on American cooking and by offering more information on terms, ingredients, and dishes from other parts of the world. Larousse does overlap with The Oxford Companion to Food (LJ 10/15/99), a recent addition to the culinary reference shelves, in that both works cover ingredients, dishes, famous persons, and cooking techniques. However, even when the same topics are covered, such as chocolate or lemons, there is enough difference that libraries will want to have both. Larousse will probably be the first choice of cooks who need information on culinary terms and cooking techniques, and, unlike Oxford, it contains more than 3500 recipes and an array of gorgeous color photographs. An indispensable part of any culinary reference collection, this is highly recommended for all libraries.

This book was recommended to me by my brother, an executive chef in Florida. He was absolutely right!! This is a beautiful book full of well organized information on ingredients, techniques, recipes, theory, etc. It is not completely inclusive as it is focused on the French culinary style, but it is fascinating and fun to browse, research and just plain discover! This is a staple for most professional chefs according to my brother. It is a book that will not stay on a shelf but will stay in a handy place because it will be in frequent use. Even if you are "just" a novice cook or home cook this is a wonderful book to own. Just having it around makes you feel like a more accomplished cook and it may inspire you to stretch your talents and grow!!