Includes index

"Thomas Keller, chef/proprietor of the French Laundry in the Napa Valley is a wizard, a purist, a man obsessed with getting it right. And this, his first cookbook, is every bit as satisfying as a French Laundry meal itself: a series of small, impeccable, highly refined, intensely focused courses."--BOOK JACKET. "From innovative soup techniques, to the proper way to cook green vegetables, to secrets of great fish cookery, to the creation of breathtaking desserts; from beurre monte to foie gras au torchon, to a wild and thoroughly unexpected take on coffee and doughnuts, The French Laundry Cookbook captures, through recipes, essays, profiles, and photography, one of America's great restaurants, its great chef, and the food that makes both unique."--Jacket

Pleasure and perfection -- The road to the French Laundry -- A sad happy story -- "Cornets" -- About the chef -- When in doubt, strain : Notes on how to use this book -- Canapes -- The law of diminishing returns -- The mushroom lady -- Soup -- Blini -- The importance of Hollandaise -- Garden canapes -- First course -- Big-pot blanching -- Hearts of the palm grower -- Tools of refinement : the chinois and tamis -- Agnolotti -- Truffles -- Foie Gras -- The importance of staff meal -- Fish -- A passion for fish -- The accidental fishmonger -- Cooking lobster -- Beurre Monte : the workhorse sauce -- Infused oil -- Meat -- The importance of trussing chicken -- Salt and pepper and vinegar -- Braising and the virtue of the process -- The Pittsburgh lamber -- Vegetable cuts -- The importance of rabbits -- The importance of offal -- Stocks and sauces -- "Quick" sauces -- Powders -- Cheese -- The composed cheese course -- The importance of France -- The attorney cheesemaker -- Dessert -- Beginning and ending -- The ultimate purveyors

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