can anyone reccomend a good book for french pastry

I just found out I am gonna be the new pastry sous chef of the restaurant that i work at and I need some information and ideas

Thanks much

By Ladycake (Ladycake) on Friday, July 19, 2002 - 05:26 pm: Edit

I have a Cake & Pastries by Christian Teubner, Jacques Charette, & Hannelore Biohm (1983) that I used to use a lot. People up here want things sweeter with lots of chocolate so French doesn't always go over well. There is also a good small book by the Roux brothers that I think is just called Patisserie. Bo Friberg's Professional Pastry Chef can be good but you have to pick and choose. Hope this helps, it has been a little while since I baked "in the Bigs". :>)

By Thebaker (Thebaker) on Friday, July 19, 2002 - 05:33 pm: Edit

I will check it out,
the food we make is very heavy,
the pastry chef that helped us set up ( he is not staying)
told me that heavy desserts or to much chocolate wont be good.

By Thebaker (Thebaker) on Friday, July 19, 2002 - 05:36 pm: Edit

I just searched for the book online
it is out of print and going for over $40 used

By Pastrycrew (Pastrycrew) on Friday, July 19, 2002 - 06:21 pm: Edit

The Baker,

I think the best book out is "La Patisserie de Pierre Herme" from Montagud Editores. Not the same book as Desserts by Pierre Herme. It's original version was French/Spanish only, but they have a newer French/English book out now.

The base recipes work very well, even if you multiply them out to larger recipes. A lot of the recipes are straight from Larouse des Desserts and Gaston Lenotre.

I think the book is well worth it's price.

bt

I found one site that has it:
http://www.chipsbooks.com/patherme.htm

By Thebaker (Thebaker) on Friday, July 19, 2002 - 06:26 pm: Edit

wow

that book is expensive

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Friday, July 19, 2002 - 07:55 pm: Edit

Yea, thats what ya need.....
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't you say that you were new to this type of pastry?
Did you do low-sugar/ no-sugar, healthy, no-fat stuff?, in the city? If you did say that and you are new to this type of pastry, wouldn't it be kinda better to start from the begining or closer to the begining than start on stuff you may not know how to do? Please don't get me wrong, we've talked before,and I'm only trying to understand, but buying a book like that one, as nice as it is, is Not where you want to start. Get a, LaRousse', get a cheap Lenotre'( desserts and Pastries),
learn how to do all of those recipes foreward and backwards THEN go get yourself a book that costs $175.00
www.bookfinder.com
www.abebooks.com
Is there some sort of shame about owning or buying used books, or not having the lastest pastry high gloss photo thingy.
Pastrycrew, I'm not slamming you, but I think Baker may need a different direction, don't you?