What the foreign press says ...

LA PRESSE, Montréal: “C’est un drôle de petit livre, à la fois sérieux et amusant. Un livre de renseignements pratiques, mais aussi de culture. Ecrit pour les anglophones, il dépannera plus d’un francophone”.

VOGUE, Australie: “This descriptive dictionary is the very best to come along. The 4.000-plus entries include many modern cuisine terms not found in other glossaries and is rich in historical explanations”.

THE NEW YORK TIMES: “Now English-speakers, too, can dine in French. The A-Z of French Food, a slim pocket-size book, is probably the most complete French menu translator available. Many entries – like the names of fish and shellfish and cuts of meat – are not found in typical pocket-size general dictionaries. They are particularly useful for tourists who want to know the difference between a Belon oyster and a Marennes when encountered on a menu. Accurate and concise culinary definitions are given, along with some historical information and anecdotes. Wine terms are included. Popular and slang expressions that include food terms have also been slipped in”.

THE WASHINGTON POST: “A help to anyone looking up perplexing culinary terms, whether encountered in a cookbook, in a gourmet food store, or on a menu”.

MIMI SHERATON’S TASTE: “A miracle of compact completeness”.

FRANCE-USA CONTACT: “Don’t enter a French restaurant without it !”.

BOSTON SUNDAY HERALD: “Those informal café-bars covering the sidewalks of France derived their name from the rumbling stomachs of Russian Cossacks who occupied Paris in 1814. They demanded speedy service by shouting ‘bistro!’ – the Russian word for quick. That is just one of many interesting nuggets of information in the 144-page pocket-size guide, The A-Z of French Food”.

THE HARTFORD COURANT: “For anyone who has ever struggled with the wording of a French menu, there is help”.

THE MORNING NEWS TRIBUNE, Chicago: “Eating out in French restaurants can be a challenge, especially if the owners have neglected to translate the menu to English. But now you can simply whip out The A-Z of French Food, a dictionary that is one of the most complete lists of French foods in a pocket-size. Leafing through the book, you will also learn the origin of Cordon-Bleu, the story of the homard thermidor or the use of a sauce Robert…”.

MDÜ (Mitteilungen für Dolmetscher und Übersetzer, Deutschland): “Das handliche Büchlein bringt in alphabetischer Ordnung ca. 4.000 Stichwörter von gastronomischen und küchentechnischen Begriffen. Die gebrachten Übersetzungen und Erklärungen lassen durchweg keine Wünsche offen. Sie sind richtig, exakt, kurz und bündig. Viele Fachbegriffe werden durch anekdotische Anmerkungen und Angaben über die Herkunft der Begriffe aufgelockert”.

 Reader's comments

Le 04/12/2009, par B. Hoffman, San Francisco If you feel completely mystified when taking a quick gander at a French menu, I would recommend getting The A-Z of French Food. It's invaluable for figuring out what is on the menu.

Le 14/04/2009, Cheryl Eastwood, Texas The A-Z of French Food is invaluable in deciphering menus and helping you order what you want to eat... no surprises. The only thing better would be fluent in French!

Le 28/01/2009, par C. Kanter, Villanova, USA I just borrowed this book in Paris for a week and want to own a copy. It's outstanding!

Le 07/10/2008, par M. Morris, Thrybergh Rotherham, England Found it in a French restaurant. Have my own copy which is invaluable when eating in France. Now buying a copy for a Christmas gift for my son.

Le 27/11/2007, par Michael Saw A must for dining in a French restaurant. Encountered this book in Martinique, provided by the restaurateur; found it invaluable in translating the menu, both nature of food and methods of preparation. Conveniently carried into a restaurant -- a fascinating read -- wanted to steal it, but honesty prevailed.

Le 21/11/2007, par Elizabeth Hein (Charlotte, NC USA) I bought this pocket guide 12 years ago direct from the publisher and have used it extensively in my travels in France (6 trips and while working there for 2 months). It has never failed! There are numerous things which you won't find in your pocket LaroUsse - you would need the whole 20 pound Grand Larousse to get this level of cuilinary info. I'm not just talking about the difference between riz (rice), veau (veal) and riz de veau (sweetbreads) - there is so much more in this little book. You get history and relevant quotes as well.

Le 20/08/2007, par Alice O'Connor This small, very portable and completely comprehensive book makes eating out and buying food in France much clearer, and also provides an interesting foodie education.

Le 23/06/2006, par Lynda S, NY This small pocket sized book is the best dining aid around.

Le 18/06/2006, par Victoria P., San Francisco This is the first thing I pack whenever heading out for France.

Le 15/05/2006, par Juliet D, UK Well done with the publication ...we love it!

Le 11/05/2006, par Juliet, Houston This dictionary is remarkably useful in restaurants in France. On a number of occasions, while we were in France, our waiters and captains commented that they owned a copy and found it essential to communicating with their English-speaking diners.

Le 12/08/2005, par E.M. ASHTON I HAVE YOUR FRENCH FOOD VERSION WHICH IS WONDERFUL AND IT HELPS A LOT IN MY TRAVELS. I WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT IF YOU PUBLISH A SIMILAR GLOSSARY BUT FOR ITALIAN FOOD??

Le 08/05/2005, par David, Hub-uk Great for anyone travelling to France or taking a holiday there !

Le 19/04/2005, par John Lee, Swanage If your schoolboy French is no use in French restaurants, help is on hand with this neat little pocket book.

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Food dictionaries in the same series

Pocket-sized gastronomic dictionaries, French-German and French-Spanish:
- Die französische Gastronomie von A bis Z, dictionnaire gastronomique français-allemand
- La Gastronomia Francesa de la A a la Z, dictionnaire gastronomique français-espagnol

 SCRIBO
Gastronomic Dictionaries French-English and English French
for translators, catering schools, cooks, waiters and French food lovers