When I set out to review Mastering the Art of French Cooking, I took it for granted that this would be just another foodie app review. Several hours later I was still wading through the story of Julia?s life, immersed in her world and fascinated by the stories told by her long-time editor, Judith Jones. This is the second app I?ve reviewed from Random House, Inc. (the first was Giada) and they seem to have a knack for using the mobile environment to truly capture the essence of their chosen author. Mastering the Art of French Cooking tells the story of Julia?s life through a multi-media experience including audio anecdotes, rare photographs of Julia Child, original typed and handwritten letters plus vintage instructional videos by the cook herself.
This app is for Francophiles, die-hard fans of the legendary Julia Child, serious foodies and even (especially) freshman cooks. Random House, Inc. has masterfully packaged Julia?s wisdom in an app that?s everything to everyone ? fresh and modern food photography paired with timeless techniques and the most popular of Julia?s recipes.
Keep reading to lose yourself in the mouth-watering world of Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
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Getting Started
Launch the app and there?s Julia ? smiling and laughing with all of her being ? setting the tone for the entire experience. Each time you launch the app a new photo appears, paired with wise words from the guru herself. It?s all about taking pleasure in the cooking and the eating, and not taking yourself too seriously. Tap the Menu bookmark to display all the options in the app.
Launch the app and discover Julia?s world of recipes, behind-the-scenes photos and instructional videos.
Mastering the Art of French Cooking isn?t just a recipe app; it?s an immersive look at the life of an icon. Browse the Menu to explore the recipes, experience the story of her life journey, shop her cookbooks and view her instructional videos. Random House, Inc. has also generously included lengthy excerpts from the book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, found in the Resources and Excerpts sections. Lastly, you?ll notice a handy Grocery List tool to make shopping easier.
The Life of an Icon
You?ll be tempted to visit the Recipes section first, but I say leave it for later and start with the Julia section. Julia fans: now is the time to pour yourself a glass of wine and get lost in her world. Starting with her birth, the app tells the story of Julia?s life with a gallery of photos and captions. Swipe left and right to follow along as she marries Paul, studies at the Cordon Bleu and stars in her own television series. The app is full of hidden functions that you?re left to discover intuitively. Double tap the first photo to enlarge it full-screen and tap again to read the full caption. It would be nice if the developers gave users a few clues to help in the discovery of these functions.
Browse through the gallery of Julia?s life to view rare behind-the-scenes photographs, read her story in captions and listen to anecdotes from her long-time editor, Judith Jones.
The creators of this app have done a good job of keeping the experience interesting and stimulating with a mixture of images, text and audio. Tap the red audio button to listen to anecdotes told by Julia?s long-time editor, Judith Jones. Through Jones?s weathered voice, Julia lives on, and the personal stories really enrich the app experience. Jones talks about Julia and her husband, she gives insight into how Julia developed recipes for American home cooks and provides a lens for understanding the effect Julia had on home cooks at the time. Listening to Judith Jones feels like sitting across the table from your grandmother ? it?s deeply personal and transports you to another era.
Recipes and Instructional Videos
Now that you?re in touch with your inner Julia Child, it?s time to visit the Recipes section. Browse through a collection of 32 recipes from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 1, by swiping through a gallery of photos. Remember, it?s about the journey, not the destination, so you?ve got to do it the slow way ? no search function or master list to quickly locate something specific. Random House, Inc. has smartly included a stunning photograph of each dish styled just like the modern cook would expect. This juxtaposition of old and new is what makes the app so accessible to today?s audience.
Browse 32 of the most popular recipes from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 1 by swiping through the gallery of enticing photos.
It?s nice to see the recipes are true to the style of the book, including all the tidbits Julia insisted on to guide the home cook. The recipe is displayed in numbered cards, each with a short list of ingredients required for that particular step. Swipe from card to card to read all instructions. Tap Ingredients for a master list of what?s required to cook the dish and Tools for any special kitchen equipment you?ll be using. Find the full Recipe Introduction and Additional Information for the backstory and market notes.
The creators didn?t skimp on content, recipes in the app include all the details you would find in the book organized for easy access.
A couple special features take the recipes section from good to great: French audio pronunciations and instructional videos. At the top of each recipe is an audio button. Tap the button to listen to Judith Jones pronounce the recipe name in French. This features helps to immerse users in Julia?s world and her love of French culture ? it gives the app even more personality. The app also features a whole section devoted to instructional videos. If the recipe has a companion video, it can be found at the top of the screen for easy access. You can also add Ingredients lists to your Grocery List and favorite recipes. One complaint: what?s the point of favoriting recipes if they aren?t all organized in one easy-to-access location?
Conclusion
Mastering the Art of French Cooking is a hefty cookbook with detailed instructions and directions for seemingly endless variations on a dish. To package it in a mobile app is a daunting task, but the creators have done a good job of dividing the information into easily digestible bites. The app celebrates the history of Julia?s life while being timeless in its recipes and modern in its delivery. Every recipe, from omelet to apple tart is worthwhile and relevant to the home cook today. Beginning cooks can learn techniques like blanching vegetables and panfrying steaks while the more experienced master cr?pes and souffl?. Mastering the Art of French Cooking has something for everyone to enjoy.
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