Patricia Wells and Anne Willan have done great jobs translating classic French cuisine, using one-page or shorter recipes, while some of the better modern-French “instructors” include Jacques Pépin and Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and even Jeremiah Tower.
My cynical side suspects cookbook buyers looking for that old French magic would be much happier with other authors. Patricia Wells and Anne Willan have done great jobs translating classic French cuisine, using one-page or shorter recipes, while some of the better modern-French “instructors” include Jacques Pépin and Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and even Jeremiah Tower. Also, never underestimate the late Pierre Franey, the “60-Minute Gourmet.” Hardcover editions of his books command a premium online for good reason: The recipes are foolproof and easy but yield sensational results. (You just can’t make beef stew in an hour.)