Cookbook Celebrates A Wide World
Of Great Chicken Dishes And Lore

Chicken, Chicken, Chicken, a May 2003 cookbook release from Connecticut-based publisher Ici La Press, invites readers to partake in a moveable feast of chicken dishes and lore as they enjoy this whimsical gourmand and literary appreciation of the ubiquitous fowl--both in historical perspective and on the dinner table.

When readers have completed this journey across the centuries and around the globe, they will never underestimate the enduring qualities or incredible diversity of the chicken, nor the endless possibilities that the chicken presents to home cooks and professional chefs alike. French authors Laurence and Gilles Laurendon mix humorous literary quotes and intriguing historical anecdotes about the chicken with an encyclopedic knowledge of the world's most notable breeds.

Faithful to their vagabond spirit, the Laurendons have scoured the world to present some 70 of the finest chicken and egg recipes, ranging from classic French dishes to flavorful Asian stir-fry creations and Sunday dinner fare from the American Great Plains.

Among the former is the recipe dating back more than four centuries for Poule au pot Henri IV, inspired by the French king's memorable promise to his subjects that all families should enjoy a "chicken in every pot" each Sunday. Yet this cookbook also brings the chicken's contributions to our culinary heritage into global and contemporary perspective with a potpourri of international inspirations. Here's just a taste of the book's extraordinary range: Salad with chicken, cilantro and mint from Vietnam; Saffron chicken from Cape Verde; Cock-a-leekie from Scotland; Andalusian gazpacho from Spain; Yakitori from Japan; Chicken tajine with prunes and almonds from Morocco; Chicken and dumplings from Kansas, and Chicken with mole from Mexico.

Photographers Akiko Ida and Laurent Parrault combine to create a strikingly elegant visual presentation of the finished culinary creations. Their beautiful photographs of more than 50 breeds of country and ornamental chickens, supplemented by profiles and coupled with rich literary and historical background, offer a delightful new point of view on the fowl that has played such a prominent role in culinary history over the centuries.

Authors Laurence and Gilles Laurendon are French gourmands and writers who frequently collaborate on their books. Laurence Laurendon has authored several history books on everyday life through the centuries and has published a number of children's books. She and her husband, Gilles, oversee several collections in culinary arts, history and literature. Gilles Laurendon is an editor, novelist and author of a series of children's books published and distributed internationally.

-- Chicken, Chicken, Chicken by Laurence & Gilles Laurendon, May 2003, $38, 192 pages. Published by Ici La Press, 694 Main Street South, Woodbury, CT 06798. ISBN: 1-931605-13-0