Here are 180 recipes of traditional French appetizers, entrees, and desserts that members of the French National Assembly, representing the myriad regions of their native country, have decided to share with the world. From a challenging slow-cooked hare recipe that predates the French Revolution to the simplest bread, the cuisine of the French Republic is both wittily political and warmly personal. It comes with fascinating legends of La France profonde, historical information, and a great deal of Gallic charm.

None of the recipes are chic, trendy, minimalist, or Nouvelle Cuisine. Here is the real thing.

The diversity and originality of these recipes are representative of France’s rich culinary heritage. French Country Cooking offers a unique chance of entering La France profonde that no, or few tourists ever penetrate. This comprehensive cultural and gastronomic insider view into private kitchens, farms, replete with ancestral recipes passed on through generations will enchant the armchair traveler as well as inspire to visit the many different regions of France—a country so rich, with many cuisines. “Cooking is our soul,” Branget says, “but political life, politics intrude. These recipes are testimony to our small pleasures, our contribution to history.” 270 color photographs