Mastering the Art of French Cooking
Volume 1 of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" received overwhelmingly positive reviews when it was first released in 1961. In the "New York Times", Craig Claiborne wrote that the recipes in the book "are glorious, whether they are for a simple egg in aspic or for a fish souffle," and that it "is not a book for those with a superficial interest in food...but for those who take a fundamental delight in the pleasures of cuisine." Michael Field, writing for the "New York Review of Books", praised Beck, Bertholle, and Child for "not limiting themselves to la haute cuisine," and stated that "for once, the architectural structure of the French cuisine is firmly and precisely outlined in American terms." Field's sole criticism of the book was that the authors suggested dry vermouth as a substitute for white wine, as he felt the domestic vermouth available to American home cooks, the book's target audience, was "bland and characterless." Despite being a relatively expensive cookbook, retailing for $10 in 1965, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" Volume 1 did well commercially, selling over 100,000 copies in less than five years. According to Julia Child biographer Noel Riley Fitch, the publication of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" instantaneously changed the entire American cookbook industry, leading more cookbook publishers to place emphasis on clarity and precision, and away from the "chatty and sometimes sketchy" style that had typified American cookbooks.
Madeleine Kamman
Kamman's time in Boston triggered the notorious feud between Kamman and Julia Child, in which Kamman challenged Child's claims of being a "French chef." Kamman undiplomatically pointed out that Child was neither French nor a 'chef,' but was an American cooking teacher instead. According to Kamman, "[w]hen you try to teach a cuisine that is not your own, there is always one dimension missing." Many have attributed Kamman's critique to professional jealousy based on Child's immense popularity with American audiences and the success of her "French chef" brand. Child returned the animosity, refusing to speak Kamman's name publicly and instead called her "that woman." Child refused to dine at Chez La Mère Madeleine, although the restaurant received five stars from "The Boston Globe", four stars from the "Mobil Guide", and accolades from French chef Paul Bocuse.