In Provence, where Anne Gardon grew up, comfort food means hearty dishes, thick, chunky soups and stews and old-fashioned desserts. For most of us, it also means those tastes we crave when we need a little creature comfort, the best-loved dishes of our childhood, the familiar flavors and smells that conjure up warm memories and good times. Gardon is a strong believer that comfort also means not being a slave to the stove while friends are relaxing in the dining room. In Comfort Food Fast , rather than feature recipes for an unpredictable souffle or a treacherous hollandaise sauce, Gardon includes recipes for one-pot meals which can be served informally at the table, where family and friends can relax and enjoy the comfortable ambience that comes from a simple and tasty meal. Main-course dishes such as Cannelloni With Ricotta and Summer Savory Filling , Pasta Timbale , Roast Chicken With Herb and Cheese Stuffing , Chicken Cacciatore , Pork Tenderloin Stuffed With Apples , Lamb Stew (Moroccan-Style) and desserts like Apple Bread Pudding , Viennese Shortbread , Iced Chocolate Mousse and Chocolate and Raspberry Clafoutis are guaranteed to satisfy our deepest cravings. Gardon's personal recipe for happiness at the table is what she calls C.H.E.F.s "Cuisine: Cheap, Healthy, Easy and Fun." Her goal here is to teach us how to get the most out of the best ingredients plus how to put some away for a rainy (or snowy) day. She counsels preparing favorite comfort foods in volume and provides advice on portioning and freezing for those times when creating even a simple dinner can pose a challenge. And what could be more comforting at the end of a long, hard day than to know that something delicious and soul-soothing is already prepared, just waiting to be eaten? Gardon's latest cookbook is illustrated throughout with the author's own sumptuous full-color photographs. During winter's long, cold nights, people yearn for something rib-stickingly hearty. Comfort Food Fast not only meets the need for this kind of cooking but it also offers time-savers without resorting to canned soups and such. Anne Gardon has some fresh, attractive ideas for cooks. Instead of the expected pasta dishes, she offers a barley gratin loaded with carrots or squash. She stuffs acorn squash with chicken and vegetables and tops it with pastry for a healthy variation on potpie. Lest one begin to think Gardon knows vegetables only, she presents lamb stew with Moroccan spices, rabbit in pastry shells, a ham-and-onion log based on pizza dough, and an uncommon roast chicken stuffed with goat cheese and herbs. Mark Knoblauch Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Anne Gardon has some fresh, attractive ideas for cooks. (Mark Knoblauch Booklist 2001-12-15) Glorious color illustrations ... This wonderful book is a "feast for both the palate and the eyes. (Shirley Reis Kliatt 2002-01-01) There's a tempting variety here and everything the subtitle promises ... This is food you'll want to cook. (Sybil Pratt BookPage 2001-09-01) Meaty and satisfying. (Rosemary Black New York Daily News 2001-10-17) A passion for photography and food -- and her southern France background -- has resulted in several beautiful cookbooks. (Judy Creighton Canadian Press 2001-11-14) [Anne Gardon] has done us a great service by creating her classic cookbook, Comfort Food Fast. Her sumptuous photographs belie that this is a book filled with strategies to achieve comfort quickly. Her tips easily translate to your kitchen. (Lisa Messinger Great Neck News 2006-10-27) Anne Gardon was born in the south of France and is a self-taught author, photographer and journalist. She is also the author of The Wild Food Gourment and Preserving for All Seasons . Sample recipe from the "Mainly Vegetables" chapter Vegetable Medley, Indian-Style This dish goes well with grilled lamb and also makes a light lunch, with rice and grilled plantain. It is ideal for freezing. 1 cup (250 mL) seedless raisins 1 tsp. (5 mL) cumin seeds 1 tsp. (5 mL) coriander seeds 2 Tbsp. (30 mL) butter 2 Tbsp. (30 mL) olive oil 4 onions, minced 6 carrots, peeled and sliced 4 celery stalks, chopped 1 tsp. (5 mL) brown sugar Salt and pepper Soak the raisons in 1/2 cup (125 mL) warm water for 10 to 15 minutes, until soft. Drain and set aside. With a mortar and pestle, grind the cumin and coriander seeds together. In a large skillet, heat the butter and oil. Cook the onions over medium heat until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the ground cumin and coriander and stir for 30 seconds. Add the carrots, celery, raisins, brown sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Serves 4-6 VARIATION : Add 2 cups (500 mL) cooked chickpeas or other beans. Introduction What does "comfort food" mean to me? Naturally, it means hearty dishes, thick, chunky soups, meaty stews and old-fashioned desserts. But more important, it means tastes that