The Art of French Pastry: A James Beard Award Winner

JAMES BEARD AWARD WINNER • Experience the magic of French baking and elevate your pastry skills to new heights with this invaluable guide from the award-winning pastry chef and co-founder of the renowned French Pastry School.

What does it take to perfect a flawless éclair? A delicate yet buttery croissant? To pipe dozens of macarons? The answer is: an intimate knowledge of the fundamentals of pastry.

By teaching you how to make everything from pâte à choux to pastry cream, award-winning pastry chef Jacquy Pfeiffer builds on the basics, explaining the science behind the ingredients, how they interact with one another, and what your hands have to do to transform them into pastry. Indulge in exquisite sweet recipes as well as traditional Alsatian savory treats, including, such as:
 
• Brioche
• Napoléons / Mille-Feuilles
• Cream Puffs
• Elephant ears / Palmiers
• Beignets
• Pretzels
• Kougelhof
• Tarte Flambée
• Warm Alsatian Meat Pie

Full of gorgeous photography and Pfeiffer’s accompanying illustrations, The Art of French Pastry is a master class in pastry from a master teacher.

Standard and Primary covers are widely available through general retailers. They often have higher print runs and can be cheaper, especially during sales.

In contrast, Direct Market (DM) and variant covers are primarily sold in comic shops. DM editions tend to have more limited availability and may be more valuable to collectors.

The main differences lie in artwork style, availability, price, and collector appeal. Ultimately, the choice between standard and variant covers depends on personal preference, budget, and individual collecting goals.

Comic book enthusiasts have various formats to choose from when collecting their favorite stories.
Here's a brief overview of the main types:

Omnibus

• Large, hardcover collections
• Usually contain complete runs or extensive story arcs
• Typically 800-1000+ pages
• Higher price point, often €100-€150

Oversized Hardcover (OHC)

• Similar dimensions to omnibus, but thinner
• Collect shorter runs or story arcs
• Usually 300-600 pages
• Priced between €30-€50

Hardcover (HC)

• Standard-sized hardcover books
• Collect 6-12 issues typically
• Similar dimensions to single issues, but with a hard cover
• Priced around €25-€35

Trade Paperback (TP)

• Softcover collections
• Standard comic book size
• Usually collect 4-6 issues
• Most affordable option, typically €15-€25

Other Formats

• Absolute Editions: Oversized, deluxe hardcovers (mainly DC Comics)
• Compendiums: Massive paperback collections
• Graphic Novels (OGN/GN): Original stories not previously released as single issues

The choice between these formats often depends on personal preference, budget, and collecting goals. Omnibus and OHC editions offer larger artwork and more content but at a higher price, while TPs provide a more affordable way to collect complete story arcs