Master Chef Joel Robuchon has distilled decades of culinary experience into a single volume, The Complete Robuchon (Knopf, $35).  A hefty book (more than 800 pages), it starts with the basics: a glossary of terms, essential equipment, methods of cooking, and recipes for stocks and sauces.  The recipes that follow emphasize freshness and quality of ingredients while Robuchon’s descriptions clearly and precisely detail the process.  Classics such as Beef Bourguignon, Cassoulet, and Sole Meuniere retain all their rustic charm and simplicity while the author has clearly kept the American home kitchen very much in mind.  There are a wide variety of salads, vegetable dishes, soups, and desserts.  What you won’t find here are pages of glossy photos of happy country people, romantic landscapes, and the author grinning while sniffing an eggplant.  This is a book that promises to collect sauce splatters, butter stains, and dog-eared corners, a practical book for serious cooks.