My Paris Kitchen

Title: My Paris Kitchen

Author: David Lebovitz

Publisher: Ten Speed Press

Publication Date: April 8, 2014

ISBN: 9781607742678

How I Got It: NetGalley

Number of Pages: 352

Format: Kindle

Description:

A collection of stories and 100 sweet and savory French-inspired recipes from popular food blogger David Lebovitz, reflecting the way Parisians eat today and featuring lush photography taken around Paris and in David's Parisian kitchen.

It’s been ten years since David Lebovitz packed up his most treasured cookbooks, a well-worn cast-iron skillet, and his laptop and moved to Paris. In that time, the culinary culture of France has shifted as a new generation of chefs and home cooks—most notably in Paris—incorporates ingredients and techniques from around the world into traditional French dishes. 

In My Paris Kitchen, David remasters the classics, introduces lesser-known fare, and presents 100 sweet and savory recipes that reflect the way modern Parisians eat today. You’ll find Soupe à l’oignon, Cassoulet, Coq au vin, and Croque-monsieur, as well as Smoky barbecue-style pork, Lamb shank tagine, Dukkah-roasted cauliflower, Salt cod fritters with tartar sauce, and Wheat berry salad with radicchio, root vegetables, and pomegranate. And of course, there’s dessert: Warm chocolate cake with salted butter caramel sauce, Duck fat cookies, Bay leaf poundcake with orange glaze, French cheesecake...and the list goes on. David also shares stories told with his trademark wit and humor, and lush photography taken on location around Paris and in David’s kitchen reveals the quirks, trials, beauty, and joys of life in the culinary capital of the world.

My Review: 

What a beautiful book! The pictures are gorgeous and the stories read like Parisian foodie love letters.  Give this book to anyone who loves to cook or buy it for yourself if you need a little kitchen inspiration. Food blooger David Lebovitz provides detailed backgrounds on many of the common ingredients used in French cooking. For example, the many different types of chocolate and which dishes produce the best outcome from each variety. Equal parts cookbook and stories, you will find yourself reading (with great interest) about which types of eggs and milk to buy, as well as when to buy and how to mince garlic. 

I would categorize this beautiful ode to French eating somewhere between "food porn" and "comfort food." The eye-rolling, ecstatic moaning when you see the photos and read the ingredients lists leads to a totally different type of  warm-all-overs when you read the personal stories that allowed Lebovitz to compile this book. A perfect reflection of the food, friends, family Parisian lifestyle.  

*** I received this book in exchange for an honest review***