My Paris Kitchen: Recipes and Stories

by David Lebovitz

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.In 2004, 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 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.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, France, Memoir, Travel

352 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

David Lebovitz is a sought-after cooking instructor with an award-winning food blog (davidlebovitz.com). Trained as a pastry chef in France and Belgium, David worked at Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California for twelve years. He now lives in Paris, France, where he leads culinary tours of the city.

Reviews

[Obsidian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had so much fun reading this cookbook/memoir over the past week. I didn't hurry, just enjoyed the recipes, the little stories, and the vibrant pictures that David Lebovitz included.

I will say that I found the recipes intriguing and thought everything sounded great. I am now addicted to salted butter and found out things that I never knew before regarding duck fat. Also I now want to buy all the duck fat and make it with potatoes. Mmmmmm.

I would say that I wish that we had more stories included. The recipes are great, but the book comes alive for me when Mr. Lebovitz gives readers an intimate look at his life in Paris. Whether it is finding out where to get kale or how to purchase cheeses, he makes everything seem like a fun adventure.

One warning. Do not read this book if you are even a little bit hungry.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lebovitz is known for his delicious French-inspired desserts, but this is more of an all-round cookbook, with tales of how he entertains friends in his tiny Paris apartment. An informative introduction sets the record straight by exploding myths about French food. He also tells some amusing stories of how he as an American chef is received by the French – who expected him to be a gastronomically-illiterate, McDonalds-munching doofus.

Whereas fresh, local and seasonal food has enjoyed a huge upsurge in popularity in the US in recent decades, the movement had been in decline in France; now French food is catching up again. This book models a refreshingly simple approach, based on good ingredients and cooking. As the French say, this is all about “Au pif” or “with the nose” – meaning that you adjust things based on your taste, your kitchen, and the ingredients and equipment you have to hand. Lebovitz seems to trust his reader (“the best olive oil is the one you like”), which is encouraging in this age of snooty celebrity chefs.

The author’s warm, conversational tone (he’s a top-notch food blogger) makes this cookbook as much of a pleasure to read as the resulting dishes would be to eat. Although there is a definite priority given to French and American cuisine, the selection of recipes portrays Paris as a global city with cosmopolitan food influences (hummus, Merguez sausages, baba ganoush, harissa, etc.). However, Lebovitz’s roots as a pastry chef shine through in the end: the most tempting recipes of all are in the dessert section. After all, who could resist the thought of a chocolate-dulce de leche tart with a chocolate crust?

Any of Lebovitz’s recipes we’ve tried in the past have invariably turned out to be delicious. With a stylish design and a liberal sprinkling of full-color photographs, this is a beautiful cookbook to spend time browsing. I skimmed it via NetGalley but will want to get hold of a copy of my own soon.

[Meagan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I was reading this more for descriptions of French food and Parisian life than I was for recipes. The chance that I will actually cook anything from this cookbook starts at fair and decreases. Just so you know.

Why am I unlikely to actually make any of these dishes? Three reasons:

1. The French don't eat like I like to eat. Very few fresh vegetables, and what's there would, to me, be overcooked. Lots and lots of meat, and often the kinds that I would bend over backward to avoid for one reason or another. Duck (and plenty of duck fat), lamb (in weird cuts), guinea hens, salt cod. It's a proven cuisine, but not one that matches my palate.

2. Many of the recipes call for ingredients or kitchen tools that would be very difficult for me to find in my rural, conservative community.

3. A great many of these recipes (especially those heavenly sounding pastries) are challenging and involved for cooking novices. Honestly, I'd rather save the money I'd undoubtedly spend on failed cooking experiments and go on a trip to Paris instead. Leave the baking to the experts.

What I did really like about this book was the author's genuine affection for Paris and for food. He's encouraging, doesn't talk down to the reader, and gives plenty of ideas on how to adapt recipes based on available ingredients or individual palates. And his descriptions of his tiny French apartment and shopping trips to French markets are exactly what I look for in books about Paris. Worth the read for those sections alone.

**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley

[Cecelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get all excited about a book, and then it arrives and I won’t touch it. Am I intimidated? Procrastinating? Saving it for the perfect day and mood? I haven’t figured out that part of my psyche yet. The latest victim of this “waiting game” was David Lebovitz’s cookbook My Paris Kitchen: Recipes and Stories. Visually, it’s a gorgeous volume, and Lebovitz has a way with words. So why did it sit on the side table untouched for almost 5 months? That’s a mystery for another day. I’d better get back to telling you how great it is!

In My Paris Kitchen, blogger/chef/celebrated food writer David Lebovitz invites the reader into his own kitchen. As is evident from the cookbook’s title, Lebovitz makes his home in Paris, France, and has adapted his cooking (and baking!) to his surroundings. He visits local markets and shops and is dedicated to making regional dishes with the best ingredients, and then to telling the world about it. His particular fusion of American and French food sensibility (and the stories that go with them) is fascinating, mouth-watering, and inspiring by turns. This book may well spark a desire within the reader to pack up and make an Atlantic crossing. That French market rotisserie chicken sounds divine.

With most cookbooks I can tell pretty quickly that either the food or the writing is the chef’s sweet spot. I mean, if they’ve gotten to the point of writing a cookbook, I assume that they’re freakishly talented in both areas, but usually I can tell if they’re a writer who happens to be a great cook/photographer, or a professional cook with a good story or restaurant to rep. David Lebovitz is an equally brilliant writer and chef. His writing put me right in the midst of the modern Paris cooking scene, and his recipes sent me to foodie heaven. Color me impressed!

I firmly believe that no cookbook review is complete without a taste test. I had the ingredients on hand to make the individual chocolate cakes with salted dulce de leche, so I made those first. Verdict? Very rich, and a tad too salty. The salt was toned down when they were served with vanilla ice cream, as the recipe suggested. But I had 6 little pots of extremely rich chocolate dessert, and I was NOT going to go into a sugar coma for a cookbook review, so I pawned them off on the roommates and scrapped the rest.

I decided to host a dinner party for my next taste test, and prepared chicken with mustard (the photo on the cookbook cover!), celery root puree, and winter salad. HOLY GOODNESS, Batman! Like, 5 stars across the board. All of it was amazing, and I impressed both my guests and myself. Just… so good. I’m going all gooey and happy just remembering it. David Lebovitz, you and your Paris kitchen win all the things.

So, I hosted a successful dinner party, loved the food, and was all-around awed by the writing. BUT… (+10 points if you knew there was a qualifier coming) I am not a fussy cook. Baking is more my thing, and while I’m happy to follow arcane instructions for a pastry payoff, I’m less likely to put in hours of prep work (and $$) while cooking. It comes down to the fact that I can’t see myself pulling this book down off the shelf more than once a year. And a cookbook should be loved and used more often than that.

What does that mean in real terms? I can recommend it whole-heartedly to intermediate cooks, especially those with a yen for international cuisine. And I can appreciate its brilliance. That said, My Paris Kitchen won’t live on my shelf. I’m not ready for it yet. Maybe in 10 more years. In the meantime, I can honestly recommend it for really marvelous food, great writing, and an authentic French experience. I can see why it was on so many best cookbook of the year lists. It’s excellent.

Recommended for: intermediate-level cooks (and above), anyone interested in the modern Parisian food scene, and those who appreciate superb writing.

[Optimist ♰King's Wench♰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must have for French cuisine enthusiasts!

I was so excited when I got approved for this I may have squealed. Shhh don't tell anyone. I have Ready for Dessert and use it regularly. Actually, I have cookbooks from three current or former chefs of Chez Panisse. Mainly because I subscribe to their ethos of farm to market, sustainability and simplicity in cooking. That's not to say that I don't enjoy hi-tech chefs and their foams, soils, liquid nitrogen and agar agar but that's not practical. Well, it's not practical for me. I do have cookbooks that I know I'll never use; I'm looking at you Ma Gastronomie (I couldn't resist for the shear decadence alone) but, I'm a home cook. I don't mind spending hours in the kitchen but I've no desire to spend them fiddling with a foamer thus, I look for cookbooks with usability. What I like in a cookbook is good recipes (obviously) and the aesthetic. I want pictures of the food! What's it supposed to look like in the end? And if it's a culture specific cookbook, I enjoy candid photos. This cookbook delivers on all points.

Cooking is one of my hobbies. I don't get intense or aggravated when cooking except that one Christmas when I thought it would be feasible to make 6 different baked goods in one day. BY MYSELF! I've never washed that stand mixer so many times in all my life. But, by and large, cooking relaxes me. It's the one place where I'm somewhat creative. I rarely measure anything which, according to My Paris Kitchen, is very French. I have a weakness for the French and their food. I'm charmed by their grouchiness and general bossy, no nonsense yet laissez faire attitude and, I must confess, I have way too many not enough French cookbooks. So, Mr. Lebovitz plus a French cookbook? Done and done.

Mr. Lebovitz has been living in Paris for the past 10 years. He's an accomplished food blogger and In My Paris Kitchen he shares his insights on the evolution of French cuisine, how it's been increasingly influenced by other cultures and its trend towards farm to market. He discusses his journey and adjustment to Parisian life through various delightful anecdotal tales. He doesn't get preachy about ingredients. Far too many chefs only recommend what they call "high quality" ingredients which translates into expensive. He completely agrees that some ingredients are worth the price but by the same token acknowledges his affinity for commonplace ingredients like Laughing Cow cheese.

My Paris Kitchen is divided, largely, in traditional French fashion by meal as follows:

1. Basic ingredients and equipment which will be needed for the recipes. Many of the required staples: butter *sigh* (I still think someone should make a candle that smells like melted butter.), cheeses, mustard, and some really useful tips on oils and peppers and a variety of other basic ingredients.

2. Appetizers some of which sound quite daunting at first glance then I read through them and none seem all that involved; don't let the names fool you! THEN I saw Beet Hummus. One word: SOLD! I love beets! I cannot wait to make this! Yummers!

3. First Courses which appears to have a good balance of levels of difficulty as well as ethnicity from tabbouleh to Lyonnaise salad. Mr. Lebovitz also provides alternate ingredients for hard to find or seasonal ingredients.

4. Main Courses is egg heavy (very French) with a completely new take on Coq au Vin that I can't wait to try and some decidedly non-traditional French cuisine. I can honestly say I was surprised by how much I learned about Parisian life, French cooking and even French history. This section is also filled with many poignant memories of how Mr. Lebovitz came to learn some of these recipes from his many, many interactions with friends, neighbors and fellow aficionados. His personality shines in this section and he truly gives of himself. I appreciate that he's open to new foods and methods of cooking them from all walks of life, be it a fellow blogger, a renown chef or the lady who roasts chicken at the market. There's no pretense or artifice, just a love of food.

5. Sides. AND this is where I fell in love with him: "I dislike celery. It's something that I can take a bite of and think, 'Is there something I'm not getting about this stuff? Because that tastes like a wad of wet green string.' Celery root, however, is a whole different ball game." Amen, brother! I couldn't have said it better myself.

6. He discusses a variety of cheeses but, really, what can you say about cheese? It's good. Eat it. Pair it with a wine you like. The end. He does advise to focus on two, possibly three in a cheese course but… even he admits to a propensity towards over-buying. I've been to Paris and I, too, have succumbed to the what I call 'crazy eyes' when it comes to the cheese. I felt like a kid in a candy store! I had to try them. Some were life altering, others not so much. But, it's all a matter of preference. There is literally something for everyone.

7. Desserts. This really is his specialty. I mean, he's creative regardless of the course but he pairs the oddest ingredients in a dessert yet somehow they work. He does keep it pretty simple in this cookbook which, to me, is the sign of a great chef in that the proof is in the simplicity-brown butter instead of regular, salted caramel, adding coffee beans to the custard for that extra flavor boost, fresh ginger to crème anglaise, bay leaves to pound cake or substituting buckwheat flour for all purpose. The man's just creative.

8. Staples of the pantry wherein he covers some basic recipes that he uses repeatedly and are often called for in the recipes contained within this book, most of which can be kept on hand such as chicken stock and harissa.

I must say for a renowned pastry chef, I was surprised at just how diverse and accomplished the recipes were. There are a few typos but nothing too egregious; but, I will say (in my copy) there are pages labeled "Index" that are empty which should be rectified prior to actual publication. Overall, a brilliant addition to anyone who enjoys cooking and/or French food's collection.

An ARC copy of this book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first encountered David Lebovitz — cook, ex-pat extraordinaire and raconteur— on his website. Imagine how delighted I was when I found his My Paris Kitchen, a cookbook, memoir of sorts and travelogue, all rolled into one! You’ll love the recipes, of course; you’ll love the stories even more.

[Gillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love David Lebovitz so much. I'm working my way through this cookbook, Julie & Julia-style, and it's making me very, very happy.

[Jeffrey Caston]

Interesting, but not exactly what I was looking for.

A good chunk of the recipes do not strike me as classical French dishes, which was what I was looking for. But I more or less picked this one up on a whim, so I can't fault the book for that too much. And it's the reason I'm not going to give a star rating. I don't think it's fair to do that.

But it also has a lot of personal experiences and anecdotes and viewpoints. That's fine, and interesting, but at the end of the day, that isn't going to make me rely on a cookbook.

This book has some interesting recipes that struck me as sort of fusion-y or dishes that might be popular in France, but not what I was looking for. Like Indian Cheese Bread. I've already good an excellent recipe for that. Or Egyptian spiced nuts. I'll rely on Kevin Belton's Cajun Spiced Mix nuts if I want something like that. It had a recipe for French Onion soup, which for personal reasons, I was interested to see. I'm going to compare it to other sources.

[AliceC09 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've a few other of David Lebovitz's books. This volume is more cookbook than memoir (as compared to say, L'appart) but still has an nice balance of stories about the author's life in Paris along with a wide variety of tempting recipes. Reading through the book has made me miss both Paris and the Bay Area - both of which I have been fortunate enough to live in, and sad to leave. I can't wait to start cooking from this book!

[Isabelle✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amusing stories. He has a great sense of humor. Reminds me of another David, David Sedaris, and I see other reviewers have noted the same haha.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are cookbooks that I glance through, marking recipes to try. Then there are the cookbooks, that sit on my bedside table, ready to read like a novel. My Paris Kitchen by David Lebovitz falls in the later category. This is a book you want to curl up with, with a cup of tea or a glass of wine. It is a lush beautiful cookbook. It’s a good size, with 340 pages, and filled with lovely photographs.

The book begins with an introduction, with David talking about his move to Paris and setting up his Paris kitchen. He then goes on to cover ingredients - in depth - garlic alone takes a whole page, and ingredients. The book is then divided into 6 sections: Appetizers, First Courses, Main Courses, Sides, Desserts, and Pantry.

I really want to make every single thing in the book (well, except for the eggplant recipes - but that’s me - not the recipes). I’ve marked several to be first tries.

Appetizers: salted olive crisps, Indian cheese bread, green olive basil and almond tapenade, hummus, spice meatballs with sriracha sauce.

First Courses: vegetable soup with basil puree, raw vegetable slaw with creamy garlic dressing, frisee salad with bacon eggs, and garlic toast, cherry tomato crostini with homemade herbed goat cheese, and of course, French onion soup.

Main Courses: fresh herb omelet, fried ham and cheese sandwich, baked eggs with kale and smoked salmon, chicken with mustard, steak with mustard butter and French fries.

Sides: Butternut squash crumble, baked provencal vegetables, herbed fresh pasta, French lentil salad with goat cheese and walnuts.

Desserts: coffee creme brûlée, salted butter caramel chocolate mousse, almond cakes with browned butter, madeleines, chocolate dulce de leche torte, buttermilk ice cream with olive oil and fleur de salt, tangerine champagne sorbet.

Pantry: Creme fraiche, harissa, salted butter caramel sauce.

Really, I could have marked every single recipe. They all sound wonderful and very doable. Scattered through the book are small essays, usually a page or two. To give you an idea, here are a few of the titles: Cheese to (Almost) Die For, A Passage to India - Via Paris, Man vs. Machine, La Stresse du Supermarche, and The Battle of the Beurres (butters).

A wonderful cookbook! One that you will not only cook from, but will also read and enjoy when not in the kitchen.

[Andrea Guy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a bit of a love/hate thing with this cookbook. It is more than a cookbook, with Mr. Lebovitz sharing stories and insights about Paris and all of France, food and cooking. This is a country that's always fascinated me and I've read many memoirs of American's that have moved there.

I knew going in, this wouldn't be a cookbook that I'd ever want for my own personal use. French cooking is not me. I will never be Julia Child

There were things I loved and hated about this.

Loves:

The pictures of the food really make you want to sample the cuisine and the pictures of France make you want to be there. Note: you can put on weight looking at the Chocolate Dulche Leche Tart and the St Tropez Tart.

The stories David shares are really fabulous.

Some of the recipes really made me want to make them..like the Madelines and possibly even a good tapenade.

Hates:

There were times when David really came off as snobby. I'm also sick of people talking down everything American, and frankly he sounded that way a good portion of the time.

As much as I loved the recipes, most weren't anything that a beginner could try.

This was a really interesting read and I did learn quite a bit from the book. The one thing Mr. Lebovitz does for me is make France come to life and books like this are the only way this girl will get there.

[Caroline Mathews · Rating 2 out of 5]

If only My Paris Kitchen were a simple tale of a famous chef and food blogger (David Lebovitz) spending this past decade living, entertaining, and building a nest for himself in France. But it isn't. To me, it's a treatise on how eating in Paris has changed over the years. They have problems we Americans haven't even thought of.

There are no recipes here that I want to give even a cursory try. I have a huge repertoire of American Southern, New Orleans, and East Coast dishes as well as the best of the best from the sunny portions of Spain, France, Italy, Greece, and Egypt. I cook a mean Thai Jungle Soup and a fair Panang curry. Spare me.

And what is this seemingly new trend of photographing food in a less-than-appitizing light?

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book really made me want to return to Paris ASAP! I was there in 2010 but only for 4 days. The food in Paris is so delicious. Anyway, I doubt if I'll try and make any of these fab dishes since they seem quite elaborate but thanks for the memories!

[Jennifer Spiliakos · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am so incredibly tired of food authors who condescend. Unfortunately, the handful of recipes and anecdotes that appealed to me here are ruined by that tone.

[Carol M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was chalk full of stories and thoughts and information about the French people and their food. This book is every Francophile’s dream. Each recipe in this book is preceded with an explanation of how the French eat it, do they make it or buy it, etc. And the recipes: ooh la la! There is a recipe for French Onion Soup, Apricot tart, bread, Buche de Noel, and main dishes such as Coq au vin and Duck Confit. Best of all, there is an index in the back of the book. Also in the back of the book there is a chapter on how to make Creme fraiche and Rosemary oil and Salted caramel sauce. There are many recipes for French desserts and pastries such as Madeleines and duck fat cookies and chocolate pastries to delight the soul. It is a Parisienne treasure!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

More than just a recipe book

I first acquired this book in its Kindle format and started reading it on my iPad, relishing both the delicious recipes and the anecdotes and reflections on life in Paris. It soon became apparent that I desired to have this book in hard copy to be able to appreciate the photos and to physically feel it in my hands. This is a wonderful book which I cannot recommend highly enough if you want to learn about living and cooking in Paris and how we might recreate these recipes at home. I love David Leibovitz’s writing style and his dry and self deprecating sense of humor.

[Diquari Armes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful explanation of David’s Parisian culinary journey. The explanation of various French ingredients as well as the methods that brings out the most flavor in the culinary world really resonated with me. I definitely will be trying several of the recipes. The biography of David’s intro into Paris and his culinary path was really an added bonus to this book.

[Alisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best cookbooks I have ever READ. Yes, the recipes are good. I love the French recipes written for American cooks. But the stories! I was laughing outloud at many of his encounters with the French. He has such a great sense of humor & an amazing ability to express that humor.

[Allison Brewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cookbook, yes, but it is filled with stories too and I love David’s writing about Paris. I’m vegetarian so I won’t make many of the recipes but I will try some (and I’ve already enjoyed some from his blog).

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting stories about Lebovitz' adjustment to life in Paris plus some recipes that look delicious.

[Leslie Gudermuth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable read of the authors stories of his life since he moved to Paris. I read all of his stories but did not read every step of every recipe. Some of the recipes were intriguing enough to read through, but will I try to cook all of them with his steps and his ingredients? Probably ( maybe definitely) not!
Definitely a book for Francophiles, for fans of Paris, and fans of French cooking!

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the recipes
Loved the photos
Loved the banter and stories, but sometimes they get a little cloying with the sarcasm too repetitious and heavy-handed.
For that reason only, I'd give the book 4 1/2 stars, if that were possible.
But the recipes!!!
Oh-la-la!!!

[Ghet Ekspözed · Rating 4 out of 5]

A medium 4 star, about 3/5 relative to others. Nonfiction.

Message/Intent: Medium 3 stars. A cooking book filled with many recipes that I'm sure would be good if I had the interest and willpower to attempt cooking something beyond pasta. Why did I read it then? I like reading about food and descriptions of it. Examples are in the early books of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson (I remember off the top of my head black pudding and nectar which tastes of freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies). Anyway, there's some interesting ideas in the book notably the author's disdain of perceived "fancy" or "high class" cooking, gagging on the proclaimed oysters-in-chocolate. He calls for dishes that aim to have less pose and more palette to them. That's especially neat since the author discusses living in Paris, which many people would perceive to have a bunch of pretentious cooks.

Events/Presentation: Medium 4 stars. I wrote it before and I'll paste it again. I like reading about food and descriptions of it. Many of the non-recipe chapters focus on certain aspects of certain parts of cooking and are very nice to read about. In particular, I enjoyed the distinctions of olive oil and butter. Interactions with other chefs was also mentioned a few times, featuring the author's learning experiences by collaborating with other chefs.

Other: Totally read it if you're the type to actually cook or like to read about food. If you don't then don't read it because it's gonna be a weird mash-up between recipe and stories, as the title says.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much more than just recipes.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful look at how it must be to actually live in Paris, rather than just visit for a few days, racing around trying desperately to see (and eat) as much as possible. The writing is so very personable, with the added bonus of several excellent-looking recipes, explanations, and tips. It is thoroughly enjoyable read - even the parts that that I found myself wanting to call up David Lebovitz to râler.

I learned that being a râleur (complainer) is not considered a fault in France, but a necessity. In fact, if complaining didn't exist, even French people would admit that there wouldn't be all that much to talk about. [Introduction]

Bookmarked:
» Artichoke tapenade with rosemary oil
» Onion Tart
» Cheese [Parmesan and Gruyère], bacon, and arugula soufflé - "[T]he one thing no one has been able to surpass is French cheese. Walk into any fromagerie and take a whiff, and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about." (Ha. Since when is Parmesan cheese French?)
» Potato, feta, and basil tortilla
» Ham, blue cheese, and pear quiche - what a cool idea to put cornmeal in the pastry!
» Butternut squash bread soup - but why use aluminum foil to cover the baking dish? Surely a cookie sheet would work just as well.
» Scalloped potatoes with blue cheese and roasted garlic - be still my beating heart!

Reasons to love David Lebovitz

[W]e've become more and more dependent on recipes to tell us each and every detail, so we don't have to think for ourselves. Or we've somehow become afraid to trust our own instincts. [...] When I've cooked with French friends, including those who came by to show me recipes for this book, they admonished me while they were cooking to stop taking notes and to watch what they were doing instead. They told me that I needed to cook au pif, or "by the nose," a French expression that means to cook by feel, which they'll say—making certain I understand—while tapping the side of their nostril with a finger. [Introduction | Au Pif]
~ ~ ~ ~
I've never been comfortable with the phrase, "you eat with your eyes." I don't know about you, but me? I eat with my mouth, and I'm not as concerned with how things look as with how they taste. What good is something that looks fancy but doesn't taste so great? [Ingredients]
~ ~ ~ ~
You don't need an arsenal of cookware to cook French food [...] Fortunately, most of the items you need are probably already in your kitchen. [Equipment]
~ ~ ~ ~
I dislike celery. It's something that I take a bite of and think, "Is there something I'm not getting about this stuff? Because that tastes like a wand of wet green string." I guess that's why so many of us slather celery ribs with cream cheese or peanut butter.
      Celery root, however, is a whole different ball game, and it's one of the first things I buy when I hit the market. [Celery root puree]
~ ~ ~ ~
I've seen a lot of fad diets come and, even better, I've seen them go. In my lifetime, everything seems to have been demonized, including eggs, butter, sugar, flour, salt, and carbohydrates, which are pretty much the foundations of my diet. [Potatoes cooked in duck fat]
~ ~ ~ ~
Although I've been eating the pointy tips of green beans for my entire life, it's believed in France that they are fraught with all sorts of danger: from radiation collecting in the tips to the hazard of getting the pointy tips stuck in your teeth. [Green beans with snail butter]
~ ~ ~ ~
The French don't automatically put vanilla in cookies and cakes since they prefer to let the flavors of the butter and eggs shine [Madeleines]
~ ~ ~ ~
[T]he French are adventurous eaters: they chow down on tête de veau (jellied calves' brains), rognons (kidneys), and boudin noir (blood sausage), sans problème. But flecks of carrot in a cake? That's another story. [Pour la santé (introduction to Carrot Cake recipe (J'adore les français!!)]
~ ~ ~ ~
Some people travel to sightsee or visit museums, cathedrals, or gardens. Me? I travel to eat. [Pain d'Épices (...is there any other reason to travel?)]~ ~ ~ ~
As much as the powers that be have tried, there's been little progress in stopping the English language from creeping into French. [...] But the French government has had enough and decided that the word "hashtag," which had been universally accepted, should officially be banned and replaced with not-dièse. Of course, they didn't take into accoutnt that the new hyphenated term couldn't be hashtagged—or mot-dièse'd I guess I should say—because of the hyphen. [Le week-end]

Pet Peeves
» Stand mixer - "In my first apartment in Paris, with the tiny kitchen, I tried living without a stand mixer. After a year, I realized that no matter how precious space was, I had to give up a corner of it for one." ...oh my.
» Mashed Potatoes - "When the potatoes are fully cooked, drain them well and put them in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the cream and butter mixture and the white pepper and beat on medium speed until smooth." ...use a stand mixer? for mashing potatoes?! Using the Lebovitz's alternative of a food mill, maybe. But a stand mixer? That's insane.
» French Fries - "Drain the potatoes and lay them on a kitchen towel. Rub them with the towel to dry them very well. Spray two baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray." Cooking spray?! Use a refillable spray bottle. Or just lightly oil the baking sheets with your fingers!
» Multigrain bread - 530 grams flour, 310grams water (110 grams whole wheat pastry flour + the rest bread flour), 3/4 tsp yeast - that's too much yeast, needless amount of sugar (a teaspoon??), and 1+1/2 tsp salt (seasalt or kosher) is given only in spoon measurements. Weights for ALL ingredients please....)
» Apricot crumble tart - "One of the secrets of French home "bakers" are rolls of tart dough that are sold in supermarkets in boxes that look similar to those containing rolls of aluminum foil. When you want to make a tart, you simply unroll the dough, line a tart pan, and—voilà!—you're set to go. It's a good idea, until you taste the dough (and read the ingredients)" (This is exactly why it bothers me that cookbooks refuse to show a recipe for phyllo dough! If the authors (and their publishers) saw the revolting ingredients list on phyllo dough readily available in the supermarkets here, they would blanch.

[K]nead with the dough hook on medium-high speed (or the highest speed the mixer will go without walking across the counter) for 6 minutes. (If you don't have a stand mixer, you can make this bread by hand, kneading it on a lightly floured surface for 6 minutes.) [...] To be completely honest, I'm cranky and old-fashioned, and I just feel like bread should take time to make. The adage that the slower the rise the better the flavor is ingrained in me. Quick-rise yeast is not widely available in France and I don't know any bread bakers who use it [Multigrain Bread | Quick-rise Yeast vs. Active Dry Yeast]

I know pretty much everything about being cranky and old-fashioned. But I go the distance. First of all, throw out the stand mixer, David. Secondly, consult Monsieur Poilâne's daughter, and get rid of the commercial yeast altogether! As for following directions on the packet, if you insist on using active dry, proof it first. It's just easier.
» Panisse puffs - "Due to the batter's tendency to stick in muffin pans, spray the molds well with nonstick spray right before pour the batter, or use clarified butter" - Nonstick spray?? Why?! Don't even mention nonstick spray; use clarified butter! Or a neutral vegetable oil, like sunflower.
» Chocolate chip, hazelnut, and dried sour cherry fougasse - Yes to hazelnuts and dried sour cherries. But chocolate chips? No thank you. Also, there is absolutely no need to use a stand mixer OR plastic wrap! (But at least David Lebovitz calls for chopped bitter sweet chocolate rather than chocolate chips in the instructions. Surprisingly, he kneads them into the dough!)
» Duck fat cookies - yes, please!

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As a bread cookbook (granted, there aren't many recipes for bread), the rating for this otherwise excellent cookbook would plunge to 2 stars - maybe 2.5.
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Biscuit is one of those words, like déception (which means "disappointment" in French), that doesn't mean the same thing in French as it does in English. [The Déception of Monsieur Parmentier]

Ha!! "Biscuit" doesn't even mean the same thing in English, depending on where in the English speaking world you are!

[marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Lebovitz's, and not just because of his recipes. His observations about French and American cultures are spot on and pretty darn funny, and he always has fun anecdotes about Parisian life. Both those things alone would keep my interest in any book, so a book that has these AND is about food keeps me endlessly entertained.

The recipes in this book are a mix of French and newer American styles of cuisine, but they aren't trendy dishes that will go out of style; they're flavorful, don't shy away from various fats, and celebrate fresh, seasonal produce. There are lots of tips on sourcing ingredients and kitchenware, which I found pretty useful. He also gets extra points for being a fellow celery-hater and buckwheat-lover!

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I cannot rate My Paris Kitchen as a cookbook because I have not tried any of the recipes. I drooled over many of the recipes and hope to make some in the future. [Note to self, make the following: Indian Cheese Bread (p. 50), Cherry Tomato Crostini with Herbed Goat Cheese (p.110), Onion Soup (p.118), Buckwheat Crepes with Ham, Cheese & Egg (p.135), Ham, Blue Cheese & Pear Quiche (p.155), Steak with Mustard Butter & French Fries (p.206), Herbed Fresh Pasta (p.230), Warm Chocolate Cake with Salted Butter Caramel Sauce (p.262), Chocolate-Duce De Leche Tart (p.289).] The rest of it I want to order at a restaurant to enjoy without having to put in the hours. There's not one thing in My Paris Kitchen that I don't want to eat.

Ever since traveling to Paris this past October I have a new respect and fascination with French culture and cuisine. That's what I loved most about this cookbook; it was an opportunity to learn more. Jeff read sections to me at night before bed and we found it quite educational and entertaining. My favorite section was "Ingredients" - 18 pages of ingredient explanations and descriptions. Did you know that Dijon mustard is the one condiment found in every French kitchen and on every bistro table? I probably should have known that.

The best part of this book? The photography! Scenes from Paris are perfectly picturesque and the food photography is so gorgeous I wanted to eat the pages. I just wish there had been more. I'm greedy for food pictures - I want one on every page! (To be fair, there was one on almost every page.)

I will need to check out this book from the library again. Or, I might just have to add it to the kitchen library!

[Susan Swiderski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received "My Paris Kitchen" from the folks at "Blogging for Books." Those lovely people sent it to me for free, in exchange for an honest review on my blog. No problem. I'm also gonna write about it here and on Amazon.

Appropriately enough, this book arrived on my doorstep on Bastille Day. Kinda cool, huh? Piggy that I am, I devoured the entire thing in one gluttonous sitting.

Is it a cookbook? Yes, but it isn't just a cookbook. It's an intimate cookbook with a myriad of personal touches, and it's written by an accomplished chef who's every bit as talented at spinning a delicious story about what it's like to live in Paris as he is at whipping up a mouth-watering meal.

Lebovitz relocated from California to Paris ten years ago, and with this book, it's almost as though he's taken us with him, because this book immerses readers in the realities of Parisian living.

Does it contain some wonderful classic French recipes? Yep, but that isn't all it contains. Like many other places in the world, the infusion of other cultures and nationalities into the country has greatly influenced French eating and cooking habits. So this book also contains delightful recipes from other regions, too... with a bit of a French twist, of course.

In addition, this book includes clever tricks of the trade that any cook would appreciate. The recipes themselves? Extremely well-written, often illustrated, and simple enough for most cooks to tackle with confidence. (However, I'm not so sure I'm gonna tackle the duck fat cookies...)

I'd give this book four and a half stars.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of David Lebovitz's blog. I love to read about living and eating in Paris. This cookbook was an obvious addition to my cookbook collection.

Here is a link to his blog post today: http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2014/04/...

David's latest book is not just a cookbook. It is a book about living, cooking, eating, and shopping in Paris. The book is divided into Appetizers, First Courses, Main Courses, Sides, Desserts and Pantry. The Introduction itself details the ingredients and equipment you need in your kitchen to accomplish modern French cooking. The Pantry section details such basic items as chicken stock, creme fraiche and vinaigrette. These items are handy to have on hand. I was just looking over his recipe for Madeleines as I have a new Madeleine pan that I want to try out. And I've been drooling over the photo of the chocolate-dulce de leche tart. The Chicken With Mustard on the cover looks amazing. That will definitely be happening soon at my house.

The book has beautiful photographs of the recipes in the book as well as photos of Paris. It is available in hardcover as well as in digital. It is available today!! You definitely want a copy of this book!