Cooking grimoires (that we’ve enjoyed)
We recommend a selection of cookbooks:
Simplissime: The Easiest French Cookbook in the World (Jean-François Mallet)
Jean-François Mallet and Jean-Christophe Touzeau (manager of the La Villa K Hotel) have frequented the workbenches at the Ecole Supérieure de Cuisine Française Ferrandi (The French School of Culinary Arts) in Paris.
His book, Simplissime, the easiest French cookbook in the world, answers the universal question, “What can I make for dinner?” This vast collection of innovative and illustrated recipes answers this question brilliantly. These are recipes that use just 2 to 6 ingredients, are quick to prepare, and make clean up easy!
On va déguster (François-Régis Gaudry)
This book, born out of the France Inter show of the same name, is a firm favourite that answers questions that are as intriguing as they are off the wall. Questions such as: “What are the best five burgers n New York?” “Do I need to salt the water for a pot-au-feu?” and “What was Claude Chabrol’s favourite dish?”
With beautiful illustrations, this book overflows with hundreds of recipes that are packed full of advice, tips, culinary anecdotes, and stories.
Pâtisserie! (Christophe Felder)
Creative and informative, Christophe Felder delivers an indispensable cookbook on the art of making French pastries. For amateurs and experts alike, Pâtisserie! describes recipes for tarts, cakes, and petits fours in admirable detail. Inside you’ll find real illustrated courses, embellished with advice and professional techniques making it so that you’ll never muck up a dessert recipe again!