Around My French Table by Dorrie Greenspan — 530 pgs

This elegant and beautiful cookbook takes its readers on a delicious romp through French cuisine with none other than the notable and eminent chef Dorrie Greenspan. Not only a cookbook, this book describes Dorrie’s years living in France in conversational paragraphs and asides cleverly situated between the recipes. Packed among her fabulous offerings are helpful tips on cooking terms, ingredients and substitutions. What I love most about this book is that it’s almost a coffee table book. Its gorgeous photographs and heavy binding make it something that stands out among the cookbooks on the rack and it really begs to be placed on a center table for cooks and guests alike to peruse through and enjoy.

The book includes sections on hors d’oeuvres, soups and salads, all types of meat and fish dishes, and of course desserts. The recipes vary in style from old favorites like cheese topped French onion soup to the more fanciful and exotic offerings like pissaladiere—which is sort of a caramelized onion and anchovy pizza with fresh olives that Greenspan tells us is sold on virtually every French street corner. From the moment this book entered my home, it’s been a delight and revelation to look at, and Greenspan’s convivial and conversational asides on each of her recipes made me feel like not only was I learning about French cooking, but I was learning a lot about Greenspan herself.

This book has garnered a lot of attention from guests and even found its way into the totebag of my friend Sarah, who promises a fine French meal in the days to come. I shall keep you posted. But meanwhile, get your hands on a copy of this one to indulge your eyes in some of the finest photography of French cuisine that you will possibly ever see, and read a bit for yourselves about Dorrie Greenspan’s adventures in France. Bon appétit and happy reading!

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This book was provided as a complimentary review copy.