La Tartine Gourmande

Béatrice Peltre, blogger, food stylist/photographer and writer has created a gorgeous cookbook infused with the sense that food is simply part of the story. Her relationship with food seems to be deeply rooted in her family and friends. Each chapter begins with an essay and photos to set the stage and is then followed by recipes which always include little tips or stories. It feels like you are sitting in the kitchen with Peltre keeping her company while she cooks.

The cookbook is written with the novice cook in mind as well as the more experienced cook. The first part of the book focuses on kitchen basics as well as information about the ingredients she regularly uses. It should be noted that the recipes are gluten free, though that is not the focus of the cookbook. Peltre often uses flours many of us are not familiar with like Quinoa and Amaranth flour and it is helpful to have a brief description to reference.

This cookbook would appeal to reader who are interested in French home cooking, gluten free cooking, the novice cook looking for accessible recipes beyond the basics and anyone who enjoys the beauty of food.

It may not appeal to readers without access to a good health food market, or those who are not adventurous in the kitchen.

Paris in Love

I'm sure it's a dream that all of us with itchy feet have, to one day pack up your life and spend a year living in a foreign country. In Paris in Love author Eloise James takes a sabbatical from her job as a university professor of English and moves to Paris with her husband and two children.
With plans to write and explore they settle into life as expats. Throughout the year James shared her experiences on social media sites and the results are the core of this book.

Like most of the content on facebook and twitter, the subject of this book is the day to day experiences of one person, which at first glace seemed unimportant and a bit silly. They covered everything from food to shopping to parenting and more. When taken all together it was more than the sum of its parts. Together it paints a picture of someone who is growing more comfortable in their own skin. In the begging of the book James talks about being diagnosed and treated for breast cancer and how she failed to reach the moment where one ceases life and lives for the moment without fear. While she may not have had a single moment of epiphany, her status updates throughout this year in Paris catalog a gradual transition in which she redefines what is important in her life and how she wants to live.

Overall it is an interesting read, however the format was difficult to get use to and it's abruptness made it hard to feel as if the reader is on the journey with her. At times it was so disjointed that I felt for sure that I had missed something. This was particularly true in the kindle version which lacked the formatting that made it clear that the entries were separate thoughts.

This book will appeal to fans of Eloise James who wish to get a peak into her life, expats in the making and those who wish they could and folks in transition. Readers who prefer a more narrative flow and are unfamiliar with her work may find the formatting issues hard to overcome.

*this book was provided by the publisher for review

La Dolce Vita

Canal House Cooking: Vol. 7 La Dolce Vita is an example of my favorite kind of cookbook. Part personal story, part travel narrative and some recipes interspersed throughout to tie it all together. In this volume of Canal House Cooking Chistopher Hirsheimer & Melissa Hamilton take off to a rented farmhouse in Italy to experience life the Italian way. They did not want to experience it as tourists zipping from one place to the next as they had in the past, but really to settle in and live in a community and culture. All in all it is an excellent snapshot of a slice of Tuscan life.

To begin with, the stage is set with lovely photographs that draw you in and make you want to jump on the nearest plane or ship and head to Italy as soon as possible. In the interest of full disclosure, it should be noted that this doesn't take much in my case. If that doesn't get you to call your travel agent, then the narrative begins. Each author contributes their stories as well as tips and tricks to help the home cook purchase the best products and execute the recipes included. The section on sparkling wines by Colman Andrews was particularly helpful.

By the end of this slim volume you'll be checking your calendar and scouring travel sites planning an escape to Tuscany. Don't worry though, if a trip isn't in the cards right now, you can soothe your itchy feet by settling in and trying out the recipes included to experience a little bit of Italy at your own table.

This cookbook will appeal to cooks who are interested in the intersection of food and culture, those who enjoy a good story and fans of the Canal House Cooking series. It may not be a good fit for cooks who prefer a more direct approach to their cookbooks, or those looking for an exhaustive guide to Italian Cooking.

*Note: This book was provided by the publisher for review

Soup of the Day

William-Sonoma's Soup of the Day: 365 Recipes for Every Day of the Year by Kate McMillan is not just another soup cookbook. It has the potential to be an adventure in comfort, discovery and delight. The recipes included are varied and interesting with a lot of old favorites included as well. The real attraction to this book is not as much about what's in it (though the recipes ARE great), but its format.

It is organized as a calender. Each day of the year is given a recipe which is seasonally appropriate while still offering variety within each month. This is where the adventure can begin. With this book you could feasibly have a different, delicious soup every day of the year. It can also be a great go to book for those days when nothing sounds good and you just can't decide what to make...just open to today and start cooking! While I enjoy the novelty of the layout I was worried that it would get old fast if I wanted to be more deliberate in my choices. Luckily, they have thought of that as well. There are two indexes: one by ingredient and one by soup type. This allows the cook to easily navigate to the specific recipe they want.

I was looking for a new "beef" stew to try out and chose February 23rd's Beef Stew with Orange Zest and Red Wine. I used Gardien Beefless Tips and Better than Bouillon Not Beef as meat substitutes to make the recipe vegetarian. This stew has a nice, rich flavor that is balanced with the acid from the orange and the biting brininess from the olives. Not only would I make it again, but I think the left overs would make an excellent filling when reduced for a savory turnover.


I highly recommend this book for soup lovers, indecisive cooks and those who wish to cook seasonally. It may not appeal to cooks who are easily frustrated with nontraditional organization schemes or those who prefer detailed instructions.

*Note: This book was provided by the publisher for review