My Paris Kitchen by David Lebovitz

My rating: 5 of 5 spoons
ggggg

This cookbook arrived at the perfect time! I had taken a bag of chicken leg quarters out of the freezer and thawed them in my refrigerator, but I had no idea how I was going to cook them. As I sat down and started flipping, I came across "Poulet a la Moutarde" (Chicken with Mustard). It looked so scrumptious, and I had everything I needed--it was meant to be! I have to admit, it took a little longer to make than I expected, so supper was a little later than normal, but it was worth every minute. All four of my girls LOVED it--and that's saying a lot! They'll eat what is put in front of them, but for ALL of them to love it makes it a keeper.

Next I moved on to "Naan au Frommage". I didn't have the Laughing Cow cheese, so I just omitted that and made the straight Naan bread. The dough was a joy to work with, which was great as I don't have a stand mixer. It cooks quickly and has a wonderful flavor, even without the cheese! It's nice and soft as well, not chewy at all. Another huge hit with my girls!

Oh, my! "Cherry Tomato Crostini with Homemade Herbed Goat Cheese", classic "French Onion Soup", "Chicken Pot Parmentier", "Butternut Squash Crumble", "French Cheesecake"...I could cook from this book for a long time!

This book is filled with more than great recipes, though those abound. Interesting facts and anecdotes abound. I was particularly interested in his bit on salted butter vs unsalted butter. I don't enjoy unsalted butter on my bread, but with butter prices, I can't afford to buy both. Therefore, when I bake I typically use salted butter even when it calls for unsalted. I've never had a problem with how any of it turned out, but always felt a little guilty, like I was breaking some huge rule. It was great to read that some of the top chefs are now using salted butter, at least in some things.

I really love this cookbook. It overflows with great recipes, information, gorgeous photos and an obvious love for good food.  It's been a little while since I've given a cookbook my highest rating, but this one definitely earns it. I highly recommend this not only to those who love (or are learning about) French food, but to food lovers everywhere.

I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.