First published 2017
Elizabeth Bard transforms her relationship with food after falling for a Frenchman and relocating from New York to Paris. Raised on processed American foods like Twizzlers and instant mac and cheese, Bard discovers a completely different culinary culture in France. She spends fifteen years cooking in French kitchens, first in Paris and later in a small Provençal village, learning from markets, neighbors, and her elegant French mother-in-law. Through daily observation and practice, Bard realizes that French eating habits naturally incorporate what Americans struggle to achieve through dieting: smaller portions, seasonal produce, minimal snacking, and reduced sugar consumption. The French approach food with pleasure rather than restriction. Bard shares practical cooking advice, essential kitchen tools, quick meal strategies, and techniques for encouraging children to eat vegetables. Her guide combines personal experience with actionable recipes and tips for bringing French food culture into American homes.
Genres: cooking, 21st-century, food, food-and-drink, food-writing, culinary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, personal-growth
Setting: France, New York, Paris, Provence
Period: 21st-century
184 pages · Kindle Edition · Little, Brown and Company