7 Cookbooks for the French food lover in your life

Holiday season is upon us and cooking is never as delicious or festive than it is right now…right? So, I have put together for you a selection of my favorite French cookbooks (all released in 2018), which I hope will encourage you to get your hands on them – for yourself, or for the French food lover(s) in your life.

This year’s crew of French cookbooks has been absolutely remarkable; and I have been very impatient to share these selections with you. These books are all in English, and available online and in stores across the US/Canada, but still manage to perfectly “translate” the essence and authenticity of French cuisine. They all have a unique approach to French cuisine: Parisian-focused, Kids-focused, Pastry 101, Burgundy, Apéritif, etc…

I already own Tasting Paris, In The French Kitchen with Kids and French Baking 101, so I am also sharing my quick review of these 3 books (no suspense here… I love them all). I intend to get my hands on the other books very soon, as I already know they are great and full of promise (from having extensively glanced at them in bookstores, online, and reading reviews).

I hope you enjoy these few book ideas… Happy Holiday shopping! 

1. Tasting Paris: 100 Recipes to Eat Like a Local, by Clotilde Dusoulier.

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Tasting Paris features new and classic French recipes and cooking techniques that will demistify the art of French cooking and transport your dinner guests to Paris. Whether you have experienced the charm of Paris many times or dream of planning your first trip, here you will find the food that makes this city so beloved. (…) With 100 recipes, 125 evocative photographs, and native Parisian Clotilde Dusoulier’s expertise, Tasting Paris transports you to picnicking along the Seine, shopping the robust open-air markets, and finding the best street food—bringing the flavors and allure of this favorite culinary destination to your very own kitchen (Amazon). My review: Tasting Paris boasts so many delicious recipes, but not only that… It’s a savvy mix of striking lifestyle and food photography, with classic and modern French recipes, sprinkled with a generous dose of Parisian-lifestyle anecdotes and tips on how to eat your way through Paris – like a real local. I love how Clotilde shares her personal insights on being a Parisian, but also embraces the multiculturalism of Paris – which is today, a huge part of the city’s identity. I have cooked and baked many recipes from this book this year, and they’ve always turned out amazing, with a great authentic taste.  

2. In the French Kitchen with Kids, by Mardi Michels

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In her first book, Mardi Michels shows that French food doesn’t have to be complicated. The result is an elegant, approachable cookbook featuring recipes tailored for young chefs and their families. (…). With helpful timetables to plan out baking projects, as well as tips on how to get kids involved in the cooking, this book breaks down any preconceived notion that French cuisine is too fancy or too difficult for kids to master. With Mardi’s warm, empowering and encouraging instructions, kids of all ages will be begging to help out in the kitchen every day of the week (Amazon). My review: What a fun approach to French cooking and a perfect way to make it feel accessible to anyone! I have tried many recipes from the book (including these Raspberry Financiers) and they’ve all been successful, and delicious. Mardi’s instructions are clear and precise, and make every recipe feel effortless. It truly is a great book to show that French cuisine can be approachable, fuss-free and enjoyable!

3. French Pastry 101, by Betty Hung

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Betty Hung-co-owner of Beaucoup Bakery-teaches you how to make amazing French pastry in one hour. French pastry is often thought of as difficult to master, but Betty Hung-founder of the blog Yummy Workshop and co-owner of Beaucoup Bakery-makes the classic art of French baking more approachable than ever. Most of her recipes only take an hour, which makes it much less daunting for beginners. (Amazon) My review: The 101 method and step-by-step photos are simply genius! This approach gives you the confidence you’ll need to dive into each recipe and show you that French pastry is far less daunting that what most people imagine it to be. It’s a great book to have in your library: it’s full of classics and timeless recipes. This is the kind of book you will go back to, over and over again.

4. Apéritif: Cocktail Hour the French Way, by Rebekah Peppler

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For the French, the fleeting interlude between a long workday and the evening meal to come is not meant to be hectic or crazed. Instead, that time is a much needed chance to pause, take a breath, and reset with light drinks and snacks. Whether it’s a quick affair before dashing out the door to your favorite Parisian bistro or a lead-up to a more lavish party, Apéritif is about kicking off the night, rousing the appetite, and doing so with the carefree spirit of connection and conviviality. Apéritif celebrates that easygoing lifestyle with simple yet stylish recipes for both classic and modern French apéritif-style cocktails, along with French-inspired bites and hors d’oeuvres. (Amazon).

5. The Cook’s Atelier, by Marjorie Taylor and Kendall Smith Franchini

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The debut cookbook from The Cook’s Atelier—the international culinary destination and cooking school in Burgundy—is a beautifully photographed resource on classic French cuisine and an atmospheric chronicle of a family’s life in a charming French village. (Amazon).

6. Let’s Eat France!, by François-Régis Gaudry

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There’s never been a book about food like Let’s Eat France! A book that feels literally larger than life, it is a feast for food lovers and Francophiles, combining the completist virtues of an encyclopedia and the obsessive visual pleasures of infographics with an enthusiast’s unbridled joy. (Amazon)

7. The Bordeaux Kitchen, by Tania Teschke

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More than a cookbook, this is a comprehensive cultural and culinary journey into the world of traditional French cuisine and French wine (adapted for paleo enthusiasts), and tips for ancestral living. Author Tania Teschke, food and wine gourmet, photographer, and lifelong student of French culture, brings you over 160 sumptuous and easy-to-follow recipes for seasonal and traditional French dishes that deliver not only the nutrition, but also the satisfaction we have been missing in our modern diet. (…) (Amazon).