10 delicious Books to slip under the tree

For those who like to taste: “Recipes & Stories” by François-Régis Gaudry

Author of numerous works with his band of columnists, the highly publicized gastronomic critic publishes his most personal book. Here, each recipe tells a story: the pranks of his Corsican grandmother, the comforting maternal preparations, the dishes he cooks for his daughters, those of his friends… All, seasoned with tips gleaned during of his reports to the chefs. And as “FRG” moves a lot, we travel through the pages between a Comté-vin jaune tart and a mafé, via a moussaka and a Nantes cake. It’s rich, generous, sincere, it embraces all the cuisines we love, in short, already a classic!

Marabout, €35

The rest after this ad

For those nostalgic for the Mitterrand years: “Olympe, a free cook”, by Anne Etorre

A lover of good products, creative and self-taught, Olympe Versini was the first star of female chefs, at a time when a certain Paul Bocuse supremely despised “good woman’s cooking”. However, in the 1970s and 80s, the Lyon chef often sat down at Olympe, where Catherine Deneuve, Francis Ford Coppola, Mick Jagger and many others enjoyed his langoustines with fresh pasta and his pigeon with Honey. The one who always cooked in heels hung up her pots in 2013, to travel, paint and make jewelry. With this tender and impactful work, Anne Etorre pays homage to this chef who imagined today’s cuisine… fifty years ago!

The rest after this ad

Hachette Cuisine, €35

For parents on the verge of a nervous breakdown: “Ripaille et marmaille” by Victor Coutard

Like all children, the author’s children love to eat poorly. Rather than depriving them of burgers and desserts, this journalist committed to food sustainability took fries by the horns and imagined recipes to make with four hands with the little ones: romanesco cabbage forest, tuna-mayo onigiris, pink eggs , grilled cheese and gazpacho… I promise, healthy proteins and fresh vegetables go down better like that, even among the most junk food-loving darlings. And for holidays, Victor also has candy recipes!

The rest after this ad

The rest after this ad

Rouergue, €27

For romantic souls: “Nordine’s cuisine – Journey between French terroir and perfumes from elsewhere”, by Nordine Labiadh

When she opened her restaurant À mi-chemin in 1998, Virginie did not imagine that Nordine, hired to do the dishwashing, would become the man of her life. And one of the chefs most adored by the capital’s true gourmets. Because from their love story was born a cuisine of happiness, an incandescent fusion of their roots, Breton for one, Tunisian for the other.

In addition to its legendary couscous, Nordine creates dishes like Burgundy snails with cumin, or pollock tagine with candied lemon. The faithful of their house do not budge: halfway is the table in Paris where we feel happiest. This luminous work gives a nice overview.

Solar, 34,95 €

For Parisians who love calf’s head (and others): “Le Paul Bert” by Bertrand Auboyneau and Gwénaëlle Cadoret (with Annabelle Schachmes)

Gather together a few gastronomic critics, ask them which is the best bistro in the capital, and they will answer you in unison: “Paul Bert, of course!” » Vintage decor, legendary owners, sumptuous products, this restaurant in the twelfth arrondissement has been serving eggs mayonnaise, celery remoulade, skate with capers or petit salé with lentils for almost thirty years which lovingly tell the story of the heart and belly of Paris. This book does it very well too.

Hachette Cuisine, €35

For the foodies: “DNA Ducasse” by Alain Ducasse, Emmanuel Pilon, Jean-Philippe Blondet and Amaury Bouhours

Mo-nu-men-tal! This opus weighing more than 3 kilos contains the most emblematic dishes from Alain Ducasse’s super-starred galaxy in Paris, London and Monaco. Co-signed by Amaury Bouhours, Jean-Philippe Blondet and Emmanuel Pilon who respectively manage the kitchens of Meurice, Dorchester and Louis herbs and citrus condiment, sea bream, carrot and marigold, Brittany pigeon, eggplant, sardine and lemon balm… “The level of these three chefs, who never cease to surprise me, has undoubtedly exceeded mine,” writes Alain Ducasse in the preface. That’s saying something!

Ducasse Edition, 69 €

For fans of photo novels: “I tell you everything! » by Sonia Ezgulian

Queen of smart meals, Sonia Ezgulian reinvents the culinary step-by-step in this work designed like a good old family photo novel. Through the photos taken in her kitchen or in that of her friends, she guides her readers with humor and precision to teach them the secrets of an unbeatable béarnaise, an astonishing smash-burger or an irresistible parmentier with mushrooms. To offer to beginners and stove enthusiasts alike.

Practical Hatchet, €25

For those who need something sweet: “Welcome home” by Christophe and Delphine Michalak (with Raphaële Marchal)

The sun of the Alpilles, where the most glamorous couple in pastry making has settled, floods the pages of this book. At home, they entertain family and friends around the savory (mainly vegetarian) and sweet recipes that Christophe Michalak creates “à la cool”. Easy to make and irresistible, like cauliflower in a brioche crust or walnut soufflé tart, they are highlighted by the photos of his wife Delphine, and told by the tender texts of Raphaële Marchal. So much love!

La Martinière, €35

For traveling taste buds: “African cuisine today” by Alexander Smalls

How can we pay homage to the cuisines of a continent of a billion and a half inhabitants, comprising 55 countries and where more than 2000 languages ​​are spoken? The challenge seemed impossible. However, Alexander Smalls, chef and restaurateur in Harlem (NYC), but also author and opera singer (!), took it up with flying colors. Divided into 5 chapters (North, West, East, Central and Southern Africa), produced with around thirty African chefs and culinary influencers such as Agness Colley (Togo), Thabo Phake (South Africa) or Farida Zamradje (Morocco), this book distills 120 family recipes that we want to try all the more because for many of them, the ingredients are easy to find. Chicken pulao (Kenya), cornbread (South Africa), curry from Zanzibar, puff puff (doughnuts) from Cameroon… A new bible!

Phaïdon, 39,95 €

For those in search of the countryside: “The farm table” by Julius Roberts

The latest addition to the Penguin Books stable (which publishes Jamie Oliver, Yotam Ottolenghi and Nigella Lawson), Julius Roberts is a hit across the Channel in bookstores and on television. Not surprising since he embodies the contemporary dream of bobos: leaving the city to cultivate your garden. Or rather his organic farm in Suffolk. Exactly what this young man did in 2016, after slamming the door of Noble Rot, the London restaurant where he was a chef. Since then, the man who is also a fashion muse for Barbour and has 1 million followers on Instagram, raises his pigs, plants his cabbages and cooks like he breathes. In all simplicity, it rehabilitates the good old British recipes: chicken and tarragon pie, pork shank with peas and mint, ginger cake, quince and crème fraîche… A delicious book, to leaf through while sipping a darjeeling.

Hachette Cuisine, €35