In My French Kitchen bestselling author Joanne Harris, along with acclaimed food writer Fran Warde, shares her treasured collection of family recipes that has been passed down from generation to generation. All the classics are here: Quiche Lorraine, Moules Marinière, Coq au Vin, and Crème Brûlée, plus an entire chapter devoted to French chocolate, including cakes, meringues, and spiced hot chocolate.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.5 based on 13 reviews)

Love the concept

For me the clinch of this book lies in its very concept of connection. Many recipes 'stem directly from', if that is possible, Harris' most delicious novels such as Chocolat. The photos, descriptions, ingredients, and recipes themselves bring the reader another step closer to the 'reality' of the characters so relished in her novels.It takes me to the world of Blackberry Wine and Five Quarters, for example. In this volume you can see them, smell them, taste them, it gives their world colour and texture.
I like that.
Admittedly, as the book is quite new to me, I have only (so far) tried the one recipe I was most keen to appreciate with my own senses: Vianne's Hot Chocolate. If the others turn out as luxuriously, this book is going to provide some true pleasure in the kitchen and at the table.
January 01, 2009

Nice done

Nice design and beautiful pictures to present most of the best and traditional recipes of french cooking...I'm french and I offered it especially to share it with my best american friends: now they can try the recipes by themself and enjoy simple good ones at home :-)
September 15, 2008

Not a recipe book!

Although this book was well written, it was more a travelogue than a cookbook. There was beautiful photography but I had anticipated a greater variety of recipes.

Deb
August 25, 2008

Looks to be pretty tasty, and there's an odd little treat in the chocolate section

I've only made a few dishes in the short while I've had this book, but there looks to be so many tasty and delicious recipes here: warm goat cheese salad, wild mushroom salad, onion soup, green beans with pine nuts and feta, gascony tomato soup, wonderful fish, poultry and beef entrees, and decidedly delicious deserts! But lets face it folks, I'm a man who loves to spend time in the kitchen and I have enough cookbooks to keep me busy for a while, so why this book? Well, what really sold this book to me, what really sparked my interest, what REALLY played on my most basic neanderthal, simplistic, and testosterone-laden manly instincts was the recipe for this: the Nipples of Venus! How could I possibly not want to taste those? Men the world over will do crazy things for nipples, and the idea that they're Venus's nipples makes it that much better! Even Joanne Harris admits they were originally an Italian confection but she had to put them in this book simply because she couldn't resist the name. A double bonus is that Venus's nipples are made of chocolate! I just can't lose with those, and the only commitment I have to make to get them is the purchase of the ingredients and some time over a warm stove (jewelry, spawning of children, snuggling and a lifetime of monogamous commitment not required)!

Okay, enough uncouth, tactless man-humor. In all honesty, this cookbook has some wonderful recipes and I sincerely look forward to exploring the french kitchen, a culinary area with which I have little experience. Harris makes great use of fresh vegetables, which I love, especially in the hot summer months. The meat entrees will be wonderful in the winter months, as will the soups.

Some of the ingredients seem to be uniquely European or perhaps are available at markets in more cosmopolitan American cities. I probably won't be venturing out to look for black (blood) sausage. I'd probably have to venture out to the town square to find myself a squab (pigeon) for that recipe, but fortunately I can substitute cornish game hen. The recipes calling for fresh foie gras (goose) and duck legs may call for a visit to the pond at the park, but I think I'd really scare the kids at the park if I start trapping the geese and ducks. I'd probably get arrested then run out of town by the militant vegans for hunting the town's geese, ducks and pigeons (but couldn't every city use a few less of those fowl?). Fortunately the militant vegan won't see me in the backyard trapping the rabbit that is to become dinner. I'm pretty sure most of those meats aren't for sale at the neighborhood grocer.

So, some of the recipes are very French, but most of them seem to have standard ingredients that are readily available. And Ms. Harris has put some fun anecdotal stories of her French family kitchen alongside the recipes that make this book a bit more personal.
July 03, 2008

A nice addition to your cookbook collection

This cookbook is lovely. Being that I just received the book, I haven't had time to make any of the recipes yet, but I did read them all and the majority of them have enticed me to try them. The photos are delightful and give an 'off-the-beaten-path' view of the French culture. Additionally, Chocolat is one of my favorite movies and I've noticed that the author has included several references. This would make a really nice gift for the cooks in your life, particularly the ones who have an affinity for French culture and cuisine.
June 13, 2008

SIMILAR PRODUCTS

The French Market: More Recipes from a French Kitchen
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The Girl with No Shadow (published in the UK as The Lollipop Shoes)
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Blackberry Wine: A Novel
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Chocolat
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Sleep, Pale Sister (P.S.)
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