Bistronomy

A new generation of chefs has reimagined French cuisine. In Paris, a new movement is gaining traction. Young chefs are rejecting stuffiness in favor of a more enjoyable and less formal dining experience. They are turning out fantastically inventive food in tiny independent bistros mostly on the outskirts of the city, avoiding many of the old sauces and relying instead on the vibrancy of responsibly sourced ingredients. Because they work in small kitchens with few or no staff, advance planning is essential. Among their culinary tricks are inventive uses for humble root vegetables such as rutabaga and parsnips, presenting a vegetable raw and cooked in the same dish, and reviving the classic crumble for dessert.

Jane Sigal captures these chefs' creative approach in Bistronomy, curating recipes that translate their genius in ways that the home cook can achieve. Stéphane Jégo, the chef at L'Ami Jean, creates the soulful but unexpected Winter Squash Soup, which is topped with cocoa whipped cream. Atsumi Sota's Haricots Verts Salad with Strawberries and Feta is a crowd-pleaser at Clown Bar. There's also Sean Kelly's showstopping Cherry and Beet Pavlova. Bistronomy's more than a hundred dishes demonstrate that these Parisian bistros have evolved into culinary idea factories. Bistronomy, like a trip to Paris, will make you fall in love with French cooking all over again.

View Details: amazon.com/dp/0847846105