Barefoot in Paris: Easy French Food You Can Make at Home

FROM OUR EDITORS

As viewers of her Barefoot Contessa show can attest, Ina Garten favors simple, sophisticated dishes, main courses that evoke the best of cozy bistro meals. In Barefoot in Paris, the Food Network star applies her cooking wisdom to the foods of France. Favoring fresh, quality ingredients, she offers flavorful twists on old favorites such as Steak au Poivre and Cr￯﾿ﾽme Brulée and new slants on dishes such as Zucchini Vichyssoise and Chicken with Morels. A feast of a book, Barefoot in Paris contains 140 full-color photographs and a primer for sources for specialty ingredients.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Ina Garten--author of the bestsellers The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, Barefoot Contessa Parties!, and Barefoot Contessa Family Style--has traveled widely to talk about her books, and her adoring fans always ask for the same thing: more sophisticated recipes that are simple enough to make every day. Ina has taken their cue and assembled a collection of easy recipes inspired by classic French favorites in BAREFOOT IN PARIS.

Although she lives in New York, Ina admits that her heart belongs to Paris. After all, what's more enticing than sipping caf￯﾿ﾽ au lait and nibbling a warm brioche at a sidewalk table along the bustling Saint Germain? Or strolling through the city's open-air markets in search of the perfect fromage for an easy weeknight souffl￯﾿ﾽ? For Ina, these simple pleasures of Paris life translate into one cardinal rule of cooking: fresh, quality ingredients are the essence of good food. This is not elaborate haute cuisine ￯﾿ﾽ la Julia Child, but casual French fare that makes sense in American kitchens.

As with her previous cookbooks, Ina's BAREFOOT IN PARIS features traditional dishes with a distinct brand of simple elegance. Her Raspberry Tart is made with a buttery shortbread crust that's just as delicious but far easier to prepare than a delicate pastry shell. She gives Mocha Mousse a kick of orange for more depth. The inspiration is undoubtedly French, but the downhome recipes like Zucchini Vichyssoise, Sweet Potato Gratin, and Vanilla Pound Cake are uniquely Ina. With brilliant color photos full of joie de vie, as well as menu suggestions for entertaining, an introduction to basic French cooking terms, and a source guide for locating specialty ingredients, BAREFOOT IN PARIS is the perfect addition to Ina's groundbreaking series of easy, elegant cookbooks for every occasion.

FROM THE CRITICS

Korby Kummer - The New York Times

Why bother buying this? Because each recipe is completely persuasive -- this is food you know you'll enjoy cooking and eating, brought to its simplest essence. Garten is popular because she knows what home cooks will stand still for and because she makes everything attractive.

Publishers Weekly

It would be easy to resent Garten: the successful Hamptons specialty food store, three previous cookbooks-one a New York Times bestseller-her own series on the Food Network and an apartment on the Left Bank all invite envy. But Garten is much too pleasant and friendly in this book for anyone to wish her ill. While she doesn't break any ground-with simple recipes like Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic, and Loin of Pork with Green Peppercorns-she also doesn't step on any toes or have any pretension, and writes personally in a way that feels genuine. Garten even includes a photograph of herself, circa age three, in the frilly dress her grandparents brought her from Paris that inspired a lifelong love affair with the city. Part of Garten's charm lies in her self-deprecating sense of humor. "I was a little afraid to attempt a souffl (think Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina)," she relates in the introduction to Blue Cheese Souffle. "I really love beautiful flower arrangements, but I usually make a mess of them on the first try," she admits in a brief note on flowers. Her relaxed attitude toward entertaining also comes through in dishes like Ice Cream Bombe, where she reassures readers that H agen-Dazs mango sorbet will do fine. Even the innovation is low-key: Avocado and Grapefruit Salad features an unusual pair, but is dressed with a very basic vinaigrette; and Zucchini Vichyssoise is no more complicated than the traditional potato-only version. (On sale Nov. 9) Forecast: Garten has a big following, and with its inviting tone and fresh fare, this book may cause it to grow further. A 250,000-copy first printing indicates Clarkson Potter's faith in a reliable author. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

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