In a French Kitchen

In a French Kitchen is a delightful celebration of French life and thecooks who turn even the simplest meals into an occasion.

Even before Susan HerrmannLoomis wrote her now-classic memoir, OnRue Tatin, American readers have been compelled by books about the French’sease with cooking. With In a FrenchKitchen, Loomis—an expat who long ago traded her American grocery store fora bustling French farmer’s market—demystifies in lively prose the seeminglyeffortless je ne sais quoi behind a simple French meal.

One by one, readers areinvited to meet the busy people of Louviers and surrounding villages and townsof Loomis’ adopted home, from runway-chic Edith, who has zero passion forcooking—but a love of food that inspires her to whip up an array ofmouthwatering dishes—to Nathalie, who becomes misty-eyed as she talks about hermother’s Breton cooking and then goes on to reproduce it. Through friends andneighbors like these, Loomis learns that delicious, even decadent meals don’thave to be complicated.

Are French cooks betterorganized when planning and shopping? Do they have a greater ability toimprovise with whatever they have on hand when unexpected guests arrive? Theanswer to both is yes. But they also have an innate understanding of food andcooking, are instinctively knowledgeable about seasonal produce, and understandwhat combination of simple ingredients will bring out the best of their gardensor local markets.

Thankfully for Americanreaders, In a French Kitchen sharesthe everyday French tips, secrets, and eighty-five recipes that allow them toturn every meal into a sumptuous occasion.