BookOpinion

BOOKOPINION REVIEW: After watching author Clotilde Dusoulier speak recently on BookOpinion.com, I was inspired to check out her cookbook, “Chocolate and Zucchini: Daily Adventures in a Parisian Kitchen,” What began as a food blog in her spare time, Dusoulier turned into a career and Chocolate & Zucchini (both a website and cookbook) are the results.

The cookbook is divided into three main categories — simple foods including sandwiches, salads, tarts, soups and egg dishes; ideas and menus for entertaining; and last, but not least a selection of desserts. I think the menu for the buffet is my favorite, which includes divine recipes such as chicken & cashew mini quiches, two savory terrines, and several other delectable choices. Dusoulier treats each recipe like an old friend with carefully crafted introductions that provide not only culinary information but stories about the author’s life, her ideas about food and entertaining, and glimpses of a wondrous life in Paris. She also includes wine suggestions for many of the dishes. The beautiful photography adds another spice to the already well-seasoned dish that is “Chocolate & Zucchini.”

The recipe collection is definitely not standard American fare, so if you truly only enjoy the basics of a meat and potatoes lifestyle, this book is perhaps not the one for you. But at least check out the author’s website. Not to say that any of the recipes are too wild, but fava bean and mint frittatas or strawberry-avocado ceviche might not appeal to all. Other recipes include the classic beef bourguignon and a twist on the traditional broccoli quiche. Frankly, the desserts alone are worth the cookbook, and I say this as someone who can almost always resist dessert.

As Clotilde Dusoulier says in the beginning of her cookbook “Chocolate & Zucchini,” “food joyously occupies a large portion of my waking thoughts.” I wholeheartedly share this opinion of food, in fact, I am thinking about the chocolate-caramel tart on page 192 right now. Or maybe the almond, pear and chocolate brioche on page 204 . . .

If you enjoy “Chocolate & Zucchini,” I strongly recommend checking out Susan Hermann Loomis’s wonderful book “On Rue Tatin: Living and Cooking in a French Town.” Ina Garten’s “Barefoot in Paris: Easy French Food You Can Make at Home” is another excellent cookbook for those looking for a little extra Joie de Vivre.

– Jane Leisteiner