Ina's kir royale includes the unique addition of raspberry liqueur - a refreshing alternative to the traditional creme de cassis. And that's exactly what she offers in Barefoot in Paris. What Ina Garten is known for - on her Food Network show and in her three previous bestselling books - is adding a special twist to familiar dishes, while also streamlining the recipes so you spend less time in the kitchen but still emerge with perfection. Here is the book that helps you bring that spirit, those evocative dishes, into your own home. Whether shared in a cozy French bistro or in your own home, the romance and enduring appeal of French country cooking is irrefutable. A 250,000-copy first printing indicates Clarkson Potter's faith in a reliable author.Hearty boeuf Bourguignon served in deep bowls over a garlic-rubbed slice of baguette toast, decadently rich croque monsieur, eggy and oozing with cheese, gossamer creme brulee, its sweetness offset by a brittle burnt-sugar topping. 9)įorecast: Garten has a big following, and with its inviting tone and fresh fare, this book may cause it to grow further. 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. Her relaxed attitude toward entertaining also comes through in dishes like Ice Cream Bombe, where she reassures readers that Häagen-Dazs mango sorbet will do fine. '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. ),' she relates in the introduction to Blue Cheese Soufflé. 'I was a little afraid to attempt a soufflé (think Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina Part of Garten's charm lies in her self-deprecating sense of humor. 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. 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.

But Garten is much too pleasant and friendly in this book for anyone to wish her ill. It would be easy to resent Garten: the successful Hamptons specialty food store, three previous cookbooks-one a New York Timesīestseller-her own series on the Food Network and an apartment on the Left Bank all invite envy.

Barefoot in Paris by Ina Garten