By David Lebovitz
Ten Speed Press; $35

Acclaimed chef and author David Lebovitz, who spent 13 years in the kitchen at Alice Waters’s Chez Panisse in California, has been living the sweet life in Paris since 2004. With this irresistible new book, you can have a taste of it, too. Lebovitz’s candid stories about the (many) ups and (few) downs of living and cooking in France are eye-opening and often hilarious. Evocative photos offer a glimpse of contemporary Parisian life, and 100 recipes present a mix of French classics like steak frites and coq au vin as well as such unexpected treats as cheesy Parisian Gnocchi and Spiced Meatballs with Sriracha Sauce. Lebovitz ends the book with his forte: les desserts. One of the greatest joys of living in Paris, he says, is that no one ever says no to dessert. Presented with such options as silky Coffee Crème Brûlée and Paris-Paris éclairs, which are filled with hazelnut praline cream, it’s very hard to imagine saying anything but oui, oui, oui.

Steak with Mustard Butter and French Fries (page 206) In his take on a bistro classic, Lebovitz rubs the steak with salt and smoky chipotle chile powder before searing it in a sizzling hot cast-iron skillet and serving it with crispy, oven-roasted fries.

Chocolate-Dulce de Leche Tart (page 289) Gooey dulce de leche tucked between a bittersweet chocolate crust and a glossy ganache is intense, indulgent, and impossible to forget.

Multigrain Bread		Salted Butter Caramel-Chocolate Mousse		Steak with Mustard Butter and French Fries

Photographs by Ed Anderson

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