In a French Kitchen

May 4, 2015
U.S. expat Loomis is in an excellent position to observe what truly makes the French cook so compelling and
enviable: she has her own cooking school in Louviers, Normandy (On Rue Tatin), and a slew
of cookbooks delineating her culinary expertise (Tarte Tatin, etc.). Loomis has enlisted the help of her Normandy
neighbors and their larders to ascertain the culinary rules and habits that grant the French the ability to whip up the most scrumptious meal in minutes. She highlights their dedication to freshness, their devotion to shopping frequently, and their love of good bread, wine, sweets, and cheese. “Organized” is the rule in the French kitchen, says Loomis. She also offers 12 “great French techniques” that are executed by memory—and seemingly effortlessly, thanks to many hours of learning under “Mamie,” the adored grandma—such as emulsifying, caramelizing, braising, and reducing sauces and stocks. American readers might be shocked to learn how little
the French pack in their refrigerators, how much sugar
and bread they consume, and how brilliant they are with
les restes (leftovers). Loomis’s recipes accompany each chapter, with actual seasonal menus (March offers a turnip and cream tart, and sautéed cherries in June) aimed at inspiring the dulled American palate.

March 15, 2015
A warm invitation to the French table. Copper pots hanging over a stove, thyme and rosemary growing in the garden, a boulangerie open every day of the week: these are a few of the reasons Loomis (Nuts in the Kitchen, 2010, etc.) loves the French way with food. Her latest culinary offering is partly a charming account of daily life in Louviers, a small town northwest of Paris where Loomis has lived for 20 years; and partly advice for buying, preparing, and serving the fresh and bountiful food that she and her friends eat every day. Although Loomis buys some supplies at a supermarket, most of her shopping occurs at the butcher's, baker's, and farmers market in her neighborhood. "There is a charming intimacy about the interactions in these food shops," she writes. "I never tire of it. For a minute, at least, while you're discussing a cut of meat, a type of cheese, the very best clementine, you are part of the social fabric of the entire country." Families connect over the meals they share three times per day, and there is no such thing as eating on the run; even breakfast is "a quick but rich moment to gently emerge into the day." While most adults partake of coffee and toast, many families serve breakfast cereals for their children, all sweetened. The French have a sweet tooth, including desserts with each meal and "an emergency chocolate bar" for a pick-me-up during the day. The author provides a list of essential kitchen tools, a glossary of breads and cheeses, a chapter on cooking techniques (e.g., making mayonnaise, buerre blanc, confit, and pastry), and even a list of online sources for special French ingredients. Loomis also shares scores of recipes from her own repertoire and those of her friends, including a 12-month meal plan based on fresh, seasonal ingredients. A tempting and helpful guide to delectable food.

June 1, 2015

Fans of Frances Mayes's Under the Tuscan Sun, Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat Pray Love, Elizabeth Bard's Lunch in Paris, and similar odes to the specially situated joy of cooking and eating in Europe will enjoy this latest book from Loomis (On Rue Tatin). Emphasizing simplicity, compatible flavors, and seasonal ingredients, the author provides an insider's view of what really happens in a French home kitchen. Anecdotes about friends, neighbors, and shopkeepers in her village of Louviers, together with useful insights into techniques and crucial topics such as bread, cheese, and wine add flavor to the narrative. Recipes throughout provide readers a chance to try French home cooking for themselves; monthly suggested menus help with planning. VERDICT For armchair travelers who long for experiences of life in the French countryside and those looking to expand their repertoires of (fairly) easygoing country cooking.--Courtney Greene McDonald, Indiana Univ. Libs., Bloomington

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