The French Women Don't Get Fat Cookbook

November 22, 2004
Guiliano's approach to healthy living is hardly revolutionary: just last month, the New York Times Magazine
ran a story on the well-known "French paradox," which finds French people, those wine- guzzling, Brie-noshing, carb-loving folk, to be much thinner and healthier than diet-obsessed Americans. Guiliano, however, isn't so interested in the sociocultural aspects of this oddity. Rather, befitting her status as CEO of Clicquot (as in Veuve Clicquot, the French Champagne house), she cares more about showing how judicious consumption of good food (and good Champagne) can result in a trim figure and a happy life. It's a welcome reprieve from the scores of diet books out there; there's nary a mention of calories, anaerobic energy, glycemic index or any of the other hallmarks of the genre. Instead, Guiliano shares anecdotes about how, as a teen, she returned to her native France from a year studying in Massachusetts looking "like a sack of potatoes," and slimmed down. She did this, of course, by adapting the tenets of French eating: eating three substantial meals a day, consuming smaller portions and lots of fruits and vegetables, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, drinking plenty of water and not depriving herself of treats every once in a while. In other words, Guiliano listened to common sense. Her book, with its amusing asides about her life and work, occasional lapses into French and inspiring recipes (Zucchini Flower Omelet; Salad of Duck à l'Orange) is a stirring reminder of the importance of joie de vivre. (Jan.)

Forecast:
Guiliano, a champion of women in business who has been profiled in numerous magazines, will promote the book—with a 100,000-copy first printing—on an 11-city author tour, which should result in plump sales.

April 26, 2010
In this, the logical next step for the author of 2004's bestseller French Women Don't Get Fat, Guiliano stretches what amounts to a single weight loss tactic-don't eat so much-into a second book-length weight-loss guide, this time with recipes. Though they're meant to be nourishing and satisfying in small portions, Guiliano's recipes are devoid of nutritional information and, in many cases, descriptions of the finished dishes. Unremarkable but perfectly acceptable recipes abound, including sweet potato french fries, Spaghetti Carbonara, Ratatouille, chocolate mousse, and panna cotta, with occasional standouts like Eric Ripert's luxurious Croque Monsieur, incorporating brioche, caviar, smoked salmon and Jarlsberg cheese. In all, Guiliano seems more concerned with luxe details (tips on opening and preserving champagne, though salient, set the tone), and never misses an opportunity to talk up her jet-setting lifestyle and TV appearances; as such, her self-regarding commentary is as likely to irritate as to inspire. Somewhat ironically, Guiliano's best advice comes in a tacked-on chapter inspired by the frequently asked questions of readers and television hosts, including sound advice on sodium, exercise, and getting families into better eating habits. Fans of the franchise will likely be satisfied, but those unfamiliar with Guiliano's approach will find this volume lacking.