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Amuse Bouche: How to Eat Your Way Around France
What makes a real salade niçoise?
What type of cheese is officially France's stinkiest?
Why does the sandy carrot have such a superior flavour?
And who exactly are the Brotherhood of the Knights of the Giant Omelette?
Leading expert on French food and culture Carolyn Boyd shares the stories behind the country's most fascinating foods and ingredients. Spanning every region of France and divided into 200 separate vignettes, each entry blends history and travel, personal anecdote and recipes.
Amuse Bouche is a book to be a beautifully illustrated, joyous celebration of French food, and a charming, practical guide to inspire your own travels - whether you're a proud Francophile or don't know your ficelle from your flûte.
- GenresFoodTravelNonfiction
368 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 6, 2024
28 people are currently reading
199 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 19, 2024
I’ve been reading this book for two days and for two days I’ve been ravenous. The detail, extensive research and wealth of information bring to life the taste and smells of every part of France. This needs a place on every bookshelf, for those caravan trips hopping around the country, those long weekends away to the French Riviera and the city breaks. You’ll add experiences that you never knew you needed to do onto that bucket list you have. I’ll forever be grateful to Carolyn for making the huge sacrifice of these delightful eating escapades in the name of research. I salute you!
May 12, 2025
Maybe 2.5. Nice idea but could have been edited more.
August 13, 2024
Ok so though even though this is not a novel, you COULD read it like one – from start to finish – but the way I read it was to dip in and out of the chapters as I felt like it. I loved the “How to use” section (which includes useful topics like “Choosing a Restaurant”, “Etiquette in Shops and Restaurants”, “Dietary Requirements”, “Notes on Recipes, “What is Terroir” and “Acronyms Galore”) and feel that is a must read, as is any section which talks about places you have been/ are going to/ are dreaming about going to!
I, of course, started with Paris and Nouvelle-Aquitaine but also dipped into Brittany, Burgundy, Occitanie, Provence and the Grand-Est chapters as those are places we’ve also travelled.
I think the Paris chapter is an excellent place to start for anyone as it gives a really good idea of what the book is all about. For sure, it covers all the “usual suspects” – places you’d expect to see in a Paris guide book. Yes Boyd covers the best baguette in Paris, macarons , the famed jambon-beurre sandwich and Paris-Brest but instead of just sharing where to sample the best of these, there is a lot of history and background information shared so you have historical context. For example, macarons are discussed from the Renaissance era to present day, with nods to the famed Ladurée and Hermé vestions but the three places recommended right at the end of the sections are places many tourists might not have thought to go – Hugor & Victor, Dalloyau and Carette.
I love that this chapter moves beyond your typical macarons, pastries, baguette, cheese and frog’s legs to talk about some more “off the beaten path” locales such as the Goutte d’Or and Chateau Rouge neighbourhoods (18th and 19th arrondissements with large Sub-Saharan communities), a Moroccan restaurant in the quiet 15th arrondissement, a rooftop farm (the size of two football fields) at the Salon des Expositions at the Porte de Versailles (also in the 15th), a barley sugar sweet created by nuns in 1638 in Moret-sur-Loing just outside Paris near Fontainbleau. So much variety along with your staple “Paris foods” (the ones that have to be on your list!).
The Nouvelle-Aquitaine chapter caught my eye (obviously because of our place there) and I was pleased to see that, although he département is quite sizable, we’ve managed to work our way through a good number of the foods (and beverages!) discussed! It did, however, give me a whole lot more places to add to our list of “departmental exploration” (for “research”!), including a number of cheeses I have never even heard of and Poule au Pot from Béarn. SO many things to eat and drink, so little time!
This book should accompany you on every trip to France as it really does a great job of giving you background information to help you plan a gastronomic tour of an area you are in and a deeper understanding of what you are eating and its history. Love that there are a few recipes for some iconic foods scattered throughout the book too!
HIGHLY recommended for those planning a trip to France, those who have been to and love France, those who might not get there soon but who dream of France from their armchair (so, yeah, that pretty much covers everyone!).
4.5 stars because I'd love some photos :)
I, of course, started with Paris and Nouvelle-Aquitaine but also dipped into Brittany, Burgundy, Occitanie, Provence and the Grand-Est chapters as those are places we’ve also travelled.
I think the Paris chapter is an excellent place to start for anyone as it gives a really good idea of what the book is all about. For sure, it covers all the “usual suspects” – places you’d expect to see in a Paris guide book. Yes Boyd covers the best baguette in Paris, macarons , the famed jambon-beurre sandwich and Paris-Brest but instead of just sharing where to sample the best of these, there is a lot of history and background information shared so you have historical context. For example, macarons are discussed from the Renaissance era to present day, with nods to the famed Ladurée and Hermé vestions but the three places recommended right at the end of the sections are places many tourists might not have thought to go – Hugor & Victor, Dalloyau and Carette.
I love that this chapter moves beyond your typical macarons, pastries, baguette, cheese and frog’s legs to talk about some more “off the beaten path” locales such as the Goutte d’Or and Chateau Rouge neighbourhoods (18th and 19th arrondissements with large Sub-Saharan communities), a Moroccan restaurant in the quiet 15th arrondissement, a rooftop farm (the size of two football fields) at the Salon des Expositions at the Porte de Versailles (also in the 15th), a barley sugar sweet created by nuns in 1638 in Moret-sur-Loing just outside Paris near Fontainbleau. So much variety along with your staple “Paris foods” (the ones that have to be on your list!).
The Nouvelle-Aquitaine chapter caught my eye (obviously because of our place there) and I was pleased to see that, although he département is quite sizable, we’ve managed to work our way through a good number of the foods (and beverages!) discussed! It did, however, give me a whole lot more places to add to our list of “departmental exploration” (for “research”!), including a number of cheeses I have never even heard of and Poule au Pot from Béarn. SO many things to eat and drink, so little time!
This book should accompany you on every trip to France as it really does a great job of giving you background information to help you plan a gastronomic tour of an area you are in and a deeper understanding of what you are eating and its history. Love that there are a few recipes for some iconic foods scattered throughout the book too!
HIGHLY recommended for those planning a trip to France, those who have been to and love France, those who might not get there soon but who dream of France from their armchair (so, yeah, that pretty much covers everyone!).
4.5 stars because I'd love some photos :)
December 2, 2024
A Delight!
Detailed thoughts on every kind of French food by region — origins, history, traditions, names of chefs and restaurants, recipes. Well organized. An important companion to take along on travels throughout the country to ensure you find the best of everything! An astounding effort by Boyd to collect all this information. Bravo!
Detailed thoughts on every kind of French food by region — origins, history, traditions, names of chefs and restaurants, recipes. Well organized. An important companion to take along on travels throughout the country to ensure you find the best of everything! An astounding effort by Boyd to collect all this information. Bravo!
January 25, 2025
A culinary tour of FRANCE
Amuse Bouche by Carolyn Boyd is the Francophile’s dream: a guide to the diverse regions of France that’s bursting with its food-related characters, history and flavours. The author is a journalist and was editor of France magazine, and her little black book of French contacts must be the size of a phone book. In Amuse Bouche, she highlights places that (to quote a phrase from the Michelin Guide) are “worth the detour”, and their culinary specialities. She also includes amusing stories about her travels, with and without her family, that are guaranteed to make you smile. In summary, it is a poetic ode to France from an author who knows and loves the country so well.
Amuse Bouche is organised by France’s administrative regions and for each, the author details its typical foods and dishes. She further notes the confréries (brotherhoods) that come together to promote and celebrate these specialities, the museums and festivals dedicated to them, as well as where (and when, if the food is seasonal) to buy the most authentic version. And not just the products themselves: she often mentions the ingredients and their provenance, such as where a cheesemaker sources the herbs that he includes.
Amuse Bouche can be read like a regular book, from chapter one to the end, or there’s a handy index, so you could use it as a reference book to look up a recipe or ingredient. You could also focus on a particular region if you have a trip planned.
I appreciated the author’s assumption that – despite being a huge Francophile myself – I might not have heard of every food she mentions, and she considerately describes them in such wondrous detail that it’s hard not to drool. I’m equally pleased that she includes clues to pronunciation for particularly tricky words, like Maroilles (cheese), so that I need never make a fool of myself by getting it wrong again. Oh yes, it has been known!
You should read this book to discover:
Where might you see a dog-shaped black pudding
Which food gives Carolyn her own Nigella moment; to be eaten at night by the light of the fridge
Which region produces the rudest pastry, and
How snails can be slow but also fast.
The author has been visiting France frequently since she was young and is able to depict the unique features of each region perfectly. There are fantastic descriptions of locations, such as the seashore where grey boulders are “festooned with vivid green seaweed toupées”.
Amuse Bouche by Carolyn Boyd is the Francophile’s dream: a guide to the diverse regions of France that’s bursting with its food-related characters, history and flavours. The author is a journalist and was editor of France magazine, and her little black book of French contacts must be the size of a phone book. In Amuse Bouche, she highlights places that (to quote a phrase from the Michelin Guide) are “worth the detour”, and their culinary specialities. She also includes amusing stories about her travels, with and without her family, that are guaranteed to make you smile. In summary, it is a poetic ode to France from an author who knows and loves the country so well.
Amuse Bouche is organised by France’s administrative regions and for each, the author details its typical foods and dishes. She further notes the confréries (brotherhoods) that come together to promote and celebrate these specialities, the museums and festivals dedicated to them, as well as where (and when, if the food is seasonal) to buy the most authentic version. And not just the products themselves: she often mentions the ingredients and their provenance, such as where a cheesemaker sources the herbs that he includes.
Amuse Bouche can be read like a regular book, from chapter one to the end, or there’s a handy index, so you could use it as a reference book to look up a recipe or ingredient. You could also focus on a particular region if you have a trip planned.
I appreciated the author’s assumption that – despite being a huge Francophile myself – I might not have heard of every food she mentions, and she considerately describes them in such wondrous detail that it’s hard not to drool. I’m equally pleased that she includes clues to pronunciation for particularly tricky words, like Maroilles (cheese), so that I need never make a fool of myself by getting it wrong again. Oh yes, it has been known!
You should read this book to discover:
Where might you see a dog-shaped black pudding
Which food gives Carolyn her own Nigella moment; to be eaten at night by the light of the fridge
Which region produces the rudest pastry, and
How snails can be slow but also fast.
The author has been visiting France frequently since she was young and is able to depict the unique features of each region perfectly. There are fantastic descriptions of locations, such as the seashore where grey boulders are “festooned with vivid green seaweed toupées”.
June 7, 2024
Discover the locations in the novel here
This book is a joy. It’s so much more than a guide to France and a foodie trail around the country. This is an ODE to the country, its people and its culinary history. Having lived in France and worked in various areas, I laughed out loud at some of the very same reactions to food as I have had. It was an utter joy to do some of that journey again and taste some of the local produce as if for the first time.
Imagine going on holiday with your best friend and she takes you to all the best restaurants, cafes, markets and food stalls that only the locals know? Carolyn if you ever need someone to carry all your purchases, I am THERE! Chatting with French locals in a market is one of my favourite pastimes.
Map of locations in Amuse Bouche
Back to the book though – and it could be ten times bigger with all the calories, I mean information stuffed inside. There’s visits to well known places and tasting of food we all think of as French, but there’s loads more courses of food and local shops, local people that you probably won’t have heard of. I still remember my first crepe with chestnut jam and cider in Bourges. Rose jam? wonderful. I don’t eat jam unless I’m in France. There’s just so much to discover with this book and I had written a list of all mu favourite ones but that just made me go out and buy lots of cheese and baguettes as a starter so be warned.
This book captures the spirit and joy of eating and discovering tastes you have only just discovered. Each dish or food tells the story of the region its from and the people who have crafted it over the years, Such a story is a joy to behold. Not only do you travel around France, you discover the hidden depths via what nourishes them each and every day.
Buy this book and take it out with you when having a picnic with all the food you’re going to buy. Handy that there’s a tablecloth on the cover!
December 4, 2025
Had this on my "to read" list for awhile. Forgot how I came across it, but I do enjoy travelogues and liked the idea of traveling in France via food. This is the author going around the various regions in France and talking about their food. There's a map of the area she's discussing plus some history, anecdotes, stories and a recipe here and there.
That's basically it. I will admit that I found the book disappointing: there are are no pictures (just maps and drawings), fewer recipes than one might have expected and it really reads more like a blog rather than an actual journey you might think would come from a book. If you're already familiar with the food and regions of France this might be a fun pickup but overall it was repetitive an not extremely interesting.
The most useful part of the book is probably the beginning "how to use this book." Here the author has some general tips and tricks for various parts of eating in France: how to choose restaurants (including for what type of cuisine you're looking for, dietary restrictions, etc.), proper etiquette in shops and eateries (don't tell the waiter you're vegetarian as they do not care at all), info on the recipes she shares, etc.
Again, if you're a foodie, have been to France (or would like to go and do something similar to this book), etc. this might be a fun read. Also might be fine if you're a "completionist" in the sense you'd like to read every single thing if you're a Francophile, etc. but if you're just a casual reader or are looking for recipes, pictures, etc. this isn't the book.
Borrowed from the library and that was best for me.
That's basically it. I will admit that I found the book disappointing: there are are no pictures (just maps and drawings), fewer recipes than one might have expected and it really reads more like a blog rather than an actual journey you might think would come from a book. If you're already familiar with the food and regions of France this might be a fun pickup but overall it was repetitive an not extremely interesting.
The most useful part of the book is probably the beginning "how to use this book." Here the author has some general tips and tricks for various parts of eating in France: how to choose restaurants (including for what type of cuisine you're looking for, dietary restrictions, etc.), proper etiquette in shops and eateries (don't tell the waiter you're vegetarian as they do not care at all), info on the recipes she shares, etc.
Again, if you're a foodie, have been to France (or would like to go and do something similar to this book), etc. this might be a fun read. Also might be fine if you're a "completionist" in the sense you'd like to read every single thing if you're a Francophile, etc. but if you're just a casual reader or are looking for recipes, pictures, etc. this isn't the book.
Borrowed from the library and that was best for me.
February 27, 2025
A must-read for any Francophile or food lover. Boyd clearly knows, and loves, her subject well. She travels to each of France's regions and explores local culinary traditions and the people keeping them alive.
My only gripe is that the book reads like a series of blog posts, with little attempt to connect each section to a larger narrative.
Still, I'm sure that I will be reaching for this book before any future trips to France.
My only gripe is that the book reads like a series of blog posts, with little attempt to connect each section to a larger narrative.
Still, I'm sure that I will be reaching for this book before any future trips to France.
August 18, 2024
Hopefully by publication of the paperback, the displays of the acronym UNESCO will be corrected from Unesco.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews