Nobody Does it Better: Why French Home Cooking is Still the Best in the World

by Trish Deseine

We may hate to admit it (and never would to the French), but the truth is that there is still nowhere in the world where food and cooking are so passionately and intricately woven into lives, hearts and minds than in France, a country where masterpieces of home cooking are produced nightly, whether for a family supper or chic dinner party. So how does that archetypal Frenchwoman do it? And how can we take a feuille out of her livre? This book tells you exactly how. With chapter titles such as 'Shops Wisely', 'Knows her classics', 'Steals from chefs' and 'Rises to the Occasion', this book will both delight and inform. Trish will teach you all you need to master French cuisine, from the classic dinner party recipes to the latest trends as well as how to tackle difficult ingredients such as truffles and lobster. An affectionate yet unsentimental, irreverent but non-patronising guide from one of France's top cookbook authors, "Nobody Does It Better" is set to steal a place on your kitchen shelf.

Genres: France, Cookbooks, Cooking

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Trish Deseine is an Irish food writer and cookbook author; she was born in Northern Ireland, and moved to Paris in 1987.

Reviews

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

My mother bought this for me several years ago as a gift, and while I enjoyed the illustrations and descriptions in between recipes, I never tried any of them out, frankly intimidated by the idea of cooking French food.

That is, until shelter-in-place orders. With the need to eat in all the time, my few standby meals got old quick, and I found myself scouring my cookbooks for something fresh and delicious. Surprise, this book is very simple! That's kind of the whole point! I've tried cakes, I've tried clafoutis, I've tried croque monsieur. For the most part, the ingredients you'll need are very simple, and few recipes call for things you'd need from a specialty store (though there are some fancier recipes that do that I've yet to try). Directions are clear and concise and I feel like an expert whipping up meals from this book. It's boosted my confidence in the kitchen and motivated me to branch out and adventure more when searching for recipes and cooking. There's still plenty of recipes left for me to try and a few I'm hoping to take a crack at with friends when we can finally gather again in groups. I think this gift will be something I treasure for a long, long time.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I leavned a lot from reading this book, but am definitely not capable of cooking any of these recipes!!!

[Turi Becker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nope, it's not a James Bond book - it's a cook book! I don't usually review cookbooks, but this is one that I read cover to cover. Trish Deseine's descriptions of her experiences shopping and cooking in France are inspiring, and the recipes here are mouth-watering and (barring ingredient sourcing in Nevada) simple and elegant. Seriously, it's been awhile since I've been inspired by a cookbook, but this did it.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I might eventually cook something from this, aside from taking her advice to try heating up pate slices in a frying pan, but for now I'm just enjoying the writing and learning a lot about French cooking.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

The pictures are beautiful. I am inspired by the writing to cook and eat like the French... or at least like an expat in France.

So far, I've made 3 dishes out of the classics section, and they've been tasty.

[Shari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful and easy recipes! The trick is finding fresh ingredients, of course.

[Karyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're someone who reads cookbooks like novels, this is a great book to read.