The World in My Kitchen: The Adventures of a (Mostly) French Woman in New York

by Colette Rossant

A James Beard Award-winning food writer describes her rise to a starring role on a PBS television series, work as New York magazine's "Underground Gourmet," and family culinary adventures throughout the world. By the author of Return to Paris and Apricots on the Nile. 20,000 first printing.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Food, France, Cookbooks, Cooking, Foodie

240 pages, Hardcover

First published September 26, 2006

About the author

Colette S. Palacci Rossant was born in Paris but spent most of her childhood in a mansion in the Garden City district of Cairo, Egypt, raised by her paternal grandparents and a host of aunts and cousins -- all of whom excelled in the kitchen. Her closest childhood friend was Ahmet, the house cook.

At the age of 15 she returned to Paris to finish her studies and lived with her maternal grandparents. In Paris, under the tutelage of her stepfather, she met numerous French chefs and learned about her French culinary heritage. Then at 22 she married American architect James Rossant and moved to New York.

In 1970, Colette started a cooking school for children that developed into a television show for PBS called Zee Cooking School, which also launched her first of seven cookbooks, Cooking with Colette (Scribners 1975) and two translations of Paul Bocuse. In 1979, she became the Underground Gourmet writer for New York Magazine and in 1982, the Food and Design editor of McCalls. In 1984 she started a new magazine called America Entertains for Time Warner. In 1993, she became a food columnist for the Daily News with a Wednesday column (now available online as "Ask Colette!". In addition, she has also been a culinary partner in two New York restaurants, Buddha Green and Dim Sum Go Go.

She has been nominated for a 1997 James Beard Award for Magazine Feature with Recipes, a 2000 IACP Cookbook Award for her book Memories of A Lost Egypt (originally published by Clarkson Potter in 1999 but now republished by Atria 2004), and a 2002 Thomas Cook Travel Book Award for its UK version Apricots On the Nile (Bloomsbury 2002).

Reviews

[Eden · Rating 3 out of 5]

2020 bk 155. Having read her memoir of the young years growing up in Egypt, It was good to find Collette memoir of her life from her marriage to the early 2000's. Her story is broken into chapters, into which food stories are featured. Recipes from these stories are then included at the end of the chapter. As a French woman married to a New Yorker, Colette Rossant had to adapt to a new way of life and a new home in a land different from her own. She marks her progress as a newly wed employed by a thief, to a magazine author, teacher of French in private schools, mother of four, author of cookbooks, and teacher of children in her own Cooking School. An interesting look at life in New York City in the 2nd half of the twentieth century, one in which she lets little of the social changes intrude on her own world.

[Nari · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is book about so much & yet nothing at all. Collette has had amazing life, and has gone on some wonderful travels. She's written a number of failed cookbooks, but found a groove as a freelance journalist for food journals & magazines. I'd love to learn more about her time in Africa. She progressed so far in such a span of time in the US.

[Sila]

I very very much enjoyed reading this book. Everything was great! Learning about the1950s New York city and how it evolved over the years especially from a culinary perspective was amazing. Also, seeing how Colette Rossant went after everything she set her mind on gave me courage to follow my goals. I also started being more open minded about tasting different types of foods. And as a side benefit, now I enjoy cooking rather than see it as a chore.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book I've read by this author. She didn't disappoint with this third installment that focuses on her life in the late 1950s after leaving France. Her tastes in food are sometimes dissimilar from mine, but her stories, especially of her travels -- excuse me, but I can't help myself -- were delicious! I recommend reading all of her books.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light, fun read--with recipes at the end of each chapter. Memoir.

[Carla Catalano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colette Rossant is a big deal in the Food world, a mother of four, teacher, translator, food writer, a James Beard journalist, world traveler, grandmother to six and Head Chef! Her life’s work and accomplishments would exhaust several people.

Colette came to New York after she married her husband Jimmy. She is half French and half Egyptian and her appetite for food never wanes.

Her travels include Africa, China, Japan, South America and more.

Her entrepreneurial spirit shines through the dozens of jobs she has occupied. Rossant is the author of eight cookbooks and memoirs Apricots on the Nile and Return to Paris.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very vivid descriptions of beautiful food and food markets. Only downside is that the book is a bit self indulgent and gets a bit of an eye-roll for that..

[Mady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colette is a French-Egyptian lady living in NY in the 50's and eating & cooking her way through the city & life!
She has a quite straightforward style of writing, which I really appreciated. Her descriptions of food were great, though sometimes I'm not sure I'd have enjoyed those meals myself!
I've never been to New York, and I confess that I find it a bit scary in my imagination, as I picture it full of skyscrapers everywhere. Colette managed to show me the residential area of the city and make it more human. I also had great fun reading about her travelling adventures & eating/cooking!

It was such a quick & easy read that I finished it just in a couple of days! I'd surely like to read more from her :)

[Neelz · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Colette moves from France to New York with her husband, she discovers new worlds in the varied cuisine of the many cultures who live there. Eventually, she teaches cooking classes, writes cookbooks, caters dinners for important political figures, and travels around the world, learning and refining her skills.

[Diane C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a great read for all foodies. Her own history intertwined with Europe and New York food people history. Ms. Roussant is honest, modest, even with all the name dropping and globe hopping. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

I was amazed at her activity level........raising 4 kids in a townhouse in NYC (even with a housekeeper), teaching, writing, travelling and all that cooking!

[Laura Lewakowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

How have I never heard of Colette Rossant? What a fascinating life she has led. I loved following her around the streets, markets and restaurants of NYC. I've even bookmarked a few of the recipes included in "The World". The storyline was a little difficult to follow at times but I believe it was because she had so much to say! And then it just abruptly ends....thus my 3 star review.

[Maggie Downs · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing is simple, but descriptive and beautiful. She made French food seem a little less intimidating. I haven't tried any of the recipes yet, but there's a fennel soup that I can't wait to make.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a easy read biography about a French woman who get married and moves to the states in the 40's. It was most interesting to read about her discovery of asian cuisines in NYC and how she combined them with her French cooking.

[Shawna Millard · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting book for those that enjoy food and travel. Mrs. Rossant has a very laid back writing style without too much detail except when it comes to the food. She is endearing though due to her many stories and down to earth attitude.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up thinking it would be fun to read about her experiences in New York after moving from France. It wasn't.....

[Karla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short stories...interesting if you like to cook.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I read as a book about food, culture and New York in the 1960's and 70's.

[Lu]

Culinary adventures

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up because the name rang a bell...I remembered reading about Colette Rossant and her crepe-making daughters in a Calvin Trillin essay.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

great recipes & good stories

[Carmen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick and easy ready that is somewhat spoiled by the author's smugness and sometimes contradictory statements. I like food and food history and in particular, New York food, so rounding up.