In David Lebovitz’s book, The Sweet Life in Paris: Delicious Adventures in the World’s Most Glorious – and Perplexing – City, Lebovitz treats us to his gift of sarcastic wit while exploring the city’s ironic and perplexing customs.  Along the way, he shares some of his favorite recipes created and enjoyed there.  This month a few fellow food bloggers and I, as a part of  The Kitchen Reader, read The Sweet Life in Paris so we could share our opinion of the book with our readers and each other.  Here are my thoughts.

As someone who has been fortunate to have visited Paris, I remember the three most important French words during my trip were Parlez vous Anglais.  I found that most Parisians were pretty helpful once you admitted by this phrase that you were a helpless American.  However, I’m sure we were taken around the block a few times during a couple of taxi rides.

Other memories from my trip were brought back while reading this book.  One being the endless choices of water:  “. . . bottle, or eau du robinet from the tap . . . still or sparkling . . . San Pellegrino or Perrier . . . Chateldon or Salvetat . . . Badoit or Evian . . . verte or hyper-bubbly rouge . . . Demie or grande?”  And the fact that “Unless you specify, you’re likely to get the biggest and priciest of the lot”, and also that “Ordering eau du robinet means you may need to ask the waiter two – perhaps three – times before you get it, if you get it at all.”  But then you must find a place to get rid of it!

Lebovitz also addresses shopping in Paris.  From not being able to touch anything unless you’re going to buy it, to not being able to find a bargain.  When discussing the most common place to shop for “everything” in Paris, the BHV, he brought to mind a certain American “stuff-mart” where I often encounter a similar experience.  “I am certain the BHV has scouts who look far and wide, combing the world, in search of the least-helpful people they can find.”, he says.  And when going there, states, “I enter with the assumption that no matter what it is I’m looking for, the BHV will have absolutely everything – except that one specific thing that I came to get.”  Sounds very familiar.

And although he jokes about it, Lebovitz does make sense when he talks about how most Americans, when they travel to a foreign country, expect to be treated in the same way as in America: “Why don’t they have doggie bags?” “How come there’s no ice?” “What’s going to come alongside (that steak) (and can they change that?)”.  I can imagine that living in a city constantly filled with tourists that demand to have things their way can cause the natives to develop a negative attitude toward them.

The Sweet Life in Paris is a really funny book written by an American who didn’t just visit, but has decided to live there, taking the bad with the good, and still keeping his sense of humor.  Give it a read, and try a few of the recipes like this one for Oven-Roasted Figs.

Sweet and earthy, figs are a great late summer/early fall addition to your table.

Oven-Roasted Figs (Figues Roties)

from The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz

makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 10 to 12 (about 1 pound/500 g) fresh ripe black or green figs
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 2 to 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Stem and quarter the figs. Place in a baking dish that will hold them in a single layer and spoon the honey over them, then crumble the sugar over the top.
3. Toss together gently, cover tightly with foil, and bake for 15 minutes.
4. Remove the foil, gently turn the figs in the syrup, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, or until tender.

You can visit The Kitchen Reader to find out what others who read the book thought.

What a thrill.  This Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes from Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Family Style cookbook definitely shook things up in my kitchen.  I love a recipe that makes you say “Hmm, I never would have thought of using _____ that way.”

The thing that I found to be surprising is the use of capers blended into the pasta dressing.  I’ve added whole capers to dishes before, but have never seen or thought to process them in with other ingredients.  What fun.  The dressing is made by adding sun-dried tomatoes and capers to a vinaigrette mixture and processing it to make a very flavorful sauce for pasta, tomatoes, cheese, olives and basil.

I was also thrilled to find that this recipe is one that lends itself well to substitutions made out of certain necessities (e.g., forgetting your grocery list).  I used some short pasta from my pantry, re-constituted dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes, and substituted feta cheese for the mozzarella.  I adore fresh mozzarella, and will use it the next time I make this, but the feta cheese was delicious, too.

Thanks to Delta Whiskey and the Barefoot Bloggers, I discovered a new way to use yummy capers – a trick I will be sure to use in other recipes.  To make this pasta yourself, just click on Food Network for the recipe.

If I had a million dollars, I would first hire a cleaning lady, then I would hire a personal chef to prepare healthy, flavorful meals for us every day.  I would still cook and bake at leisure, but the rest of the time I could choose recipes with my chef that he/she could prepare, like this Curried Couscous from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook.

Because as much as I enjoy cooking and baking, I enjoy eating really fresh and tasty meals just as much or more.  I just don’t always have the time or energy to prep, cook, and clean up for every meal.  That means the kids get cereal for breakfast before school most days, Fridays are pizza delivery nights, and my lunch sometimes consists of a leftover piece of said pizza.

Until we win the lottery, though, I do try as often as possible to prepare healthy meals at home for the family that include a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits and grains.  And I like to put a little effort into making a healthy lunch for myself, too.  That’s what I did with this Barefoot Bloggers recipe, chosen by Ellyn of Recipe Collector and Tester.  Using some couscous prepared the night before for dinner, I mixed up this salad for my lunch, and it was delicious.  Freshness from the yogurt, with sweet and spicy curry flavors mixed with the vegetables, raisins, and nuts made this couscous extra flavorful.  I substituted cilantro for the parsley and it tasted great.

Of course you can change this recipe up in a variety of ways, just use what’s in your fridge and your imagination.  The original recipe can be found here.