Review : The Sweet Life in Paris
The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz
Pages : 260
Genre : Non-fiction, Memoir, Recipes
Stand alone
My Rating : 
What it’s about :
Moving to Paris to build a new life, american pastry chef and cookbook author David Lebovitz realizes this is, indeed, a different life France has in store for him. Through memories and recipes, combined with good humor, the author shares his experience of adapting to a new culture.
My Thoughts :
One thing is for sure : when reading The Sweet Life in Paris, you’ll get hungry. Better stack a bunch of cookies and a good cup of coffee by your side for the trip!
From the simple “chocolate mousse” to the decadent “cinnamon meringue with espresso-caramel ice cream, chocolate sauce and candied almonds”, Lebovitz punctuates each chapter with delicious recipes. Most of them will put your sweet tooth in appetite, though there are also a few more meaty recipes to make sure you don’t overdose on sugar, such as “pork ribs” and “warm goat cheese salad”.
Yummy!
The recipes weren’t the only part of the book I enjoyed though. Lebovitz narration is honest and funny and takes you right into the Parisian life. I loved revisiting the city through his eyes, which was a much different point of view from the one of a tourist, like me a year ago (and hopefully, soon again!) It’s less about the architecture, the art, the landmarks, and more about the gastronomy and the cultural differences. Oh,and the language barrier, of course.
I do think the book could have been shortened a bit. Not that it was really long from the start, but because I found there was some repetition in the narration, and sometimes between the chapters.
Whether it’s because you want to experience a bit of the Parisian life, because you’re hungry for new recipes, because you love to travel and learn about other cultures, or simply because you already enjoy David Lebovitz’s amazing blog, The Sweet Life in Paris is a sweet way to feed both your heart and your stomach.
I just love foodie books, so this one sounds like it would be an excellent read for me. I also love that it includes recipes, because that elevates a foodie book to the next level. Thanks for the great review! I will be on the lookout for this one!
So… you’re saying this book is one part travel-esque writing and one part cookbook? Holy croissants, count me in! Great review, and I’ve definitely added it to my To Read list.
Methinks I started drooling already!
«Louis», having lived in Paris, would no doubt find this book interesting – especially as his reason for moving there was to go to baking school…
This cover is making me hungry. Great review.
Ooh, this made me hungry for Parisian sweets. Paris is my favourite city in the world. I’d love to read this. 🙂
When I do get around to visiting Paris, I will be all about the food. For now, I guess I can just live out my dreams through books like this one. It sounds like a fabulous way to enjoy a piece of Paris.