Your Own Bistro

 There is absolutely nothing like french food,especially the recipes coming form the classic bistros dotting the country. The food is absolutely delicious, rich in flavors, perfect in execution. Now you can bring the bistro home with a brand new cookbook. It's full o fall sots of recipes from brunch to dessert.

This wonderful cookbook is America's Test Kitchen Modern Bistro : Home Cooking Inspired by French Classics (enguin Random House 2022). It's a great book for anyone who's visited France or a true blue Francophile. I love this book. There are so many different recipes from steak frites to the perfect omelet. Since this comes from that great PBS cooking show America's Test Kitchen there is a chapter on the ingredients and the right equipemnt to use such as the French kitchen standard the mandoline. Another plus are explanations on mastering bistro cooking techniques.Home chefs can learn how to fold an omlet and sear a perfect steak. There is a good guide to cheese which helps in creating the perfect charcuterie platter.Another plus is that this is modernized ,reflecting France's now varied population.A Yemeni spice called hawaij is one of the cheif ingredients in a creamy cauliflower soup.Vadouvan,a blend of Indian spices that French colonizers too from India centuries ago is in asauteed  radish and almond dish. There is a section on wines and sheery because these too are ingredients in French cooking.It's a good guide as are the tips with each recipe/

There is a wide range of recipes to try. I would definitely go with my favorites like  crunchy croque monsiuer with a Mornay sauce and French onion soup. What I like about their recipe is that they use croutons instead of a slice of French bread. There are also takes on American classics too,like burgers made from sirloin and topped with homemade onopn jam and a grown up three cheese,  mac and cheese - which has french origins, the recipe coming over with Tom Jefferson. Of course there are the bistro classics like steak au poivre and the buttery stew daube provencale with its; mix of beef and salt pork. Cheese fondue also makes an appearance along with mouth watering omelet recipes. The breakfast and brunch section are another favorite. There are waffle and a really good eggs Benedict recipe with a tasty Hollandaise sauce. Yes. there are dessert recipes.The Gran Marnier souffle is a must try as are the chocoalte pot di creme.Galettes bith savory and sweet abound here. Two must tries are the tomato and potato ones. There are also bread recipes. such as the airy baguette.

America's Test Kitchen  Modern Bistro: Home Cooking Inspired by French Classics is the definite kitchen must have. The recipes are rich and delicious. Any one is full of flavor just like their bistro counterparts.