Cowgirl Chef: Texas Cooking with a French Accent [Hardcover]

Ellise Pierce (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 15, 2012

Moving to Paris was the best bad decision that Texan Ellise Pierce ever made. Wooed to the city by a Frenchman, she soon found herself with just 100 euros in her bank account. So she launched a last-ditch effort to stay in the City of Light: She started her own catering business and began teaching other American expats how to re-create flavors from home. Using French ingredients and techniques from both sides of the Atlantic, she did more than found a culinary company—she created a unique style of cooking that’s part Texas, part French, and all Cowgirl.

 

Recipes include:

• Cornbread Madeleines
• Jalapeño Pimento Cheese Tartines
• Cauliflower Galettes with Chipotle Créme Fraîche
• Green Chile-Goat Cheese Smashed Potatoes
• Peanut Butter-Chocolate Soufflées

Editorial Reviews

Review

David Lebovitz, author of The Sweet Life in Paris
"From mango salsa to madeleines (with cornmeal, of course), in Cowgirl Chef: Texas Cooking with a French Accent, Texas and Paris meet deliciously with recipes that spice up the French classics -- and give a little bit of savoir-faire to Tex-Mex favorites!"

Clotilde Dusoulier, author of ChocolateAndZucchini.com and Clotilde's Edible Adventures in Paris
"You can take the cowgirl out of Texas and into a Paris kitchen, but her Southern roots will always show. In Ellise Pierce's lovable book, she tells us about embracing a new culinary culture while nurturing her own heritage, and her tempting recipes show you how to savor the best of both worlds."

Dorie Greenspan, author of Around My French Table
“Ellise cooks like a cowgirl (albeit a French cowgirl with a perfectly tied silk scarf around her neck) and writes like your best friend.  Whether you’re in France or America, you’d be hard pressed to find a better companion in the kitchen.”
 
Cheryl Lu- Lien Tan, author of A Tiger in the Kitchen: A Memoir of Food and Family
“A charming tale of moving to Paris for love—and staying for food. Ellise Pierce’s delicious accounts of weaving together Texas and French cuisines will leave you hungry. But what truly satisfies are the lovely stories that bind them all together.

Publisher’s Weekly
"Although simple and more classic than creative, the recipes are solid and should satisfy readers looking for a glimpse into a Texan expat’s home cooking."

Houston Chronicle
“Pierce's self discovery is a foodie's gain. Her charming book, filled with humorous and romantic stories in Paris, is steadfastly rooted in Texas.”

France Magazine
“Delightful and delicious.”

Dallas Morning News
"Irresistible… Cooks will totally get the way her mind arrives at quirky, clever combinations. You wind up with a continuum of dishes stretching from Texas to Paris, tucked around a lively and engaging narrative."

 

San Francisco/Sacramento Book Review
“Not only can this lady cook, she can write! Her background and obvious expertise as an author make this fine cookbook not only attractive and original, but a positive delight to read.”  

 

Annia Ciezadlo, author of Day of Honey: A Memoir of Food, Love, and War

“A mouthwatering meditation on what it means to keep your traditions while learning new ones. Ellise's answer to this age-old dilemma is in her recipes, exquisitely simple creations that will make you homesick even if you've never been to Paris—or Texas."

 

San Angelo Standard-Times
“Not only does the ‘Cowgirl Chef’ cookbook come packed with yummy recipes and practical tips, it also has heartbreaking, and heartwarming, stories. They're stories that infuse the recipes with memories and meaning…if you want a keeper cookbook with humor, romance and more than 100 recipes that cover the miles between Texas and France, check out ‘Cowgirl Chef: Texas Cooking with a French Accent.’”

A Traveler’s Library.com
“Ellise Pierce is a real writer as well as a gifted cook and innovator.  That makes Cowgirl Chef the kind of cookbook that you can sit down and read cover to cover. And the very talented photographer Steve Legato, makes me want to run right back to Paris and shop in an open air market.”

Palm Beach Daily News
"It is time for some fun….Pierce’s book follows her delightful path to fusion cooking….The book ends with these words: ‘Turns out, moving to France was the best bad decision I ever made. Can’t wait to see what I’ll cook up next.’ Readers can’t either."

 

Tucson Citizen’s “What’s Cooking”
“…this is a fun cookbook.  It is so kicked back, it is the next best thing to actually being with Ellise as she prepares many of her favorite recipes.”

About the Author

Ellise Pierce chronicles her expat adventures in recipes and stories on her blog, CowgirlChef.com, and in her Cowgirl Chef column, which runs in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and is distributed to more than 300 newspapers. She has written for Newsweek, People, and Texas Monthly. Ellise lives in Paris and makes frequent trips back home to Dallas to see family and friends . . . and to stock up on jalapenos.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Running Press (May 15, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0762444630
• ISBN-13: 978-0762444632
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 1.1 x 8.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #190,163 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A great addition to any cookbook collection! May 3, 2012

By New York Foodie

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I met Ellise Pierce by chance on a visit to Paris six years ago and started following her very witty and entertaining blog when I got home. Her descriptions of life in Paris as an ex-pat were a treat for a Francophile like me and I took note of her recommendations! Then I started trying a few of her recipes. They were easy to follow, fairly uncomplicated and most of all -- absolutely delicious. So I was delighted when I heard she was publishing a cookbook. Neither a tex-mex or a french cookbook, this is a wonderful combination of both -- like cornbread Madeleines and tacos with a tasty Roquefort slaw. Her mother's recipes are lovingly gathered here, as well as helpful hints, anecdotes about life in Paris, and gorgeous photographs of this beautiful city. A delight for eyes as well as the palate! Mother's Day is right around the corner and I can't think of a better gift for any Mom, well, aside from a trip to Paris!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Cookbook? May 9, 2012

By Marianna

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Do you really need another cookbook? The answer is YES. I am embrarrassed to say how many cookbooks I have and cherish. Ellise transports Paris and Texas onto a plate with such ease. She an incredible writer and her infectous personality, warmth, and spirit is reflected in this cookbook. I 've already tried several of her recipes and they are foolproof. Her quick and easy style is just perfect for the home cook. The slight peek into her Paris life as she introduces every recipe breeds such anticipation for what has been tried and true to native roots. You won't be sorry in adding this cookbook to your collection. Plan on your family and guests wanting a copy for themselves. Ellise is a small town chef with big leaque talent.

5.0 out of 5 stars An interesting, creative (yummy) version of Tex-MEX December 21, 2012

By Happydays

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I am fascinated by the Tex-Mex genre. For cookbook collectors,I was hesitant. However, this offers quite a few new wrinkles and several creative ideas to try immediately.