The French Women Don't Get Fat Cookbook [Hardcover]

Mireille Guiliano (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 27, 2010

In her first ever cookbook, Mireille Guiliano provides her millions of readers with the recipes that are the cornerstone of her philosophy-mouthwatering, simply prepared dishes that that favour fresh, seasonal ingredients and yield high satisfaction. Organised around Mireille's three favourite pastimes-breakfast, lunch, and dinner-these recipe emphasise pure flavour, balanced ingredients and easy cooking methods. Eating pleasurably is just as important as eating healthfully, and Mirille devotes chapters to dessert and chocolate (essential components of any Frenchwoman's diet) and incorporates advice on entertaining, menu planning, and wine selection.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this, the logical next step for the author of 2004's bestseller French Women Don't Get Fat, Guiliano stretches what amounts to a single weight loss tactic-don't eat so much-into a second book-length weight-loss guide, this time with recipes. Though they're meant to be nourishing and satisfying in small portions, Guiliano's recipes are devoid of nutritional information and, in many cases, descriptions of the finished dishes. Unremarkable but perfectly acceptable recipes abound, including sweet potato french fries, Spaghetti Carbonara, Ratatouille, chocolate mousse, and panna cotta, with occasional standouts like Eric Ripert's luxurious Croque Monsieur, incorporating brioche, caviar, smoked salmon and Jarlsberg cheese. In all, Guiliano seems more concerned with luxe details (tips on opening and preserving champagne, though salient, set the tone), and never misses an opportunity to talk up her jet-setting lifestyle and TV appearances; as such, her self-regarding commentary is as likely to irritate as to inspire. Somewhat ironically, Guiliano's best advice comes in a tacked-on chapter inspired by the frequently asked questions of readers and television hosts, including sound advice on sodium, exercise, and getting families into better eating habits. Fans of the franchise will likely be satisfied, but those unfamiliar with Guiliano's approach will find this volume lacking.
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From Booklist

Guiliano’s French Women Don’t Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure (2004), a runaway best-seller, prompted a follow-up cookbook, French Women for all Seasons (2006) and a lifestyle Web site, where Guiliano advises Francophile devotees on everything from business strategies to scarf tying. Fans will recognize familiar material in her latest cookbook, which is organized loosely according to meals that all reflect her mantra: cook and eat seasonal, sense-pleasing foods in reasonable quantities; walk often; drink water; enjoy small moments. As usual, Guiliano employs the warm, personal tone that has earned her so many followers, and she frequently shares anecdotes from her own life as she introduces her recipes, which range from simple scrambled eggs (made velvety with a touch of cream) to recipes that incorporate trendier ingredients, such as quinoa. The menus and suggestions for staple ingredients and equipment all support the approachable, delicious dishes, but it’s Guiliano’s final list of reasons to cook (for love, self-expression, pleasure, education, and amusement) that may finally send readers into the kitchen to start following her sensible advice. --Gillian Engberg

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Atria Books; First Edition edition (April 27, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439148961
• ISBN-13: 978-1439148969
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #504,805 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mireille Guiliano is the bestselling author of French Women Don't Get Fat and French Women For All Seasons. Born and raised in France, she is married to an American and lives most of the year in New York and Paris. She is the former President and CEO of Clicquot, Inc.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars More of a way of life May 17, 2010

By wogan TOP 50 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

Mireille Guilian shares stories of her family meals and even her secret family recipe for breakfast that she says will melt pounds away.
The recipes she gives are not that hard, there are good explanations that an organized determined beginning cook could complete. Recipes are different but interesting, for example: endive with green tomato jam, chicken with spinach en papillote, of course crepes, sardines tartines, simple ratatouille.
The sample menus tell the philosophy of how the French eat. There is even a chapter on champagne and cooking with it
The book contains: breakfast and le brunch, lunch, dinner, fish, vegetables, desserts.
This is not a basic cookbook. It is a lesson on a way of life, the more continental, European way of eating. If you want to learn how, this will accomplish that.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars French Women... June 25, 2010

By M. Hill TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

The cookbook contains 162 recipes, but unfortunately there are no photos of the food. Some dishes, like Cream of Wheat with Cranberries and Walnuts are profoundly easy, some recipes, like Bouillabaisse Twenty-First Century are more complex. The book is user friendly with recipes clearly printed in black ink - reasonably easy to read, with the only negative being the lack of photos which diminishes an otherwise high quality book. The hardback edition stays open on the counter when turned to most sections of the book, but the paper will absorb spills, so to protect the pages, it would be wise to use a cookbook holder.

The chapters are organized by meals - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Fish and Vegetables, Sweets, Putting it all together -- planning basic and fancy menus, recipes, food shopping etc., and a chapter devoted to Champagne.

The dishes are generally simple and tasty, not requiring advanced cooking skills. Fat, usually butter or olive oil is kept to a minimum and as always with good cooking, the freshness of the ingredients used in the dishes is crucial. I prepared and enjoyed Tilapia with Cumin and Mushrooms. The Lentil, Fennel and Orange Salad was also delicious.

Interspersed with the recipes, are stories the author shares along with hints and advice about health and life that add a depth to the book that recipes alone wouldn't. Some of the areas she discusses are label reading, walking and water, detoxing, health, dealing with a husband who eats like a pig, eating organic, items she keeps in her kitchen and more.

The book puts the "French Women Don't Get Fat" philosophy into action with some good ideas and solid recipes.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Food! May 10, 2010

By E. Anderson

Format:Hardcover

As with the other French Women books, this cookbook delivers wonderful recipes to produce foods with clean, simple, beautiful tastes. Wonderful, wonderful cookbook!