French Kitchen Lessons - by Cat Bude (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

With rich and transporting photography, a back-to-basics approach to French cooking, and an inspiring story of starting over, French Kitchen Lessons is your passport to the abundance and beauty of the French countryside.

In 2010, Cat Bude and her husband left their jobs in the Pacific Northwest, packed up their house and kids and moved to Normandy, France. Uprooted and longing for connection, the search for a home base began. They found that and more in the form of a run-down, rambling farmhouse, overrun with wild rabbits. Now restored, and lovingly named Rabbit Hill Farm, this is the center of Cat's world, and her vehicle for sharing the joys of country life with others, from guided market trips to lavender harvest parties, and cooking classes.

Following the seasons, French Kitchen Lessons begins with classic French staples like sauces, and stocks, then teaches you how to create simple, satisfying, and elegant dishes like Steamed Mussels with Pernod, Summer Vegetable Tian, a Wild Mushroom Omelet, Cider-Braised Pork, and Lemon Poppy Seed Crêpes--all inspired by the French market-to-table tradition.

Finding a common language in food and feeding others, French Kitchen Lessons is a celebration of food, farm life, and the seasons-not only the seasons of the year, but the seasons of life: starting over, finding your place, and creating new connections.

Review Quotes

"French Kitchen Lessons is a rhapsody of delicious country living, cooking, and dining in a charming corner of Normandy, France. Everything about this book reflects the region's lush landscape and the dream of its author, Cat Bude, and her family to live a full and authentic French country life. The recipes are French classics with an American twist, all brought to life by the author's photographs. This is a book to peruse, and a book to take into the kitchen." --Susan Herrmann Loomis, author of Farmhouse Cookbook and The Great American Seafood Cookbook

"I have only visited France through Cat's delicious photography and stories of life in Normandy, and I've only tasted French cooking in my Mississippi kitchen from Cat's copper cookware. Cat's recipes and inspiration make my mouth water, make me want to book a flight to France, plant a garden, and cook a feast. Her writing is transporting, so much so that even without visiting, I feel that I have. What a gift French Kitchen Lessons is for us stateside!"--Erin Napier, co-host of HGTV's Home Town, co-author of Make Something Good Today, and author of The Lantern House

"What a delight to be invited into this old farmhouse in Normandy as Cat Bude weaves culinary magic sharing her family's favorite recipes, one French Kitchen Lesson at a time. The beautiful photographs that Cat takes in her family kitchen at Rabbit Hill Farm, enhance the personal stories and classic recipes that she shares of four seasons of farm-inspired cooking. From a bright spring appetizer as simple as 'Oeufs Mayonnaise' to a classic Normandy style 'Cider-Braised Pork Cheeks, ' these are staples to share with your own family and friends." --Kate Hill, chef, host of Cooking with Wine and creator of The Whole Animal

About the Author

Cat Bude is a writer, photographer, and cooking instructor. She moved to Normandy with her family in 2010 and started the website Rabbit Hill Lifestyle, where she shares her life as an expat in the countryside. Cat offers vintage shopping tours and market excursions, and hosts cooking classes out of her renovated 17th century French farmhouse.