The Perfect Meal - by John Baxter (Paperback)

About the Book

IACP Cookbook Award Winner (Culinary Travel)

John Baxter's The Perfect Meal is part grand tour of France, part history of French cuisine, taking readers on a journey to discover and savor some of the world's great cultural achievements before they disappear completely.

Some of the most revered and complex elements of French cuisine are in danger of disappearing as old ways of agriculture, butchering, and cooking fade and are forgotten. In this charming culinary travel memoir, John Baxter follows up his bestselling The Most Beautiful Walk in the World by taking his readers on the hunt for some of the most delicious and bizarre endangered foods of France.

The Perfect Meal: In Search of the Lost Tastes of France is the perfect read for foodies and Francophiles, cooks and gastronomists, and fans of food culture.

Book Synopsis

IACP Cookbook Award Winner (Culinary Travel)

"Full of humor, insight, and mouth-watering details, The Perfect Meal is a delightful tour of traditional French culture and cuisine." --Travel and Leisure

John Baxter's The Perfect Meal is part grand tour of France, part history of French cuisine, taking readers on a journey to discover and savor some of the world's great gastronomic delights before they disappear completely.

Some of the most revered and complex elements of French cuisine are in danger of disappearing as old ways of agriculture, butchering, and cooking fade and are forgotten. In this charming culinary travel memoir, John Baxter follows up his bestselling The Most Beautiful Walk in the World by taking his readers on the hunt for some of the most delicious and bizarre endangered foods of France.

The Perfect Meal: In Search of the Lost Tastes of France is the perfect read for foodies and Francophiles, cooks and gastronomists, and fans of food culture.

Baxter's search for these lost tastes is a rich and humorous exploration of what makes French food unforgettable.

• A Foodie's Tour of France: Travel from the bustling markets of Paris to the vineyards of the Dordogne in a charming memoir that's perfect for any Francophile.
• Endangered Foods: Join the hunt for rare and disappearing delicacies, including elusive truffles, legendary lampreys, and the ultimate challenge--a medieval ox roast.
• Literary & Culinary History: Follow in the footsteps of Proust to find the perfect madeleine and uncover the stories behind iconic figures like the chef Georges-Auguste Escoffier.
• Traditional French Cuisine: Go beyond the clichés to discover the history of the formal French repas, from the classic bouillabaisse of Sète to the surprising origins of steak tartare.

From the Back Cover

IACP Cookbook Award Winner (Culinary Travel)

Part Grand Tour of France, part history of French cuisine: an irresistible journey, from Paris to Provence, to find "the perfect meal"

An expat Paris resident for more than twenty years, John Baxter began noticing an alarming trend: just as species of plants and animals are rapidly facing extinction globally, so too are the traditional ingredients and techniques of classic French cooking and eating. Indeed, he worried that the soul of the world's most revered national cuisine is in danger of disappearing, as centuries-old ways of cooking, preparation, and farming wither away. Spurred to action, Baxter set off across the country on an unforgettable quest to taste the last great French dishes before they disappear forever--from Paris's surviving haute cuisine establishments to the tiny local restaurants that still serve the remarkable regional dishes of Provence, Normandy, Cote d'Azur, and more.

Review Quotes

"A mouthwatering, erudite journey through France's foodie heritage, some of which might be lost forever without the likes of Baxter recalling and showcasing them for today's diner." - France Today

Winner - Culinary Travel - IACP COOKBOOK AWARDS

"As Mr. Baxter explores in his book, The Perfect Meal: In Search of the Lost Tastes of France, great French dishes still exist in their original form, most notably at the place of their birth." - Ann Mah, New York Times

"On a quest to find the soul of traditional French cuisine, John Baxter journeys from Paris to Provence. Along the way, he digs into bowls of bouillabaisse, confiture de vieux garcon and other classics." - AAA World Magazine

"Reading [John Baxter] is the next best thing to a Paris vacation." - Boston Globe

"We are the beneficiaries of John Baxter's considerable, vivid love for the expatriate life in Paris." - Los Angeles Times

"Full of humor, insight, and mouth-watering details, The Perfect Meal is a delightful tour of 'traditional' French culture and cuisine." - Travel and Leisure

"The most valuable (and equally endangered) tradition restored by Baxter is the oral one. Local characters, friends, chefs, and enthusiasts enliven his quest and reveal each element in the evolution of the menu to be part of a collective cognitive lineage. A must read for foodies, Francophiles, and armchair travelers." - Library Journal

"Baxter's command of French history and culture offers the reader a cornucopia of anecdote and detail worth savoring." - Booklist

"Delightful. ... A spicy, humor-filled accounting of the culinary and literary history of a nation defined by its gastronomy. ... This is one of those delicious books that tickles the psyche, seduces the senses, and effortlessly enlarges the intellect simultaneously. Baxter skillfully blends what could be considered merely entertaining food trivia into a satisfying full-course meal." - Publishers Weekly

"Delightful. ... This is one of those delicious books that tickles the psyche, seduces the senses, and effortlessly enlarges the intellect simultaneously." - Publishers Weekly

"A wonderful mix of travel memoir and French culinary history." - Shelf Awareness