I've been following the food blogosphere for quite a few years now. I love opening my RSS feed reader to see what other bloggers are creating. It helps me stay up to date with new trends, find inspiration for my recipes, and pass the time on my commute. I always enjoy discovering new bloggers with a fresh style, a distinctive voice, a unique world.
And then there are those who need no introduction — the "dinosaurs" of the food blogosphere, the ones you feel it just wouldn't be the same without. Pascale Weeks, from the blog C'est moi qui l'ai fait, is one of my favourites because she often offers rather lovely Anglo-Saxon recipes (her article on Christmas pudding actually saved one of my Christmases!). So when I saw she had released a book on desserts called "Le dessert était (presque) parfait" (published by Solar), I couldn't wait to get my hands on it.
I'm a huge fan of cookbooks. It's rare that I leave a bookshop without one or two under my arm. Since my flat isn't expandable and I try to avoid piling things up (without success!), I've become more demanding over time. The books that earn a spot on my shelf are carefully selected, and I think Pascale's will stay there for a long time.
Having been able to attend the book signing at 750g's offices, I had the pleasure of meeting Pascale and Silvia, respectively the author and photographer of the book. I was able to chat with them and, besides being absolutely lovely, they shed light on their approach.
Their goal was to create a book of simple recipes, accessible to everyone, that debunks false tips and keeps only the techniques that truly work. Pascale told me she spent months testing 5 or 6 versions of each dessert recipe, allowing her to validate the knowledge she'd acquired over years of training with top chefs. So this book contains only the best of all tests — only the tips that actually work. Which is genuinely appreciated. My sister, who had it in her hands, told me "These are super simple recipes, you feel confident" — and even though I hadn't identified it quite that way, you do indeed feel confident.
The other major strength of this book is the layout. Very clear, pleasant, and clean. Silvia's photos are stunning and I loved the info bubbles that highlight the critical points of each recipe. This carefully crafted layout was the result of real thought before the photo shoots, and it shows. The result is a true visual coherence that makes the book a real pleasure to browse.
Of course, before telling you about this book, I tested one of the recipes. I took advantage of a weekend in Normandy to introduce my Mum to brioche. Pascale's recipe is fairly classic overall, but the tips (letting the dough rest 24 hours in the fridge, order of ingredients...) are spot-on. I just found it a shame that the yeast wasn't listed in both dry and fresh proportions. We modified the process slightly since we kneaded the dough in a bread machine. But our guests loved it, and you can follow Pascale's instructions with your eyes closed (that's what you learn at the CAP).
A very good book that I'll keep to try the chocolate mousse made with water recipe that intrigues me greatly (and perhaps finally succeed at the cat tongue biscuits that I've failed twice in a row!).
Oh, and for those who entered the "Banana bread" competition, the results are online!
