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Shaheen Peerbhai is classically trained in French cuisine and ptisserie at Le Cordon Bleu Paris and London and at cole Ducasse in France on scholarships from the James Beard Foundation and The Culinary Trust. She has honed her skills in Mumbai, Paris, and London at establishments ranging from terroir-driven bistros to 3-Michelin-starred restaurants. She bakes and lives with her husband and daughter in London, where she is the chef-owner of Miel, a French-inspired bakery and workshop near Regent's Park. Jennie Levitt is a chef and artist who is focused on the convivial and healing nature of bringing people together through great food. She blends classic Mediterranean technique with local ingredients and food culture to curate special events and cooking classes in cities such as Aspen, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, and Bogot. Jennie is also the co-founder and creator of Corelia, all-natural sparkling fruit juices that capture the lush flavour and freshness of the tropics (www.corelia.co). She cooks and lives in Oakland, California, with her husband and daughter.
In this charming cookbook, Peerbhai and Levitt share lunch recipes from their pop-up restaurant Paris, offering picnic-friendly fare alongside charming hand-drawnillustrations. Once readers get beyond the term picnic --only the most zealous of picnickers will bring to the park raw oysters with pickled rhubarb; aligot, a hot dish of mashed potatoes and stringy cheese; or meatballs in amalfitana sauce--they'll find more than a few dishes that are sure to impress guests without much fuss. There's homemade gravlax with a citrus vinaigrette, simple garlicky Escoffier potatoes, and pistachio and cherry financiers. Some dishes, however, require slightly more time and ingredients than would be feasible for a simple picnic lunch: foie gras with arugula, basil, fresh figs, Iberico ham, and butter croutons, for instance, or desserts that call for infusions of geranium leaves and tuberose flowers. Home cooks will delight in the creative array of meals that fall on the lighter side and are appropriate for impromptu as well as formal gatherings year round. The recipes here are fun, fresh, and perfect to share with friends. --Publishers Weekly If only we all had friendships like Shaheen and Jennie's--ones focused on gathering people and cooking for them. In Paris Picnic Club, they've created a joyful reminder that great cooking is nothing without the sense of discovery and pleasure that you share with others. You'll find yourself hopscotching in a playground of appealing recipes--make sure you don't miss gems like the Cold-Oven Chicken, which is now a staple in my dinner repertoire. --AMANDA HESSER, cofounder and CEO of Food52 Brimming over with seasonal produce, the recipes of Shaheen Peerbhai and Jennie Levitt blend classic technique with the diverse flavors of twenty-first-century Paris. A vibrant, eclectic cookbook that radiates modern French charm! --ANN MAH, author of Mastering the Art of French Eating and The Lost Vintage A heartwarming celebration of friendship and good food, this gorgeously illustrated book is brimming with fresh and approachable recipes. --CLOTILDE DUSOULIER, author of Tasting Paris: 100 Recipes to Eat Like a Local and the blog Chocolate & Zucchini A beautifully illustrated celebration of the French table, both old and new, with many delicious recipes to inspire gatherings for years to come. -- JESSIE KANELOS WEINER, illustrator and coauthor of Paris in Stride: An Insider's Walking Guide and illustrator and author of Edible Paradise
