Books, Food & Drink, France (Outside of Paris), Paris, Travel

Fabulous Books to Bring France and Italy to Your Home

October 16, 2024

There just seem to be so many great books out right now about France and Italy – whether gorgeously photographed coffee table additions or more incredible cookbooks, I’ve rounded up a list of mostly recent (2024) releases and a few older options to bring a bit of France and Italy to your home. (Please note that by clicking on some links, I may make a small commission at no cost to you, to pay for the content I bring to my readers. Merci!)

FRANCE:

“Paris Chic” by Alexandra Senes and Oliver Pilcher

Paris still is the city of chic―and it’s all in the details. Charming bistros, pretty alleyways, artists’ studios and more are featured in this big book. Photographer Oliver Pilcher shows off some of the most sophisticated homes in Paris, sharing an intimate portrait of various families. The quiet, daily moments of Parisian life are highlighted through his lens.

“Le Sud: Recipes from Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur” by Rebekah Peppler

While Paris is my favorite city in the world, I have completely fallen in love with the south of France. The food culture is delicious and season-focused. In “Le Sud”, Rebekah Peppler displays the flavors, techniques, and spirit of the South of France into a beautiful collection of recipes, photographs, and stories.

This regions covers an area from the snowcapped Southern Alps in the north to the French Mediterranean in the south, the Rhône River to the west, and Italy along its eastern border. The recipes highlight tables and the life lived around them in the south of France. Her last book, À Table, is one of my favorites. I just made her Basque Chicken recipe and it was a hit!

“Chez Manon” by Manon Lagrève

I love following Manon on Instagram, her cooking reels are so addictive! This cookbook is beautifully photographed and full of classic French recipes in an easy to prepare style. The book is set up like a classic French menu, so you can mix and match depending on the season. I’ve made several of the recipes so far and I love her recipe for gougères, a classic French cheesy bite served with the aperitif. Her recipe is simple and easy but delicious.

“From Here, You Can’t See Paris” by Michael Sanders

I found this book in a thrift store and I can’t wait to read it! I am always on the hunt for “American moves to France and…” reads and this one has wonderful reviews. He moves to Les Arques, population 159, a hilltop village that is so remote, that it is struggling to survive in the modern era. The only business that can save the town seems to be the bustling restaurant, run by a French couple. The book of course goes through food and cooking but through the lens of this tiny, traditional French town.

“A Season for That: Lost and Found in the Other Southern France” by Steve Hoffman

I heard an interview with Steve Hoffman on the Splendid Table about his new book. A complete francophile, he and his family, including two teenagers, move to “the other South of France”. At first, he thinks he has made a terrible mistake, as they are very much in a rural village and it ain’t Paris. But through cooking, winemaking and making friends with the locals, they find their way.

“Cassoulet Confessions” by Sylvie Bigar

I discovered this gem also while listening to a favorite food podcast. Sylvie Bigar grew up in Geneva, Switzerland, so she didn’t even know what the traditional dish from the SouthWest of France was, let alone how revered it is and how much the ‘true’ recipes (and dishes it is cooked in) are debated over. The New York based award winning travel and food writer, Sylvie Bigar, tells the tale of the dish, while traveling through the south west of France and dealing with some of her own complicated personal history along the way.

“Gâteau: The Surprising Simplicity of French Cakes (Essential Parisian Recipes)” by Aleksandra Crapanzano

I am SO excited about this one. I was on the hunt for an easy yet perfect recipe for gallette des rois, the traditional cake served in January in France. I always bring them in to my students, but I always bought them. I felt I should try making them on my own. This book is an incredible collection of simple, classic French cake recipes and in such a cute format. It doesn’t have a ton of glossy photos, just simple recipes you can make to impress your friends and family.

Ready to Book Your Trip to France?

Ready to go to France? You can read here, The Ultimate 3-Day Paris Itinerary: Must-See Highlights

Or, contact me and I can help you book the perfect trip.

ITALY:

“Il Doce Far Niente, The Italian Way of Summer” by Lucy Laucht

Imagine those blistering but blissful August afternoons in Italy. The light and the bright blue of the Mediterranean. A negroni or an apperol spritz. A basket of fried seafood, fresh from the ocean. Photographed by Lucy Laucht, these magical scenes of Naples, Ischia, the Amalfi Coast, Capri, Puglia, Sicily, and the Aeolian and Egadi Islands are a love-letter to the Italian way of summer and that distinctly Italian art of far niente.

“What I Ate in One Year” by Stanley Tucci

I finished reading “Taste” and it was fantastic! So, I am really excited about his upcoming book. He is funny, sometimes self-depricating, sweetly nostalgic and there was a plot twist at the end (even though it’s a memoir).

Best of all, “Taste” is told through the perspective of a passion for Italy 🇮🇹 and food. He includes recipes and discusses the importance of ingredients and drops names along the way. I am sure this next book will not disappoint.

“Gastronomy of Italy” by Anna Del Conte

A classic! I also found this in a thrift store and it is like the Bible of Italian cooking! From pasta to sauces to risotto to desserts to all the wine, this book is part dictionnary defining Italian food and part recipe book with very authentic recipes.

Ready to Book Your Trip to Italy?

Ready to travel to Italy? Read here about the Amalfi Coast or Florence.

Or, contact me and I can help you book the perfect trip.

“Ina Garten – A Memoir” by Ina Garten

Ok, is this France or Italy? Maybe not, but she is the Barefoot Contessa! I used to love watching her shows, especially how obsessed she was with her husband and love of her life, Jeffrey! I just recieved this book and look forward to hearing her life story – doing what she loves to do so successfully because of hard work and an insane attention to detail.