C&Z

This year was full of serendipitous discoveries for me in the food writing genre. I'd definitely heard of Chocolate and Zucchini but I'd never gone as far as to actually check it out until earlier this year. I have to say that catching up on everything this girl has written over the past few years is a daunting task. The same issue exists for David Lebovitz. I am so happy to have had the experience to prepare and take my trip to Paris this past summer or else I might still be in the dark as far as these great food blogs (and books!) are concerned.

I started to take a closer look at French cooking after our trip to Montreal last summer. We had several fantastic meals that made it seem much more approachable. The main focus, of course, is quality ingredients. Clotilde's approach to preparing French food is very cheerful and casual. We didn't hit up and fancy restaurants in Paris so our dining experiences (believe it or not!) were very similar. Pleasurable and creative. Those are definitely two words I would use to describe the recipes in Chocolate and Zucchini.

I prepared several recipes from the book....including the Chocolate and Zucchini cake.

I really wanted to celebrate the first zucchini to come from our garden by making something extra special with it! As you can see, it is very unassuming and simple. No layers or icing. Aside from shredding the veggies, it didn't require too much work. Despite all of this, the taste was fantastic. The concept was cute and quirky so despite the lack of frills, people were quite eager to dig into it. I'd highly recommend this cake for a party or potluck!

I'd also highly recommend either one (or both!) of Clotilde Dusoulier's books if you are planning a trip to Paris or if you just want to eat like a true Parisian in the comfort of your own home. If you don't feel like springing for the book, check out her website. She is more than generous with the recipes and content. My favorite feature would have to be the edible idioms. I start my French class tomorrow and it's nice being able to see some commonly used expressions.