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In the French Kitchen with Kids

Easy, Everyday Dishes for the Whole Family to Make and Enjoy: A Cookbook

Author Mardi Michels

Foreword by Dorie Greenspan

Paperback

$27.00 US

Appetite by Random House

8.03"W x 9.99"H x 0.49"D | 25 oz | 16 per carton

On sale Jul 31, 2018 | 192 Pages | 9780147530776

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“Pint-sized cooks will love learning how to make impressive French classics, and Mardi Michels is uniquely qualified to instruct them. . . Michels knows firsthand what kids can cook when given the opportunity. From a classic omelette to croissants and ratatouille three ways (each accommodating different skill levels), In the French Kitchen with Kids is filled with recipes that cooks of all ages will adore.” —The National Post

From the writer and recipe developer behind eat. live. travel. write comes a new cookbook for parents, children and Francophiles of all ages. Forget the fuss and bring simple, delicious French dishes to your home kitchen with Mardi Michels as your guide.

Twice a week during the school year, you'll find Mardi Michels--French teacher and the well-known blogger behind eat. live. travel. write--directing up to a dozen children in her school's science lab as they slice, dice, mix, knead and, most importantly, taste. Whether they're learning to make an authentic ratatouille tian or tackling quiche made with pastry from scratch, Mardi's students can accomplish just about anything in the kitchen once they put their minds to it.

In her first book, Mardi shows that French food doesn't have to be complicated. The result is an elegant, approachable cookbook featuring recipes tailored for young chefs and their families. From savory dishes like Omelettes, Croque-Monsieurs or Steak Frites to sweet treats like Profiteroles, Madeleines or Crème Brûlée, readers will find many French classics here. With helpful timetables to plan out baking projects, as well as tips on how to get kids involved in the cooking, this book breaks down any preconceived notion that French cuisine is too fancy or too difficult for kids to master. With Mardi's warm, empowering and encouraging instructions, kids of all ages will be begging to help out in the kitchen every day of the week.

SHORTLIST | 2019
Gourmand World Cookbook Award
SHORTLIST | 2019
Taste Canada Food Writing Awards – Regional/Cultural Cookbooks

“One of the best ways to have fun and bond with young people is to cook with them as partners. Kids are inherently creative; the smell and taste of the dishes produced will stay with them permanently. In the French Kitchen with Kids, a thorough, well-organized, approachable and friendly cookbook, will take your child on a delectable culinary voyage leading to a lifetime of lasting memories.”
—Jacques Pépin

“Mardi brings the flavors of France into your home, and makes them fun for the family to prepare together. From Quick Croissants to silky Crème Caramel, In the French Kitchen with Kids brings everyone to the table, in the true French spirit.”
—David Lebovitz, author of My Paris Kitchen

“As a French mother of two and a passionate cook, I applaud Mardi’s French-inspired approach to inviting kids into the kitchen. Her extensive teaching experience shines through the entire book, and encourages parents everywhere to share their love of simple, homemade foods with their children.”
—Clotilde Dusoulier, author of Tasting Paris and the blog Chocolate & Zucchini

“I have always marveled at the French talent for educating their children in matters of taste. No age is considered too young to start learning to recognize quality food and to appreciate the pleasures of a shared table. Mardi Michels’ inviting new book creates the kind of allure that will excite children about cooking and leave them feeling empowered and proud of their results. A perfect place to set off on a lifetime adventure of good eating.”
—Laura Calder, author of French Food at Home and The Inviting Life

“Cooking French food with kids might sound like a recipe for disaster. But with veteran kids cooking teacher Mardi Michels as a guide, your tiny chefs will soon be whipping up everything from poulet rôti to profiteroles! With a clear, concise, and friendly directions, filled with practical advice, and luscious photos, In the French Kitchen with Kids makes French cuisine easy and accessible for all ages.”
—Ann Mah, author of Mastering the Art of French Eating and The Lost Vintage

“We love this collection of irresistible recipes and useful kitchen tips. But the real star of the book is Mardi’s warm and confident encouragement that kids and parents alike can master delicious French food.”
—Laura Keogh and Ceri Marsh, authors of The School Year Survival Cookbook and How to Feed a Family

“Mardi Michels’s knowledge and dedication to teaching the next generation about the joys of cooking the French classics is obvious, and her fun, thoughtful approach is not only inspiring, it’s totally infectious! My family and I can’t wait to take her with us on our next kitchen adventure.” —Gail Simmons, food critic, TV host and author of Bringing It Home: Favorite Recipes from a Life of Adventurous Eating

“Pint-sized cooks will love learning how to make impressive French classics, and Mardi Michels is uniquely qualified to instruct them. . . Michels knows firsthand what kids can cook when given the opportunity. From a classic omelette to croissants and ratatouille three ways (each accommodating different skill levels), In the French Kitchen with Kids is filled with recipes that cooks of all ages will adore.” —The National Post

"This book makes French food approachable for young cooks and introduces the French classics—both sweet and savory.” —The Spruce Eats

MARDI MICHELS is a full-time French teacher to elementary school-aged boys and the author of eat. live. travel. write--a blog focusing on culinary adventures near and far. As part of her job, she runs cooking classes for boys aged 7 to 14, called Les Petits Chefs and Cooking Basics. Mardi grew up in Australia, lived and taught in Paris for over five years and now calls Toronto home. In 2014, Mardi and her husband purchased a historic home in southwest France, which they operate as a vacation rental property. Mardi is also a Food Revolution Ambassador and in her spare time teaches French cooking and baking classes. View titles by Mardi Michels

From the Introduction

There is a lot of joy in teaching kids to cook, but sometimes I’m so focused on getting everyone out the door on time that I don’t stop to take in all that we’ve accomplished. That we made pastry from scratch, and then we made quiches, and then while they were baking, we made more pastry and cleaned up, for example. In 60 minutes. But when I’m dismissing the boys and I stop to breathe, I look at their faces and I get it. Just like the parents when they pick up their boys. What’s going on is joy, creativity and, most of all, learning.

One of the greatest pleasures of teaching kids to cook comes from working with their can-do attitude, which has encouraged me in my own baking and cooking to just “have a go.” The boys NEVER think something can’t be done unless they’ve been told it’s supposed to be hard. Puff pastry? Choux pastry? Sushi? Molecular cuisine? Working alongside some of the country’s top chefs? No problem for kids who believe they can do anything. Teaching kids cooking is also about embracing their natural confidence and making them feel that anything is possible. That they can cook.

So, why a French cookbook for kids? Well, France is a country dear to my heart. I lived there for years in my late 20s and have been back countless times since I moved to Canada from my native Australia. We own a little house in southwest France, so a part of me is always there. I love writing about French culture and the French language. And, of course, I love teaching kids to cook, and I am always on the lookout for ways to incorporate a little cooking into the French as a Second Language curriculum because, well, pourquoi pas? As I’ve watched my cooking club evolve over the years to include more complex recipes that many people don’t think kids are capable of making (with a little help, of course!), the idea for this book was born. Kids can cook French food! Because despite what many people think, French food is not all sophisticated haute cuisine. At home, French people eat and cook mostly simple dishes. Dishes I know my cooking club members would love to make and eat. This book features real French food for kids, a little bit of culture, and some French language lessons too! I hope to take the intimidation factor out of French food through recipes for everyday dishes that children and their parents can make and eat together. Because you know what? Kids can cook. You just have to let them!