Around My French Table

Dori Greenspan is an American who lives part time in Paris, which is a dream for many. Despite getting a late start on cooking (after a kitchen disaster at the age of 12), she has written 14 cookbooks and won five James Beard awards.

Most of her books are about baking, but Around My French Table is more of an everything book. It was first published in 2010, but the recipes in it are evergreen, like most French cuisine. Classics like French onion soup, roast chicken, and French apple cake are always on-trend in my house.

Quatre-Quarts

Quatre-Quarts means "four fourths" in French, and it has the same basic origin as an American pound cake. It's traditionally made with equal weights of eggs, sugar, flour, and butter. The author has modified that a bit for modern North American ingredients, and it works well.