The sweet life in Paris : delicious adventures in the
world’s most glorious – and perplexing – city / David Lebovitz.

Much hilarity – check.
Yummy recipes – check. Colorful
descriptions of life in Paris – check.

David Lebovitz, a professional cook, decided to move from
the U.S. to Paris and in this very entertaining book, describes how he
navigates life in the city while continuing to cook. He has some funny observations of how very
tiny his Parisian kitchen is, and how he unconventionally makes use of other
rooms (bathroom, bedroom) for food preparation.
He also learns to deal with French officialdom, workmen, cutting in a
wait line, learning correct eating etiquette and the eccentricities of the
language. He makes hilarious fun of his mistakes
with the language, errors that are always made in front of an audience. But the food is the most important topic here
– shopping for food, preparing it and enjoying it with gusto. Written in shorter pieces, makes for great
casual reading.

Publisher's
Weekly Review: “The title of the fifth book from
Lebovitz, celebrated pastry chef and Chez Panisse alum, is a bit of a misnomer:
this feisty memoir-with-recipes is just as tart as it is sweet. Writing with
the same cheeky tone that has made his blog one of the most popular food sites
on the Internet, Lebovitz presents an eclectic collection of vignettes
illustrating his experiences living as an expatriate in Paris. After reading
accounts of perpetually out-of-service public toilets and hospitals that
require patients to BYOB (bring your own bandages), one begins to question
what, exactly, Lebovitz finds so intoxicating about the City of Lights. It
certainly isn't something in the water, but it just might be in le chocolat
chaud. With this book, for the first time Lebovitz expands beyond his standard
repertoire of desserts and includes a smattering of savory recipes. These range
from such classic French dishes as a warm goat cheese salad to nostalgic
American favorites like oven-roasted pork ribs with ketchup marinade. This is
not to say Lebovitz's legions of sweet-toothed fans will be disappointed-many
of the 50 recipes are made with plenty of butter and sugar; a flawless
rendition of dulce de leche brownies is sure to become the home baker's
equivalent of that tres chic little black dress, returned to again and again.”