Patricia Wells – författare

Patricia Wells, long recognized as the leading American authority on French food, and her husband, Walter, live the life in France that many of us have often fantasized about. After more than a quarter century, they are as close to being accepted as "French" as any non-natives can be. In this delightful memoir they share in two voices their experiences—the good, the bad, and the funny—offering a charming and evocative account of their beloved home and some of the wonderful people they have met along the way. Full of the flavor and color of the couple''s adopted country, this tandem memoir reflects on the life that France has made possible for them and explores how living abroad has shaped their relationship.

Written in lyrical, sensuous prose and filled with anecdotes, insights, and endearing snapshots of Walter and Patricia over the years, We''ve Always Had Paris . . . and Provence beautifully conveys the nuances of the French and their culture as only a practiced observer can. Literally a moveable feast to be savored and shared, including more than thirty recipes that will delight readers and cooks alike, the couple''s valentine to France and to each other is delicious in every way.

Celebrated journalist, author, and teacher Patricia Wells reveals the secrets behind the legendary truffle in this charming cookbook—featuring lush color photographs and sixty delectable recipes

What delicacy is more revered or less understood than the black truffle? Its scent is heady, its flavor sublime, and lovers of truffles are just as fascinated by the history, lore, and mystique of truffle-hunting as they are eager to eat the truffles themselves. Patricia Wells explores the subject in depth, explaining how to capture the true flavors of this rarity, examining what to do with a single truffle, expanding and embellishing its extraordinary aroma, texture, flavor, and pure gastronomic pleasure. Drawing upon twenty-five years of hands-on research in Provence, the modern world’s capital of the black truffle, she offers sixty tried-and-true, well-tested recipes that capture the truffle’s exceptional and complex flavor.

Enjoy Creamy Polenta with Truffles and Poached Eggs for a weekend brunch. Dine on Seared Duck Breast with Truffled Sauce Poulette or Truffle Risotto with Parmesan Broth. For casual entertaining, try Pecorino-Romano and Truffle Pizza. And for a wonderful cold winter evening, whip up a batch of Pumpkin Soup with Truffle Cream, Curry, Pumpkin Seed Oil, and Truffles.

In addition to her recipes, Wells provides a range of menu suggestions and wine pairings, perfect for serving food with just a hint of truffle flavor or preparing a holiday feast for friends and family. The story and folklore behind the pursuit of truffles round out this extensive cookbook—perfect for connoisseurs and novices alike.

A master class in fresh, delicious, French-inspired cooking

Since 1995, students have waited months and sometimes years for the privilege of learning to cook with Patricia Wells at Chanteduc, her eighteenth-century Provençal farmhouse, and at her Parisian cooking studio. Now, the culinary legend invites home cooks into her life in France, making the recipes from her popular classes available to fans who dream of embarking on their own gastronomic adventure in the world's culinary capital.

Beautifully designed and lavishly illustrated with stunning color photographs, The French Kitchen Cookbook offers simple yet profound pleasures to Patricia's students: the satisfaction of preparing a perfect fruit tart; the gratification of extracting a warm, fragrant, golden brioche from the oven; the giddiness of sharing a meal with a group of former strangers who quickly become lifelong friends.

Patricia's meticulously written recipes explain the basics—rules that will help anyone become a better cook—while providing the deep satisfaction that comes from creating exquisite food that extracts the best of fresh ingredients. Here are some of her best recipes for appetizers, desserts, and everything in between, dishes inspired by the vibrant Provençal countryside and the bustle of Parisian life, including Miniature Onion and Goat Cheese Tatins, Zucchini and Basil Velouté, Fricassée of Chicken with Fennel, Capers, Tomatoes and Sausage, and Apricot and Lavender Honey Sorbet.

"The French Kitchen Cookbook is about a way of life and a lifestyle of food and entertaining," Patricia writes. "It is all about the joys of combining good food, good wine, and friends altogether around the table—an experience we can enjoy day in and day out, any time."

Famed bestselling cookbook author Patricia Wells creates a blueprint for success in the kitchen with this superb collection of recipes drawn from her cooking schools in France—the perfect successor to Julia Child’s classic The Way to Cook.

At her cooking schools in Paris and Provence, Patricia Wells’s students leave with more confidence in the kitchen than they ever experienced before. Now, home cooks can learn from the master, known for her collections of delectable, precise, and well-tested, recipes.

Here Patricia Wells codifies the skills she imparts in her classes in this inviting instruction manual and cookbook. Each of the recipes teaches particular techniques—blanching, searing, simmering, sweating, steaming, braising, deep-frying—with additional recipes that take your skills in directions both savory and sweet, simple and profound—giving you the knowledge and assurance to expand your cooking even further.

For each master recipe, Patricia provides creative sub recipes, such as:

Patricia also provides a list of pantry essentials, necessary equipment, sources for finding the best ingredients—such as oils, fish and shellfish—a dependable list of preferred wine importers, and advice on when to make easy ingredient substitutions and when to stick to the original recipe.