Review: 'À Table: Recipes for Cooking + Eating the French Way' by Rebekah Peppler

Guys.... I made a tomato tart. This may not sounds intense to anyone else, but I was very nervous. I prepped the dough the night before. I measured the sour cream, I rested the tomatoes so they would dry out a bit. And then I sat in front of the oven for 45 minutes, just waiting for the inevitable moment I would realize I had done something wrong. But the moment never came thanks to Rebekah Peppler's excellent guidance! Thanks to Chronicle Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Pub. Date: 4/6/2021
Publisher: Chronicle Books

Mastering the Art of French Cooking meets Dinner: Changing the Game in a beautifully photographed, fresh approach to French cooking and gathering, with 125 simple recipes.

Voilà! Here is an alluring, delicious invitation to the French table. At once a repertoire-building cookbook and a stylish guide to easy gathering over food and drink, À Table features 125 simple, elegant recipes that reflect a modern, multicultural French table. 

Paris-based American food writer Rebekah Peppler includes classics, regional specialties, and dishes with a strong international influence. Here are recipes for all the courses, from snacks to desserts, organized into before, during, and after-dinner chapters.

Perfect for: 

• Home cooks looking for accessible French recipes, relying less on fancy techniques and more on ease and accessibility 

• Fans of Rebecca Peppler's work, including her James-Beard Award nominated book, Apperatif

• People of all ages who like to host unfussy gatherings with delicious food and minimal prep for themselves or a small crowd

 I have been slowly but surely getting more into cooking. I have always adored baking, it was something I did together with my mother and grandmother. But when it comes to cooking, I mostly ended up watching them and my father work their magic. As I haven't seen some of my family and friends in over a year, I figured cooking foods that reminded me of them would be one way to feel closer. But while I love looking at recipes and imagining myself cooking them in elegant kitchens I never actually get into the kitchen. À Table came to the rescue. Inspired by her own experiences living and cooking in France for her friends, Rebekah Peppler presents a whole set of recipes in a no-fuss way that makes them very approachable. At no point did I feel intimidated.

The book is separated into three sections: 'Before', 'During' and 'After'. À Table sets you up for a whole evening with friends and family with recipes ranging from easy to more complex. Each recipe has a personal touch in which Rebekah shares her own inspiration for them, whether it is a visit to a French market or her ex-girlfriend's baking. As I said above, I already tried my hand at the Tomato Tart and also tried out the French Carrot Salad. For some of the bigger dishes I'm waiting for lockdown regulations to soften a little so I can use them to reconnect with friends and family. Rebekah gives all measurements in both the metric and imperial system, which is a major bonus. I can't count the amount of times I have stepped away from amazing looking recipes because I needed to do complex math to figure out what I needed. Rebekah also gives suggestions on how to re-use sauces etc. and lets you know how long you can keep your culinary creations. 

Like I said, À Table completely clicked with me. It is actually the first cookbook I'm desperate to own a physical copy of because each section and almost every recipe looks amazing. What also helps is that the photographs in this cookbook are beautiful. There is a clear sense that the food in this book is meant to be enjoyed, that your kitchen after a night will be messy but that it is fine that way, and that cooking and baking is nothing to be afraid of. What can I say, perfect cookbook is perfect! I also highly recommend that you follow Rebekah on Instagram (@rebekahpeppler) because she shares recipes there as well. She has also just started Club Apéro through DEMI, which I haven't yet joined myself but that is only because of finances. Food is a universal love language and À Table helped me become just that little bit more fluent.

I give this book...

5 Universes!

I loved À Table, in case that wasn't clear yet. Rebekah Peppler has won herself a lifelong fan with this book and her previous book, Apéritif, is next on my list. If you want an entry into French cuisine or just get a little, but gentle, push into cooking and baking, I wholeheartedly recommend À Table.