“Le bonheur est dans la cuisine!”

–And Oui, Oui, I couldn’t agree more with Clotilde Dusoulier. Clotilde newest cookbook, Tasting Paris, 100 Recipes to Eat Like a Local is a book she has long wanted to write to share the many and wonderful flavors of Paris from a local’s perspective. A cliché-free Paris that reflects the way real Parisians eat today. I am pleasantly delighted to introduce to you, Clotilde Dusoulier of Chocolate & Zucchini for our March’s Franglais Stories Feature.

pictured above: Clotilde Dusoulier, photo credit: Fabien Courmont

OOJSF:  How do you get inspired to write your cookbooks?

CD:  I love thinking up a theme and then creating a balanced set of recipes around that theme. It’s very different from Chocolate & Zucchini, which follows my serendipitous cooking. In a book, it’s like a symphony, all of the parts have to work together, and it’s both challenging and gratifying to create contrast and harmony.

What can we look forward to in your new cookbook, Tasting Paris? And can you share a recipe with us?

Tasting Paris is the book I’ve long wanted to write to share the many and wonderful flavors of Paris from a local’s perspective: a cliché-free Paris that reflects the way real Parisians eat today.

Tasting Paris features 100 recipes coming to you straight from my very own Parisian kitchen, inspired by the exciting food scene around me, and honoring the many immigrant communities who have made Paris their home.

It comes out March 20 and is already available for pre-order. I am actually offering a really cool bonus for people who pre-order: it’s an audio walking tour I’ve recorded to take you around the markets streets of my neighborhood of Montmartre. It is free to download with your pre-order receipt here: http://app.snapapp.com/tastingparis

Pictured: Croque madame from Tasting Paris cookbook , photo credit : Nicole Franzen

OOJSF:  What is your educational background?

CD:  I studied software engineering! All roads lead to food. 🙂

OOJSF:  How did you fall in love with cooking?

CD:  As a young adult, I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area to work as a software engineer and there I discovered a completely different food culture from the one I had grown up with. I was fascinated, and food and cooking became my way of getting to know my new environment and the people around me. Since then, it has remained a creative outlet and a way to bring simple joys to my life every day.

OOJSF:  What outdoor marché in Paris would you recommend?

CD: I love the marché des Batignolles on Saturday mornings. It’s all-organic, frequented by locals, and many of the vendors are farmers. It’s the place to seek out unusual produce!

OOJSF:  Any tip/tips you want to share about visiting a marché or supermarché in France?

CD:  Get there early, do a full walk-through before you buy anything and engage with the vendors.

OOJSF:  What’s the best quick fix meal for the winter months?

CD:  I love a winter vegetable curry: https://cnz.to/wintercurry

pictured above: winter curry, photo credit: Céline de Cérou

OOJSF:  What ingredient/ingredients can’t you leave without ?

CD:  We go through a lot of Dijon mustard at my house — in cooking, in bistro-style vinaigrettes, and to eat with pretty much everything.

OOJSF:  How can one learn French through cooking?

CD:  I give private walking tours of my neighborhood of Montmartre, and I meet a lot of people who speak “food French,” [i.e. : They know the basic vocabulary to read a restaurant menu. It transforms their time in France because it’s a wonderful common ground with locals]!

Also, I’ve actually put together a downloadable French food cheat sheet that you can get here: French/English Food Glossary

OOJSF:  Sometimes many visitors  frequent tourist  trapped restaurants! How would you advice them?

CD:  Mile-long menus are a turnoff, as are menus advertised in multiple languages. I recommend you do your research ahead of time, to avoid having to make decisions when you’re getting hangry (hungry-angry). If you know the neighborhoods you’ll be visiting, make a note of 1-2 options that are recommended from good sites. I have a full list of tips on Chocolate & Zucchini on how to pick a Paris restaurant: Tips for Picking Parisian Restaurants

OOJSF:  How is life as a solopreneur?

CD:  I love it! I can’t imagine anything more fitting for me. I get to chose my own adventure every day and follow my passion and curiosity.

OOJSF:  What tools do you use in the kitchen to make your life easier? 

CD:  J’aime avoir une grande planche à découper : si on a une toute petite surface de travail, on passe son temps à faire tomber des morceaux de légumes, c’est énervant. 🙂

OOJSF:  As a mom, how do you get your kid(s) to eat healthy?

CD:  I abide by the division of responsibility. I’m responsible for offering them a variety of nutritious foods; they’re responsible for deciding what and how much they eat. I don’t comment, I don’t cajole, I don’t reprimand, and I don’t compliment. As a result, they eat and like many things. They also don’t eat and don’t like many things, but all in all, they get what they need!

OOJSF:  March is Women’s Month! How should  women be celebrated this month and everyday?

CD:  Cultivating an empowered mindset is everything. I believe we all need — men and women — to learn to manage our mind so we can create the lives we want, and be more of who we want to be. I’ve actually created a whole podcast — in French — around those topics, called Change ma vie : Outils pour l’esprit, Change Ma Vie Podcast

OOJSF:  There’s this secret that French women can eat whatever they want and still be slim. How true is that?

CD: I don’t think that’s true at all. The diet industry is flourishing in France, and women are just as worried about their figure in France as in all developed countries. That said, we have a strong culture of home cooking with fresh ingredients, which is key to maintaining a healthy diet, and the portions served at restaurants are typically smaller, so dining out is less of an exercise in willpower.

“I certainly find happiness in the kitchen myself.”- Clotilde Dusoulier