David Toutain

Famous for his Michelin two-star restaurant in Paris, chef David Toutain returns to his roots in Normandy to draw inspiration for fifty dishes.

"Creation," Toutain notes, "is a matter of of taste and revisiting memory." In this dramatically evocative book he traces the connection between the familiar ingredients of his childhood just south of Caen and the cooking for which is now renowned.

There is a contrast between the rustic fields and windswept beaches of Normandy and the elegantly plated food that Toutain serves at his eponymous restaurant. But astute photographic juxtapositions allow readers to participate in the chef's imaginative recall.

Many of the dishes are striking in their simplcity: haricots verts with caviar; grilled baby corn; potatoes with smoked milk; lobster with beets and blackberries; mackerel with sorrel. Toutain is not slavish in his devotion solely to Norman foods and some dishes do incorporate ingredients from outside the regions. But every one is beautifully photographed, offering abundant inspiration.

Hardcover. Color photographs throughout.

In French. Recipes are printed in a separate booklet that fits in a pocket inside the back cover of the book.