Clotilde Dusoulier
Clotilde Dusoulier is the Parisian behind the wildly successful blog Chocolate & Zucchini, where she shares her passion for all things food-related—thoughts, recipes, musings, cookbook acquisitions, quirky ingredients, nifty tools, restaurant experiences, ideas, and inspirations. Created in September 2003, Chocolate & Zucchini has since spawned the books Chocolate and Zucchini: Daily Adventures in a Parisian Kitchen and Clotilde's Edible Adventures in Paris. She just completed the English adaptation of the French classic I Know How to Cook.
The authors of the The Illustrated Kitchen Bible serve up an Asian-inspired dish that can be enjoyed around the world.
Soba Salad with Shrimp and Avocado by Victoria Blashford-Snell and Brigitte Hafner
I have become very interested in Japanese cuisine, and built myself a basic Japanese pantry so I can start learning the basic techniques. Soba is one of my favorite ingredients.
Restaurant
If you are looking for one of the best restaurants in Paris, just ask the locals and there’s a good chance they’ll send you here.
I love Chéri Bibi, in the 18th Arrondissement in Paris. It's a very cozy place, and the dining area is furnished with flea-market furniture from the '60s and '70s. It's escapist French cuisine—French with international influences—and very popular in the neighborhood.
This is the encyclopedia of gastronomy—a classic text on the art of French cuisine.
I look to it for the definitive recipes and definitions, and also the photos. It is very precise, and I like precision. Its credibility is comforting to me. Everyone who writes needs to build a shelf of solid reference books.
Food Destination
Romance aside, Paris is indeed the place for love—a love of food.
It has to be Paris. The food scene is very diverse, with traditional and classic establishments all at the same time. I love the energy and the creativity, the new ways of departing from tradition. The greatest artisans are in Paris because in France, Paris is it: One sixth of the French population is in and around Paris. And in the past decade, especially with people becoming better-traveled, the expectations are higher, the quality is raised.
Plus: Check out Hungry Beast for more news on the latest restaurants, hot chefs, and tasty recipes.
