Susan Herrmann Loomis’ cookbook “ Plat du Jour: French Dinners Made Easy” is a virtual journey to culinary France via recipes, photos, anecdotes and tips. From French “plat du jour” means dish of the day. Loomis is talking about “those dishes you find on handwritten menus outside French bistros or cafés, the ones that beckon everyone inside to sample a restaurant’s mouthwatering menu.” She says “Most plats du jour are classics lifted from the heart of French regional cuisine, dishes that evoke the essence of France, the spirit of terroir and grandmere… from Boeuf Bourguignon and Blanquette de Veau to Bouillabaisse and Croque Monsieur.”
Loomis revisits the mysteries of French cuisine describing the French approach to making everyday meals by pairing substantial main dishes such as Poule au Pot with just the right starter, side and/or desert. “Plat du Jour” makes every dinner a special event and as easy as un, deux trois. The author lives and teaches in Paris. She is the author of “In a French Kitchen,” “On Rue Tatin,” and “French Grill.”