The greatest female chefs in Europe-from the critically acclaimed to the fresh young talents-invite us to discover their universe: from behind-the-scenes in their restaurants to market expeditions and visits to local producers. These thirty chefs include renowned heiresses of European cuisine and others on the cusp of culinary stardom. After showing us around their kitchens, they share the secrets of their incomparable dishes.An impressive quartet of Michelin three-star chefs tops the list: Nadia Santini of the famous Dal Pescatore in Lombardy proposes a tortelli of melted goat cheese and white truffles; Annie Feolde from the Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence dishes out "guitar-string" spaghetti with sun dried tomatoes in a sweet-pea sauce; Elena Arzak in San Sebastian serves up recipes with playful names like "customs officers with greens," and Luisa Valazza at the Al Sorriso in Piedmont sweetens the finish with a fig fritter and gelato glazed in a blueberry sauce. A duo of two-star French chefs offer sweet and savory: Pastry queen Héléne Darroze dazzles with her dark chocolate biscuit with vanilla-rum ice cream and Anne-Sophie Pic roasts venison medallions with chestnut polenta, saffron-quince jam, and grapes marinated in Marc de l'Hermitage.Chefs to watch-England's Ruth Rogers, Paris' Olympe, and Austria's Johanna Maier-celebrate the freshest products of their native countries. From Italy, France, Spain, and England to Switzerland, Belgium, Luxemburg, Germany, and Austria, these women have reclaimed the world's most prestigious kitchens with a refreshing creativity and dedication to the craft that is leading the hottest trends in international cuisine....

This “Petit Pudlo” is a guide to the best hotels, restaurants, cafes, and food shops in more than 150 cities, towns, and villages in the beautiful French provinces of Normandy and Brittany.

Normandy, the site of the D-Day landing beaches, museum, and memorials, probably has more significance to American visitors than any other part of France. A milestone event of great Franco-American importance, the dedication on June 6, 2007, of the Normandy Cemetery Visitor Center on the sixty-third anniversary of the landings, ensures its continued popularity. Also home to legendary Mont-Saint-Michel, the Bayeux Tapestry, and Giverny (the home of Claude Monet), Normandy is the third most popular destination in France for Americans after Paris and Versailles. Brittany, next door, offers 800 miles of grand rocky coastline, fishing villages, and prehistoric menhirs.

Gilles Pudlowski’s guide profiles hundreds of hotels and restaurants serving the fish, shellfish, duck, and famous cheeses for which this region is known, as well as its most charming cafes and typically Breton creperies. In addition, specialty gourmet stores that offer the bounty of these gastronomic provinces are listed for each town....