Big Heart Little Stove - by Erin French (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Big Heart, Little Stove is more than a cookbook. Erin French, restaurateur of the beloved 40-seat restaurant in Freedom, Maine, The Lost Kitchen, provides a guide to creating the perfect environment for a comforting, but elegant, meal. With over 75 recipes for dishes ranging from crowd-pleasing appetizer bites like Pecorino Puffs, luscious soups like Golden Tomato and Peach, to showstopping main courses like Pickle-Brined Roast Chicken, and more, this cookbook has all the tricks you need for a seamless family meal or dinner party, with plenty of advice for prepping ahead of time and how best to present your dishes. But what's even better: known for her design sense and eye for detail, French shares some of her "Signatures" - her easy ways to dress up a table, add in a special treat, or generally wow your guests, with much less effort than you might expect. Full of warmth and spirit, Big Heart, Little Stove will show you how to bring laughter and decadence to your table through the simplest of touches - with just a whole lotta heart"--

Book Synopsis

Big Heart Little Stove is your new go-to inspiration for cooking thoughtful and meaningful, yet refreshingly simple meals. With more than 75 recipes and her favorite hospitality "signatures," Erin French--author of The Lost Kitchen cookbook and the New York Times-bestselling memoir Finding Freedom--invites readers to bring a piece of her beloved restaurant, The Lost Kitchen, home with them.

With dishes pulled from French's family recipe box and the menu at The Lost Kitchen, ranging from irresistible nibbles like Pecorino Puffs and Gram's Clam Dip; to luscious soups like Golden Tomato & Peach and Potato & Lentil with Bacon and Herbs; to heaping platters of family-style salads and sides like Peach & Blackberry Salad and Green Beans with Sage, Garlic, and Breadcrumbs; to show-stopping main courses like Pickle-Brined Roast Chicken and Wednesday Night Fish Fry; to French's favorite all-purpose kitchen staples like Kitchen Sink Pesto and Floral Vinegar, this cookbook has all the tools you need for assembling a seamlessly special meal.

To round things out, there are beverages to sip as dinner comes off the stove (Fresh Fruit Shrubs, Slush Puppies) and desserts to make your guests feel truly looked after (Salted Caramel Custards, Roasted Peach Pie with Almond and Fennel). And because weekend mornings deserve celebrating too, there are feel-good treats like Sunday Skillet Cakes and Little Nutmeg Diner Donuts.

Regardless of whether it's a dressed-up affair or a quick weeknight meal, French's recommendations are the same: Start with the best ingredients you can find, keep it simple, and serve with love.

But Big Heart Little Stove is more than just a cookbook. With tips and tricks French has used in her own dining room--at home and in the restaurant--this book is your invitation to use what's around you to create meaningful moments, from setting a table with found treasures, to adorning dishes with edible flowers, to thoughtful gestures such as offering a cold cloth on a hot day. Full of warmth and spirit, Big Heart Little Stove will show you how to create more joy and connection around your table.

Review Quotes

"I love Erin French's simple, elegant food. This gorgeous book is filled with recipes that I'm going to make over and over again!"
--Ina Garten

About the Author

Erin French is the owner and chef of The Lost Kitchen, a 40-seat restaurant in Freedom, Maine, that was recently named one of TIME Magazine's World's Greatest Places and one of "12 Restaurants Worth Traveling Across the World to Experience" by Bloomberg. She is the author of the New York Times bestselling memoir, Finding Freedom, and features in Magnolia Network's The Lost Kitchen. A born-and-raised native of Maine, she learned early the simple pleasures of thoughtful food and the importance of gathering for a meal. Her love of sharing Maine and its delicious heritage with curious dinner guests and new friends alike has been lauded by such outlets such as The New York Times, Martha Stewart Living, NPR's All Things Considered, The Chew, CBS This Morning, The Today Show, Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, and Food & Wine.