An inspired introduction to French cooking, and a perfect gift for the gastronomically-inclined.

From the legend of the Tatin sisters, who dropped the famous apple cake and quickly turned it over-- and into--one of the greatest pies the world has ever known, to the Tournedos so elegantly named after Rossini—but first served to the composer “en tournant le dos” or “turning the back” to the other customers of the restaurant so that they wouldn’t ask for one too, Petites Histoires de derrière les fourneaux tells the tale behind France’s best-loved recipes with charming watercolors, and simple instructions, to delight cooks of all ages.

The fifteen entries each begin with the story of the origin of the dish, capturing an element of the dish’s genesis and shedding light on the history of gastronomy. As evidenced here, many of the world’s most successful dishes were not necessarily long sought-after and many a mishap turned into an inspiration. For an English-language edition the author is ready to add frites, crème chantilly and more.