Cuisine and geopolitics, 100% plant-based recipes by Jean Sulpice, and hikes through Mediterranean vineyards: our selection of food-themed reads for this summer.
The magazine, which invites readers to reflect on the major events of our time, dedicates its twelfth issue to cooking. The first 90 pages alternate between historical, geopolitical, and socioeconomic topics, demonstrating just how much food is a political issue. Our colleague François-Régis Gaudry, host of the show *On va déguster* on France Inter, invites us to follow him to Taiwan, where street food has become a tool of power for an island in conflict with China. The magazine also looks back at the history of products like sugarcane—a legacy of the colonial past—before addressing the topic of culinary diplomacy, explaining how it can play a central role in certain countries, particularly in the Middle East, where hummus is at the center of political pressures and power struggles. The overall tone is more or less serious, but the topics remain highly relevant. A few recipes from chefs in exile are also featured, including Ukrainian borscht and arroz de feijão. This is an extraordinary issue that demonstrates how cuisine lies at the heart of all contemporary issues.
100 Culinary Creations Inspired by the Earth and Living Things
A new book by Chef Jean Sulpice of Auberge du Père Bise (4 toques, 18/20), located on the shores of Lake Annecy. In it, he presents a 100% plant-based cuisine brimming with color, freshness, and indulgence. The chef details simple, accessible recipes, each enhanced with a subtle touch that elevates them to exceptional dishes—such as saffron panna cotta with tarragon-infused bell peppers or peas, pistachios, pickled cherries, and mint. These are inspiring creations, inspired by nature and the mountains the chef loves so much. He also reveals numerous techniques to elevate your dishes, such as chips and tuiles, purees made from dried fruits and seeds, ice creams and sorbets, and miso made from lovage, black garlic, or beets. Throughout the book, Jean Sulpice provides readers with the keys to creating dishes with vegetables, depending on the season and what’s currently in harvest. A beautiful book that makes you want to head to the kitchen to cook with these inspiring vegetables all year round.
▶ Éditions de la Martinière – €45.90
Mediterranean Wine Hikes
How can you combine wine tourism with outdoor adventures? Christelle Zamora, a journalist, author, and wine law specialist, has found the solution by unveiling the most beautiful hikes through Mediterranean wine regions. The book features forty detailed itineraries for all skill levels, ranging from coastal to inland routes. Each route centers around a vineyard where the grapes are grown using organic or biodynamic methods. For example, head to Calce in the Pyrénées-Orientales: Christelle Zamora sets the starting point of the hike at Olivier Pithon’s estate for a loop of just under ten kilometers through century-old vineyards, transhumance trails, and garrigue. Of course, she provides all the useful information: the essentials about the estate, its visiting hours, nearby attractions, where to taste the wines, and she shares her favorite wine along the way. From Banyuls to Nice, this guide invites you to discover a wine-growing region with breathtaking landscapes… while walking and drinking in moderation.
▶ Helvetiq – €22
And also
The Great Dictionary of Beer, by Élisabeth Pierre (Christine Bonneton – €23.90); 40 Keys to Understanding Beer, by Jean-Paul Hébert and Dany Léo Griffon (Éditions Quae – €12.50); Plant-Based & Raw, by Fabien Borgel and Pascale Migotto (Éditions Alternatives – €22); The Best Organic Wines of France, by Pierre Guigui (BBD Éditions – €24.90); Turkey, by Mireille Sanchez (Éditions de La Martinière – €22.90).
