The Short Version
The Little French Bakery Cookbook takes us through Susan’s charming stories of trials and successes in pastry school in France, interwoven between 102 recipes she teaches in her cooking school. Readers will find both savory and sweet recipes to take them on their own trip to the City of Light.
In 1998, Susan attended Le Cordon Bleu-Paris’s Pastry Program leaving behind her successful nursing career. After completing the Diplôme de Pâtisserie, she opened The Little French Bakery and Cooking School.
She began blogging her culinary stories in 2010. A self-taught photographer, Susan styles and photographs her recipes.
Little French Bakery Cookbook Summary
Written and Photographed by Susan M. Holding
The Little French Bakery Cookbook is a collection of recipes, stories and photographs by pastry chef, Susan Holding from her cooking school
The book contains over 100 recipes and 140 photos, including technique and process photos. The photos of Paris’s streets and its culinary world share Susan’s love of France.
For the pastry lover, the pastry chapter is full of tips and informative lessons for making croissants, pate a choux, tart crusts and more. Savory lovers will enjoy the recipes including Pasta a la Carla, based on a recipe Susan learned on a trip to Tuscany. French food lovers will enjoy the step by step recipe for classic Boeuf Bourguignon.
Susan started her professional career as an RN,BSN, MBA who entered the world of medical software implementation. To improve her skills, she enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu-Paris’s Pastry Program. Her journey was exciting, and often times funny. After three more trips to complete the Diplome de Patisserie, she opened The Little French Bakery and Cooking School.
Students continue to attend classes with Susan at her North Freedom, Wisconsin kitchen as well as cookware shops in the Midwest. The Little French Bakery Cookbook’s chapters contains both sweet and savory recipes, tips and instruction for even the most beginning cook. Susan’s stories of her days in culinary school are heartfelt and humorous, taking the reader with her on her journey.
In 2010, Susan started her blog, The Little French Bakery. There, she shares stories and recipes with her blog followers. A self-taught photographer, Susan has styled and photographed the recipes for the book.
Susan has continued her culinary educational by participating in classes with Colette Peters, Beatrice Peltre, Joy Wilson, Susan Herrman-Loomis, and Francois Payard.
Susan lives in rural North Freedom, Wisconsin with her husband, Gary and two dogs.
Author Bio
Susan M. Holding
Susan’s obstetric nursing career had evolved into medical software implementation. Then, in 1998, she enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu-Paris’s Basic Pastry Program. School in Paris was exciting, and life changing. After completing the Diplôme de Pâtisserie, she opened The Little French Bakery, a special order bakery and cooking school.
In 2010, Susan began blogging. Her stories of culinary school are heartfelt and humorous, taking her readers with her on the journey. A self-taught photographer, Susan was delighted to style and photograph her recipes.
She lives in rural North Freedom, Wisconsin with her husband, Gary and two dogs.