"Maman: The Cookbook: All-Day Recipes to Warm Your Heart" is a cookbook, a memoir, and a love story. Husband and wife team Benjamin Sormonte and Elisa Marshall, creators and co-owners of Maman (French for Mother) have crafted a very special brand for their restaurants, catering and event business, and designer paper products with pop-up shops, stationery, and a party collection. Their beautiful trademark blue and white prints have a rustic elegance all their own. Both Elisa and Benjamin were raised in big, loving families--Elisa in Canada and Benjamin in France--where their mamans instilled in them a love of great food and cooking. Each of the mamans were instrumental in creating the menus, decor, atmosphere, and sense of community that epitomizes the Maman brand. The cookbook features 100 recipes from around the world, and they are divided into sections titled "Sunrise", "All-Day Cafe", and "Sweets and Sips". The book is filled with beautiful color photos of food and more. A section called "Equipment" lists essential tools and some helpful items to have on hand. The recipes are amazing, and, so far, I have tried one recipe from each section. A southern girl like me simply could not resist "Maman's Breakfast Sandwich with Bourbon-Bacon Jam". This is a big, both hands required, meal on a bun. Layers of tomato, egg, and avocado are bought together by a generous amount of rich bourbon-bacon jam (recipe included). Quiche is one of my favorites, and I chose classic "Quiche Lorraine"--its savory goodness enhanced here by nutmeg. sea salt, and freshly-ground black pepper. "Ashleigh's Carrot Cake with Brown-Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting" was my sweet treat--a delicious confection filled with spices, carrots, pineapple and walnuts. I am not ashamed to say that I could have eaten the whole bowl of frosting by itself with a spoon. There are many more recipes, both savory and sweet, that I look forward to trying very soon. To give the food an authentic Maman ambience, I will be serving it on my own pretty set of vintage blue and white dishes.

Disclosure: "I've received a free copy from Clarkson Potter in exchange for a free and unbiased review." ( )