Cookbooks make our world smaller. How can I know the distance between my quiet home kitchen in Halifax and, the world-famous Poilâne bakery in Paris, France? As I open the cover of the cookbook of the same name, I can tell you that the distance is almost imperceptible. Looking at the gorgeous photography of bakery and its wares and, reading through the story of this (almost) hundred-year-old bakery written by the founder’s granddaughter, Apollonia Poilâne, I can almost smell the freshly baked sourdough. One day I’ll travel to Paris so I can enjoy one of their beautiful loaves baked fresh from their wood-fired oven. But, until then, I will content myself with enjoying the recipes from the Poilâne cookbook.