It's almost spring, and the Bitneys have returned for another season in Provence amid the olive trees, orchards and vineyards. With the renovations of their villa almost done, there is now time to learn more about the land they want to live in... Great sights lie within easy reach: the magnificent Roman Pont du Gard; Aix-en-Provence, where myriads of fountains blow water into the air; Arles, where Van Gogh painted his greatest masterpieces; and there are even unexpected festivals along the way. For Gordon Bitney, this also becomes his own personal journey: adapting to another culture, learning French and finding his legs on a bicycle. His wry sense of humour about himself and others brings a measure of fun to every page. He says, a How can you resist a place that gets three hundred sunny days every year?'
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • In this witty and warm-hearted account, Peter Mayle tells what it is like to realize a long-cherished dream and actually move into a 200-year-old stone farmhouse in the remote country of the Lubéron with his wife and two large dogs. He endures January's frosty mistral as it comes howling down the Rhône Valley, discovers the secrets of goat racing through the middle of town, and delights in the glorious regional cuisine. A Year in Provence transports us into all the earthy pleasures of Provençal life and lets us live vicariously at a tempo governed by seasons, not by days.
No matter where you live, or how gloomy it may be outside, Patricia Wells will brighten your kitchen with the sunny flavors of France's bountiful south with The Provence Cookbook. A French-food expert and longtime Provence resident, Patricia offers readers an intimate guide to the culinary treasures of this sun-drenched landscape and dishes that will transport you and your guests with every flavorful bite. The Provence Cookbook's 175 enticing recipes reflect Patricia's long and close ties with the farmers and purveyors who provide her and her neighbors in Provence with a kaleidoscope of high-quality foods. Their year-round bounty is the inspiration for these exciting, healthful Mediterranean-French dishes,which Patricia shares with home cooks everywhere. Over the past twenty years, it is Patricia who has often been the student, learning Provencal ways and regional recipes directly from the locals. With The Provence Cookbook, her readers benefit from this rich inheritance, as she passes along such recipes as My Vegetable Man's Asparagus Flan, or Maussane Potter's Spaghetti. Along side authentic and flavorful dishes for every course from hors d'oeuvre to dessert, as wellas pantry staples, The Provence Cookbook features eighty-eight of Patricia's artful black-and-white photographs of Provence's farmers, shopkeepers, and delightful products. More than a cookbook, this is also a complete guide and handbook to Provencal dining, with vendor profiles, restaurant and food shop recommendations and contact information, and twelve tempting menus -- delight in An August Dinner at Sunset or perhaps A Winter Truffle Feast. Whether you are a home cook, a traveler, or an armchair adventurer, enjoy Provence as the locals do, with Patricia Wells and The Provence Cookbook as your guides.
A woman’s peaceful life in a clifftop French villa is threatened by the past: “Threaded with mystery and menace . . . the story kept me gripped.” —Dinah Jefferies, bestselling author As an adventurous teenager, Grace came to France amid the student protests and upheavals of 1968—and became involved in relationships with two men, one tempestuous, the other gentle and supportive. But the romantic triangle came to an end when one of the men died by drowning. Decades later, Grace remains in her adopted country, living happily with her husband, Peter, in a beautiful, secluded home in Provence. Her sole focus is keeping Peter’s stress to a minimum while he awaits his upcoming heart surgery. But after all these years, Grace is confronted by a visitor she never expected to see—and must keep her escalating fear hidden from her ailing husband, in this epic, time-spanning story of love and betrayal from the bestselling author. “A beautifully woven and compelling tale of passion, love and intrigue.” —Rowan Coleman, author of We Are All Made of Stars “Carol Drinkwater's writing is like taking an amazing holiday in book form.” —Jenny Colgan, New York Times–bestselling author “Given extra resonance by the beautifully drawn French landscape. Emotional and tenderly written.” —Elizabeth Buchan, author of Consider the Lily
ENCORE PROVENCE continues the account of an Englishman's life abroad. Among other curiosities, explore a school for noses in Haute Provence, the mysterious death of an oversexed butcher, the quest for the finest bouillabaisse and an assortment of the characters who lie in wait in bars and on boules courts. And, of course, the essential importance of lunch. BON APPETIT!
This is a book about life, how to make the most of it, how to find your balance when you are working long days and trying to be happy and fulfilled. Mireille Guiliano has written the kind of book she wishes she had been given when starting out in the business world and had at hand along the way.She draws on her own experiences at the forefront of women in business to offer lessons, stories, helpful hints - and even recipes! - that can make the working world a happier and more satisfying part of a well-balanced life. Mireille talks about style, communication skills, risk taking, leadership, etiquette, mentoring, personal relationships and much more, all from a perspective of three decades in business. This book is about helping women (and a few men, peut-etre) feel good about themselves, being challenged and engaged in our working lives, and always looking for pleasure in every single day.
The text by Christiane Meunier, a professional in the field of fragrances, recounts the history of lavender. Readers learn that it has grown naturally in Provence since ancient times, when it was widely used to perfume bathwater. In the Middle Ages it was used medicinally and as a scent, and by 1900 farmers in the South of France had begun to grow lavender commercially. Today, as Silvester's photographs demonstrate, lavender appears as an integral part of the landscape of Provence, an essential element of its character and beauty.
Winner for the UK in the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2020 in the Mediterranean category. Provence is the fruit and vegetable garden of France, where much of its most beautiful produce is grown. These ingredients combined with Provence's unique identity, position and history have resulted in a cuisine full of heart, balance and soul, a cuisine that showcases its peoples' reverence for the produce, the changing seasons and the land. Caroline Rimbert Craig's maternal family hail from the southern foothills of Mont Ventoux, where the sun beats hard and dry, but aromatic herbs, vines and fruit trees prosper. This is her guide to cooking the Provençal way, for those who want to eat simply but well, who love to cook dishes that rhyme with the seasons, and who want to recreate the flavours of the Mediterranean at home, wherever that may be.
"Will having smoke repeatedly blown in his face deter a foreigner from breaking in to French culture? Find out, as Paul Shore's evocative story telling, wry wit, and big heart, inspire and entertain you, as he tells the tale of how he gained acceptance inside a charming village in France. Shore's storytelling humorously celebrates the "uncorking" of many of France's most cherished traditions -- learning to play boules under the clandestine cover of darkness; cheese-plate etiquette; drinking before noon; and dodging exhaled cigarette smoke!"--Provided by publisher.
