2 of 2 copies available
The French celebrate food and drink more than any other people, and Peter Mayle shows us just how contagious their enthusiasm can be. We visit the Foire aux Escargots. We attend a truly French marathon, where the beverage of choice is Château Lafite-Rothschild rather than Gatorade. We search out the most pungent cheese in France, and eavesdrop on a heated debate on the perfect way to prepare an omelet. We even attend a Catholic mass in the village of Richerenches, a sacred event at which thanks are given for the aromatic, mysterious, and breathtakingly expensive black truffle. With Mayle as our charming guide, we come away satisfied (if a little hungry), and with a sudden desire to book a flight to France at once.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Awards
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Release date
May 8, 2001 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781415964330
- File size: 165939 KB
- Duration: 05:45:42
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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If "the education of the stomach is never complete," as bon vivant Peter Mayle contends, his travelogue of French festivals and gastronomic ftes is a delightful lesson. Simon Jones performs Mayle's firsthand account with absolute assurance and skill. With a flawless accent, and perfect tone and pace, Jones is our fearless guide to some highly unusual but diverting events. He uses just the right sotto voce asides on wine-tasting spitting manners and delivers mouth-watering descriptions of local cheeses and cuisine minceur. The author could not ask for a better rendition, as Jones teases out the humor and farce while delivering Mayle's keen observations. Listeners will find themselves planning their own excursion. R.F.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine -
August 6, 2001
In this latest book, part travelogue, part guide to cuisine, Mayle leaves his beloved Provence behind and sets out to experience gastronomic pleasures available at food festivals and celebrations throughout France. The always curious and friendly Mayle befriends colorful locals at such events as a frog's-leg festival in Vitel, where "thigh tasting" is regarded as a reverent act. The best advice when eating escargots, he finds, is that one should eat them "through the nose, not through the eyes." By far the most fascinating and bizarre event is a Catholic mass in the village of Richerenches whose main purpose is giving thanks for the adored, rare and costly black truffle. Mayle's wry, colorful and playful prose effectively conveys just how seriously the French take their food. Simon Jones, who also gave a wonderful reading of Mayle's A Dog's Life, is a highly entertaining performer with a voice and energy reminiscent of John Cleese. Paired with Mayle's witty and unpretentious style, his reading makes listening to this book delicious and satisfying. Simultaneous release with the Knopf hardcover.
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