The Year in Books: February with Confessions of a French Baker by Peter Mayle

Confessions of a French Baker by Peter Mayle

I’ve finished all of Peter Mayle’s novels and non-fiction books, and have turned to Confessions of a French Baker, a little tome on French baking. Co-authored by famous Provençal baker Gerard Auzet, this book is divided into two parts. The first half of the book discusses Mayle’s relationship with the French baker and his observations of the […]

The Year in Books: January with The Craft Cocktail Party by Julie Reiner

The Craft Cocktail Party by Julie Reimer

Tomiko and I found The Craft Cocktail Party by Julie Reiner at our public library and have since been working on collecting a variety of liquors and liqueurs with which to make delicious cocktails. Reiner is co-owner of a couple swanky bars in New York City and one of the few people responsible for the current revival […]

The Year in Books: November with Encore Provence by Peter Mayle

Encore Provence by Peter Mayle

In November, I’m reading Encore Provence: New Adventures in the South of France by Peter Mayle. Having recently visited New Orleans and driven throughout Quebec this past year, I’ve found that I’m devouring books about France and French culture. Although of course the French culture in North America is vastly different than that in actual […]

The Year in Books: October with A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

The Year in Books: October with A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson chronicles the author’s attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail, starting off in Georgia on March 9. The Appalachain Trail runs more than 2,100 miles across 14 states, from Georgia in the south to Maine in the northeast. Before attempting the trail, Bryson does some […]

The Year In Books: September with French Lessons by Peter Mayle

The Year in Books: September with French Lessons by Peter Mayle

French Lessons: Adventures with Knife, Fork, and Corkscrew by Peter Mayle chronicles the culinary adventures of an English writer living in Provence. While eating across the country with his friends, Mayle finds out how the French stress the importance of local and seasonal foods. One such example is how the chicken farmers of Bresse mark each bird […]