Lunch in Paris: A Love Story, with Recipes
is a charming memoirs book, offering a glimpse into the fascinating French lifestyle, love, culture, American lifestyle and cooking at the beginning of the century. Each chapter of the book ends with 2-4 great recipes, somehow related to the story, which practically urge you to stop the reading and try to cook that very recipe.
But more than being just a love story or a cooking book, Lunch in Paris: A love story with recipes is a book about how psychological and cultural differences vanish out when there is an intense passion at stake. A book about the difficulties of adjustment to a new life and what role food has played in significant events, from first date lunch at the Bouillon Chartier to wedding and New Year’s parties.
One can find here lots of fine French recipes and lots of interesting cultural details about one of the most famous cities in the world. But the reader is also invited to assist to a self-discovery process in a completely different civilisation, and to witness the author’s journey to the inner Self as she learns to navigate life in France and to cope with cultural differences. There is a passage where Elizabeth Bard puts down one of the differences in a simple way:
In France, people often show their power by saying no—by their ability to block things, to show that nothing happens without them. To close the store, if you like, whenever they please. In the United States, people show their power by their ability to say yes—to get things done in a hurry. To keep the store open an extra hour, just for you.”
There are a lot of details of the author ongoing struggle to reconcile her idealistic visions about Paris with the realities of actually living in the city of love. At some point, she finds herself living in a relative small apartment with no heat in the winter, no job, no mastering the language and virtually no friends. Not a very pleasant situation.
The evolution of her journey from living an American lifestyle to adapting to French lifestyle, while residing in Paris is truly phenomenal. Not only there is such a different culture, but the social customs in USA are quite the opposite of those in France:
In the States, it is normal to walk up to a stranger at a party and start a conversation. That was my first mistake. There are no strangers at French parties; everyone has known each other forever. Breaking into a conversation is a little bit like starting David Copperfield in the middle. You’ve missed the formative years.”
And the fact that she has a Jewish background only adds to the romance of both cooking and her transition into French lifestyle.
Her brutal honesty in describing the life in France and city of Paris, the markets, the country, the boulevards, the Bistro Sainte Marthe, the narrow streets, the cafés etc..made me feel wanting so bad to visit Paris as soon as possible, walking down those narrow cobblestone streets I was reading about.
My favorite quotes from Lunch in Paris: A love story with recipes
“There is a moment, just after sunset, when the shops turn on their lights and steam starts to fog up the windows of the cafés. In French, this twilight time implies a hint of danger. It’s called entre chien et loup, between the dog and the wolf.”
“Nothing says “I love you” like a plate full of sausage.”
“No better way to avoid making a decision than burying yourself in a big fat book.”
“People grow, but they don’t change.”
“The French have always known what I’ve long suspected; there is nothing sexier than watching a woman eat. Men love this.”
“Life is not always poetry. Sometimes it’s about the heavy lifting, the reality check. Sometimes it’s about dragging the dead bodies off the stage.”
My favorite recipe
Summer RATATOUILLE
Ingredients:
“1 cup olive oil (don’t skimp, you can’t add more later)
2½ pounds onions (7–8 medium), thickly sliced
1½ pounds eggplant (2 small), cut into vertical chunks about ½ inch by 2 inches
1½ pounds sweet peppers (3 small: 2 yellow, 1 red), seeded and sliced
1 pound zucchini (4 small), quartered the long way and cut into thirds
2 pounds sun-ripened tomatoes (6 medium), coarsely chopped, with their juice
5–6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 good pinches saffron ( teaspoon)
1 cube sugar (a scant teaspoon)
Warm the oil over medium heat in your largest frying pan. Add the onions. Sauté, stirring occasionally until they are wilted and just beginning to color (about 25 minutes). Don’t skimp on the time here, as the onions need to sweeten; they provide the base for the whole dish. Add the eggplant. Stir to coat. Sauté 10 minutes.
Add the peppers. You might need to lower the heat to maintain just a bit of sizzle. Sauté 10 minutes. The peppers will release some water, which will start the sauce. Add the zucchini. Sauté 10 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and fresh thyme. Heat until the tomatoes release some juice. Dissolve the saffron and sugar in the sauce. Cover. Cook for 10 minutes. Leave to cool.
Ratatouille tastes even better the next day. You can use it as a side dish, pasta sauce, filling for a quiche or an omelette, or over quinoa for a full vegetarian meal. It freezes beautifully, so make a few batches in the summer, before the tomatoes disappear.
Yield: Serves 8″
Happy reading!
Lunch in Paris: A Love Story, with Recipes
Love this because I have a thing for Paris. I like the part of your favortive quotes from the book.
Chelsy Booker from http://www.lifesunexpectedjourneyblog.wordpress.com
JC Legacy on Facebook
I will honestly say I may not read the book, but your review made nice reading and the masterstroke is your lovely recipe. Thank you for that.
Thank you for stepping by!
I haven’t read the book though but I guess you just gave me the motivation to go read it.
I love that this review includes a recipe. So romantic. I was lucky enough to visit France last year! I had the time of my life…
Oh, I’m sure it was much fun and exciting visiting Paris. I can’t wait to get there.
A book that combines recipes and experiences seems a little foreign but I can see how it could have made for a great read from your review. I plan to visit Paris within the next couple of years and I have definitely added this book to my reading list based off of this review. Thanks!
Sounds like an interesting book. I’ve always wanted to visit France, but I wasn’t aware of all the differences between our cultures. I’ll have to read up if I end up visiting so I don’t commit any faux pas!
An unusual combination of wisdom and recipes, but it works. Thanks for sharing this review, very interesting! I love the quotes that you picked out. Thanks
How convenient it must be to have a book that has recipes referring back to a love story?! That is really interesting. It looks like a good book to invest in especially you’re planning a France trip. I would not have known outright that I can’t walk up to a stranger in a club in France. Good to see that you have actually tried these recipes and discovered your favourites.
I don’t know much about the French Culture and food. But it is looking nice . Don’t know so much about cooking but a little bit of some indian recipes. Thanks for sharing this nice recipe…
This book sounds right up my street! I love the quotes you pulled out.
Thank you, Jodie!
sounds like a great book (and I’m not just saying that because I was born in France-wink!) I love reading books that take place in France, there’s something about the rich culture and cafes, etc that make reading pleasurable. (it’s easy to paint a picture in your head while reading) I’ll have to check it out : )
French culture is awesome! And yes, it is a good book.
Super interesting! I really like the idea of cooking recipes at the end of chapter!
Thanks for sharing
xo, Margot
Thank you, Margot!
I might try this book! I wasn’t sure until I read those amazing quotes that you chose, I love all of them so I want to know more!
Wow! This book looks great, even from the first paragraph. I love cooking, as well as reading about society, so this is definitely going on my TBR list!
Thank you! I’m sure you’ll enjoy the book.
I hope so!
This book sounds great 🙂
I will look for it in the bookstores next time
Thank you! Hope you’ll find it. Happy reading!
Nice review! Thank you for sharing your opinion on it and for the Ratatouille recipe, I love that dish so much and I’m going to give this recipe a try.
We’re welcome, Milla!
I want to try the Ratatouille recipe on weekend too.
I’ve been challenging myself to read more. I love the idea that this has recipes in it too.
Reading books has many benefits and we should not give up reading all our lives. At first, I was a little twisted by the recipes at every chapter, but later on got use to them and even liked.