Mastering the Art of French Eating

September 1, 2013
An American diplomat's wife finds sweet solace in Parisian culture and cuisine. It had been Mah's (Kitchen Chinese: A Novel About Food, Family, and Finding Yourself, 2010) childhood dream to live in Paris, so when her husband accepted an extended assignment to France, she was ecstatic. The typically nomadic lifestyle of a foreign serviceman can be tough on a spouse, however, and when the author found herself alone in the City of Light after her husband was reassigned to Iraq, she was flummoxed. Despite her trepidation, Mah--whose predicament frequently mirrors that of diplomat-wife-cum-chef Julia Child--exuberantly writes of wandering around Paris "conscious of my American accent and Asian face" yet bravely immersing herself in its regional cuisine, which alleviated her loneliness and satiated a blooming curiosity about the luscious food of France. Mah savored the cuisine of 10 different French regions, beginning by sinking her teeth into clumsily ordered but impeccably prepared steak frites, then tackling headier fare like Andouillette. Threaded throughout are anecdotes on Mah's Chinese-American childhood, her often difficult life as a diplomat's wife, and the connection between French cultural history and its food. The author lingers over these stories as lovingly as the scrumptious food set before her. Recipes round out each colorful and mouthwateringly described segment as Mah travels to the Brittany region searching out crepes, Provence's chunky vegetable soupe au pistou, and the Savoie staple, fondue au fromage. Consistently passionate and emotionally resonant, Mah's prose brims with true love--not only for her adventures in and around the fragrant Parisian marketplaces, but also for daily life sharing delectable food with her husband and rediscovering herself during his lengthy absences. A bighearted, multisensory tour of France.

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August 1, 2013

When writer and lifelong Francophile Mah (Kitchen Chinese: A Novel About Food, Family, and Finding Yourself) learned her diplomat husband had been assigned to Paris, she envisioned three years of bliss in the City of Love--until her spouse was sent to Iraq for a year on an unaccompanied posting, leaving her in France alone. Here, she chronicles her year of solitude, framing her personal journey through her experiences with French food and culture. Each of the ten chapters focuses on the signature dish of a particular city or region--steak frites for Paris, for example, and choucroute (sauerkraut) for Alsace--and concludes with a recipe. The author's investigations into the importance of each dish to the people she meets are beautifully woven together with her reflections on culture, identity, love, and marriage, resulting in an enjoyable and thoughtful read that sparkles with humor. VERDICT This honest, funny, and eloquent memoir is sure to delight lovers of France, food, or travel. [See Prepub Alert, 4/1/13.]--Courtney Greene, Indiana Univ. Libs., Bloomington

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