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“Mastering the Art of French Eating makes you want to be in Paris. It will also make you very hungry.” –The Wall Street Journal
When journalist Ann Mah’s husband is given a diplomatic assignment in Paris, Mah, a lifelong foodie and Francophile, begins plotting gastronomic adventures à deux. Then her husband is called away to Iraq on a yearlong post—alone—turning Mah’s vision of a romantic sojourn in the City of Light upside down. So, not unlike another diplomatic wife, Julia Child, Mah must find a life for herself in a new city. Journeying through Paris and the surrounding regions of France, Mah combats her loneliness by seeking out the epitome of French comfort food—cassoulet—and learning how the andouillette sausage is really made. She discovers the true stories behind the country’s signature regional dishes, exploring the history and taste of everything from boeuf bourguignon to the crispiest of buckwheat crêpes. And somewhere between Paris and the south of France, she uncovers a few of life’s truths.
Mastering the Art of French Eating is interwoven with the lively characters Mah meets—from chefs to farmers to restaurateurs —and the traditional recipes she samples. Funny, intelligent, and deeply pleasurable, this is a story about love — of food, family, and France.
REVIEWS AND PRAISE
“Charming and instructive, filled with interesting characters, recipes, and lore… Mastering the Art of French Eating makes you want to be in Paris. It will also make you very hungry.”
–The Wall Street Journal
“Mah admirably fits her research into easily digested bites, the reader’s enthusiasm mirroring her own.”
–New York Times Book Review
“A progressive dinner of food, countryside and the people who make French cuisine the feast that it is. Mah admits that she could now do another memoir of lesser-known regions and their dishes. It’s enough to make one hope she gets abandoned in France again.”
–Minneapolis Star Tribune
“Consistently passionate and emotionally resonant, Mah’s prose brims with true love…. A bighearted, multisensory tour of France.”
–Kirkus
“An enjoyable and thoughtful read that sparkles with humor. This honest, funny, and eloquent memoir is sure to delight lovers of France, food, or travel.”
–Library Journal
“Steeped in history, each chapter culls together not just recipes but anecdotes, essays and cultural traditions to present a full picture of French eating. The food is discussed with reverence, but Mah also writes the supporting characters in her memoir — from friends she meets along the way to writers she discovers — with infectious excitement. The result is a well-written entrée into French dining as it’s actually done by expats.”
–The Daily Beast
“By turns sweet, self-deprecating, humorous, and poignant, with questions of how we grow close to each other through food and curiosity, this memoir is a treat to savor.”
–The Kitchn
“Whether you’re French or Francophile, a long-time connoisseur of French food or someone who’s just figuring out the difference between frites and frangipane, feasting through France with Ann Mah is a delicious adventure. Ann’s writing is lovely, her curiosity boundless and her good taste assured. Spending time with her in Mastering the Art of French Eating is a treat.”
–Dorie Greenspan, author of Around My French Table
“Ann Mah dishes up a welcoming concoction, a good dose of French history, a personal, vibrant, enthusiastic picture of life in a country she adores, without apology. I am hungry already!”
–Patricia Wells, author of The French Kitchen Cookbookand The Food Lover’s Guide to Paris
“Ann Mah joins Elizabeth David in being a joy and an instruction to read.”
–Diane Johnson, author of Le Divorce
“Excellent ingredients, carefully prepared and very elegantly served. A really tasty book.”
–Peter Mayle, author of A Year in Provence
“A tour de force through French cuisine, Ann Mah crisscrossed France, learning about all my favorite foods – from buckwheat galettes to the secrets of authentic cassoulet. Her personal culinary tale will have you packing your bags. But if you can’t make it to France, Ann offers delicious recipes, culled from experts!”
–David Lebovitz, author of My Paris Kitchen
“Like a bowl of homemade cassoulet, this book is warm to the touch. Ann Mah writes about her international experiences – and origins – with great sensitivity. She gives us a peek into French kitchens foodies will envy, and no Francophile could resist.”
–Elizabeth Bard, author of Lunch in Paris
“Ann Mah goes straight to the essential in this lively, mouth-watering book as she explores the foundations of French cuisine. She even goes where all before her have failed to tread — the wild country of andouillette — to tempt with her stories and her approachable recipes. Bravo!”
–Susan Herrmann Loomis, author of On Rue Tatin
“From the peaks of the French Alps to Brittany’s buckwheat fields, Lyon’s bouchons to Burgundy’s wineries, Ann takes us all over France in pursuit of its culinary traditions. But at the heart of her story is Paris — and all the love, wistfulness and deliciousness found there.”
–Amy Thomas, author of Paris, My Sweet
More information:
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Kitchen Chinese: A Novel About Food, Family and Finding Yourself Avon/Harper Collins, 2010
“A refreshing and fun narrative, helped along by a fantastic heroine whose insights into modern China and the expatriate experience will intrigue readers. It’s a great start for a writer with much promise.” –Publishers Weekly
Find Kitchen Chinese on-line at:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Books-A-Million
Indiebound
iTunes
Kobo