Just like his Provence series, Peter Mayle delights his readers with French Lessons: Adventures with Knife, Fork, and Cockscrew. In this book, he moves away from Provence and takes us to different corners of France, in search of culinary delights.
We are brought to nondescript little eateries to Michelin-starred restaurants, to seaside resorts filled with sun-kissed babes in bikinis, wineries, an escargot fair and all sort of quirky festivals in food-loving France. In the last chapter, you’ll also learn how the Michelin guide came into existence and the exacting standards with which the publication abides by.
Mayle excels and is clearly in his element when he writes about food and wine during his travels. He paints his characters with humour, has a knack for searching out the unusual and manages to bring all these across to his readers in a conversational and engaging manner. I wished I could write a book like that one day. It’d be my dream come true–getting to travel, eat and write about it! And get paid to do so too!
An enjoyable and delectable read. Definitely one for that relaxing Sunday afternoon.