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From Amazon
In Joie de Vivre, Robert Arbor, a Frenchman transplanted to New York City, explains the French philosophy on life and argues for its adoption by stressed Americans. In a funny way, this is sort of a self-help book for people who admire the French lifestyle, and for those who believe that good food is the secret to a happy life. The premise of the book is that you will find "domestic happiness" when you learn to enjoy the most mundane details of your everyday life: "It's about making time for family, growing some vegetables in your garden, chatting with the butcher, and cooking for your family and friends." Quality of life, explains Arbor, is only improved when your pillowcases smell like lavender, and you make your own hot chocolate.
Although there are 50 recipes dispersed throughout the book, Joie de Vivre is not a cookbook. Most of the recipes are for dishes like A Really Good Fried Egg, mayonnaise, and café au lait, but there are interesting as well, such as Carrot Râpée, Beet Vinaigrette, and Fish in Papillotte. The recipes are included more as a way to better describe the French experience and to show how easy it is to adopt as a way of life; a method which works particularly well for those of us who know that the best way to understand and appreciate a foreign culture is through its food. --Leora Y. Bloom
From Booklist
Despite the current political rupture between France and the U.S., Americans continue to look to the French for inspiration in matters culinary. For both medical and aesthetic reasons, the French diet has proved attractive to Americans with its emphasis on seasonal fresh meats and produce, its wine consumption, and its avoidance of snacks. Restaurateur Robert Arbor and writer Katherine Whiteside outline the basics of the French diet in Joie de Vivre, a paean to all things Gallic. They recall the simple delights of Arbor's upbringing: toasted bread, cafe au lait, roasted chicken, aperitifs, Sunday lunch, cheese, and hot chocolate. They describe the simplicity of the French kitchen that eschews multiple appliances for some workaday pots, a good stove, and sharp knives. The authors remark on the virtual absence of baking in the home, the French relying on local vendors for the best in breads and pastries. Recipes cover the fundamentals of French cooking, avoiding complicated stews in favor of simple mayonnaise, roast chicken, fried eggs, and whipped cream. Mark Knoblauch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
I LOVE BREAKFAST. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
I LOVE BREAKFAST. Read the first page
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Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very sweet,
By pud (white rock, British Columbia Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Joie de Vivre: Simple French Style for Everyday Living (Hardcover)
I loved this book- the recipes are quite simple but it is a sweet look at an ideal day in the life of a french family. He goes through the ideal petit dejeuner, dejeuner,etc, explaining what he and his family like to eat and do. The photos are also very nice. It is more an inspirational book than recipe book.
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must have,
By
This review is from: Joie de Vivre: Simple French Style for Everyday Living (Hardcover)
I've read my copy 3 times cover to cover. Not only does Robert explain the simple secrets that make french living so tranquil and natural but each chapter includes simple recipes that anyone can follow.I now practice Joie de Vivre in my daily life eventhough I live in the middle of a busy city.
4.0 out of 5 stars
A peek at the French lifestyle,
By
This review is from: Joie de Vivre: Simple French Style for Everyday Living (Hardcover)
I have been fortunate to visit France twice and was a guest in the home of a French lady who is a family friend. Joie de Vivre does a good job of describing the daily routine of the French and their attitudes toward food, family, friends, and enjoying life. I have never been as relaxed as I was when I was in France. Of course, I WAS on vacation, but it was still quite a relaxing experience. Things go at a slower pace than they do in the US and there is more enjoyment of simple things and simple times. Neighborhood grocers, patisseries, butcher shops, and bakeries, make it simpler to have fresh food every day. It also makes the experience of shopping for these items more enjoyable. We walked to the market, the bakery, etc. and it was wonderful. No zooming in the car to find a parking space. This book makes achieving the French lifestyle in the US sound like it would be simple. For those of us who don't live in cities with neighborhood shops, it is a great idea, but would take much more effort to achieve. Also, starting dinner at 8 p.m. sounds unreasonable. My daughter is bathed and in bed by this time and my husband and I are finishing dinner, cleaning the kitchen , and getting ready for a good night's sleep. The French do not watch much television which, I think, makes all the difference in how much extra time they have. They end their days later and start them later. It would be impossible for me to begin dinner at 8:30 p.m., go to bed at 11:30 p.m., get up at 6 a.m., get my daughter to school and myself to work by 8 a.m. Joie de Vivre can inspire you to add elements of the French lifestyle to your own life.
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