Vie de France: Sharing Food, Friendship, and a Kitchen in the Loire Valley by James Haller

From Barnes & Noble

The Barnes & Noble Review
Many of us fantasize about taking a month off in France, but James Haller and his friends made that dream come true. Haller, a professional chef for 30 years, had lost his passion for cooking; his friends had similar reasons for needing a break. This is the charming story of their transformative vacation in the Loire, celebrating friendship and exuding joie de vivre. .

Haller had achieved fame, if not fortune, early on for his imaginative, unconventional cooking as chef of the Blue Strawbery in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He set out with the goal of doing no cooking on this once-in-a-lifetime vacation, but what chef can ignore the French charcuterie, poultry, fish, fruits, vegetables, wine, and pastries?

Much of the fun of this book comes from peeking over Haller's shoulder as he concocts wonderful menus from the day's purchases at the local supermarché. Dinner No. 1: Steamed Mussels in White Wine, Garlic, and butter; Blood Sausages Fried with New Potatoes and Rosemary in Olive Oil; Sautéed Green Beans; Apple-and-Pear Tart in a Butter Pastry. Breakfast No. 2: Baguette French Toast with Apricot Jam. Who wouldn't want to vacation with such a friend!

Besides reviving Haller's interest in cooking, the vacation had other benefits. "To be away from everything you know, including language, telephones, a work schedule, television, newspapers, and your everyday routine was more liberating than I could possibly have imagined," he reflects. "The freedom made me feel younger, not in the sense of youthfulness, but in the sense of being more expectant of a future that held promise." With great flair, Haller has given us a tale that is as uplifting and heartwarming as the food he served. (Ginger Curwen)

Kirkus Reviews

From a former chef and erstwhile restaurant owner, a beguiling tale of a month in France when the living was easy, the friendships warm, and the food superb. Refreshingly, Haller is as much intent on celebrating friendship as the good life abroad, though like all travelers, he records encounters with local characters and customs. In 1996, burned out from cooking, he decided to celebrate his upcoming 60th birthday with good friends at his home in Maine. Over coffee, he and his guests began wistfully talking of spending a month in France in an agreeable setting where they could really relax and get to know the country. They learned about a 17th-century house for rent in Savonnieres, a small town in the Loire valley, and began making serious plans. The group would consist of six people: Haller and his partner Jack would stay the entire month; friends like Mona, Helmut, Madeleine, and her husband Mackie would visit for shorter periods; they would all chip in for expenses. Though it was a congenial group, Haller was understandably nervous as they approached the house. Happily, it was even better than its pictures. Wisteria covered the walls, flowers filled the garden, the bedrooms had ample closets, the bathrooms were modern, the kitchen well equipped. Haller, who had not planned on doing any cooking, found his old zest returning as he explored the range of fresh vegetables, pastries, and meats at the food markets and picked fresh produce from their garden. Soon, he was cooking all the meals (menus are included). The weather cooperated as they made side trips to Tours and Paris, visited local chateaux, shopped at farmer's markets, and attended the local Donkey Festival. Perhaps the best partof their sojourn, however, was sitting out on the terrace overlooking Savonnieres and enjoying harmonious companionship. An elegant tribute to friendship and joie de vivre that France still offers.

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