From Peter Mayle, a joyous exploration and celebration of the infinite gastronomic pleasures of France. Ranging far from his adopted Provence, Mayle now travels to every corner of the country, armed with knife, fork, and corkscrew. He takes us to tiny, out-of-the-way restaurants, starred Michelin wonders, local village markets, annual festivals, and blessed vineyards. We visit the Foire aux Escargots at Martigny-les-Bains a whole weekend devoted to the lowly but revered snail. We observe the Marathon du Medoc, where runners passing through the great vineyards of Bordeaux refresh themselves en route with tastings of red wine (including Chateau Lafite-Rothschild!). There is a memorable bouillabaisse in a beachside restaurant on the Cute d'Azur. And we go on a search for the perfect chicken that takes us to a fair in Bourg-en-Bresse. There is a Catholic mass in the village of Ri-cherenches, a sacred event at which thanks are given for the aromatic, mysterious, and breathtakingly expensive black truffle. We learn which is the most pungent cheese in France (it's in Normandy), witness a debate on the secret of the perfect omelette, and pick up a few luscious recipes along the way. There is even an appreciation and celebration of an essential tool for any serious food-lover in France, the Michelin Guide . "Here we have all the glory and pleasure of the French table in the most satisfying book yet from the toujours delightfully entertaining" --Peter Mayle. Peter Mayle, author of the bestselling A Year in Provence has done it again--but differently. Traveling this time beyond his adopted Provence throughout France, the food and travel writer has produced French Lessons , a celebration of many of that country's gastronomic joys. Whether pursuing La Foire de Fromages, the annual cheese fair at Livarot; a Burgundian marathon offering runners Médoc refreshment; or a village truffle mass that concludes with a heady dégustation of the newly blessed tuber, Mayle takes his readers in hand and shows all. Wide-eyed yet knowing, ever affable but with a touch of mischief, he's an ideal companion, the best possible narrator of his lively food adventures. Mayle's gastronomic baptism occurs when, as a 19-year-old, he dines for the first time in France. "At the first mouthful of French bread and French butter," he writes, "my taste buds, dormant until then, went into spasm." The paroxysm leads to serious food-and-wine perambulations--and, finally, to chapters including "The Thigh-Taster of Vitel" (a frog-eating fete); "Slow Food" (snail love in Martigny les Bains) and "The Guided Stomach" (an investigation of the Michelin Guide restaurant inspection), among others. Readers are also present for a debate on the secret of the perfect omelet; a search for the best possible chicken in Bourg-en-Bresse; and a visit to a St. Tropez restaurant notable for its scantily clad habitués. Those familiar with Mayle's work, and those yet to discover it, are in for a treat. --Arthur Boehm Former British ad man Mayle has made a career out of living in the South of France and writing marvelously compelling, best-selling books about it. And may he never quit--either living in the South of France or writing about it. In his latest book, his eighth, which is organized into 13 chapter-essays, he relives some of his most precious moments reveling in the cuisine of his adopted homeland. Insisting in his introduction that he does nothing more in this book "than scratch the surface of French gastronomy," he nevertheless proceeds to tell savory, sensual, positively transporting stories about his encounters with Gallic gustatory delights and about his growing appreciation of the central place food occupies in French life. He notes that back in England he was raised with "undisturbed" taste buds, but now they pop, perk, sit up, and take notice. Mayle also pays homage to the occupation of professional waiter as it is practiced in France, and his descriptions of the meals they serve allow us to practically taste the frog legs and truffles right along with him. Another highlight is his profile of the Michelin Guide, which is both fascinating and edifying. His book will inspire readers to travel, eat fine food, and, last but not least, applaud evocative writing for its own sake. Fans of Mayle's will relish every page. Brad Hooper Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved “Delectable . . . as satisfying as a meal in a Michelin-rated three-star restaurant.”– USA Today “Mayle’s descriptions are as mouth watering as the food he samples.”– Rocky Mountain News “So evocative you can almost feel the bib tied around his chin and sip the last drop of Bordeaux at the bottom of his glass.” – The Washington Post “Charming. . . . [Peter Mayle] whets the reader’s appetite for all things French. Even frog legs. Or especially frog legs.”– Nashville City Paper “Armchair diners will doubtless find the fourth volume…as tasty as ever.”– New