| 9780062309419 |
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Library | Material Type | Call Number | Shelf Location | Status | Item Holds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Searching... Rockrimmon Library | Book | 641.594477 MCAN | Nonfiction | Searching... Unknown | Searching... Unavailable |
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Summary
Summary
A delicious memoir about the eight months food writer David McAninch spent in Gascony--a deeply rural region of France virtually untouched by mass tourism--meeting extraordinary characters and eating the best meals of his life.
Though he'd been a card-carrying Francophile all of his life, David McAninch knew little about Gascony, an ancient region in Southwest France mostly overlooked by Americans. Then an assignment sent him to research a story on duck. After enjoying a string of rich meals--Armagnac-flambéed duck tenderloins; skewered duck hearts with chanterelles; a duck-confit shepherd's pie strewn with shavings of foie gras--he soon realized what he'd been missing.
McAninch decided he needed a more permanent fix. He'd fallen in love--not only with the food but with the people, and with the sheer unspoiled beauty of the place. So, along with his wife and young daughter, he moved to an old millhouse in the small village of Plaisance du Gers, where they would spend the next eight months living as Gascons. Duck Season is the delightful, mouthwatering chronicle of McAninch's time in this tradition-bound corner of France. There he herds sheep in the Pyrenees, harvests grapes, attends a pig slaughter, hunts for pigeons, distills Armagnac, and, of course, makes and eats all manner of delicious duck specialties--learning to rewire his own thinking about cooking, eating, drinking, and the art of living a full and happy life.
With wit and warmth, McAninch brings us deep into this enchanting world, where eating what makes you happy isn't a sin but a commandment and where, to the eternal surprise of outsiders, locals' life expectancy is higher than in any other region of France. Featuring a dozen choice recipes and beautiful line drawings, Duck Season is an irresistible treat for Francophiles and gourmands alike.
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
In this story of an American cooking his way through France, McAninch does not just go through the motions in order to check his experience off some professional and personal bucket list. He moves his family to the rural area of Gascony for nearly a year and harmoniously integrates himself with the locals; he pays respects to deeply rooted traditions, and falls in love with the area in beautiful and unexpected ways; and he educates readers about hunting and cooking duck. While living in a historic mill, McAninch, his wife, and his young daughter, are at the mercy of every challenge of French living. Among minor language barriers, ancient plumbing issues, and maze-like markets, the seasoned food writer gains a valuable education. McAninch discovers which ducks (mullard vs. mallard) are for cooking; he learns more about the treasure, and staple, that is foie gras; and he observes the subtleties of welcoming guests or offering directions in an area uncharted by Google Maps. Most importantly, through McAninch's warm and fluid delivery, readers come away with a taste and respect for a regional commodity, a handful of enticing recipes, and a new appreciation for friendships unfettered by origin or boundary. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
Readers should prepare to be hungry for the duration of this book. McAninch uprooted his wife and daughter from a stable life in Chicago to live in a cold, damp mill in rural southern France for a year. The goal was to experience life in Gascony as a native. McAninch is a food writer and lifelong Francophile who fell under the spell of the distinct lifestyle and cooking of the agricultural region. The primary crop? Duck. Filled with descriptions of food that will have readers' mouths watering, this book is a heartfelt foray into an often-overlooked area of France, filled with jocular characters and charming anecdotes. Fortunately, McAninch includes a few choice recipes at the end of the book for those who dare to tackle some of the delectable, traditional French cooking. Overall, McAninch's ode to the people, food, and culture of Gascony is a traveler's delight. Readers will be nearly as sad for McAninch's journey to end as the author himself was, and ready to hop on a flight to France.--Brock, Emily Copyright 2017 Booklist
Library Journal Review
This historic area of Gascony, France, is best known for its hearty culinary delights and rural traditions. Chicago magazine features editor and food writer McAninch, who likes to cook as much as he likes to eat, takes his wife and young daughter to the small Gascon town of Plaisance du Gers for eight months, where he spends his time cooking, eating, and drinking with the often colorful locals. He herds sheep; hunts pigeons; joins the local, all-male cooking (and drinking) club; and works in a vineyard. He learns to make several local dishes with his Gascon friends, including duck confit, a traditional soup called garbure, and gâteau à la broche, a cake made on a spit in front of an open fire. Several classic Gascon recipes are included. McAninch's knowledge of Gascony's history and traditions provides plenty of interesting background to this story of mouth-watering dishes and new friends. VERDICT An informative and amusing memoir in the style of Peter -Mayle's A Year in Provence. Francophiles, foodies, and armchair travelers will want to pack their bags for a taste of this distinctive part of France.-Linda M. Kaufmann, Massachusetts Coll. of Liberal Arts Lib., North Adams © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Table of Contents
| Map | p. ix |
| 1 Fire | p. 1 |
| 2 Market Day | p. 13 |
| 3 The Country Life | p. 21 |
| 4 Old School | p. 33 |
| 5 Magret | p. 43 |
| 6 À Voire Santé | p. 51 |
| 7 La Fete | p. 63 |
| 8 Beautiful People | p. 75 |
| 9 Garbure | p. 87 |
| 10 Dinner at Henri's | p. 95 |
| 11 Into the Mountains | p. 103 |
| 12 Poule au Pot | p. 119 |
| 13 Hills and Valleys | p. 127 |
| 14 Dessert | p. 143 |
| 15 A Day in the Vines | p. 155 |
| 16 Slow and Low | p. 165 |
| 17 To Bag a Bird | p. 175 |
| 18 Noble Spirits | p. 189 |
| 19 Aux Armes, Citoyens! | p. 209 |
| 20 Chez Guérard | p. 215 |
| 21 Le Saint Cochon | p. 223 |
| 22 Foie Gras | p. 231 |
| 23 Confit | p. 241 |
| 24 Apéro | p. 247 |
| 25 Last Supper | p. 257 |
| Acknowledgments | p. 259 |
| Recipes | p. 261 |
