Livres Français, Films Français, Cuisine Française

  

It's the last week of Paris in July, and my houseguests have headed off to their new home, so I'm trying to read as fast as I can to squeeze in every drop of Paris I can. 

Last week I finished five books, including the Chocolat sequel, set in Paris; Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's Wind, Sand and Stars; my second Émile Zola novel, good, but not quite as good as my first Zola I read last year; Henry James' travel book from 1884, A Little Tour of France; and Muriel Barbery's novella, Gourmet Rhapsody. 

I hope to read this week three picture books in French; a travel guide, Secret Paris; a book of childhood memories of food and France, Paris to Provence; a memoir of a food critic in Paris; and rereads of two favorite picture books, Crêpes by Suzette and 750 Years in Paris.

What I Read Last Week:

The Lollipop Shoes by Joanne Harris (Sequel to Chocolat) ⭐⭐⭐

Gourmet Rhapsody by Muriel Barbery ⭐⭐⭐

A Little Tour in France by Henry James ⭐⭐⭐

Wind, Sand and Stars by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry ⭐⭐⭐

The Belly of Paris by Émile Zola ⭐⭐⭐⭐

What I'm Reading Now:

Marlaguette by Marie Colmont (Picture Book, in French)

Bonsoir Lune by Margaret Wise Brown (Picture Book, in French)

La Vache Orange by Nathan Hale (Picture Book, in French)

Crêpes by Suzette by Monica Wellington (Picture Book)

A Hundred Million Francs by Paul Berna (1001 Children's Book)

My Place at the Table: A Recipe for a Delicious Life in Paris by Alexander Lobrano

Secret Paris: Local Guides by Local People (Guidebook)

Paris to Provence: Childhood Memories of Food and France by Ethel Brennan 

Paris in July Last Week:

We finally got around to taking in some French movies last week. We watched Gentlemen Prefer Blondes set (partially) in Paris. It was my first movie with Marilyn Monroe, and I couldn't help feeling that she was both mesmerizingly beautiful and achingly comedic, though the movie is an awful picture of the aspirations of women of the 50s.

We also watched Un Dimanche à la Campagne (A Sunday in the Country); Monsieur and Mademoiselle Adelman; and Jules and Jim. Un Dimanche à la Campagne is the story of the visits of a son and a daughter with their elderly father on a Sunday afternoon in the French countryside. It's poignant and thoughtful, and it was my favorite movie we viewed this month. Monsieur and Mademoiselle Adelman is the story of a marriage of forty-five years, and it manages to be both a bit of a drama and a comedy. Jules and Jim is the story of two friends who both love the same woman, and it epitomizes the free love ideas of the 60s, though it should have been seen as a cautionary tale. 

I shared French Books You Can Read in One Sitting That Might Change Your Life.

For Wordless Wednesday, I focused on the French phrase "Coup de Foudre," a lightning-bolt moment, here.

And I reflected on the French idea of books as an essential good here.

 Paris in July from Previous Weeks:

I reviewed Confessions of a French Breadmaker and tried one of the recipes from the book for Walnut and Red Wine Yeast Bread here.

I tweaked the Top Ten Tuesday post to note ??? Book Titles ??? That Are Classically French.

I shared my favorite modern art from Centre Pompidou: Modern Art at Centre Pompidou in Paris. Did you know "modern art" doesn't really mean modern art? I did not.

I listed my favorite French-ish books and tried to figure out why I love these books so much: Why I Love French-ish Books (And Why You Should Love Them, Too!)

I packed for Paris in July here.

Good Thing #1

We enjoyed Beef Bourguinon last week.

I used the Barefoot Contessa's recipe. 

Good Thing #2

I baked Dorie Greenspan's Sablés au Citron last week.

Good Thing #3

I visited my favorite Paris museum, Musée d’Orsay, last week via Google Arts & Culture.

I'm happy you found your way to the Sunday Salon. Sunday Salon is a place for us to link up and to share what we have been doing during the week. It's a great way to visit other blogs and join in the conversations going on there. 

Some of the things we often talk about at the Sunday Salon:

• What was your week like?
• Read any good books? Tell us about them.
• What other bookish things did you do? 
• What else is going on in your life?

Other places where you may like to link up over the weekend are below. Click on the picture to visit the site.

        

My linkup for Sunday Salon is below. 

Books as an "Essential Good"

"The French government classifies books as an “essential good,” along with electricity, bread, and water." 

I ran across this sentence from an op-ed piece in the New York Times, "The French Do Buy Books, Real Books" in 2014 and it took me aback. 

What does it mean to be an "essential good?" In France, the classification as an essential good allows books to have a special status. They are subject to low taxes. Price discounts on books are limited to five percent and the discounts can't be offered in addition to free shipping. This allows prices of books to be similar between bookshops. In France, the government has taken strong measures to protect what it considers a precious resource.

In an article from November of 2014 in the New York Times, two writers debate whether the US should declare books an essential good. One of the two writers notes that the average person in France reads 25% more books than the average American and that fourteen percent of books published in France are translations compared to 3% in the US. He sums up his thoughts about this question by concluding, "Such realities reflect deep cultural values that can’t be Band-Aided over. Should we declare books 'an essential good?' Sure, declare away. But saying so won’t make it so."

During the pandemic, many countries identified what is and is not an essential good, and non-essential items are cordoned off and not permitted to be sold. Various countries, including Wales, Scotland, Belgium, and Italy put books on the essential goods list.

I would certainly classify books as an essential good. But is that a widespread belief? Apparently it is in France. 

Books are a crucial part of culture, an important element of a democracy. What can we do to encourage more thoughtful reading and thoughtful discourse here in the US? Are there ways we can promote a culture of reading here in this country?

Wondrous Words: Coup de Foudre from Paris Without Her

 

"What we expected from Paris was the summation of everything beautiful and civilized infused with romance. And now here we were in the real Paris, and the real Paris turned out to be even more beautiful than we had thought it would be, more intoxicating, more romantic, and bursting with exciting possibilities that were inconceivable elsewhere."

Curtis, Gregory. Paris Without Her (p. 36). Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. 

I recently finished Gregory Curtis' memoir, Paris Without Her, a story of Curtis' life with and without his beloved wife, during the times they spent together in Paris and later, alone in Paris, after his wife passed away from cancer.

One of the memorable parts of the book is when Curtis remembers the time he first meets the woman who was to become his wife. He feels something powerful in that moment. Curtis later learns that the French call a moment like that a "coup de foudre," a bolt of lightning.

I have felt those moments, and I bet you have, too.

I love having a moment like that captured in a photo.

Here are a couple of "coup de foudre" moments I or someone else captured in a photo over the years.

Happy moment with my granddaughter

My son makes my mom laugh at his graduation party

Playing guitar with my niece and nephew

A long hike with my sister and brother-in-law at Bryce Canyon NP

My grandpap and his gun

We renew our wedding vows with our granddaughter looking on

Our grandson is born

A group of kids use their good behavior tickets to eat lunch with me

My sister and I finally visit the city of our ancestors, Lucca, Italy

My husband and our two sons when the boys were wee things.

We were picnicking at the Eiffel Tower after dark, and I was electrified to see the tower light up.

I had no idea it did that.

Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme where you can share new words that you’ve encountered, or spotlight words you love.  Feel free to get creative! It was first created by Kathy over at Bermuda Onion and is now hosted at Elza Reads.

French Books* You Can Read in One Sitting That Might Change Your Life

No Exit by Jean-Paul Sartre. 60 pgs. Play.

"The play begins with three characters who find themselves waiting in a mysterious room. It is a depiction of the afterlife in which three deceased characters are punished by being locked into a room together for eternity."

Bonjour Tristesse by Françoise Sagan. 154 pgs. Fiction.

"Set against the translucent beauty of France in summer, Bonjour Tristesse is a bittersweet tale narrated by Cecile, a seventeen-year-old girl on the brink of womanhood, whose meddling in her father's love life leads to tragic consequences."

In the Café of Lost Youth by Patrick Modiano. 160 pgs. Fiction.

"Four narrators---a student from a café, a private detective hired by an aggrieved husband, the heroine herself and one of her lovers---construct a portrait of Jacqueline Delanque, otherwise known as Louki."

Between Meals: An Appetite for Paris by A. J. Liebling. 185 pgs. Nonfiction.

"New Yorker staff writer A.J. Liebling recalls his Parisian apprenticeship in the fine art of eating in this charming memoir."

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway. 189 pgs. Fiction.

"A poignant look at the disillusionment and angst of the post-World War I generation, the novel introduces two of Hemingway's most unforgettable characters: Jake Barnes and Lady Brett Ashley. The story follows the flamboyant Brett and the hapless Jake as they journey from the wild nightlife of 1920s Paris to the brutal bullfighting rings of Spain with a motley group of expatriates."

The Lover by Marguerite Dumas. 117 pgs. Fiction.

"The Lover is a story told by Hélène Lagonelle, a French woman looking back on her life in Indochina (now Vietnam) and, in particular, the romance she had with a wealthy Chinese man in 1929 when she was just 15."

The Waitress Was New by Dominique Fabre. 117 pgs. Fiction. 

"Pierre is a veteran bartender in a café in the outskirts of Paris. He observes his customers as they come and go – the young man who drinks beer as he reads Primo Levi, the fellow who from time to time strips down and plunges into the nearby Seine, the few regulars who eat and drink there on credit – sizing them up with great accuracy and empathy. Pierre doesn’t look outside more than necessary; he prefers to let the world come to him. Soon, however, the café must close its doors, and Pierre finds himself at a loss."

Madeleine by Ludwig Bemelmans. 32 pgs. Picture book.

"Madeline is one of the best-loved characters in children's literature. Set in picturesque Paris, this tale of a brave little girl's trip to the hospital was a Caldecott Honor Book in 1940."

750 Years in Paris by Vincent Mahé. 120 pgs. Nonfiction picture book.

"750 Years focuses on one single building in France as it sees its way through the upheavals of history."

Forever Paris: 25 Walks in the Footsteps of the City's Most Illustrious Figures. 108 pgs. Nonfiction.

"Take a stroll through Édith Piaf's Belleville, dine at Napoléon's favorite restaurant, and explore the late-night haunts of Ernest Hemingway, Josephine Baker, and Pablo Picasso. From the author of the best-selling City Walks: Paris deck, this lively collection of walking adventures follows in the footsteps of more than 25 of the city's iconic former residents."

Ooh-la-la! Max in Love by Maira Kalman. 32 pgs. Picture book.

"Max the dog-poet is back, this time in Paris and falling in love, in Maira Kalman's delightful picture book."

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. 123 pgs. Fiction.

"The narrator is a downed pilot in the Sahara Desert, frantically trying to repair his wrecked plane. His efforts are interrupted one day by the apparition of a little, well, prince, who asks him to draw a sheep."

And, okay, no, you cannot read it in one sitting, but it's definitely a potential life-changer...Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. 1,463 pages. Fiction.

*Reminder that we are using a very, very loose definition of French books here. Better word: French-ish. See Why I Love French-ish Books post for more information.

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Each Tuesday That Artsy Reader Girl assigns a topic and then post her top ten list that fits that topic. You’re more than welcome to join her and create your own top ten (or 2, 5, 20, etc.) list as well. Feel free to put a unique spin on the topic to make it work for you! Please link back to That Artsy Reader Girl in your own post so that others know where to find more information.

Une Autre Semaine Fabuleuse de Paris en Juillet

  

Have you ever felt so tired that you almost couldn't write? That's me after this busy week!

What I Read Last Week:

Discovering the Hidden Wisdom of The Little Prince by Pierre Lassus ⭐⭐

Vanessa Yu's Magical Paris Tea Shop by Roselle Lim ⭐⭐⭐

Paris Without Her by Gregory Curtis ⭐⭐⭐

What I'm Reading Now:

The Belly of Paris by Emile Zola

The Lollipop Shoes by Joanne Harris

Crepes by Suzette by Monica Wellington

A Hundred Million Francs by Paul Berna

Paris in July Last Week:

I reviewed Confessions of a French Breadmaker and tried one of the recipes from the book for Walnut and Red Wine Yeast Bread here.

I tweaked the Top Ten Tuesday post to note ??? Book Titles ??? That Are Classically French.

 Paris in July from Previous Weeks:

I shared my favorite modern art from Centre Pompidou: Modern Art at Centre Pompidou in Paris. Did you know "modern art" doesn't really mean modern art? I did not.

I listed my favorite French-ish books and tried to figure out why I love these books so much: Why I Love French-ish Books (And Why You Should Love Them, Too!)

I packed for Paris in July here.

Good Thing #1

I love my Aqua Fit swim class. 

I'm so glad to be back in the pool with my friends.

Good Thing #2

We took our grandkids to Moody Gardens in Galveston this week.

They loved looking at the birds and monkeys in the rainforest

and they were fascinated with all the sea creatures in the aquarium.

Here's a photo of us from March 2020 at our grandson's birthday party.

Good Thing #3

Mi esposo and I celebrated our 43rd wedding anniversary

by going out to eat and visiting a bookstore.

I'm happy you found your way to the Sunday Salon. Sunday Salon is a place for us to link up and to share what we have been doing during the week. It's a great way to visit other blogs and join in the conversations going on there. 

Some of the things we often talk about at the Sunday Salon:

• What was your week like?
• Read any good books? Tell us about them.
• What other bookish things did you do? 
• What else is going on in your life?

Other places where you may like to link up over the weekend are below. Click on the picture to visit the site.

        

My linkup for Sunday Salon is below. 

Confessions of a French Baker: Breadmaking Secrets, Tips, and Recipes

Moving-and-starting-over author Peter Mayle joins with Gerard Auzet, the owner of a highly esteemed bakery in the Provence town of Cavaillon to share the secrets, tips, and recipes the Auzet family has acquired in their long stints as master bakers.

It was nice to hear about bread making from someone who has been doing this for such a long time.

Gerard Auzet keeps it simple. The most important thing is using only the best ingredients, obtaining some basic equipment, and "having the ability to count up to 56." The counting is new to me, a long time baker, but with perhaps a bit less experience than Auzet. What is the counting about? "This is 56 degrees centigrade, the combined temperature of the air in the kitchen, the flour, and the water...A degree or so of difference among these three doesn't matter as long as the total adds up to 56." Interesting.

I was most taken with the idea of baking bread with wine. What would adding wine to the dough do to the flavor of the bread? Here is one of the bread-with-added-wine recipes I tried.

Walnut & Red Wine Yeast Bread

Ingredients
 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (unbleached, 8 oz.)
 1 3/4 cups bread flour (unbleached, 8 oz.)
 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (1/4 oz.)
 5/8 cup water (at 90-100-degrees F. 5 oz.)
 5 ounces red wine (5/8 cup)
 4 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast (1/2 ounce)
 2 cups walnuts, coarsely chopped (12 oz.)

Step 1
Sift the flour and salt together into the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook. Sprinkle the yeast over the mixture and mix on medium to low speed, gradually add the water and wine, until the dough comes away from the bowl, between 5 - 10 minutes. Scatter the walnuts evenly over the dough and continue mixing until they are incorporated.

Step 2
Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and set it on the counter to rest for 10 minutes. Return it to the mixing bowl and place on the mixer so the dough hook plunges into the middle of the dough. Mix on medium speed until the dough is soft and pliable, about 15-20 minutes or until the dough passes the "windowpane" test (refer to WINDOW PANE TEST, below).

Step 3
Remove the dough from the mixing bowl onto a counter and gather it up in your hands in a rough ball. Bring the full length of your thumbs into the center of the ball so that they meet, and stretch the dough from the center out, as if opening a book, into an oblong shape. Turn the dough a quarter turn and stretch the dough again the same way, creating a smooth ball. Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel, and set aside in a draft-free place at room temperature until the dough doubles in size, in about 45 minutes.

Step 4
Gently remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a clean surface. Cut the dough into 2 pieces (about 1 pound each) and shape it into 2 small balls again, as you did before the first rise. Find a surface in your kitchen from drafts and lay a kitchen towel dusted with flour on it. Place the balls on the towel and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel to prevent a crust from forming on the surface. Leave the loaves to proof at room temperature until they double in size, in about 20-25 minutes.

Step 5
Shape the loaves by first patting down the balls to allow the carbonic gasses that have developed to disperse. To make boules, gather up the dough in a rough ball and shape it as inn Step 3. To make the batards, pat down the dough and shape it into a rough 4-by-10-inch rectangle. With a long side facing you, fold the bottom third of the dough to the center and press to seal it. Fold the top over it and seal along the edge.

Step 6
Place the loaves, seam side down, on thekitchen towels dusted with flour and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let the loaves rise at room temperature for the final time until they have doubled in size, about 35-45 minutes.

Step 7
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450-degrees F. Carefully place the loaves on a baking sheet. Brush them with water using a pastry brush. With a sharp razor blade, make a lozenge-shaped cut on the surface of each loaf by scoring it from end to end in 2 swift motions. To do this successfully, use just the tip of the blade.

Step 8
Just before you are ready to slide the baking sheet into the oven, spray the inside of the oven with water using a spray bottle or plant mister and close the door immediately. This will create steam, which promotes a good crust. Put the bread in the oven and bake for 25-25 minutes or until it makes a hollow sound when you knock on the bottom of it with your knuckles. Transfer the bread to a rack and allow it to cool before slicing.

Step 9
Makes 2 loaves.

How to Perform the Windowpane Test: When you knead bread dough, either by hand or in a mixer, you are developing the glutens, which are the proteins in wheat that give bread its structure and flavor. When the glutens are properly developed, the resulting bread will have that yeasty flavor and the irregular pockets that are the marks of a good loaf. To determine whether the glutens have been fully developed, pull off from the dough a piece about the size of a golf ball. Stretch, pull, and turn it, thining the dough until it forms a translucent membrane (so you can see light passing through it, but not so that you create a hole), or windowpane. If the dough falls apart before it can be stretched into a windowpane, continue kneading several minutes more and repeat the test.