Thursday, February 25, 2010

LUNCH IN PARIS: REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY ENDED
LUNCH IN PARIS

A Love Story With Recipes
BY ELIZABETH BARD

ABOUT THE BOOK:

In Paris for a weekend visit, Elizabeth Bard sat down to lunch with a handsome Frenchman--and never went home again.

Was it love at first sight? Or was it the way her knife slid effortlessly through her pavé au poivre, the steak's pink juices puddling into the buttery pepper sauce? LUNCH IN PARIS is a memoir about a young American woman caught up in two passionate love affairs--one with her new beau, Gwendal, the other with French cuisine. Packing her bags for a new life in the world's most romantic city, Elizabeth is plunged into a world of bustling open-air markets, hipster bistros, and size 2 femmes fatales. She learns to gut her first fish (with a little help from Jane Austen), soothe pangs of homesickness (with the rise of a chocolate soufflé) and develops a crush on her local butcher (who bears a striking resemblance to Matt Dillon). Elizabeth finds that the deeper she immerses herself in the world of French cuisine, the more Paris itself begins to translate. French culture, she discovers, is not unlike a well-ripened cheese-there may be a crusty exterior, until you cut through to the melting, piquant heart.

Peppered with mouth-watering recipes for summer ratatouille, swordfish tartare and molten chocolate cakes, Lunch in Paris is a story of falling in love, redefining success and discovering what it truly means to be at home. In the delicious tradition of memoirs like A Year in Provence and Under the Tuscan Sun, this book is the perfect treat for anyone who has dreamed that lunch in Paris could change their life.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Elizabeth Bard is an American journalist based in Paris. She has written about art, travel and digital culture for The New York Times, The International Herald Tribune, Wired, Time Out and The Huffington Post. She makes a mean chocolate soufflé.

REVIEW:


LUNCH IN PARIS is Elizabeth Bard's glorious memoir about how she falls in love with a Frenchman over lunch and with a country over food. Moving to Paris as their relationship progresses, Bard encounters all the classic problems of an American living in a foreign city. She falls in love with the gastronomic delights and culinary scene as she encounters the countless bakeries, butchers, markets and stylish sidewalk cafes. When starting out, she is THE American in Paris and loving it! She is new to both Paris and to love and her excitement is enchanting. But, all good things have a way of turning once they become more routine, and she finds that the life she thought she had is not as perfect as it seemed. Essential differences in the cultures begin to cause problems not only in her relationship but even in her daily life.

Bard looks deeper into what it really means to live in another country and form new relationships not just with family and friends, but even with normal decisions one makes in everything from shopping to health care. Her detailed look at the differences between the two cultures is quite an eye opener. She never denies that living in France is remarkable, but she also admits that it is very hard. The diversion that satisfies Elizabeth is found in her French cooking where even the simple trip each day to the market is marvelous!

Her cooking and recipes seem to save her. It seemed that everyone she met had a story to tell that came with a recipe. This is where we understand why each chapter ends with a recipe. Bard’s writing talents are delicious as she describes the food and you can almost taste it. I haven’t tried any of her recipes but feel like I know how they taste. I think the recipes and her writing about the cooking is my favorite part of her memoir. That is something I could relate to having not been on a whirlwind romance and life in Paris. This part made sense to me and was reality. I am pretty sure that Dirty Chocolate Soufflé has more taste than the name may suggest.

Overall, I found LUNCH IN PARIS to be first of all a very brave book to write what with all the travel-and-eat-for-happiness, and cook-like-a-chef-for-love books that have been out of late. I also thought it was a delightfully fun, easy-to-read memoir that one could enjoy and not need a box of tissues to get through it.


GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO KELLY AND THE
HACHETTE BOOK GROUP, I
HAVE FIVE COPIES OF THIS
FABULOUS BOOK TO GIVEAWAY!



--U.S. AND CANADIAN RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES, PLEASE
--INCLUDE EMAIL ADDRESS IN COMMENT
--ALL ENTRIES/COMMENTS MUST BE
SEPARATE IN ORDER TO COUNT
AS MORE THAN ONE ENTRY



HOW TO ENTER:

+1 ENTRY: COMMENT ON YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE BOOKS LIKE THIS COMING OUT WITH RECIPES IN THEM...LIKE? DISLIKE? PREFERENCE?

+1 MORE ENTRY:
TELL ME ABOUT ONE OTHER GIVEAWAY THAT IS STILL GOING ON HERE AT BOOKIN' WITH BINGO THAT YOU HAVE ENTERED. IF YOU HAVEN'T, GO ENTER SOME, AND YOU CAN COME BACK.

+1 MORE ENTRY: TELL ME IF YOU FOLLOW MY BLOG AND HOW. DON'T FORGET YOU HAVE THE OPTION OF FOLLOWING BY EMAIL IF YOU SUBSCRIBE!

+1 MORE ENTRY: BLOG OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND LEAVE A LINK I CAN FOLLOW IN THE ENTRY

GIVEAWAY ENDS AT
6 PM, EST, MARCH 15

GOOD LUCK!

125 comments:

Harvee said...

I'd love to win this book. I've read a few memoirs set in France that has recipes included. One is Trail of Crumbs by Kim Sunee.

harvee44 AT yahoo DOT com

Harvee said...

I am a Google follower.

harvee44 AT yahoo DOT com

Lisa Richards/alterlisa said...

Generally, most of the books I've seen that had recipes were ones I would try. The fancy one's I just look at and wish I had the never to try.

alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com

Lisa Richards/alterlisa said...

Entered your
DARE TO SURRENDER GIVEAWAY

alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com

Zia said...

+1 I love that there are so many stories coming out with recipes in them.

Zia
ziaria(at)gmail(dot)com

Zia said...

+1 I'm entered in the Shadow Tag giveaway

Zia

Lisa Richards/alterlisa said...

I follow your blog both as an email subscriber and on Goggle Connect

alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com

Zia said...

+1 I follow the blog

Zia

Lisa Richards/alterlisa said...

blogged about your contest

http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com/2010/02/bookin-with-bingo-dare-to-surrender.html

alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com

Mary (Bookfan) said...

I love memoirs like this - and recipes are a wonderful bonus!

meah56 AT gmail DOT com

Mary (Bookfan) said...

I've also entered the Secrets of Eden giveaway.

meah56 AT gmail DOT com

Mary (Bookfan) said...

I'm a follower!

meah56 AT gmail DOT com

Mary (Bookfan) said...

I blogged in my sidebar giveaways:
http://bookfan-mary.blogspot.com


meah56 AT gmail DOT com

Libby's Library said...

Oh - I like - I REALLY LIKE!
Only problem is...I get hungry and start trying the recipes, but I finish the story:-)

Thanks for the giveaway.

libneas[at]aol[dot]com

Libby's Library said...

I entered The Wife's Tale giveaway.

Thank you.

libneas[at]aol[dot]com

Julie P. said...

I love books with recipes! I am dying to read this one.

bookingmama(at)gmail(dot)com

Libby's Library said...

I'm a Google Friend Connect Follower:-)

libneas[at]aol[dot]com

Anonymous said...

I love the idea of books with recipes included. I love to try them out.
june_spirit2628 at hotmail dot com

Anonymous said...

I'm a follower (june_spirit2628)
june_spirit2628 at hotmail dot com

Sarah said...

I like recipes to be in a book but I've never actually tried a recipe that was in a book. Strange...

faithinhim(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I entered the Lighthouse book giveaway.
june_spirit2628 at hotmail dot com

Margie said...

I like books that include recipes. If the story revolves around one of the recipes and you can almost taste it, I feel deprived if the recipe isn't included!
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

I entered your Still Life giveaway.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

I am a blog follower and get your email updates.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

traveler said...

What a wonderful book. I enjoy books that are set in special locales such as France and Italy and the recipes that are included. Thanks for this giveaway. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

I entered The Wife's Tale. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

I am an e-mail subscriber. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

StephTheBookworm said...

I think books with recipes are a lot of fun! It makes the book more interactive.

stephaniet117(at)yahoo(dot)com

StephTheBookworm said...

I'm a Google Friend Connect follower.

StephTheBookworm said...

I entered The Wife's Tale giveaway.

Edna said...

I would love to win this book as my neighbor is French and she is always telling me about the great cooking etc. over there

mamat2730(at)charter(dot)

Edna said...

I have enter almost all your givaaways on here

mamat2730(at)charter(dot)

Edna said...

I follow you on google



mamat2730(at)charter(dot)net

Edna said...

I follow you on twitter@mrsred49


mamat2730(at)charter(dot)net

Linda Kish said...

I like books with recipes in them. They seem more folksy that way, light-hearted.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Linda Kish said...

I entered the Worst Case audiobook giveaway. I love James Patterson's books.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Shooting Stars Mag said...

this sounds great and something I'd enjoy. I love memoirs. My sister has been to Paris though and is going again in a week FOR a week so she'd love it too.

-Lauren
lauren51990 AT aol DOT com

Shooting Stars Mag said...

i follow your blog

lauren51990 AT aol DOT com

cheryl c said...

I love to read AND I love to cook, so a book like this is double the pleasure!

Bingo, if you read this, would you please email me? There is a book that I won here that I never received, so I was wondering if there is a contact person at the publisher. Thanks! :-)

bermudaonion said...

I love it when books like this include recipes. I need to read this book since I lived in France for two years! milou2ster(at)gmail.com

Pam said...

I am, for the most part, enjoying the books with the recipes in them. There is nothing more annoying to me than having an author describe a fantastic dish of some sort that has my mouth watering yet I'm never able to find the recipe for it.

melacan at hotmail dot com

Pam said...

I am a follower through my google reader.

melacan at hotmail dot com

Pam said...

I entered The Wife's Tale giveaway.

melacan at hotmail dot com

Unknown said...

I love food related books, both fiction and non-fiction/memoir. If they don't have recipes included I get disappointed after my stomach has been growling over all of the yummy sounding food!

jgbeads(at)gmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

I follow through Google.

jgbeads(at)gmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

Crazy School is a giveaway that is still opened and I entered :)

jgbeads(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

Oh boy, another memoir about food with recipes! I don't know if my waist likes it, but I always enjoy books like this! It sounds wonderful.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

I have entered the Brava, Valentine and Shadow Tag giveaways.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

I follow via google friend connect!
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

Marie said...

I love the idea of having recipes in this book. it seems like to would go along with the story. I am so exicited that you are having this as your giveaway i really hope I win. :)

Mariescozycorner at hotmail dot com

Marie said...

I am a follwer and have been for sometime. I love your blog.

mariescozycorner at hotmail dot com

Teresa said...

I have no preference in whether or not a nove has recipes in it or not. I guess it does add to it, KWIM?
mstlee2000 @ hotmail.com

Teresa said...

I entered the still life giveaway
mstlee2000 @ hotmail.com

Martha Lawson said...

+1 I like recipes in books

mlawson17 at hotmail dot com

Martha Lawson said...

+1 I subscribe by email

mlawson17 at hotmail dot com

Martha Lawson said...

+1 I follow on google friend connect

mlawson17 at hotmail dot com

Martha Lawson said...

+1 I enter the Brava, Valentine giveaway

mlawson17 at hotmail dot com

brokenteepee said...

I'll take recipes any way I can get 'em.
heh
thank you
kaiminani at gmail dot com

brokenteepee said...

I entered the Lustbader giveaway
thank you
kaiminani at gmail dot com

brokenteepee said...

I follow by google and email
thank you
kaiminani at gmail dot com

Sue said...

I love it! There are so many times I'm reading a book and a delicious meal is described and I think "I wish I had that recipe!"
Thank you for the giveaway.

s.mickelson at gmail dot com

Sue said...

I entered the Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt giveaway.

s.mickelson at gmail dot com

mariag said...

I really enjoy reading books which include recipes and France is one of my favourite places.
This one sounds great!
Please enter me to win.

mariag said...

I follow

Karin said...

Recipes are O.K. in books, but the only ones I'd try are easy ones! I'm not much of a cook. I am more interested in her memoirs because I want to read about living in Paris~~

karin56381 (at) gmail.com

Colleen Turner said...

I enjoy finding recipes in books, but I don't really feel that it necessarily enhances or detracts from the story...it is just an addition.
candc320@gmail.com

Colleen Turner said...

I follow from google friends connect.
thanks!
candc320@gmail.com

Colleen Turner said...

I also entered the Secrets of Eden giveaway along with a bunch others. Thanks for offering these!
candc320@gmail.com

bison61 said...

I love recipes so I think it's great

tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com

Esme said...

I love the idea of a book with recipes-I read Trail of Crumbs and another one Oranges on the Nile by Collette. A Dinner at the Tarn.

chocolate and croissants at yahoo dot com

g.g. said...

I think these books with recipes are good as long as the memoir or story they are in is also good.

anjamie4 AT gmail dot com

g.g. said...

I entered The Wife's Tail

anjamie4 AT gmail dot com

g.g. said...

I follow with google friend connect

anjamie4 AT gmail dot com

g.g. said...

I subscribe by email

anjamie4 AT gmail dot com

Esme said...

I entered the Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt.

chocolate and croissants at yahoo dot com

Wickdogg said...

I like books with recipes as I dream of cooking them right but that won't ever happen

wickdogg AT gmaildot com

Wickdogg said...

I entered for The Still Life

wickdogg AT gmaildot com

Wickdogg said...

I follow with google friend

wickdogg AT gmaildot com

Wickdogg said...

I subscribe by email as well

wickdogg AT gmaildot com

justpeachy36 said...

justpeachy36@yahoo.com

Please enter me in the giveaway.

I love recipes any way they come... LOL!

Rebecca Orr said...

I love books with recipes as well. I just finished The Recipe Club and even though I had mixed feelings, I still enjoyed the recipes. Thanks for the chance. bekki1820cb at gmail

Rebecca Orr said...

Follower! Via google reader/email/gfc.
bekki1820cb at gmail

Rebecca Orr said...

I entered several, one of them was Try Darkness. bekki1820cb at gmail

Unknown said...

I follow with google friend connect

ashleymaymott(at)aol(dot)com

Unknown said...

I just entered your James Patterson audio giveaway!

ashleymaymott(at)aol(dot)com

Unknown said...

I don't mind books with recipes intermingled as long as the content is still good.

ashleymaymott(at)aol(dot)com

Misusedinnocence said...

I think it's kind of cool. I love recipes and memoirs so combining them makes sense to me. ;)

misusedinnocence@aol.com

Misusedinnocence said...

I follow with gfc. :)

misusedinnocence@aol.com

Misusedinnocence said...

I entered The Wife's Tale, giveaway.

misusedinnocence@aol.com

Benita said...

I love the idea of combining text and recipes.

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

Benita said...

I follow via GFC and I subscribe via email.

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

Benita said...

I entered The Wife's Tale Giveaway.

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

ossmcalc said...

I think that I would enjoy reading a book with a recipe at the end of each chapter. Maybe I might even become brave enough to try one of the recipes sometime.

thank you,

Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net

ossmcalc said...

I follow you by Google Reader and subscribe via email.

Thank you,

Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net

ossmcalc said...

I have entered the Giveaway for UNDRESS ME IN THE TEMPLE OF HEAVEN.

Thank you,

Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net

ossmcalc said...

I tweeted about this giveaway http://twitter.com/ossmcalc/status/10109606389

thank you,

Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net

Kristen said...

I love books with recipes and have even been known to make the recipes. I follow you through Google Reader as BookNAround.

whitreidsmama at yahoo dot com

Debbie F said...

I follow google reader

dcf_beth at verizon dot net

Debbie F said...

I just entered your When will there be good news giveaway

dcf_beth at verizon dot net

Debbie F said...

I'm not much of a cook but I really don't mind books with recipes but I could live without them

dcf_beth at verizon dot net

Esme said...

cococroissants

Lunch in Paris giveaway http://bookinwithbingo.blogspot.com/2010/02/lunch-in-paris-review-and-giveaway.html

chocolateandcroissants at yahoo dot com

Esme said...

I follow

thanks

chocolate and croissants at yahoo dot com

catss99 said...

i entered undress me in the temple of heaven
catss99@yahoo.com

catss99 said...

I'm torn. I don't really care about the recipes b/c I'm a grad student and don't have time (or the skills) to cook. but i really like memoirs, so if they have recipes put in, that's ok:-)
catss99@yahoo.com

catss99 said...

tweet
http://twitter.com/catss99/status/10391143012
catss99@yahoo.com

catss99 said...

i follow thru google friends
catss99@yahoo.com

409cope said...

I actually prefer that recipes are left in cookbooks as I never think about the recipes in a book. cardshark42(at)hotmail(dot)com

409cope said...

I follow through google friend. cardshark42(at)hotmail(dot)com

409cope said...

I entered the Waking Up in the Land of Glitter giveaway. cardshark42(at)hotmail(dot)com

DarcyO said...

I follow with Google Friend Connect.

dlodden at frontiernet dot net

DarcyO said...

I entered Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven.

dlodden at frontiernet dot net

DarcyO said...

I enjoy books with recipes in them; I've got a lot of cookbooks, too!

dlodden at frontiernet dot net

Ann said...

This looks like a good book, the cover draws you in and the recipes are a bonus. Have also entered Stolen Crown and I'm a follower...
summergal05 (at) gamil dot com

Cindy said...

This sounds like such a fun book! Please include me in the giveaway.

I love books that include recipes! I love to cook and am always looking for new recipes to try.

A book that is set in France and has recipes sounds wonderful!

Cindy
Socmom213@aol.com

Cindy said...

I follow your blog on Google.

I also subscribe by email.

Cindy
Socmom213@aol.com

Cindy said...

I also entered your giveaways for Prime Time Health and When Will There Be Good News?

Cindy
Socmom213@aol.com

Nancye said...

I really haven't read too many novels with recipes. I think I would like it if that didn't take center stage and distract from the story.

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

I follow you via Google Friend Connect and thru email.

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

I follow you via Google Friend Connect and thru email.

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

I am off to enter "Try Darkness" & "One Life to Give" right now....

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

Tweet! Tweet!

http://twitter.com/NancyeDavis/status/10532316450

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Bookie said...

Books with recipes are a lot of fun to read about. Normally it makes me want to try the recipe out myself!

dawnpnr(at)aol(dot)com

Bookie said...

I entered the try darkness giveaway.

dawnpnr(at)aol(dot)com

Bookie said...

I follow the blog on google connect.

dawnpnr(at)aol(dot)com

Bookie said...

I tweeted.
http://twitter.com/dawnpnr/status/10534998643

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