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Amanda Hesser writes a series of charming vignettes about life as the resident chef at a chateau in the French countryside. It's a little overly-cheery and static, but then it's not meant to be a commentary on French life, or a true exploration of characters. Its primary focus is on cooking, which is why I bought the book in the first place. Each month of the year has a corresponding chapter of recipes, with a great deal of in-depth instruction, some fantastic old-world cooking lore, and the rustic hands-on approach you'd expect from a woman who has to make do with the materials at hand. I love the "make it from scratch" approach- the book is full of authentic ingredients and steps that come out best if you just invest the necessary effort. There are very few appliances or gadgets to buy, and the ingredients are usually common (with the exception of duck, goose, and other cuts of meat that are more available in Europe than suburban America.) I enjoyed the ongoing episodes with Monsieur Milbert and the constant awareness of season. We expect strawberries to be ripe year-round, which is absurd. Eat foods when they are ripe!

Overall, I found it fascinating.

Also, the woman who did the illustrations was fantastic!