The Secrets of Pistoulet, 15th Anniversary Edition
by Jana Kolpen
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Book Summary Information
Author: Jana KolpenEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1996-03-06
ISBN: 1556704402
Number of pages: 72
Publisher: Stewart, Tabori & Chang
Book Reviews of The Secrets of Pistoulet, 15th Anniversary Edition
Book Review: Very special
Summary: 4 Stars
I originally bought this book because I was so pleased with the Pfaltzgraff pattern of the same name, and I was curious as to what the book might be about. It was a delightful surprise! It's really a little work of art more than it is a "book" per se. It's delightfully arranged, with little secret pockets, recipe cards, windows, vellums and peek-throughs. And it's very well-made - feels good to just hold it in your hands and turn the pages. Oh, yes, there's also a Story there! Well - mostly it's "hints" at a Story. The Story seems at first to revolve mainly around the culinary adventures of Mlle. J in various lovely provincial settings, but it's not just cooking she's learning: it's magic.
I'm spelling "Story" here with a capital "S" because it's a BIG Story! You can tell that the author/artist really has lovingly created an entire, finely-detailed world in her mind on which she bases this Story. The glimpses of it in this little book and its sequels piqued my sense of wonder and left me hungering for more (yes, I immediately went out and bought both sequels - and hope there will be more.) I keep going back and re-reading all three now, when I need a little something to lighten my day. Once I even tried some of the recipes and have to say it made cooking seem more fun to me (I normally only cook because that's what you have to do in order to eat!)
Mind you - I'm normally a "big, fat, thick novel" type of reader, so it kind of makes me nuts that Kolpen hasn't [yet] written the full novel version of her Story, but, I am not above begging... :)
Summary of The Secrets of Pistoulet, 15th Anniversary Edition
There is magic and mystery in the farmhouse known as Pistoulet, nestled in the remote, untraveled southwestern French countryside. Originally published in 1996, this 15th anniversary edition of The Secrets of Pistoulet tells the gentle tale of the healing power of magical soups and foods, while celebrating the redemptive and sustaining nature of shared meals among friends and family. With fold-out letters, removable recipe cards and pockets, and special vellum pages, The Secrets of Pistoulet quickly became a bestselling gift book. There?s no better time to rediscover its magic.
"Far away in the remote, untraveled southwestern French countryside, there is a small village which contains two homes, an eleventh-century church, and a very special farm known as Pistoulet." Thus begins The Secrets of Pistoulet, a charming and beautiful little book filled with food, magic, and love. Part fiction, part cookbook, this richly illustrated book is reminiscent of the popular Griffin and Sabine, with its collection of letters to be removed from envelopes, and recipes tucked into their own little pockets. Drawings, photographs, snippets of diaries, and mysterious maps decorate this tale of Mademoiselle J., who arrives at Pistoulet with a broken heart. There she is welcomed by the farm's tenants: Madame Claude; Monsieur Andre; the black dog, Marcel; and a chicken that lays golden eggs. Soon, such soul-strengthening dishes as Potage of Babble (guaranteed to cease excessive chatter), Potage of Passion (Cooks beware: this soup has been known to result in marriage proposals!), and Tart of Sunshine (sure to heat both body and soul) have Mademoiselle J. on the road to recovery.
The Secrets of Pistoulet packs a lot of charm into a small package. Readers who love to cook will want to try these simple, tasty recipes, though it may be difficult in some cases to follow the directions exactly ("Go to the nearest fishing port and acquire moules from the fisherman with the largest pecs and most tattoos....). Those who don't will be more than content to simply imagine these sumptuous meals as they, along with Mademoiselle J., attempt to unlock Pistoulet's magical mysteries.
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