Toast or Wine Tours in the South of France

Toast: The Story of a Boy's Hunger

Author: Nigel Slater

A deliciously evocative story of childhood in 1960s suburban England from one of theUnited Kingdom's best-loved writers, Nigel Slater

Toast is the truly extraordinary story of a childhood remembered through food. In each chapter, as Nigel Slater takes us on a tour of the contents of his family's pantry—rice pudding, tinned ham, cream soda, mince pies, lemon drops, bourbon biscuits—we are transported…

His mother is a chops-and-peas sort of cook, exasperated by the highs and lows of a temperamental stove, a finicky little son, and the asthma that would prove fatal. His father is a honey-and-crumpets man with an unpredictable temper. When he is widowed, Nigel's father takes on a housekeeper with social aspirations and a talent in the kitchen and the following years become a heartbreaking cooking contest for his affections. As he slowly loses, Nigel finds a new outlet for his culinary gifts and we witness the birth of a lifelong passion for food. Nigel's likes and dislikes, aversions and sweet-toothed weaknesses, form a fascinating backdrop to this exceptionally moving memoir of childhood, adolescence, and sexual awakening.

With a new preface and glossary for American readers, this British bestseller and national award winner is sure to delight foodies and memoir enthusiasts on this side of the pond. Possessed of the subtlety and wit of Ruth Reichl's Tender at the Bone and the disarming frankness of Anthony Bourdain's page-turning Kitchen Confidential, Toast is a treat to be savored.

Author Biography: Nigel Slater is the author of several classic cookbooks, including Real Fast Food and the award-winning Appetite. He has written a much-loved column for The Observer (London) for more than a decade and has been described by the media as a national treasure.

Library Journal

It seems only natural that most of food columnist Slater's (Real Last Food) childhood memories are somehow connected to food. Rice pudding, Sunday roasts, mince pies, and, of course, toast all played different roles in Slater's life growing up in 1960s England, but not all of those memories were happy ones. Slater's mother, who suffered from asthma and eventually succumbed to it, never really enjoyed cooking but did love her food-fussy son. Slater's relationship with his father, who could be both kind and cruel, became even more complicated when his father remarried, and Slater's new stepmother, a gifted cook with an obsession for cleanliness, took over the kitchen. Slater's spare, brutally honest style of writing might not appeal to readers who prefer a cozier culinary memoir, but his emotionally powerful story is sure to please anyone who enjoys superbly written, food-flavored biographies, e.g., Jacques Pepin's The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen or Ruth Reichl's Tender at the Bone. Originally published in Great Britain in 2003 and winner of the British Book Award for Best Biography, Toast is highly recommended for all public libraries. John Charles, Scottsdale P.L., AZ Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Books about: Hormonally Vulnerable Woman or Natural Cures They Dont Want You to Know About

Wine Tours in the South of France

Author: Florence Hernandez

This book takes readers on an informative and picturesque stroll through the sun-drenched regions of the south of France, which in the past 15 years has dramatically revamped its wine-growing and vinification procedures. As experts like Robert Parker begin to take notice, many wine enthusiasts are flocking to this beautiful region where they can explore the wineries firsthand and take advantage of the unusually affordable prices while they last. Each region, with its own quaint village, is photographed through the changing seasons, and the most prestigious estates are explored in detail. From white wine to red, from subtle to full-bodied, the expert makers of these new-generation wines invite us to share in their passion.

In addition to complete information about the region and its vineyards, Fine Wines from the South of France provides practical information like ideal food matches for the region's delicious wines. For example, the Muscat of Banyuls and Maury, often enjoyed as an aperitif, is the perfect accompaniment to tantalizing chocolate desserts. From the Queen of Denmark's vineyard in Cahors, to the rosés of Provence, and the fortified wines of Corsica, southern France offers a diverse array of wines for all occasions.