The Auberge of the Flowering Hearth – by Roy Andries De Groot
Published in 1973, in which de Groot writes about the time he spent at a French inn by that name (L’Auberge de l’Atre Fleuri in St-Pierre-de-Chartreuse, Savoy) and the good meals he ate there. It addresses the logic of constructing a meal of several dishes so that they harmonize with one another, to the use of primarily local and seasonal ingredients to contribute to this harmony, and also an internal harmony within individual dishes. It is also a snapshot of old-school aperitifs, such as kir, and illustrates how a kitchen of little pretension can put out world-class food in an environment of passion, hard work, sound technique, long experience, etc. One of the more interesting aspects of the book is that de Groot was blind.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Auberge_of_the_Flowering_Hearth
My Comments~
After reading a fantastic article in a local magazine about a woman’s trek and failed attempt to find The Auberge of the Flowering Hearth in Southern Oregon, I decided I had to have it. She painstakingly drove from Grants Pass, to Rogue River, Glendale and Medford searching high and low. Even though she came back empty handed, she had a grand time trekking through our lower half of the state. All along the way she describes to her friend the reasons she must have this book. I can see why.
Never have I read such a remarkable tale of a journey filled with excitement, longing, passion and love of food. Filled with magnificent descriptive narrative of de Groots travels to a place far away and almost unbelievable, and recipes so divine they are almost un-attemptable, this book took me on a fantastic voyage. Each page better then the next. de Groot takes you from the curvy rocky roads to the Inn, to the pristine kitchen of Mademoiselle Ray and to the rustic markets of Gernoble with Mademoiselle Vivette. These remarkable women teach him the art of a well balanced meal using the valley, rivers and local famers to supply them with the freshest ingredients.
If you are a cook, chef or just have a deep love for food and travel, I encourage you to read this book. It will leave you hungry and read to pack your bags for your own journey to the Auberge.
