Searching for Family and Traditions at the French Table - by Carole Bumpus (Paperback)

About the Book

An intimate peek inside the homes and lives of the French, a collection of traditional French recipes (cuisine pauvre--"peasant foods"), and a compendium of culinary cultural traditions, sprinkled with historical anecdotes and spiced with humor and deliciously candid memories, this culinary travel memoir--the second of the Savoring the Olde Ways series--reveals French families at their best and at their own dinner tables.

Book Synopsis

Join Carole Bumpus as she continues the culinary journey of Book One in Searching for Family and Traditions at the French Table, with her incomparable guide, Josiane, as they head north from Paris to Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Normandy, and Brittany, then drop into the Loire Valley before ending in the Auvergne.

Sample family favorites and regional delights such as Flemish Potjevlesh, Algerian-influenced chicken tagine, moules (mussels) in cider and cream, salt-encrusted Lamb Grevin, Far Brêton, and Pâté de Pomme de Terre. Enjoy the music and antics of local festivals like La Bande de Pecheur (Gang of Fisherman), Feast of St. John, and the Blessing of the Fleet. Discover the wonder of troglodyte caves, wineries, and truffle farms in the Loire Valley. Then travel to Josiane's family home, where you, too, can discover why food and family time are considered sacred in the Auvergne. And, all along the route, witness the impact WWI and WWII on the families profiled. Even seventy-five years later, the legacy of war remains--and yet, incredibly, the gift that each generation has handed down has been gratitude and a deep understanding of the importance of family.

A compilation of personal stories, memorable moments, family secrets, and mouth-watering recipes, this French culinary travelogue is sure to find a prized place on the bookshelf of readers who love France--its food, its people, and its history.

Review Quotes

2021 Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY Awards): Gold Winner in Book Series - Non-Fiction
2020 CIBA I&I Book Awards Finalist
2021 Eric Hoffer Awards: Finalist

2020 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards: Finalist, Travel

"The author's straightforward narrative delivers vivid imagery of both the surroundings and the people . . . An engaging gastronomic presentation of French history and culture."
--Kirkus Reviews

"Bumpus's attention to detail creates a rich sense of people and places. . . . The food that Bumpus tastes and writes about is unforgettable, thanks to the array of included recipes with unusual names. . . . Eloquent and packed with history, geography, and recipes, Searching for Family and Traditions at the French Table: Book Two is a melting pot text--a travel memoir that's concerned with cuisine and culture, too."
--Foreword Clarion Reviews

"Once again accompanied by her friend, Josiane, a French native, Bumpus seeks culinary education and an understanding of each region's unique traditions. Together the women discover the impact of the great wars on the country's residents, and, most heart-wrenching, information about Josiane's father. Lots of new tastes abound. . . . "
--Booklist

". . . her conversational style easily draws the reader into the experience. An enjoyable book for those interested in France, WWII, and French food."
--Judy Alter, StoryCircle Book Reviews

"Bumpus weaves wonderful stories into her adventures. But, at the same time, she gives her readers fly-on-the-wall glimpses of ordinary family life, and the opportunity to savour with her the incredible cuisine of France. Whether you love France, enjoy discovering new things, want to try some of the traditional recipes at the end of this book, or just want a thoroughly enjoyable read, I highly recommend this book!"
--The Good Life France

Praise for Book One of Savoring the Olde Ways:

"Both a regional history and a cooking memoir, this is even more than the sum of its parts, and a celebration of living life every moment. Francophiles, history fans, and foodies will love this book."
--Booklist

". . . engaging. . . . Bumpus's writing is perspicuous and economical. . . . The recipes, too, are enticing and detailed, and the book as a whole should appeal to Francophiles and ambitious cooks. A culinary adventure that's enhanced by familial and regional histories."
--Kirkus Reviews

"The book is peppered with descriptions of regional and family dishes . . . and is a wonderful ride through four regions of France, generating great excitement for its follow-up."
--Foreword Reviews

"Mouth-wateringly delicious, evocative, and utterly charming."
?French Book Worm, on Good Life France.com

"These are stories of history and change, of cherishing traditions partly because of the sense that they may not continue forever, making them even more precious and Bumpus' recording of them even more vital. . . ."
?Jeannette Ferrary, author of MFK Fisher and Me: A Memoir of Food and Friendship

"Carole's enthusiasm for the region's people, history and culinary traditions leaps from the pages in this down-to-earth exploration of north-eastern France. Pull up a chair, pour yourself a glass of wine and dig in!"
?Fiona Valpy, author of The French for Love

"This is a gem of a book for foodies, Francophiles and lovers of storytelling. Carole Bumpus is an insightful and gracious guest."
?Patricia Sands, author of the best-selling Love in Provence series

"In a carefully constructed itinerary, and with notebook in hand, Carole visits with local families who recount how traditional French dishes have been woven into their everyday lives and upbringings. . . . This book is chock-full of details and foodie inspiration and gives the reader intimate insight into French home-cooking traditions."
?Belle Provence Travels

"This book is a gem . . . . If food, France, history, and culture interest you, then don't miss this book that perfectly combines all of these and more."
?The French Village Diaries

"Warning: Do not read this book if you are hungry or within reach of a credit card. You will end up cooking (and eating) all of the included recipes, or buying a ticket for the next flight to France, or both?all while devouring this book. Because, much like the dishes and stories she describes, Carole Bumpus' writing is simply delectable."
?Pink Pangea

About the Author

Carole Bumpus, a retired family therapist, is the author of the historical novel A Cup of Redemption, published October 2014 through She Writes Press. She is a state board and branch member of the California Writers Club's San Francisco/Peninsula Branch and has been published in three CWC short-story anthologies: Fault Zone: Words from the Edge, Fault Zone: Stepping up to the Edge, and Fault Zone: Over the Edge. She continues to write a travel blog taken from excerpts of her interviews with French and Italian families, Savoring the Olde Ways, and her articles on both food and US WWII veterans in France have been published in both the US and in France.