Sophie Valroux's Paris Stars by Samantha Verant

 

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Ooh, I couldn't wait to dive into the sequel to The Secret French Recipes of Sophie Valroux (click on the title to see my review from 2020). 

I would definitely recommend reading the first novel before grabbing this in order to just dive right into the world of Sophie and the magical Chateau de Champvert. 

Sophie has inherited the chateau from her grandmother, a celebrated chef who turned the chateau into a renowned place to stay and dine. Now Sophie is the Grand Chef and life looks to be pretty wonderful for her: she's rich, talented, beautiful, and happily engaged to her childhood sweetheart Remi. 

Sophie is unsettled, though. Having all of this handed to her has left her feeling overwhelmed and not worthy. She's also still determined to get her Michelin star. After all, she was blamed for her previous restaurant's loss of a Michelin star. That blame was misplaced, but it still cost her her reputation and career in New York City, causing her to flee to France. 

Remi is ready to get married, but Sophie is hesitant. Is the Chateau what she wants, or will it drag her down? Is her future in Paris? 

An accident causes Sophie to suffer from a bizarre injury that she has to keep quiet--it could cost the Chateau its reputation, and Sophie her career. Will she recover? How long can she keep it secret?

This novel is full of the wonderful characters introduced in the first novel. Relationships continue to evolve, amazing, mouth-watering foods are prepared, and the Chateau is an unforgettable place to spend time away. I love the support Sophie has at the Chateau, and how everyone becomes family, helping each other through tough times and celebrating the good times. 

The food--oh lord, the food. You have to read the book to appreciate the food. There are book club discussion questions in the back of the book, as well as recipes for a full French five course meal. It would be great fun to recreate these recipes for a book club!

Rating: 5/6 for a satisfying sequel to Sophie's original story. I hope there is more to Sophie and Remi's story, because two novels just aren't enough for me. If you want to get away, dream of delicious food, and just enjoy a good story, add this to your list. 

Available in paperback, audio, and ebook. 

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Sophie Valroux's Paris Stars by Samantha Verant

32 Yolks: From My Mother's Table to Working the Line by Eric Ripert-Audio Book Review

In my ongoing quest to listen to audio books on my commute, I happened on this memoir and decided it had been long enough since I had immersed myself in a foodie book. And I had never heard of Eric Ripert.  

I had no idea he's a famous chef in New York City.  He has a show on the Cooking Channel (which I would probably watch if I got the Cooking Channel!), and grew up in France.  I read a few reviews of this memoir before I had finished it and the big complaint was where in Eric's life he decided to stop his story. I decided, after listening to this audio, that it stops at a very natural place, and just hearing about his early years was such an interesting journey that I didn't need to know more.  We know how it ends, so this was all about how it began.  

Eric was born in France to a vibrant mother and a loving father.  The first few years of his life were very happy; his parents adored him and their life was full of fun, good times, and delicious food.  He developed a very sophisticated palate very early, and nothing was better to Eric than sitting down to a memorable meal.  His parents divorced when Eric was around 5 years old; it was a difficult split and Eric didn't get to see his father very often.  He moved around with his mother, as she opened and ran successful clothing boutiques throughout France.  Their connection, as always, was food.  A mean step-father made Eric's life hell, and he struggled through his tween and teen years with a lot of anger and resentment.  His father died suddenly when Eric was eleven, and he had no way to relieve his grief.  Through this all, there was food.  He watched, listened, and learned wherever he could, but never was allowed to actually cook until he was in high school, and entered a cooking school.

Eric's journey after graduating from cooking school takes him to Paris and his first big job.  Let's just say his idea of his talent and the actuality of his talent weren't the same, and the stories of his humbling experiences as a young cook in very fine restaurants never get old.  Eric kept coming back for more; his passion drove him to keep improving, keep practicing, knowing that he was meant to be a chef.  It is a lesson in perseverance and believing in yourself and your dreams.  

I listened to the audio, and Peter Ganim does a fine job narrating, with a very good French accent and pacing. My only complaint is listening to the audio made me hungry.  

Rating:  3/6 for a memoir about knowing what you love, and pursuing your dreams even when they seem very far away.  

Available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook.

 

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32 Yolks: From My Mother's Table to Working the Line by Eric Ripert-Audio Book Review