Kirkus Reviews QR Code
SEARCHING FOR FAMILY AND TRADITIONS AT THE FRENCH TABLE by Carole Bumpus

SEARCHING FOR FAMILY AND TRADITIONS AT THE FRENCH TABLE

Book Two

by Carole Bumpus

Pub Date: Aug. 18th, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-63152-896-5
Publisher: She Writes Press

This sequel offers French family stories—and recipes—from Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Normandy and Brittany on the Atlantic coast, the Loire Valley, and Auvergne.

With tape recorder and notepad in hand, Bumpus—traveling with Josianne, her French-speaking friend and guide—first interviewed Veronique for this collection. Veronique lived east of Dunkirk in the Monts de Flandres area, close to the Belgian border. Madame Pund, Veronique’s mother, served “her famous Potjevlesh”(meat pot), a Flemish specialty. Historically, the dish was prepared from leftover meats, such as “rabbit, chicken, and pork…all roasted with a lot of herbs.” Fearful of stirring tragic memories, the author cautiously asked Veronique whether her mother would mind talking about World War II. With Madame Pund’s permission, Veronique launched into the story of her father, whose family escaped the German bombings of Dunkirk. He was 9 years old when his mother and aunt decided to flee. With the men out fighting the Germans, his aunt, who did not know how to drive, became the designated driver. She “could barely reach the pedals…and didn’t know how to use the brake.” To stop the car, Veronique’s father would “jump out and put a block of wood in front of the wheels.” When German airplanes strafed the line of cars, they would “all jump into the ditch.” In Normandy, Bumpus visited the Cathedral of Our Lady in Bayeux, consecrated in 1077, to see the church where a 200-foot-long tapestry depicting “the entire story of William the Conqueror…woven into the cloth” originally resided. The author’s straightforward narrative delivers vivid imagery of both the surroundings and the people: “The air was crisp and sparkling as we drove along the beach”; Madame Pund “moved through the room with some discomfort yet carried herself in a regal manner.” As a poignant illustration of Bumpus’ belief that the trauma of war permanently changes lives, she introduces a French grandmother who had barely survived in Paris during World War II. Upon hearing of 9/11, the woman ordered 500 kilos of potatoes, just in case. All of the recipes discussed and sampled are included in this enjoyable work.

An engaging gastronomic presentation of French history and culture.

(maps)