Bestselling author and world-renowned chef David Lebovitz continues to mine the rich subject of his evolving ex-Pat life in Paris, using his perplexing experiences in apartment renovation as a launching point for stories about French culture, food, and what it means to revamp one's life. Includes dozens of new recipes.
When David Lebovitz began the project of updating his apartment in his adopted home city, he never imagined he would encounter so much inexplicable red tape while contending with perplexing work ethic and hours. Lebovitz maintains his distinctive sense of humor with the help of his partner Romain, peppering this renovation story with recipes from his Paris kitchen. In the midst of it all, he reveals the adventure that accompanies carving out a place for yourself in a foreign country—under baffling conditions—while never losing sight of the magic that inspired him to move to the City of Light many years ago, and to truly make his home there.
I have enjoyed David Lebovitz' recipes for years, and always found it interesting that he has successfully made a home in Paris. I remember following his blog when he was in the process of buying his Paris apartment, though the details of what was going wrong are vague - so I was curious to read this. Let me just say - Paris is not for me.
The book is well-written, with an engaging style that those familiar with Lebovitz will appreciate. It is more of a memoir than a cookbook, though there are recipes at the end of each chapter. But the biggest draw was the drama - the absolute chaos that he went through to purchase and renovate an apartment in Paris. As as American, it is simply mind-boggling to me that these things would be happening, and that it would be so accepted as a way of doing business. Frankly, I'm surprised that he survived sanity intact (mostly, at least), and without having beat anyone to a pulp. Lebovitz conveys his excitement, his frustration, his anger, his sadness...I'm pretty sure there is not a single emotion left out during this process.
Overall, it was quite an interesting read - not only for the story itself, but also for the little glimpses into regular Paris living that shine through at the same time.
