Whatcha Readin' Wednesday: French Toast

French Toast, by Harriet Welty Rochefort

This insightful and delightfully honest memoir is a must-read if you plan to visit the “City of Light” in the near future. Written from the perspective of a woman who was born in Shenandoah, Iowa, married a Frenchman, and has lived in Paris for over twenty years, she displays an interesting and useful perspective on the art of French food, mannerisms, language, education, relationships and much more. She shares many an amusing faux pas that will leave you not only with a dual sense of bewilderment and understanding of the French, but also a provocative look at us as Americans through the eyes of the French. Though Rochefort jokes that she is “almost French” she notes that she will never be French due to the complexities of the culture that continually mystify her daily. If you can’t make it across the grand Atlantic this winter, curl up with this quirky book and a croissant. Au revoir!

Review for Numéro by Nicole Blackburn.