shopping cart
Save up to 30% on our Staff Picks
Call us:  800-878-7323 HELP
McAfee SECURE helps keep you safe from identity theft, credit card fraud, spyware, spam, viruses and online scams.
Interviews | December 1, 2009

Megan: IMG A Meaty Tale: The Powells.com Interview with Julie Powell



juliepowellJulie Powell charmed readers with Julie and Julia, in which she chronicled her quest to cook, in one year, every recipe out of Julia Child's... Continue »
  1. $17.49 Sale Hardcover add to wish list

Ships free on qualified orders.
Add to Cart
$13.00
New Trade Paper
Ships in 1 to 3 days
Add to Wishlist
Available for In-store Pickup
in 7 to 12 days
Qty Store Section
2 Remote Warehouse Travel Writing- General
7 Remote Warehouse Cooking and Food- French

A Meal Observed

by Andrew Todhunter

A Meal Observed Cover

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Awarded three stars by Michelin, Taillevent is one of the finest restaurants in the world. Todhunter spent several months working in its kitchen in preparation for the divine experience of eating a five-hour meal in the nineteenth-century dining room. From the amuse-bouche (a warm cheese puff to “amuse the mouth”) to the crowning glory of the fantasie, he perfectly captures the sensual pleasure of the meticulously served dinner. Along the way he expertly discusses everything from the state of French haute cuisine and the complexity of running a renowned restaurant to the chemistry of chocolate and the history of salt. A Meal Observed is a rare treat, a paean to the French and French cuisine that is as enchanting and richly satisfying as the meal it describes.

Review:

“[Todhunter is] a spirited writer with a keen interest in fine food.” –The Washington Post

Review:

“Delectable. . . . It is a tribute to Todhunter’s prowess as a writer that the meal is as unforgettable to us as it is to them.” –New York Daily News

Review:

“Todhunter intersperses sketches of the establishment’s various culinary magicians, disquisitions on French gastronomic lore, and dollops of memoir about the meals he ate growing up in America. . . . [He] is appealingly unsnobbish. . . . Eloquent.” –The New Yorker

Review:

A Meal Observed is a delectable read, one that leaves readers wanting to experience the pleasure for themselves.” –Associated Press

Review:

“Respect emanates from every chapter of this book. . . . [Todhunter] intersperses discussions of dishes with historical tidbits, personal reminiscences and behind-the-scenes looks at a restaurant that has long been considered a benchmark of classical French cuisine.” –Winston-Salem Journal

Review:

“Charming. Todhunter ventures into a place where he is not entirely comfortable, but where he has been longing to go. . . . The food and ambience are grand.” –The Arizona Republic

Review:

“Intriguing. . . . Along the way, the author serves up tidbits about the history and technique of French cuisine, and about the eternal link between food and emotion.” –Cond? Nast Traveler

Review:

“Will appeal to the lip-smacking voyeur in all of us. . . . Todhunter’s two-pronged approach–detailing the culture that makes the meal and the culture where it is consumed–makes him a lively companion.” –Charlotte News Observer

About the Author

Andrew Todhunter is the author of Fall of the Phantom Lord and Dangerous Games. Born in Paris and raised in the United States, he now lives in Northern California with his wife and two children.

Product Details

ISBN:
9780385720205
Author:
Todhunter, Andrew
Publisher:
Anchor Books
Subject:
Essays & Travelogues
Subject:
Regional & Ethnic - French
Publication Date:
April 2005
Binding:
Paperback
Language:
English
Pages:
240
Dimensions:
8.08x5.24x.59 in. .54 lbs.

Other books you might like

  1. $15.25 Used Hardcover add to wish list

    The Paris Cookbook

    Patricia Wells
  2. $27.95 New Hardcover add to wish list
  3. $10.95 Used Trade Paper add to wish list

    Bistro Cooking

    Patricia Wells
  4. $12.95 Used Trade Paper add to wish list
  5. $3.50 Used Hardcover add to wish list
  6. $6.50 Used Trade Paper add to wish list

Related Aisles

  • back to top

Powell's City of Books is an independent bookstore in Portland, Oregon, that fills a whole city block with more than a million new, used, and out of print books. Shop those shelves — plus literally millions more books, DVDs, and eBooks — here at Powells.com.