From Publishers Weekly
Ratliffe offers readers an armchair culinary journey on her 80-year-old Dutch barge, the Julia Hoyt, her ``one-table restaurant and two-room hotel,'' as it traverses 88 kilometers, 21 locks, 19 villages and six courses along the Garonne River in southwestern France. After aperitifs and olives come such simple delights as Garlic Soup and Two-Celery Soup. In true French fashion, an entree comes next, an opener such as Grilled Ham with Figs, Wild Mushroom Pie or Salad with Sauteed Fresh Foie Gras. The main course might be Roast Pork Stuffed with Prunes and Shallots, Braised Beef in the Gascon Style or Pan-Grilled Stuffed Trout. Following French custom, a separate vegetable dish comes next, designed to contrast with the main course: for example, a celery root puree after a garlicky roast guinea fowl. Desserts are simple: Summer Fruit Custard Tart, Two-Peach Gratin, Goat Cheese with Armagnac and Honey. Fashioned for preparation in a small galley-kitchen, the recipes are classic ones, often accompanied by a little truc (trick or personal touch) such as adding bittersweet chocolate to a stew. Recipes, maps, photographs and essays on local products and people combine to create almost the satisfaction of being aboard the Julia Hoyt on her leisurely course.
Copyright 1995 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Ratliffe's life will seem idyllic to many-she is the owner of a canal barge based in France's Gascony region, where she offers culinary tours along the Garonne River. She cooks delicious meals in her "bistro-galley," and this book takes the reader on a week-long tour with recipes through her "long village," the towns along the river from the canal's end near Bordeaux to her home port 88 kilometers to the southeast. Recipes are by necessity simple enough to be made in a small, underequipped kitchen, but Ratliffe has all the fresh produce, duck and foie gras, and other specialties of the region to choose from, with enviable results. Recommended for cooks and armchair travelers alike.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
