A Culinary Journey in Gascony: Recipes and Stories from My French Canal Boat [Paperback]

Kate Hill (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 15, 2004

In the heart of the Gascony region of France sits some of the country'¬?s richest farmland, the source of foie gras, juicy strawberries, wild game, and other delectables prized throughout Europe. Through the center of this productive land winds the Canal Lat?©ral ?† la Garonne, a picturesque waterway dotted with medieval villages, stone bridges and chapels, traditional p?¢tisseries, and lively farmers'¬? markets. The canal is also home to author and chef Kate Hill'¬?s popular culinary tours, which are conducted aboard an old Dutch canal boat. In A CULINARY JOURNEY IN GASCONY, Kate cruises and cooks along the canals of southwestern France, sharing 80 memorable recipes inspired by the region'¬?s farm-fresh ingredients. Home chefs and armchair travelers alike will cherish this collection of tales along with 80 recipes from the heart and soul of Gascony. Features full-color and black-and-white photographs of the picturesque Gascony region and full-color food photographs.Reviews"This enticingly illustrated little book . . . includes plenty of stories about the region and its people." -New York Times

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

KATE HILL is a gourmet chef who teaches cooking classes internationally and runs culinary tours on her 75-year-old Dutch barge in the Gascony region of France.

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press; Rev Sub edition (February 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580085679
• ISBN-13: 978-1580085670
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #734,733 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Life to Die For, October 24, 2004

By 

Bill Marsano (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Culinary Journey in Gascony: Recipes and Stories from My French Canal Boat (Paperback)

By Bill Marsano. La Capitaine Hill, or Cap'n Kate, as I think of her, is a sailor, cook and blessed soul who lives a life to die for. She spends much of her year in Gascony, in the southwest of France, and she lives in a place she calls the Long Village. By that she means the Canal Lateral a la Garonne, which winds through some of the prettiest parts of France as it makes its way to (or from) the river Garonne, which in turn meets the Atlantic just beyond Bordeaux. She manages to do this because about 17 years ago she had the good sense to buy the Julia Hoyt, a

or canal boat to live, cook and teach aboard.

This delightful and envy-prompting book is the fruit of her years in the Long Village, collecting recipes, meeting people, making friends, exploring odd corners and traditions and folkways. Buying tomatoes from the lockkeeper's wife; getting caught--by a 12-year-old boy!--in the ghastly act of serving cheese <before> the meal; learning from an elderly <grand-mere> that a freshly killed rabbit must 'rest' for a day before it's cooked; finding a pear-grower turned part-poet/distiller; discovering the potion 'served on wedding nights to fortify the newlyweds'; and more and more and more.

Of course there are recipes; recipes by the penich-load. Cap'n Kate's are the dishes of Gascony, of course, and Gascony is that romantic landscape of Cyrano de Bergerac and d'Artagnan. If she can cook any and all of them in the tiny galley of the Julia Hoyt, then we ought to be able to cook them too.

A good strategy would be to buy two copies of this book--one for the kitchen and the other for the night table, to prompt sweeet dreams. Another good bet is to book a cooking vacation cruise, to plod placidly through the Long Village with the good Captain at the helm or the stove, as circumstances require. A quick e-mail to [e-mail] should do the trick, me hearties!--Bill Marsano is an award-winning writer on wine, spirits, food and travel.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple Elegance, April 20, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: A Culinary Journey in Gascony: Recipes and Stories from My French Canal Boat (Paperback)

I love this book! I was drawn in by Kate's story - living on a barge floating up the French countryside and wanted to read more about that. Kate not only took me on a beautiful journey but also shared some of her favorite recipes with me.

I thought French cooking was fancy and difficult but these recipes are not. They're simple, fresh, and just great. I can picture her walking through a farmers market creating these meals based on the produce available.

The book is beautiful and Kate is a wonderful guide. Thank you for sharing your travels with me. When I cook from this book I turn on the radio, pour a glass of wine, and travel back to France.

5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous!, November 15, 2011

By 

Charm - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Culinary Journey in Gascony: Recipes and Stories from My French Canal Boat (Paperback)

This is a beautiful book, which contains well written and very interesting stories along with lots of lovely recipes. The photos are very true to real life and it is a delight to read and absorb.