Beguiling, aromatic memoirs of a cookery writer, settling in a small Normandy town, very similar in flavour to Under the Tuscan Sun.

Many of us dream of owning a house in a French town, of being able to walk through the markets, talk to the butcher and the baker…be part of small town life, with Gallic flavour. Susan Loomis had that dream to, and she made it come true.

This is the story of the Loomis' loving restoration of their house on Rue Tatin, and their enchanted discovery of the neighbours and a away of life in a small French town. Susan Loomis takes the reader on a journey of discovery full of memorable characters, enhanced at each chapter by delicious recipes

"In this wonderful book, Susan Loomis takes us – through memories and recipes – from the market, to the kitchen, to the table, sharing her love and passion for food, and for France."
RUTH ROGERS, 'River Café'

"Where many writers merely love France, Susan Loomis knows it – its smells, people and manners…she shows she is as natural a writer as she is a chef."
ADAM GOPNIK, 'New York Times'

"She slips down a treat, like Normandy cream – smooth and sweet with a touch of acidity. A pleasure from start to finish."
ELISABETH LUARD, 'Daily Mail'

Beguiling, aromatic memoirs of a cookery writer, settling in a small Normandy town, very similar in flavour to Under the Tuscan Sun.

The second house that Susan Hermann Loomis looked at in the small town of Louviers was perfect. Dilapidated, rambling, crumbling walls which were covered with faded paper, it had been a convent. So Susan, her husband, luckily a sculptor and builder, and small son, moved in – to spend a year and more, rebuilding, finding new hidden treasures of their house, and discovering their neighbours, and the life of a small French town.

Some of the great pleasures of the book come from sharing in Susan Loomis’ daily journeys: to the market, to the butcher and the baker, talking to the shop keepers and the teachers at the school, and meeting the clergy who tramp through their garden. As her son joins the local school, as Susan’s cookery work gets underway, so the reader is part of all the human – and gastronomic – experiences that shape this very French town.