It’s the 14th July–Bastille Day.
Anniversary of the storming of the Bastille Prison in 1789–the start of the French Revolution.
In Paris, the Presidents of France and the US are also commemorating another momentous event–America’s entry into the First World War in 1917.
There’ll be military parades and firework displays all over France; there were fireworks in Lautrec last night.
It’s busy, busy–out there.
Here in a quieter corner of Southwest France, it’s simply summer and the living is easy; the mornings are cool and the cats are lying around.
The first figs–les figues fleurs–are dropping and making a mess in the courtyard.
Time to slow down and count one’s blessings.
Time to plan a lunch for the Garlic Festival–in the first week of August.
Time to consult the multitude of cookbooks on the shelves in the larder.
Cookbooks are perched on tables and chairs and falling off dressers.
Experiments are under way in the kitchen–and food is spilling out of the fridge.
Some cookery books one buys on a whim and after the initial thumb-through, sit unused, gathering dust.
Until moments of calm like this–when a glance at the shelves finds books that I had forgotten were there.
Honey from a Weed is one such.
Written in the 1980s by Patience Gray, it is one of those “old fashioned” cookbooks–no photos, just beautiful sketches telling everyday stories–discursive, setting the recipes against a backdrop of place and personal experience.
This wonderful book is the story of the artist/writer’s life in three Mediterranean locations over years living with her “mystery” partner, simply referred to as “The Sculptor“.
The locations are all in places where marble is quarried.
In Catalonia, in Spain, on the Greek island of Naxos and most famously in Carrarra in Tuscany–where Michelangelo once quarried his stone.
I am reading her cookbook with relish this summer.
For me, here’s a perfect example of how to write a recipe.
In a few lines it manages to tell us the what and the how–and finish nicely describing the natural emergence of a sauce that makes the mouth water.
(Ask the fishmonger to do the middle paragraph!).
Robin Ellis 
Lovely, Robin! I have some wild caught sole fillets in the freezer. I think I’ll try to adapt for this!
Boun appetito, Debbie!
Oh, my…oh, sigh…the imagery, the language, the food – in your post and the volume cited – I’m swooning with thoughts of a summer’s day and dining in the south of France. Thank you for that momentary, but delightful, diversion from a busy work day.
What a joy Robin! Just settling to a post dinner coffee and your Bastille Day messagecsme through!
Thank you as always- for taking us to a quieter, calmer place!
Fran Shaw
Robin,
What a lyrical cookbook, with the peeling of grapes and the severing off of the sole’s heads (apropos for Bastille Day!), but you had me with the simplicity of “cats lying around the kitchen.”
JulieH
Robin, have you read M.F.K. Fischer’s books about eating? The Art of Eating and How to Cook a Wolf stand out for me. Read them years ago and have never forgotten them.
I have one of them but as yet it has been it has languished on a shelf. Thanks for the reminder.
Robin, have you considered writing a novel. You are a natural writer. Meredith, get him to write a work of fiction; a thriller ? Go on! Publishers would eat it up.
Happy Bastille Day!
Bru
Thanks for your description of languid Summer days. Love the cookbooks and the fact that figs and garlic are the next crops!😊
What a coincidence – her daughter was on radio 4 about mid morning a week or so ago talking about her mother .
What a lovely looking book. But how interesting that in 1980 some folk still had a pan specially for cooking sole – does she mention different pans for different kinds / sizes of fish?
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Dear Sir
Wonderful post.
I thought of Dover sole, and then, somehow, of Horowitz’ predilection for it…
Here we have flounder…done much the same way.
Also, here it is hotter, and we wait for summer to end.
All the best
Nicely written story. Whenever Bastille Day comes around, I think of Doctor Manette…”A Tale of Two Cities”…a fantastic book.
Just looked for that book on Amazon. Second hand one £135!!! Nice work as always Robin.
Honey from a Weed: Fasting and Feasting in Tuscany, Catalonia, the Cyclades and Apulia20 Dec 2001
by Patience Gray and Corinna Sargood
Paperback
Amazon uk£ 13.60Prime
Eligible for FREE UK Delivery
Only 3 left in stock – order soon.
More buying choices
£10.38used & new(18 offers)
Yummy mmm! As we always have seedless grapes in our fruit bowl, this sounds like a delicious recipe we cannot wait to taste. You are such fun, thank you Robin. What a lucky Meredith!
Shawdian
Yes I saw that one Robin, a reprint. The same one as you have is the pricey one. 😀
Another great blog Robin. This was the book we talked about when we met at your book signing in March 2016 at Books for Cooks. I love it too – it’s so atmospheric and the recipes are beautifully written. My copy from 1987 is well-thumbed!
Oh that’s weird, I was listening to Woman’s Hour the other day (7 July episode, it’s still available online) and Patience Grey’s daughter was on talking about her mother. Really interesting, check it out, if t’internet is working ……..
Thanks for the tip–will do.
Hello, me again. Was driving to friend’s house today and had Radio 4 on in the car. Check out the Food Programme, 12.30 edition today, all about Patience Grey. American guy who wrote about her was on as well as another cookery writer, really interesting programme.
Thanks–I heard it by chance and enjoyed it very much.
Hi Robin, a lovely sounding recipe for a summer day. Reading your latest piece made me wonder whether you’ve read Apricots on the Nile by Colette Rossant? It’s a lovely memoir with recipes. Colette Rossant also wrote another similar book about food and her life in the US after she married and moved there.
Yes LI have–a another lovely book.
In Truro last week for a break and was pleased to see an updated version of your Making of Poldark in Waterstones! Bought it ! My garlic is being harvested at the moment, we buy from the Isle of Wight Garlic Farm – my gosh it’s a lovely place – seehttps://www.thegarlicfarm.co.uk/product/early-purple-wight-seed-x-4-bulbs we’ve had a huge harvest, so I will be making chicken kievs,garlic soup,and obviously spaghetti bolognese.
You could try Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic from my first cookbook (Delicious Dishes for Diabetics) too!
Robin, you have no excuses now! 😃
We’re looking forward to welcoming you and Meredith in Carrara to visit all together the marble quarries and to let you try our typical recipes!
An offer we can’t refuse! we will let you know.I am loving your very generous gift–it is spectacular. Ciao, Simonetta and Marcello!
You both are welcome here anytime! 😊
Bless–you never know!
I find, being a passionate cook myself, good recipes and tips often come from unexpected places (a favorite actor, for instance!) A newsletter published in the US in the ’90’s, “The Tightwad Gazette,” mentioned using celery leaves (always available in the quantities most recipes require and usually discarded) as a substitute for parsley leaves. I latched onto the idea and have never looked back, as here in the States, parsley is sold in sandy, large, waterlogged bunches; more than you’ll ever use and a victim of the misting systems at our supermarches. Celery’s natural sodium content seasons the food and it adds a fresh, green note. You mentioned your love for celery in “Healthy Eating for Life,” so I thought you’d like to try it next time you’re out of parsley and want to avoid a trip to the market.
Lovely thought and tip, Mary–thanks. I will try it.
Thanks for the lovely words – still enjoying your cookbook here in the states – we need some joy over here and I am finding some via cooking along with you in the cookbook. I hope there is a new one in the works! Best – Greg
Thanks, Greg. Not much “joy” there at the moment–cooking as an antidote to…!
Good morning Robin, from Australia. I’ve just found your blog and am sitting here watching the original ‘Poldark’ and am on episode 10. I remember seeing some when I was much younger and have memories associated. So glad to find you’re living in France and enjoying a great life from the look. Loving Winstons creative talent. And will be on the lookout for your recipe books.😊
Welcome, Jane–down under!