Cook the Books: A Bakery in Paris by Aimie K Runyan

 

When A Bakery in Paris was announced as one of the selection for Cook the Books I was very pleased. Runyan is an author who I have been meaning to read for a long time and I started this book with pretty high expectations. Fortunately, I was not disappointed. I enjoyed this a lot.

This is a dual timeline novel with a difference. Both timelunes are historical. The first timeline tells the story of Lisette Vigneau who lives in an affluent area of Paris at the time that that the Prussians are blockading the city in 1870. The second timeline is set in the immediate aftermath of WWII. It is 1946 and Micheline Chartier is a young girl who is doing her best to look after her younger sisters until her mother returns. 

Lisette is a young woman who has been bought up in a life of privilege. Her parents are wealthy but they are remote, and often Lisette is invisible to them. As a child all her best memories are from the times that she spent in the kitchen with their cook, Nanette. It is 1870 and the Prussians are at the gates of Paris. Many of the other wealthy inhabitants of Paris have previously left the city but her father doesn't believe that the Prussians will be successful and if they are, then he isn't going to give up his house without a fight. 

One day, Lisette borrows the kitchen servants dress to go to the markets in disguise. She meets a young National Guardsman who helps her with an embarrassing situation, and Theo asks her to come and learn how the other half lives in Paris. 

With her parents arranging a marriage to a worth (in their opinion) man, and Lisette's growing feelings for Theo, she leaves behind everything she knows - all the wealth, the food and more. With her skills that she learned in the kitchen, Lisette is able to start a bakery in her local area of Montparnasse, and become an integral part of the local community. It isn't always easy, especially as the siege tightens and ingredients become scarce. Things come to a head as Lisette and Theo become involved in the communard uprising of 1871. 

In the second timeline, Micheline is struggling to care for her sisters following the death of her father early in the war and the subsequent disappearance of their mother. Micheline is determined that her mother must still be alive and does everything in her power to find her, despite the authorities telling her they have no news. Her family has a little income from the rent of the little restaurant below their apartment, but when the tenants leave unexpectedly she knows that life is going to get a lot harder for the little family.

Fortunately, Micheline has something of a fairy godmother in the form of Madame Dupuis who offers to support the family while Micheline completes a course which will enable her to re-open the bakery. At first, Micheline struggles a little with the course, but she prevails, often assisted by another student on the course, Laurent.

Armed with the cookbook that originally belonged to her grandmother and working together with Laurent, Micheline practices many of the recipes that she learnt at her mother's feet, determined to do the best that she can in her mother's absence, and to re-open the bakery.

This was a great selection for Cook the Books. The operation of the bakery in both time lines was integral to the story, and we watched as Micheline, in particular, learned all the skills she needed to be able to be successful. There were also lots of recipes throughout the book including for brioche, croissants, hot chocolate, clafoutis aux fruits and so much more. I am almost a bit sad that I need to return this book to the library. 

I do still like a dual timeline novel, but I did really like that the timelines were both historical. Normally you would see a modern timeline with a WWII timeline. Even the fact that the second timeline was set just after the end of the war was a point of difference too. The war was still very much an influence on every day life in Paris, particularly for families like the Chartiers. 

When it came to choosing a recipe to make I struggled a little bit as there were almost too many options. I did think about making the macaron kit that I have sitting here but eventually decided against it given that I did not recall seeing the word macaron once in the book! I might still make that next weekend and post about it for Paris in July but we'll see if that happens or not.

In the end I decided to try and make a clafoutis which is a traditional dish, originally from the Limousin region of France. The question then was whether to make the most traditional version which is made with cherries or to do a variation like a caramelised apple version (recipe here). In the end I decided to use a Mary Berry recipe which calls for raspberries, but I used the frozen mixed berries that I had in my freezer. 

This is a deceptively easy recipe, and very tasty

Raspberry Clafoutis (Mary Berry)

3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (plus a bit extra to butter the dish)
½ cup plain flour
¼ cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar
small pinch of kosher salt
3 large eggs
zest of 1 lemon
¼ cup + 2 tbsp whole milk
1½ pints raspberries (about 3 cups)
icing sugar, for dusting


Set your oven to 350°F (or 175°C). Grease the outsides of a shallow baking dish. Melt the butter and allow to cool a little.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Crack in the eggs,  the melted butter and the lemon zest.

Gradually add the milk, whisking as you go until the batter is smooth and a little bubbly.  

Pour your batter into the buttered dish then scatter the raspberries over the top

Bake for about 30 minutes until the edges are puffed and the centre is just set

Cool for approximately 10 minutes  and then dust with icing sugar just before serving. 

Note: You can use frozen fruit for this but don't thaw them out before adding them to the batter. Also, when you take the clafoutis from the oven the puffed edges will deflate. This is meant to happen. 

Now I just need to decide which book I am going to read by this author next! There are several that are of immediate interest.

The next four selections for Cook the Books have been announced, so if you would like to join us you would be most welcome. A couple of the new selections are a bit tricky for me to get hold of, and one of the others is a book that I already read, but I will be doing my best to join in when I can.

I am sharing this review with Cook the Books, Foodies Read hosted at Based on a True Story, the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host and with Paris In July hosted by Words and Peace. I am also counting it as a read for the my read on a theme book club where the current theme is war.

Rating 4.5/5

Weekly meals

Saturday - Malaysian Chicken Curry with roti
Sunday - Spaghetti Bolognaise
Monday - Chicken Stirfry
Tuesday - Out for dinner
Wednesday - Baked potatoes with beef brisket
Thursday - Green Curry Chicken Pie
Friday - Out for dinner

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page