French Cooking for One

"Part of the beauty of the art of cooking is that it involves transience, making something delightful that then vanishes, and that in turn involves cherishing the time we spend on perfecting a dish. Cooking yourself something delicious is rewarding, satisfying, cheering. It makes us feel capable, creative, able to take care of ourselves.Cooking for yourself makes you feel spoiled and cherished."French cuisine, classic though it is, still holds delicious surprises worth exploring. Whether cooking for one on a daily or an occasional basis, cooking well for yourself means cherishing yourself and your appetites, joyously giving yourself pleasure, opening yourself to new experiences. This book will encourage you to do all that.      Infused with Michèle Roberts’ longstanding love of food – which frequently features in her literary fiction – this book is bursting with life. It shows a wide variety of easy-to-follow recipes including many vegetarian ones, from quick bites for busy days to sumptuous main courses for those who enjoy spending more time in the kitchen. The focus throughout is on dishes that are simple and fun to prepare, and results that are mouthwatering to contemplate and, of course, to eat.      Mixed in with the recipes are stories and vignettes of Michèle Roberts’ childhood in Normandy and her life in Mayenne, Pays de Loire, plus original ink drawings full of charm and humour.

Michèle Roberts was born in 1949 to a French mother and an English father. She is the author of 15 acclaimed novels, including Daughters of the House (shortlisted for the Booker Prize). She is Emeritus Professor of Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia, a Chevalier de l'ordre des arts et des lettres and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. As a republican, she turned down an OBE in 2003.