Mediterranean Summer: A Season on France's Cote d'Azur and Italy's Costa Bella
by David Shalleck
what a trite little vacation from the apocalypse....er the books about them. actually my life is quite amazing right now. well, i wouldn't go quite that far- but all is good and that's all that matters. :-) Anchorman is playing in the background, it's Friday, and i have learned how to write my name, as well as several friend's in Arabic. because i have almost learned all the alphabet! yay me! david shalleck, author of this kind of boring but lovely book, picks up italian in his time (or his 'stages') apprenticing with all kinds of chefs and kitchens- from the almost home kitchens to the michelin starred ones- all over the boot of Italy. then he is hired by fabulously rich businesspeople to be the chef in the galley of Serenity, a luxury yacht that travels the Mediterranean Sea. it was a lot of hard work, but some true beauty and no small achievement to make an entirely original (yes, every time he cooked for the owners he was not allowed to make the same dish more than once- NOT ONCE! can you imagine???? AND it had to stay true to the local regional cuisine AND it had to be fairly health conscious! needless to say, i'm rediculously impressed- i can't even do that for myself from week to week!) He goes on to work with culinary great, Jaques Pepin. i loved hearing him speak so in depth about the recipes and the preparation, and the incredible luxury that people with money on the coast of the mediterranean live in. someday, i hope to be here. not necessarily on a luxury yacht, but that would be acceptable. i guess.... ha ha but i definitely would not hire a cook to take care of every meal. maybe someone to pamper us occasionally, and make menial meals when we are in a hurry- jetting off to the white sandy beaches and 'discoteques' of italy and monaco- but i wouldn't let this guy (or girl) have all the fun. but i definitely would do as la signora and il dottore (the owners) do and have my labrador on board, being fed the occasional delectable human food. i might not, however, name him Alessandro. but that is kind of amusing. yes, this book is my dream- sun soaked beaches, crystal blue waters, great food and loved ones- and a happy go lucky dog. :-)
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