Inspiration is Everywhere
I didn’t set out to have a theme for this weekly wrap-up, but it ended up involving a cookbook or two. Warning - you might want to pause now and grab a snack.
When I am creating content for the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation Community, our overarching theme is “Books That Inspire”. What I love about this powerful little phrase is that “Books That Inspire” encompasses so many aspects of literature. Poetry can inspire an emotional response. A romance novel can inspire all the feels. A historical fiction novel connects us with our past. But, a cookbook… that’s where the inspiration of all five sense comes into play.
When I saw The French Ingredient listed on NetGalley, I thought it sounded like a quaint little story that would read like a 90’s Meg Ryan rom-com. What it ended up being was a story that made me feel seen as a business owner, inspired as a woman, and motivated as a food lover.
Book Blurb -
When Jane Bertch was seventeen, her mother took her on a graduation trip to Paris. Thrilled to use her high school French, Jane found her halting attempts greeted with withering condescension by every waiter and shopkeeper she encountered. At the end of the trip, she vowed she would never return.
Yet a decade later she found herself back in Paris, transferred there by the American bank she worked for. She became fluent in the language and excelled in her new position. But she had a different dream: to start a cooking school for foreigners like her, who wanted to take a few classes in French cuisine in a friendly setting, then bring their new skills to their kitchens back home. Predictably, Jane faced the skeptical French—how dare an American banker start a cooking school in Paris?—as well as real-estate nightmares, and a long struggle to find and attract clients.
Thanks to Jane’s perseverance, La Cuisine Paris opened in 2009. Now the school is thriving, welcoming international visitors to come in and knead dough, whisk bechamel, whip meringue, and learn the care, precision, patience, and beauty involved in French cooking.
The French Ingredient is the story of a young female entrepreneur building a life in a city and culture she grew to love. As she established her school, Jane learned how to charm, how to project confidence, and how to give it right back to rude waiters. Having finally made peace with the city she swore to never revisit, she now offers a love letter to France, and a master class in Parisian cooking—and living.
"Just don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong."- Ella Fitzgerald
The second book that inspired me this week is Simple French Baking by Manon Lagrève. I first found Manon via her TikTok account where she makes French cuisine look absolutely effortless.
The ways in which she inspires me is the joy she brings to her career, the simplicity of her dishes, and her dedication to sharing something she is clearly very passionate about.
Book Blurb -
The Great British Bakeoff alumni and winner of the NYE 2023 special, Manon Lagrève, shares over 80 French classics — simplified or with a twist — for the modern baker.
In her debut cookbook Simple French Baking, Manon proves that elegant French baking does not have to be difficult or pretentious to make. With just a few basic pieces of baking equipment and Manon’s secret short-cuts, you too can master the French pastries and desserts of your dreams. This is a collection of her favorite family recipes, many of which were handed down by her mother and grandmothers, and are perfect for sharing with the people you love.
Whether you want to perfect the classics such as brioche, éclairs and macarons or whip up a galette or a clafoutis after a mid-week meal, there’s something for every baker and palate. French baking can be chic and simple, and whatever your baking skill, Manon will show you how.
My takeaways from these two books:
It’s not always going to be easy
Believe in what you are doing
Keep it simple
Stay true to yourself
You can do just about anything you put your mind to
And, most importantly, inspiration is everywhere.
Where have you been finding inspiration this week? I would love to hear about it!
5 things I have been loving (in no particular order)…
Coffee
Walking outside at night
Reading on my kindle paperwhite (it saves my eyes after staring at a screen all day)
Connecting with other creatives
Listening to my son tell me about the books he has been reading.
Happy reading,
Melissa - The Literary Assistant
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I feel inspired by you. I find inspiration in meditation, observing life in its many many forms, and movies.
That was fun!