Welcome to
Fredericksburg Herb Farm
Our on-line catalog makes shopping easy, fun and safe.

from Victoria McClure:
Hotel Pastis, Peter Mayle
Suggestions for our Young Readers!

Greetings! I know all of you are gearing up for the holiday season. This month's offering is Peter Mayle's Hotel Pastis (Vintage, 1994). Many of you probably know of Mayle because of his first book, A Year in Provence. This was how I first "met" him. I was going to some conference or other and had a layover in O'Hare airport. It was the holiday season, which these days means anytime after Labor Day. O'Hare was beautiful and, for once, I was not trying to set an Olympic record getting from one gate to the next. There was a bookstore displaying A Year in Provence and I picked it up. It was love at first sight. I was entranced, entertained and enchanted by Mayle's humorous and affectionate look at moving to another country and coping with all of the eccentricities of small town life where your grasp of the language is initially minimal and your desire to experience everything is undaunted. I chose Hotel Pastis for this month because it is absolutely escapist fiction. So, take some time for yourself, curl up, and enjoy!

Hotel Pastis is one of Mayle's novels, also set in France. Now, Mayle writes semi-formula fiction. Young, disillusioned man finds himself in France and meets a young, beautiful woman. A good time is had by all. However, don't be turned off. Mayle's wry wit and sparkling, sometimes brittle humor, make his books an utter joy.

We begin in London (cold and drippy) where our hero, Simon Shaw, is wondering why in the world he is running an advertising firm. He is in the midst of divorcing a woman who seems to be incredibly plastic (and who, incidentally, loves his plastic), trying to pacify clients, and dealing with the petty politics present in any business. On a whim, he goes to the Luberon, where he spent time in his youth and, due to a close encounter between his Porsche and an inconvenient rock, ends up in a small town with a mayor who takes him in for the night. He falls in love with the village, a lovely young woman named Nicole falls for him, and a plan is born.

The upshot is, Simon and his valet Ernest move to France so that Simon can buy an unfinished jail, convert it to a small hotel and restaurant, and live out a dream. This spare summary does not capture Mayle's unending charm and wit. There are threats from a well-dressed mobster, a cycling American, a chef with a bosom that rests "on the bar like two sleeping puppies," a bank robbery, a kidnapping, and, most important of all, incredible descriptions of incredible meals. Hotel Pastis is a novel to be savored. While it is fluff, it is fluff of the best sort. The wit is as crisp as a good Riesling. Turn off the phone. Light a fire in the fireplace and curl up with a good glass of wine, a loaf of bread, a selection of cheeses and dig in.

For Our Younger Readers

This month, I want to tell you about a few books for the younger readers on your holiday gift list. I must admit that I am being very self-indulgent because these are the books I loved as a child. Some of them are out of print. However, they are worth tracking down. I will list some sites of interest at the end of the reviews.

First on the list is Christmas on the Mayflower (1956, out-of-print) by Wilma Pitchford Hays with illustrations by Roger Duvoisin. This is a well-researched story of how the Pilgrims spent the Christmas of 1620 on the Mayflower. Hays strikes a very good balance between history and fiction and presents a compassionate, entertaining tale for everyone. What I love about this book is that Hays did research her topic, so the information is historically accurate. Duvoisin's illustrations, in simple blue, black, and white, are elegant in their simplicity.

Next we have Kay Thompson's Eloise at Christmastime (Simon & Schuster, 1999 reprint) Who can resist Eloise, Nanny, Weenie (her pug), and Skipperdee (her turtle)? I know I can't! For anyone unfamiliar with Eloise, she lives at the Plaza Hotel and is a delightful nightmare of a child. Silly, spoiled, out-spoken, and, more than anything, loving, Eloise will make you laugh. Hillary Knight's illustrations are divine. And, did you know that Kay Thompson starred in Funny Face? She played opposite Fred Astaire as Maggie Prescott, the over-the-top editor of Quality magazine.

My God parents gave me Marjorie Winslow's Mud Pies and Other Recipes: A Cookbook for Dolls (Walker Books, 2001 reprint) many years ago. This is a delightful cookbook with recipes like Molded Moss Salad, Grilled Mud Sandwiches, Fried Water, Roast Rocks, and Mud Pies A La Mud. In other words, prepare to sample some tasty fare if you give this gift to your budding gourmet. Illustrations by Erik Blegvad are equally tasty.

Miss Flora McFlimsey's Christmas Eve by Mariana (1949, out-of-print) was given to me in 1962 and still has a charm all its own. Miss Flora McFlimsey is a doll who is hidden away in the attic. Through the magic of Christmas, she is given new life in the arms of the little girl with the red shoes. Mariana is both author and artist and her watercolors are as magical as her stories.

Tasha Tudor's The Doll's Christmas (1950, out-of-print) is another magical wonder. Many of you, I have no doubt, are quite familiar with Tasha Tudor and her delightful stories and illustrations. In The Doll's Christmas, Sethany Ann and Nicey Melinda, who live in Pumpkin House with their turtle Ezekiel, are hosting their annual Christmas party. Tudor's prose and illustrations take the reader on a delightful journey as the dolls make elaborate preparations for their party.

My final offering is Marguerite de Angeli's Elin's Amerika (1941, out of print). This is another historical book. Elin is a young girl who has emigrated from Sweden to America in the mid-1640's. We watch as Elin tries to adapt to life in this new and strange land. More than anything, she is lonely. There are no girls her age close by and her brothers do not want their sister tagging along with them. So, Elin must find a way to entertain herself and carve out her own life. De Angeli presents an entertaining and enlightening look at life in a rugged country. Her illustrations are also a delight.

I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday season. May you have time with your family, friends, pets, and all that you hold dear. My best wishes to you and yours for the coming year!

Victoria

email info@fredericksburgherbfarm.com
Copyright © 2000-2007 Fredericksburg Herb Farm
For comments or problems regarding this site - please contact webmaster.

site design & maintenance Argus Design