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Tuesday, June 18, 2013

the secrets of pistoulet


the novel bakers present; a week of enchanted fables of food, magic and love by jana koplen~


good things do indeed come in small packages, this adorable series of book will enchant you with its whimsy and seduce you with its culinary magic...






in southwestern france, located between the fields of echoes


and the hills of forgotten dreams, you will find pistoulet...


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weary guests come to transform their very souls with the magical potions loving served just for them. the proprietor, a mysterious man that travels the world far and wide, sends a letter to take the utmost care of his dear friend in need of restoration. ahh, and lucky for us she is fond of cooking...


hidden from most everything, pistoulet in an unknown paradise with magical powers. all who come leave with their hearts and minds transformed. the trees are greener, the flowers more abundant and vines heaviest with the largest grapes imaginable. there is a happiness there to feed your spirit~





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the caretakers, they have special powers, they know exactly which guest is in need of what, there was the quiet man that needed a nudge...




or the exhausted new mother that needed not only spirit, but strength...



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whatever may be depleting your soul, this wee little book can restore you. tell me, is there a person that does not wish to cook up some passion?










go to the market and find a farmer with a twinkle in his eye


buy a large quantity of big ripe tomatoes


put them in a huge red pot of boiling water until their skins split


saute two aromatic cloves of garlic in farm fresh butter of the sweetest variety


turn the heat low, put on your favorite romantic opera, and let simmer until soft
lace with cream and kisses, but be careful to whom you serve this ...

















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come to pistoulet and learn to sew your very own seeds of happiness~









locate a large field of sunflowers in full bloom ***






walk to the middle and turn 360 degrees to radiate in the magnificence of the sunflowers


return to the same field at the end of the season when the flowers have turned









remove the seed heads and leave out to dry in an airy place. when bone dry, roast the seeds in a hot oven until golden, toss with olive oil and serve




caution, be prepared for a delightful feeling~


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*** some photos borrowed from google, BUT i do live in area rich with sunflowers, i just couldn't locate my old blooming pics... sadly, they used to grow them just a mile from me in the olden days, but now its all grapes. and now for a little california agriculture lesson~

"California — specifically the Sacramento Valley — produces roughly 95% of the hybrid seed planted each year by U.S. sunflower growers. And, an even larger volume of California-grown seed is destined for sunflower producers in Europe and Asia. In acreage terms, its the number-one seed crop in the state". The crop is organized in long rows - three skinny strips of male plants separating every six lines of larger, female flowers.

that concludes my state sponsored sunflower update ;-)

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this adorable book is the first in the trilogy, come visit on wednesday as the novel bakers prepare to sweep you off to the villa del luna on the coast of italy~

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7 comments:

  1. Your post is magical and caused squeals of delight and extreme ecstasy from me! A wee bit of embarrassment too at my lack of creativity...Note to self: don't forget to lace potage with cream, kisses, hearts and moons! All your props, dishes, sunflowers are perfectly paired...*sigh*! You are a master at this, I need to go to school :) Such fun watching you bring a book to life and play in the kitchen!

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  2. This post (contented sigh) ~~~ is just plain wonderful.
    Yet another book to add to my wish list. Thanks!

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  3. Loved your post, you made the book really come alive. Mary's was really cute too, now I'm off to the third blog to see hers. I just might have to get this book! I love when you guys highlight books through food, recipes and tablescapes!

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  4. OMG Jain ~ you nailed it Girl!!

    I like your recreation even more than the book ~ you really brought it to life!
    What a great way to start the day ~ again, I'm grinning all the way through... and the videos just add to the fun! Brava ~ you are SO good at this. Meet you in Italy on Wednesday?

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  5. Oh, what a fabulous time I had savoring each photo. I always love your posts, but this Tour de Jain is unparalleled. Here is Pistoulet, rich with flowers and natural beauty, not to mention great cooking. Everything, the lot, is delicious and beautiful to my eyes. Your talents are as abundant as the bounty in your garden; you have a rare gift for bringing books to life with vignettes and words that engage all of the senses. Where to begin? Glorious sunshine and cool pockets of shade. The clicking of sunflowers as the wind ripples across a field. (I wonder if my sunflowers came from California!) Tomatoes tumble off my laptop screen and roll around my desk, sending up a sun-ripened smell. And then you go and add a handsome tomato farmer with a beguiling twinkle in his eye. If your photos were a meal, they would fill the unfillable spaces that lurk deep inside every man and woman. If I didn't already own a copy of Pistoulet, I'd rush out and buy another, especially after inhaling all three views of this magical place. You, Mary, and Mari. Such a privilege to be in your company, ladies. What a joy to be swept away into three unique Pisolets!I feel unworthy to be a NB, as I am forever stuck in the foodie Missionary Position. But you make me want to be a better baker and a human being. A thousand merci beaucoups for inviting me to be a part of your creative, joy-making group of readers/bakers. These are more than posts; they are adventures that inspire and lift the heart. Looking forward to Villa Della Luna and beyond! xxoo

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  6. Oh my goodness, everything about this post is so enchanting -- the visual, the words, everything! I felt transported into something magical. What a way to bring a book to life.

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  7. We've had house guests since last Thursday so I'm late arriving to all the Novel Baker posts. I scrolled down to begin with the first. It's great fun to see how each of you shared these books though your own experiences. This is such a terrific idea, gathering the masters to play with books and food. Love all those sunflower shots. '-)

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welcome~