Searching for Family and Traditions at the French Table

July 1, 2020
This sequel offers French family stories--and recipes--from Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Normandy and Brittany on the Atlantic coast, the Loire Valley, and Auvergne. With tape recorder and notepad in hand, Bumpus--traveling with Josianne, her French-speaking friend and guide--first interviewed Veronique for this collection. Veronique lived east of Dunkirk in the Monts de Flandres area, close to the Belgian border. Madame Pund, Veronique's mother, served "her famous Potjevlesh"(meat pot), a Flemish specialty. Historically, the dish was prepared from leftover meats, such as "rabbit, chicken, and pork...all roasted with a lot of herbs." Fearful of stirring tragic memories, the author cautiously asked Veronique whether her mother would mind talking about World War II. With Madame Pund's permission, Veronique launched into the story of her father, whose family escaped the German bombings of Dunkirk. He was 9 years old when his mother and aunt decided to flee. With the men out fighting the Germans, his aunt, who did not know how to drive, became the designated driver. She "could barely reach the pedals...and didn't know how to use the brake." To stop the car, Veronique's father would "jump out and put a block of wood in front of the wheels." When German airplanes strafed the line of cars, they would "all jump into the ditch." In Normandy, Bumpus visited the Cathedral of Our Lady in Bayeux, consecrated in 1077, to see the church where a 200-foot-long tapestry depicting "the entire story of William the Conqueror...woven into the cloth" originally resided. The author's straightforward narrative delivers vivid imagery of both the surroundings and the people: "The air was crisp and sparkling as we drove along the beach"; Madame Pund "moved through the room with some discomfort yet carried herself in a regal manner." As a poignant illustration of Bumpus' belief that the trauma of war permanently changes lives, she introduces a French grandmother who had barely survived in Paris during World War II. Upon hearing of 9/11, the woman ordered 500 kilos of potatoes, just in case. All of the recipes discussed and sampled are included in this enjoyable work. An engaging gastronomic presentation of French history and culture. (maps)

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August 10, 2020
Bumpus, a retired American family therapist, collects culinary traditions and oral histories in this amiable but frustratingly uninsightful sequel, which offers a glimpse into the lesser-known regions of France. Bumpus departs Paris with her friend and interpreter, Josiane, on a road trip toward the Atlantic coast to learn the ways of cuisine pauvre, which translates as “poor kitchen,” as opposed to haute cuisine, through interviews conducted in people’s homes. It’s an inviting premise, but from the book’s outset the narrative bogs down with dialogue that advances neither the book’s themes nor character studies and, puzzlingly, far outnumbers any discussion about food. In Le Havre, Karyn, whom Bumpus knew in the U.S., is encouraged to speak just as much about her vacations as a child to the Balaeric Islands, “to a resort with a swimming pool,” as she is about her grandmother’s favorite recipes. Bumpus tells readers her conversation with Louisette, a French-Algerian woman in Rouen, “gave me a totally new perspective and appreciation of Algeria and the wonderfully rich influences that country has given to France,” though beyond learning that not all French women who marry Algerian men are oppressed, she doesn’t explain what those influences are. Foods and experiences are repeatedly described as “wonderful,” “marvelous,” or “delightful.” Armchair travelers searching for transportive tales of food and culture might want to look elsewhere.