Joie de Vivre: Simple French Style for Everyday Living

The simplicity of the roast chicken recipe in this book for me personifies the lifestyle described herein. It's a book that made me think about the changes I needed to make in my own lifestyle. What price has my body has actually been paying for convenience. What is the true meaning of portion control: is it better to buy low-fat products full of the unnatural and eat a lot of it, or is it better to buy naturally-fat products and eat less. I vote for the second. I've made serious changes because of this book and others that I've read about European culture. There's a lot that they do that makes a lot of sense. There's a saying, what does it profit to gain the world and lose your soul. This book, and others like it, are helping me keep my soul and making me mindful of the important things in life, such as my life and my health. I can spend an hour preparing a simple meal for myself when I get off work (a chicken breast, some frozen green beans or broccoli, a small glass of wine), or I can spend it being sedentary in front of a TV set. I no longer stock the freezer for the next holocaust, but buy as I need, maybe a week's worth, that's it. The Splenda is gone in favor of real baker's sugar. Pitchers of herbal teas have replaced Pepsi. And I've rediscovered walking. The only thing that I find somewhat impractical is the concept of courses. The idea of cooking one thing, then sitting down to eat it, then cooking something else to sit down and eat is odd to say the least, unless there's something about it I don't understand. Maybe Mr. Arbor can write another book that goes into home meal preparation a little more in-depth. For now I am content to cook my one simple meal, clean up, and be done. Drinking coffee from a bowl rather from a cup I don't believe I'll adopt, either, but I believe the point of a book like this is that we can make choices that are right for us, and we don't have to pretend we belong to another culture to make use of them. Roast chicken is a great start to a new way of thinking. I invite you to try it.

Robert Arbor describes daily life in France and how it differs from the average, typical American's day. The French take the time to savor their meals, converse with friends and family, and enjoy every aspect of daily life as much as possible. They don't rush about in a stressed-out state of mind, as many do here in the U.S. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and now, more than ever, want to make another trip to France. Aside from providing simple suggestions to make life more pleasurable, this book is full of wonderful, simple recipes. I've already made the Potatoes a la Nicole and quite a few batches of fresh strawberry jam (it's a hundred times better than any store-bought jam, and better for you!) If you're looking for an up-lifting, "feel-good" book that will help you improve your outlook on life in general, read Joie de Vivre. You'll be glad you did.

Whether or not the lifestyle described here is true or not, as pointed out by some of the other reviewers, matters not. M. Arbor obviously cherishes the existence he writes about so lovingly. Arbor lingers over descriptions of what he terms a typical French day. The reader senses his exuberance shining through the pages as they read about his breakfast, his time at a friend's garden, his love of fresh vegetables newly picked, shopping in the tiny family run French specialty stores that provide only the best food--all preservative free. As he sings the praises of the perfect roast chicken--stuffed with a piece of simple French bread and crowned with Provence herbs and root vegetables--I have tried this recipe and it is very good, your mouth will literally water. He urges the reader to delight in the little moments of life as defined by family and friends, good food and great wine. His glee is as ambiant as the light filterng through his morning window and as palpable as savoring the home-made pain du Chocolat he describes for an extra special afternoon snack. What he describes is indeed idyllic--a veritable fairytale land where all the senses are sated. Real? Who cares? It sounds wonderful to me. I felt as if I had spent a week with Arbor in his tranquil French village.In fact, just reading about it all allowed me to plunge back in time to when I myself was a little girl and my mother sent my brother and I to a garden of a neighbor to pick zucchini blossoms. My mother would fry this in a simple batter---oh what a marvelous treat. If not for Arbor's reminisciences, I would have never remembered how wonderful the whole experience was or how much I attribute such things to the real meaning of "home". On a more realistic level, Arbor's lifestyle may be difficult to reproduce here in the United States where we rely more on cars and supermarkets to shop rather than applying the "faire les courses" mentality of the French way of marketing. Perhaps here in New Orleans, or in other large cities, this is easier to accomplish, but I would say those who live in a more suburban or rural existence where bakeries, patisseries, chacuteries, cremeries, etc. simply do not exist or have been replaced by large supermarket chains promoting convenience rather than quality, will have a more difficult time of advocating Arbor's lifestyle. Of course, anyone can find ways to shrug off the tension of American life at any given moment by simply stopping to smell the coffee and enjoying smaller pleasant moments of life instead of always expecting the biggest events that we are unrealistically conditioned to believe we deserve. Arbor's message is simple and at the same time lovely to read about: Say "no" to stress--Simply smile and enjoy--eat well, drink well and cherish those that make up our individual worlds. A wonderful glimpse into what could be possible for those who crave a more European lifestyle. Also recommended are Will Clower's Fat Fallacy and Anne Barone's Chic an

I don't know whether everything in this book is true. I've never been to France. However, I know that I want it to be true, because what Mr. Arbor has written is so incredibly beautiful and inviting. When he describes how the French approach life with more deliberation and less haste, I sighed. I want that for myself. I want intimate dinners of well cooked food with well chosen friends. I want to cook a few things well, and be able to linger at the table, comfortable in the knowledge that, though the fare may be simple, it is pleasurable. Life in our country can be incredibly stressful. Borrowing a few pages from Joie de Vivre can only enhance my life, and it really is a lovely read. Sigh, I love beautiful books.

The French are know for enjoying the good life. "Joie de Vivre" by Robert Arbor and Katherine Whiteside shares the traditions for stylish living the French way.Arbor and Whiteside walk you through a typical French day. You begin with Le Matin (The Morning). You will learn the secret to great coffee, hot chocolate and making a breakfast tartine from French bread. In Le Dejeuner (Lunchtime) and Le Diner (Supper) you experience the pleasure of relaxing with friends over several courses of food. Each course is explained and some recipes are included.To enjoy the finest foods the way the French do, Joie de Vivre takes you to the butcher, the market, and the baker where you learn to select the freshest cuts of meat and select amongst a variety of breads and cheeses. You also learn how to organize your kitchen so you have the tools and pantry items you need to create tasty dishes.And there is so much more covered in this book. Why French butter tastes so good. The proper way to cut cheese. Notes on chocolate. Aperitif suggestions. The rewards of Le Potager (The Garden). Dinner party and picnic ideas and more! You get the feel and flavor of what makes the French way of life so pleasurable and how you can implement these ideas in your own life.After reading the book, you may feel like you have spent a weekend in the French countryside! A wonderful read and resource.