Mourjou: The Life and Food of an Auvergne Village

This classic account of life, food and cookery in a village in the Auvergne by a long-tome British resident is here published in paperback. It was first published in hardback by Viking in 1998. The remarkable fusion between life, the produce of the countryside and the food on the table that is Auvergne continues as it has done fore generations. The season dictate the rhythm of activity on the filed and the kitchen as well as the relationships between households and families. For twenty years Peter Graham has been part of this community, discovering its countryside, traditions, markets, kitchen and the warmth of the local people, sharing its rustic idyll and, most importantly, its great passion for food. Auvergnat cooks have learned how to get the very best from their land and their local traditions have molded their recipes. In this delightful portrait of a community, there are included many Auvergne dishes such as stuffed cabbage, a saffron-flavored stew of medieval origin and a curd cheese tart as well as a full account of stockfish (unsalted wind-dried cod), a remarkable survival from the centuries of English occupation under the Black Prince. In Maurjour, Peter Graham interweaves history, folklore and gastronomy to capture the full richness and flavor of this distinctive and varied region. Peter Graham was educated in Cambridge and emigrated soon afterwards to France. He has since worked in film, travel and food. He has translated Cuisine Nicoise and has written Classic Cheese Cookery which won the 1988 Andre Simon books award.