Fanny, daughter of famed chef/restaurateur Alice Waters, is the narrator of this charming and unique book by the writer and the illustrator of Fanny at Chez Panisse (HarperCollins, 1992). Alice often takes Fanny along on her frequent trips to France, and Fanny knows that every trip will bring exciting new adventures. Often they stay with their French “family” at their vineyard in Provence; on one trip they make cheese with a shepherd in the Pyrenees; on another, they sample wild oysters in the Bassin d’Arachon. And always, always, they prepare and enjoy delicious food that will make readers’ mouths water.

Fanny’s stories are a delight to read, and as an added treat she shares forty of her favourite recipes as well as Alice’s rules about food and cooking and dining. Fanny in France is in the tradition of narrative books about food and cooking such as Laurie Colwin’s Home Cooking, Elizabeth David’s books, and, more recently, Ann Ma’s Mastering the Art of French Eating (Viking, 2014).

Fresh and lively watercolours by Ann Arnold illustrate this hugely enjoyable memoir/cookbook.