Provence, 1970: M.F.K. Fisher, Julia Child, James Beard, and the Reinvention of American Taste

Legacy. A confluence of chefs, cookbook writers, and publishers were in Provence in 1970 cooking together, eating together, and arguing about food. Thanks to the discovery and reading of M.F.K. Fisher’s journals and correspondence, her grand-nephew, Luke Barr, describes that place and time in the food movement, mostly from Fisher’s perspective in a book titled, Provence, 1970: M.F.K. Fisher, Julia Child, James Beard, and the Reinvention of American Taste. Barr sees this time as a turning point away from snobby French cuisine and toward cooking more simply with fresh, local ingredients. This book is a homage to Fisher by her nephew as well as an interesting viewpoint on the transformation of culinary taste. While this book will appeal most to foodies, Barr’s writing style will also appeal to general readers who like a good story. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase Provence 1970 from amazon.com.