Ann Mah's newsletter / May 2018
May 2018 newsletter
Bonjour!
It's peony season and aren't they sublime? When I bought this bunch at the grocery store yesterday, the buds were closed tight. But after just an hour or two in the warmth of my living room, they began unfurling into these frilly, extravagant blossoms. What a treat!
Last week I was in North Carolina, where I had the pleasure of discovering a few fantastic independent bookshops, including Quail Ridge Books and Flyleaf Books. It was terrific meeting booksellers and sharing my new novel with them. I also fell in love with the food in North Carolina. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I realized that as a native Californian, I'd never actually eaten true southern soul food. Now that I've had real fried chicken and fried green tomatoes (at Mama Dips Kitchen – yes, go there!), I've sworn off any other pale imitations. Southern food is best in the south.
Here's what else I've been up to!
What I've been reading
–Exciting news! I'm thrilled to announce that the e-book of Mastering the Art of French Eating is currently on sale for only $1.99. If you haven't yet read my tale about traveling around France and discovering the country's signature regional cuisine, now is the time! And if you have read and enjoyed the book, I hope you'll share this news with a friend. The sale is across all e-book platforms, and ends May 6th, so get your copy now!
–I loved the YA novel Kids Like Us and I'm super excited that my friend Hilary Reyl will be at Shakespeare and Co in Paris on May 23 for a teen book club discussion. Details are here, and you can read more about this luminous novel here.
–Imagine being a museum curator and discovering more than half the collection is fake! This actually happened in Elne, a town in southern France near the Spanish border. Read more about the crazy story here.
–If you're in Washington DC on May 31, and you love Italian food and travel, please join me and Elizabeth Minchilli for an event at the Smithsonian Associates, "More than Just a Meal: Italian Cuisine as a Key to Culture." I can't wait to interview Elizabeth about her new book, Eating My Way Through Italy – and there will also be a cocktail reception where we'd love to meet you. Tickets and more info here.
–I was fascinated by this previously untold story of six Chinese men who survived the sinking of the Titanic, and I look forward to the documentary, too.
–If you have Royal Wedding Fever like me, you'll love this illustrated FAQ about the event, which is coming up on Saturday, May 19 – less than three weeks to go! From the writing to the art direction, this thing is a work of comic genius.
FINALLY – speaking of big events! – there are only seven weeks until The Lost Vintage comes out! If you can't wait to read it, you know what'll make the time pass faster? Pre-ordering a copy! :) In addition to ensuring my everlasting love and affection, pre-orders help books enormously in terms of eventual sales, visibility, and algorithms. Plus, a copy will magically appear at your door on June 19! I would be delighted to send you a signed book plate for your copy. Just hit reply to this email and include a copy of your receipt. Thank you!
What I've been eating
Gougère cheese puffs
As you might remember, the past winter turned me into a gougère cheese puff addict. Made of choux pastry dough, they sound intimidating, but it turns out they're simple enough for a four-year-old to bake, and my daughter and I made batch after batch as we whiled away the snow days. Well, after so much experimenting, I'm excited that I have finally created the perfect recipe. I'd love to share it with you, along with an excerpt from my new novel, The Lost Vintage. To receive both in a PDF – beautifully designed by my friend Eric – just reply to this email :)
The best carrot cake
Did I mention that it was my birthday last month? To celebrate, my husband got me the best carrot cake from Bread Furst – moist, tender, and slathered with toasted pecans. It was absolutely delicious – and tortuous, as the leftover cake sat next to me for almost a week as I worked at the kitchen table, tempting me to cut just a teeny sliver, and another, and another. By the way, the next time I make carrot cupcakes, I'm totally stealing their idea and dipping the frosted surfaces in chopped toasted nuts. Yum!
Biscuits
I've eaten many biscuits in my life, but after eating the biscuits in North Carolina, I realized that you've never really eaten a biscuit until you've had a biscuit in the south. Oh, tender buttery crumb; oh, subtle crunchy edges! Adding anything to such a perfect baked product seems like gilding the lily, but the country ham was another revelation in itself. If you ever find yourself in Chapel Hill, don't miss Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen.
Image: @lin_et_lune
A bientôt!
The month of May always makes me think of the fête du travail in France – Labor Day – when anyone can sell a bunch of lilies of the valley on the street. Called muguet in French, these fragrant flowers bring good luck, and I used to always secretly leave a bouquet for the gardienne of my apartment building. I wish I could offer you a sprig today, but instead here's a lovely photo and may it bring luck and happiness.
Have a lovely month and I'll see you in June!
Amitiés,
Ann