The Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard C. Morais, 256 pages. Published by Scribner, available now.
Hassan Haji's family is forced to immigrate from Mumbai - first to London then to Lumiere, a town in the French Alps. Along the way they encounter tragedy, jealousy,and prejudice that escalates when they boldly open an Indian cafe across the street from an inn with two Michelin stars. The French chef and proprietress, Madam Mallory, is offended by the brash music and pungent smells assaulting her daily from Maison Mumbai. But when she realizes Hassan has a culinary gift, a series of unpredictable events converge to shape his future.
From cities to countryside, markets to kitchens, this story has a decidedly European flair. It is no surprise considering author Richard C. Morais' work as a Senior Editor and European Bureau Chief for Forbes Magazine. The characters are not introspective, instead Hassan's recollections are matter of fact. I'm not sure feeling a connection to the characters, in this case, is necessary in order to enjoy the story particularly when it is well-told. There was only one instance where I found Hassan's reaction (or lack of one) peculiar, but it was consistent with his lack of detail.
Morais has a real knack for capturing the essence of a person and a place. Much like a recipe where simple and fresh ingredients make a dish sing, his prose is nimble and swiftly paced. His characters exhibited all that is true of human nature yet remained within the constraints of their culture.The descriptions of food are mouth watering and I selfishly wanted more.
"From the crate, Mallory pulled what to me looked like a bizarre form of spiky hand grenade. I later discovered it was an artichoke.I watched the famous chef expertly trim the vegetable's leaves with a pair of scissors, the smart snips of her flashing tool ensuring each ragged leaf of the artichoke was symmetrically aligned and aesthetically pleasing to the eye, like she was tidying up after nature. She then picked up one of the lemons that had been cut in half, and doused each of the artichoke wounds - wherever she had snipped a leaf - with a generous squirt of lemon juice." (p. 70)
The combination of food, culture, family, tradition, humor, and nurturing of talent is a delight. What you see is what you get and what you get is good.
Review and giveaway copies are provided by Inkwell Management as part of a blog tour. To check out the other reviews on the tour:
Peeking Between the PagesTo enter the giveaway, just leave me a comment. Winners will be chosen on July 24th.
The End.
