Memories can be wooed back into the present by all the senses and wow! has the special invitation offered our group by author-chef Patricia Wells yanked me back via Vaison's captivating memory drawer!
Karen, one of our group, contacted Patricia ahead of time asking about a chance to visit Patricia at her Provence address, and see her cooking school, since Karen & the group would be in the same town for a writing class. Not only did Patricia Wells respond but she opened up her home (called "Chanteduc") & heart for our entire writing group! Over hors d'oeuvres and local wine, Patricia and her gregarious husband, Walter, not only graciously welcomed us but were so friendly we felt like old friends in no time. Chatting up a storm, they walked us around their beautiful gardens, vineyard, and in the famous kitchen, the hearth of the home, and where she conducts her cooking classes.
Steve was in Badger heaven, delighted to learn that he & Patricia attended the University of Wisconsin, and that the other "UW" can proudly call her one of their own.
Here's an excerpt about her from her own website, http://patriciawells.com:
"Patricia Wells is an American who has lived in Paris since 1980. She is the author of 11 books, including Vegetable Harvest, We've Always Had Paris...and Provence, Bistro Cooking, Simply French, and Trattoria. Her first book, The Food Lover’s Guide to Paris, was a landmark work that "cracked the code" to the Paris food world. She is the only woman and only foreigner to serve as restaurant critic of a major French publication, the newsweekly L’Express.
She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for her contributions to French culture, and received an honorary degree in gastronomic journalism from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. Several of her books have received the James Beard and IACP awards, and most of them have been translated into several languages. She is married to Walter Wells, retired executive editor of the International Herald Tribune and now her enthusiastic sous-chef."
We are so awed by Patricia and Walter's generosity! Thank you Patricia & Walter!!
