Tuesday, October 3, 2017

Our October/November Pick: The Patriarch by Martin Walker

Our next Cook the Books Club pick, for October/November, is The Patriarch by Martin Walker. Martin Walker has written an engaging series of mysteries, all of which are international best-sellers.  Set in the Dordogne region of France, he manages to enfold political and social issues, with romance, fine wines from the area and enticing food, to create a reading delight.  I have been enjoying his books for a few years now, and wanted to share at least one with Cook the Books,especially for all their culinary appeal.


The Patriarch is one of his best and a more recent addition to the oeuvre.  Benoit Courreges, known popularly as Bruno, is Walker's charming protagonist.  The Chief of Police in the small French town, St. Denis, he is a true Renaissance man: gourmet cook, wine enthusiast, a gardener, including his orchard of truffle oaks, a hunter and forager, able to produce his own jams, confits, pâtés, sausages, ham, etc.  All that and he manages to solve the area's crime, settle domestic disputes, ride his horse with lovely ladies and more.  What a guy! I find him quite inspiring.

In this novel, Marco Desaix is known as "The Patriarch", an iconic hero of the French Resistance, fulfills a boyhood dream of Bruno's, inviting him to a lavish birthday celebration being held in his honor.  Of course there is a murder connected with the event, which has political overtones, intrigue, mysterious parentage and inheritances.  Then there is the animal rights activism going on, with outraged hunters and pâté producers.  Politics on a local French level.  

Submissions for this round of Cook The Books are due by end-of-the day Thursday, November 30, 2017. Anyone can join in - just by reading the current selection, preparing a dish inspired by its contents, and writing about it. Let me know when your entry post is up by commenting on this post and/or sending me an email at: claudiariley@yahoo.com. 
 
New to Cook the Books? Welcome! Check out our About and Guidelines pages or leave a question in the comments on this post 

Aloha,
Claudia

7 comments:

Simona Carini said...

I am reading it already and enjoying it too. Bruno is indeed an interesting character. And the plot is quite thick in the novel. Thank you for your selection, Claudia. I am looking forward to this new edition of our special book club :)

Claudia said...

Glad to hear you're enjoying the book. We're looking forward to your inspired dish.

Camilla M. Mann said...

Claudia, I just emailed you!

Debra Eliotseats said...

Finished it last night and I know what I want to make. Interesting and intriguing read, Claudia. Thanks!

Deb in Hawaii said...

My post is up! Thanks for hosting Claudia--lots of tempting food in this one. ;-)

https://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/2017/11/salmon-nicoise-platter-for-cook-books.html

Debra Eliotseats said...

Mine's up: http://eliotseats.com/2017/11/26/tarte-flambee/

Simona Carini said...

Here's my contribution:
http://www.pulcetta.com/recipe-savoy-cabbage-radicchio.html

I enjoyed the book, Claudia: thank you for introducing me to this series and thanks for hosting :)