Ann Mah has been all over. Originally from California, she worked in publishing in New York for Viking Peguin before calling Beijing her home. For four years she was the dining editor of That’s Beijing, an English-language magazine, similar to her main character Isabelle Lee in her debut novel Kitchen Chinese. She was awarded the the James Beard culinary scholarship to study Italian cuisine in Bologna in 2005 and has been eating and writing her way through Paris since 2008. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Condé Nast Traveler and the International Herald Tribune, among other publications, and she’s currently knee-deep in her next literary project.
Though she loved her experiences in Beijing, I got the sense that she feels particularly enamored with France’s rich, cultural and gastronomical offering and would therefore be an apt candidate for Franco File Friday!
Describe what you love most about France in three words.
Appreciation of beauty.
Are you more French savory or sweet and why?
Definitely savory! I’ve never had a sweet tooth. Which is not to say I don’t like dessert — I do! I do! But I enjoy the savory part of a meal more than the sweet ending. And cheese remains my chocolate of choice.
Favorite French novel (or novel set in France)?
It’s not a novel, but Marcel Pagnol’s memoirs — La Gloire de mon Père and Le Château de ma Mère — are two of my favorite books. Pagnol isn’t very famous in the States, but in France he’s a beloved writer and filmmaker. These two tender memoirs recount his boyhood adventures in the back country above Marseille, around the turn of the 20th century. They portray an innocent time of hunting and hiking, childhood friendships and familial love set against the wild, sun-drenched, landscape of Provence.
I loved these books so much that when I visited Marseille in December, I tried to follow Pagnol’s footsteps. Unfortunately, a sharp mistral wind deterred us — but I’d love to return during the summer to hike the 20-km Pagnol path!
Ideal spot outside of Paris to recharge?
I love so many places in France, but the one spot I find myself returning to over and over again is Provence. I find the sunshine and mountainous landscape, the lavender and rosemary scrub so cleansing and revitalizing. And I love the Mediterranean cuisine, full of sun-soaked fruits and vegetables, and highlighted by rich touches of olive oil and honey, goat cheese and rosé wine.
Anne is a natural explorer and a brilliant writer. Follow her adventures on her blog, her musings on twitter, and pick up a copy of her book “Kitchen Chinese“. I’d offer a giveaway for my copy of the book but I can’t part with it, it’s one of my favorite reads of the year! Also available in Chinese, Greek, Dutch, Italian, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and photos, Ann!
{All photos by Ann Mah}
