My French Affair

A lively, inspiring account of a New Zealand woman's decision to create a new life in the south of France. Amanda Taylor-Ace's philosophy is 'joie de vivre unlimited' - living life with unlimited joy. So when her 14-year-old son fell in with a bad crowd and her life in Auckland needed a shake-up, she packed their bags and took him to France for a year. My French Affair is the story of how and why she decided to stay. Not content with simply living in France, she decided to renovate two eighteenth-century houses and convert them into guest accommodation. In My French Affair, Amanda describes the trials and tribulations of working with French tradesmen (both good and bad), getting to know the local villagers, hosting guests from around the world, teaching guests to cook in Maison de Maîtresse's kitchen, and her joy in new and old friendships and the daily delights of life in France. With over 30 mouth-watering French recipes to try, My French Affair is a treat for the tastebuds as well as for the soul.

Amanda Taylor-Ace, former restaurateur and author of My French Affair, was born in New Zealand and moved to France in 1996 for a fresh start to life. At St Maxim in Provence she renovated two adjoined eighteenth-century houses in which she has established a guest house and a cooking school. (See www.joiedevivre-unlimited.com.) She runs Maison la Maitresse from April to November, and then returns to New Zealand for the southern-hemisphere summer. Follow her on Facebook at Joie De Vivre Unlimited. My French Affair recounts her journey of romance, romps, new beginnings, and food with - her signature catchphrase - joie de vivre, and an accompaniment of 30 of her favourite recipes from her cooking school. She tells her story to Ann Rickard, an Australian author who worked with Amanda to set up her cooking school at Maison la Maitresse. Ann recounts her own experiences of this romantic adventure in Ooh la la! A French Romp. Peter Mayle with a twist of sex and food to follow. Taste New Zealand wrote of My French Affair: 'Funny, entertaining and honest ... her book is dedicated to French culinary delights, from descriptive passages about market shopping and local food philosophy to the recipes shared at the end of each chapter ... you will come away with a taste of the joie de vivre exuded by this irrepressible Kiwi Francophile.' Verve called her descriptions of food 'mouth-watering'. The Southland Times described her recipes as 'doable with a minimum of fuss' adding that they will 'ensure that this book is a keeper'. Ann Rickard, an Australian, is a close friend of Amanda's. She helped Amanda to set up her cooking school at Maison la Maitresse, and is the author of Ooh la la! A French Romp (pub 2008, New Holland) about these experiences.