Book Review Five Quarters of the Orange, Joanne Harris

I swear while watching Chocolat at the movies that I could smell scrumptious chocolate. Chocolat was sensual, mysterious and passionate--EXACTLY like the most perfect piece of chocolate I have ever eaten--a milk chocolate heart shape Belgium piece I bought and savored in Brugge, Belgium.

What does Chocolat got to do with this? The same author, Joanne Harris wrote "Five Quarters of the Orange". Like Chocolate, this book also takes place in a small French village in at the end of World War II while Germany occupied France. The story is told by a 60 year old woman, Framboise (named after a Raspberry) who has returned to the small village to run a cafe from the farm where she and her 2 siblings were raised. However, she runs the cafe under an assumed name because her mother, Mirabelle was run out of town at the end of the summer when Framboise was 9. All of the recipes she uses were taught to her by her mother.

I feel if I reveal any more of the book I will be telling to much of the story. The pages are peppered with French culinary terms and recipes which were lost on me cooking wise, but I thought really added to the essence of the story and to Mirabelle who relates to her children via recipes and the food she prepares for them.

Like Chocolat, Five Quarters of the Orange would make an excellent movie. I recommend this book as a summer read; similar to some nice fruit salad (pronounce that the French way, sa-lad) on a hot day, this book is refreshing and juicy!

PS: today Oprah revitalized her book club with John Steinbeck's "East of Eden". I have not read so can't comment. Perhaps I will add to my reading list.