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My French Country Home: Entertaining Through the Seasons
Entertaining at home in gracious French style.
Born from her experience of everyday living in France, Sharon Santoni reveals the gracious, easy French way of entertaining guests at her countryside home, year-round.
Personal stories evoke the spirit of the French lifestyle, while gorgeous photos make us feel right at home. Santoni creates lush bouquets from her garden and utilizes resources from surrounding nature to lay gorgeous tables both indoors and outdoors. Venues range from a Sunday morning breakfast on the patio, to a ladies lunch in her lush garden, a formal dinner in her dining room, and a picnic by the river. Santoni also shares 15 favorite recipes utilizing seasonal foods.
Find inspiration for your tables throughout the seasons, and discover the simple pleasure of entertaining friends and family.
Sharon Santoni writes the popular blog My French Country Home. She is the author of My Stylish French Girlfriends (Gibbs Smith). She resides in Normandy, France.
Born from her experience of everyday living in France, Sharon Santoni reveals the gracious, easy French way of entertaining guests at her countryside home, year-round.
Personal stories evoke the spirit of the French lifestyle, while gorgeous photos make us feel right at home. Santoni creates lush bouquets from her garden and utilizes resources from surrounding nature to lay gorgeous tables both indoors and outdoors. Venues range from a Sunday morning breakfast on the patio, to a ladies lunch in her lush garden, a formal dinner in her dining room, and a picnic by the river. Santoni also shares 15 favorite recipes utilizing seasonal foods.
Find inspiration for your tables throughout the seasons, and discover the simple pleasure of entertaining friends and family.
Sharon Santoni writes the popular blog My French Country Home. She is the author of My Stylish French Girlfriends (Gibbs Smith). She resides in Normandy, France.
207 pages, Hardcover
Published March 6, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 11, 2020
В цієї книжки є лише один мінус — після її прочитання терміново хочеться переїхати у свій будинок в Нормандії. 😆
Я проковтнула її залпом за один день, такі захопливо були для мене розповіді Шерон про її сільське життя і сад в Нормандії. Книжка поділена на чотири частини, кожна присвячена певній порі року і сезонним подіям в житті авторки ( Великодній сніданок у саду, пікнік біля річки, похід у ліс, чи Недільний блошиний ринок). Сумніваюся, що ця книжка відкриє комусь якісь нові цінні інсайт про життя французів. Зате тут багато фотоідеального будинку Шерон в Нормандії і моє улюблене — розповідей про сад авторки і як він змінюється щомісяця. Читаючи, я мимоволі почала вибудовувати в голові, як вигляд все мій майбутній сад.
Я проковтнула її залпом за один день, такі захопливо були для мене розповіді Шерон про її сільське життя і сад в Нормандії. Книжка поділена на чотири частини, кожна присвячена певній порі року і сезонним подіям в житті авторки ( Великодній сніданок у саду, пікнік біля річки, похід у ліс, чи Недільний блошиний ринок). Сумніваюся, що ця книжка відкриє комусь якісь нові цінні інсайт про життя французів. Зате тут багато фотоідеального будинку Шерон в Нормандії і моє улюблене — розповідей про сад авторки і як він змінюється щомісяця. Читаючи, я мимоволі почала вибудовувати в голові, як вигляд все мій майбутній сад.
June 12, 2018
I learned about 'My French Country Home' from one of my favorite blogs ~ Nell Hills. She's talked about it so many times that I finally decided to order it. What inspiration! It was delivered yesterday and since I'm hosting a dinner party this evening, I stayed up way too late last night reading it cover to cover before falling into bed happy and motivated about my own upcoming event. It wasn't a long or difficult read, least you think me somehow bionic in that ability ~ it's a book comprised mostly of beautiful photography more than written words. The writing that is included was easy and conversational reading ~ mimicking how it seems the author goes about her own life. Looking at the photos of her house, gardens, tablescapes ~ is a dreamy, pleasurable, repeatable experience. The romantic in me would love to go to Normandy now & wander the local French markets and pull together an impromptu dinner in the stressfree manner Sharon Santoni does. The realist in me knows I could never do it. I need to plan everything in advance ~ menu, table, flowers, etc. I would love not to be this way but waiting to see what the market has in store before deciding what to cook would probably stress me to the max!
There are many great ideas to be gleaned from the book. It covers entertaining thru the four seasons, and even includes a few recipes with corresponding seasonal produce that the author serves at her own events. No matter whether you just love the idea of entertaining or have perfected the art of it, you will be utterly enchanted by 'My French Country Home.' I plan to peruse it again, at a more relaxed pace as soon as my party is over. Then I'll probably want to throw another one!
There are many great ideas to be gleaned from the book. It covers entertaining thru the four seasons, and even includes a few recipes with corresponding seasonal produce that the author serves at her own events. No matter whether you just love the idea of entertaining or have perfected the art of it, you will be utterly enchanted by 'My French Country Home.' I plan to peruse it again, at a more relaxed pace as soon as my party is over. Then I'll probably want to throw another one!
August 27, 2017
Note the subtitle of the book, "My French Country Home:"
... "Entertaining Through the Seasons."
The Subtitle is good, but this huge work is much more than one creation with one subtitle.
First, it could be what is frequently termed a 'Coffee Table Book." That is, a volume that sits on a coffee table in a formal living area and is perused by the folks that enter the room. Each page is enormous, and many of those, if not most, contain full-page color photos which can only be described as gorgeous. For its Coffee-Table characteristics alone, French Country Home deserves the five star rating.
Second, this could easily be termed a Cook Book because it is peppered with recipes for the four seasons. The recipes are such that a cook, even I, would want to stop reading immediately and start baking. One example is the Strawberry Tart, but another equally compelling is the Fougasse Bread. All of the recipes are written in straightforward, easily understood language with full color illustrations. For its Cook Book characteristics, I would award another five stars.
The Entertaining" subtitle characteristic of the book gives the book its substance. That is, organized from Spring through Summer, Fall and Winter, the book displays various types of entertaining; decorating and
displaying in one's home. The author tells an intriguing story as to how the family came to purchase the estate and then changed, remodeled, or used what was already there. . Fantastic throughout. For the story and entertaining, another five starts are well-earned.
I wish I could award more than five stars for MY FRENCH COUNTRY HOME. I won it in a Goodreads giveaway.
... "Entertaining Through the Seasons."
The Subtitle is good, but this huge work is much more than one creation with one subtitle.
First, it could be what is frequently termed a 'Coffee Table Book." That is, a volume that sits on a coffee table in a formal living area and is perused by the folks that enter the room. Each page is enormous, and many of those, if not most, contain full-page color photos which can only be described as gorgeous. For its Coffee-Table characteristics alone, French Country Home deserves the five star rating.
Second, this could easily be termed a Cook Book because it is peppered with recipes for the four seasons. The recipes are such that a cook, even I, would want to stop reading immediately and start baking. One example is the Strawberry Tart, but another equally compelling is the Fougasse Bread. All of the recipes are written in straightforward, easily understood language with full color illustrations. For its Cook Book characteristics, I would award another five stars.
The Entertaining" subtitle characteristic of the book gives the book its substance. That is, organized from Spring through Summer, Fall and Winter, the book displays various types of entertaining; decorating and
displaying in one's home. The author tells an intriguing story as to how the family came to purchase the estate and then changed, remodeled, or used what was already there. . Fantastic throughout. For the story and entertaining, another five starts are well-earned.
I wish I could award more than five stars for MY FRENCH COUNTRY HOME. I won it in a Goodreads giveaway.
November 23, 2018
It was okay. Some pretty photos, but just too inaccessible for me to find usable inspiration here.
July 11, 2019
I mean I guess if you are super rich you could get some inspiration from this
June 25, 2019
This is an over-sized "coffee table" book and reading it was just like taking a trip to the French countryside to visit a girlfriend. The author, Sharon Santoni, lives with her husband in Normandy, France in a lovely old French home that is perfect for entertaining. The book's subtitle is "entertaining through the seasons,"and contains a few of her favorite recipes as well as suggestions with photos on how to accessorize with creative table decorations. But the best part are the photos! Many charming photos using antiques and flea market finds, featuring her garden and beautiful blooming plants and trees, and shots of nature (ferns, spider webs, frost, ripples on a nearby lake, leaves, sunlight through trees, candles, cut flower centerpieces, etc.).
This book is inspiring and encouraging for any level of entertainer, and not at all intimidating - most of the meals were served in her garden, or her spacious lawn underneath a blooming magnolia tree. In winter the tables were cozily decorated indoors. And even if you don't have this kind of property in which to entertain, it is lovely to imagine... After I began reading I learned from her Instagram account that Sharon offers private tours of the rural French countryside including trips to flea markets and wineries. What a treat that would be!
This book is inspiring and encouraging for any level of entertainer, and not at all intimidating - most of the meals were served in her garden, or her spacious lawn underneath a blooming magnolia tree. In winter the tables were cozily decorated indoors. And even if you don't have this kind of property in which to entertain, it is lovely to imagine... After I began reading I learned from her Instagram account that Sharon offers private tours of the rural French countryside including trips to flea markets and wineries. What a treat that would be!
January 1, 2019
It was an interesting read for coffee and late afternoon time. However, no matter how pretty the pictures it was hard to find real usable inspiration. It was mostly oriented towards cooking and flower-viewing (no care or hand-on gardening tips).
The seasonal approach and story telling of their story and home living was interesting. Particularly so were the numerous garden photos of both plants and flowers. It would have been nice to see a little more of the layout of the house and the cottage as a whole, to really grasp the distribution of the garden and flower beds. The recipes were not really my cup of tea and truth be told, they didn't look really inviting overall. So they didn't tempt me to brave it and give them a try.
This book left me wanting more. More interior decoration, maybe a DIY of a fresh garden cut chandelier or a stair post decoration pointer for the holidays... Or even some quick design tips to make a french cottage come together. Still, it was nice enough to hear about their story woven in their home living and how their own traditions came to be.
The seasonal approach and story telling of their story and home living was interesting. Particularly so were the numerous garden photos of both plants and flowers. It would have been nice to see a little more of the layout of the house and the cottage as a whole, to really grasp the distribution of the garden and flower beds. The recipes were not really my cup of tea and truth be told, they didn't look really inviting overall. So they didn't tempt me to brave it and give them a try.
This book left me wanting more. More interior decoration, maybe a DIY of a fresh garden cut chandelier or a stair post decoration pointer for the holidays... Or even some quick design tips to make a french cottage come together. Still, it was nice enough to hear about their story woven in their home living and how their own traditions came to be.
May 12, 2018
Lots of great inspiration and some good recipes.
August 27, 2018
Beautiful photos!
October 10, 2018
gorgeous!
December 26, 2019
This is a great book. Makes me want to move to France.
January 12, 2020
Loved it!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews