Van Gogh's Table: At the Auberge Ravoux

by Fred Leeman, Fred Leeman

At the Auberge Ravoux, in a tiny artists’ village twenty miles from Paris, Vincent Van Gogh found a measure of peace in his ill-starred life—and experienced an unparalleled burst of creativity, producing seventy masterpieces and studies. The Auberge still operates today as the Maison de Van Gogh. Little has changed since Van Gogh first set down his bags more than a century ago, and visitors are still treated to the comforting, delicious regional cuisine that he would have dined upon.

Here is a stirring view into Van Gogh’s world, as intimate as sharing poulet and pommes sautées with the artist himself. Written by the former Chief Curator of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam with one of America’s foremost culinary authorities, this unique cookbook/art book explores the role of the café in Van Gogh’s life. Includes more than 50 traditional recipes, ranging from hearty to refined, and 100 photographs, paintings, sketches, engravings, and letters, some never before seen in book form.

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Reference, Art

224 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2001

Reviews

[Marcus Hobson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is just the sort of book combination that I love. It is a wonderful mix of history, art and some delicious cooking.

If you have watched the wonderful animated film “Loving Vincent” then this is a book for you. Like the film it focuses on the last year of Van Gogh’s life when he rented a room in the Auberge Ravoux, in Auvers-sur-Oise some twenty miles from Paris. The room that he rented there has been turned into a tiny museum and thousand of visitors flock to see the place and the unspoilt village. I love the fact that there is a photo from the 1890s showing the proprietors of the small café, and the current owners have staged a similar shot of the modern-day staff and chefs in exactly the same place. It looks unchanged.

The photography in the book is excellent, and the recipes also sound delicious. There are a range of dishes, many simple and rustic, to portray the nature of the place. Pea soup with a slab of bacon doesn’t sound too difficult, and nor does scrambled eggs with asparagus except that it has cream and chives added. The first section of the book is all about Van Gogh and his time at the auberge. There are reproductions of about thirty-five of his paintings and drawings of people, food and various cafés. The second section is all about the food and the recipes. A lovely mixture. Educational and mouthwatering.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was great. It was particularly enjoyable because it was written by someone who loved Vincent Van gogh to people who love him. So it talked about incedents as if one was already familiar with them. The recipe section (about a third of the book) is great and would be enjoyable to anyone who liked cookbooks. There are copious amounts of wine in almost every recipie. Who wouldn't want 7 hour lamb stew with "2-3 bottles of wine" in it?

[Bill Whalen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hope to visit here in December 09.