A Table in the Tarn: Living, Eating and Cooking in South-west France

by Orlando Murrin

While walking in South-west France, cook and journalist Orlando Murrin dreamed up the adventure of a why not wave goodbye to the rat race and come to live in this rural paradise, where the only traffic is the boulangerie van delivering baguettes? His book tells the story of how he set up a boutique b&b and includes 100 amazing recipes. The story of the Manoir de Raynaudes begins on New Year's Eve 2001 when Orlando and his partner first glimpse the ruined manoir at dusk. Set in 13 acres of lush meadow, woodland, lakes and garden, they set about transforming the dignified old manor house into a phenomenally successful boutique b&b with its own magnificent kitchen garden. A Table in the Tarn charts the discovery, acquisition and renovation of the property. Along the way, we learn about the local food scene, with its astonishingly rich heritage of ingredients and dishes, about working in France and coping with the famous French bureaucracy, and about the unforeseen delight of working with the locals. Four years on, with countless plaudits and a coveted entry in the classy Mr and Mrs Smith directory, the business attracts visitors from around the world and continues to be a gastronomic destination for anyone seeking peace, tranquillity and above all fantastic food. Everything at the Manoir is home made, from breakfast breads to after-dinner chocolates, and the book includes 100 recipes. From the sublime Roquefort Brioche via Savoury Mini Clafoutis and Roast Pigeon Breasts in Armagnac to the unparalleled Chocolate Nirvana with Creme Anglaise, this collection of recipes offers a vivid experience of life in rural France. Cooks everywhere will devour the descriptions of country cooking as mastered by generations of French cooks. Not only will you learn the insider secrets of making acclaimed dishes from the Manoir, but find out what it's like to make a dream come true.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food

256 pages, Hardcover

First published April 7, 2008

About the author

Orlando Murrin is a food writer, media personality, and author who inherited a fascination with mystery from his grandfather, a Met detective who rose to become a crack MI5 interrogator. A former editor of BBC Good Food, founder of Olive Magazine, and semi-finalist on Masterchef, he currently hosts the BBC Good Food Podcast with TV presenter-restaurateur Tom Kerridge and writes for Waitrose Weekend. He is the author of seven cookbooks, including Two's Company and A Table in the Tarn, and has served since 2020 as President of the Guild of Food Writers.

source: Amazon

Reviews

[L Choudhury · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the kind of book I read at night in bed - so relaxing! Yes I read cookbooks the way some people read fiction. I enjoyed learning about the hotel and the everyday activities but for me the main attraction has to be the recipes. I think they are well written, easy to follow and include ingredients not necessarily exclusive to France. He has also included some elegant pictures showing how the food can be presented. One of my favorite books and so glad I have it in my collection

[Janet Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sick of politics? Pour yourself a good glass of wine and do some arm-chair travel. This book nourishes the soul, telling about buying and managing the restoration of an old French home in the south of France. Shop the local outdoor market, dig in the herb garden, whip up delicious recipes to serve in the B & B. Relax.

[Jennifer Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book - more of a cookery book than a novel

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The hotel built by Orlando Murrin and his partner, Peter Stegall, is up for sale. Only $1.5M Euros and I could be living the dream. Sigh.

I enjoyed reading about the experience of setting up the hotel and the day-to-day running of Le Manoir des Reynaudes, though I am not sure I would like Mr. Murrin in person and can't really tell if he is enjoying his new life in this amazingly beautiful setting. Conveys the hard work that goes into setting up a successful boutique hotel and table d'hotes.

There are intriguing recipes here - not your "traditional" French country cuisine. It is more modern foodie than that. I think I would like the Roast Fillet of Veal in a Parmesan Crust or Chocolate-walnut-Armangac fudge. In fact, after flipping through the pages one last time I think this goes on my "want to add to my collection" pile. For now, it goes back to SPL.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only reason I don't go full on five-for-five is that I wish there'd been a few more pictures. The constructions in some of these recipes sound bloody lovely but a visual guide would be helpful. I bookmarked almost half the book and even first third of the book which features more of the story of the founding of the b&b and less actual recipes was a pleasure to read. This book was just my speed--complex recipes with care for ingredients, not overly fussy (one chocolate recipe near the ends notes that you may temper the chocolate if you're a 'perfectionist') but with an eye for details. I would definitely recommend it.

[Christopher Bergeron · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great and fast read about a couple who strike out to rural France and start an amazing B&B making some fantastic food. The book doubles as a cookbook so you can try at home to make what they make. An inspiring story about following your dreams, an honest account of running a luxurious B&B, and just plain fun.

[Susan Springer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gay couple buys manor home, restores it (beautifully)
and creates lovely B&B. More cookbook than information
about living in France.

[Vuk Trifkovic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very camp, full of predictable set pieces, but it has a solid set of well written recipes.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't tried the recipes yet, but the story of the hotel, though sparse on details, is delightful.