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Writing Home #1
Plum, Courgette & Green Bean Tart: A year to write home about - Seeking la vida dulce in Galicia
Have you ever wanted to leave the rat race, move abroad and live the good life somewhere green and bountiful? Lisa and her partner, the enigmatic S, did just that. In 2007 they left their jobs, as newt catchers, and their native English shores for beautiful green Galicia, in the remote northwest of Spain – a place of mystery and mists, Celtic legends and bagpipes, and a language of its very own. There, they set to work to self-renovate a derelict farmhouse, whilst trying to become self-sufficient and learn more about this untamed part of the Iberian peninsula.When S suggested a three week holiday, walking one of the old pilgrim routes to Santiago de Compostela, little did they know it would change their lives totally. From the outset with too much weight and too little training they realised their Camino goal was not going to be met. With failure looming, they chose to abandon their pilgrimage to view abandoned houses instead. “We first saw A Casa do Campo on a rainswept November morning. Mists were rising and water dripped onto the rusted kitchen range from gaping holes in the roof. There were bird’s nests in the bedrooms and bats in the hallway. Bare, dead looking trees surrounded the property which the Spanish estate agent enthusiastically promised us would be laden with fruit come August. It was love at first sight.”If only buying it were so easy!Deaths, taxes and even Spanish bureaucracy fail to dent their enthusiasm and eventually Lisa and S head off for their new Good Life abroad with an overloaded Ford Escort, tool bags, vegetable seeds and a trusty stereo stacking system. Oh, and two deckchairs in which to relax in the evenings.Plum, Courgette & Green Bean Tart tells the story of that first 12 months living la vida dulce, The Good Life, in this beautiful green part of mainland Spain, Galicia, or Galiza in its own language.This fly on the wall account uses genuine letters home and diary entries to tell a true story: a story of battles with Spanish bureaucracy and mañana timekeeping; of struggles to self-renovate a derelict home before the bats and the weather reclaim it; of learning to protect chickens against aerial assassins and precious food for the table from underground vegetable thieves; of gardening in bizarre weather conditions; of discovering how to cook delicious and sometimes interesting meals on a finally mouse-free wood burning stove; and of falling in love. Plum, Courgette & Green Bean Tart, Book One of the ‘writing home’ series, has an immediacy which has you falling under its spell. Twelve chapters tell a story of twelve months, of four seasons, of a whole year to write home about. Also included are genuine Galician recipes plus a plum, courgette & green bean tart to make, and a free photo album to follow as the story unfolds. The interwoven information and anecdotes about Galicia are told by someone who has truly fallen in love with this little known and timeless green region with its gentle people and erratic weather, ensuring this will truly be a book to write home about.
Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2020
194 people are currently reading
70 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Rose Wright
13 books50 followersIn 2007 Lisa left a promising career as an ecologist catching protected reptiles and amphibians, and kissing frogs, to move to beautiful green Galicia with her blue-eyed prince (who has since become her blue-eyed husband but that’s another story).
She divides her time equally between growing her own food, helping to renovate a semi-derelict house (or actually two… but that’s also another story) and getting out and about to discover more of the stunningly beautiful area she calls home.
Lisa is happiest outside in her huerta weeding, watching the antics of her chickens, or in her kitchen cooking interesting recipes on her wood burning range.
Plum, Courgette & Green Bean Tart is her first memoir. Book two of the writing home series will feature more anecdotes, more letters home and more bureaucracy. Oh, and more Galician recipes! Tomato, Fig & Pumpkin Jelly will be available in February 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
April 2, 2021
What a captivating memoir!
English ecologists Lisa, and her partner, S, take time off from newt catching to go on a walking holiday. Their decision to follow a Camino route in Spain turns out to be a doomed adventure, one that leads to a positive life-changing event.
The couple quickly fall in love with Galicia, a region in northwest Spain, and eventually buy a house. But this isn’t an ordinary property. The building had been abandoned and the grounds badly neglected. Both need significant restoration work.
I was quickly immersed in the author’s account of their toils and joys as they strive to achieve self-sufficiency. Problems with bureaucracy, life in a leaky ruin, the endless slog to rebuild their home and initiatives to create a new income are all beautifully described with non-complaining frankness.
The author tells her story through a clever blend of narrative, diary notes and letters ‘to Mum’. This, together with her freestyle form of writing, works beautifully, as do the recipes she shares along the way.
Lisa Rose Wright’s can-do attitude is hugely inspiring, and her sunny personality shines throughout this book. I found it an intoxicating, fun read and look forward to reading her next instalment.
English ecologists Lisa, and her partner, S, take time off from newt catching to go on a walking holiday. Their decision to follow a Camino route in Spain turns out to be a doomed adventure, one that leads to a positive life-changing event.
The couple quickly fall in love with Galicia, a region in northwest Spain, and eventually buy a house. But this isn’t an ordinary property. The building had been abandoned and the grounds badly neglected. Both need significant restoration work.
I was quickly immersed in the author’s account of their toils and joys as they strive to achieve self-sufficiency. Problems with bureaucracy, life in a leaky ruin, the endless slog to rebuild their home and initiatives to create a new income are all beautifully described with non-complaining frankness.
The author tells her story through a clever blend of narrative, diary notes and letters ‘to Mum’. This, together with her freestyle form of writing, works beautifully, as do the recipes she shares along the way.
Lisa Rose Wright’s can-do attitude is hugely inspiring, and her sunny personality shines throughout this book. I found it an intoxicating, fun read and look forward to reading her next instalment.
August 26, 2020
I've just finished this delightful book and can recommend it to anyone who enjoys the 'upping sticks and living abroad' genre of memoir. I was lucky enough to win it in a draw a while ago and am so pleased I've now had a chance to read it.
What I loved most was the author's sunny, humorous and cheerful writing style. Much of the book consists of letters to her clearly much-loved mother and this gave the whole memoir a wonderfully personal and conversational style. As the reader, I almost felt like her mother and know I'd have loved receiving letters like these. What's even better is that they were all hand written, which made them still more natural. There are also diary entries, plus a well-written narrative to fill in the gaps between the letters.
I must say I admire Lisa Wright and her S for taking on the task of simultaneously re-building the ruin they bought as a home and setting up their allotment to become self-sufficient. The energy these two must have had is mind boggling because for every diary entry that read 're-pointed the bedroom wall today' or 'polished the ceiling in lounge', or 'laid the tiles on the roof over the bathroom', I could fill in the amount of work it all involved and almost got tired just by reading about it. Add to that blistering heat, carting water in buckets to her vegetable patch, hunting for stray eggs and doing endless amounts of fruit preserving and I was finished at the end of every day too! Phew! But I also enjoyed every minute of it too, being a DIY and self-sufficiency fan myself.
I also loved the way they interacted with the local people and realised very quickly that they had the knack of drawing people to them with their open, friendly personalities. As with all these living abroad books, the bureaucracy entailed in becoming official residents is a test of endurance, and I felt every frustrating step, although Lisa doesn’t dwell on these moments, which somehow made me empathise more.
Altogether, I really enjoyed this book and will look forward to the next one when it’s available.
What I loved most was the author's sunny, humorous and cheerful writing style. Much of the book consists of letters to her clearly much-loved mother and this gave the whole memoir a wonderfully personal and conversational style. As the reader, I almost felt like her mother and know I'd have loved receiving letters like these. What's even better is that they were all hand written, which made them still more natural. There are also diary entries, plus a well-written narrative to fill in the gaps between the letters.
I must say I admire Lisa Wright and her S for taking on the task of simultaneously re-building the ruin they bought as a home and setting up their allotment to become self-sufficient. The energy these two must have had is mind boggling because for every diary entry that read 're-pointed the bedroom wall today' or 'polished the ceiling in lounge', or 'laid the tiles on the roof over the bathroom', I could fill in the amount of work it all involved and almost got tired just by reading about it. Add to that blistering heat, carting water in buckets to her vegetable patch, hunting for stray eggs and doing endless amounts of fruit preserving and I was finished at the end of every day too! Phew! But I also enjoyed every minute of it too, being a DIY and self-sufficiency fan myself.
I also loved the way they interacted with the local people and realised very quickly that they had the knack of drawing people to them with their open, friendly personalities. As with all these living abroad books, the bureaucracy entailed in becoming official residents is a test of endurance, and I felt every frustrating step, although Lisa doesn’t dwell on these moments, which somehow made me empathise more.
Altogether, I really enjoyed this book and will look forward to the next one when it’s available.
July 15, 2020
I am a huge fan of 'resettling in a new country' memoirs and while I know a little about Galicia, Spain, I was interested to learn more. The author uses an interesting combination of diary entries, letters home and formal text and it works well. This was not an easy move, there were holes in the roof, mice in the chimney, tradesmen who never turned up and windows with no glass. But, there were festivals, kind neighbours, bountiful harvests and an ever evolving home renovation. I remain amazed at the determination and fortitude of both partners in the reshaping of a derelict farm house and the turning of the earth to create a productive vegetable allotment. Well worth a read.
December 31, 2020
Lovely, cosy, warm read.
I really enjoyed this memoir, which is written from letters to the author's mum. There are also diary entries, as well as her normal narrative, and recipes and a photo book to accompany too. Diary format-August, September etc- which I love. August to August, a year in this, the first book in a series. I really like this sort of varied format.
Lisa and her partner 'S' had chosen Galicia as their ideal place to live. Their interest in the area had been sparked by a walking holiday on the famous Camino de Santiago. They wanted to be self-sufficient; a bit of 'The Good Life'.
Unlike some moving abroad memoirs, they're not retirement age-Lisa is 42 at the beginning of the book; where they've found their forever home in Spain.
Her letters in here to mum are bubbly and full of fun. Chuckling at the quirky things-but will things start to get them down? Will their enthusiasm be tried? Will things not go as smoothly as they anticipate?
This book has a lovely, warm, homely feel. There's a charming, friendly, warm tone to Lisa's narration.
I admire people who can take the bull by the horns; sell up and pack up, and just do it. I couldn't. I love to read of others' experiences moving to a new life far from what they know. It will be restful, tranquil, peaceful, that mañana life......but then there are all the setbacks and hurdles which upset the applecart. I love reading stories like this.
Quite a bit of history of the area is included. It's all very well-presented, and I really liked it. I liked the happy-go-lucky feel to it, uncomplaining about the various things they face along the way. Fresh. They take it in their stride, laugh things off, and just get on with it. So good-humoured, always. Oh, she makes me smile. Even a couple of musical references in there too, which are right up my street.
I loved the book. Thought I'd pass on the title tart...............but by the end of the book, she made everything sound so delicious anyway! Eager to read more about their life in Spain. Wonderful book.
I really enjoyed this memoir, which is written from letters to the author's mum. There are also diary entries, as well as her normal narrative, and recipes and a photo book to accompany too. Diary format-August, September etc- which I love. August to August, a year in this, the first book in a series. I really like this sort of varied format.
Lisa and her partner 'S' had chosen Galicia as their ideal place to live. Their interest in the area had been sparked by a walking holiday on the famous Camino de Santiago. They wanted to be self-sufficient; a bit of 'The Good Life'.
Unlike some moving abroad memoirs, they're not retirement age-Lisa is 42 at the beginning of the book; where they've found their forever home in Spain.
Her letters in here to mum are bubbly and full of fun. Chuckling at the quirky things-but will things start to get them down? Will their enthusiasm be tried? Will things not go as smoothly as they anticipate?
This book has a lovely, warm, homely feel. There's a charming, friendly, warm tone to Lisa's narration.
I admire people who can take the bull by the horns; sell up and pack up, and just do it. I couldn't. I love to read of others' experiences moving to a new life far from what they know. It will be restful, tranquil, peaceful, that mañana life......but then there are all the setbacks and hurdles which upset the applecart. I love reading stories like this.
Quite a bit of history of the area is included. It's all very well-presented, and I really liked it. I liked the happy-go-lucky feel to it, uncomplaining about the various things they face along the way. Fresh. They take it in their stride, laugh things off, and just get on with it. So good-humoured, always. Oh, she makes me smile. Even a couple of musical references in there too, which are right up my street.
I loved the book. Thought I'd pass on the title tart...............but by the end of the book, she made everything sound so delicious anyway! Eager to read more about their life in Spain. Wonderful book.
October 2, 2020
From newt-catching to the northwest Galicia region of Spain. An honest account of life abroad.
This book nicely combines story-telling, letters sent home and entries from diaries to recount the trials and challenges Lisa and her husband ‘S’ faced in their first year of living in Spain. Learning how to renovate an old property and becoming self-sufficient whilst battling with the elements and local bureaucracy, makes this an interesting and entertaining read. They seemed to have so much work to do on their house, I felt exhausted just reading it all!
It was nice to read about a younger couple moving abroad, and I could recall so many parallels with my own life, moving to Portugal at the same age as Lisa. Luckily for me, our house required far less renovation work, but I am impressed with how well they literally threw themselves into the work required. All that, alongside learning a new language, fitting in with the locals, raising chickens, and trying to grow vegetables in a new and unforgiving climate, makes this a fabulous story.
I look forward to reading more from this excellent writer.
This book nicely combines story-telling, letters sent home and entries from diaries to recount the trials and challenges Lisa and her husband ‘S’ faced in their first year of living in Spain. Learning how to renovate an old property and becoming self-sufficient whilst battling with the elements and local bureaucracy, makes this an interesting and entertaining read. They seemed to have so much work to do on their house, I felt exhausted just reading it all!
It was nice to read about a younger couple moving abroad, and I could recall so many parallels with my own life, moving to Portugal at the same age as Lisa. Luckily for me, our house required far less renovation work, but I am impressed with how well they literally threw themselves into the work required. All that, alongside learning a new language, fitting in with the locals, raising chickens, and trying to grow vegetables in a new and unforgiving climate, makes this a fabulous story.
I look forward to reading more from this excellent writer.
March 27, 2021
A thoroughly enjoyable memoir.
The reader is transported to Galicia in Spain with Lisa and her partner, as they look for that ideal property to renovate and make their home. We read of the trials and tribulations of renovating, learning the language, coping with the bureaucracy and getting to know the locals.
Lisa writes in such an entertaining and amusing style, which makes her story a delight to read.
I loved every page, and cannot recommend it highly enough.
The reader is transported to Galicia in Spain with Lisa and her partner, as they look for that ideal property to renovate and make their home. We read of the trials and tribulations of renovating, learning the language, coping with the bureaucracy and getting to know the locals.
Lisa writes in such an entertaining and amusing style, which makes her story a delight to read.
I loved every page, and cannot recommend it highly enough.
January 17, 2021
I love books about people wanting to make a new life abroad and who set about turning this dream into reality. Following a walking trip in Galicia, Lisa and her partner S, decided they could live ‘the good life’ there. The intrepid couple bought a derelict house with a substantial piece of land attached and with great enthusiasm and determination begin the renovations and the clearing of the land.
I so enjoyed the diary entries and the wonderful letters sent to Lisa’s mum coupled with a commentary on each month’s ongoing challenges. Somehow, they all went together perfectly. What I really liked was their sense of humour and the way they coped with the ongoing challenges. As if it wasn’t enough restoring the property they were also clearing and digging over the attached land so they could become self-sufficient. I was exhausted reading it! I love my garden but I doubt I could have coped with such a huge task. The energy they have is astonishing, retiling the roof, installing a septic tank, coping with a smoky stove, and having no windows for months would have brought lesser people to their knees!
They quickly settled into the local community and it says a great deal about them that they fitted in so well and established friendships with their neighbours. There are wonderful descriptions of the many fiestas – the Spanish do love a celebration and tales of coping with Spanish bureaucracy and stories of all the baking, bottling, and preserving that went on. How I would love a peek in Lisa’s larder. I enjoyed the links to all the recipes and to the photos. Thanks Lisa. I’m very much looking forward to reading the next in the series.
I so enjoyed the diary entries and the wonderful letters sent to Lisa’s mum coupled with a commentary on each month’s ongoing challenges. Somehow, they all went together perfectly. What I really liked was their sense of humour and the way they coped with the ongoing challenges. As if it wasn’t enough restoring the property they were also clearing and digging over the attached land so they could become self-sufficient. I was exhausted reading it! I love my garden but I doubt I could have coped with such a huge task. The energy they have is astonishing, retiling the roof, installing a septic tank, coping with a smoky stove, and having no windows for months would have brought lesser people to their knees!
They quickly settled into the local community and it says a great deal about them that they fitted in so well and established friendships with their neighbours. There are wonderful descriptions of the many fiestas – the Spanish do love a celebration and tales of coping with Spanish bureaucracy and stories of all the baking, bottling, and preserving that went on. How I would love a peek in Lisa’s larder. I enjoyed the links to all the recipes and to the photos. Thanks Lisa. I’m very much looking forward to reading the next in the series.
July 4, 2020
OK, I’ll admit it. Back in the day, when I was a spotty teenager, I had a schoolboy crush of Felicity Kendal, star of the hit TV series The Good Life. Lisa’s debut travelogue, about moving to Galicia, is a must read for anyone hankering after the good life, or as Lisa names it, La Vida Dulce. Her story cleverly combines narrative, letters home, and diary entries in an informative and interesting way.
August 13, 2020
I was gifted a copy of this lovely memoir. I'm a sucker for the 'moving to a different country' genre - the author didn't disappoint. Thank goodness the author's mum kept all the letters she sent home - those with lots of diary entries make this an interesting, funny, informative - pretty much worts-and-all story. Loved it and hope there'll be more of this couple's 'adventures' in Galicia.
October 16, 2020
I really enjoyed Lisa's book. As someone who moved to Galicia last year, her description of the people, customs and bureaucracy are spot on. The traditional Galician recipes are a lovely added touch and I will be definitely trying some. A great read and I'm looking forward to the second book.
September 5, 2020
What an enjoyable read! I felt I was there. I could picture myself as a fly on the wall. I can’t wait until I can head to Spain and actually enjoy a visit of my own.
September 16, 2020
Lisa Rose Wright’s “Plum, Courgette and Green Bean Tart” is a very entertaining memoir about a part of Spain away from the usual tourist spots, an area I am ashamed to say I would have failed to place on a map before reading her book. Her memoir is very informative about the area in general and the challenges they had renovating a near derelict house. Her wonderful descriptions of the simple act of vegetable gardening bring the whole activity to life. Her description of killing pigs is graphical and not for the squeamish, and I for one couldn’t eat a chicken I had named! I loved the part where she flitted back and forward between the near-present and her student years. I can’t wait for the next book and I also hopes she writes about her adventures in Sulawesi, which are briefly mentioned and sound fascinating.
September 24, 2020
A wonderful account of the beginning of Lisa and S's life in Galicia. I thoroughly enjoyed the format, switching between Lisa's narrative, letters to her mum, and her diary entries.
The information about buying a house, dealing with local bureaucracy, becoming a part of the local community, the hard work involved in renovating the house and caring for their land, was very interesting and beneficial to one who has thoughts of moving there at some point in the future.
The addition of the recipes and the picture book made this memoir extra special, really giving a feel for Lisa and S's life.
Really looking forward to reading book two!
The information about buying a house, dealing with local bureaucracy, becoming a part of the local community, the hard work involved in renovating the house and caring for their land, was very interesting and beneficial to one who has thoughts of moving there at some point in the future.
The addition of the recipes and the picture book made this memoir extra special, really giving a feel for Lisa and S's life.
Really looking forward to reading book two!
September 6, 2023
“Plum, Courgette and Green Bean Tart” is the first book in the “Writing Home” series. It covers the move from England to a life in Galicia, Spain by the green-fingered author and her eternally handy and practical husband, simply referred to as “S”. Their first year in the house they buy is filled with frustrating interactions with building supplies providers, car registration processors and so much bureaucracy, which would have sorely tested my patience. They also enjoy many triumphs over the year, their chickens and rabbits (food, not friends!), settle in well and S successfully takes on multiple home improvement projects. Lisa seems to be a fabulous cook and extremely knowledgeable about vegetable gardening. She also becomes an English teacher and finds some clients during the year. Much of the book is in the form of heart-warming letters to her mother and diary entries which give it a charming feel.
If you enjoy books about people buying a “fixer-upper” and working extremely hard to make it livable, you will love this book. There are many delicious-sounding recipes included at the end as an added bonus!
If you enjoy books about people buying a “fixer-upper” and working extremely hard to make it livable, you will love this book. There are many delicious-sounding recipes included at the end as an added bonus!
September 7, 2020
Great reading.. except now I want to move to Spain
Lisa has made her year in Galicia sound so interesting. If not a bit frustrating.. no windows when promised... paperwork? Forget it. But it's clear to see that she loves the area she's writing about, renovations, weeding, watering, preserving and all. Her humourous saga of loo location was worth turning every page. A loving look at the year using the letters written home and the diary kept. Can't wait for book #2.
Lisa has made her year in Galicia sound so interesting. If not a bit frustrating.. no windows when promised... paperwork? Forget it. But it's clear to see that she loves the area she's writing about, renovations, weeding, watering, preserving and all. Her humourous saga of loo location was worth turning every page. A loving look at the year using the letters written home and the diary kept. Can't wait for book #2.
Currently reading
October 6, 2020I suspect that a lot of us dream of acquiring an old property that we could renovate and become largely self-sufficient by growing our own food on the generous plot of land that conveniently surrounds this soon-to-be ideal home. For most of us this dream never becomes a reality: we remain in the mainstream, with paid employment taking up the majority of our time and energy, but some do break out, as it were, and live the alternative life of their choosing. Lisa is one of these people and we dreamers can live her life vicariously, for a while, in reading her diaries. They are an amusing and informative account of the purchase and (slow) renovation of an old property, the taming of a derelict garden and integration into the local Galician community. So, if you are a dreamer, especially one with an interest in DIY, gardening and cooking, you should enjoy reading ‘Plum, Courgette & Green Bean Tart’.
September 8, 2024
I really enjoyed this charming memoir, charting the author’s move to Northern Spain as she and her partner take on the challenge of renovating an old property. It’s a genuinely heartwarming tale of the ups and downs involved in creating and adjusting to a new way of life abroad. I was carried along by the author’s enthusiasm, and I really loved the diary and letter excerpts included throughout. A great read!
August 18, 2020
Very determined couple take on a new country and an old house
I enjoyed ready about the escapades the author and her “blue eyed prince” experienced when moving to a new country and building up a falling down house
I enjoyed ready about the escapades the author and her “blue eyed prince” experienced when moving to a new country and building up a falling down house
September 23, 2020
Living the Dream – La Vida Dulce
What a wonderful book and a pure joy to read. Through her letters home to her beloved Mum and her diary entries Lisa takes us through their first year in Galicia. Having fallen in love with the area some years previous they were determined to make their home there. The ideal climate for their need to be self sufficient.
From working extremely hard on the vast renovations of their villa, creating a vegetable garden and acquiring chickens and rabbits they never stop. Determined to live as much of a self sufficient life style as possible to have the Good Life they embark on their first Matanza of the piggies, learning about butchering and how to use every bit of the pig....yes even the teeth. Lisa also included some of her recipes and I would love to see her store cupboard with all the preserves and jams.
Oh the joys of Spanish bureaucracy and the endless paper trails, tradesmen who want the jobs but are reluctant to deliver on time...I do hope they finally got the rest of their windows.
Loved it Lisa and am eagerly awaiting the follow on book, thank you
What a wonderful book and a pure joy to read. Through her letters home to her beloved Mum and her diary entries Lisa takes us through their first year in Galicia. Having fallen in love with the area some years previous they were determined to make their home there. The ideal climate for their need to be self sufficient.
From working extremely hard on the vast renovations of their villa, creating a vegetable garden and acquiring chickens and rabbits they never stop. Determined to live as much of a self sufficient life style as possible to have the Good Life they embark on their first Matanza of the piggies, learning about butchering and how to use every bit of the pig....yes even the teeth. Lisa also included some of her recipes and I would love to see her store cupboard with all the preserves and jams.
Oh the joys of Spanish bureaucracy and the endless paper trails, tradesmen who want the jobs but are reluctant to deliver on time...I do hope they finally got the rest of their windows.
Loved it Lisa and am eagerly awaiting the follow on book, thank you
August 31, 2020
Lovely read
A wonderfully descriptive and amusing narrative, really brings the various characters to life..you can imagine yourself going through the challenges and experiencing the joy..the book has a great pace and of course a fabulous setting! A truly lovely read, and I am waiting impatiently for book two!
A wonderfully descriptive and amusing narrative, really brings the various characters to life..you can imagine yourself going through the challenges and experiencing the joy..the book has a great pace and of course a fabulous setting! A truly lovely read, and I am waiting impatiently for book two!
August 4, 2020
There is a very immediate, in the moment quality to this book, because the diary entries and the letters that Lisa wrote home each week to her Mum bring this account of starting a new life in Galicia totally to life. These are added to the wonderful descriptions of the highs and lows of renovating an old stone ruin in one of the least known parts of Green Spain. Add to this already vibrant mix Lisa and S start a new veg plot and rear chickens amidst the usual bureaucratic paperwork involved in moving to a new country. Humorous and serious, and very well written, I thoroughly recommend this book, and await the sequel.
Want to read
October 13, 2020I have just finished reading Lisa Rose Wright's Plum, C
What attracted me to Lisa’s book, Plum, Courgette and Green Bean Tart, apart from its’ quirky title, was the shared experience of refurbishing a property. I really liked the mixture of narrative and diary format used, making use of the letters Lisa wrote home to her mum. This made the whole story a good deal more personal in a warming way. Doing a major renovation is one thing, but to do it in a foreign speaking country is not only challenging but very brave, especially as Lisa and her partner ‘S’ left behind their careers in UK. I admired their patience and light heartedness dealing with the unbelievable Spanish bureaucracy which highlights the incredible ‘laid back’ attitude the Galegos people have. Lisa’s description of the area and its’ people gives you an insight into this beautiful inland part of Spain. You can feel the energy coming off the pages, as you read about their sheer hard work, of not only doing an amazing renovation, but also their determination to live ‘the good life’. An excellent read and certainly recommended to those thinking about moving to Spain. Well done Lisa and looking forward to the next episode of your life in Galicia.
What attracted me to Lisa’s book, Plum, Courgette and Green Bean Tart, apart from its’ quirky title, was the shared experience of refurbishing a property. I really liked the mixture of narrative and diary format used, making use of the letters Lisa wrote home to her mum. This made the whole story a good deal more personal in a warming way. Doing a major renovation is one thing, but to do it in a foreign speaking country is not only challenging but very brave, especially as Lisa and her partner ‘S’ left behind their careers in UK. I admired their patience and light heartedness dealing with the unbelievable Spanish bureaucracy which highlights the incredible ‘laid back’ attitude the Galegos people have. Lisa’s description of the area and its’ people gives you an insight into this beautiful inland part of Spain. You can feel the energy coming off the pages, as you read about their sheer hard work, of not only doing an amazing renovation, but also their determination to live ‘the good life’. An excellent read and certainly recommended to those thinking about moving to Spain. Well done Lisa and looking forward to the next episode of your life in Galicia.
November 6, 2020
Fascinating Journey!
I Loved reading about their renovating, traveling and Spanish bureaucracy adventures. The delicious dishes served up throughout and gardening experience was a bonus too!
I Loved reading about their renovating, traveling and Spanish bureaucracy adventures. The delicious dishes served up throughout and gardening experience was a bonus too!
January 30, 2025
My love for Galicia has been instilled from a young age, having spent time in Lugo with a Spanish family at 18 (and all their friends I made there at this time) to then studying in Santiago as part of my Erasmus year at university.
I have never forgotten the way all Gallegos made me feel welcome at the time, and how novel it was for the friends I made to have an English person in their midst back then! The fiestas, the food, the culture, the beautiful landscapes, the stunning beaches to explore..the people…my dear friends that I’ve never lost touch with…
Life took me eventually to France however, and I have since married a Frenchman and we have our little girls together..every single summer mind you, we go to Galicia on holiday, and my husband (& children) adore this little piece of paradise just as much as me. Our dream is that one day we will make the move - when, who knows!
In the meantime, to find Lisa’s books to read (I found them by chance and then received them this last Christmas from my hubby) and for her to sum up exactly what I see in this beautiful region has been simply wonderful! We try to live off the land here in France, but with work and 3 little ones can only dream of the self sufficiency that Lisa speaks of in their first year there (I’ve yet to read the following books!)
It’s an awe inspiring book, written with such positivity (despite the red tape and admin dysfunctions - not to mention the mañana approach!) It’s hard being a foreigner in another country, and being adopted by said country takes time, persistence and a huge amount of patience at times (changing car over / waiting on windows !)
It’s honest, it’s beautiful and I will savour her other books before I get back over there again with my family in August to take it all in again first hand..she sees everything I see in Galicia and confirms every reason why it’s where we so hope to be living one day…thank you Lisa! 🌹❤️
I have never forgotten the way all Gallegos made me feel welcome at the time, and how novel it was for the friends I made to have an English person in their midst back then! The fiestas, the food, the culture, the beautiful landscapes, the stunning beaches to explore..the people…my dear friends that I’ve never lost touch with…
Life took me eventually to France however, and I have since married a Frenchman and we have our little girls together..every single summer mind you, we go to Galicia on holiday, and my husband (& children) adore this little piece of paradise just as much as me. Our dream is that one day we will make the move - when, who knows!
In the meantime, to find Lisa’s books to read (I found them by chance and then received them this last Christmas from my hubby) and for her to sum up exactly what I see in this beautiful region has been simply wonderful! We try to live off the land here in France, but with work and 3 little ones can only dream of the self sufficiency that Lisa speaks of in their first year there (I’ve yet to read the following books!)
It’s an awe inspiring book, written with such positivity (despite the red tape and admin dysfunctions - not to mention the mañana approach!) It’s hard being a foreigner in another country, and being adopted by said country takes time, persistence and a huge amount of patience at times (changing car over / waiting on windows !)
It’s honest, it’s beautiful and I will savour her other books before I get back over there again with my family in August to take it all in again first hand..she sees everything I see in Galicia and confirms every reason why it’s where we so hope to be living one day…thank you Lisa! 🌹❤️
October 7, 2020
I give the book 3.5 stars. I received a free kindle copy from Voracious Readers Only. I like books on travel and non fiction. I have been to Spain. I found this a difficult book to read.
Each chapter has a story, diary entry, and an email to mum. The emails are very long. There is a lot of superficial information. Most people's emails aren't very interesting. The diary entries are, also, long and too detailed. I am assuming, neither were written for a book.
I enjoyed the story part of the book. This was not the majority of the book. I enjoyed learning about the characters and their past. I wish there was more of tgis in the story.
A lot of the book was about what they ate. I like food but reading a lot about it wasn't interesting to me. The book had very mundane facts (I showered). The book had a list of chores that they had to accomplish. It just made me realize that living abroad doesn't make you more interesting or exciting. That I have a lot of things to do too.
I appreciated the opportunity to read the book. I do wish the author much success in her endeavors.
Each chapter has a story, diary entry, and an email to mum. The emails are very long. There is a lot of superficial information. Most people's emails aren't very interesting. The diary entries are, also, long and too detailed. I am assuming, neither were written for a book.
I enjoyed the story part of the book. This was not the majority of the book. I enjoyed learning about the characters and their past. I wish there was more of tgis in the story.
A lot of the book was about what they ate. I like food but reading a lot about it wasn't interesting to me. The book had very mundane facts (I showered). The book had a list of chores that they had to accomplish. It just made me realize that living abroad doesn't make you more interesting or exciting. That I have a lot of things to do too.
I appreciated the opportunity to read the book. I do wish the author much success in her endeavors.
May 29, 2021
Lisa's book takes us through the first full year of her adventure in Galicia, where she and her partner, S, have bought their new home, A Casa do Campo. They work hard to install a new roof and make rooms habitable, whilst starting an allotment and adopting some chickens. Their progress is chronicled through diary entries and Lisa's letters home to her Mum, neatly tied together with an overview of progress, or lack of it. I loved their doggedness in the face of local bureaucracy and the nondelivery of essential items.
They build a community of local friends and work hard on their Spanish. Lisa describes the beautiful countryside, the nearby towns and the unique local festivals.
My favourite character was in fact their traditional wood-fired range, a temperamental beast, which S eventually tames, after much misleading advice from everyone who has an opinion. Lisa prepares delicious meals on this range and shares some of her recipes in the book, as you might guess from the title.
An absorbing read. Well done to Mum for saving all the letters! I have ordered the sequel Tomato, Fig and Pumpkin Jelly, and look forward to finding out whether those windows have ever arrived.
They build a community of local friends and work hard on their Spanish. Lisa describes the beautiful countryside, the nearby towns and the unique local festivals.
My favourite character was in fact their traditional wood-fired range, a temperamental beast, which S eventually tames, after much misleading advice from everyone who has an opinion. Lisa prepares delicious meals on this range and shares some of her recipes in the book, as you might guess from the title.
An absorbing read. Well done to Mum for saving all the letters! I have ordered the sequel Tomato, Fig and Pumpkin Jelly, and look forward to finding out whether those windows have ever arrived.
June 6, 2021
Plum, Courgette & Green Bean Tart documents the first year of Lisa and her partner's search for la vida dulce in Northern Spain. Many of the themes depicted in the book will sound familiar to memoir readers; renovating a dilapidated old cottage, meeting new neighbours, learning the language, and making a new, strange place home. However, what makes Lisa Rose Wright’s memoir different is the location. We meet their friends and neighbours in the tiny Galician village where they settle and explore the new life through Lisa and her partner’s eyes. The book covers a year in Galicia where the reader gets to live vicariously through their experience. Lisa’s passion for cooking, inventing new recipes from home-grown produce and adapting English recipes to preserve a seemingly endless supply of apples, apricots, and walnuts in autumn, and the titular plums, courgettes, and green beans in the summer, is formidable. This Galician memoir is a fantastic read for people who love exploring less well-known parts of the world, especially Europe, and is of genuine interest for those of us who like learning about new cultures, languages, and local food.
October 29, 2023
There are so many things I loved about this book! Lisa's wonderful diary excerpts, her affectionate, humorous letters to family describing her and her partner, S's new life in Galicia, have made me feel like I not only know them, but I know their delightful, thoughtful neighbors, their pets, the cuisines of their town...and the town itself! I loved reading of how the people of this quiet, quaint place have taken these two endearing, hardworking people to their hearts. I loved reading about Lisa and S's garden, groaned when their windows didn't arrive on schedule as promised, (seriously, MONTHS with no windows?) applauded their patience and laughed out loud again and again at Lisa's hilarious descriptions of people, animals and situations. This is a book I'm happy to recommend to anyone, especially to someone who, like me, will likely never get the opportunity to visit Spain, let alone someplace as magical as Galicia. And certainly not with people as delightful as Lisa Rose Wright and her family!
November 12, 2021
Plum, Courgette & Green Bean Tart is such a delightful memoir for many reasons, but these are the reasons it is an unforgettable book to me. First of all, Lisa and S are so brave to buy a farm in Galicia in such need of repair. From installing a new roof to creating new bathrooms, they must have worked non-stop to get it all done. Then, Lisa’s description of the work in the garden and the preserving of the fruit and vegetable bounty is inspiring. It impressed me how she combined her background knowledge of farming and animal husbandry with all that she learned from the locals. Finally, her connection with her family, especially with her mother, is truly heartwarming. Soon, I will be reading the sequels, and I highly recommend Plum, Courgette & Green Bean Tart.
August 27, 2022
An interesting book, part diary, part letter, part everyday life.
A mix of enjoyable, annoying and humorous reflection of life in Galicia, Spain.
Two British ecologists buy a property in Galicia, Spain without being proficient in the culture, climate, council regulations, Galician dialect or Spanish language.
It is possible to get annoyed at their lack of language skills when dealing with regulatory governance and disgusted at their Englishness when it comes to the Spanish Law and it’s requirements.
Enjoyed their determination to repair their home, while their lack of agrarian nous and language skills meant they missed the wealth of local knowledge.
Loving the methods of food preservation and recipes.
Thanks Lisa and S, much appreciated :-)
A mix of enjoyable, annoying and humorous reflection of life in Galicia, Spain.
Two British ecologists buy a property in Galicia, Spain without being proficient in the culture, climate, council regulations, Galician dialect or Spanish language.
It is possible to get annoyed at their lack of language skills when dealing with regulatory governance and disgusted at their Englishness when it comes to the Spanish Law and it’s requirements.
Enjoyed their determination to repair their home, while their lack of agrarian nous and language skills meant they missed the wealth of local knowledge.
Loving the methods of food preservation and recipes.
Thanks Lisa and S, much appreciated :-)
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