Book Review & Giveaway: Food For Thought (w/ sweet bonus prize for homeschoolers)

Okay, so I lied. I said I was going to do the giveaway and review on Sunday. I'm doing it now.

Food For Thought: Reflections & Recipes. Here, ladies and gentlemen, is an eminently practical book. And an eminently wise book.

Francis Foucachon is a classically trained French chef from Lyon, and a veteran of both the restaurant wars and the church planting wars. He has endured the slings and arrows of food and hospitality, and has emerged on the other side with gifts to give us.

I highly recommend his book; even if you buy it for yourself and never lend it out, if taken to heart it will be a gift to others.

I recommend it because it is full of joy and gratitude. It is difficult to find a book that talks about what food is for, and what people are for, that doesn't become either pedantic or shrill. Joy and gratitude are the solution to that. There is such a thing as good food, what food ought to be. And thinking on that can help you be what you ought to be.

The book is divided into three parts, the first dealing with what food is for, the second dealing with hospitality and Sabbath, and the third with food itself.

Foucachon is a church planter and pastor. His is a very Christian book. He first explores the place and purpose of man and food. Man is to be grateful to God, and creation is part of what he should be grateful for. Creation was made for our joy, and even after the Fall this is so. Therefore we are commanded to eat and drink.

Once we know our place, we see how vital hospitality is. This is where Food For Thought really comes into its own. Feasting, and especially Sunday feasting, should be a central part of the Christian life. And you can't have no feast by your lonesome. Hospitality is hard work, but it's worthy work. Foucachon is full of practical, simple advice on how to make hospitality happen. The book is worth the purchase for this section alone.

Francis Foucachon

The last part makes up fully half of the book, my friends. Recipes! Yes, half the book is recipes. And wonderful recipes too. Not for nothing have the French ascended to the top of the foodly heavens. And if you think French cuisine is over-complicated food prepared by and for snobs, you have another thing coming. I hope you like butter, cream, and wine. Buy the book here.

Hospitality is about giving. So I welcome you to my blog. Make yourself at home. Let me get you a beer. And oh, yeah, I have gifts. Giveaway time!

Roman Roads Media has offered not only to give away a copy of the book accompanied by Chef Foucachon's instructional video on French cuisine, but is also including a very very sweet prize for homeschoolers. a copy of The Aeneid portion of their Old Western Culture: The Romans video curriculum. I have viewed it and it is fantabulous.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Contest ends Wednesday the 17th at 11:59pm EST. A few of the ways of entering can be done once a day. Go to town!

Alas, contest is only open to those in the U.S. and Canada.