Rating: 
Summary: Charming and Sensually Tantallizing
Review: Written in the same vein as "Under the Tuscan Sun" and "A Year in Provence", food writer Susan Loomis charmingly describes her transition from being 100% American to being a French homeowner.
In simple but expressive language, she imparts her obvious joy of finding a house perfectly suited to her needs and that of her family--in the city of Louviers, north west of Paris in the province of Normandie. Her reminiscences regardng her assimilation into French village/city life enchant; each of the personnages comes to life--in fact, I would have enjoyed---even more so---a book double the size with more information regarding each of Madame Loomis' neighbors! In addition to detailing the work necessary to make their house purchase inhabitable, Susan recalls the sometimes difficult adjustments her young son makes in order to "fit in" to the French education system and the reluctant diplomacy required by Susan and her husband when dealing with the uncomfortable stubborness of the resident cure. Cleverly sprinkled throughout are Susan's thoughts regarding French sensibilites when compared with their American counterparts. At the end of each vignette, Loomis provides a fabulously apropos selection of recipes, simple, yet delicious which she either serves her friends/acquaintances or receives from appreciative French gourmands during the actual occurance of the chapter events. (I would have liked the recipe for the black current sorbet she speaks of at the end of the 'Paris' chapter.) The last recollection contains the lovely history of Susan's experience in a French clinic as she awaits her second child. C'est formidable!
The idea of pairing good food with wonderful memories certainly evokes anyone's idea of the good life. Recommended to all who love good food, wine, the French and are teased by the idea of at least attending one of Susan Loomis cooking sessions in Louviers.
Rating: 
Summary: Falls Flat
Review: _On Rue Tatin_ falls as flat as a cake peered at too often by a too-eager cook. Though Susan Herrmann Loomis is a good reporter, detailing life in France with occasional insight, she never breaks into genuine wisdom or true authorship. The book reads as if she followed a recipe while writing it, and lacks the comedy and warmth of, say, Ruth Reichl's _Comfort Me With Apples_.On the other hand, it's set in France and it's got a lot of food in it. So what's to really dislike? It's just: when you're expecting Brie, it's hard to settle for (yawn) a mild American cheddar.
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