Hot sun, cool shadow

An unabashed celebration of slow food and authentique living - Languedoc style Ten years ago, Angela Murrills and Peter Matthews began their love affair with the Languedoc. Stretching from the Rhône River in south-central France to the Pyrenees and the Spanish border, it is one of Europe's oldest and most historic regions. Its wonders include the castles of the Cathars; the Carmargue marshes, home to wild white horses; superb Roman ruins such as the arena at Nîmes; and Carcassonne, Europe's greatest fortified town. But what really attracted Murrills and Matthews was the locals' love of food and wine. As their trips became longer and the dream of owning their own house took shape, they began to discover another way of living, a slower one based on gastronomic pleasure and the really important things in life: hunting for mushrooms, visits to the market, long lunches and heated debates about the best way to make cassoulet. An unabashed celebration of the joys of food and life's simple pleasures, Hot Sun, Cool Shadow tells the story of the couple's discovery of the Languedoc, area by area, dish by dish. It includes more than thirty recipes and sixty of Peter Matthews delightful illustrations.