12 Comments

It’s always a treat to partake vicariously in a Three Pines meal or cafe au lait. As Nancy Reddy points out, it’s not just the food but the magic combo of cuisine and company that makes this such an inviting and intriguing place--plus murder, of course. Thanks for pointing that out and for sharing your pandemic experiences, which ring painfully true. I do wonder, now that there’s an Amazon series, can the Three Pines cookbook be far behind?

Expand full comment
author

oh love this! a friend was telling me about a cozy murder series that has recipes in the back--it might have been Mia P. Manansala's Arsenic and Adobo books? does this ring a bell for anyone?

Expand full comment

Yes! Was thinking this very thing while reading Nancy's Bistro descriptions all in a row like that... Someone *definitely* needs to do a 3P Bistro cookbook (*cough* Mel Joulwan? *cough)!

Expand full comment

Oh I hope someone takes this on! I will definitely blog about it if they do!😋 If not, I may have to try to come up with a few recipes myself!

Expand full comment
author

What?! Amazing, thanks for this link!!

Expand full comment

Love that idea! She’s overdue for a new cook book!

Expand full comment

Another mystery series where I think the is even more important is the Bruno Chief of Police by Martin Walker. I think the series lost steam around the 7th or 8th book, I gave up around 11, but the early books are great and the rural French setting and food are such an important part of the books. I started reading them before Gamache and a friend of mines told me if I liked Bruno I should try Gamache. I now think that Penny's series had much greater staying power (I can't really think of another series that I have stayed with for 18th books) but I still think that Walker is well worth reading, especially because of the food and setting.

Expand full comment
author

ooh thanks for the recommendation! it's truly amazing that she's been able to sustain the series for so long.

Expand full comment
Dec 21, 2022·edited Dec 21, 2022Liked by Nancy Reddy

I literally started drinking cafes au lait because of these books and that's all I order from coffee shops now. Thanks Gamache!

Expand full comment
author

ah, that's so great! even better if they come in a huge bowl with a croissant! ;)

Expand full comment

Great article!

Although not murder mysteries, Elin Hilderbrand writes very enticingly about food in her books on Nantucket.

Expand full comment