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Return to Paris
It is 1947 and Paris is recovering from the war. As soon as Colette's family arrive from Cairo, her mother abandons her yet again. Terribly homesick, Colette finds solace in the kitchen with the cook Georgette, and discovers a love for French food - roasted lamb stuffed with garlic, springtime strawberries bathed in creme fraiche, the first taste of truffle. And it is through food that Colette finds happiness in Paris, skipping school to go to the farmers' market in Port de Neuilly and dining in Michelin-starred restaurants with her new stepfather. Then at sixteen, she meets a dashing young American - and, despite all opposition from her family, never looks back...
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First published March 18, 2003
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About the author
Colette Rossant
21 books13 followersColette S. Palacci Rossant was born in Paris but spent most of her childhood in a mansion in the Garden City district of Cairo, Egypt, raised by her paternal grandparents and a host of aunts and cousins -- all of whom excelled in the kitchen. Her closest childhood friend was Ahmet, the house cook.
At the age of 15 she returned to Paris to finish her studies and lived with her maternal grandparents. In Paris, under the tutelage of her stepfather, she met numerous French chefs and learned about her French culinary heritage. Then at 22 she married American architect James Rossant and moved to New York.
In 1970, Colette started a cooking school for children that developed into a television show for PBS called Zee Cooking School, which also launched her first of seven cookbooks, Cooking with Colette (Scribners 1975) and two translations of Paul Bocuse. In 1979, she became the Underground Gourmet writer for New York Magazine and in 1982, the Food and Design editor of McCalls. In 1984 she started a new magazine called America Entertains for Time Warner. In 1993, she became a food columnist for the Daily News with a Wednesday column (now available online as "Ask Colette!". In addition, she has also been a culinary partner in two New York restaurants, Buddha Green and Dim Sum Go Go.
She has been nominated for a 1997 James Beard Award for Magazine Feature with Recipes, a 2000 IACP Cookbook Award for her book Memories of A Lost Egypt (originally published by Clarkson Potter in 1999 but now republished by Atria 2004), and a 2002 Thomas Cook Travel Book Award for its UK version Apricots On the Nile (Bloomsbury 2002).
At the age of 15 she returned to Paris to finish her studies and lived with her maternal grandparents. In Paris, under the tutelage of her stepfather, she met numerous French chefs and learned about her French culinary heritage. Then at 22 she married American architect James Rossant and moved to New York.
In 1970, Colette started a cooking school for children that developed into a television show for PBS called Zee Cooking School, which also launched her first of seven cookbooks, Cooking with Colette (Scribners 1975) and two translations of Paul Bocuse. In 1979, she became the Underground Gourmet writer for New York Magazine and in 1982, the Food and Design editor of McCalls. In 1984 she started a new magazine called America Entertains for Time Warner. In 1993, she became a food columnist for the Daily News with a Wednesday column (now available online as "Ask Colette!". In addition, she has also been a culinary partner in two New York restaurants, Buddha Green and Dim Sum Go Go.
She has been nominated for a 1997 James Beard Award for Magazine Feature with Recipes, a 2000 IACP Cookbook Award for her book Memories of A Lost Egypt (originally published by Clarkson Potter in 1999 but now republished by Atria 2004), and a 2002 Thomas Cook Travel Book Award for its UK version Apricots On the Nile (Bloomsbury 2002).
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
April 13, 2023
This was a charming read - the second in the author’s series of memoirs. Certainly, anyone who delights in French food and culture will enjoy Colette Rossant’s sojourn but it is not only French culture that is discussed. Her time in Egypt and the dual influences of her identity as gentile and jew makes for some interesting reminiscences. She evokes attitudes as easily as the delicious aromas. While she clearly resented her mother’s repeated abandonments the author had a very privileged life and was drawn repeatedly to the kitchens in her life that offered culinary delights and personal warmth from those within.
The inclusion of recipes, placed strategically at the important points of Rossant’s memoir, make for a quaint but unique addition.
3.5 stars scaled up.
The inclusion of recipes, placed strategically at the important points of Rossant’s memoir, make for a quaint but unique addition.
3.5 stars scaled up.
July 30, 2014
Interesting story about a portion of Colette Rossant's life in Egypt and Paris. I found the descriptions of the cities very interesting and the situations the author found herself in a bit sad at times. She apparently had an uninterested parent and a controlling grandmother who took care of her, not for love, but for money.
While I felt badly that she had such a terrible family life, the extent the author kept mentioning this had me thinking 'get over it!' many times.
Despite this, though, I did enjoy the book. There are recipes sprinkled throughout which do not use up every pan in the kitchen (much like my beloved Julia Child does!).
I had never heard about this woman when I picked this book up on a whim because of the book description 'Paris' and 'food' and I was not disappointed to have read it.
While I felt badly that she had such a terrible family life, the extent the author kept mentioning this had me thinking 'get over it!' many times.
Despite this, though, I did enjoy the book. There are recipes sprinkled throughout which do not use up every pan in the kitchen (much like my beloved Julia Child does!).
I had never heard about this woman when I picked this book up on a whim because of the book description 'Paris' and 'food' and I was not disappointed to have read it.
May 31, 2007
I've really enjoyed reading all three of this author's memoirs. This is the second in the series. I particularly enjoyed reading about her perspective of Americans from her French sensibilities. If there's a fourth book I'll race out to get that one too!
May 5, 2009
Colette Rossant's second memoir and the follow up to the wonderful Apricots on the Nile - again filled with memories and stories from her past and interspersed with mouth-watering recipes along the way.
In 1947 Colette returned to live in Paris after spending the years of World War II with her relatives in Cairo. Again, Colette's feckless mother leaves her in the care of fairly unknown relatives, this time her stern maternal grandmother. Luckily the chef of the house - Mademioselle Georgette takes Colette under her wing and teaches her the wonders of french cookery.
Paris is where Colette really grows up, where she is wined and dined by possible suitors and discovers love and loss - and meets the man who will finally become her husband.
I've enjoyed both of Colette's memoirs and look forward to reading the third instalment.
In 1947 Colette returned to live in Paris after spending the years of World War II with her relatives in Cairo. Again, Colette's feckless mother leaves her in the care of fairly unknown relatives, this time her stern maternal grandmother. Luckily the chef of the house - Mademioselle Georgette takes Colette under her wing and teaches her the wonders of french cookery.
Paris is where Colette really grows up, where she is wined and dined by possible suitors and discovers love and loss - and meets the man who will finally become her husband.
I've enjoyed both of Colette's memoirs and look forward to reading the third instalment.
July 14, 2017
This is a sequel to Apricots on the Nile and follows the same pattern - a memoir with recipes. Even more than with the earlier book, the author finds in her fascination with food, solace for an unhappy home life. It lacks the exotic setting of Apricots, but is a good read nonetheless.
July 17, 2018
I enjoyed this easy read. I found some of the recipes incomplete. The bolognese sauce had no mention tomatoes in it. Despite this I enjoyed the descriptions of Paris & Cario. I would like to read her other books.
May 30, 2020
A charming read, one I'm excited to discuss in my next book club chat! Rossant's writing isn't the highlight so much as her detailed memories of life in Cairo, Paris, Munich, etc. I will admit I found parts a bit... boring? But fits the bill if you seek a dreamy literary escape abroad!
March 15, 2019
A blend of memoir and food writing. The memoir, while interesting, was less successful, I thought than the food writing and recipes.
January 4, 2022
This book was so, so good.
June 26, 2022
What a fun read.
January 29, 2011
RETURN TO PARIS by Colette Rossant
Who does not like books about food, and French food at that. No pictures in this one, but such vivid descriptions and such love of the food that we don't really need pictures.
Colette Rossant is of French and Egyptian descent. Now in her late 70s, she lives in America with her American architect husband James, whom she first met when she was 16. Just like any love story, they immediately fell in love and were finally reunited four long years later.
Colette's mother was Parisian Jewish French, her father was Egyptian, from Cairo, and also Jewish. Prior to the war the family was living in Paris, when her father was diagnosed with cancer. The family moved to Cairo when Colette was 5 in 1937, where her father died shortly after. Her mother, not the most maternally inclined of women, effectively deserted her daughter, leaving her in the care of her paternal grandparents. The unhappy and lost child found refuge in the kitchens of her wealthy grandparents,in the process developing a love for food and food preparation. After the war, in 1946, when travel was once again possible, her mother, at the demand of her mother in Paris, suddenly reappeared in Cairo, swept up the now 14 year old Colette and disappeared back to France. Colette's life in Cairo is narrated in the beautiful memoir 'Apricots on the Nile'.
'Return to Paris' is the sequel to the first book, and tells of Colette's sudden and difficult shift back to Paris, a city she hardly remembers, to a grandmother and older brother she has not seen for 9 years. Hardly a simple life for a 14 year old girl. After the freedoms of living in Cairo, life in post-war Paris is not easy; the grandmother is a dragon, her mission in life to bring Colette back into the Jewish fold, to turn her into a young lady and to marry her off to a suitable young man. Once again Colette finds refuge in the kitchen with the lovely Georgette who was the family cook when Colette was a young child. After some resistance she slowly rediscovers her love of French food, which naturally is very different from the flavours of the Middle East. She would appear to have plenty of spirit and thrives on disobeying her elders: missing school so she can explore food markets and back streets of Paris, not playing ball with regards to the young men she is regularly set up with by her family, and seriously enjoying her love of good food.
The memoir finishes when Colette is in her early 20s, having married her sweetheart and migrated to New York, again not an easy shift for her, but her love of food becomes the key to her acceptance of her new life.
Throughout the book are recipes of dishes from her days in Paris. Omelettes aux Fines Herbes, Chicken Fricassee, Tomato Salad, Pommes aux Gratin, Rabbit with Prunes and Lentils, Crepes, Onion Soup, Raspberry Tart to name just a few. With one or two exceptions, all of the recipes are very straight forward, depending, like all great meals, on good quality ingredients combined with what appears to be easy technique and a bit of time.
I really enjoyed reading this. Having read 'Apricots on the Nile' some years ago, I knew reading this would be like meeting an old friend and catching up on the next instalment. Most of the book covers her teen years and as we know being a teenager is never an easy time in life. She is very honest and open about the difficulties she has with her family and the expectations placed on her, and I imagine at times she fully deserved their anger and rules! But I never felt like I disliked her, or that she was getting too big for her boots! Totally charming and self-deprecating, with this overriding passion for food and personal discovery, I think she is just gorgeous. By the way the Tomato Salad is delicious, be careful of garlic burps the next day.
Who does not like books about food, and French food at that. No pictures in this one, but such vivid descriptions and such love of the food that we don't really need pictures.
Colette Rossant is of French and Egyptian descent. Now in her late 70s, she lives in America with her American architect husband James, whom she first met when she was 16. Just like any love story, they immediately fell in love and were finally reunited four long years later.
Colette's mother was Parisian Jewish French, her father was Egyptian, from Cairo, and also Jewish. Prior to the war the family was living in Paris, when her father was diagnosed with cancer. The family moved to Cairo when Colette was 5 in 1937, where her father died shortly after. Her mother, not the most maternally inclined of women, effectively deserted her daughter, leaving her in the care of her paternal grandparents. The unhappy and lost child found refuge in the kitchens of her wealthy grandparents,in the process developing a love for food and food preparation. After the war, in 1946, when travel was once again possible, her mother, at the demand of her mother in Paris, suddenly reappeared in Cairo, swept up the now 14 year old Colette and disappeared back to France. Colette's life in Cairo is narrated in the beautiful memoir 'Apricots on the Nile'.
'Return to Paris' is the sequel to the first book, and tells of Colette's sudden and difficult shift back to Paris, a city she hardly remembers, to a grandmother and older brother she has not seen for 9 years. Hardly a simple life for a 14 year old girl. After the freedoms of living in Cairo, life in post-war Paris is not easy; the grandmother is a dragon, her mission in life to bring Colette back into the Jewish fold, to turn her into a young lady and to marry her off to a suitable young man. Once again Colette finds refuge in the kitchen with the lovely Georgette who was the family cook when Colette was a young child. After some resistance she slowly rediscovers her love of French food, which naturally is very different from the flavours of the Middle East. She would appear to have plenty of spirit and thrives on disobeying her elders: missing school so she can explore food markets and back streets of Paris, not playing ball with regards to the young men she is regularly set up with by her family, and seriously enjoying her love of good food.
The memoir finishes when Colette is in her early 20s, having married her sweetheart and migrated to New York, again not an easy shift for her, but her love of food becomes the key to her acceptance of her new life.
Throughout the book are recipes of dishes from her days in Paris. Omelettes aux Fines Herbes, Chicken Fricassee, Tomato Salad, Pommes aux Gratin, Rabbit with Prunes and Lentils, Crepes, Onion Soup, Raspberry Tart to name just a few. With one or two exceptions, all of the recipes are very straight forward, depending, like all great meals, on good quality ingredients combined with what appears to be easy technique and a bit of time.
I really enjoyed reading this. Having read 'Apricots on the Nile' some years ago, I knew reading this would be like meeting an old friend and catching up on the next instalment. Most of the book covers her teen years and as we know being a teenager is never an easy time in life. She is very honest and open about the difficulties she has with her family and the expectations placed on her, and I imagine at times she fully deserved their anger and rules! But I never felt like I disliked her, or that she was getting too big for her boots! Totally charming and self-deprecating, with this overriding passion for food and personal discovery, I think she is just gorgeous. By the way the Tomato Salad is delicious, be careful of garlic burps the next day.
March 16, 2021
Memoir of an interesting life, recipes included that might appeal to foodies, prose a little flat for my taste.
October 23, 2015
Colette Rossant was born in Paris. During the war years, she was sent to relatives in Egypt. Eight years later, she returns to Paris as a teenager. This book is the story of her time in Paris while she is finishing school, living with a very domineering, at times abusive grandmother until the time of her marriage in her early 20s. Ms. Rossant's greatest confidantes in her life are the cook at her Egyptian grandparents house and then later, the cook at her French grandmother's house. Therefore, she spends a lot of time in the kitchen, learning an appreciation for food. The book includes a lot of these recipes and she is very descriptive when speaking of her love affair with food. This book was very easy to read and I loved the descriptions of food and the recipes, a few of which I would like to try. Ms. Rossant has written a couple of other memoirs, one of her time in Egypt which took place before this book and the other takes place after this one, when she goes to New York with her American husband. I would like to read these also.
April 14, 2013
This was a nice book but not brilliant. Her story is interesting -- she is partly Jewish, partly Catholic (her mother converted to Catholicism and pressured her to convert too), of a French mother and Egyptian father, spending a good hunk of her childhood in Cairo -- and I love that she is so interested in food. But her writing is stilted, it doesn't flow, and the editing could have been better. Still, I enjoyed it overall and took special note of the fact that here was one person who, for good reasons, did not enjoy her life in Paris.
October 18, 2010
Rossant keeps her focus tightly on her day to day experience as an Egyptian French Jewish convent educated teenager rejoining her family in Paris after WW2 and negotiating a complicated identity. The recipes and meals are vivid and the reader gets to know the hungers and moods of the teenage narrator through what she eats. I was left hungering for a bigger perspective and context for this story.
February 29, 2016
After the Second World War the author Colette returns to Paris, after spending 8 years in Egypt. I really enjoyed this book. We see how the author has to adapt to life with her elderly grandmother,attending a Catholic convent school, abandoned by her flighty mother,after spending her childhood with her huge extended paternal Jewish Egyptian family. I especially loved the description of life and cuisine in both of the countries.
March 20, 2008
I guess it was the cover photo, a classic Parisian cafe in black and white photography that got me, that along with the title, I'm definately a dreamer here.
Didn't keep me turning the page, but still good, just not the of these types of books.
Oh, as always, little bits of food bytes, recipies, that make it fun.
Didn't keep me turning the page, but still good, just not the of these types of books.
Oh, as always, little bits of food bytes, recipies, that make it fun.
December 1, 2015
I came across this while researching guidebooks to Paris. What a find! I can't believe I've never heard of Rossant before, and now want to read everything. I enjoyed how she slipped back and forth in time, and how she persevered to pursued Jimmy. I wonder what would have happened if she hadn't contracted TB and had to give up her career in chemistry?
July 9, 2008
I felt that this book was hurried; but about 1/2 way through I started to gain more of an interest. The novel is cut with some great recipes throughout - so if you're into French, Egyptian or Italian cuisine, you'll appreciate the recipes.
November 6, 2015
Enjoyable, hard to put down. Reading this I felt I was getting a true depiction of Paris at the time, and after the descriptions of meal you will feel hungry! I would like to read more books by this author.
September 9, 2007
Never has a book reminded me so much of being in Paris than this one. It is like you are really there!
March 17, 2010
I love stories with recipes.
February 11, 2013
I thought I was buying a book by Collette the French writer and discovered this book. I actually enjoyed it very much and knew nothing of this author!
June 15, 2013
Boek in één ruk uitgelezen. Het is zeer levendig geschreven, je waant je op de plekken en je kan de gerechten bijna proeven.
March 31, 2015
A beautiful read and a very interesting insight into this particular geography of WW2. Lots fell into place for me reading this book . Highly recommend it.
August 26, 2009
very sweet, charming book which goes quickly
November 19, 2012
Food, love, history, and travel....perfect combination.
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December 8, 2018An easy, real read. The story flows. And great recipes as well.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews