Rather than traveling in the “high season” of summer we prefer to lay low and enjoy the long languid days of sunshine and heat. Summer for us is about catching up on reading and relaxing before the start of the busy Fall travel and event season.
We traveled vicariously to the Languedoc in Steve Hoffman’s new memoir, “A Season for That: Lost and Found in the Other Side of France”
About the book:
Steve Hoffman is a middle- age tax preparer living in rural Minnesota with an accomplished wife, MariJo and two kids, a son and daughter. He has a decent side hustle writing articles about food for media outlets like Food & Wine. He even received an MFJ Fisher Award nod.
Fluent in French after spending time living in Paris working for a nonprofit when he was much younger and single, Hoffman, dreams of living in France again and taking his family to savor the experience. But he does not choose parents. Instead, he rents a tiny house in rural southwest France- Languedoc for the summer and fall months during tax season, This village is a world away from Hoffman’s young man’s life in Paris workng for a small nonprofit.
Steve Hoffman
Hoffman’s memoir called “A Season for That” documents the experience and family life in rural France in detail He also shares what he learned about himself in the process. The book is a well-written languid read, good for escapists. Descriptions of local paysans, food and wine are a plenty, but A Season for That is more about self-discovery, family and pursuing a dream than about eating and drinking.
“A Season for That” is a book for escapists and dreamers and all francophiles. Like the lazy days of summer, it is a slow read to savor with a glass of wine (or two). We recommend the lively, crisp white wine of this region, Picpoul de Pinet.
Want to read up on Picpoul di Pinet? Read Melanie’s article in Wine Enthusiast.
Sometimes spelled Piquepoul or Picapoll, Picpoul is an ancient French grape variety gaining fans for its zesty, lip-smacking appeal. Its name derives from the French “poule-piqueur,” which literally translates to “hen-pick,” a reference to the chickens that peck at fallen grapes on the ground. In France, it is also referred to as “lip stinger,” due to its high acidity. This is a fitting description for the high-acid, dry white wine, which delivers a burst of citrus, white flowers and hints of thyme.
Check out some Picpoul de Pinet to try here