Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Periplus Editions (HK) ltd.; 1 edition (October 15, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0794650287
ISBN-13: 978-0794650285
Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 0.8 x 8 inches
Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #884,119 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #112 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Asian Cooking > Pacific Rim #188 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Ethnic & National > Australian #699 in Books > Travel > Asia > Southeast
I enjoyed this book although I often wondered why. Were the occassional strange sentence constructs Australian English or poor editing? Is it wise to give recipes using candlenuts many pages before the warning regarding raw candlenuts? What audience is De Neefe writing for in this part biography, part social anthropology, part food chronicle, part "if she writes once more that this is her kids' favorite" ... but her recipes are good.Then I changed my perspective to reading the book as I would read the travel & food articles in a magazine such as Gourmet. I relaxed and enjoyed the book for what it is - a very personal take on Bali and its foods by someone fascinated by the foods and the uses of food in the social structure. Not to mention that she is a good tutor for the basics of the Balinese taste, leaving one comfortable improvising before one has tried a single recipe. Bravo.
Loved this book. It truly gave insight to the history, culture, religion, traditions, geography, food, and made you love the people!!! I read it during my flight on my second journey to Bali. Highly recommend to anyone who wants to experience Bali with a non-tourist view.
I enjoyed Fragrant Rice: My Continuing Love Affair with Bali very much. There is a certain type of travel book that draws me in completely: a writer falls deeply in love with another culture, as if he or she is finding a long-lost home at last, and is able to share that love in a way that is both knowledgable and emotionally compelling. Although there are moments when the writing falters and, as intimated in another review, the writer assumes an interest in her children's preferences that the reader might not feel, I was able to have the experience I look for in a travel book, living a life I will never have but could dream of. The recipes are lovely. The insight into the culture is fascinating. The author's life, with one foot in Bali and the other in Austrailia, and the reality that she will never be part of the Balinese as her husband and children are, is compelling and just a bit heartbreaking.
If you want to learn more about Bali, this is a good book. The author has a very Western view of life, that mellows beautifully when she moves to Bali. Her stories of her change, of her family, and of her community are rich, warm and very interesting. I definitely plan to go to Bali after reading this book.
I enjoyed reading this book while traveling in Bali because it shed light on Balinese customs, cooking, and community life from the perspective of an Australian learning how to assimilate into her husband's culture and to grow a successful business together in the Honeymoon Guesthouse (now expanding to a second guesthouse) and their several restaurants that are popular with visitors and locals alike. I also enjoyed reading the recipes. Fun travel reading and a good souvenir to help you try to replicate Balinese dishes at home.
Fragrant Rice from Janet de Neefe is a book full of love, intelligence and wisdom. It describes movingly the love the Balinese people to their children from the time they are born. With this special love the children can grow up happy, confident and fulfilled. It shows up so clearly what most children in the West are missing − love. Janet writes in the beautiful book about her love to Bali, the community, wonderful people and her love to the incredible healthy and tasty food. Janet is an excellent cook and also shares delicious recipes in the book. I'd love to give the book 10 stars! Thank you very much Janet for showing the world how we can life in love and happiness. I read the book three times.
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