Van Gogh's Table at the Auberge Ravoux

As a "Always a traveler" as he wrote to his brother Theo, Van Gogh spent a lot of his time in hotels, inns and cafes where he enjoyed the companionship of fellow artists and meet new people who later became the subject of his drawings.

At the Auberge Ravoux in Auvres-Sur-Oise, A small artists' village about 30kms from Paris, Vincent Van Gogh found a measure of peace in an otherwise ill-starred life.
He arrived in Auvres on May 20th, 1890. He took room no. 5 for three and a half French Francs per day.
The little Auberge Ravoux inn was his last home and where he experienced a burst of creativity, producing numerous magical art works and letters and the only etching he ever did.



The beautiful book Van Gogh's Table at the Auberge Ravoux is a tribute to the incredible painter and the café life that inspired him. It consist of two parts:
"A Private Life in Public Places" by Dr. Fred Leeman, The former chief curator of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, who explore the world of Cafes, restaurants and auberges and their influence on Van Gogh's life and work, and "Recipes from Van Gogh's Table" by Alexandra Leaf, an American culinary historian and authority on nineteenth-century French cuisine.






This book is a charming combination of a cookbook and art book that offers a rare opportunity to understand and sense Vincent van Gogh's daily life.
It includes more than 50 traditional recipes, ranging from hearty to refined, and 100 photographs, paintings, sketches, engravings, and letters, some never before seen in book form.







I love the unique idea of giving attention to the mild daily existence of Van Gogh's through meals with friends and neighbors.
The photography is perfection and the recipes are mouth-watering and sophisticated yet {look} simple to make.

My first French cooking challenge will be the menu for Sunday, 8 June 1890 named "A day in the Country":
~  Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce
~   Fillet of Striped Bass with Panfried Leeks and Beurre Blanc
~   Roast Duck with Chanterelle and
~  Cherry Clafouti (these are the last days of the cherries season!)

Oh! Can't wait!
I promise to share my dinner with you through photos!

{-- This post is dedicated with love to my mother in law who spent wonderful 2 weeks with us down under. 
During these 2 weeks we shared thoughts about Van Gogh and many many conversations about cooking and the art of eating well. This book will always remind me of our time together!  --}

*** All photos were taken by me and are from the book Van Gogh's Table at the Auberge Ravoux,
copyright © 2006 by Artisan.
Written by Alexandra Leaf, Fredéric Lebain, Photographed by Fredéric Lebain.