À Table! The Gourmet Culture of France by Becky Brown

Abstract

induction. This is facilitated by very brief “Analysons!” exercises whose answers are found in an appendix. Students are then led to practice the structures in activities such as guessing situations, questions and answers, etc. “Mise en pratique ” exercises focus on detail and self-correction with answers in an appendix. Throughout, grammar is presented in simple and clear language with appropriate examples. “Culture interactive” continues as the final section, now moving from language chunks to the discourse level. Various dimensions of culture in the Francophone world are provided as input in the “Écoutons! Lisons! Écrivons! Parlons! Regardons! Chantons!” activities of this rich and varied section. Of particular note here is the “Écrivons!” activity where students are directed to read a screen shot of a message from a “Forum des étudiants” and then “post” a message of their own as a response. At the end of each chapter is a recap of new vocabulary in traditional list form. Finally, the text concludes with a “Par la suite” appendix which is keyed to each chapter and provides expansion on grammar. Throughout the text, “feature boxes” provide tidbits on culture, usage, history, and study tips. Both “Par la suite” and these “feature boxes” provide the instructor with plentiful opportunities to expand or abridge, thus assuring maximum flexibility. Increased use of the target language is encouraged by the use of French in activity directions and culture “feature boxes” starting with chapter 5, whereas English is used throughout in the usage, history, and study tips “feature boxes.” One important concern for instructors is recycling and review. This is facilitated by specially marked activities every fourth chapter that recap and review previously presented grammar points. The accompanying Workbook/Laboratory Manual offers what the preface calls “more conventional practice,” but these activities are hardly uninventive. They are simply geared for work outside of class time when face-to-face interactive practice is not possible. Recipes, bandes dessinées, devinettes, maps, and assorted visuals all provide sufficient input to feed both listening and writing exercises, which are mixed together in each chapter rather than separated. They follow the same structure as the text chapter but with some very important additions. “Lisons!” provides pre- and post-reading strategies, while “Écrivons!” provides writing strategies plus a targeted grammar checklist. Another addition is “Prononcez bien!” which targets phonetic issues for listening and repetition, and is followed by a cloze dictée. Listening exercises are self-correcting. A corrigé is not provided in the workbook for written exercises. All audio exercises are available free of charge to adopters on ten CDs and online. Instructors will find this new program very flexible and students will assuredly be attracted to its presentation in manageable segments, all of which are expanded in the publisher’s online site. Regrettably, this reviewer did not have access to the Web site’s resources for instructors and students. La Salle University (PA) Leonard Marsh BROWN, BECKY. À Table! The Gourmet Culture of France. Newburyport, MA: Focus, 2010. ISBN 978-1-58510-297-6. Pp. 194. $35.95. Cet ouvrage tombe à point nommé puisque le comité intergouvernemental de l’UNESCO vient d’inscrire la pratique sociale du grand repas français au patrimoine culturel immatériel de l’humanité. Cette décision implique de préserver Reviews 1219 la pratique sociale traditionnelle qui, comme l’indique le site Internet de l’UNESCO, “doit respecter un schéma bien arrêté: il commence par un apéritif et se termine par un digestif, avec entre les deux au moins quatre plats, à savoir une entrée, du poisson et/ou de la viande avec des légumes, du fromage et un dessert”. La table des matières d’À Table! respecte fidèlement ce menu qui annonce neuf chapitres de douze à vingt pages chacun. Gastronomes et œnologues en herbe, nous sommes invités à découvrir la gastronomie française, le protocole pour mettre le couvert, préparer et servir les mets, présenter et entamer le fromage, sélectionner les vins. La couverture avec ses baguettes croustillantes, épices et fromages à l’étal sur un fond de nappe à carreaux vifs rouges et blancs d’emblée nous met en appétit pour une aventure culturelle et...