The Boy Who Wanted to Cook (3 page)

When Pierre has the
courage
to creep back his father forgives him for the guest's plate with the
boeuf à la mode
has come back scraped clean,
morilles
and all!

“The guest has finished the
gâteau
,” Papa says, “and is now having his
café”.

As the guest leaves
La Bonne Vache,
he summons Monsieur Valcourt and announces to the astounded
patron,
“I am not merely a guest, sir. I am an inspector from the company with the stars.”

He thanks Monsieur Valcourt for the meal and departs.

Pierre's mother falls into a swoon. His father falls onto a chair. “Pierre,” Monsieur Valcourt asks, “did you know our guest was an inspector?”

“Yes, Papa.”

“Though we may never receive a star, Pierre, you were right to keep the secret. I would rather have a son who has
honneur
than a star for
La Bonne Vache.”

Two weeks go by with no word from the company with the stars. The wheat has ripened in the field. The raspberries have been picked. The plums have turned purple in the orchards and are ready to turn into a tart. At
La Bonne Vache
dinners are served but faces are long.

One morning Pierre looks out to see the postman approaching and behind him the entire village led by Madame Farcy, the
crémière;
Monsieur Moreau, the greengrocer; and Monsieur Camus, the butcher.

The postman hands Pierre's father a letter and on the envelope is the return address of the famous company with the stars. Everyone crowds around. They assure Pierre's family that it does not matter about the star. While they all know there is no better restaurant than
La Bonne Vache,
one can't expect a small village to compete with the great restaurants of Paris, though in truth, it would be a great
honneur
for the village.

The hands of Pierre's father tremble as he opens the envelope and takes out the letter. “We have awarded you a star,” the letter says. When the letter speaks of the delicacy of the
gâteau,
Pierre's mother blushes with pleasure.

But the most complimentary words are saved for the
boeuf à la mode.
The inspector writes, “I was especially pleased to see the innovation of the
morilles.
Their delicate perfume added greatly to the traditional
boeuf à la mode.”

“Pierre,” Papa says, “now you may cook.”

You and I might grab a sandwich for lunch before hurrying off It's not like that in France. Even young children are expected to sit down and take the time to ENJOY their meal. The preparation of a meal in France, whether in a home or a restaurant, is a challenge and an exciting occasion. Lunches can last two hours. In France food is important and not just the eating of it, but the shopping and preparation as well. Fine cooks don't just go to the supermarket once a week. They take their baskets and shop every day to get the freshest green bean or the most succulent tomato.

One of the most admired professions in France is that of the chef. The careers of famous chefs are followed in the newspapers as avidly as the lives of famous politicians or soccer players. A young boy like Pierre who wishes to cook can aspire to a fine career.

And there is indeed a company that awards stars to fine restaurants, but every meal someone prepares for you with love deserves a star.

boeuf à la mode
(bauf ah lah mode): a very special beef stew

café
(kafe): coffee or coffee shop

courage
(koo razh): courage

crémière/crémièr
(kremjer): dairy-/cheese woman/man

escargots
(es car go): snails, usually prepared with butter and garlic

gâteau aux fraises
(gah to oh FREZ): cake with strawberries

gelée
(zhe lay): jelly

honneur
(aw neur): honor

impossible
(EN paw seebl): impossible

impossible n'est pas français
(EN paw seeble nay pas frahn SAY): Impossible is not French

La Bonne Vache
(la bawn vash): the good cow

morilles
(mor ay): wild mushrooms

Oui
(wee): yes

patron
(pa TROHN): the owner of a restaurant

pouding au chocolat
(poo ding oh shaw kaw la): chocolate pudding

Quelle horreur
(kell or uhr): what a horror

soufflé
(sue flay): a fluffy baked dish

toque
(tawk): the traditional tall white hat worn by a chef

très occupée/occupé
(tray aw ku PAY): very busy

A poet and author of many award-winning children's books, Gloria Whelan received the National Book Award for her young adult novel,
Homeless Bird.
Her other picture books in Sleeping Bear Press's Tales of the World series are
Megan's Year, Waiting for the Owl's Call, Yuki and the One Thousand Carriers
(2008 Society of Illustrators Gold Medal winner), and
Yatandou
(a Junior Library Guild selection). Ms. Whelan lives near Lake St. Clair in Michigan, where you can often find her out walking.

After studying graphic design, Steve Adams traveled to Europe to see illustration and design from a different point of view. Upon his return, he began collaborating with various clients such as
The Wall Street Journal, The Globe & Mail
, Barefoot Books, and Penguin Books. His children's books include
The Boy Who Grew Flowers
and
Lost Boy: The Story of the Man Who Created Peter Pan.
Steve's work has been honored several times with acceptance in the Society of Illustrators' shows and
Communication Arts Illustration Annual
, and his awards include the Governor General's Award. In addition to his illustration work, he teaches illustration at Université du Québec à Montréal. Steve lives in Montreal with his wife, two children, and their cat.

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www.sleepingbearpress.com
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