Another Fine French Book Giveaway!

The new Monet's Palate Cookbook is being released this week and the
publisher has offered me three copies to give away.  

Produced by filmmaker Aileen Bordman and garden writer Derek Fell, the book
includes 60 recipes linked to Monet's two-acre kitchen garden near his home at Giverny, France. Between the
covers are lots of luscious details about the vegetables he grew, along with
gorgeous photos and descriptions of the house interiors, the gardens and the
artist's extraordinary lifestyle. 

�Our goal was to bring Monet's kitchen garden back to life," Aileen tells
me. "His desire for fresh garden produce extended beyond the flavor and
health benefits that they could provide. His need to cultivate a kitchen
garden, plant seeds and work the soil with his fingers allowed him to connect
with nature in a spiritual way, feed his soul and see beauty oblivious to others.�

Immersed
in the world of Claude Monet since 1980, Aileen has more than 35 years of
experience at the property in Giverny. Her first visit there was in
1980, when the museum first opened. Her mother, Helen Rappel Bordman, was
one of the handful of Americans responsible for the renaissance of the home and
garden, which had fallen into complete ruin.

In 2005, Aileen wrote and
produced of the documentary film Monet's Palate: A Gastronomic View
from the Garden, which was broadcast in the US through American Public
Television to all 350 PBS stations...and was re-released this year. It features
Meryl Streep, legendary casino operator and art patron Steve Wynn, and chefs
Alice Waters, Anne Willan, Roger Verg�, Daniel Boulud and Michel Richard.
It screened in Cannes and New York and was featured during the six-month
"Monet's Garden" exhibit at the New York Botanical Garden in New York
in 2012. The 58-minute film is available on DVD here.

The book brings the farm-to-table
tradition--lived passionately by Monet--into the 21st century, with recipes
inspired by his cooking journals and the places he visited. And of course, by
his garden's abundance of fresh herbs and vegetables: zucchini, cherry
tomatoes, radishes, pearl onions, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, rosemary, mint
and more.

Aileen's partner in the book project, Derek Fell, is the author of The Magic of Monet's Garden and Secret's
of Monet's Garden. One of America's most widely published garden writers,
his titles on gardening, travel and art have sold more than 2.5 million copies.
He divides his time between Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and Sanibel Island,
Florida.

The book has been earning lovely reviews...along with praise from big names in the food and gardening worlds. "There's no thrill that compares to growing one�s own food,"
says journalist, cooking teacher and author Patricia Wells.
"Planting, caring, harvesting and bringing the treasures to the
table. Monet�s Palate Cookbook provides all the inspiration
anyone needs to go out and dig, plant, absorb the joys that soil offers each of
us. Whether a garden novice or seasoned expert, this book offers a wealth of
advice and recipes destined to improve all of our lives.�

Meryl
Streep wrote the foreword and the recipes were beautifully photographed by
Steven Rothfeld. 

Published
May 1st by Gibbs Smith, the hardcover
has 176 pages in full color and 60-plus recipes. It lists for about $30 and
you can buy it on Amazon here ...or direct from the author here. 

To enter to win a copy of the book, just leave a comment below. Tell us about
your garden. your connection to Monet, your passion for the Impressionists or
anything else you care to share. Be sure to leave your email so we can reach
you if you win; signing in with your Google account is not enough. Winners will
be chosen and alerted towards the end of May. 

For more info about the book, click here.

To reach Aileen directly: abordman@monetspalate.com

Claude Monet's Gardens at Giverny are open daily until November 1st, 2015. To visit, all the info
is here.

Photos: (1) The new book comes out this week. How can you not want a copy?
(2) Tulips, irises and water lilies in Monet's garden; today some 200,000 different
flower varieties are rotated regularly by head gardener James Priest and his team, which numbers as many as 30 people working daily, year round. Always on the look-out for rare varieties, Monet bought young plants at great expense. "All my money goes into my garden," he said. But also: "I am in raptures." (3, 4) Two dishes from the book: moules marini�re and chilled asparagus
salad with olives. (5) Aileen shot this Bowl of Beauty peony at Giverny last year.