After a lifetime as a subject of Her Britannic Majesty, I am at last a citizen. 

In a very touching ceremony in the town library of Sainte Alvere, capital of the famous black truffles of the Perigord, I was made an honorary citizen of the town as 'ambassadeur de la truffe.' After a speech by the mayor, another one from me and then a smacking double kiss from the charming deputy mayoress, we all enjoyed a vin d'honneur in the courtyard of the mairie. 

To my great delight, my eldest daughter Kate was there and took the photo as the mayor was speaking.

My dear chum (and wonderful cook) Meg Bortin was asked to recommend summer reading for the Carnegie Europe website, and very kindly included this:

The Resistance Man by Martin Walker. This mystery novel takes us to Dordogne, where my friend and colleague Walker’s irrepressible village cop, Bruno, unravels a series of crimes involving a 1944 train robbery and secret U.S. aid to France’s 1970s nuclear program. I’m guilty of having read most of the Bruno novels, in which great food and wine form a delicious backdrop to skulduggery.

Meg's own book, Desperate to be a Housewife, is a wonderful, funny, touching account of growing up female in the '60s, '70s and '80s. And her Everyday French Chef blog has long been linked to the Bruno website.