Gourmet Book Festival in Périgueux: “We choose Books that are much more than recipe Books but real gourmet Books”

SUnder the presidency of chef Thierry Marx, a slew of jurors – culinary journalists, gastronomic critics, booksellers, chefs – came together to award the La Mazille prize. Let’s not deprive ourselves of a little aside to (re)present La Mazille. Real name Andrée Mallet-Maze, this culinary author from the Périgord family contributed to making Périgord cuisine known to the general public by collecting traditional recipes transmitted orally, transcribed in particular in her work “La bonne cuisine du Périgord”, published in 1929. Since 1990, the date of its creation, the La Mazille prize has paid tribute to him.

Books that tell a story

“This year, as we have been doing for three years, the jury also welcomes two students in the book trade and hotel school,” explains Rodolphe Delcros, deputy for culture at the City of Périgueux, who is also part of of the jury. For this new edition, no less than seven works are in competition (see the list below), chosen in advance by the festival's editorial advisors. If no theme links them, they nevertheless stand out thanks to the content they present. “We choose books that are much more than recipe books but real gourmet books,” explains the chosen one. It's very interesting because it gives rise to real debates between us. »

This is how, for example, the 2023 prize was awarded to Alessandra Montagne for her book “From Rio to Paris, my kitchen of the heart”, published by Flammarion. “We can also cite “L’esprit Chapel”, a book tribute to Alain Chapel who influenced Lyon cuisine, and who received the prize in 2021”, lists Rodolphe Delcros, already under the spell of the 2024 vintage. And to quote for example “The cuisine of the Italian lakes” by Catherine Roig (Hachette Cuisine editions), focuses on recipes, but also productions, atmospheres on the landscapes of the lakes' Or even “Une vie rubbed with garlic, Provençal cuisine of yesterday and tomorrow” by Guy Gedda and Myalen Zubilaga (published by L’épure): “He is the pope of Provençal gastronomy, and it is truly a beautiful work. » “What I like is what touches me, it will be an approach where you feel the person behind it. I am also looking for books that can tell us a story,” breathes the chosen one.

Towards the creation of a new price?

“This year, we are working to highlight the selected works so that the public can identify the books in the running for the Mazille,” confides Rodolphe Delcros who submitted the idea, this year, of taking a new step aside. “We have seen in editorial news, the arrival of a little more theoretical works, investigative, journalistic investigation, around production, food: what we eat, how we eat it, who is behind the product' 'And we said to ourselves that we should perhaps highlight them in a different selection'” With a specific price or a particular mention, it is still being considered.

The La Mazille prize will be awarded on Friday November 15, on the main stage of L'Odyssée, at 7:30 p.m.

The Gourmet Book Festival takes place Friday 15, Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 November, on the Badinter esplanade, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. More information and articles to discover in our “Gourmet Gazette”, to be found at the festival, in kiosks and in mailboxes for subscribers.