Fragrant Rice

By Janet De Neefe

Book Overview

In the aftermath of the tragedy that struck Bali on 12 October 2002 comes an inspiring memoir which shows that Bali is still very much an island of warmth and hope. When Janet De Neefe stepped off the plane in Bali in 1984, she felt an immediate connection to the island paradise. Curious though she was about Bali?culture, its warm people and its mouth-watering cuisine, she didn?expect to fall in love with a Balinese man and make a new life there. Now, almost twenty years later, Janet and her husband, Ketut, have four children and run two of the most successful restaurants in Bali. Casa Luna is famous not only for being the first restaurant to fuse Balinese and Western food, but because of Janet?cooking school, which attracts visitors from all around the world. Janet?experiences in the magical world of Bali give her a unique perspective. In this delightful lifestyle book with a difference, Janet shares many entertaining stories as well as delicious recipes handed down through generations of her husband?family, as she learns to adapt to another culture and way of life. With additional information about the book and the author in Fragrant Rice's new PS section, this title pays tribute to Bali?thriving spirit and unconquerable strength, as the island continues on the path toward healing.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0732276136
• ISBN13: 9780732276133
• Release Date: January 2004
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers (Aust
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.1" x 1.1" x 5.1"

Customer Reviews

Love at First Sight

I enjoyed Fragrant Rice: My Continuing Love Affair with Bali very much. There is a certain type of travel book that draws me in completely: a writer falls deeply in love with another culture, as if he or she is finding a long-lost home at last, and is able to share that love in a way that is both knowledgable and emotionally compelling. Although there are moments when the writing falters and, as intimated in another review, the writer assumes an interest in her children's preferences that the reader might not feel, I was able to have the experience I look for in a travel book, living a life I will never have but could dream of. The recipes are lovely. The insight into the culture is fascinating. The author's life, with one foot in Bali and the other in Austrailia, and the reality that she will never be part of the Balinese as her husband and children are, is compelling and just a bit heartbreaking.

Bali insights

I enjoyed reading this book while traveling in Bali because it shed light on Balinese customs, cooking, and community life from the perspective of an Australian learning how to assimilate into her husband's culture and to grow a successful business together in the Honeymoon Guesthouse (now expanding to a second guesthouse) and their several restaurants that are popular with visitors and locals alike. I also enjoyed reading the recipes. Fun travel reading and a good souvenir to help you try to replicate Balinese dishes at home.