Van Gogh's table at the Auberge Ravoux

At the Auberge Ravoux, in a tiny artists' village twenty miles from Paris, Postimpressionist painter Vincent van Gogh found a measure of peace in an otherwise ill-starred life. In what would be his last home, he enjoyed the camaraderie of fellow artists and an unparalleled burst of creativity.

The auberge still operates today as the Maison de Van Gogh. Little has changed since Van Gogh set down his bags more than a century ago, and visitors to its cafT are treated to the same regional cuisine that he dined upon.

Here is an intimate view into Van Gogh's world, as stirring as sharing poulet and pommes sautTes with the artist himself. Written by one of America's foremost culinary historians, with Dr. Fred Leeman, the former chief curator of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, and including an introduction by the auberge's proprietor, this unique cookbook/art book explores life in the artists' cafT, with traditional recipes ranging from the hearty to the refined. Letters, engravings, postcards, and a selection of Van Gogh's paintings transport the reader to the turn of the century.

Dr. Fred Leeman is the former Chief Curator of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam and is an independent organizer of fine-art exhibitions throughout the world.

Alexandra Leaf has lectured to museum audiences throughout the country on the food culture of Impressionist France. She pioneered the teaching of culinary history at the New School for Social Research, where she taught for many years. She is the author of The Impressionists’ Table.