Customer Reviews
Food escapism at its best - By: J. W. Wilkinson, 29 Oct 2007 
I can't praise this series enough. When it was first broadcast on BBC Television in 2005 I thought it was a very good but after getting the DVD I have to say it is fantastic. I find Rick Stein fascinating particularly as he adds stories or anecdotes about the various dishes that he prepares during the course of his journey from Bordeaux to Marseilles onboard the "Rosa" & the "Anjodi" which incidentallly are canal barges. What is also great is that in his quest to get to Marseilles, he does not forget Brittany which gave him so much inspiration during the early days of his seafood restaurant. You can expect to see Rick indulging in great food (eels in cider for example) at truck stops to roadside cafes which highlights the different attitude that the French have for food ie in Britain at a truck stop it would be Beans & egg, beans on toast or just....beans!
The food that he prepares during each episode is, as always, wonderful but what stands out is the journey that Rick has through the wonderful South Western French countryside & the people he meets on the way. The whole journey unfolds like a storybook rather than a cookery programme & as indeed the title suggests, it is most certainly an Odyssey & so much better than his previous Seafood Odyssey which took him to various places around the world.
If you want to escape from the hum-drum for a few hours then throw this DVD in the player & relax with a glass of "the red stuff" in one hand & the DVD remote control in the other as you will want to replay alll those glorious bits of food & France again & again!
L'air du temps ... - By: Hiro, 06 Sep 2007 I shouted "Oh my God!" when I found this DVD is coming soon on Amazon. So my boss now knows I surf the internet at work. But I don't care. This is exactly what I was waiting for! (Now what I sincerely hope is BBC will also publish 'Mediterranean Escapes' & 'Rick Stein & the Japanese Ambassador' on DVD soon)
I love his books, but there is a smalll pity - not alll recipes have a picture of the finished dish. So it sometimes takes a bit of a guess work to see if you have got the dish quite right unless you have watched the programme on telly. But now we don't have to worry about it any more.
I do know that some poeple were a little puzzled / annoyed, & I did feel the same when, in this programme, he highly praised French cuisine & by contrast slugged off Britain & its food culture a little ... speciallly this programme was made right after his "Food Heroes in Britain" where he had praised British produce & producers.
However, in real life, we appreciate both French & traditional British cuisine at the same time, don't we? You reallly cannot tell which is better as they both have its own charm. What could possibly be better than having a wonderful British Pub lunch on a sunny Sunday afternoon that is followed by a strong French coffee in a cafe with Sunday paper? We mix the very best of theses two different cuisines to enjoy life.
I loved this programme when I saw it on TV - this is one of the best he has ever done. Each scene is so beautifully shot, & it is plain to see that he was enjoying filming this programme - as a matter of a fact, the original idea of "French Odyssey" was tabled to BBC by Rich himself.
The tone of this series is so evocative & relaxed - that will remind you of something you have left far behind in the fast pace of the city. Just pop this DVD on when the world seems a mean cold place to you. I promise Rich Stein will transport you to where l'air du temps is much slower than where you are, & I also promise you that by the time you have seen a couple of episodes, you will feel good about most of things in life.
"Purrrrfect"
