The Blue Bistro
Authors: Elin Hilderbrand
PRAISE FOR
ELIN HILDERBRAND AND
THE BLUE BISTRO
“A perfectly enjoyable beach book.”
—
Publishers Weekly
“Hilderbrand keeps things moving briskly in between sumptuous descriptions of food, drink, and tableware, throwing in an in-depth lesson on the restaurant business for good measure. Fun, stylish, and absorbing vacation reading.”
—
Booklist
“Hilderbrand adds depth to the novel with her multifaceted characters. The restaurant comes alive with believable conflicts between the staff and patrons. But the love story between Adrienne and Thatcher is the jewel of the novel. Together they discover the meaning of devotion and the rarity of real love.”
—
Romantic Times BOOKclub Magazine
“This brand-new book is sure to become a summer favorite.”
—
ReadersDigest.com
(chosen as
their #1 Unforgettable Beach Read)
“A wonderful, wonderful love story. . . the kind that you read, then recommend to many, many friends—and so, I recommend it to you. Highly.”
—James Patterson, bestselling author of
Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas
SUMMER PEOPLE
“
Summer People
is striking not only for the ingenuity of its riveting plot, but also for the acute sense of character and
the finely tuned craftsmanship with which Elin Hilderbrand brings its every nuance to life.”
—Madison Smartt Bell, author of
Anything Goes
“I find there is so much to admire in this book, from its crystalline prose to the deeply felt and finely rendered emotion of characters younger and older, male and female alike. By the end, the characters feel like good friends. Reading
Summer People
makes you feel like you’ve taken a long weekend in Nantucket.
Summer People
is simply a great read.”
—Kathleen Hughes, author of
Dear Mrs. Lindbergh: A Novel
“Hilderbrand’s third Nantucket-set novel effectively juxtaposes the surface calm of the season with the turbulence of the characters’ lives. More entertaining beach reading from the author of
The Beach Club
(2000) and
Nantucket Nights
(2002).”
—
Booklist
NANTUCKET NIGHTS
“Things get more twisted at every turn, with enough lies and betrayals to fuel a whole season of soap operas . . . readers will be hooked.”
—
Publishers Weekly
“What a perfect summer pleasure Elin Hilderbrand provides . . . mixing the complexities of family life and friendship with suspense, romance, and moonlit Nantucket nights.”
—Nancy Thayer, author of
Custody
“Dips deep into
Peyton Place
country.”
—
Kirkus Reviews
“Ms. Hilderbrand paints a picture of idyllic Nantucket life that slowly starts to unravel as the ugly underbelly is revealed. Hidden secrets, a mysterious disappearance, and the pain of betrayal form the basis for this haunting read.”
—
Romantic Times
THE BEACH CLUB
“Elin Hilderbrand’s first novel holds up as a surprisingly touching work. Weaving together a genuine affection for the Massachusetts island setting (where the author resides) with a gift for drawing realistic characters, emotional dilemmas, and resolutions, the thirty-year-old Hilderbrand has created something more than a mindless summer read: a work of fiction you’re likely to think about weeks after you put it down.”
—
People
“A charming, easygoing story about the tangled lives and loves of the summer crew and the guests at a hotel and beach club.”
—
The Boston Globe
“A beautiful hotel on Nantucket Island filled with enough love, lust, and jealousy to rival your favorite daytime soap.”
—
Mode
“A feisty. . . first novel, lively enough to keep a sunbather awake.”
—
Kirkus Reviews
“Faithful to the easy rhythm of a real-life summer resort, the novel is lively with guests new and old who bring fresh problems to the plot. . . . A strong emotional pull . . . readers will remain absorbed until the surprising denouement.”
—
Publishers Weekly
ST. MARTIN’S PAPERBACKS TITLES BY
ELIN HILDERBRAND
Summer People
Nantucket Nights
The Beach Club
BLUE
BISTRO
Elin Hilderbrand
St. Martin’s Paperbacks
NOTE:
If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher, and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”
THE BLUE BISTRO
Copyright © 2005 by Elin Hilderbrand.
Excerpt from
The Love Season
copyright © 2006 by Elin Hilderbrand.
Cover photo © Nick Daly / Getty Images.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2004065830
ISBN: 0-312-99262-9
EAN: 9780312-99262-0
Printed in the United States of America
St. Martin’s Press hardcover edition / June 2005
St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / June 2006
St. Martin’s Paperbacks are published by St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Finally, one for the kids.
To my sons, Maxwell and Dawson,
and to my goddaughter, Chloe.
Love, love, love.
THE
BLUE
BISTRO
Starters | |
Corn chowder with red peppers and smoked Gouda | $8 |
Shrimp bisque, classic Chinatown shrimp toast | $9 |
Blue Bistro Caesar | $6 |
Warm chevre over baby mixed greens with candy-striped beets | $8 |
Blue Bistro crab cake, Dijon cream sauce | $14 |
Seared foie gras, roasted figs, brioche | $16 |
Entrées | |
Steak frites | $27 |
Half duck with Bing cherry sauce, Boursin potato gratin, pearls of zucchini and summer squash | $32 |
Grilled herbed swordfish, avocado silk, Mrs. Peeke’s corn spoon bread, roasted cherry tomatoes | $32 |
Lamb “lollipops,” goat cheese bread pudding | $35 |
Lobster club sandwich, green apple horseradish, coleslaw | $29 |
Grilled portobello and Camembert ravioli with cilantro pesto sauce | $21 |
Sushi plate: Seared rare tuna, wasabi aioli, sesame sticky rice, cucumber salad with pickled ginger and sake vinaigrette | $28 |
* | |
Shellfish fondue | |
Endless platter of shrimp, scallops, clams. Hot oil for frying. Selection of four sauces: classic cocktail, curry, horseradish, green goddess | $130 |
| (4 people) |
Desserts—All desserts $8 | |
Butterscotch crème brûlée | |
Mr. Smith’s individual blueberry pie à la mode | |
Fudge brownie, peanut butter ice cream | |
Lemon drop parfait: lemon vodka mousse layered with whipped cream and vodka-macerated red berries | |
Coconut cream and roasted pineapple tart, macadamia crust | |
Homemade candy plate: vanilla marshmallows, brown sugar fudge, peanut brittle, chocolate peppermints | |
Executive Chef, Fiona Kemp | |
Proprietor, Thatcher Smith | |