The Mice of Bistrot des Sept Frères Read online

  Published by Tanglewood Press, Inc., September 2008.

  Originally published by Tanglewood Press, Inc., June 2006.

  © Marie LeTourneau. All rights reserved. Neither this book nor any part may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, microfilming, and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  Designed by Allison Higa Design and Amy Alick Perich

  Editorial assistance provided by Lisa Rojany Buccieri

  The publisher wishes to thank Jean-Philippe Baty for his assistance with this book.

  Tanglewood Press, Inc. P. O. Box 3009, Terre Haute, IN 47803 www.tanglewoodbooks.com

  Printed in China

  10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  ISBN 978-1-933718-18-7 (paperback)

  ISBN 978-0-9749303-6-7 (hardcover)

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  LeTourneau, Marie.

  The mice of Bistrot des Sept Frères/ written and illustrated by Marie

  LeTourneau with Danielle Reed Baty.

  p. cm.

  Summary: Petite Michelle comes to the rescue when the chef at a famous Parisian restaurant for mice runs out of the secret ingredient in his prize-winning cheese soup. Story is interspersed with French words.

  ISBN-13: 978-0-9749303-6-7 (alk. paper)

  ISBN-10: 0-9749303-6-9 (alk. paper)

  [1. Mice-Fiction. 2. Restaurants-Fiction. 3.Soups-Fiction. 4. Paris (France)-Fiction. 5. France-Fiction.] I. Baty, Danielle Reed. II. Title. PZ7.L454Mi 2006

  [E]-dc22

  2006006341

  French pronunciations

  Au fromage (oh FROmahj)

  Au revoir (Oh ruhVWAR)

  Le bistro(t) (luh beeSTRO)

  Le Bistrot des Sept Frères

  (luh beeSTRO day set frair)

  Bonjour (baw-joor)

  Le bouillon (luh bweeYAW)

  Cafés express (cafAY exPRESS)

  Cher (shair)

  La crème (la krem)

  Est (ay)

  Excellent(e) (ekselAHNT)

  Félicitations! (fayleeseetass YAW)

  Des fleurs (day flure)

  Les frères (lay frair)

  Le Maître D’hôtel (luh MAYtra d’ohTELL)

  Les oeufs durs (lays euh dure)

  Les oignons (lays on YO)

  Le pâtissier (luh patees YAY)

  Petit, petite (puhTEE, puhTEET)

  Le poivre (luh PWAVruh)

  La sauce piquante aux poivrons

  (la sose peeKAWNT oh pwavRAW)

  Sept (set)

  Les serveurs (lay sairVEUR)

  Les serviettes de table

  (lay sairveeYETTE duh TAHbluh)

  La soeur (la sur)

  Le sommelier (luh somelYAY)

  La soupe (la soup)

  Le sous-chef (luh SUE chef)

  Le thym (luh TEH)

  Très bien! (tray byeh)

  Voilà (vwaLA)

  CONTENT

  The Mice of Bistrot des Sept Frères

  In Paris’ Latin Quarter, Chef Marcel owns a fancy bistro called Le Bistrot des Sept Frères, or The Bistro of the Seven Brothers.

  Le Bistrot des Sept Frères has the very best in mouse cuisine. Anyone who is anyone eats there. It is the hippest place in Paris!

  Chef Marcel is known throughout France for his wonderfully delicious soupe au fromage, cheese soup.

  The cheese soup is made with a very special, secret ingredient known only to Chef Marcel. Every year, the bistro wins the big award for the best cheese soup in all of France. The bistro is always busy, but Chef Marcel has plenty of help in the kitchen from his seven sons.

  This is Jean-Pierre. He loves boating.

  The twins, Jean-Paul and Jean-Henri, adore skiing in alpine races.

  Jean-Philippe plays a mean bass in a blues band.

  Jean-Michel is truly fond of relaxing by the sea.

  Jean-Marc writes sensitive poetry.

  Jean-Alexandre kicks a cool soccer ball.

  And last but not least, there is Chef Marcel’s youngest child, his only daughter, Petite Michelle, who loves the ballet. She helps out here and there.

  Each morning, Chef Marcel calls his sons together and says, “Tell me the recipe for our wonderful cheese soup.”

  And the sons recite: “Butter, cheese, stock, cream, onion, pepper, thyme, and the secret ingredient.”

  And Chef Marcel says, “Très bien!”, which means: very good.

  One day, a telegram arrives at the bistro.

  “Oh no!” cries Chef Marcel. “That is one hour from now, and I am out of the secret ingredient!” His cry makes Jean-Marc and Jean-Alexandre run to the kitchen,

  where they bump into Jean-Michel,

  which makes Jean-Michel drop a bottle of cider,

  which makes Jean-Paul and Jean-Henri upset a bowl of cream,

  which makes Jean-Philippe drop the bread,

  which makes Jean-Pierre toss the onions into the air!

  Calmly, Petite Michelle puts hard-boiled eggs—les oeufs durs—in a basket on the corner of the bar.

  “I have to go to the market to get the secret ingredient. While I am gone, everyone must help to make the soup,” instructs Chef Marcel.

  Jean-Pierre melts the cheese —le fromage.

  Jean-Alexandre makes the stock—le bouillon.

  Jean-Philippe chops the onions—les oignons.

  Jean-Paul and Jean-Henri add the cream—la crème.

  Jean-Marc cuts fresh thyme—le thym.

  Jean-Michel adds the pepper—le poivre.

  And Petite Michelle folds the napkins—les serviettes de table—just so.

  At five minutes to one, Chef Marcel has not yet returned.

  “What will we do?” cries Jean-Pierre.

  His cry makes Jean-Marc and Jean-Alexandre run

  into the kitchen, where they bump into Jean-Paul,

  which makes Jean-Paul toss peas and carrots into the air,

  which makes Jean-Henri upset a bowl of broccoli,

  which makes Jean-Philippe slip and drop a cake,

  which makes Jean-Michel lose his grip on a tray

  of cafès express!

  Without a word, Petite Michelle walks over to the stove—la cuisinière.

  and six drops of hot pepper sauce—sauce piquante aux poivrons.

  She adds dash of salt . . . a bit of rosemary . . .

  voilà! The soup is ready!

  At the stroke of one, Alfred Le Whisk arrives at the bistro. “Bonjour, monsieur,” says Petite Michelle.

  Jean-Pierre pours the soup into a bowl.

  Jean-Paul carries the pot.

  Jean-Henri adds the garnish.

  Jean-Philippe puts the bread in a basket.

  Jean-Marc and Jean-Alexandre lay out the napkins.

  Jean-Michel pours the cider.

  Casually, over in the corner, Petite Michelle arranges some flowers—des fleurs—in a vase.

  Alfred Le Whisk’s stomach growls. He lifts a spoonful of soup to his mouth. Everyone holds their breath. Just then, Chef Marcel arrives, completely out of breath. It is too late. Monsieur Le Whisk has swallowed.

  “Judge Le Whisk! S’ilvous plaît, please, let me explain—”

  But the judge interrupts him.

  “Chef Marcel, before I decide whose soup is the best of the best, I must know. What do you put in your soup?”

  Chef Marcel looks at his sons. His sons look back at him. Petite Michelle says nothing. Judge Le Whisk pats his mouth with his napkin.

  “Er . . .” says Chef Marcel. “Why don’t we tell the ju
dge what we put in our wonderful cheese soup?”

  The Jeans begin to recite the ingredients.

  “Butter, cheese, stock, cream, onion, pepper, thyme, and . . .”

  “And?” questioned the judge.

  There was nothing but silence.

  Suddenly a soft voice spoke out.

  “A dash of salt . . .

  a bit of rosemary . . .

  and six drops of hot pepper sauce!”

  Judge Le Whisk frowns. He wipes his mouth with his napkin. Every beady little eye in the room is on him—and he knows it.

  “Chef Marcel, your soup was good before, but . . .”

  “But what?” asks Chef Marcel.

  “But this time, your new cheese soup is not only the best in France, but the best in all the world! Félicitations!”

  Chef Marcel jumps for joy.

  Then he bows.

  “Merci Judge Le Whisk!”

  His sons dance around the bistro.

  “Three cheers for Petite Michelle! Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!” Petite Michelle saves the day . . . and the soup!

  As for Judge Le Whisk . . .

  he asks for a second helping!

  “Merci!” he says. “La soupe est excellente!”

  (The Bistro of the Seven

  Brothers and One Sister)

 

 

  Marie LeTourneau, The Mice of Bistrot des Sept Frères

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