What is nice is, you go into the kitchen to a little snacky, maybe a raisin bun spread with homemade apricot jam from Prades—

the story about the homemade apricot jam from Prades is, I was clearing and setting the table for dinner, and I got done and went into the big room all satisfied with myself, and Maud looked up from hanging out by the fireplace and said, “Did you throw out the apricot pits?” and I stood there, eyes darting left to right, thinking, What’s the right answer?? Because, okay, yes, but, um, I could fish them out of the trash, I mean, they’re sitting right on top. . . Anyway, who knew, apparently one likes to chop up the apricot pits and mix them in with the jam when it’s on the stove. Oh. Later, we used chopped almonds instead.

—but, so. What is nice is, you go in search of a little snacky, maybe a little gustatory memory of summer in the French countryside, and the kitchen is hot with not one but two pots on the stove, steaming not one but two lang chia kways—literally, rickshaw driver’s cake—sweet potato cakes studded with sweet raisins and candied melon. I cannot wait: a thick slice of springy lang chia kway, a curl of steam rising, margarine melting, and me with one leg up on the chair.