By Carol Eron Rizzoli
Ten years ago, urbanites Carol Eron Rizzoli and her husband Hugo left the city life (and their careers) behind and moved to an old farmhouse in the small, rural town of Royal Oak, Maryland, transforming it into a quaint bed-and-breakfast on the Eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Written with poignant honesty, The House at Royal Oak tells this endearing story of starting over.
While including the struggles and the “if-I-knew-then-what-I-know-nows,” Rizzoli also offers a certain triumph and satisfaction in chasing dreams, even if it takes four times as long and costs six times as much as your original calculations. When the author has a moment to pause and reflect on her surroundings, you’ll swear you can smell the wild mint and hear the whirring of dragonfly wings as you turn each page.
Rizzoli ends the book with a culinary treat for the readers: recipes of some of her favorite dishes served at her beloved bed and breakfast, from sweets like “Sticky Buns As Big As Your Hand” and Persimmon Pudding, to regional favorites like Old Bay Potatoes and Southern Green Beans.
272 pages
Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers 2010
