Vivid green vines covering the front of our house and slowly creeping across the shutters.
Photo du Jour - Shades of Green
Vivid green vines covering the front of our house and slowly creeping across the shutters.
Photo du Jour
The autumn leaves on our house.
The wind picked up this morning so I'm not sure how much longer they'll hang around.
Huntington gardens in Pasadena, an oasis
I'm back in Paris, catching up with my Los Anegles stay ... as I look back, what do I see? 
Mysterious tress ... 
A Chinese Garden with a pavillion with Southern roofs, and shan shui landscape... 
A Tea house with scones, tea, and all the ingredients for High Tea ..
... and a walk in a forest of bambou where no panda is to be seen ....
Mysterious tress ... A Chinese Garden with a pavillion with Southern roofs, and shan shui landscape... A Tea house with scones, tea, and all the ingredients for High Tea .. ... and a walk in a forest of bambou where no panda is to be seen ....This and more, much more, like one of the 15 copies of the original Gutenberg Bible, in the beautiful Huntington Botanical Gardens and Library in Pasadena, California.
Worth the visit!
Chinese New Year!
Hello / Ni Hao!
One more year has gone by and the year of the Ox is being walked into the scene! 
So Xin Nian Hao le to all!
So Xin Nian Hao le to all!
Remembering
Last weekend we visited Normandy and D-Beaches with Kathy and Dave who were visiting for a short week. Gold beach, Juno beach, Omaha beach ... a silent drive along the coast.
We were all deeply moved by the gray winter day scenery, long sandy beaches that were witness to so much human suffering. It was difficult to see the bigger picture when thinking of every human being.
We stayed overnight at the Chateau of St Pierre des Monts, a Bed and Breakfast at St Pierre des Monts, very close to the Pointe d'Hoc were a harsh battle took place. We warmly recommend this place, Mr and Ms Beck are truly welcoming hosts.
Sunday morning I bought at a local fish market. I chose a flounder (1 1/2 lb for two) which I baked 20 minutes in the oven with a little bit of oil, flavored sea salt (a speciality from Guerande with parsley and garlic), and 1/2 glass of white wine. 
I made Roseval boiled potatoes as a garnish. This truly succulent potato has so much flavor that it is perfect simply boiled with just a little bit of salted butter.
I made Roseval boiled potatoes as a garnish. This truly succulent potato has so much flavor that it is perfect simply boiled with just a little bit of salted butter. 
When the fish was cooked, I lifted the fillets and served two per plate, spreading some salmon eggs on top.
Bon appetit!
Four
I missed Chez Loulou's four year blogiversaire yesterday.
Oops.
Every year I think it takes place on January 26, not the 25th!
photo found here
Thank you for reading, for commenting, for being such great friends and acquaintances. You have all made the blogging experience a great one!
I toast you all with a big hunk of French cheese and a glass of red. Santé!
Oops.
Every year I think it takes place on January 26, not the 25th!
photo found hereThank you for reading, for commenting, for being such great friends and acquaintances. You have all made the blogging experience a great one!
I toast you all with a big hunk of French cheese and a glass of red. Santé!
Scones
Oh, how I love scones! My grandmother's were delicious, and my mother's too. This receipe has traveled across the continents and seas!
The first time I visited Lndon I was very sad to see that you cannot find them freshly baked - even those from good houses such as Fortnum and Mason were good, but not great.
I had not made for a loong long time, and the other day, I invited Jennifer, a friend who lived in London, for tea, and decided to make some.
Our recipe is one of the best-kept family secrets! That lemon in the warm milk makes a huge difference. Grand Aunt Madeleine loved cooking and we all loved what she cooked!
Scones as done by Aunt Madeleine
Teatime, difficulty: easy
Teatime, difficulty: easy
Preparation: 15 minutes
Bake 15-20 minutes
Heat the oven over medium-high heat
What you need:
1 medium bowl
1 cookie sheet
1 wooden spoon
Ingredients and cooking method
> 2 ½ cups flour or 250 grs
> 4 tsp. Baking powder
> a pinch of salt, sift together in a medium bowl
> ½ cup + 1 Tbsp. or 100 gr unsalted butter, rub the butter in the flour till the mix feels sandy
> ½ cup + 3 Tbs milk and
> 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, mix together to turn the milk into sour milk then mix with the flour.
Be careful with the amount of milk! Better to add little by little until you get the desired consistency. Flour can take more or less liquid according to the atmospheric conditions of the place where you live.
DO NOT KNEAD, just mix gently with a wooden spoon and finish with your fingertips. If mix is too soft, you may add 1 or 2 Tbsp. of flour.
Put the mix on the counter, about 1-inch thick, and cut about 10 scones. Place on the cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Remove and let cool. We had them with my home made jams, but they are also delicious with butter and honey!
Scones with raisins: Add ¼ cup of golden raisins to the flour before mixing
Scones with cheese: Add 1/3 cup of Cheddar grated cheese and a pinch of pepper to the flour.
Put the mix on the counter, about 1-inch thick, and cut about 10 scones. Place on the cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Remove and let cool. We had them with my home made jams, but they are also delicious with butter and honey!
Scones with raisins: Add ¼ cup of golden raisins to the flour before mixing
Scones with cheese: Add 1/3 cup of Cheddar grated cheese and a pinch of pepper to the flour.
Another celebration! (1)
Carole, Martine, and myself celebrating birthday and friendship.Last week I had Martine on the phone, and old friend from the time when we lived in Neuilly; she said her birthday was on Saturday and she wasn't quite into celebrating it at her home. So I invited them and friends we have in common, Carole and Loic, to a celebration at my home.
Her husband, who is a member of the Jurade de Saint Emilion , a wine brotherhood started in ... 1199, has a stunning cellar of Bordeaux wine and promised to bring the wine. I knew I had to excel with the food to match whatever we has going to bring. This was going to be a lavish celebration!
This is the menu that came to my mind and that I am going to share with you in these posts:
Apperitif (before the meal)
Champagne (by Patrick) with steamed Dim Sums (by Laura)
Stuffed Mini-bell Peppers
Boiled Peruvian Potatoes
Fresh Salad from the Garden
Cheese Platter from la Fromagerie d'Auteuil
Birthday gateau by Carole (who promised to bring dessert)
The previous day I set the table with a nice tablecloth (you know me!), matching chinaware, my Sevres Crystal stem glasses, and my Christofle silverware.
I am writing and uploading the recipes in my website for you all to enjoy, so come back !
Sunday (you mean it's Monday already?) Reading
So bad it's wickedly good.
It's that time of year again. Stage 5 will be zooming through our little corner of France on Wednesday.
Paris.
Paris!
Paris!!
The longer we live in France, the stronger my desire to live in Paris. Maybe one day...
This woman has the most incredible eye. Truly stunning photos.
Husband came dangerously close to having one too many of these delightful drinks yesterday at a friend's BBQ. They are the ultimate summer refresher. I find that they go down far too easily...so I usually play it safe and stick to rosé.
It's that time of year again. Stage 5 will be zooming through our little corner of France on Wednesday.
Paris.
Paris!
Paris!!
The longer we live in France, the stronger my desire to live in Paris. Maybe one day...
This woman has the most incredible eye. Truly stunning photos.
Husband came dangerously close to having one too many of these delightful drinks yesterday at a friend's BBQ. They are the ultimate summer refresher. I find that they go down far too easily...so I usually play it safe and stick to rosé.
Perfect Paris - Day 2
Day two dawned sunny and cold. Luckily I had packed a couple of sweaters and scarves.
We set out about 10:30 in search of another cheese shop that had been recommended by our friends at dinner the previous evening. It was another straw-filled, stinky little gem in the 17th arrondissement.
Pascal Beillevaire is a fromager/affineur based in the Loire with a chain of cheese shops around France. This branch is a welcoming little shop run by a black beret-wearing young man who is passionate about his cheeses. We sat and listened as he helped a woman create an extensive, sublime sounding cheese platter for her dinner party that evening (in what I can only imagine by how smartly she was dressed and accessorized, was a huge apartment in the "right" neighborhood).
He was patient with my questions and helped me choose two cheeses to taste; a goat's cheese from Brittany and one of their specialties, Machecoulais, an unpasteurized cow's milk cheese. (look for it next week at La Fête du Fromage)
Toward lunchtime my friend and I parted ways and I headed down to the 15th to meet David L. for lunch at a Korean resto. We hadn't seen each other since last autumn at Camp Cassoulet and I was curious to see if he'd survived the massive tide of Parisians returning from their holidays for la rentrée unscathed.
The task of ordering lunch was left up to David, as I'm a Korean food newbie. Lunch was great. Catching up was even better. And having a friend in Paris who will lead you around and introduce you some of his favorite Boulangeries, Fromageries and Chocolateries was priceless.
Seeded, rustic bread from Eric Kayser, gorgeously creamy, mini chocolate pavés from Michel Chaudun and la Taupinière cheese from Fromagerie Cler. Sheer heaven!
We said goodbye and I spent the rest of the afternoon wandering aimlessly. And wearing out my already too tired shoes.
I stopped into an enormous Zara and and even bigger H&M and found a treasure trove of a paper store on a little street where I struggled not to buy yet another beautiful blank book. I did, however, buy a new coat. A brightly colored, cold-winter-weather-defying pink one. My neighbors are going to think I'm mad!
We spent the evening in, eating cheese, ham, paté, three different varieties of bread and drinking wine. At 11:30 I tucked myself into bed and fell asleep to the sounds of Parisian traffic swirling in the streets outside.
We set out about 10:30 in search of another cheese shop that had been recommended by our friends at dinner the previous evening. It was another straw-filled, stinky little gem in the 17th arrondissement.
Pascal Beillevaire is a fromager/affineur based in the Loire with a chain of cheese shops around France. This branch is a welcoming little shop run by a black beret-wearing young man who is passionate about his cheeses. We sat and listened as he helped a woman create an extensive, sublime sounding cheese platter for her dinner party that evening (in what I can only imagine by how smartly she was dressed and accessorized, was a huge apartment in the "right" neighborhood).
He was patient with my questions and helped me choose two cheeses to taste; a goat's cheese from Brittany and one of their specialties, Machecoulais, an unpasteurized cow's milk cheese. (look for it next week at La Fête du Fromage)
Toward lunchtime my friend and I parted ways and I headed down to the 15th to meet David L. for lunch at a Korean resto. We hadn't seen each other since last autumn at Camp Cassoulet and I was curious to see if he'd survived the massive tide of Parisians returning from their holidays for la rentrée unscathed.
The task of ordering lunch was left up to David, as I'm a Korean food newbie. Lunch was great. Catching up was even better. And having a friend in Paris who will lead you around and introduce you some of his favorite Boulangeries, Fromageries and Chocolateries was priceless.
Seeded, rustic bread from Eric Kayser, gorgeously creamy, mini chocolate pavés from Michel Chaudun and la Taupinière cheese from Fromagerie Cler. Sheer heaven!
We said goodbye and I spent the rest of the afternoon wandering aimlessly. And wearing out my already too tired shoes.
I stopped into an enormous Zara and and even bigger H&M and found a treasure trove of a paper store on a little street where I struggled not to buy yet another beautiful blank book. I did, however, buy a new coat. A brightly colored, cold-winter-weather-defying pink one. My neighbors are going to think I'm mad!
We spent the evening in, eating cheese, ham, paté, three different varieties of bread and drinking wine. At 11:30 I tucked myself into bed and fell asleep to the sounds of Parisian traffic swirling in the streets outside.
Photos du Jour - Une Capitelle
More vineyards in the spring, dotted with white, sweet alyssum.If you look closely on the upper left, just below the tree line, you'll see une capitelle.
See its doorway?
Here's a close up.Une capitelle is a dry stone (no mortar) structure used by vignerons and shepherds to store tools, protect livestock and provide temporary shelter.
Winter flowers in my Paris deck
This winter I have chosen to decorate the deck of my Paris flat with white and yellow flowers. This is what I see from my desk.
I placed in a bamboo tray that a dear friend gave me, three thick ceramic plant pots, two dark brown and one white, and two small lanterns - I bought in London over at Laura Ashley's. The flowers in them are white and yellow. In the back, on the ground, a plant pot I brought from Mexico holds a funny yellowish/orange bush, between two plant pots I bought in China. On the floor, on the left, two ceramic birds that I bought in Saumur the last time I went there for my oenology class.
The smaller picture shows my deck last winter.
Writing
Writing is funny. It doesn't always come naturally to me. It doesn't always ebb and flow. I get hung up on sentence structure and trip over myself trying to write correctly. I'm trying to get better at ignoring all the rules.
Today I am just trying to get a blog post written. And wishing it were coming a little more easily.
There are some blog writers out there who completely blow my mind with their brilliant stories and the sheer number of intense, heartfelt words they churn out every day. Paragraphs and paragraphs of them.
Every. Day.
Where does it all come from? Aren't their minds ever quiet?
I need more time to contemplate what I want to say and to find the words. Time to write them, leave them for a bit so I can come back and have a fresh look at them. Maybe I fuss too much, am too careful.
(Maybe I've become too comfortable with the limitations of 140 characters?)
So instead of writing about French cheese, or the Carte de Résident or about anything tangible, I'm just going to work through this frustrating writing funk by writing about it.
Voilà.
Apples in every stand!
Apples are "the" choice of fruit during this season. They are the perfect dessert in so many ways. Try any of these easy recipes and ideas: Apple compote, apple gateau, apple paste (we had it with sheep cheese from the Pyrennees), thin apple tart, apple clafouti, and the Uruguay favorite desert, apple "panqueques" (not pictured, crepes with apples cooked in the dough).
All these recipes are available at www.aworldinapan.com/ Just click "apple" in the website search engine.
All these recipes are available at www.aworldinapan.com/ Just click "apple" in the website search engine.
Bon appetit!
Just Bitchin'
Over the last couple of weeks I've read a few posts from foreign bloggers living in France who have been bitching about other foreign bloggers living in France. The main bitch is that some foreign bloggers in France think that other foreign bloggers in France shouldn't be bitching about any aspect of life in France.
They should accept that they're living in a foreign country and that things are different here.
Fair enough.
I agree that here are a lot of silly things that foreigners living in France bitch about and that one should adapt.
But I had to comment on all this bitching because French bureaucracy, in my opinion, is always fair game.
And after a bit of research I realized that most of the foreign bloggers in France who are bitching about the foreign bloggers in France that bitch about France (you're following me, aren't you?) are all married to or living with French people.
i.e. They have no idea what it is like to come here alone or with a lover/spouse who isn't French and try to deal with French bureaucracy without that buffer.
Which is exactly what I've had to do.
And I just have to say, sometimes it ain't easy.
French bureaucracy keeps beating me up and knocking me to the ground. But I get up, dust myself off and go back for more. Because I absolutely love living here.
And sometimes I bitch about bureaucracy. I feel I have that right.
They should accept that they're living in a foreign country and that things are different here.
Fair enough.
I agree that here are a lot of silly things that foreigners living in France bitch about and that one should adapt.
But I had to comment on all this bitching because French bureaucracy, in my opinion, is always fair game.
And after a bit of research I realized that most of the foreign bloggers in France who are bitching about the foreign bloggers in France that bitch about France (you're following me, aren't you?) are all married to or living with French people.
i.e. They have no idea what it is like to come here alone or with a lover/spouse who isn't French and try to deal with French bureaucracy without that buffer.
Which is exactly what I've had to do.
And I just have to say, sometimes it ain't easy.
French bureaucracy keeps beating me up and knocking me to the ground. But I get up, dust myself off and go back for more. Because I absolutely love living here.
And sometimes I bitch about bureaucracy. I feel I have that right.
Rural France: Farmers' Fair
There was so much to see in the Sarthe last week! This rich region grows pork, cattle, poultry, and cereals.
The farm pork, free range chicken, and beef that A World in a PAN uses, comes from this area. Tractability is here a reality.
So we were present at the last Framers' Fair or Comice Agricole, a show where cattle owners exhibit their best animals, where you can buy a tractor or a sewing machine, and savor the many local products the region offers (see my post on rillettes). Two Motbeliard veals were resting, and the little lamb discovering the "comice", while "Blanchette", the Holstein cow did not want to go back to the truck. How fun!
So we were present at the last Framers' Fair or Comice Agricole, a show where cattle owners exhibit their best animals, where you can buy a tractor or a sewing machine, and savor the many local products the region offers (see my post on rillettes). Two Motbeliard veals were resting, and the little lamb discovering the "comice", while "Blanchette", the Holstein cow did not want to go back to the truck. How fun!
Farewell dinner by Jean-Pierre
So what did Jean-Pierre prepare for us while we were touring? An all fish menu to be had on a white and red table. 
Soupe de roche
Tarte aux sardines
Filets de rouget de Mediterrannee
Courgettes au romarin
Couronne des Rois
You can go to my previous post to see the picture of the rock fish that are used in this area to prepare this delicous soup. (picture with the sign SOUPE by the fish heap) Filets de rouget de Mediterrannee
Courgettes au romarin
Couronne des Rois
It is served with croutons (Jean-Pierre cut thin slices of yesterday's baguette and grilled them in the oven) and grated Emmental cheese. This soup was so so delicious that I asked him for the recipe and I am sharing it with you.
Then Jean-Pierre served a sardine tart, one of his brand dishes. He uses a circle of puff pastry where he spreads some black olive tapenade and a reduced provence tomato home made sauce. He then places sardine filets as wedges round the center, adds more tomato sauce and bakes for 20 minutes in a hot oven. When it's ready, he places basil leaves on the sauce and serves immediately. 
The main course was filets of rouget simply pan fried in olive oil with a sauce made with black olives tapenade and achoiade (a paste of anchovies). The garnish was made of sauteed zucchini that had been cooked with fresh Rosemary. The presentation was superb in the rectangular gray dishes!
We had a "couronne de rois" for dessert from a local pastry, an Epiphany Provence tradition. It's a brioche shaped like a "crown". The dough has candied fruit inside (mostly candied melon and orange, it is glazed, and candied fruit is presented on top. 
Hidden inside, there is a Nativity miniature and a fava bean. Traditionally, the youngest person sitting round the table hides under the table and speaks up the names of those who are going to get the piece that has just been cut. The one who gets the "bean" will chose his queen if it's a he, or becomes the queen if it is a she. Here is the winner!
We had this delicious dinner with a Cote de Provence Haut Donjon 2007 from Jean-Pierre's cellar.Soup recipe
1 kilo assortment of small rock fish
olive oil
olive oil
1 onion
1 branch of fennel
6 cups of water
Cut the onions in slices and brown them in oilve oil. Add the fish, emptied but whole. Stir. Season to taste. Add the water, fennel, parsely and bring to a boil. Let boil 20 minutes. 
Using a ricer - thank you Couture Carrie/ for giving me the right name or moulin a legumes of which there is one in every French kitchen - where you have chosen the thin grid, press the fish to obtain all the flavor and juice. The thin grid does not allow for any fish bones to find their way into the soup. Heat again, recitfy seasoning and serve very hot.
Merci Jean-Pierre!
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