The neighboring village of Beaufort on a hazy autumn afternoon.
Jams, jams, jams
Upon arriving, Lafitte at Gontaud, near Bordeaux, was full of colors and flavors .. and fresh fruit to do our jams!
Marie Francoise was waiting for me with 20 lb of ripe apricots and 15 lb of mirabelle plums. And she's ordered Reine Claude plums for today.
Mirabelle plums and tiny, yellow, and full of flavor, and the result is stunning.
Apricots were tasty and ready, and we put as many apricot almonds as we had the energy to - we had help from Jean-Louis to break the pits to remove the almonds!
Marie Francoise was waiting for me with 20 lb of ripe apricots and 15 lb of mirabelle plums. And she's ordered Reine Claude plums for today.
Mirabelle plums and tiny, yellow, and full of flavor, and the result is stunning.
Apricots were tasty and ready, and we put as many apricot almonds as we had the energy to - we had help from Jean-Louis to break the pits to remove the almonds!
I hope you'll enjoy these pictures.
You can leran more about our jams by visitng our website page E-World Boutique at www.aworldinapan.com or by order them by writing to Jean-Louis@aworldinapan.com
You can leran more about our jams by visitng our website page E-World Boutique at www.aworldinapan.com or by order them by writing to Jean-Louis@aworldinapan.com
La Fête du Fromage - Fouettard Claquemolle
(Update: This is actually called La Lauze. There was a bit of confusion with the cheese seller at the market)
Voilà! This week's cheese. Fouettard Claquemolle.
Quel nom!
Et quel fromage!
Voilà! This week's cheese. Fouettard Claquemolle.
Quel nom!
Et quel fromage!
This is another gorgeous cheese from La Ferme de Roquecave, near Ferrals les Montagnes in the Montagne Noire. We tasted their chèvre in April on La Fête du Fromage's one year anniversary.
This is an unpasteurized goat's milk cheese that is as fermier as you can get.
It had a seductive, sweet, grassy meadow aroma and a mild flavor that was a delicious mix of mushroom and yeast. You just knew this cheese was perfectly ripe! And the flavor wasn't overly goaty, which I found appealing.
The edible exterior was firm with a chalky texture, and as soon as the knife sliced into the cheese, its creamy center oozed out onto the plate. (I'm drooling at the memory)
All in all, Fouettard Claquemolle was an exquisite cheese. I just wish I had asked where that name came from...
A fouettard is a whip but what does claquemolle mean? Can anyone help?
We spread it on some fresh bread and drank some local, Minervois red with it, which seemed to be a perfect match.
A Sunday lunch meal
I have been having the feeling that I run a restaurant at home as we had friends for dinner several times the past week! I did not take the Baccarat glasses or Christophle silver ware out of teh cabinets, but I paid careful attention to to details so that the whole setting was harmonious. This was my lunch menu on Sunday. 
We served a cremant de Loire rose, a fresh and sparkling rose wine from Anjou. The atmosphre was set! One of my guests spoiled me with a delightful bouquet of roses that brought a sublte fragance to my living room! (you see it to the left of the glasses)
As usual it it very important to dress the table with care. I opted for a Chinese setting with a table cloth made with toile de Jouy a French fabric from Jouy-en-Josas, that has been being made since 1700. The pattern I chose is "chinoiseries", a free Chinese blue and white inspiration. The plates are heavy Chinese porcelain plates that I brought from our stay in China.
We started with a simple aubergine gratin, served in individual ramequins: I alternated grilled aubergines with thin slices of tomatoes, I added some coulis de tomate (a thick tomato juice made by blending fresh peeled and seedless tomatoes) and toppeled this combination with parmigiano cheese and basil before baking for 20 minutes in a medium hot oven.
The main course was duck breasts a la plancha, served with a simple gravy made of the juice reduction and port wine.
My cheese platter was served with a simple lettuce salad. 
I served a cherry clafoutis for dessert.
Bon appetit!
We served a cremant de Loire rose, a fresh and sparkling rose wine from Anjou. The atmosphre was set! One of my guests spoiled me with a delightful bouquet of roses that brought a sublte fragance to my living room! (you see it to the left of the glasses)As usual it it very important to dress the table with care. I opted for a Chinese setting with a table cloth made with toile de Jouy a French fabric from Jouy-en-Josas, that has been being made since 1700. The pattern I chose is "chinoiseries", a free Chinese blue and white inspiration. The plates are heavy Chinese porcelain plates that I brought from our stay in China. We started with a simple aubergine gratin, served in individual ramequins: I alternated grilled aubergines with thin slices of tomatoes, I added some coulis de tomate (a thick tomato juice made by blending fresh peeled and seedless tomatoes) and toppeled this combination with parmigiano cheese and basil before baking for 20 minutes in a medium hot oven.My cheese platter was served with a simple lettuce salad. I served a cherry clafoutis for dessert.Bon appetit!
Peace and Joy!
The Champagne and Muscat St. Jean de Minervois have been chilled and are ready to be poured.
The scallop chowder ingredients have been gathered, the canette* is stuffed and ready to roast, the brussels sprouts and parsnips have been purchased, the French cheeses have been selected and the traditional Christmas pudding has been steeped in brandy, steamed and is ready to enjoy.
We're looking forward to a festive day with friends tomorrow and are thinking of our family and friends who are celebrating many miles away.
Joyeuse Fêtes to you and your loved ones!
* duckling
The scallop chowder ingredients have been gathered, the canette* is stuffed and ready to roast, the brussels sprouts and parsnips have been purchased, the French cheeses have been selected and the traditional Christmas pudding has been steeped in brandy, steamed and is ready to enjoy.
We're looking forward to a festive day with friends tomorrow and are thinking of our family and friends who are celebrating many miles away.
Joyeuse Fêtes to you and your loved ones!
* duckling
Photo du Jour - Tacos
My flight finally landed at 1 o'clock Friday morning in San Francisco. I slept for a few hours and by noon my sister and I were polishing off carnitas and chicken tacos at Taqueria los Gordos in Aptos, California.
What a fantastic way to start my trip!
Photo du Jour - Escargots
My evening of snail collecting yielded only eight snails.
It was still too warm outside but I wasn't about to wander around the garden in the dark with a flashlight. I probably would have stepped on more than I collected!
I'll give them fresh fennel fronds and parsley later today and keep them away from our cat. She's freaked out by them!
My May market basket (in Paris)
I never go to the market with a list, I seek to be inspired - though I advise you do if you have a tendency to buy more than you need. If such is the case, write down the menus for the week, check the ingredients needed, and enjoy your market stroll. Here is yesterday's market basket! 
I bought three whole salads, a red lettuce, a lettuce, and a tender "oak leave" salad. They ar so fresh that I can keep them until I go back to the market next Friday. We have a bowl of green salad at least once a day. I do a vinaigrette and toss the salad before serving it. 
Of course, May is the month of asparragus - the ONLY one. I bought 3 lb of large ones. White asparagus are extremely delicate. I simply cut about 1 inch of the stem, peel them, boil them until soft, and serve them with a light mousseline sauce. You can have them cold or warm - but not hot. Asparagus are a starter, today I served poached free range chicken breasts as our main course.
I bought a bunch of fresh onions, I will use the onions to sautee with beans or with fresh fennel, I can also make a fresh salad. I use the greens, sliced, to make a tart with feta cheese, I'll make it Sunday night. 
I bought 1 lb of tomatoes, the first ones of the season! They looked ripe and of a tempting red. Salad? Yes: sliced onions, tomatoes, and cucumber: It's starting to feel like summer. A fresh salad and an only goat cheese platter, that's what you'll find at my dinner table tonight.
I bought 2 lb of fresh spinach. I washed them, removed the stem, cooked them with a bit of water, drained them very well, and kept them in the fridge for the following day. We had them Saturday with a slice of cooked ham and a fried egg (organic). A French classic.
I bought a bunch of radishes .. you know if you read the my previous post I will serve them as hors d'oeuvre with butter and salt Sunday night. I made the potage with the leaves. It was delicious! I do not understand why I've been throwing away the leaves all this time!
I bought fennel and I prepared it with the spring onions, half red bell pepper cut in stripes, and a couple of tomatoes. I seasoned the fennel with Madras curry powder - for a change. I am going to have the fennel with steamed fish tomorrow for lunch.
What else? Well, I bought some potatoes, two medium onions, garlic, 6 free range eggs, 4 thin slices of cooked ham (for the spinach), carrots (just to have some in the fridge), 4 apples (last of the season), a baguette on the way home, and my two baskets were pretty heavy indeed.
I bought three whole salads, a red lettuce, a lettuce, and a tender "oak leave" salad. They ar so fresh that I can keep them until I go back to the market next Friday. We have a bowl of green salad at least once a day. I do a vinaigrette and toss the salad before serving it. Of course, May is the month of asparragus - the ONLY one. I bought 3 lb of large ones. White asparagus are extremely delicate. I simply cut about 1 inch of the stem, peel them, boil them until soft, and serve them with a light mousseline sauce. You can have them cold or warm - but not hot. Asparagus are a starter, today I served poached free range chicken breasts as our main course.
I bought a bunch of fresh onions, I will use the onions to sautee with beans or with fresh fennel, I can also make a fresh salad. I use the greens, sliced, to make a tart with feta cheese, I'll make it Sunday night. 
I bought 1 lb of tomatoes, the first ones of the season! They looked ripe and of a tempting red. Salad? Yes: sliced onions, tomatoes, and cucumber: It's starting to feel like summer. A fresh salad and an only goat cheese platter, that's what you'll find at my dinner table tonight.
I bought 2 lb of fresh spinach. I washed them, removed the stem, cooked them with a bit of water, drained them very well, and kept them in the fridge for the following day. We had them Saturday with a slice of cooked ham and a fried egg (organic). A French classic.I bought a bunch of radishes .. you know if you read the my previous post I will serve them as hors d'oeuvre with butter and salt Sunday night. I made the potage with the leaves. It was delicious! I do not understand why I've been throwing away the leaves all this time!I bought fennel and I prepared it with the spring onions, half red bell pepper cut in stripes, and a couple of tomatoes. I seasoned the fennel with Madras curry powder - for a change. I am going to have the fennel with steamed fish tomorrow for lunch.What else? Well, I bought some potatoes, two medium onions, garlic, 6 free range eggs, 4 thin slices of cooked ham (for the spinach), carrots (just to have some in the fridge), 4 apples (last of the season), a baguette on the way home, and my two baskets were pretty heavy indeed.
Photo du Jour - Olive Cake
Savory Cake aux Olives.
Delicious to serve with un petit apéro.
Domaine Saint Luc's Cake aux Olives
8 servings
from The Paris Cookbook by Patricia Wells
4 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 ounces (1 cup) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Swiss Gruyère cheese
1 scant cup black Nyons olives, pitted and halved lengthwise*
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
About 1 cup homemade Tomato Sauce (optional)
1. Butter a 6-cup loaf pan (preferably nonstick) and set it aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt, and stir to blend. Slowly add the eggs, whisking to incorporate. Whisk in the milk, cheese, olives and oil. Set aside for 2 hours to allow flour to absorb the liquids (making for a lighter cake).
3. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
4. Stir the batter to blend once again. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Place in the center of the oven and bake until firm and golden, about 30 minutes. Serve at room temperature, sliced and cut into cubes. Or to serve as a first course, slice and serve with fresh tomato sauce.
*I like to make this cake with green lucques olives or a mix of green and black olives.
An original combination.
We received a tempting invitation by email that read: "Monday night in Playa Vista", with a suggestive closing: If the weather is good, we will picnic in the Meridian Park. Bring a sweater.. plus of course, directions to get there.Since the host said not to bring anything, I took my last kitchen cloth from Le Jacquard Francais, my favorite French kitchen linen brand, in shades of gray with three French monuments in it.
We arrived at 6 sharp and our host and friends were already there, sitting in comfortable picnic chairs set around a beautiful picnic basket which we discovered had napkins, drinks, crackers, and interesting versions of tapenade and humus.
Conversation was animated in the green park setting, and after a while, our host invited us to her apartment where dinner awaited. 
Dorothy had dressed a beautiful table for us. The colorful runner had been purchased at a folk arts shop in Santa Fe, as well as the wood bird seen in the picture.
And the menu? We'll see tomorrow!
I think combining an apperitif in a nearby park and dinner in the house is a great idea. Where would I go in Paris? To the Bois de Boulogne across Boulevard Exelmans?
Bon appetit!
The Saga of the Broken Arm - Part II - Days of Wine and Needles
So there we were, driving around Lézignan-Corbières on a dark and stormy August night, trying to find the hospital. After a few wrong turns, and the help of some locals, we finally found it. Pain relief was on its way!
One thing to remember: It was August. The month for holidays in France.
If you don't know, August is the month when cities become ghost towns because the bulk of the population leaves to go on vacation and the beaches are wall-to-wall sweaty bodies soaking up the sun. And the hospitals are understaffed.
It was August and it was a Friday night in a small town hospital in rural France. Oh dear.
Not surprisingly, it was very quiet when we arrived, so thankfully we were helped immediately. But the first thing they did was take X-rays, not administer pain relief! Then they had to draw blood and the nurse couldn't find a single vein in my arm from which to do it. She kept jabbing and stabbing until husband found the doctor on duty, grabbed him, and asked for help. One quick jab and success! What a relief.
Only then did they give me some pain killers.
The X-Ray did indeed show that my arm was broken. In two places. I would have to go to the hospital in Narbonne for surgery and the next available ambulance to take me there wouldn't be available for at least 2 hours. Thanks, but no thanks. We grabbed my X-rays and drove there ourselves.
I finally got checked into a room about three in the morning and was told that I would be having surgery the next day. I slept a blissful, drug induced sleep until the evil, needle-bearing nurses arrived the next morning to inject me with more medication and to get me ready for surgery. "Getting ready" required a full body, and I mean every nook and cranny, scouring.
As they were vigorously scrubbing me up and down in the bathroom, with both the door to my room and door to the hallway wide open I might add, they told me that the anesthesiologist would be arriving soon to discuss her role in the procedure. La voilà, there she is! Ready to have our little chat while I'm standing there in all my naked glory, being buffed and cleansed.
It is rather humiliating to try to discuss medical terminology in a foreign language while high on painkillers and totally naked while having all of your bits washed. I don't recommend it.
I know the doctors and nurses are used to seeing people naked. To them it's no big deal. C'est normal. I, however, am not used to it.
So I was trying to ignore my humiliation and focus on what the anesthesiologist had to say. Something about putting the IV in my neck, straight into my jugular vein? I assumed that I had somehow misunderstood her. I mean, that sounds barbaric!
I didn't misunderstand her.
When they finally took me downstairs to knock me out before surgery, we had a bit of a problem. They couldn't get the needle into the right spot. Here they were, two trained anesthesiologists, standing over me with this long needle, jabbing me over and over in my neck, unable to find the exact angle or something. What I remember most is that I felt like a lab rat being experimented on. Complete and utter hell.
I finally begged them to stop. And that I didn't want them to administer the painkillers through my jugular. They would have to go through a vein in my arm.
They were quite unhappy with me and told me in rather disgusted voices that the drugs would take much longer to work that way, did it anyway, then said they were going to lunch.
And left me lying in a cold room with only a thin sheet to cover me. I was freezing.
Thankfully that is all I remember until after the surgery.
When I woke up husband was sitting in my room with an ice cold can of Coke, thinking that it would taste good and refreshing after not having anything to eat or drink in more than 24 hours. The nurses told him, "absolutely not!" I was only allowed a bit of water dabbed onto my lips. No Coca Cola!
Ok, fine.
Friends started arriving and family started calling from America. The hotel operator knew me as l'Américaine, and as soon as she heard an English voice, she transferred the call to my room. It was great to see and hear from so many people.
I was in a complete morphine induced fog, so didn't remember until much later that when our neighbors came by with their 13 year old daughter to say hello, there was nothing covering my upper body, leaving my left breast totally exposed. My right arm was all wrapped up against my torso so I couldn't put a shirt on, and nobody had bothered to cover me up with a sheet or a blanket when they arrived.
So now our neighbors know what my boobs look like. Great.
Hell, half the hospital had seen me naked by this point so I guess it really shouldn't matter.
When I later asked husband why he didn't bother covering me up he responded, "It's ok, they didn't mind."
Um, Hello? I did!
To this day, I'm still stunned that he didn't think it was a big deal. Especially after he made such a fuss about me leaving the house the night before with no clothing on.
?
The next day they brought the lunch menu and asked if I wanted beer or wine with lunch. I pointed at my IV and said, "but I'm on morphine." No problem! It was medicinal! Besides, I would only be served a small bottle.
Who was I to argue with doctor's orders?
In the end it took several days in the hospital, lots of drugs, six months of physical therapy, many follow-up visits to the surgeon, a lot of frustration and tears, and endless patience on husband's part. But now my arm is completely healed.
And even with theoveruse generous use of needles (did I happen to mention that I have a phobia of needles) and inability to find my shy veins, in my experience the medical system in France is excellent. The doctors and nurses are friendly and helpful, they take their time with you and they are thorough.
But I never, ever want to have to go to the hospital again. The wine may have been good, but it wasn't that good.
One thing to remember: It was August. The month for holidays in France.
If you don't know, August is the month when cities become ghost towns because the bulk of the population leaves to go on vacation and the beaches are wall-to-wall sweaty bodies soaking up the sun. And the hospitals are understaffed.
It was August and it was a Friday night in a small town hospital in rural France. Oh dear.
Not surprisingly, it was very quiet when we arrived, so thankfully we were helped immediately. But the first thing they did was take X-rays, not administer pain relief! Then they had to draw blood and the nurse couldn't find a single vein in my arm from which to do it. She kept jabbing and stabbing until husband found the doctor on duty, grabbed him, and asked for help. One quick jab and success! What a relief.
Only then did they give me some pain killers.
The X-Ray did indeed show that my arm was broken. In two places. I would have to go to the hospital in Narbonne for surgery and the next available ambulance to take me there wouldn't be available for at least 2 hours. Thanks, but no thanks. We grabbed my X-rays and drove there ourselves.
I finally got checked into a room about three in the morning and was told that I would be having surgery the next day. I slept a blissful, drug induced sleep until the evil, needle-bearing nurses arrived the next morning to inject me with more medication and to get me ready for surgery. "Getting ready" required a full body, and I mean every nook and cranny, scouring.
As they were vigorously scrubbing me up and down in the bathroom, with both the door to my room and door to the hallway wide open I might add, they told me that the anesthesiologist would be arriving soon to discuss her role in the procedure. La voilà, there she is! Ready to have our little chat while I'm standing there in all my naked glory, being buffed and cleansed.
It is rather humiliating to try to discuss medical terminology in a foreign language while high on painkillers and totally naked while having all of your bits washed. I don't recommend it.
I know the doctors and nurses are used to seeing people naked. To them it's no big deal. C'est normal. I, however, am not used to it.
So I was trying to ignore my humiliation and focus on what the anesthesiologist had to say. Something about putting the IV in my neck, straight into my jugular vein? I assumed that I had somehow misunderstood her. I mean, that sounds barbaric!
I didn't misunderstand her.
When they finally took me downstairs to knock me out before surgery, we had a bit of a problem. They couldn't get the needle into the right spot. Here they were, two trained anesthesiologists, standing over me with this long needle, jabbing me over and over in my neck, unable to find the exact angle or something. What I remember most is that I felt like a lab rat being experimented on. Complete and utter hell.
I finally begged them to stop. And that I didn't want them to administer the painkillers through my jugular. They would have to go through a vein in my arm.
They were quite unhappy with me and told me in rather disgusted voices that the drugs would take much longer to work that way, did it anyway, then said they were going to lunch.
And left me lying in a cold room with only a thin sheet to cover me. I was freezing.
Thankfully that is all I remember until after the surgery.
When I woke up husband was sitting in my room with an ice cold can of Coke, thinking that it would taste good and refreshing after not having anything to eat or drink in more than 24 hours. The nurses told him, "absolutely not!" I was only allowed a bit of water dabbed onto my lips. No Coca Cola!
Ok, fine.
Friends started arriving and family started calling from America. The hotel operator knew me as l'Américaine, and as soon as she heard an English voice, she transferred the call to my room. It was great to see and hear from so many people.
I was in a complete morphine induced fog, so didn't remember until much later that when our neighbors came by with their 13 year old daughter to say hello, there was nothing covering my upper body, leaving my left breast totally exposed. My right arm was all wrapped up against my torso so I couldn't put a shirt on, and nobody had bothered to cover me up with a sheet or a blanket when they arrived.
So now our neighbors know what my boobs look like. Great.
Hell, half the hospital had seen me naked by this point so I guess it really shouldn't matter.
When I later asked husband why he didn't bother covering me up he responded, "It's ok, they didn't mind."
Um, Hello? I did!
To this day, I'm still stunned that he didn't think it was a big deal. Especially after he made such a fuss about me leaving the house the night before with no clothing on.
?
The next day they brought the lunch menu and asked if I wanted beer or wine with lunch. I pointed at my IV and said, "but I'm on morphine." No problem! It was medicinal! Besides, I would only be served a small bottle.
Who was I to argue with doctor's orders?
In the end it took several days in the hospital, lots of drugs, six months of physical therapy, many follow-up visits to the surgeon, a lot of frustration and tears, and endless patience on husband's part. But now my arm is completely healed.
And even with the
But I never, ever want to have to go to the hospital again. The wine may have been good, but it wasn't that good.
Photo du Jour - Beekeeping
Our friend's beekeeping equipment. His bees make the most flavorful, succulent honey!
miel de romarin - rosemary honey - my favorite!
miel de garrigue - garrigue honey - the hives are kept near Minerve
miel de montagne - rich, dark mountain honey from the Montagne Noire
miel de bruyère - heather honey - lovely and rich
Tomato and Cream Sauce and a Tribute to Marcella Hazan
"There is no such thing as Italian haute cuisine because there are no high or low roads in Italian cooking. All roads lead to the home, to la cucina di casa - the only one that deserves to be called Italian cooking." - Marcella Hazan
Big squares of fresh spinach and ricotta ravioli found their way into my shopping basket the other day so when I got home I immediately cracked open Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking
to look for the perfect sauce recipe.Over 650 pages of information, recipes and advice are packed into this wonderful book. It is by far the most trusted Italian cookbook in my entire collection.
The Fundamentals and At Table chapters alone make it an invaluable resource. Need a definition for insaporire? Don't know what Bottarga is? Curious about the different varieties of Radicchio or Ricotta?
Marcella has all the answers.
My copy is about 15 years old. The spine is broken and its pages are splashed and splattered with tomato sauce and red wine. Definitly the signs of a well loved cookbook!
Also, her recipe for Bucatini all'Amatriciana is unparalleled - the most sublime mélange of pancetta, onions, tomatoes and two types of Italian cheese. I make a batch almost every week.
I love Marcella. She has a down to earth style and an unwavering devotion to regional, traditional Italian cuisine. She is truly a classic!
Now on to the sauce...
The is not a dish to eat when you're on a diet. It is rich and silky and a simple indulgence to be served with a small portion of stuffed pasta.
Adapted from Marcella's Tomato Sauce with Heavy Cream recipe.
Buon appetito!
Tomato and Cream Sauce
makes 4-6 servings
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 14 ounce can whole plum tomatoes, crushed finely and with their juice
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- a pinch of salt
- freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Turn the heat up a bit, stir the heavy cream into the tomato mixture and cook for 1 minute.
Mix with the pasta and serve with the Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Delicious!
The result? A delicious and simple mixed vegetables
winter meal. Oh, yes, I added some pumpkin too.
A stop in Lille (North of France) at 'Nautre Monde
I was in Lille for a couple of days, a city in the North of France, next to the Belgian border. One evening, I was strolling and looking for the right place to have dinner. Restaurants in France show the menu outside, so it is easy to see what type of menu a restaurant offers. 
I was attracted by N'autre Monde a restaurant featuring a clever mix of world cuisine. I wasn't very hungry, and it was so incredibly hot, that I settled for a course of fish, Moroccan style. 
When I had placed my order, the glass of wine was brought to my table. A fresh, dry, white wine from the Mediterranean coast, near the Spanish border. 
Soon after, a "mise en bouche" was served: it was a verrine with a fresh mix of tomatoes and mozzarella cut in small dices, a a seasoning with basil and olive oil. 
When I had placed my order, the glass of wine was brought to my table. A fresh, dry, white wine from the Mediterranean coast, near the Spanish border. Soon after, a "mise en bouche" was served: it was a verrine with a fresh mix of tomatoes and mozzarella cut in small dices, a a seasoning with basil and olive oil. The main course was artfully presented! The four small red mullet fillets were served on a bed of red bell peppers cooked in olive oil with cumin and onions. 
The garnish was a deep plate with a mixed of steamed vegetables; a slice of each :turnip, fennel, sweet potato, and zucchini, and a small carrot, a broccoli bouquet and some soy germs.
The garnish was a deep plate with a mixed of steamed vegetables; a slice of each :turnip, fennel, sweet potato, and zucchini, and a small carrot, a broccoli bouquet and some soy germs.It was a light tasty meal and I had a delightful time at the restaurant. I paid 26 Euros.
PS: I apologize for the quality of the pictures, I did not have my camera with me and too these pictures with my cell phone.
More leeks!
So I have been using the leeks I brought from Sologne. 
Yesterday I made a Leek Gratin: easy and delicious!
You need:
4 leeks
4 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 whole eggs
1 cup soft cream cheese
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tsp curry (optional)
sea salt to taste.
Heat the oven over medium heat (350 F).
Remove the dark green part of the leeks and wash very well. Cut in slices. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the leeks, lower the heat, and let cook about 6-7 minutes.
Mix the eggs in a bowl, add the curry, soft cheese and milk.
Remove the leeks from the heat, let cool a few minutes and add to the egg mixture. Taste and rectify seasoning.
Butter (or oil) and flour a pan (I use bread crumbs instead of flour).
Pour the leeks in the pan, bake in the oven about 25 minutes.
Remove and eat warm, with a salad. It's an easy full meal!
Photo du Jour - Oleander
Pink oleander against a clear blue sky.
On a very hot day.
The air was shimmering in the heat and the cicadas were buzzing away. An afternoon siesta was clearly the only sensible option.
Photo du Jour
Yesterday we drove to Moss Landing to buy mussels at Phil's Fish Market so I could make moules marinières for the family. As we passed a little inlet my niece spotted three otters bobbing in the water!
A stop in Burgundy on my way to Italy
Heading South to beautiful Italy, about 600 miles from Paris, to the beauty of Lago di Como ...I had booked ahead a room at a Bed and Breakfast in Burgunday: Le Cottage at Chaudenay le Château, a town near Poully-en-Auxois, in the middle of a green countryside. 
We had a very pelasant stay. Le Cottage is an old farm that has been refurbished and adapted to become a comfortable and pleasant Bed & Brakfast.
This little angel by my room was very inviting and promising of good wines!
... as was the list of wines that the host, Magalie, serves in the evening. When you book, you will be asked if you want to have dinner, and we highly recommend you say yes! 
We had a very pelasant stay. Le Cottage is an old farm that has been refurbished and adapted to become a comfortable and pleasant Bed & Brakfast. This little angel by my room was very inviting and promising of good wines!... as was the list of wines that the host, Magalie, serves in the evening. When you book, you will be asked if you want to have dinner, and we highly recommend you say yes! 
Breakfast is served in a generous way, and the jams made by Magalie are exotic and delicious! Try her green tomato and spices jam!
The town is the home of a chateau that you can discover if you take a walk in this charming little town. The Burgundy of excellent wines is very near and Le Cottage, near Beaune, can be a good base to discover the area.
The town is the home of a chateau that you can discover if you take a walk in this charming little town. The Burgundy of excellent wines is very near and Le Cottage, near Beaune, can be a good base to discover the area.La Fête du Fromage - Cabécou de l'Aveyron
Somehow this one slipped under the radar.
Back in April, my friend Betty (of La France Profonde) came for the weekend toting a rather large gift basket that was stuffed with all sorts of delicious goodies from the Aveyron.
Best of all were the six kinds of cheese tucked inside!
We enjoyed Le Petit Campredon and Tomme d'Estaing, savored the huge wedge of Roquefort and gave l'Ecir en Aubrac another try. (It was better the second time around)
So, how on earth did I forget to include Cabécou de l'Aveyron in a weekly Fête du Fromage?
Oh well. Better late than never.
Simple and straightforward, this unpasteurized, farm produced fromage de chèvre has fresh, grassy and milky flavors and a delicious soft, oozing texture. This is a young piece, less than two weeks old, so the flavor was quite mild.
As Cabécou matures, a layer of blue mold develops on its thin rind, the cheese dries out and the flavor becomes more intense and goaty.
The word Cabécou means "small goat" in Occitan, a thousand year old Romance language that is still spoken in the south of France.
Because of its tiny size, each little wheel is a perfect, one-person portion. You can share if you want to, however. I did.
But I can't promise to next time!
A glass of dry white wine such as Sancerre or a hearty red such as a Côteaux du Languedoc would be good wine pairings with Cabécou de l'Aveyron.
Back in April, my friend Betty (of La France Profonde) came for the weekend toting a rather large gift basket that was stuffed with all sorts of delicious goodies from the Aveyron.
Best of all were the six kinds of cheese tucked inside!
We enjoyed Le Petit Campredon and Tomme d'Estaing, savored the huge wedge of Roquefort and gave l'Ecir en Aubrac another try. (It was better the second time around)
So, how on earth did I forget to include Cabécou de l'Aveyron in a weekly Fête du Fromage?
Oh well. Better late than never.
Simple and straightforward, this unpasteurized, farm produced fromage de chèvre has fresh, grassy and milky flavors and a delicious soft, oozing texture. This is a young piece, less than two weeks old, so the flavor was quite mild.
As Cabécou matures, a layer of blue mold develops on its thin rind, the cheese dries out and the flavor becomes more intense and goaty.
The word Cabécou means "small goat" in Occitan, a thousand year old Romance language that is still spoken in the south of France.
Because of its tiny size, each little wheel is a perfect, one-person portion. You can share if you want to, however. I did.
But I can't promise to next time!
A glass of dry white wine such as Sancerre or a hearty red such as a Côteaux du Languedoc would be good wine pairings with Cabécou de l'Aveyron.
A week of fun ends
True, Chris, Claire, Dom and Nick, Isabelle and Luc, Marie Francoise and myself, we all had a wonderful time at the Chateau dit de Lafitte at Gontaud de Nogaret, near Bordeaux for our FRENCH COUNTRY VACATION! From the moment we met in the train, we knew we were going to have fun.
Weather was perfect and we did lots of things together, learning new recipes as much as enjoying the stay.
During the five days we spent together, we cooked starters, main courses and deserts (see Claire with her “financier” cake), we prepared Mirabelle Plums jam (see pictures of these delicious plums from this area in this blog), we had lots of delicious bread (see Chris and his huge bag of fresh bread), we discovered Marmande Market, and more.
We close the stay with a delicious Middle East meal that we all enjoyed (see post in this blog).
To see pictures, go to http://www.photoweb.fr/ , then click on ALBUM in the navigation bar, and enter Lafitte2007, and user: neuforce@yahoo.com
Rendez-vous next year for more fun!
Weather was perfect and we did lots of things together, learning new recipes as much as enjoying the stay.
During the five days we spent together, we cooked starters, main courses and deserts (see Claire with her “financier” cake), we prepared Mirabelle Plums jam (see pictures of these delicious plums from this area in this blog), we had lots of delicious bread (see Chris and his huge bag of fresh bread), we discovered Marmande Market, and more.
We close the stay with a delicious Middle East meal that we all enjoyed (see post in this blog).
To see pictures, go to http://www.photoweb.fr/ , then click on ALBUM in the navigation bar, and enter Lafitte2007, and user: neuforce@yahoo.com
Rendez-vous next year for more fun!
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