The first crop of figs is growing fast. I think they'll be ripe in about 6-8 weeks.
Then I'll be making fig tart, fig crumble and baked figs with chèvre and honey. Mmm....can't wait!
Photo du Jour - les Figues
The first crop of figs is growing fast. I think they'll be ripe in about 6-8 weeks.
Then I'll be making fig tart, fig crumble and baked figs with chèvre and honey. Mmm....can't wait!
Martine's Birthday (3)
Then we moved on to the meal. 
My appetizer was a verrine , perfectly light after the dim sum and before the lamb.
I put one layer of cream cheese with chopped baby cucumber and chives, one layer of mushroom and bell pepper thick spread, one layer of cream cheese with red bell pepper, fennel seeds, and dry tomato. I sprinkled sicilian sumak on top to add more contrast of flavors and put a fennel seeds branch in each verrine. I served the verrine on a colorful fine china saucer with a mother of pearl spoon.
My main course was a slow cooked lamb. I bought a lamb leg and cooked it in a iron cast pan in the oven with plenty of garlic for 4 hours.
I had also prepared stuffed mini bell peppers which I put around the lamb, to add color. I cooked them separately in the oven.
The lamb and stuffed bell peppers are presented in a Christofle oval silver plate.
The other garnish was a dish of potatoes en robe-de-champ (or country robe, aka skin) brought to me by friends who cultivated them in Brittany. I presented the potatoes in a celadon plate with a Japanese lacker style serving spoon.
We had a wonderful Bordeaux wine: a Pauillac from Medoc, Chateau Chantecler-Milon 1990, an excellent choice served here in a crystal de Sevres stem glass.
My appetizer was a verrine , perfectly light after the dim sum and before the lamb.I put one layer of cream cheese with chopped baby cucumber and chives, one layer of mushroom and bell pepper thick spread, one layer of cream cheese with red bell pepper, fennel seeds, and dry tomato. I sprinkled sicilian sumak on top to add more contrast of flavors and put a fennel seeds branch in each verrine. I served the verrine on a colorful fine china saucer with a mother of pearl spoon.
My main course was a slow cooked lamb. I bought a lamb leg and cooked it in a iron cast pan in the oven with plenty of garlic for 4 hours.I had also prepared stuffed mini bell peppers which I put around the lamb, to add color. I cooked them separately in the oven.
The lamb and stuffed bell peppers are presented in a Christofle oval silver plate.
The other garnish was a dish of potatoes en robe-de-champ (or country robe, aka skin) brought to me by friends who cultivated them in Brittany. I presented the potatoes in a celadon plate with a Japanese lacker style serving spoon. We had a wonderful Bordeaux wine: a Pauillac from Medoc, Chateau Chantecler-Milon 1990, an excellent choice served here in a crystal de Sevres stem glass.
Photo du Jour - Le Château
Le Château de Sériège near the Canal du Midi. It sits empty with all its shutters closed.
Our "World Food" Evenings
The last two World Food evenings have definitely deviated from the original theme.But in a good way.
Last month's theme was a Manhattan Cocktail Party and this month's was a very lively Evening at the Races, complete with genuine horse racing.
Not exactly along the same lines as the past cuisine themes which have included Southeast Asian, Spanish, Mexican, Brazilian, Italian, Turkish, BBQ and South African.
We'll be back on track next month with an Indonesian Food Feast.
The Manhattan Cocktail Party involved platters and plates of finger food and a half a dozen bottles of spirits and mixers. I made tangy Lemon Drops, which, being seriously cocktail deprived in the south of France, I thoroughly enjoyed. Other refreshment options included Mojitos, Caiphrinias and Margaritas.
The eight of us crammed ourselves into our tiny living room (this was a cocktail party, no fair sitting politely around a table) and grazed our way through an array of food that was amusing, diverse and delicious. There were Italian meats and cheeses, Chinese scallion pancakes with spicy dipping sauce, smoked salmon and crème fraîche on blinis, devils on horseback, very retro pigs in a blanket, a tomato tart and little roasted thyme potatoes to dip in warm Camembert.
May's An Evening at the Races theme was hatched after our friends bought Escalado, an English table horse racing game from the 1920's. We all brought a dish that related to famous horse races around the world; the Kentucky Derby, le Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, the Melbourne Cup, the Grand National and the Dubai World Cup.
they're in the gate...
and they're off!We started the evening with a glass of Pimms Cup and some little cucumber and smoked salmon finger sandwiches, crusts cut off of course. After the betting system was sorted out, we played a few games, and an embarrassing amount of yelling and screaming ensued. Just when our voices were becoming hoarse (no pun intended), we took a break and sat down to dinner which included fried chicken, horse meat kabobs (I politely declined) and couscous.
Pimm's CupMore racing, more screaming, and more money being won and lost. Mind you, the maximum we were allowed to bet was 1€, so not much could be won and lost!
Dessert was one of my favorites, Tarte Tatin with chantilly, with a glass of local Muscat St. Jean de Minervois to wash it down.
So, back to the games. This is where it got very silly. We started racing objects around the kitchen against the horses and against each other.
It was hilarious!
Wallace and Gromit, a coin and a donkey compete with the horses - the coin won
a corkscrew, a pencil, a tampon, a cork, a coin and an alligator nutcracker compete - the heaviest object, the alligator, won!I didn't take photos of all the races, but we continued to come up with imaginative combinations.
Yes, this is how we manage to amuse ourselves out here in the country in the south of France!
Photo du Jour - Vineyard View
French Apple Cake
Because I've always been a Francophile and this dessert recipe had the word "French" in it, choosing it from a long list of Apple Cake recipes was a no-brainer. The fact that the cake batter is infused with a healthy splash of Calvados (or Cognac) helped make the decision that much easier!
This is one of those special recipes that I stumbled across about 10 years ago and have held on to ever since. It is buttery and rich and truly divine. And it is a dangerous cake to have around, because once you have a bite, you'll want another.
And another. And another.
So unless I feel like living dangerously, I only make it for special occasions, when I know there will be friends and family around to help eat up every last bite. When I offer second helpings I am often met with mild protests, but they always cave in eventually!
French Apple Cake
from Bon Appétit magazine
serves 8
This is one of those special recipes that I stumbled across about 10 years ago and have held on to ever since. It is buttery and rich and truly divine. And it is a dangerous cake to have around, because once you have a bite, you'll want another.
And another. And another.
So unless I feel like living dangerously, I only make it for special occasions, when I know there will be friends and family around to help eat up every last bite. When I offer second helpings I am often met with mild protests, but they always cave in eventually!
French Apple Cake
from Bon Appétit magazine
serves 8
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 large Granny Smith apples (about 1 1/4 pounds), peeled, cored, thinly sliced
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons Calvados, applejack or other brandy (I use Cognac)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Sift flour, baking powder and salt into small bowl. Whisk remaining 1 cup sugar, egg yolks, eggs, Calvados and vanilla in large bowl to blend. Gently stir in dry ingredients. Fold in 1/2 cup melted butter. Pour batter over apples in pan. Bake until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in pan 5 minutes. Run small sharp knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Turn cake out onto platter. Serve warm or at room temperature.
La Fête du Fromage - La Tricorne de Marans
La Tricorne de Marans' sweet grass and fresh hay aromas would tempt even the most trepidatious cheese novice. Give in to the temptation, I say. Your taste buds will thank you!
This is a rich, rustic cheese; packed with deep, smoky and salty flavors and a fine texture that is dense, chewy and coats your mouth with its creaminess. Its natural rind is completely edible, and those little spots of blue mold add another layer of flavor to this delightful cheese.
La Tricorne de Marans is made from unpasteurized ewe's milk and is produced on the picturesque Île d'Oléron by the same farmer who makes la Pigouille des Charentes, another luscious fromage français.
Traditionally, triangular shaped cheeses from the north of the Poitou-Charentes are eaten with slices of fresh green garlic. Now, this I have to try! The spring garlic will be arriving at the markets soon.
We enjoyed it with some pain au levain and a glass of Minervois red. A dry, fruity white such as Condrieu would also pair well with la Tricorne.
Photo du Jour
Creeping up the fence in our garden.
But it won't be our garden for much longer.
We've decided to sell it for some much needed Euros. The weak dollar definitely hasn't made living in France easy!
And, to add insult to injury, the price of cheese keeps going up. Quel horreur!
Hopefully, one day I'll be granted citizenship and the right to work. (don't laugh, I'm trying to be positive) Until then, we do what we have to do to survive.
Good thing that train ticket to Paris and back was only 34€. I plan on enjoying a lot of free activities and cheap food!
Photo du Jour - August
August grapes starting to ripen.
Took a long walk through the parched vineyards yesterday morning while the air was still cool.
A meal at restaurant LE CLEZIO in St Aubin de Luigne
My last visit to the Loire Valley, amidst the revigorating sweetness of the Anjou region, took me to Restaurant Le Clezio in Saint Aubin de Luignes.
We had visited the Domaine deux Vallees winery where we tasted some wonderful Anjou wines. One of my favorites is the Savennieres, made with 100% chenin grape, which I stronly recommend.
After the visit, we asked the owner, Mr Socheleau, for a restuarnt recommendation to pursue the enjoyment of our day, and he himself booked a table for us at the restaurant!
>> For bookings: Restuarant Le Clezio, 9, Place de l'Eglise, (49190) Saint-aubin-de-luigné, Tél: 02 41 78 33 15
I opted for the house menu at less that 20 Euros, and chose a "presse de poisson" as appetizer. The flavor of fish was refresshing.
Then came the cod on a bed of spring vegetables, light and perfectly cooked.
I treated myself to a Tarte Tatin which love and have never prepared at home. It was perfect!
To finish the meal, I had a coffee which to my delight was brought in a French press with a bouchée of cake.
We had visited the Domaine deux Vallees winery where we tasted some wonderful Anjou wines. One of my favorites is the Savennieres, made with 100% chenin grape, which I stronly recommend.After the visit, we asked the owner, Mr Socheleau, for a restuarnt recommendation to pursue the enjoyment of our day, and he himself booked a table for us at the restaurant!
>> For bookings: Restuarant Le Clezio, 9, Place de l'Eglise, (49190) Saint-aubin-de-luigné, Tél: 02 41 78 33 15
I opted for the house menu at less that 20 Euros, and chose a "presse de poisson" as appetizer. The flavor of fish was refresshing.
Then came the cod on a bed of spring vegetables, light and perfectly cooked.
I treated myself to a Tarte Tatin which love and have never prepared at home. It was perfect!To finish the meal, I had a coffee which to my delight was brought in a French press with a bouchée of cake. Barcelona and a Recipe For Ajo Blanco
A city the size of Barcelona cannot be experienced in a day. Not even close.
After four previous trips, Barcelona and I have gotten to know each other pretty well, so a whirlwind, less-that-ten-waking-hours trip to spend the last day with our New Orleans friend before his flight from BCN seemed a bit rushed, but it was a great way to end his visit.
The ten waking hours consisted of casual strolling through the streets of the atmospheric Barri Gotic, a fair amount of lounging in cafés and a lot of nibbling. Lunch in the sun with a view of the port and the Mediterranean sea, dinner at 10pm in a crammed neighborhood tapas bar and breakfast at a grab-and go-place on the Autopista on our way home to France in a torrential rainstorm.
We savored every delicious moment.
Jamón ibérico, queso manchego, pan con tomate, patatas bravas, albondigas, mejillones a la marinera, pimientos de padrón (quite possibly one of the best things to eat. ever.), croquetas de jamón and tortilla española, all washed down with some heady, dark purple Rioja.
Where was the Paella you might wonder And what about the sangria?
Paella is a traditional Valencian dish and I've never had a good version in Barcelona. I think it's a bit like ordering Bouillabasse in Paris...you must know where to go. Besides, our neighbor makes the best version I've ever tasted.
And sangria? Unless the bar makes it themselves, it usually comes from a bottle or a box and is suspiciously sweet and cloying stuff.
Barcelona is an incredibly unique, charismatic European city, and one of my favorites.
It is a decadent, colorful, sometimes demanding place, the kind of city that will thoroughly seduce you with her charms. And you'll be happy that she did.
Now on to the recipe.
I love this refreshing and tangy soup. It is so delicious, yet consists of such simple ingredients. When the temperatures start to climb and our oven is off limits for the remainder of the summer, this is the kind of recipe that I turn to.
Cold Almond and Garlic Soup - Ajo Blanco
serves 8
From Spain and the World Table by The Culinary Institute of America
- 2 cups loosely packed day-old country-style bread or fresh bread, torn into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
- 6 2/3 cup water
- 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped garlic
- 2 cups blanched almonds
- 2 ½ teaspoons salt - divided use
- 1/2 cup sherry vinegar
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 16 medium green grapes, halved and seeded, for garnish
- 2/3 cup toasted sliced almonds
- Soak the day-old bread in 1 1/3 cups of water in a medium bowl for 10 minutes. If using fresh bread, there is no need to soak it.
- Process the garlic and almonds in a food processor fitted with the steel blade for 1 minute, or until finely ground. Stop halfway through the process to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the soaked bread and any soaking water (or the fresh bread), 2 teaspoons of salt, vinegar, and oil, and blend for 2 minutes, or until a smooth paste forms. Add 2 cups of the water and blend for 2 minutes longer, or until smooth.
- Transfer to a medium nonreactive bowl and stir in the remaining 3 1/3 cups of water (use 4 1/3 cups if using fresh bread). Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or until well chilled.
- Stir the soup well, reaching to the bottom of the bowl, just before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning with ½ teaspoon of salt, or more if desired. Ladle 1 cup of the soup into each chilled soup bowl, garnish with the grapes and toasted sliced almonds, and serve.
Photo du Jour - European Markets
Potatoes with dirt still clinging to their skin, piles of onions, pink spring garlic and bright green sprigs of asparagus.
A familiar scene.
It looks just like the local Tuesday Olonzac market. But this outdoor market is several hundred kilometers away...in Zagreb.
La Fête du Fromage - Chèvre Férmier de Philippe
This cheese invoked some interesting comments during our tasting.
"Looks like a fine sponge."
"The texture reminds me of angel food cake."
Voilà Chèvre Férmier de Philippe, another special cheese from the fromager in Eauze who sells only small farm produced and artisan cheeses from the Pyrénées. I owe Kate Hill a huge thank you for taking me to see him.
Farm produced goat cheeses usually offer a healthy hit of goat flavor and this one didn't fail in that respect. Despite the medium-strong goatiness, this is an extremely well balanced, delicate and nutty cheese. Chèvre de Philippe's fine flavor and wonderful springy texture brought us all back for seconds. Then again for thirds.
I would have gone back for fourths, but we were tasting two other cheeses so I managed to show some restraint.
I've never seen these Pyrénées cheeses that are named after their producers down here in the Languedoc, so I think a trip back up to Gascony to track down this fantastic fromager is in my future!
Enjoyed with a glass of 100% old vine carignan.
"Looks like a fine sponge."
"The texture reminds me of angel food cake."
Voilà Chèvre Férmier de Philippe, another special cheese from the fromager in Eauze who sells only small farm produced and artisan cheeses from the Pyrénées. I owe Kate Hill a huge thank you for taking me to see him.
Farm produced goat cheeses usually offer a healthy hit of goat flavor and this one didn't fail in that respect. Despite the medium-strong goatiness, this is an extremely well balanced, delicate and nutty cheese. Chèvre de Philippe's fine flavor and wonderful springy texture brought us all back for seconds. Then again for thirds.
I would have gone back for fourths, but we were tasting two other cheeses so I managed to show some restraint.
I've never seen these Pyrénées cheeses that are named after their producers down here in the Languedoc, so I think a trip back up to Gascony to track down this fantastic fromager is in my future!
Enjoyed with a glass of 100% old vine carignan.
Not Quite...
I usually wander out into the vineyards sometime in mid August to check out the grapes.
They're coming along. Ripening a bit more slowly than last year, but the reports from our vigneron neighbors are positive.
Can't wait to try the 2010 vintage.
Photo du Jour - Nature's Pom Poms
Fuzzy plane tree fruit decorates the bare, leafless branches all winter long.
In the spring the pom poms break apart and scatter their delicate seeds in the wind.
Re-Discovering Mexico in California
We met friends from Paris in Santa Monica. I wasn't sure about the type of restaurant we wanted to try and offered them a taste of Mexican cuisine. Great success! Since then I have decided to try several Mexican restaurants in the area and share with you my experience. 
Let me welcome you to Don Antonio and it beautiful back patio! It's located at 11756 Pico Blvd in Santa Monica.
it is an euphemism to say that the portions anywhere here are super size. So we always stick to : "platos chicos" (small dishes ) or appetizers ... 
Our guest ordered "quesadillas", one of my favorites. It came with a lot of guacamole, and some unseasoned iceberg salad. 
So I tried "enchiladas", which I wrongly though was a stuffed chili. It is actually a corn tortilla, stuffed with a filling, and covered with a chili sauce ... for someone who does not enjoy very hot food, it was the wrong dish. It came with a HUGE portion of rice and beans, which were actually mashed. I had the beans and it was plenty!
We also ordered a beef taco, a beer and a diet coke and paid less than 28 dollars without tip. Don Antonio has a valet parking.
Buen provecho!
The French Café
Ah, the French café.
A quintessential icon of French life and culture.
When we first moved to France I envisioned spending many uninterrupted hours in our local café, sipping a morning café crème or an early evening apéro while writing, reading and watching the world go by.
It didn't take me long to discover that, other then when I plan to meet friends there, one of the best ways to enjoy the French café is anonymously.
When you live in rural France, you get to know your neighbors. Whether you like it or not.
Eventually you find that when you stop into your local café for a drink and some solitary reading or writing time, an acquaintance or three will stop by to chat or to plop themselves down in the chair opposite you and order a drink, all the while ignoring the fact that you had your nose buried in a good book or were contentedly writing away in your notebook.
I know that the café is a social place, I get that. And I love going to the café to meet friends for a drink.
However, I also really enjoy sitting on my own, not having to talk or socialize.
It is times like these when I miss the anonymity of living in a city.
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