Pickled "cornichons"

Yesterday, we bought three pounds of cornichons at the local farmer's market. We brushed them one by one, and left them overnight with sea salt from Guerande. This morning, they had sweetened some of their water. We left them, several hours in the strainer, then dried them out.
We heated white vinegar with a glass of white wine. We put the dried cornichons in a flask, with small white onions, tarragon leaves from the garden, peppercorns, coriander seeds, and poured the hot vinegar-wine on them. We closed the flasks tightly. They'll be ready in one month!

Delicious Autumn

Oh Autumn.  How I've missed you!

Yes, I love the fresh produce of summer:  cherries, tomatoes, basil, peaches, apricots, zucchini, nectarines, melons, all best served with a minimum of fuss.  And I love the simplicity of summer "cooking."
But I have to admit that by the time August 15th rolls around I can hardly face another salad.  I long to get the Le Creuset out of storage and do some serious cooking!

Then comes autumn!  Give me braises.  A bubbling pot of minestrone.  Tarte Tatin and poached pears.  Homemade sausage, pepper and onion pizza.  Pumpkin, Brussels sprouts and Savoy cabbage.  Long simmered lamb curries.  Confit de Canard and Cassoulet.

I plan on savoring every moment.  And every bite.

Photo du Jour - Driving

This is the view through the windshield whenever we drive anywhere right now.

The vendange is almost over though. The purple grapes hanging in the vineyards have almost all been picked and taken to be crushed.
The yeasty, musty aroma of fermenting grapes fills the air.

La Fête du Fromage - le Lacandou

Don't you just love it when you stumble across a really unexpected, delightful treat?
Such was the case when I tasted this little cheese.

One whiff of the sweet, yeasty aroma of le Lacandou and I was smitten. Then I took a bite and let it melt on my tongue.
Aaaaahhhhh....
now this is my kind of cheese!


I just love this little man (M. Lacan, I presume) with the sheep necklace, holding two cheeses aloft


Le Lacandou is an unpasteurized sheep's milk cheese that is made following traditional artisanal methods. It is produced in Sévérac-le-Château, in the northern Aveyron and was named after its producer, the farmer Monsieur Lacan.
The word on the label, fondant, means melting. And this cheese is definitely fondant! Its soft and yielding interior is held together by a little, waxed cupcake wrapper - as soon as I peeled it off, it oozed all over.
The period of affinage* is only about three weeks long, so it had a young, grassy and fruity flavor that was neither too mild nor too strong.



Le Lacandou is truly sublime. No doubt about it.

Pour a glass of Côtes du Roussillon or a Crozes Hermitage to enjoy with this cheese.

*affinage (AH-fee-nahj) - The craft of maturing and aging cheeses.

Photo du Jour - Here's Looking at You, Kid

Signature, eye-shaped dormer windows in Sibiu, Romania.

First day of Fall

Friday September 21!
Celebrating the first day of Fall!
These flowers are for you!

Laura

5 Reasons to Visit the Languedoc-Roussillon in December

1) The Marché aux Truffes in Villeneuve-Minervois

2) Cassoulet.  When the cold winds blow, there is nothing better. 


3) Vin Chaud.  Same as above.

4) Quiet, sunny seaside towns.  The perfect place to enjoy a leisurely lunch of moules frites and a bottle of Picpoul de Pinet.


5) It's the south of France!  Any time of year is a good time to visit.