Club de Pescadores, Montevideo

Among the restuarants I have tried several in Montevideo, the Club de los Pescadores (Fishermen Ckub) was a pleasant discovery. The large room is built along the sea cost, wth a very pleasant view.

I had Brotola, a local fish (what else?) which came done on a "plancha", with a salad. The fish filet was very big and fresh.

My friend Cecilia, who introduced me to the place (and invited me!), had pork chops.

After all the pastry I had at the Oro del Rhin, I have cut on pastires, so we had the main course and coffee only, with the usual Agua Salus.

By the way, tomorrow I will be going to the Agua Salus source near Minas and will write about it.

Bon appetit!

Photo du Jour - Welcome Home

A giant display of French cheese greeted me warmly as I rounded the corner at the Olonzac market on Tuesday. It's good to be home.

Artichokes in my market

Friday: Market day.
I bought artichokes at the market.Claude and Roland Rigault, the local producers where I buy most of my produce, had Brittany artichokes and Paris ones. I bought the latter, I liked its pointy leaves.

Back home, as I was not going to use them the same day, I put the stalks in fresh water, and will keep them till tomorrow.

Photo du Jour - Olonzac Market

Last Tuesday at the Olonzac market. Still enjoying warm, sunny days in the south of France!

4th of July in the Bay Area

Farewell Sonoma Valley. We left wine country early this morning.

We're in San Francisco for a few days.

Let the fireworks begin and Happy Independence Day!

October In The South Of France

Here's a small glimpse of what's been going on lately:

• The kitten can now jump up on the kitchen counter and has become obsessed with both the kitchen sink and the cursor on my laptop.
• Actually went out for a night on the town with the girls. Caipirinhas and dinner and to a nightclub (which was almost empty - it was a Sunday night in Narbonne after all - not the most hip and happening of places) and more caipirinhas and awake talking until 4:30am. Haven't done that in a while!
• We're only losing 24% of our money instead of the 38% we were losing last winter. We're rich!
• The grape harvest is over and the vineyards are so unbelievably, indescribably gorgeous with the bright red, yellow and orange autumn leaves.
  
• Was very unkindly, unfairly told off by a friend who then had the gall to ask me to help her move into her new house. WTF?
• Picked about 10 pounds of green tomatoes from a neighbor's garden yesterday. Every year he asks me the same question; "what do you do with green tomatoes?"
  
• My old carte de séjour expired two months ago, with no sign of a new one arriving anytime soon. This is normal. By the time I have to fly back to the States for a visit in February I'll have gone to the Mairie to ask them to call the sous-préfecture to ask them to get their butts in gear and issue my new one. Which will then expire a few months later and we'll start the merry-go-round all over again next June.
• Signed the official papers and said goodbye to our garden. A very bittersweet feeling.
• Finally got to see the Sex and the City movie in its entirety. The fashion was way over the top and what in the name of all that is holy did they do to Miranda's hair during the wedding scene? I enjoyed it for what it was; entertaining.
• Was given a very bloody, smelly gift of a freshly shot and cleaned hare by our neighbor. I have a photo, but am afraid of freaking people out so haven't made it public on my Flickr page yet. Anyone want to see it?
• Ordered a new camera which will be delivered when family comes to visit from the States next month. Very excited!
• Have firmed up plans for both Christmas day and New Year's Eve which, if history proves correct, will both be decadent food and drink laden events surrounded by good friends. Not a bad way to spend the holidays if you ask me.
  

So, what's new with you?

Photo du Jour - Les Nems

Ah, les nems!

We actually went out to lunch. In a city.
In other words, I got my you-know-what out of bed early enough to feed and walk the dogs, have coffee, take a shower and get dressed and all pretty, and drive 35 minutes to Narbonne.
All of this before noon!

You see, I had to get to les Halles to get some cheese for la Fête du Fromage as I've pretty much exhausted all of my cheese sources here in the Minervois. Husband was easily enticed along by the promise of lunch in a little Chinese (i.e. Vietnamese) resto that we enjoy.

It was fabulous to Get Out of the House and Get Out of the Village.

And the cheese I found in les Halles - amazing!
Lunch was pretty darn good too. No rosé and no baguette, just nems and fried wontons, Tsingtao beer, super spicy sautéed chicken and steamed rice and Vietnamese chicken salad.

All in all, a great afternoon.