I buy one of these succulent, juicy roast chickens and a container of potatoes (they cook slowly in the dripping chicken fat - to die for!) at the market on Tuesdays.
Photo du Jour - Roast Chicken and Potatoes
I buy one of these succulent, juicy roast chickens and a container of potatoes (they cook slowly in the dripping chicken fat - to die for!) at the market on Tuesdays.
Things Making Me Smile This Week
The window of la Boucherie in Olonzac
The discovery of a cheese-themed restaurant in Tours. L'Affiné is most definitely on the top of my list for our trip to the Loire Valley in October.
Fig Walnut Pesto with Honey. Yes, please!
Two old friends and their family have embarked on a new adventure and their rental home comes complete with a pink kitchen and a pink oven! Pass the pearls, a frilly apron and a pair of high heels!
Camille vs. the bees.
Another gorgeous September evening.
Photo du Jour - Un Petit Potager
This is my kind of gardening!*
I left my camera cable at home so can't upload any photos of the fun we're having at Camont until Friday. zut!
*Taken at Camont in 2007 at Camp Cassoulet
Visit Paris in an authentic 2CV car!
Have you seen those old French movies which featured a small Citroen car ... it is now a collector's item, and two young people have had the great idea to make you tour Paris in an authentic 2 CV car ("deux chevaux", named after a complicated tax categorisation made to classify car types according to their engine power, it's not "horse power", but "taxable horse power" or "chevaux fiscaux").
Sebastian and Milan met when they were in school when they both played ice hockey. There is a perfect understanding between the two of them, Milan starts a sentence and Seb ends it!
They have launched this successful company a year ago and their fleet of friendly drivers awaits you.
They can come pick you up after your cooking class at A World in a PAN, and drop you off at your hotel.
Check www.aworldinapan.com for more information.
La gastronomia
Today's Italian and French cuisine recall flavors of the past and mix them with modern textures, colors, and tastes. I love nouvelle cuisine, a mouvement that renewed French tables. But many of the dishes you can have today, have been prepared in a similar way for centuries! 
In these two countries I know well, every dish tells a different story, cuisine is regional. People used the ingredients that were available in their region to prepare everyday dishes. Hence, Provence cuisine uses Mediterranean ingredients: zucchini, aubergines, tomatoes (originally from the Americas), onions, garlic, olive oil. In the South west of France, goose fat is used abondantly, and garlic is what seasons every dish - garlic from Lautrec, near Toulouse, is very famous.
In Italy, cheeses speak of the mountains. Rice (and all the risotti) on the other hand, tells a story from the plains, as does pork.
Here in the Como region, thre are three different cuisines: the lake cuisine with fresh water fish from the lakes is salted and dried in the sun, smoked, or simply fried; the valley cuisine based on polenta; and the cuisine of the Brianza plains with its meat dishes. What about being treated dinner in this somptuous table dressed for you at the Villa Carlotta in Tremezzo? What would we be served?
Whether in Italy or in France, next time you come do not expect to find your favorite risotto in the menu of a local restaurant if you are in the mountains! Think local!
In these two countries I know well, every dish tells a different story, cuisine is regional. People used the ingredients that were available in their region to prepare everyday dishes. Hence, Provence cuisine uses Mediterranean ingredients: zucchini, aubergines, tomatoes (originally from the Americas), onions, garlic, olive oil. In the South west of France, goose fat is used abondantly, and garlic is what seasons every dish - garlic from Lautrec, near Toulouse, is very famous.In Italy, cheeses speak of the mountains. Rice (and all the risotti) on the other hand, tells a story from the plains, as does pork.
Here in the Como region, thre are three different cuisines: the lake cuisine with fresh water fish from the lakes is salted and dried in the sun, smoked, or simply fried; the valley cuisine based on polenta; and the cuisine of the Brianza plains with its meat dishes. What about being treated dinner in this somptuous table dressed for you at the Villa Carlotta in Tremezzo? What would we be served?
Whether in Italy or in France, next time you come do not expect to find your favorite risotto in the menu of a local restaurant if you are in the mountains! Think local! Photo du Jour - Onion Bhaji and Vegetable Pakora
We had another scrumptious World Food Evening last night. This month's theme was Indian and it was a meal that rivaled any restaurant.
To whet our appetites; homemade onion bhajis and vegetable pakoras served with three kinds of chutney, a refreshing raita and spicy lime pickle.
Two kinds of curry, dal, saag aloo, homemade naan bread and rice followed. Needless to say, we were absolutely stuffed at the end of the meal.
We woke up this morning with our clothes and hair smelling of curry. I can only imagine how our friend's entire house must smell...
A Vote For America From the South of France
Our ballots finally arrived last week.
We were beginning to think that they never would.
I heard from many other expats around Europe that they received their ballots at the end of September or early October, so we waited anxiously every day for the mail woman to arrive (my hubby likes to wait for her anyway as she is often dressed in black leather pants, sexy high heels and revealing, tight sweaters), hoping that she would have our big envelopes from Washington state for us.
Every day...nothing. Until last Thursday.
We quickly filled them out and I took them to the village post office where they were treated with the utmost respect by the post mistress. They were carefully weighed and stamped and sent on their way.
Everyone in the village is hoping beyond hope that Obama will win and it felt like we were representing them all in this election. We did our part to get their voices heard.
Now come on America, do us proud!
And I just have to add that anyone who can vote for that woman for vice president, a woman who is the most scary, anti-female woman I think I've ever encountered, needs to have their head examined.
We were beginning to think that they never would.
I heard from many other expats around Europe that they received their ballots at the end of September or early October, so we waited anxiously every day for the mail woman to arrive (my hubby likes to wait for her anyway as she is often dressed in black leather pants, sexy high heels and revealing, tight sweaters), hoping that she would have our big envelopes from Washington state for us.
Every day...nothing. Until last Thursday.
We quickly filled them out and I took them to the village post office where they were treated with the utmost respect by the post mistress. They were carefully weighed and stamped and sent on their way.
Everyone in the village is hoping beyond hope that Obama will win and it felt like we were representing them all in this election. We did our part to get their voices heard.
Now come on America, do us proud!
And I just have to add that anyone who can vote for that woman for vice president, a woman who is the most scary, anti-female woman I think I've ever encountered, needs to have their head examined.
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