This morning I had a moment of pure...
I hesitate to use the word because it sounds so frothy...
bliss
I just don't know how else to describe it.
The moment was a divine combination of walking through the vineyards with the soundtrack to Amélie playing on my i-pod when unexpectedly, warm rain started falling, soaking me to the bone.
I kept on walking.
It felt so wonderful.
Thursday night I was handed a large opaque bag by some friends who have recently bought a plot of land with many, many varieties of fruit trees.
I peered inside to find it full of griottes - tart little cherries.
The second fabulous food gift this week!
A third of them is being made into Sour Cherry Liqueur which we'll be enjoying by Christmas.
A third will become Confiture de Griottes.
A third will be made into Griotte Cherries with Bay Leaf from Michel Troisgros.
200g griotte cherries (7 1/2 oz)
12.5cl white vinegar at 8° (1/2 cup)
10cl water (1/3 cup)
100g sugar (4 oz)
20 black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
Prepare the sweet-and-sour mixture: in a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, water and sugar and bring to a boil. Skim carefully and set aside in a warm place.
Rinse the cherries in cold water and dry them in a tea towel. Trim the stems halfway down. Prick each cherry a few times with a needle so that the juice soaks through.
As you prepare the cherries, place them in a jar. Add the crushed peppercorns and bay leaves, then pour the boiling liquid over the cherries to cover them completely.
When they have cooled, close the jar and set aside in a cold place for a few days before opening.
Shades of blue and grey yesterday in Grau d'Agde, where the river Hérault meets the Mediterranean Sea.
These cute, little macaroon chocolates were an unexpected treat from friends who came around for lunch on Tuesday.
My husband was ready to dive into the box later that afternoon but I diverted his attention (with my overwhelming charm and impressive willpower) and tucked them away until later. We were already full from our meal and I wanted to wait until we could really enjoy them.
And I was itching to take some photos, of course.
too pretty to eat
Tuesday slid into Wednesday which somehow became Thursday and the box still sat there, pristine and unopened.
So here it is, Friday already.
My poor husband has ogled the chocolates for three days without one word of complaint. I decided it was time to put him out of his misery and take the photos I wanted so we could finally gobble them up taste one or two.
finally open!
in a matter of minutes, three disappeared
They were worth the wait!
Walking on the road to nowhere* in the garrigue.
*I was thinking of the Talking Head's song when I wrote this.
Pigouille des Charentes. What an intriguing name.
I'm familiar with the "des Charentes" part, meaning from the idyllic Charentes region of central France.
It was that first word - pig ou, huh? - that I'd never seen before. So of course I had to try it for la Fête du Fromage!
When I pointed at the cheese and read the name out loud to the fromagère, she had to correct my pronunciation. Twice. (I hate it when my French accent fails me)
Just so everyone is clear, it is pronounced:
Pig - ew - wee Day Shar -ont
Now that you know how to say it, you might want to know the origin of the name. A pigouille is the long paddle that a boatman uses to navigate a small canal barge - a yole - along the narrow canals of the Marais Poitevin, also called the "Green Venice" of western France.
Traditionally, Pigouille des Charentes was made from unpasteurized cow's milk or goat's milk, or a mixture of the two. Today this cheese is made from raw ewe's milk and produced by one lone producer on the Île d'Oléron.
The first impression was its aroma, which was full of sweet hay and a clean barnyard scent. I knew that good things were to come....
The flavor was exquisite!
A salty, sweet and strong flavor that was a perfect match to the rustic baguette and red wine that we were drinking. When I purchased the cheese, its exterior was lightly crusted with blue mold, but not yet entirely covered. After one week the mold almost covered the entire surface, which accentuated its heady, lovely flavor.
I recommend this one highly. If you can find it, please buy it!
Saumur wine is suggested, but we found that it paired nicely with our local Minervois wine.
Our favorite Boulangerie who make amazing pain au raisin, fantastic flûtes (a long, soft baguette), crunchy campailettes (a rustic baguette) and delicious pizza and quiches.
Artichokes are in season and they're everywhere!
They're available in a variety of shapes and sizes - little artichauts violets, big round globe artichokes and a medium sized variety that we have growing in the garden.
Telling you this little story means I'm revealing my age, something I'm told a proper French woman should never do.
What the hell, I'm not French yet...
My 40th birthday is coming up this February. (feeling myself break out in a cold sweat - I know it shouldn't bother me, but it does - more about my emotions surrounding my upcoming birthday later)
Where was I? Oh yes.
Turning 40 for a woman usually means that exciting event we all look forward to - The Mammogram.
Wednesday afternoon I had the pleasure of spending two hours in a clinic, waiting to meet Sophie. And no, that's not the name of the doctor.
This lovely machine pictured above is Sophie. How do I know that it's name is Sophie, you might ask? Because "her" name is written in green across the top of the machine. Seriously. Just enlarge the photo and you'll see.
So I have to ask...
Why give it a female name? Is that supposed to make me feel better while "she" is smashing my boobs between "her" two compressor plates?
Just wondering...
A side note: It was painless and absolutely necessary. Ladies, don't put off having your mammograms!
