Photo du Jour

Fresh spring growth on the vines that creep across our neighbors shutters. Pin It

Stumbled Already!

Zut!

I wrote the other day about walking my French Nationalité papers across the village to the Mairie to get the citizenship process rolling.
Well, my over-confidence has tripped me up already. I thought my dossier was complete and ready to go.
Nope.

It turns out I need to have fingerprints taken and sent off to the FBI for an official FBI Report to prove that I'm not some crazed criminal in hiding or something. And then have it translated into French. We thought I just needed a police report, which I already have. It appears to be more complicated than that. Why am I not surprised... Pin It

Photo du Jour - le Presbytère

The old Presbytère in our village, now rented by a musician. Pin It

La Journée Nationale du Fromage

Today is la Journée National du Fromage.

I expected a grand tasting event at les Halles in Narbonne, maybe a little parade or perhaps even a young woman crowned la Reine du Fromage. (hey, why not?)
Imagine my disappointment when I discovered that the closest fromager celebrating the event is in Toulouse, an hour and a half away!
Nothing in Narbonne, Béziers, Perpignan or even Montpellier!

So, we're celebrating on our own.

What did you do to fête le fromage? Pin It

Photos du Jour - Wine Tasting

Isabelle Coustal, the owner of Château Sainte Eulalie, opening a bottle of Minervois red for us to taste in a very chilly tasting room.

The domaine is nestled in the hills above the village of La Livinière, offering stunning views over the village and the countryside.


where's the sun?

Sainte Eulalie's wine is consistently brilliant!
Their AOC Minervois La Livinière la Cantilène was chosen from from 1000 other wines and awarded "Best French Red Wine" at at the International Value Awards. It was also given 4 stars and voted as one of the "Top 10 Languedoc Wines to Try" in Decanter Magazine's March 2008 issue.



Every year we look forward to their light and fruity rosé that is perfect for quaffing on hot summer days. It is full of raspberry flavors and pairs perfectly with chèvre.

There are so many amazing wine makers in the area, literally in our backyard, that we often take tasting their selections for granted. We usually just breeze in to our favorite domaines, buy and leave. We seldom take the time to talk to the vignerons, taste the wine from year to year, or even to visit new wineries. I don't make New Year's resolutions, so I'm making a Spring Resolution to visit new wineries and do more tastings.
At least I don't have far to drive.


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Photo du Jour - Wisteria

What a gorgeous place to relax with a glass of wine! Under the wisteria and overlooking the Canal du Midi.
Taken last night at Château Ventenac where I attended a wine tasting and dinner. Pin It

The First Few Steps Toward French Citizenship

This week I'll walk down to the Mairie to turn in my Demande d'Acquisition de la Nationalité Française (French Naturalization/Citizenship) dossier in the hopes that it will be turned in to the sous-préfecture in a timely manner and that Béziers won't take the projected 18 months to provide an answer. (but if I know the sous-préfecture in Béziers, it will take even longer)
And I want that answer to be OUI.
Bien sur!

Our sexy, well-coiffed and well dressed postmistress delivered a letter from my dad yesterday that included copies of his and my mom's birth certificates as well as their marriage certificate to include with my application.

I also have to supply:

• my birth certificate and official French translation
• my husband's birth certificate and official French translation
• our marriage certificate and official French translation
• proof of residency in France for the last 5 years
• list of previous places of residence (how far back do I go? No idea)
• list of former employers
• names of all siblings
• names of all children (easy - none)
• names of all pets (just kidding)
• photos
• two copies of the completed application

I don't want to sound pessimistic, but if living here for 5 years has taught me anything, it is to never expect things to go smoothly when dealing with French bureaucracy!

Wish me luck!



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Photo du Jour

The graceful staircase in our friend's house. Pin It

Photo du Jour

Purple flowers promising spring. Pin It

Camembert Férmier

Camembert Férmier  
In all its fragrant glory.



This is not your typical, wrapped up, perfectly round Camembert from a box.

This is a pure, lush, stinky Camembert made from the raw milk of six dairy cows that are kept by the Coopérative Cravirola, a small farm near Minerve . A young woman from the Coopértaive arrives each Tuesday at the Olonzac market with a glass case heaving with their luscious fermier cheeses.
I'm trying to slowly work my way through their selection, having already tasted their sublime Tomme de Maquis and the forgettable la Maquisarde.

The flavors of mushroom and hazelnuts were expertly balanced with hints of clean, green grass and wild thyme from the garrigue. It was gooey and velvety and melted in my mouth. As I savored each and every bite, I was really impressed by its depth and complexity.
The Camembert Férmier is a truly exceptional cheese!

We found the best wine match to be with wine produced here in the Minervois. We tasted it with an AOC red from the local wine co-op, les Trois Blasons, and with a white Muscat Sec from Domaine de Blayac.



It may well be the perfect cheese.


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Photo du Jour

"Please don't make me go outside again...it's too cold!"

Where did spring go? It got so nippy over the weekend that we actually had snow flurries Sunday afternoon! Pin It

Photos du Jour - Une Capitelle

More vineyards in the spring, dotted with white, sweet alyssum.


If you look closely on the upper left, just below the tree line, you'll see une capitelle.

See its doorway?



Here's a close up.
Une capitelle is a dry stone (no mortar) structure used by vignerons and shepherds to store tools, protect livestock and provide temporary shelter. Pin It

Photo du Jour

The weather hasn't been very spring-like around here since Friday.
This burst of yellow next to the bright blue of our neighbor's painted door and shutters was an encouraging sight.


We're in the midst of several days of long, lively lunches with friends. Today we're heading to a casual, pot-luck style Easter lunch with lots of nibbles and one hearty main dish, which I'm making.
Very non-traditional, this pasta dish, but we enjoyed a whopping gigot d'agneau yesterday, so we're lambed out!


Baked Shells with Sweet Sausage, Tomatoes and Peas
serves 4 as a main course

from Food and Wine magazine

The pasta shells in this hearty dish don't get stuffed; instead, they are tossed with the sauce and hold the small pieces of meat and vegetables.

• 1 pound medium pasta shells
• One 28-ounce can peeled Italian tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Pinch of dried oregano
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 pound baked ham, cut into 1/3-inch dice
• 1/2 cup frozen baby peas
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (2 ounces)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain and return to the pot.
2. Puree the tomatoes in a blender or food processor. Pass the puree through a fine sieve to remove the seeds.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the sausage and cook over moderately high heat, stirring the meat and breaking it up with the side of a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate and set aside. Wipe out the skillet.
4. In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the garlic and cook over moderate heat until golden, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the onion and cook until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato puree, heavy cream and oregano and season lightly with salt and pepper. Simmer the sauce over moderately low heat for 10 minutes. Add the sausage and ham and simmer for 10 minutes longer.
5. Stir the sauce into the pasta along with the peas and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the pasta to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the pasta is heated through and the Parmesan is melted. Serve hot.

MAKE AHEAD This baked pasta can be prepared through Step 4 and refrigerated overnight. Add about 10 minutes to the baking time.

Happy Easter! Pin It

Photo du Jour

Such a beautiful color!
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Photo du Jour

Our favorite seeded baguette. The boulangerie calls it le Rusty.

Slather a few slices with beurre au sel de mer Guérande, make a big café au lait in a bowl and you've got yourself the perfect petit déjeuner!
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Only 10 Days To Go!

A little morsel of information drifted across my radar the other day that I am very excited about.

Next Saturday March 28, in just 10 days time, France is celebrating the 8ème Journée Nationale du Fromage - the 8th Annual National Day of Cheese !
It's a ginormous, nationwide Fête du Fromage!

You have plenty of time to get out there and buy some Brie de Meaux or Bleu d'Auvergne, purchase a piece of Picodon, shop for some Selles-sur-Cher or Saint Marcellin, or pick up a small square of Pont-l'Evêque. Why not try something new? I'm sure there's some smelly French cheese that you have always wanted to taste.

Come on...it will be an adventure.




Let's celebrate la Journée Nationale du Fromage together! Write in and let me know what cheese you're going to try. Pin It

Photo du Jour and a Recipe for Soup

Mange ta soupe.




An earthy, garlicky Turkish Carrot, Spinach and Rice Stew I found in The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. The spinach is so perfect right now. I've been buying heaps and heaps at the market every week.
I added some toasted, garlic rubbed and olive oil drizzled baguette croûtons. The more garlic, the better!

"... if you want to turn it into a more filling main course, use stock instead of water, add some cubed boneless chicken or lamb, season it with a little cumin or dill and finish the whole with lemon. You'll wind up with a bigger, more substantial Turkish-style stew."

CARROT, SPINACH AND RICE STEW
Time: 45 minutes

1/2 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2 cup long-grain rice, like Basmati
Salt and pepper
1 pound fresh spinach, thick stems removed, washed and roughly chopped
3 cloves minced garlic, optional
2 tablespoons butter, optional.

1. Combine carrots with 6 cups of water in a saucepan and turn heat to high. Bring to a boil, then stir in rice and a large pinch of salt. When the mixture returns to the boil, add spinach, then adjust heat so that it simmers gently.

2. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice and carrots are very tender, about 1/2 hour, and the mixture takes on the consistency of a thick stew. Stir in garlic or butter (if you're using either or both), and cook another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning and serve.

Yield: 4 servings.

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Photo du Jour - le Village

A shot of our village from the vineyards yesterday.
This view is a two minute walk from our house. Pin It

La Fête du Fromage - Brebis Frais and le Bouchon de Chèvre

We tasted a soft, earthy Fromage de Brebis Frais and a deceptively strong Bouchon de Chèvre this week.


The Brebis Frais comes from a sheep farm in the Corbières whose cheese we've tasted before. In January we tried their sublime Brebis des Corbières, so I was excited to try another cheese from their farm.
This cheese was frais, meaning fresh, thus the flavor was mild. At first bite it was very soft, then as the flavor developed it became tangy and sweet. We loved it! It was a dewy, dense little disk that had a grassy, fresh aroma.
An all around very friendly cheese.

Wine from the same area, the Corbières, would pair well with this cheese.



This flavorful little goat cheese is named for the object it resembles, a wine cork - a bouchon. (which can also mean a cap, a plug or a traffic jam - go figure)
Le Bouchon de Chèvre was commonly referred to as le Bouchon de Sancerre, until it became clear that people were confusing it with an actual Sancerre wine cork, so the cheese's name was changed to le Bouchon de Chèvre. It hails from the region around the town of Sancerre, in the gorgeous Loire Valley.

To achieve its small cylindrical shape, the curds are wrapped in linen and placed into little cork shaped molds to age for at least seven days. It had a smooth texture that was oozing a bit around a blooming, white crust and had a heady aroma. It made for a very smelly kitchen! The flavor was difficult to describe: hints of sourness that became spicy on the tongue and an undertone of wine or marc. This was an excellent cheese!

Avoid red wine, instead have a glass of Sancerre wine with le Bouchon.

blooming exterior

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Photo du Jour

Grand gateway leading to our neighbor's orchard and stables. Pin It

Photo du Jour - les Oliviers

The wind whipping through the olive trees.

After a perfect, warm and sunny Friday, Saturday dawned bright, but with wind crashing through the trees and rattling our shutters. Yesterday the sun had completely disappeared behind thick, ominous clouds and the wind had gained even more strength. I'm sure that is why I was in such a dark mood all day.

Today I've awakened to sun peeking through the clouds and calm. That best describes my mood, too. Pin It

Frustration!

Every day that the American dollar sinks a little lower, my hopes sink with it.

We live on a small fixed income in dollars, so every day we lose a bit more.


Ok, let's do a little math. Students, are you ready? You won't need your calculators for this one.

If diesel fuel costs €1.29 a liter and our little New Beetle holds about 10 gallons of fuel, how much does it cost us in dollars to fill the tank?

1.29
x 1.56
-------
= $ 2.01 a liter

OK, so a liter of fuel is $2.01. There are 3.785 liters to a gallon which means a gallon of fuel is $7.60.

It is FREAKING $76 dollars to fill up our car!

And that is just one example of how much things are costing these days. It also doesn't help that the prices of goods in France are going up at an alarming rate.

I am applying for citizenship which, if granted, means I can work here. (Thus far, I've been denied the right to be employed in France) The only catch is that it takes up to 18 months for an answer.
Doesn't really solve our immediate financial crunch, now does it?

We're trying to stay positive. We're trying to hang on. Sometimes it's just not easy.

Chez Loulou: A Taste of Life in New Orleans - It just doesn't have the same ring to it. Pin It

Photo du Jour

Our village church.

Walk out our front door, look to the right and voilà! There it is!

Our neighbor, the village historian, told us that it was built in the 12th century, destroyed in the 14th and re-built in the late 14th/early 15th century. You can see evidence the old rampart walls on one side.
I love living in the midst of all this history! Pin It

Photo du Jour - le Figuier

The fig trees are starting to get buds! Pin It

OUCH!

Well, I am now painfully aware of what stinging nettles look like...
I brushed up against some while weeding the garden.

Damn, it stings! Pin It

Photo du Jour

Un petit escargot. Pin It

Tangy Lemon Crème Fraîche Cake

Gather ye lemons while ye may....


Sunshine on a plate. That's what I like to call this zesty lemon cake.

Its flavor sparkles! It is zingy and tangy and creamy all at the same time. The "pucker factor" is what I look for in a lemon dessert and this recipe does not disappoint.

I added some sliced strawberries, fresh from the market, and some chantilly for mon mari.




Lemon Crème Fraîche Cake
serves 8

1 stick plus 1 tablespoon (4 ½ ounces) butter
¾ cup superfine sugar (I have made it with regular granulated sugar and that was fine too)
1 ½ tablespoons lemon zest
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 ½ cups self-raising flour (cake flour)
½ cup crème fraîche (or sour cream)
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Place the butter, sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of an electric mixer (or use a hand mixer) and beat until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs and beat well to incorporate, scraping down the sides of the bowl a couple of times.
Mix in the flour, crème fraîche and lemon juice on low speed.
Immediately pour mixture in a greased, 8 inch square cake pan and bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Serve warm with more crème fraîche or chantilly. And strawberries, if you like. Pin It

Photo du Jour

Sweet alyssum flowers.
These prolific flowers carpet the vineyards in the late winter. Pin It

Photo du Jour

Yay! Strawberry time again! Pin It

La Fête du Fromage - Tomme Périgourdine and Mimolette

Textures and colors on both ends of the spectrum this week with an unctuous, milky white Tomme Périgourdine and a dense, pumpkin orange Mimolette.


The Tomme Périgourdine was a wonderful, luscious, creamy goat cheese . It is produced in the stunning Dordogne département by the Ferme du Chèvre Périgourdin whose farm consists of 120 snowy white Saanen goats.

As you can see by the photos, this baby was ripe!
About thirty minutes after I unwrapped it, the outer layer came sliding off into a puddle of oozing fabulousness. It had a very mild aroma and was slightly salty with hints of hazelnut and mushroom. The "goatiness" was not very pronounced, making this an excellent choice for those who are wary of goat cheese. This Tomme was a truly wonderful! It could easily become one of my favorites.
We enjoyed it with a baguette and some red Minervois wine, from just down the street.



≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈

This outlandishly colored cheese is Mimolette also called Boule de Lille, a pasteurized cow's milk cheese. The bright tangerine color comes from the annatto seed (anchiote seed), a mild spice which is also used to color the exterior of Langres and Boulette d'Avesnes.
It resembles a Dutch cheese and some say it originated in Holland, but the production of Mimolette is commonly believed to have begun in France in the 17th century when the French minister, Colbert, forbade the import of foreign goods, including cheese. The northerners around Lille began making their own cheese, based on Edam.
This was an aged Mimolette, about 18 months, producing a very brittle, waxy texture. The flavor was very mellow and nutty, similar to a mild Cheddar. It was pretty bland, kind of like the cheese I grew up eating in America. (Other than the Provolone that my grandfather aged in his basement. We called it stinky cheese.) We both decided it would be a good addition to Macaroni and Cheese!

One of the coolest things about Mimolette is the mite eaten exterior. Yes, mites. As in the arachnid. Cheese mites are allowed to nibble the crust to aerate it and help in maturation.
I would avoid eating the rind.

A glass of Riesling, Pinot Gris or a Châteauneuf-du-Pape would nicely compliment Mimolette.

the mite eaten rind


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Photo du Jour - A Magical Morning

Nature gave a special greeting this morning. Pin It

Photo du Jour

Our friend made these cute, little clay frogs and the small pots to decorate their terrace. Pin It

It Just Wasn't Moi...

As much as I love this photo for the header, it just wasn't working. Every time I opened up Chez Loulou it looked un peu bizarre. Pin It

Photo du Jour

A limequat tree.
I had never seen one before. Has anyone ever tasted a limequat? Pin It

Cleaning-Out-The-Fridge Cake

By cake, I mean a savory cake that is baked in a long, narrow loaf pan.

I've come up with a savory cake batter that allows me to throw in whatever needs to be used up in the fridge. I always have bits of cheese lying about and often have bacon, ham or even leftover roasted chicken. Add some sautéed vegetables for texture and flavor, mix it up, bake it and voilà! Dinner is served!

I call it Cleaning Out The Fridge Cake.

The basic batter recipe:
3 large eggs
1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk - whole or 2%
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix everything together in a big bowl.

Then you fold in:
4 ounces grated cheese such as Gruyère, Comté or Swiss
4 - 8 ounces sautéed vegetables such as zucchini, peppers, fennel, onions, jarred roasted red peppers or roasted tomatoes
8 ounces soft cheese such as chèvre or feta
1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs or 1 teaspoon dried
freshly ground black pepper
optional: 1/4 - 1/2 cup of diced ham or diced, cooked chicken, smoked salmon, dried fruit, pitted olives

Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Serve warm or cold.

Create the ultimate combination to suit your taste!
Some great ones are smoked salmon and sautéed fennel, ham and olives. Chèvre, plumped up golden raisins and mint. Mozzarella, sun dried tomato and rosemary.

The amount of additional salt and freshly ground pepper will depend upon what ingredients you're using.

Yesterdays bread with roasted red peppers, fresh goat cheese, herbes de provence and grated Comté cheese.

Here are a few more savory cake recipes with slightly different batter recipes.
Roquefort and Pear Cake
Savory Cheddar-Chive Bread
Roquefort Walnut Savory Loaf Pin It

Photo du Jour

Making bread feels sooooooo good! Pin It

Photo du Jour - le Chocolat

le Chocolat Craquant* in a pool of crème anglaise


*A chocolate sponge cake layered with crispy chocolate nut praline and topped with a classic French chocolate mousse. Pin It

Photo du Jour

enlarge to see the snow


Just as I was getting all ready for spring, buying primroses and putting the heaters away (no central heating in these old stone houses) this freezing wind from Siberia or somewhere up there blows in and the temperature plummets!

The Montagne Noire finally got a dusting of snow.



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Wine Weekend at a Château

Being that I just wrote about Juliet Bruce-Jones and her Wine Tours in the Languedoc, I thought I should tell you that there are a few spaces left for a Wine Weekend at Château Ventenac at the end of March.
Juliet will be there to introduce the guests of the Château to wines of the area and take them to visit wineries throughout the Languedoc. Pin It

Photo du Jour

Speck, basking in the sun last Sunday.
I love how it looks like he's on a tropical island or something! Pin It