Ok, I Think This Might Be It

I'm happy with the results of all the template tweaking I've done today. The picture is one I took with my sister in Paris and I think it really captures a feeling of France. Originally I had some trouble getting it to fit into the header and even had some help from "the expert" (merci Zach!)


Tonight I've made one of my favorite dishes. It is adapted from a recipe in Susan Herrmann Loomis's French Farmhouse Cookbook.
She makes her own tart shell, but I buy pre-made pâte brisée at the store to save time.

Pizza Tart

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1, 10½ inch tart shell, pre-baked
• 6 ounces Gruyère cheese, cut into thin slices
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 2 large, ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into thick slices
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
2. Spread the mustard evenly over the bottom of the pre-baked tart shell
   
3. Top with the cheese slices then sprinkle with the garlic
4. Arrange the tomato slices in a single layer evenly over the cheese
5. Place in the middle of the oven and bake about 40 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and the tomatoes have cooked through and are nice and tender
6. Remove from the oven and drizzle the olive oil over the top
   
7. Serve immediately

Makes 4-6 main course servings or 6-8 appetizer servings

One note: If using a metal tart pan, put it on a baking sheet before placing in the oven to keep the bottom from overcooking. Pin It

La Fête du Fromage - Chaumes, Tomme Noir des Pyrénées and Crottin de Chavignol

The cheeses chosen for this week's tasting were Chaumes, Tomme Noir des Pyrénées and Crottin de Chavignol.

Chaumes is made from pasteurized cow's milk, has an attractive, tangerine colored rind and a springy textured, ivory interior. It is a popular table cheese in France and is produced in the Dordogne region. The flavor is pleasantly nutty and soft, but the odor is quite pungent! Chaumes is a great cheese for grilling.

Tomme Noir des Pyrénées has been produced in the French Pyrénées mountains since the 12th Century. It wrapped in black wax (hence the "noir") and the interior is creamy white with little holes. It is made from unpasteurized cow's milk and offers mild buttery and slightly salty flavors. It is a friendly, easy to eat cheese, but not that interesting.

Named for goat or horse dung, yes dung, Crottin de Chavignol, was named such because its little, squat, drum shape resembled just that. And the name stuck. Bizarre, non ?
It has been produced since the 16th century in the tiny village of Chavignol in the Loire Valley. Crottin de Chavignol is made from goat's milk and was granted AOC status in 1976. It can be eaten young when the flavor is nutty and the texture soft, or aged when it shrinks in size, becomes stronger and the rind becomes moldy and brown colored. Now you understand where it gets it's name!
Delightful when paired with a glass of white Sancerre or fruity Beaujolais.

Bonne Fête du Fromage!


Pin It

La Charente-Maritime

The Charente-Maritime did not disappoint.
An alluring landscape of long, sandy beaches, salt marshes, rolling hills, vineyards and forests punctuated with stunning, Romanesque architecture and quaint villages made for a delightful three day visit.

The little chambres d'hôtes that I found last minute on the Internet was a mere five minutes from the most charming little seaside town, Saint-Palais-sur-Mer. We spent both evenings here, soaking up the sun, breathing in the salt air and enjoying a glass of Pineau de Charentes while watching the residents stroll by with their dogs.



Beach Burger, on the main street, made us laugh and we almost tried it one night, but ended up at a little restaurant with a view of the sea, eating delicious little steamed mussels instead. (I think that was a wise decision.)




Cognac was just an hour away so we drove over to visit our favorite producer, Roullet-Fransac. They were as warm and welcoming as the last time we visited and invited the dogs in to join us. They have a very comfortable tasting room with big couches and wing back chairs. After several tastes of cognac and Pineau, it is a difficult place to leave!


They also make several liqueurs using cognac, the Pomegranate was my favorite. Served chilled, it tastes a bit like a cosmopolitan.


We meandered around, visiting Saintes, Pons, Jonzac, Royan, Marennes and driving up the Gironde estuary to Saint-Georges-de-Didonne. We put a lot of miles on our little car and the dogs were incredibly well behaved. They were welcomed into every café and restaurant we stopped at and offered nice, big bowls of water.

The Charente-Maritime is an enchanting region with natural beauty, impressive sights, wonderful food and drink and delightful, friendly people. We're definitely going back. Pin It

Road Trip

We taking a little road trip to the Poitou-Charentes region for a couple of days.
À bientôt. Pin It

La Fête du Fromage

For this week's Fête du Fromage we tasted Laguiole, Pyramide de Chèvre and Brique de Brebis.

The enormous 80 pound wheels of Laguiole are made from unpasteurized cow's milk and aged for 6-12 months. It is produced by a sole cooperative, Jeune Montagne, on the Aubrac plateau and was given AOC status in 1961. The cheese takes its name from the village of Laguiole, where the famous knives are also made. Its texture is very moist, but crumbly and the flavor is buttery, tangy and rich.

The little ash covered Pyramide de Chèvre was pure bliss! Made of unpasteurized goat's milk, its chalky white, nutty interior melts in your mouth and turned the red wine we were drinking into ambrosia. Its size and shape resembles a Valençay, but was made locally by a fromager here in the Languedoc.

Brique de Brebis, made by Lou Pérac brand, is a pure sheep's milk cheese shaped into a little brick. It is a pasteurized cheese from Aveyron and available in most major supermarchés. The creamy interior oozes out when you cut through its edible rind, making it perfect for spreading on bread. This is a mass produced cheese but the flavor is delicate and satisfying.




Pin It

Lunch

We spent the weekend having long lunches with friends. Definitely the best way to spend a lazy holiday weekend here in France.


Saturday was a curry extravaganza by the sea which left us feeling very satisfied and needing a nap. Strangely enough, we were able to garner the energy to go wine tasting in the late afternoon...

Sunday's lunch featured gigot d'agneau, roasted potatoes and cauliflower gratin followed by a fabulous apple and frangipane tart, kind of like this. John and Huw are wonderful cooks and we always know to expect delicious food, wonderful company and a fun afternoon when we're invited to John's house.


Today we're drinking lots of water and eating salad. Pin It

Isn't the Internet Great?

We found this recipe online last night by searching for "italian sausage arugula recipe". This one from Restaurant Widow popped up so we decided to give it a try.
I didn't roast my own peppers, just used a couple of roasted peppers from a jar.

The result was tangy, a bit spicy and quite good! The olive oil drizzled on at the end really rounded out the flavors.

Pasta with Italian Sausage and Arugula - serves 2

6 ounces smooth penne
2 sweet or hot Italian sausage links
red pepper flakes
1/2 onion, cut into thin half moon slices
2 red peppers, roasted and cut into 2" by 1/2" slivers
2 large handfuls arugula, well washed and torn, any tough stems removed
salt and freshly cracked pepper
2 tbsp vinegar - sherry, plain white, apple cider would all work well
Good extra virgin olive oil
good Parmesan cheese, optional

Cook the pasta in well-salted water according to package directions; remove a little of the pasta water and set aside, then drain the pasta and set aside.
In the meantime, heat a large skillet over medium heat, add a little olive oil, and add the sausage to the pan - slice the casings and crumble the sausage with your fingers into the pan; season with crushed red pepper flakes.
When the sausage is cooked through, drain off the fat and place the sausage on a plate.
Add the onions to the pan and saute over medium-high heat - you want them to have some "toothiness" left, not to go all soft.
Add the peppers and return the sausage to the pan. Stir everything through.
Add a little (1/4 cup) of the pasta water to the pan and scrape up any browned sausage bits that have accumulated. The starch in the pasta water will help bind your ingredients together.
Add the arugula to the pan and sprinkle liberally with salt.
Stir everything together, add the vinegar, and allow the arugula to wilt down and soften.
Stir for about 2 minutes and taste a piece of arugula; add a little black pepper and correct seasonings as needed, cooking a little longer if the arugula is too tough.
Add the pasta back to the pan and toss to coat.
Place pasta in bowls and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired, and grate a little Parmesan over. Pin It

The Garden

One day it's cold. The next day it's hot. The next day it's cold. Yesterday was cold and rainy. Today was cold and very, very windy.
My poor little plants in the garden are struggling! They need le soleil!

Friends and neighbors have kindly given me four varieties of tomatoes, two round zucchini, three eggplant, two chili pepper, one giant pumpkin and two sugar pumpkin plants. I've also planted basil, cilantro, thyme, rosemary, parsley and sage.
The garden is all ready to grow, now where's the sun and warm weather? Pin It

Curaloo? Vindurry?

This weekend ten of us are gathering at a friends house for a curry lunch and my contribution will be our favorite lamb curry. Well, it's not really a curry. It's kind of a mélange between a curry and a vindaloo.
A Curaloo? A Curdalry? A Vindurry? What ever you want to call it, it's delicious!

This is an easy recipe, but it needs up to a couple of hours to cook slowly so the lamb is melt-in-your-mouth tender.

• 1 inch piece minced or grated ginger
• 5 cloves minced garlic
• 5 minced green chili's
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 kilo or 2 lb. lamb shoulder, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 3 sliced medium yellow onions
• 4 chopped medium tomatoes
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup neutral tasting oil, I use grapeseed but canola, sunflower or corn are also good
• salt to taste
• water
• chopped fresh cilantro (coriander for my British friends)

1. Mix and mash the first 7 ingredients together to make a kind of paste.
2. Heat the oil in a pan with a lid on medium and fry the sliced onions until golden.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry for 5 minutes.
4. Add the paste and fry for another 5 minutes.
5. Put the lamb in the pan, pour the vinegar over, stir well to combine and cook for 10 minutes.
6. Add salt to taste and enough water to just cover.
7. Cover the pan and simmer until the lamb is tender and the juices thicken, about 1 to 2 hours. I know there's a big difference between 1 hour and 2 hours, but it depends on the lamb. One time I made this it took just an hour and another time it took a lot longer.
   
8. Garnish with chopped cilantro and enjoy.
   

Pin It

The Way Lunch Was Meant To Be

Tucked into the heart of the Massif de l'Esterel in the Var department is an Auberge where lunch is perfection. A three hour, four course, south of France, sitting-on-the-terrace-in-the-sun-with-a-view-of-the-beautiful-countryside kind of lunch.

The way lunch was meant to be.


The Auberge des Adrets served one of the best meals I've had in a very long time.

There is no menu. You choose the number of courses you would like, un peu (two courses), beaucoup (three courses), passionément (four courses) or à la folie (five courses) and the chef creates the menu for your table. We chose beaucoup.
They ask that you tell them if there is anything you particularly dislike or are allergic to so they can work around it.

The meal started with two amuses-bouches. The first was a plate filled with three kinds of savory pastries and the second was an asparagus broth served in a shot glass with a little quenelle of white bean "caviar" on the side. What a beginning!



The first course for me and my sister was foie gras. It was ''cooked'' in muscat wine and salt which gave the liver a soft, creamy texture. A slice of toasted brioche and fig compote were the perfect accompaniments. My husband can't eat liver anymore as it gives him gout, so he was served two enormous scallops wrapped in bacon and cooked so they melted in your mouth.

The second course was grilled carré d'agneau, tomato jam (in the spice jar) and an eggplant flan topped with a savory little croissant. I have just one word. Divine. The combination was incredible. The chef truly knows what he's doing.



By this point in the meal we were floating on cloud nine and decided to throw caution to the wind and order an extra course. They gladly honored our request with a cheese course. My sister and a cheese course. Like a kid in a candy store.
They offered ten different kinds and she tried a bit of each. Our favorite was a tomme au marc de raisin which is a raw cow's milk cheese that is aged under a thick layer of grape marc, the residue that is left after the grapes are pressed to make wine. Doesn't look very pretty, but the flavor is amazing!



So far, the meal had been perfect.
On to dessert, which often fails to live up to my (high) expectations. (might it be the former pastry chef in me?) Again, one word. Sublime. I can't even begin to describe how delicious this was! Fresh strawberries layered with crisp tuile cookies and semi-frozen, lemon infused fromage frais (I think it was fromage frais...or maybe fromage blanc), surrounded by a passion fruit coulis and topped with a beautiful teardrop of caramelized sugar wrapped around a hazelnut.



The coffee we ordered at the end came with a little plate of goodies. Bittersweet chocolate truffles, pistachio macaroons and little vanilla and cinnamon muffins. Irresistible and a very nice touch.



We left the Auberge completely and utterly satisfied, very full (the cheese course was possibly one too many) and wishing it wasn't so far from where we live so we could come back and try more of the chef's wonderful creations.
Thank you Auberge des Adrets for such an incredible meal and thank you sister for treating us! It was the perfect last day of a perfect visit with you.

Pin It

Tuesday's Fête du Fromage - Bleu d'Auvergne and Saint-Félicien

Bleu d'Auvergne and Saint-Félicien

Saint-Félicien is a luscious, creamy cow's milk cheese with a high fat content (60%), made in the Rhône-Alpes region.
I adore this cheese! The texture is very soft and the flavor is mildly sour and tangy. I think Saint-Félicien is perfect in the morning, spread on toast and drizzled with honey.

Buttery, moist and smoky tasting, Bleu d'Auvergne is named for its place of origin, the volcanic, remote Auvergne region of south-central France. It was discovered in 1850 by a farmer and was granted AOC status in 1975.
Try it with a sweet white wine and dried figs or with gutsy reds such as Côtes du Rhône or Cahors.


Pin It

A Drive Up the Hill

Minerve
A village named for the Roman goddess Minerva and the site where 180 followers of the Cathar religion were burned alive in 1210 for refusing to deny their faith during one of the bloody crusades led against them by the Catholic church. A stone plaque marks the massacre with these somber words; "Ici pour la foi Cathare 180 Parfaits sont morts par les flammes."

Minerve has a dramatic history and a dramatic situation. From our village it's about a ten minute drive on a narrow and very windy road up and over one hill, down into a gorge and up another hill. The road makes a final, sharp turn and the village appears before you. Perched on a rock island between two river gorges, Minerve does not fail to impress.

It is a beautiful, if not eerie, place to visit and is classified as one of les Plus Beaux Villages de France. Minerve is home to several artists, a few restaurants, a couple of museums and a church that was consecrated in 456 A.D. Around the village are spectacular walks in the gorges and the garrigue.

The best time to visit is in the spring or autumn. The summer can be be very hot and crowded.

Pin It

Fromage...continued

I finally have the chance to add to the post I started the other day about last week's delectable cheese tasting with my sister.

For someone who finds Roquefort cheese a bit too...well...fort, the Bleu des Basques was a breath of fresh air. It had all the qualities I appreciate in a bleu cheese, without being too salty or overwhelming. It was sophisticated, smooth and very, very tasty.

The little Picodon had a dense, chalky interior with an earthy flavor and a blue-grey rind from aging. It is made from raw goat's milk in the mountains of the Rhone-Alps, specifically the Ardèche and the Drôme. It was granted AOC status in 1991 and has its own festival every summer.



A final taste of Brie de Meaux was supposedly the last wish of Louis XVI before he was sent to the guillotine and it was also declared the "King of Cheese" at the Congress in Vienna in 1814. Creamy and rich with hints of hazelnut and fruit, Brie de Meaux has been made for over 1000 years and was a favorite of Charlemagne's. It is made from unpasteurized cow's milk and was granted AOC status in 1980.

Beaufort, delicious Beaufort! Made in the French Alps and aged for four to twelve months, it has a lovely, buttery scent and is best when served with white wine. It's flavor is smooth and fruity. The best is Beaufort d'Alpage which is made exclusively from the milk of free roaming Tarentaise cows that graze on the alpine grasses and flowers. Pin It

Brunch in France vs. Brunch in America

Brunch in France




Brunch in America





I love all these little cultural differences! Pin It

The View From Our Window

This was our view for the last five days from the borrowed villa. Now you know why I didn't want to leave!




Pin It

La Fête du Fromage, With Wine

We're here in this little piece of heaven on earth, perched high on a hill above the bay of Cannes. Photo ops have been numerous but since I forgot the cable to upload pictures I won't be sharing any until we get home.

Tonight is our last here in the villa.
We are not ready to leave! And my sister has to go back to the States on Thursday. I'm really not ready for her to leave!

We've decided a cheese and wine fête (she's calling it an orgy) is the best way to celebrate our last night in this amazing place.

Bonne Fête du Fromage! Pin It

La Fête du Fromage...continued

We picked up some cheese at les Halles in Béziers yesterday where a very kind woman at la fromagerie helped us choose a few from the numerous varieties available.
We ended up with the following:

Bleu de Basque
Beaufort
Picodon
Brie de Meaux

There's no time to write about these cheeses at the moment as we're off again in the morning to drive to the villa near Cannes. We'll be back in a few days.
Let me just say that they were fantastic! Especially the Beaufort. Oh my god, what heavenly cheese! Pin It

Perfect Paris

We had five perfect days in Paris with the exception of one thing...restaurant Spring. More on that later.


Pin It