You need to be an Italian millionaire to afford these perfect, beautiful goodies. But what wonderful eye candy!
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November 30, 2007
Photos du Jour - Italian Confection Heaven
You need to be an Italian millionaire to afford these perfect, beautiful goodies. But what wonderful eye candy!
Pin It
November 29, 2007
Photo du Jour - From Italy
Gorgeous gelato in Milano.
I'm back! Thanks to our visiting computer expert, Zach, for getting things up and running again. Pin It
November 27, 2007
No Photo du Jour
My laptop is having difficulty.
We're trying to get things fixed (hopefully by the weekend) but until we do, no Photo du Jour.
sigh Pin It
We're trying to get things fixed (hopefully by the weekend) but until we do, no Photo du Jour.
sigh Pin It
November 26, 2007
Magnificent Milan
Ah, Italy... you captured my heart again. Between the heady demitasses of espresso, the perfect pizza and focaccia bread, the wine, the shoes, the art, the beautiful men and women...
I didn't want to come home!
But I'm back, with three friends from New Orleans in tow. Add them to the three family members we already have visiting and it makes for a busy, busy week coming up.
Ciao for now! Pin It
I didn't want to come home!
But I'm back, with three friends from New Orleans in tow. Add them to the three family members we already have visiting and it makes for a busy, busy week coming up.
Ciao for now! Pin It
November 20, 2007
Off To Milan!
Taking a little vacation to Milan tomorrow and *gasp* leaving the computer at home. If I have the chance, I may post from a friend's computer and if not, I'll be back next week.
Sorry for no Fête du Fromage today! Pin It
Sorry for no Fête du Fromage today! Pin It
Photo du Jour
Sadly, the beautiful leaves are being blown off the vines. Many vineyards are in the process of being pruned and soon they'll all be stark, twisted, little stumps until the buds appear in late March. Pin It
November 19, 2007
Photo du Jour
Some treats on offer at the market in Nérac. The dark, dense pain d'épices (on the top) was divine! Pin It
November 18, 2007
Over At Like to Cook
I'm not sure how often Chez Loulou readers go and read what I'm writing on Like to Cook, so I thought I'd let you know what's going on over there. (hey, it's my job, I have to promote it!)
Our most recent wine tasting adventures in the Minervois.
Camp Cassoulet was mentioned on Epicurious! Merci Amy Sherman!
Recipes for Duck Breast With Honey and Apples , Chive Bread and Smoked Salmon Chowder.
Some ideas for your Thanksgiving feast. Pin It
Our most recent wine tasting adventures in the Minervois.
Camp Cassoulet was mentioned on Epicurious! Merci Amy Sherman!
Recipes for Duck Breast With Honey and Apples , Chive Bread and Smoked Salmon Chowder.
Some ideas for your Thanksgiving feast. Pin It
Photo du Jour
Early morning dog walk into the vines. No, that isn't one of our chihuahuas! This weekend I'm taking care of our neighbor's dog.
The walk was incredibly peaceful. No wind, no car noise, bright sun and only the occasional gunshot in the distance - it's sanglier season. It was also very cold, frosty and invigorating! Pin It
November 17, 2007
Weekend Goings On - Most Importantly, What's for Lunch
This morning I'm getting all sorts of little, last minute things done around the house before I run to la boulangerie and begin making lunch. We've got three family members arriving from America around two o'clock this afternoon, so we thought we'd have a glass of wine and lunch waiting for them.
On the menu today:
Lucques olive tapenade
An updated Coq au Vin that I make with some sparkling Saumur, which I started cooking with last spring. It makes a lovely sauce! I need to write the recipe down and share it.
Cheese course consisting of Maroilles, Cantal Entre-Deux and Chabichou de Poitou.
Tarte Tatin
Tomorrow, I'll let someone else be the chef! Pin It
On the menu today:
Lucques olive tapenade
An updated Coq au Vin that I make with some sparkling Saumur, which I started cooking with last spring. It makes a lovely sauce! I need to write the recipe down and share it.
Cheese course consisting of Maroilles, Cantal Entre-Deux and Chabichou de Poitou.
Tarte Tatin
Tomorrow, I'll let someone else be the chef! Pin It
November 16, 2007
Photos du Jour
I was zipping past this old barn on the edge of a neighboring village the other day, for about the 100th time, and suddenly noticed this face above the door.
Creepy, huh?
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November 15, 2007
Are You A Francophile?
If you love all things French...the food, the history, the wine, the cheese, the scarves, the joie de vivre, the bureaucracy (just kidding - making sure you were paying attention) then you should check out Francophilia.
Have a look! Pin It
Whether you're an expat who's been living in France for 20 years, or the closest you ever got to France was eating a Croissanwich at Jack in the Box, we want you to feel welcome here at Francophilia.(ok, that croissanwich thing freaks me out, but I'll look past it)
Have a look! Pin It
November 14, 2007
Bon Anniversaire Monsieur Montagné
Prosper Montagné was born on this day in 1865 in Carcassonne, France.
Monsieur Montagné is best known for creating the great culinary encyclopedia, Larousse Gastronomique, which is an indispensable addition to any kitchen library.
Bon anniversaire! Pin It
Monsieur Montagné is best known for creating the great culinary encyclopedia, Larousse Gastronomique, which is an indispensable addition to any kitchen library.
Bon anniversaire! Pin It
November 13, 2007
La Fête du Fromage - Livarot and Tommette des Aravis
This week we tasted two delicious cow's milk cheeses, Tommette des Aravis and Livarot.
Livarot is an AOC protected cheese, nicknamed the Colonel due to the strips of rush around the exterior which resemble a colonel's stripes. This dense, heady cheese comes from around the village of Livarot in Normandy, where it has been gracing the tables of the area since the the 17th century.
This is one stinky cheese!
Eat it up quickly or your entire kitchen will smell! Livarot has a nice, smooth consistency and a balanced, slightly strong flavor that was a real pleasure.
Pair with some hard apple cider or white Tokay d'Alsace. Avoid red wine with Livarot.
The Tommette des Aravis is an unpasteurized cow's milk, fermier cheese from the mountains of the Rhône-Alpes region. It had a beautiful, buttery and nutty flavor and sweet aroma. It was fairly mild and slightly salty, which was a nice contrast to the Livarot. All in all, delicious and easy to eat.
Pour a glass of crisp, white wine to drink with this cheese.
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Photo du Jour - Smoked Garlic
Ail fumé - smoked garlic. Never seen this before!
There is a specialty from the the north of France, L'ail fumé d'Arleux, but this was purchased in the southwest. Pin It
November 12, 2007
November 11, 2007
An American BBQ in the South of France
We celebrated our "World Food" evening again last night. This month's theme...
American food.
American food? Yes, it's true. But it wasn't our idea!
I can't remember who suggested an American food themed dinner at our last gathering, but as the only Americans in the group, how could we dissuade our friends from wanting to cook some traditional American dishes?
Fortunately I had a big tub of spicy BBQ sauce in the freezer that I had brought back from Luke's BBQ in Loon Lake, Washington to make something with. (trust me, his sauce is spectacular!)
The final menu consisted of:
Corn and Shrimp Chowder
Caesar Salad
Coleslaw
Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches
Pumpkin - Maple Syrup Pie
bbq pork sandwiches...don't see this very often 'round these parts
the wine was flowing
So far we've enjoyed Mexican, Thai, Brazilian, Indian, Spanish and now, American. What on earth will we do next???
Pin It
American food.
American food? Yes, it's true. But it wasn't our idea!
I can't remember who suggested an American food themed dinner at our last gathering, but as the only Americans in the group, how could we dissuade our friends from wanting to cook some traditional American dishes?
Fortunately I had a big tub of spicy BBQ sauce in the freezer that I had brought back from Luke's BBQ in Loon Lake, Washington to make something with. (trust me, his sauce is spectacular!)
The final menu consisted of:
Corn and Shrimp Chowder
Caesar Salad
Coleslaw
Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches
Pumpkin - Maple Syrup Pie
bbq pork sandwiches...don't see this very often 'round these parts
the wine was flowingSo far we've enjoyed Mexican, Thai, Brazilian, Indian, Spanish and now, American. What on earth will we do next???
Pin It
November 10, 2007
November 9, 2007
Twelve Days Until Milan...
and I need some suggestions!
Have you ever been? Do you have any recommendations?
We're staying in the center and have four days to experience the city. I've booked tickets for Leonardo's Last Supper, but that is our only planned event.
I'm traveling with non foodie/ happy-to-eat-a-ham-and-cheese-sandwich-every-day-of-his-life friend. (it was a difficult relationship at first, but I've gotten over this strange, alien personal trait) But he is happy to try new things.
When I travel, I love to wander around and discover little, hidden places and sit in cafés and watch people.
What are the great people watching piazzas of Milan? Any cheap and cheerful trattorias that aren't too far off the beaten path? Any specialty food shops I should check out that might not be in guidebooks? Any websites about Milan that I should check out?
Grazie in advance! Pin It
Have you ever been? Do you have any recommendations?
We're staying in the center and have four days to experience the city. I've booked tickets for Leonardo's Last Supper, but that is our only planned event.
I'm traveling with non foodie/ happy-to-eat-a-ham-and-cheese-sandwich-every-day-of-his-life friend. (it was a difficult relationship at first, but I've gotten over this strange, alien personal trait) But he is happy to try new things.
When I travel, I love to wander around and discover little, hidden places and sit in cafés and watch people.
What are the great people watching piazzas of Milan? Any cheap and cheerful trattorias that aren't too far off the beaten path? Any specialty food shops I should check out that might not be in guidebooks? Any websites about Milan that I should check out?
Grazie in advance! Pin It
November 8, 2007
Hives!
And I'm not talking about the beekeeper's.
Monday evening my wrists started itching. Then my torso started tingling and itching. Then my neck and ankles and legs and, well, pretty much everywhere. All over my body. I went to bed, hoping that I would sleep through it. Which I did. Until 2:30 am. I got up, searched in vain for some Benadryl (or anything related) but ended up back in bed, scratching, until I finally fell back to sleep.
Tuesday morning I had some red patches and mild itching which went away by mid-morning.
We went through everything we'd eaten, anything I had touched, everywhere we'd been on Monday, trying to figure out the source of the hives. We just couldn't figure it out!
Tuesday afternoon, it started up all over again. Ask Lucy, I was on the phone with her while endlessly scratching my wrists. I finally took some of my husband's allergy medicine and the itchiness went away before bedtime.
Yesterday we were trying to figure out what to drink with a nice lunch of salad and pasta, when I grabbed a bottle of grapefruit soda off the shelf and set it down triumphantly on the kitchen table.
Voilà, the source of my hives!
We had never tried this stuff before Monday. It was the only possible source. (and I almost blamed some Saint-Félicien cheese just because I hadn't eaten any in a while)
I couldn't believe it! I mean, I could believe it - I know that soda pop stuff isn't good for me - but I rarely drink it.
Well, I won't be drinking it ever again, now that it gives me hives!
Guess from now on if I want something fizzy to drink, I'll have to settle for Champagne or Crémant de Limoux. Pin It
Monday evening my wrists started itching. Then my torso started tingling and itching. Then my neck and ankles and legs and, well, pretty much everywhere. All over my body. I went to bed, hoping that I would sleep through it. Which I did. Until 2:30 am. I got up, searched in vain for some Benadryl (or anything related) but ended up back in bed, scratching, until I finally fell back to sleep.
Tuesday morning I had some red patches and mild itching which went away by mid-morning.
We went through everything we'd eaten, anything I had touched, everywhere we'd been on Monday, trying to figure out the source of the hives. We just couldn't figure it out!
Tuesday afternoon, it started up all over again. Ask Lucy, I was on the phone with her while endlessly scratching my wrists. I finally took some of my husband's allergy medicine and the itchiness went away before bedtime.
Yesterday we were trying to figure out what to drink with a nice lunch of salad and pasta, when I grabbed a bottle of grapefruit soda off the shelf and set it down triumphantly on the kitchen table.
Voilà, the source of my hives!
We had never tried this stuff before Monday. It was the only possible source. (and I almost blamed some Saint-Félicien cheese just because I hadn't eaten any in a while)
I couldn't believe it! I mean, I could believe it - I know that soda pop stuff isn't good for me - but I rarely drink it.
Well, I won't be drinking it ever again, now that it gives me hives!
Guess from now on if I want something fizzy to drink, I'll have to settle for Champagne or Crémant de Limoux. Pin It
November 7, 2007
November 6, 2007
Templais Sec
The market in Nérac on Saturday yielded this nice hunk of Templais Sec from the village of Temple-sur-Lot in the Lot-et-Garonne département.
It was shared with a dozen others and the first taste comparison that sprung to everyone's mind was Parmigiano-Reggiano! It had that lovely, nutty flavor and that crumbly texture. Big, tasty shards were broken off with a blunt little cheese knife and enjoyed with a robust red from Cahors.
From the looks of it, Templier is only available locally, about two hours north of here. I looked for it at our market this morning and didn't find it. When I'm in Narbonne later this week I plan on asking about it at the fromagerie.
I loved nibbling on this cheese and should have brought home a big chunk of it. Guess we'll have to take another trip north to visit Kate at the Relais de Camont!
Pin It
November 5, 2007
Photo du Jour - Camp Cassoulet
November 2, 2007
Weekend Away
I won't be posting this weekend. I'm going off to camp.
Camp Cassoulet, that is.
See you Monday! Pin It
Camp Cassoulet, that is.
See you Monday! Pin It
Photo du Jour
A gift from Sara in Italy. Some sparkly digestive sugar and a darling little box of pastilles.
Grazie Sara!!! Pin It
November 1, 2007
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