January 30, 2010

Photo du Jour - Tacos


My flight finally landed at 1 o'clock Friday morning in San Francisco. I slept for a few hours and by noon my sister and I were polishing off carnitas and chicken tacos at Taqueria los Gordos in Aptos, California.
What a fantastic way to start my trip! Pin It

January 27, 2010

California and Louisiana (and Vegas, baby!)

Here it is Wednesday already, which usually means some delicious French cheese tasting for la Fête du Fromage. Not this week, however.
Tomorrow morning my annual trek back to the States begins bright and early, so the cheese has been put on hold until I return to la belle France in a few weeks.

First I'm heading to my sister's house in California to see my nieces, nephews, brother in law and this wonderful object. I've missed it so much. Yes, I've also missed my family, but if you knew this coffee maker you would know why I'm so smitten.
I'm hoping the weather will be as gorgeous as it was the last time I was there.


And we'll be taking a little side trip to Vegas, baby!

Then on to New Orleans for some good times with great friends. Not to mention a fried shrimp po' boy or two, some red beans and rice, bacon pralines, crayfish anything and lots of decadence for Mardi Gras.
All that AND the New Orleans Saints are playing in the Superbowl this year. It is going to be crazy!


Look for many stories and photos from the road.

A bientôt! Pin It

January 26, 2010

Four

I missed Chez Loulou's four year blogiversaire yesterday.
Oops.

Every year I think it takes place on January 26, not the 25th!

photo found here

Thank you for reading, for commenting, for being such great friends and acquaintances. You have all made the blogging experience a great one!

I toast you all with a big hunk of French cheese and a glass of red. Santé! Pin It

January 25, 2010

Buying Jeans in France and My New Favorite Store

Finding a pair of jeans in France that fit me is not easy. Actually, finding any clothes here that fit me isn't easy.

I am short. Only 5 foot, 1¾ inches. (don't mock the ¾ inches - it counts!)
My height shouldn't be a problem as many French women down here in the south are short like me. Also I am...how do you say...a bit round. I wouldn't call myself Rubenesque, but definitely hourglass.
But it seems that the clothes here are all made for those willowy, bony model types who live in Paris and other places in France. I wouldn't know because I never encounter them. But I'm sure they exist. Don't they?
If not, then who is wearing all of these clothes?

Anyway, finding a pair of jeans that I look and feel good in has always been a pain.

image found here

Over the summer I dropped about 20 pounds. Working as a chef in a scorching hot restaurant kitchen six nights a week is admittedly the best diet I've ever been on. Can't say that it didn't require lots of sweating and cursing, but it did mean that I drank liters and liters of water every day and had little or no appetite.

By the beginning of October my jeans literally hung off of me. I tried cinching them up with belts and folding over the tops, but they just didn't fit.
Thus the search for a new pair began.
Oy.


My rescue finally came in the form of my new favorite store - Promod. They actually have clothes that fit me! Clothes that are comfortable, cute and don't break the bank.
And one of the best things about them, you'll appreciate this if you live in France, they accept returns. No discussion, no argument, no having to give up your first born child for un bon d'achat that expires in 6 months. Just a "thank you, here's your money back and have a nice day."

Good jeans and good customer service. It just doesn't get much better than that.

. Pin It

January 23, 2010

Photo du Jour - Stumbling Upon History


The remnants of La Chapelle de Saint Salvy sit quietly in a small thicket at the edge of the village.
A friend told me about this special place the other day so I went wandering until I finally stumbled across another amazing bit of local history.
Dated between the 8th and 12th centuries. Pin It

January 21, 2010

What Dish Says "France" to You?

The other day I asked un p'tit question on Twitter: If you had to choose just one dish that said "France" to you, what would it be?

The responses came in fast and furious. Many had exactly one dish in mind and others couldn't quite decide so suggested a few favorites. Most were very passionate about their idea of the quintessential French dish.

The most popular were:
Foie gras with 6 votes
Coq au Vin with 7 votes
Boeuf Bourguignon and Cassoulet with 8 votes
Confit de Canard with 9 votes

Even though it isn't a dish per se, the baguette was mentioned a couple of times, as was pain au chocolat. Not a single mention of French cheese however!


bcinfrance Foie gras, no doubt about it.

sheriffof0 Beef Bourgignon w/ Dauphinoise! Mmmmmmm.....

spacedlawyer Blanquette de veau à l'ancienne. Although Boeuf bourguignon might be more widely known outside France.

cutestmidget for me it's definitely confit de canard. or foie gras :)

jpack Bouef Bourguignon!

hamishwm coq au vin, foie gras, steak au poivre

frenchbabe09 Cassoulet !! Ca me manque :)

katethyme Savory dish that screams France? My favorite: Pan-Seared Foie Gras - with Brioche toast and Sauterne

Autrement
Confit canard et pommes de terre sarladaises!


lucullian foie gras and sauterne

food_writer coq au vin!

home_gourmets For me, it's Ratatouille (savoury) & (sweet) Tarte Tatin, s'il vous plaît!

lifesafeast Oooh Blanquette de veau? Daube de beouf au carottes?

cowgirlchef Duck confit w/ a side of gratin Dauphinois

LostNCheeseland boeuf bourguignon!
LostNCheeseland keeping it simple, the quiche! (I know I said beef bourguignon yesterday, but this is über French too)

MyMelange So many to choose...Coq au Vin, Moules for dishes. Croque Monsieur for cafe food.

Foodbridge pain au chocolat but I guess that is not a dish -what about coq au vin

foodiechick tarte tatin, pomme anna


melrovens Cassoulet

k_sam Salad nicoise? Quiche? Steak frites?
k_sam C says coq au vin

VinsdeBourgogne Jambon beurre sandwich

lyonalacarte Blanquette de Veau

annief1 Crepes made with buckwheat ....from Breton...!

danamac escargot

nimble_wit Henri IV's poule au pot, sans doute

feteafete duck confit!

lezzles Confit de canard avec des pommes sarladaises.

brassfrog Not a "dish" but it would have to be baguettes; you can't find any here that are half as good.

peterwoodcock for me it would have to be 'bavette frites' - as served at Chez Felix in Carcassonne of course

foodwinediarist Rillettes de porc!

dinkypen - crêpes!!!

cookitaly Jambon Persillé - pot au feu - paté du canard - 3 dishes I know!


FifiFlowers Bifteck et pommes frites!

jemangepdx coq au vin!

karinakazue crème brûlée ever!!!

DesignBabylon Cassoulet? Confit de Canard? Macarons? Galette de Rois? Now my pathetic excuse for a dinner really won't cut it

AntoniaTable casoulet bouillabaise coq au vin

nativefoodwine Je pense Cassoulet

marieloua Confit de canard :-)

parisiensalon Tie between boeuf bourguignon and croque monsieur. Or confit de canard. Or a pot au feu. Damn. Now I'm starving.
parisiensalon Thanks to @louloufrance, I am now craving duck confit, but have no hope of having any tonight. Argh!

bellavventura Mais 'les crepes' evidament!

misterrios When we were in Paris, my girlfriend ordered the Oeufs a la Neige, and it is one of the defining food moments of the trip.

ap269 that would be baguette

Stefaniya Cassoulet! Soupe a l'oignon, bouillabaisse, magret de canard a l'orange, tournedos Rossini, croque monsieur... frites...

foodiechick Abbreviated RT @Stefaniya: @louloufrance: Frites!

letastingroom Cassoulet springs to mind of course, but moules as well and from our perspective in the Loire, rillettes.


leperchoir Difficult question - agree with @letastingroom about Cassoulet & moules but can't overlook Confit de canard and Foie gras !!

GastroGirls Coq au Vin or Boeuf Bourguignon. Or Bouillabaise.

aaronmalys Thanks! --> Crème brûlée

TheGringoChapin boeuf bourgignon!

foodloverkathy Savory dish that says #France is Beef Burgundy (couldn't spell it in French)
foodloverkathy Crouquembouche is a sweet dish that is #France

brockhallfarm beautiful crusty baguette with a great Beurre d'Issigny
brockhallfarm @food_writer @louloufrance yes, my suggestion was hardly a 'dish' but conjures up images of picnics en plein air,with or without du tracteur
brockhallfarm forgot to say, whether at the top of Montmartre or not, onion soup

winosandfoodies tarte tartine
winosandfoodies It's difficult to pick just one 'cos all are quite regional.

ParisMB i'm afraid dishes don't say "france" to me, they say "savoie", "bourgogne", "sud ouest" and many other lovely things :)

Then there was the one with the sense of humor.
cognacproperty Satellite??? (I'm no fan of regular French TV but Canal+ is fab)
(get it? - which "dish"?) ha ha ha...


What do you think? If you had to choose just one dish that said "France" to you, what would it be?

Oh yeah, I forgot to add my two cents:
@louloufrance Choosing 1 dish is difficult. I would say Coq au Vin (and Cassoulet and Sole Meunière and Steak Frites- I said choosing just 1 was hard!) Pin It

January 20, 2010

La Fête du Fromage - Chèvre Férmier de Philippe

This cheese invoked some interesting comments during our tasting.
"Looks like a fine sponge."
"The texture reminds me of angel food cake."

Voilà Chèvre Férmier de Philippe, another special cheese from the fromager in Eauze who sells only small farm produced and artisan cheeses from the Pyrénées. I owe Kate Hill a huge thank you for taking me to see him.



Farm produced goat cheeses usually offer a healthy hit of goat flavor and this one didn't fail in that respect. Despite the medium-strong goatiness, this is an extremely well balanced, delicate and nutty cheese. Chèvre de Philippe's fine flavor and wonderful springy texture brought us all back for seconds. Then again for thirds.
I would have gone back for fourths, but we were tasting two other cheeses so I managed to show some restraint.

I've never seen these Pyrénées cheeses that are named after their producers down here in the Languedoc, so I think a trip back up to Gascony to track down this fantastic fromager is in my future!

Enjoyed with a glass of 100% old vine carignan. Pin It

January 19, 2010

Photo du Jour - Crescent Moon


Against a midnight blue sky. Pin It

January 17, 2010

La Couleur Rouge
























Splashes of cardinal, vermilion and crimson. Hints of ruby, cerise and scarlet.
The Languedoc-Roussillon blushes in many shades of la couleur rouge. Pin It

January 16, 2010

Photo du Jour - Church Bells


Watch? Why would I need to wear a watch?
When I'm home, I always know what time it is. Pin It

January 15, 2010

La Fête du Fromage - January Round Up

This month offered a fantastic mélange of cheeses for la Fête du Fromage International Cheese Tasting Event. A huge merci to all of you who joined in!


Poor Nathalie had to forgo cheese during the entire month of December due to a diet her husband was on (which she said almost led to divorce). She's joined us again this month with this scrumptious Caprino di Fattoria, a fresh, Italian goat's cheese that she credits with saving her marriage! Have a look at her blog, Spaced Out Rambling for a few more mouth watering photos of this creamy, tangy little cheese.
Welcome back Nathalie!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

La Couronne Lochoise
, a chèvre from the Loire, is this month's entry from la petitie parisienne Camille of Croque-Camille. She chose this particular cheese at her local Fromagerie because she liked its doughnut shape, which she later learned represented a crown, not a doughnut! Camille describes this cheese as "smooth and buttery" on the inside and "sharp" and "zippy" on the outside. I concur.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New to la Fête du Fromage is Susan of Savoring Time in the Kitchen. She tasted a wedge of Pleasant Ridge Reserve from Wisconsin which she describes as a "combination of an aged white cheddar and a fine French Gruyère." Sounds wonderful! And don't those spicy chili crackers look delicious?


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shira of Petit Pois started the new year off in the right direction with a resolution to taste more cheese. I love that! Almost immediately however, she found herself being lured back to one of her favorite French cheeses, Fourme d'Ambert. Its flavor, "round and nutty...neither insipid nor one-dimensional" and its reasonable price were too enticing to pass up.
"Resolution be damned," she says. And I agree. She plans on trying some new cheeses this year, but Fourme d'Ambert will always be on her short list!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A trio of Normandy's best known cheeses were written up by Maggie of Normandy Life. Pont l'Evêque, Camembert and Livarot are three French cheeses that she says make up the perfect Normandy cheese board. I have to agree! I also like Maggie's suggestion of tasting them with a glass of Calvados, the famous apple brandy from the region.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My entry of this month's Fête is Etorki, an unassuming ewe's milk cheese from the Basque region of southwest France. It is velvety and rich with hazelnut and caramel-like flavors that are a true delight!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That's a wrap! Thanks for making January's round up a great one!


The next Fête du Fromage International Cheese Tasting will take place in March as I'll be in New Orleans joining in the Mardi Gras festivities in February.
Please have your entries to me by March 13. The entire round-up will be posted on March 15.

There is an amazing world of cheese out there to discover and there are many small farmers and artisan cheese makers who appreciate our support. I look forward to reading about your tastings in March!

Tell us why you chose this particular cheese. Tell us how it tasted. Tell us about its texture and aroma. Did you eat it on its own? Or with something? Did you drink anything special with your cheese? Would you recommend it or not? Is there something unusual or interesting about it?
  • Photos are wonderful, but not necessary
  • Entries must contain the words La Fête du Fromage and contain a link to Chez Loulou
  • Posts should be written specifically for La Fête du Fromage and not entered in any other food blog event
  • Please send the link to your post to louloufrance (at) gmail (dot) com with the words Fête du Fromage in the subject line
Pin It

January 14, 2010

Photo du Jour - Symmetry


I think there is something quite special about an avenue of cypress trees. Pin It

January 13, 2010

La Fête du Fromage - La Brique du Forez

The Auvergne is home to many of France's well known and loved cheeses; sublime Cantal, gorgeous Gaperon and two beautiful bleus, Fourme d'Ambert and Bleu d'Auvergne.

In the extreme eastern edge of the Auvergne lies the le pays du Livradois-Forez, home to this week's cheese, La Brique du Forez (also called Chevreton du Livradois).


La Brique du Forez is soft - in texture, aroma and flavor. Nothing about it is over the top.
This is a humble, well rounded cheese that has beautiful butter and hazelnut flavors, and I also detected gentle hints of goatiness. Its earthy aroma has a tiny bit of barnyard to it, but not aggressive at all.

Made from 100% unpasteurized goat's milk during the spring and autumn and a blend of cow and goat's milk the rest of the year, this cheese is produced both on small farms and by artisan cheese makers.
One website did state that la Brique has become industrially produced, however the Fromagerie where I bought it said that this one was lait cru and fermier.

If you find yourself in the Auvergne or see this cheese for sale at a Fromagerie in France, don't hesitate to try it. It is a wonderful cheese!

Wine recommendation: a fruity Beaujolais or a floral Viognier.



. Pin It

January 12, 2010

Photo du Jour - Almost Frozen...


...but not.

The little stream near our house never did freeze over and it appears that the temperature should be warming up tomorrow.
Not that it hasn't been chilly!
The cold snap and dusting of snow kept us in all weekend. I did a lot of cleaning and organizing and cooking. When I ventured out to the market this morning the temperature was a numbing 0 degrees C (32 F). Too cold to linger over my purchases.
I did my shopping in a record 20 minutes and headed home to warm my toes.

This winter hasn't bothered me as much as the previous ones. The heat last summer was so unbearable that I've come to appreciate the other seasons much more. Pin It

January 11, 2010

January's Fête du Fromage International Cheese Tasting Event

Only a few days left to get your entries to me for La Fête du Fromage!

If you would like to join in, please have your entries to me by January 13 (if you're a day late I won't mind). The entire round-up will be posted on January 15.




Tell us why you chose this particular cheese. Tell us how it tasted. Tell us about its texture and aroma. Did you eat it on its own? Or with something? Did you drink anything special with your cheese? Would you recommend it or not? Is there something unusual or interesting about it?
  • Photos are wonderful, but not necessary
  • Entries must contain the words La Fête du Fromage and contain a link to Chez Loulou
  • Posts should be written specifically for La Fête du Fromage and not entered in any other food blog event
  • Please send the link to your post to louloufrance (at) gmail (dot) com with the words Fête du Fromage in the subject line
Pin It

January 9, 2010

Creamy Cheesy Orzo With Swiss Chard

It can be baked in the oven or stirred to creamy perfection on the stove. It can be made into a hearty, cheese topped gratin or infused with different kinds of wine, even sparking Saumur. It can even be made with pasta.
Or can it?
I'm talking about risotto.

I have to ask...is it really risotto if it isn't made with rice?
As you know, I have issues with slow cooked vegetarian bean dishes being called Cassoulet and am really perplexed by vegan, dairy-free food products being referred to as cheese.
So what is risotto exactly? Is it the ingredients, i.e. the arborio rice, or the cooking method that makes it risotto?
Any thoughts?

To be honest though, after tasting this rich, cheesy pasta dish, I could care less! Call it risotto, call it pasta by absorption method, call it what you will.
I call it simply delicious.


A note on the cheese. Fontina is impossible to find where we live so I have replaced it with Raclette, a French (or Swiss) cheese from the Alps that is used to make a cold weather, stick-to-your-ribs dish of the same name. The cheese has a fruity and slightly smoky flavor that I love.


Cheesy Orzo "Risotto" with Swiss Chard
Serves 4
  • 2 ½ cups chicken or vegetable stock or canned low-sodium broth
  • 2 ½ cups water
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 ¾ cups orzo (¾ pound)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
  • 1 pound red Swiss chard, stems trimmed and finely chopped, leaves coarsely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
  • 5 ounces imported Fontina (or Raclette) cheese, cut into 1/4-inch dice (1 cup)
  • ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (3 ounces)
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
1. Bring the chicken stock and water to a simmer in a saucepan; keep warm over low heat. Melt the butter in a medium nonstick saucepan. Add the orzo to the butter and cook over moderately high heat, stirring often, until the orzo is golden, about 8 minutes. Add 1 cup of the hot stock mixture and cook, stirring gently, until all of the stock is absorbed. Gradually add more of the stock mixture, 1 cup at a time, and cook, stirring frequently, until the orzo is al dente and creamy but not soupy, about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add the shallot and Swiss chard stems and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the stems are tender and lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Add the chard leaves and cook over moderately high heat, tossing, until the leaves are wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the vinegar. Stir the chard and the Fontina and Parmesan cheeses into the risotto, season with salt and pepper and serve.

The recipe was slightly adapted from this one from Food and Wine magazine. Pin It

January 7, 2010

Photo du Jour - Snowy Night


Nothing like a little weather to bring on the urge to settle in, stay warm and nest. And eat some serious comfort food.

- Fettuccine Bolognese
- Thai Red Curry
- Carnitas with Refried Beans and Mexican Rice
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Aloo Gobi with Homemade Naan

Luckily the house is full of provisions, including plenty of red wine, so we aren't going anywhere until all this white stuff melts away. Pin It

January 6, 2010

La Fête du Fromage - Vache Férmier de Jean-François

The little car hurtled across the lush Gascon countryside and deep down into Armagnac country where it finally came to a halt in the market town of Eauze, our destination. Our plans for the day were simple: pick up a few fresh vegetables and some other treats at the market for dinner, then have a bite of lunch before an afternoon of Armagnac tasting. If only every day were like this one!

Kate also wanted me to meet a special fromager at the market whom she is friendly with.
What makes him special is that he hand picks and sells the cheese from a few select producers based in the Béarn area of the Pyrénées. As the cheeses are all produced by artisans or on small farms, they are given the names of their producers.

Let me introduce you to Vache Férmier de Jean-François.




This is a typical, rich and buttery unpasteurized mountain cheese. The flavor of sweet grasses softly perfume the pâte and the lovely nutty flavor is really delicious. I noticed a mild saltiness and the texture is supple and chewy. All around a very enjoyable fromage férmier. Jean-Françios should be very proud of his creation.
And for the price of only €9.95 a kilo, this cheese is a bargain!

We opened a bottle of 100% old vine carignan and found it to be a superb wine pairing.


Pin It

January 5, 2010

Restaurant le 26


Our wedding anniversary falls between Christmas and New Year's and out here in our little corner of France that means that most of our favorite local restaurants are closed for the holidays.
Every year we waver back and forth between wanting to try something new and possibly being disappointed, or going back to an old standby that isn't very exciting but is rapport qualité-prix.*

After last year's foam and pop-rock filled lunch fiasco at an old favorite, we were feeling rather jaded. The lunch was delicious but sadly the chef has gone to the dark side (i.e. molecular gastronomy) and I don't enjoy eating in a science lab.
Though I must commend them on their gorgeous cheese cart.

In the end we decided to be adventurous and try something new.
After searching online a bit I stumbled across a little place in Narbonne called Restaurant le 26. The diner's reviews were all positive and we liked the look of the menu so I called them up and made a reservation for our 10th anniversary lunch.




And what a lunch it was!


The €19,90 Menu d'Affaires offered Oeuf Brouillé au Truffes as a starter, Brochette de St Jacques et Crevettes sur son Risotto as a main course and either a cheese plate or Mousse aux Framboises for dessert. One could also order two of the three courses for a reasonable €14,50.

I almost went for one of the higher priced menus that offered both cheese and dessert, but the eggs and truffles sounded too good to pass up.

It was the right choice.



The eggs had a fluffy, creamy texture and the flavor was delicate and slightly earthy from the little nuggets of truffle that were studded throughout the dish. The light drizzle of red wine reduction gave a hint of tanginess that perfectly complimented the eggs.

The kitchen had run out of risotto by the time we ordered (we reserved rather late - only two hours before lunch) so they offered crushed potatoes instead. They were purple! I loved it!
The scallops and shrimp were expertly grilled and remained succulent and tender, and the sauce tasted like a lobster reduction and was so delicious that I wanted to pick up the plate and lick off every last drop.
But I restrained myself.

The entire dish was perfection.


Half a little Pélardon des Corbières and a wedge of Tomme de Brebis


Of course I opted for cheese over dessert and the duo they brought out were superbly ripe specimens from my favorite Fromagerie in les Halles.

Husband ordered the Raspberry Mousse. It arrived with a crunchy, caramelized florentine that contrasted perfectly with the airy, sweet mousse.



The owners, Frédéric and Sandrine Nalais, hail from Normandy where M. Nalais worked as
Gilles Tournadre's sous chef for several years. The couple moved south about ten years ago and opened le 26 two and a half years ago.
The menu is comprised of fresh, seasonal ingredients and offers a sophisticated breath of fresh air to the dining scene in Narbonne.
The ambiance is intimate, warm and welcoming and the restaurant is incredibly good value.

Restaurant le 26 est un vrai bijou!




Restaurant Le 26
8, boulevard du Docteur LACROIX
11 100 NARBONNE
04 68 41 46 69
website: http://www.restaurantle26.fr/topic/index.html


*value for money Pin It

January 4, 2010

Photo du Jour - David Lebovitz's Carnitas


I could go on and on about David Lebovitz's carnitas recipe. Instead I'll just say that they are simply spectacular.

If you've got a few hours and are craving an aromatic mound of succulent, caramelized pork to grace your tortillas, look no further. Pin It

January 3, 2010

Photo du Jour - Climbing


There are always surprising scenes like this to discover on walks around the village. Pin It

January 1, 2010

Bonne Année!

In France it is considered bad luck to wish someone a Happy New Year until it is actually the first of January. I wish they would put that in the manual or something because our first couple of years here I was going around jinxing friends, neighbors, even the mayor by wishing them a Bonne Année before the actual event.
Fortunately one of our neighbors kindly informed me of my faux pas and I have since mended my ways.


I would like to wish you and yours a happy, healthy and peaceful New Year!

Bonne Année et Bonne Santé!


Pin It