5 Things

1) So you don't confuse French endives with Belgian endives...




2) Tartelette au Safran with orange flower water infused crème anglaise and topped with fresh grapefruit segments.
Mere words cannot describe how delicious this was.




3) The colors of Béziers

4) Intersect

5) Dark chocolate sauce and toasted almonds - a favorite!



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Photo du Jour - Behind Closed Doors

I love capturing a shot of a secret courtyard hidden behind those colossal wooden doors.



Submitted to The Creative Exchange, a weekly event hosted by Lisa Gordon.

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Photo du Jour - L'Ancien Quartier

Antiquated shop signs, peeling paint, faded wood, modern plastic gutters, phone and cable lines, TV antennas. The ancient quartiers are an intriguing mix of old and new. Pin It

Photo du Jour - Kaleidescope of Color

A colorful little corner of Béziers, made brighter by a jumble of drying laundry. Pin It

Photo du Jour - Urban Decay

This old building's worn exterior and peeling paint reminds me of the historic stucco buildings in New Orleans.

Taken in Béziers. Pin It

Colors of the Languedoc-Roussillon

Pastel colors in the center of Béziers. Pin It

Photo du Jour - Festive

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Pin It

Photo du Jour - Elegant Béziers

An elegant facade in Béziers, bathed in the light of the setting sun. Pin It

Photo du Jour - Speechless

Every time I walk by this place it renders me speechless.

First, there is the name. Speed Burger.
I know it means that the burgers will be delivered quickly, but the name sounds as if the burgers are made from speed laced beef, giving plenty of extra energy to those who eat them.
Secondly, this place is so incongruous. That garish, bright storefront surrounded by stately old buildings with pretty, flower covered balconies.
Then I have to wonder if the 30+ burgers available are even remotely edible.

Would you order from this place? Pin It

Photo du Jour - Bons Amis

Five carved stone faces in la Place des Bons Amis in Béziers. Pin It

French Citizenship Update

About ten days ago I took another trip to Béziers for a haircut and a stop at the Centre Hobson to drop off my parent's birth and marriage certificates for official translation. Not just anyone can translate documents in the official capacity, only government certified translators can. Which is fair enough. A bit pricey though, at €40 a page.
The funny (i.e. annoying) thing is, it would be cheaper if I were from the UK, as American English is considered a dialect, so they charge about 20% more for a spécialiste du dialecte.
No, I'm not joking.

Five years ago we gave Madame Hobson plenty of business as she did all of the translations for our first cartes de séjours. She's wonderful to work with; warm and friendly and works quickly and efficiently.
She looked over my new sheaf of papers and made a few notes, then told me how happy she was to hear that I loved living in France and that I wanted to become a French citizen. I left her office with a smile on my face.

The translations were ready last Tuesday. Madame Hobson kindly only charged €20 a page, as birth and marriage certificates are mostly names and dates, thus easy translation work. We had a nice chat about American politics and how I might get past the brick wall that has become my ability to progress with the French language (she advised reading more in French) and sent me on my way with encouraging words about my upcoming citizenship process.


The big news: the sous-préfecture in Béziers has decided to let those of us applying for citizenship to make an appointment and bring our dossiers directly to them instead of having to turn it in at the local level, in my case the village mayor's office . They found that upwards of 80% of the dossiers were being returned due to numerous reasons so they decided to make it easier for everyone involved.
The mayor's secretary gave me a phone number to call and miracle of miracles, an actual human being answered the first time I called and gave me an appointment for November 24.

I've got my apostilles, I've got my translations, I've got my casier judiciaire.
I am ready. Pin It

Photo du Jour - A Quiet, Shady Spot

Walking down une rue piétonne* in Béziers the other day, I noticed that a pair of huge doors into an old, Haussmann style building's central courtyard were open. I quietly wandered in and found this quiet and verdant spot.



*a pedestrian street Pin It

Photo du Jour

Place de la Mairie in Béziers Pin It

Photos du Jour

La Place de la Madeleine in Béziers.

We were in Béziers yesterday for a hair appointment and to drop off some papers, which we accidentally left at home. Merde.

The skies were grey but the temperature was perfect for walking around. I went to my favorite fromagerie in Les Halles to buy cheese for La Fête du Fromage and we had crêpes at La Table Bretonne.


Crêpe Vallé d'Auge: buckwheat crêpe with Camembert, emmental and homemade caramel au beurre salé.

A savory-sweet creation with oozing, melted cheese in a crisp, hearty wrapper. Sublime!
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I've Waited For This Cheese

Several years ago we went out with Jean-Pierre and Agnès to a lovely little place near Béziers for dinner. After our main course a gorgeous and very heavily laden cheese cart was rolled over to our table and since we didn't know many cheeses at the time and chose most of them based on looks, I asked for a piece of a very interesting looking, bright orange, conical shaped one but was promptly told "non, madame, il est trop fort, choisissez un autre."*
I insisted that I liked strong cheese, but to no avail. I looked and Jean-Pierre and Agnès for help but they too shook their heads and said, "no, choose another."
So I did.
Reluctantly.
We were just getting to know Jean-Pierre and Agnès so I didn't want to cause a scene by fighting with the server and grabbing my own piece off the cart or anything.

But let me tell you, that vividly colored cheese and being denied the right to taste it left an impression. I've looked for that cheese ever since, not knowing it's name didn't help me much, but I figured I would recognize it when I came across it.
We ate dinner at their house last night and Jean-Pierre presented me with "the denied cheese." Recently the four of us had laughed about that dinner and that cheese and he went out and found some for me!


It is called Boulette d'Avesnes. With it we tasted a nice little Brillat Savarin.

Boulette d'Avesnes is smelly, pungent, fiery and very unique. It is made from Maroilles curd which is flavored with tarragon, cloves, parsley and pepper, then it's rind is washed in beer.  I found it acrid and pretty awful, actually. The little cones are shaped by hand then sprinkled with annatto or paprika, giving it the bright orange appearance.  This cheese is not for the faint of heart!
If you dare to taste it, pair with a full-bodied red such as Côte de Nuits, Côtes du Rhône or a Chateauneuf du Pape.

Brillat Savarin was named for the famous 18th Century French gourmand, Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, in 1930 by it's creator, Henri Androuët, a well known Parisian cheese seller. It is a triple cream, 75% fat, over the top, cow's milk cheese from Normandy. It was lush, super creamy and sweet and was a perfect contrast to the robust little Boulette. Pair with a Saint Emilion.

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.

Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, The Physiology of Taste, 1825

*No, ma'am, it is too strong, choose another. Pin It

Top 100 - 73 Through 80

73. La Table Bretonne in Béziers, France. This little crêperie in the center of Béziers offers delicious, savory buckwheat crêpes and tempting, sweet crêpes for dessert. My favorites are the Tartiflette, filled with bacon, potatoes and reblochon cheese, and the Popeye, filled with spinach, crème fraîche and emmenthal cheese. Dessert options include crêpes covered in cinnamon and apple compote with vanilla ice cream, a crêpe spread with homemade, bittersweet chocolate sauce and toasted almonds and the famous, flaming crêpes Suzette. The owner's are a delightful husband and wife team, he cooks and she works the dining room.

La Table Bretonne
21, rue Viennet
34500 Béziers
FRANCE
+33 (0) 4.67.49.00.66

74. A Crawfish Boil. Imagine a mound of bright, red crawfish mixed with potatoes and chunks of corn on the cob, piled high in the middle of a newspaper covered picnic table. The air is thick with the tempting aroma of cayenne, onions, garlic and bay leaves. Scoop one up, pinch da tail and suck da head!

75. Walla Walla Sweet Onions. We enjoyed these all summer long when I was growing up. Tomato and onion salad, one of my mom's greatest summer recipes, was my favorite. This sweet, mild onion originated in Corsica and was brought to this small town in southeast Washington State in the 1800's by a French soldier. It is now celebrated every year during the Walla Walla Sweet Onion Festival.

76. Piperade. A vibrant and hearty dish from the Basque region. Serve with plenty of crusty bread.

Piperade

1 onion, thinly sliced
3-4 Peppers - mix of red and green, at least one of each, chopped into large pieces
3-4 large, ripe tomatoes - peeled, seeded and chopped
fresh chili, according to taste and desired heat
2 cloves garlic, minced
thyme
bay leaf (fresh preferably)
salt to taste
4 eggs, beaten

Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan. Gently cook the onion until it is soft. Add the peppers, and cook gently for 10 minutes. Then add the tomatoes, garlic, chili and herbs, and continue to cook until everything is tender and has melted together.
Add the beaten eggs to the mixture and stir, evenly and quickly so the eggs blend nicely into the sauce.

77. The Heat Resistant Spatula. I have three of these and think they're the greatest invention! They're virtually indestructible and withstand heat up to 500 degrees.

78. Copper River Salmon. One of the richest, tastiest salmon in the world. It's nutty flavor and stunning red color can be savored for only three to four weeks a year, from around May 15 until early June. Last year's price per pound was over $30.00, but if you can find some, it is well worth the price.

79. Dim Sum. When we lived in San Francisco, Sunday mornings meant dim sum for brunch. Trolleys stacked with little plates of various kinds of steamed and fried dumplings, sautéed vegetables, noodles and roasted meats are wheeled around for you to pick and choose from. A great alternative to omelets, waffles and hash browns.

80. Granny Smith Apple Sorbet. This was one of the sorbet choices on the menu at the restaurant where I was a pastry chef. I haven't made it in years but still remember the sweet, tart and tangy flavor. I'm making it again as soon as I get an ice cream maker.

Granny Smith Apple Sorbet

6 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
2/3 C. lemon juice, lime juice, or a combination of both
1/3 C. sugar
1/3 C. calvados or applejack

Slice 5 of the apples and puree in a blender or food processor. Chop the sixth apple finely.
Combine all ingredients and whisk together until sugar is dissolved.
Pour into 1 1/2 quart (or larger) ice cream maker and process until firm following the manufacturer's instructions.
Serve immediately, or freeze for later use.

Serves 6.
.
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