Category Archives: Food

Architecture, Cycling, Food, France, Restaurants

Cycling in the Poitevin Marsh #2 – The Wet Marsh

July 15, 2015 Rosemary Kneipp 8 Comments

We wake up rested in our B&B and have a delicious breakfast in the courtyard in front of the main house, consisting of freshly-squeezed orange juice, two types of bread, two types of brioche (a sort of bun loaf), a mini-raisin roll, a slice of raisin bread, 5 types of jam, a soft-boiled egg and a yoghurt. We won’t be having an early lunch …

Our starting point for the day is a few kilometres west of Maillé at Vix Bridge, on the edge of the “wet” marsh as opposed to yesterday’s “dry” march. The main waterway is the Sèvre Niortaise River but the whole area is riddled with little canals and bridges. It’s midday by the time we get on our bikes.

Jean Michel on a bridge over one of the canals

The ride is pleasant, along a canal, with trees on either side. No wind although there isn’t a lot of sun. My weather app says it won’t rain so we haven’t brought our capes. We come to the little town of Maillé with its port and posters made from old postcards showing life in the town in days gone by.

Old postcards made into posters in Maillé

We go past an unusual pump room obviously an addition to the house, with the pump wheel outside.

A pump room built on to a house with the wheel outside

As we approach Maillezais after cycling past more canals we are impressed by the enormous cathedral ruins looming towards us. It’s the sort of view you only get on a bike.

The looming ruins of Maillezais cathedral

By this time, Jean Michel has started to get hungry so we find a table on the shady terrace of the Auberge de l’Abbaye. Not that we really need shade – the sky is looking increasingly ominous and I’m beginning to regret the capes.

Auberge de l'Abbaye in Maillezais with its interesting floral and vegetable arrangement — Auberge de l’Abbaye in Maillezais with its interesting floral and vegetable arrangement

We order a salad including a local speciality called a farci which is a sort of flan made of eggs, sorrel, spinach and other vegetarian ingredients. I rather like it but Jean Michel is not that keen.

Typical stone house with painted shutters

The next village is Liez with its typical Romanesque church and stone houses with painted shutters.

The church spire at Neuil Abbey seen from the mediaeval garden

We arrive at our destination of Neuil-sur-l’Autise where we visit the local abbey built in 1068, in much better condition than Maillezais but not as impressive.

Mediaeval bagpipes which start playing as you approach. The only problem is that the previous instrument is still playing another tune ... — Mediaeval bagpipes which start playing as you approach. The only problem is that the previous instrument is still playing another tune …

This time, we visit the inside, but it is so full of interactive technology that it doesn’t even feel like an abbey. I don’t mind the Renaissance musical instrument display though.

Even the cloisters are being overtaken with sound equipment for a concert, I presume. I manage to take one photo though and I love the capitals!

The very amusing capitals in the cloisters

There is mediaeval herb garden and we take the opportunity to ask one of the ticket sellers if he knows what the plants are. He is extremely knowledgeable. We discover what an acanthus is. The leaves are often used for sculpted scrolls in churches. I put it on my list of plants to buy …

Acanthus flowers. You can just make out the leaves which seem to have suffered from some sort of disaster

We return along the path we came on but this time we go to St Sigismond, where we stop for a lukewarm coke, then Mazeau. It’s started spitting but not enough to really bother us and there is enough wind to dry us out as we go. We just hope it won’t get any worse.

This must be the strangest sheep country I've ever seen! — This must be the strangest sheep country I’ve ever seen!

The view is more or less the same, with the addition of a flock of sheep in a most unlikely forest of trees.

A bridge over a canal - but which canal? — A bridge over a canal – but which canal?

We come out along a large canal with absolutely no idea where we are. Jean Michel rarely gets lost but the paths are so winding and there are so many canals that it’s not easy to find our way.

We’re not lost however and we eventually arrive in Damvix. By then, we have cycled 50 K and all I want is a cold drink. Since it’s 7 pm, we settle for a glass of local white accompanied by the music of a live pianist on the keyboards which I initially find aggressive but eventually enjoy.

A much appreciated drink in Damvix after 52 K

Only another 10 K or so to go, according to Jean Michel. At least the rain has stopped. The path along the canal with its patches of waterlilies suddenly becomes very bumpy and we realise we’re on the wrong side. We eventually find a bridge and cross over.

On the wrong side of the canal with its waterlillies — On the wrong side of the canal with its waterlilies

I notice a restaurant along the way called the Le Vieux Batelier (the old boatman). The name rings a bell but it’s not until we finally get back to the car, having clocked up 62 K, that I discover it’s the one I had seen in the tourist brochure.

Not to worry. We drive back so we won’t have to worry about cycling after sunset. We have the deck overlooking the canal to ourselves. Business, once again, is very slow, we learn from the couple who run the restaurant. Maybe it will pick up after Bastille Day. We certainly hope so.

View of the canal from the deck of the restaurant

Jean Michel has one of the local specialities – eels (the other is frog’s legs) and I settle for an excellent entrecote. We drink the local Fiefs vendéens red with its unusual bottle.

After dinner, we drive off into the sunset …

Cycling, Food, France, Restaurants

Cycling in Poitevin Marsh #1 – Aiguillon

July 12, 2015 Rosemary Kneipp 11 Comments

The outside of the new kitchen window is finally finished and we are taking a well-deserved 3-day cycling holiday. We’ve chosen Poitevin Marsh after talking to friends. It’s been on the agenda for a while and isn’t too far by car (about 2 ½ hours). I’ve reserved a B&B that looks as though it has decent beds and pillows, is air-conditioned (we’re having unseasonably warm weather at the moment) and won’t be noisy.

It’s midday by the time we leave and I’ve packed a picnic so we won’t waste too much time. We stop at the tourist office in Luçon, the closest town to our destination, to get some brochures and buy bike maps. It has an amusing floral arrangement in front with a 40-year-old vine and a vine-covered man.

It’s about 4.30 pm when we arrive at our B&B, Château de l’Abbaye de Moreilles. Just so you know where we are, Poitevin Marsh is on the Atlantic Coast, just north of La Rochelle and Ile-de-Ré.

We are greeted by the owner who turns out to be somewhat of a character. Our room turns out to be in a typical low stone building with blue shutters away from the main house, bordered by a hedge of lavander and with its own private garden. The beds and pillows are very comfortable and we have everything we need except a hot water jug but that is so rare in France that I wasn’t expecting it. The swimming pool is right over the other side so it is very peaceful.

We check the bike maps and set out for Saint-Michel-en-l’Herm, 20 K away so that we can cycle to L’Aiguillon-sur-Mer to have oysters for dinner (a round trip of 30 K). We park at the church as usual and have a moment of panic when Jean Michel discovers that he can’t unscrew the attachment that holds my bike in place on the bike holder. Fortunately he has his tool kit and together we manage to get it off. Phew …

The luxurious bike path that only lasts 2 or 3 K

It proves to be a little difficult to find the bike route but I eventually spy a somewhat luxurious path and we follow it for the next couple of kilometres. After that, we’re on a secondary road.

The countryside is somewhat desolate and very windy. We are surprised to see what looks like an inland cliff face rising out of nowhere. We later learn that nearly the whole marsh was once the sea which has gradually withdrawn over the centuries, with a little help from the local population especially the monks.

To the left, you can just see the bridge between La Rochelle and Ile-de-Ré.

We eventually reach a dyke along the sea. As we get closer to L’Aiguillon, we have a view a far as the bridge between La Rochelle and Ile-de-Ré.

The beach at L'Aiguillon sur Mer — The beach at L’Aiguillon sur Mer

L’Aiguillon-sur-Mer itself is a bit of a disappointment. We are expecting something a little more lively especially as the summer holidays have already started. We push on a few kilometers to La Faute-sur-Mer hoping to find more activity. We do, but it’s very much a working-class holiday spot full of garish takeaways and fast-food venues.

The path to the beach at La-Faute-sur-Mer

We don’t check out the beach at La Faute because it’s a long way from the bike route over a sandy path. On the footbridge, there are several people fishing with carrelets, square fishing nets. They don’t seem to be getting much but probably enough for dinner!

We go back to L’Aiguillon and check out the three restaurants. We decide on Julie dans la Cuisine overlooking the oyster beds. It’s 8.30 by then and apart from three young waitresses, there is not a soul in sight. I ask where all the people are. “It’s Monday”, they say, and sigh. “Well, we know we’ll get great service”, I replly. We choose a table out of the sun and open the windows to let in some fresh air. It’s about 30°C outside but there’s a cool breeze from the sea.

Overlooking the oyster beds at L'Aiguillon sur Mer — Overlooking the oyster beds at L’Aiguillon sur Mer

We order oysters (unfortunately they only have N° 3 which are quite small) and mussels and French fries, along with a glass of the local wine. We taste it and it appears to be a sauvignon. I ask the waitress but she says she doesn’t know what it is and brings the bottle back ! Sure enough, it’s a sauvignon. She’ll know for next time.

N°3 oysters with typical vinegar and shallots sauce (which I don't like!) — N°3 oysters on a bed of salt with typical vinegar and shallots sauce (which I don’t like!)

A group of three adults, 2 children and a baby arrive and they are the only other patrons in a restaurant that can probably seat over a hundred people. The season does not seem to be off to a good start. Despite their size, the oysters are tasty but a couple of them have a brownish liquid. I ask why and the waitress goes off to see the chef. It’s because they haven’t been through the oyster beds. Hmm. I hope this isn’t going to be a problem.

By then it’s nearly 9.20 and we still have to cycle 12 km back to the car. We just make it before the sun starts to set. The long twilight, of course, is why we usually take our holidays in June and July. Tomorrow we’ll head further east to the wet marshlands. See you then!

Blois, Food

Why I love the market even when it’s cold or rainy #2

May 16, 2015 Rosemary Kneipp 5 Comments

We are halfway through the Saturday market (you can read #1 here) and having our coffee, waiting to hear about the Chambord second-hand and antique fair on May 1st from a lady who was an exhibitor.

“I slept the night in my car”, she explains. “It was very cold – it rained all night. The first buyers turned up at 4.30 am. I wasn’t even up ! (Who’s to blame her ?). During the day, it was so wet, I changed three times”, she adds. “I don’t understand why anyone would come on such an awful day. The ground was completely soaked.” When the friend on her left asks how much money she made, she replies “About 150 euro. I usually make 800 to 1000 euro at Chambord.”

The brocante in Chambord two years ago on a perfect day

We were lucky when we went three years ago at the suggestion of Mr and Mrs Previous Owner. It was a beautiful sunny day and the place was absolutely crowded.

We’ve finished our coffee and the story’s over so we move on, after being invited to attend two forthcoming brocantes, one combined with the local horticulture school’s annual exhibition. We’ll definitely be going to that one ! Let’s hope the weather is better …

Our next stop is a Turkish couple who sell good quality fruit and vegetables. Initially we didn’t get much of a smile from Madame but now that we have become regulars, she has opened up. Her husband loves a good joke and sometimes joins us for coffee. They own a grocery store in Vendôme.

Next comes the cheese monger. We buy a selection of cheeses about every three weeks and have a cheese meal once a week. We’d much rather do it that way than just have a little bit at a time. The French custom of having cheese at every meal is gradually dying out because of the high calorie content and lack of physical activity. We have a large bowl of lettuce and a piece of fruit to follow.

The honey vendor just opposite has a wide selection of local honey.

The honey vendor having a conversation with the clothes seller next door

The fishmonger is next in line and there is often a queue. We buy fresh mackerel whenever we can (an oily fish in Europe unlike the Australian fish of the same name) and cook them whole. I usually buy several pieces of wild salmon at a time and freeze them. There are three fishmongers at the market but we’re not really satisfied with any of them, unlike the market we went to in Paris which had a wide variety of freshly caught fish at reasonable prices.

The kitchen stall. Imagine packing and unpacking it all every time!

The kitchen stall a little further along is where we buy our kitchen knives and vegetable peelers which disappear mysteriously from time to time. Jean Michel is convinced that when he next adds the compost to the vegetable garden, it’s going to be full of knives. We can also have our knives and scissors sharpened although a knife grinder turned up at the market recently with a very neat outfit indeed.

Depending on the season, we might then find a stall just selling asparagus, artichokes or strawberries all of which are local specialities.

Specialised asparagus sellers appear in season

We never miss having a chat with Damien, our local biscuit maker. He is quite passionate about his trade and is always trying out new recipes. He seems to know half the people in Blois as well and entertains us with the local gossip.

The last on the list is a man who sells fruit and vegetables grown by local producers. I sometimes go by his stall at the beginning of the market to see what he’s selling so that I don’t double up at the other stalls.

So those are are regular stalls, but there are plenty of others who are either permanent or come and go according to the season. And you never know what else might be going on as well. Today, for instance, there were folk dancers teaching the locals! Would you have joined in?

Blois, Closerie Falaiseau, Flowers & gardens, Food, French customs, Renovation

Invited for Dessert

March 16, 2015 Rosemary Kneipp 13 Comments

We haven’t seen Mr and Mrs Previous Owner for quite some time, what with moving, retirement blues, Christmas, New Year, the flu, Granada, getting over the flu and finishing the glass doors and shutters. However, we are now sufficiently en forme for a visit.

I took this photo from the stop of a step ladder on the other side of the wall enclosing the house when I was cleaning of the moss

Mrs Previous Owner emails me and suggests either dessert and coffee or an apéritif. We decide on dessert and coffee because we know that the apéritif means a lot of vouvray and we’ll be driving to their home a half an hour away. We’ve also scheduled a visit to the nearly Brico Depot DIY to buy a window for the laundry.

I always feel badly when we see their house. Having to trade Closerie Falaiseau, which they spent twenty years lovingly doing up, for a modern house, must have been very hard. Fortunately, our enthusiasm for the Closerie helped them to get over the hurdle of having to sell for financial and health reasons after they both retired.

The daffodils planted by Mr and Mrs Previous Owner

When we get there at 1.30 pm, Mr Previous Owner, who is very punctual, welcomes us in and I am a little surprised to see that neither the living room table nor the kitchen table are set. Mrs Previous Owner appears and I give her the enormous bouquet of daffodils that Jean Michel gathered in our little wood earlier on. We have Mr and Mrs Previous Owner to thank for our wonderful carpet of daffodils.

Mrs Previous Owner takes us through to the veranda that fronts onto the kitchen. Despite the fact that we’ve been to their new home several times, I have no recollection of a glassed-in veranda! The table is set with plates, serviettes, wine glasses and coffee cups.

Wine glasses and coffee cups on the veranda

We sit down and Mrs Previous Owner brings out not one, but two stunning cakes from a local pâtisserie.

I don’t know what the situation in Australia is today, but back in my youth, no one would have dreamed of inviting someone over and not baking their own cakes or biscuits. In France, however, that is not the case and cakes bought at a good pâtisserie are more than welcome.

Chocolate and raspberry cakes from Eric Saguez’s pâtisserie

We accept the offer for a glass of vouvray to accompany the very delicious chocolate and raspberry concoctions made by Eric Saguez at his pâtisserie in Rue du Commerce in Blois, and even take seconds ! Good thing yesterday was a 5:2 fast day …

Thanks to my iPhone, I am able to show them the new glassed-in doors and shutters. They are suitably impressed.

I tell them about the broken weathervane and Mr Previous Owner immediately says that if it happens again, he’ll be more than happy to repair it.

A little later, after coffee, when Jean Michel and Mr Previous Owner are in deep discussion about our alarmingly high property tax, I learn that Mrs Previous Owner hasn’t downloaded the photos on her iPhone for 3 years. We go upstairs to the computer so that I can show her how to do it.

It’s getting late and we still have to buy the window so we take our leave and promise to see them again soon at the Closerie, when the wisteria is in bloom.

Our standard white PVC tilt and turn window

At Brico Depot, we learn that they only sell white PVC turn and tilt windows which are not what we want since all our other windows are stained a dark oak colour. At least we haven’t gone out of our way. Two days later, however, having checked the prices for coloured PVC and wooden windows which turn out to be five times higher, we go back and get a white one. It is, after all, at the back of the house, down near the woodpile in an area which I intend to close off with bushes so I can put up a discreet clothes line. But that’s another project!

Accommodation, Food, Restaurants, Sightseeing, Spain, Travelling

Granada – Final Impressions and Suggestions – and maybe Cordoba

February 10, 2015 Rosemary Kneipp 13 Comments

I somehow feel that Granada escaped me. I think there are two reasons: the fact that I was still recovering from a bad bout of flu and the unexpectedly cold weather. It seems to me that Spain is an outdoor country and that is the only real way to enjoy it. With temperatures around freezing, it was difficult to find enough to do outside and the indoor venues were practically never heated.

We did not expect to see a snowman in Granada!

When to go – not winter!

So my first suggestion would be to avoid January and February, despite the oranges on the trees and the possibility of snow.

How to get there

I also think we were there too long, but surprisingly, the cheapest flights were Saturday to Saturday! There are no direct flights to Granada (you need to change in Madrid), so the cheapest way to go is via Malaga which has flights arriving from all over the world.

You can then either stay overnight in Malaga or take a bus directly to Granada. Because we were arriving at night, we pre-booked our transport from the airport to our hotel in the centre via airportshuttles.com. It wasn’t that much more expensive than public transport and much cheaper than a taxi. Our friendly driver was waiting for us and we arrived at our hotel in next to no time.

Bus from Malaga to Granada

We didn’t stay long in Malaga as there is nothing to see but new buildings. I seriously don’t see the attraction but Black Cat was there during fiesta time one year with local friends and loved it.

The bus station is within easy walking distance of the centre of Malaga. There are machines to buy your ticket (in English) and you get to choose your seat. The buses are modern and efficient and leave on time. We even had a bag of goodies on the ride back from Granada to the airport!

However, the bus station in Granada is very far from the centre so it’s better to take a taxi (less than 10 euro) to your accommodation. We literally walked outside and jumped in a cab. On another occasion, however, we walked there and bused back and it was long and complicated.

A café at the bottom of our hill with great tostadas

How long to stay – and make a side trip to Cordoba

I think that 3 or 4 nights is a maximum to spend in Granada. I regret that we did not get our act together in time to rent a car (50 euro for 24 hours), drive the 2 ½ hours to Cordoba, visit the famous mosque, stay the night, visit the rest of the town the next morning then drive the 2 ¾ hours directly to Malaga airport.

Eating in Granada

When we visit another country, we prefer to eat in fairly basic local restaurants rather than go for an often disappointing gourmet experience. Spain is known for its tapas. Sometimes, they are served free with drinks in the evening and other times you pay a small amount (1.60 to 2 euros a time) per serve. Some are very filling. Larger serves that you can share are called raciones.

We found the menu del dia (menu of the day) at 8 to 9.50 euros excellent value for money. It includes a starter, main course, dessert, bread and a glass of wine. There is sometimes a tapa as well. There isn’t a very wide choice but the food is often prepared on the premises and copious.

Breakfast with tostadas and fresh orange juice

Eating hours are very different from France. Breakfast seems to take place at about 10 am, with people having a break from the office. Tea or coffee, freshly-squeezed orange juice and a tostada (toasted bread) spread with tomato pulp and olive oil, butter or just olive oil are always offered. On the last day, we went to a very small café and watched the lady put some tomatoes into a blender to make the pulp. Delicioius! It seems you can grate the tomatoes as well. The total price for this type of breakfast is about 3.50 to 4 euros per person.

The wonderful breakfast café at Plaza Larga in the Albaicin we found on the last day!

Churros are another speciality of Spain. We loved them in Madrid but found that even in the most popular churro place in Granada (Futbol Café), they were salty and too chewy. You dip them in hot chocolate that is made with some kind of thickening. I don’t really think they are worth the calories to be honest!

The Futbol Café famous for its churros and where every game of futbol is celebrated with great gusto

Where to stay

With regard to accommodation, we chose a self-catering flat as that is what we prefer if we go somewhere for more than a few days. I’m still not sure about the location. We were halfway up Cuesta Alhacaba in the Albaicin, which is the oldest neighbourhood of Granada and definitely the most interesting. If we went down the (very steep) hill, we were in the main modern part of the town and if we went up the (slightly less steep) hill and wandered around the other side, we were in the older part. The two best vantage points, Mirador Nicolas and Mirador San Cristobal, are at the top of the Albaicin. However, at least in winter, there isn’t much open there at night.

Our self-catering flat from the outside, halfway up Cuesta Alcahaba — Our self-catering flat from the outside, halfway up Cuesta Alhacaba

The Alhambra, of course, is the star attraction, but it’s up on a hill and isn’t really close to anything else. A view of the Alhambra is much sought after apparently, but you can drink in the view from a lot of places in the city. To book ahead, you can use the official website and pick up your tickets in a ServiCaixa machine with your credit card.

One of the many views of the Alhambra from the Albaicin quarter

My perference still goes to Seville which we visited at about the same time several years ago and loved and Barcelona which we really enjoyed as well, especially anything to do with Gaudi. We also enjoyed San Sebastian, despite the weather!

Architecture, Art, Food, Restaurants, Sightseeing, Spain

Sun and Snow in the Albaicin in Granada

February 5, 2015 Rosemary Kneipp 11 Comments

Snow has been predicted but when we wake up, there is no sign of it. We walk up Cuesta Alhacaba, our double hill road, to Casa Pasteles on Plaza Larga for breakfast. There’s a market today – one clothes stand and a fruit and vegetable stand! We go for the tostado medio and have trouble understanding how much we have to pay : 7.70 euro, which somehow seems a very strange amount.

We walk down the other side of the Albaicin quarter through tiny winding streets, the sky dramatic with its bright sun, deep blue and menacing clouds. I’m starting to get the feel of Granada which has escaped me up until now. A word we keep seeing is Carmen, derived from the Arabic for a garden planted with vines. In Granada, it means a villa. I’d love to see behind the high iron gates.

Our first destination is the 11th century Bañuelo, one of the oldest surviving and best-conserved baths in Andalucia and the oldest public building in Granada. It was not destroyed during the Christian era because it is underneath a private dwelling. We have the place to ourselves and are impressed by the sheer size of the baths although their tiles have long disappeared.

Banuelo, Granada's oldest public building — Banuelo, Granada’s oldest public building

As we walk past Plaza Nueva, I connect it up with the touristy place at the bottom of the Alhambra from the day before. Granada seems to have no centre.

Having coffee in the sun - at last! — Having coffee in the sun – at last!

After having our only outdoor coffee since the beginning of our stay in Granada, we visit the Royal Chapel and I’m astonished to see how terrible some of the wall paintings are although the faces of the sculptures on the ornate altar are finely carved.

We walk quickly through the modern souk in Alcaiceria, that replaced the original medina after it burnt down in 1843, and is now a craft market with lots of souvenir shops. We cross over Gran Via de Colon and start walking up the little streets to the Albaicin.

By the time we get to Plaza Aliatar, I’m more than ready for lunch – well, a rest in any case. We choose Bañeao with its 3-course menu at 9.50 euro and hope for the best. We are served a tapa consisting of a small fried egg surrounded by some sort of dried peas or beans, followed by what look like eggplant French fries, then grilled squid with salad. I have the somewhat liquid rice custard. People keep running outside to see the whispy little bits of snow that are falling.

It’s late afternoon and the snow has finally started, light at first, then gradually heavier. By the time we venture out to buy food for dinner, it’s snowing quite heavily and wetly. The paving stones are a little slippery as well.

When we look out the window next morning, we see there is still snow on the ground, especially on our terrace, but the sky is bright blue so we head over to our favourite Mirador San Nicolas.

It hasn’t snowed enough to turn the Alhambra white but the glinting rooftops and snow-covered orange trees are lovely. It’s biting cold though.

We make our way down the hill towards the university quarter where we’re going to visit the Carthusian Monastery and are delighted by the views of the city spread out before us.

From the outside, the Cartuja reminds me of the Cartosa near Milan, one of the most beautiful churches I’ve ever seen. The inside is very ornate with multi-coloured marble and polychrome wood drapery. Unfortunately photos are not allowed.

Former royal hospital, now Granada university

On the way back, we discover a new area we haven’t been to before and visit the former royal hospital, now the University of Granada. It consists of a series of beautiful white patios but no students. Maybe it’s holiday time.

We debate whether or not to eat downtown or up in the Albaicin and decide on the latter. As before, the views from the tiny winding streets are stunning but exhausting and it’s still very cold with little pockets of snow on the ground in some places.

We end up again on Plaza Aliatar and try the other restaurant, Horno de Paquito (horno = oven) which ostensibly has the same menu but turns out to have a lot more deep-fried dishes. We order a vino tinto followed by a vino roja, although we’re not sure what the difference is!

After our well-earned siesta, we suddenly look outside and see there’s a magnificent sunset. We quickly get dressed, but by the time we are rugged up and ready to leave, the sunset’s nearly over. I nearly burst my chest getting up another of those hills but we are five minutes late. Maybe we’ll do better tomorrow.

Cooking, Country living, Flowers & gardens, Food, French customs, Life in France, Retirement

From Bridge to Bridge

January 12, 2015 Rosemary Kneipp 13 Comments

It’s Sunday, the sun is shining brightly, the sky is blue and it’s 8°C. We can hardly believe it after the awful weather we have been having since November.

We begin with pruning the roses. We have ten climbing roses now and I’m still learning how to do it so Jean Michel explains as we go along.

We are still feeling the aftermath of the terrible terrorist attacks during the week, starting with Charlie Hebdo and ending with four people being killed in a kosher supermarket in Vincennes very close to where I once lived, so a change of scene is welcome.

View from François MItterand bridge with St Nicolas Church and Blois Castle on the left

Whenever we go across François Mitterand bridge in Blois, I am frustrated because I’d like to take photos of the view but there is nowhere to stop before or afterwards much less in the middle.

So we drive to the parking lot halfway between the François Mitterand and Gabriel bridges so that we can walk back to the bridge, cross it, then continue along the Vienne side to Pont Gabriel. We’ll then cross over to the monthly brocante where we recently found andirons for our Renaissance fireplace.

I take lots of photos of Blois as we cross the bridge (the sun is in the right direction) and another series as we walk along the river bank on the other side. We’ve often cycled here but it’s much easier to take photos when you’re walking than when you’re cycling!

Blois brocante held on the second Sunday of each month with Vienne in the background

I love the brocante. I’m always amazed and intrigued by the things on sale. You wonder who would buy most of the stuff but I guess that the vendors only really need a handful of sellable things and the rest is just to fill up the stand.

It’s still light when we get back home at 5 pm so we decide to treat the moss that is covering most of our grass using the dolomite we bought recently. Last year we bought a product from the garden store that burnt the moss but didn’t destroy it so this time I searched google for something more natural. We’ll see what happens.

Jean Michel then goes to the kitchen to cook dinner. We have just bought two (dead and plucked) free-range ducks through our neighbour Alain. Jean Michel cooked one of the ducks last night for dinner with our next-door neighbours (the ones that bought the house with the poultry yard) using a recipe called the Arabian nights (1001 nuits) with various spices, nuts and dried fruit. It was very good.

Canard à l'orange appropriately served on our Egyptian tablecloth — Canard à l’orange appropriately served on our Egyptian tablecloth

Up until Jean Michel’s retirement, I was the main cook with Jean Michel as my offsider. He also has a couple of dishes of his own (veal stew and rabbit) that he cooks occasionally in large quantities and then freezes. When we moved, I took over the everyday cooking with his occasional help when he’s not involved in renovation.

I was not initially thrilled at the idea of doing all the cooking on my own because it’s not something I’m passionate about but I saw that I really had no choice in the matter and this retirement game’s too tricky to rock the boat too much … However, Jean Michel has spontaneously increased the number of times he cooks by himself and we now have a good stock of veal, rabbit and chicken dishes in the freezer that I can dip into whenever I want.

The fireplace with the andirons we bought at the brocante

Tonight he’s making the other duck into canard à l’orange which turns out to be very complicated and finicky so we don’t end up eating until 9 pm. But that’s OK. I have lit the fire and am enjoying not having to make the dinner! The breast is a little firm because it’s been cooked a bit too long but the drumstick is excellent and the orange sauce is delicious. I contributed the baked potatoes.

The rest of the duck will go into freezer bags for shepherd’s pie (hachis parmentier). I’m happy he’s found a creative activity that’s also practical and he doesn’t seem to mind that it’s so time-consuming. Vive la retraite!

Blois, Food, Les Grouets, Life in France, Mushrooms

Thank Goodness for Friends and Neighbours

December 22, 2014 Rosemary Kneipp 14 Comments

The weather is revolting. When it’s not raining, it’s grey and overcast and I can’t remember the last time we saw any sun. The adjustment to retirement is proving far more difficult than anyone imagined so I am truly grateful for any distraction that will take us out the house and into the company of others.

The first distraction on the programme is a gougères and mini-croissants workshop at Martine’s in preparation for Christmas. We tasted both these goodies at her place recently when she held a book signing.

The gougères are a speciality from Burgundy, where Martine hails from. They are little puffy cheese things, light as a feather, delicious and surprisingly easy to make. You can also freeze them for later use (as in Christmas).

Next come the mini-croissants filled with ham and cheese, salmon, goat cheese or whatever else you think will taste good. You start with store-bought flaky pastry and use a little cutting wheel to make sixteen wedges. You cut the filling to size, roll up the wedges and pop them in the oven. Hey presto! Perfect as an apéritif with vouvray sparkling wine.

Gougères and mini-croissants beside the fire

The second distraction is lunch with the girls from Françoise’s gym. I’m not really into gym but I like meeting all the participants. Sixteen of us, including one game husband and the gym teacher, have a most enjoyable lunch in the Initiation dining room of the local catering school, where we’ve already eaten a couple of times in the Brasserie.

A little help from the supervisor in getting the flambeed bananas right

For 14.50 euro, we have an apéritif, eggs Benedictine, poulet chasseur and flambéed bananas which are prepared at the end of the table, together with a local red and coffee. As usual, good value for money. The young apprentices are very serious and do a good job under the attentive eye of their supervisor.

The view from the dining room - grey as usual — The view from the dining room – grey as usual

On Saturday, a local caterer, Eric Bacon, is holding an open day where you can taste and buy various Christmas foods, such as foie gras, salmon, snails and a selection of tarts. Around six, we walk up the hill with our four neighbours from Les Grouets to Eric’s place where a large tent is keeping everyone nice and warm to the sound of the accordéon. Our local biscuit maker, Damien, is also there as well as a representative of Daridan vineyard near Cheverny.

Sharing an appetizer platter inside Eric Bacon's tent — Sharing an appetizer platter inside Eric Bacon’s tent

We taste their cheverny, cour cheverny, sauvignon and « fines bulles » (natural sparkling wine with fine bubbles) and choose the sauvignon to go with the appetizer platter we’ve decided to share : shrimp, whelks with herb mayonnaise, foie gras and wild boar pâté.

Chanterelles mushrooms in their natural habitat

Going down the hill is much easier particularly as Liliane has invited us all to share a duckling that has been simmering on the side of the wood burner all day accompanied by chanterelle mushrooms that Jean Michel and Alain went picking the day before while Françoise and I were enjoying our lunch!

The Mikiphone, the smallest talking machine ever made

Halfway through dinner, Alain brings out a surprise. It looks like a large tobacco tin and turns out to a Mikiphone pocket phonograph patented by a Swiss firm in the Jura mountains in 1924, the smallest talking machine on the market. We watch as Alain puts it together, then gets out an old vinyl record. The sound isn’t brilliant because the stabiliser is missing but the songs are still recognisable!

We walk home feeling warm and fuzzy at the thought of having such wonderful friends and neighbours to help us through this period of adjustment to togetherness as one of our Australian friends so aptly described it.

Closerie Falaiseau, Cooking, Food, French customs, Les Grouets

Mulled Wine and Chestnuts with the Locals

December 15, 2014 Rosemary Kneipp 13 Comments

It’s one of those dull and dreary rainy days in December with little motivation to venture much further than the fireside but our local association, Les Amis des Grouets, is having its annual mulled wine and chestnut evening just down the road at 6 pm and we missed it last year.

This year's Christmas cake — This year’s Christmas cake

The Christmas cake is in the oven but this year only Jean Michel was able to stir and make a wish in person. Black Cat and I chatted on skype while I was making the cake (she was ironing in New York!) and she made a virtual wish.

So, umbrellas open, we call in to collect Françoise and Paul on the way. As we get close to the church, we can hear accordion music and see fairy lights.

We pay our annual dues and buy a ticket each. Fortunately, there are a couple of tents (no doubt the same ones that were used for the bread baking day in May when it was also raining …) but surprisingly, the rain lets up completely.

We are given a white paper bag to collect our chestnuts and raffle tickets to get a plastic cup of mulled wine. We’re allowed refills, we’re told.

Quite a few people eventually arrive but very few children which is a pity. However, the ones that are there have a lovely time roasting marshmallows over an open fire.

The chestnut burner is manned by Norbert, who was the baker on bread baking day, and the postman who doesn’t actually live in Les Grouets but likes the neighbourhood so much that he comes back after work.

Roasting marshmallows over the open fire

We are starting to recognise a few people. Françoise introduces a neighbour who is a retired mason and once did some work on our house, but he can’t remember the details.

I explain to his wife how to make foie gras au sel as we spent a fun day last week with Françoise and Paul and Susan and Simon from Days on the Claise teaching them how to devein foie gras ready for Christmas. For a detailed description of our workshop, I suggest you go over to Susan’s blog.

Françoise, Susan, Simon and Paul tasting the vouvray used for the foie gras

In return, the mason’s wife promises to send me her kugelhof recipe. I’m not a great kugelhof fan but it seems this is a variant so I shall try it out for Christmas. Which reminds me that I should also make Liliane’s gingerbread cake as well.

I’m linking this post to Lou Messugo’s Christmas edition of the All About France monthly link-up. For other entries, click here.

Food, Restaurants

A New Wave Cuisine Anniversary Lunch in Vendôme

December 8, 2014 Rosemary Kneipp 13 Comments

We wake up quite late and realise we’re going to have to hurry up a bit if we’re to go to the market and still arrive at 12.30 in Vendôme for our anniversary (of-the-day-we-met) lunch at Pertica, an up-and-coming success that Jean Michel has read about in the local newspaper La Nouvelle République – the one we starred in recently!

At the market, we spilt up to get some money out of the D.A.B., buy the oysters for Sunday, then the rabbit and chicken, followed by eggs, fruit and vegetables, coffee, more vegetables, local Les Grouets biscuits and cheese. The market is packed so it takes a good hour. At least we don’t have fresh pasta, fish and scallops to buy as that would have meant another 3 stalls.

We go home and quickly sort everything out. I change my muddy shoes so I won’t look too countrified while Jean Michel phones the restaurant and says we won’t be there until closer to one, but they are fine about that.

When we arrive in Vendôme, we park right in front of the restaurant which is in the main shopping street, since everything else is closed for lunch.

We enter and wait for about 5 minutes before anyone greets us. There only seem to be two people serving and they are both giving their undivided attention to the patrons already seated. That could be positive or negative. The décor is a stark mix of modern and natural.

Eventually we are seated and the menu is explained to us. There are three possibilities : entrée, main and dessert for 32 euro, entrée, two mains and a dessert for 45 euro and a six-course meal for 70 euro, but no indication of what we are going to eat. We choose the 4-course meal and are asked if there is anything we don’t like (I say turnips and offal). It’s now up to the chef to decide what he is going to give us.

Jean Michel orders two glasses of champagne and we get ready to celebrate.

The amuse-bouche arrives and turns out to be parsnip mousse with an aniseed-type spice. Hmm, I’m starting to wonder about the rest of the meal. Serving parsnips as an appetizer suggests that the rest might all be based on those “forgotten vegetables” that no one (understandably in my opinion) eats any more.

The starter arrives and my suspicions prove to be grounded. Baked celeriac (a bland root vegetable) and thin slices of pear with some sort of edible grass. Groan. It didn’t occur to me to mention celeriac. I don’t mind if it’s drowned in remoulade sauce but baked, on its own, is not brilliant. Jean Michel, who eats everything, agrees.

The fish course comes next, with two tiny pieces of mackerel and old-style pears i.e. the sort that aren’t sweet. Yes, well. Also, pears are not among my favourite fruits.

Next comes the meat course. OK, I forgot to mention that I’m not that keen on white beans either, especially if they are not cooked properly. The two small pieces of pork are tasty enough, as are the slivers of chestnut. I’m not convinced that the little puddle of passionfruit purée ressembling an egg-yolk enhances anything though. It’s marginally better than the other two courses.

By now, Jean Michel is apologizing for such a bad choice. It’s hardly his fault – the article in La Nouvelle république gave a rave review, and talked about a new take on traditional cuisine … I’m wondering what the dessert is going to be.

Pumpkin purée and a little biscuit-like cake each. Tasty enough but the lemon cream squashes out the side of the cake which requires very careful eating.

I have to say that this type of food is not my scene. It definitely doesn’t not flatter the taste buds. Les Hauts de Loire can run rings around them all.

You might also be thinking that there are a lot of things I don’t like. Well, it’s not true – it just happened that every single one of them (with the exception of frogs’ legs) was on the menu!

After walking around in the cold for a while, we wander into the covered market where there is a second-hand fair and pick up 12 plates for our clock dresser. “Why twelve?” asks Jean Michel. “Because I counted them. That’s how many our dresser takes”. He can’t get over the fact that I knew how many we needed! At 10 euros, they’re a real bargain.

Rodolphe's which looks as though it might be the best pâtisserie in town — Rodolphe’s which looks as though it might be the best pâtisserie in town

Then we go to Rodolphe’s to pick up some nice traditional French pâtisseries made of chocolate to eat in front of the fire when we get home ! None of this new wave cuisine for us.

Tea and pâtisseries in front of the fire

Aussie in France