Spanish lunch at Lafayette Gourmet. Simply wonderful. Pin It
May 30, 2009
May 29, 2009
Photo du Jour - Café des Deux Moulins
Sacrebleu!
Café des Deux-Moulins, the famous café from the film Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain, has been painted Pepto-Bismol pink! Pin It
May 27, 2009
Photo du Jour - I *heart* Paris
SO glad the apartment we've rented has Wi-Fi! (yes, I love my laptop too much to leave it behind!)
Do I have to apologize that in my excited, last minute planning and packing frenzy before I leave at the crack of dawn tomorrow I forgot to get this week's La Fête du Fromage written?
I know you'll understand...
Paris. Tomorrow. Can't wait! Pin It
May 26, 2009
May 25, 2009
Sunday Reading (One Day Late)
(meant to post this yesterday...)
Delightful prints, postcards and posters.
Very excited about our upcoming wine tasting in Paris. It will be held in King Louis XV's sommelier's personal cellar that dates back to the 17th century.
Ditch your household cleansers. You can't go wrong with vinegar.
Where in the world are you? Test your geography with GeoGuessr.
Friends and family will come running for a steaming bowl of this spicy Jamaican dish.
Fabulous tips and tricks if you live in a small space. Or even if you don't. Pin It
Delightful prints, postcards and posters.
Very excited about our upcoming wine tasting in Paris. It will be held in King Louis XV's sommelier's personal cellar that dates back to the 17th century.
Ditch your household cleansers. You can't go wrong with vinegar.
Where in the world are you? Test your geography with GeoGuessr.
Friends and family will come running for a steaming bowl of this spicy Jamaican dish.
Fabulous tips and tricks if you live in a small space. Or even if you don't. Pin It
May 23, 2009
May 22, 2009
Savory Chorizo and Onion Bread Pudding
Leftover French bread. There is never a shortage of it in our house.
We buy a baguette, gros pain, or campaillette almost every other day and usually don't finish the entire loaf.
So what do you do with it all?
There aren't any village dogs to carry it away since our neighbor's dog, Goomy, passed on. And the village cats don't want it.
There are only so many things you can do with croutons and breadcrumbs.
My New Orleans Bread Pudding is so decadent and rich, and I think should be saved for special occasions. (Husband might disagree. I think he would gladly eat it every day)
And I can't fathom just throwing it away.
My Greens Cookbook has a recipe for Savory Bread Pudding that I've glanced at over the years, and the other day, as I sat there looking at this big chunk of day old gros pain sitting on our kitchen counter and thinking that there was simply no more room in our freezer for more breadcrumbs, inspiration struck.
In the end I didn't use Deborah Madison's recipe. Kevin Weeks had a Savory Spanish Bread Pudding recipe on his blog, Seriously Good, that piqued my interest. I fiddled with it to work with what I had available, and the result was seriously good!
Savory Chorizo and Onion Bread Pudding
serves 4-6
Heat the olive oil in skillet over medium heat and add the cut up chorizo. Cook for a couple of minutes, then add onion and sauté until onion is translucent. Add minced garlic and cook 1 more minute. Set aside to cool.
Raise oven heat to 400 degrees F.
In a big bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper. Add the bread cubes, sautéed chorizo and vegetables, and tomato, and leave it to sit for about 10 minutes, stirring a couple of times so the bread absorbs all of the liquid.
Pour into a lightly buttered, 8x8-inch square baking dish.
Bake for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake for another 20 minutes or until the pudding is puffed up and browned.
Serve immediately.
*I used Cantal Entre-Deux because I had a big chunk to use up. Parmesan or white Cheddar would also work.
Pin It
We buy a baguette, gros pain, or campaillette almost every other day and usually don't finish the entire loaf.
So what do you do with it all?
There aren't any village dogs to carry it away since our neighbor's dog, Goomy, passed on. And the village cats don't want it.
There are only so many things you can do with croutons and breadcrumbs.
My New Orleans Bread Pudding is so decadent and rich, and I think should be saved for special occasions. (Husband might disagree. I think he would gladly eat it every day)
And I can't fathom just throwing it away.
My Greens Cookbook has a recipe for Savory Bread Pudding that I've glanced at over the years, and the other day, as I sat there looking at this big chunk of day old gros pain sitting on our kitchen counter and thinking that there was simply no more room in our freezer for more breadcrumbs, inspiration struck.
In the end I didn't use Deborah Madison's recipe. Kevin Weeks had a Savory Spanish Bread Pudding recipe on his blog, Seriously Good, that piqued my interest. I fiddled with it to work with what I had available, and the result was seriously good!
Savory Chorizo and Onion Bread Pudding
serves 4-6
- 6 thick slices French bread (not a skinny baguette - I used gros pain)
- 5 eggs
- 2 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon Spanish paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 ounces dried Spanish chorizo, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 tomato, seeded and diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup grated Cantal entre-deux* (white Cheddar would also be good)
Heat the olive oil in skillet over medium heat and add the cut up chorizo. Cook for a couple of minutes, then add onion and sauté until onion is translucent. Add minced garlic and cook 1 more minute. Set aside to cool.
Raise oven heat to 400 degrees F.
In a big bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper. Add the bread cubes, sautéed chorizo and vegetables, and tomato, and leave it to sit for about 10 minutes, stirring a couple of times so the bread absorbs all of the liquid.
Pour into a lightly buttered, 8x8-inch square baking dish.
Bake for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake for another 20 minutes or until the pudding is puffed up and browned.
Serve immediately.
*I used Cantal Entre-Deux because I had a big chunk to use up. Parmesan or white Cheddar would also work.
Pin It
May 21, 2009
Photo du Jour - Tupperware?
Never thought that my first ever Tupperware party would took place in an old stone house overlooking the vineyards in rural France. Actually, I never ever thought I would have the chance go to a Tupperware party in the first place.
It seemed like such a 1970's thing to do...
So when the invitation from my friend arrived, I wasn't sure what to expect.
Gone are the days of my mother's avocado green (to match our kitchen appliances, of course), mustard yellow and pumpkin orange colored salad bowls, measuring cups and lemonade pitchers.
The array of products they offer now is impressive! In festive, bright colors and every shape imaginable. You can get everything from wine bottle stoppers to manual food processors to fish poachers to vented charcuterie keepers.
Truly a gadget for every day of the year. And the prices are definitely 21st century! Pin It
May 20, 2009
La Fête du Fromage - La Bonde de Gâtine
Another week. Another goat's cheese.
This is the fifth week in a row that I've tasted a fromage de chèvre for La Fête du Fromage.
Why so many goat's cheeses lately? Well, they just seem to be everywhere.
They come so many interesting shapes and sizes, and in all sorts of tempting textures and stages of affinage, I find that I just can't resist them.
And the most recent discovery, la Bonde de Gâtine, has proven itself to be irresistible!
La Bonde de Gâtine is produced on small farms in the marshy Gâtine region, in the picturesque Poitou-Charentes. It takes a full 2 liters of unpasteurized goat's milk to make one little, drum shaped cheese. A fact that is unmistakable when you bite into its ultra rich, dense, chalky and finely textured pâte.
A pleasant, fruity tang hits your taste buds first, followed by hazelnuts and a fair amount of saltiness. The crust is lightly sprinkled in ash and allowed to develop a layer of natural, edible mold during its 1-2 months of affinage, resulting in a sometimes fuzzy, blue-grey, wrinkly appearance.
This is a cheese to savor. Slowly.
It is so luxurious and full-bodied that a small morsel goes a long way. La Bonde de Gâtine is one that you must try!
Enjoy with a dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay, or a light red such as Beaujolais. Pin It
This is the fifth week in a row that I've tasted a fromage de chèvre for La Fête du Fromage.
Why so many goat's cheeses lately? Well, they just seem to be everywhere.
They come so many interesting shapes and sizes, and in all sorts of tempting textures and stages of affinage, I find that I just can't resist them.
And the most recent discovery, la Bonde de Gâtine, has proven itself to be irresistible!
La Bonde de Gâtine is produced on small farms in the marshy Gâtine region, in the picturesque Poitou-Charentes. It takes a full 2 liters of unpasteurized goat's milk to make one little, drum shaped cheese. A fact that is unmistakable when you bite into its ultra rich, dense, chalky and finely textured pâte.
A pleasant, fruity tang hits your taste buds first, followed by hazelnuts and a fair amount of saltiness. The crust is lightly sprinkled in ash and allowed to develop a layer of natural, edible mold during its 1-2 months of affinage, resulting in a sometimes fuzzy, blue-grey, wrinkly appearance.
This is a cheese to savor. Slowly.
It is so luxurious and full-bodied that a small morsel goes a long way. La Bonde de Gâtine is one that you must try!
Enjoy with a dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay, or a light red such as Beaujolais. Pin It
May 19, 2009
May 18, 2009
Photo du Jour - Les Saucissons Secs
Various shapes and sizes of air-dried, cured sausages - les saucissons secs - at the weekly market. Pin It
May 17, 2009
Photo du Jour - Anadama Bread
A golden, soft and nutty loaf of Anadama Bread.*
This is my first successful loaf for the Bread Baker's Apprentice Challenge that the brilliant Nicole of Pinch my Salt launched just last week.
The goal is to bake each of the 43 impressive (and some daunting!) looking bread recipes from Peter Reinhart’s book, The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread over the next year.
It's not too late to join in. Have a look at the link to the BBA Challenge, get a copy of the book and start baking!
Next week...Greek Celebration Bread.
*Makes divine grilled cheese sandwiches and toast! Here's the recipe. Pin It
May 16, 2009
The Saga of the Broken Arm - Part II - Days of Wine and Needles
So there we were, driving around Lézignan-Corbières on a dark and stormy August night, trying to find the hospital. After a few wrong turns, and the help of some locals, we finally found it. Pain relief was on its way!
One thing to remember: It was August. The month for holidays in France.
If you don't know, August is the month when cities become ghost towns because the bulk of the population leaves to go on vacation and the beaches are wall-to-wall sweaty bodies soaking up the sun. And the hospitals are understaffed.
It was August and it was a Friday night in a small town hospital in rural France. Oh dear.
Not surprisingly, it was very quiet when we arrived, so thankfully we were helped immediately. But the first thing they did was take X-rays, not administer pain relief! Then they had to draw blood and the nurse couldn't find a single vein in my arm from which to do it. She kept jabbing and stabbing until husband found the doctor on duty, grabbed him, and asked for help. One quick jab and success! What a relief.
Only then did they give me some pain killers.
The X-Ray did indeed show that my arm was broken. In two places. I would have to go to the hospital in Narbonne for surgery and the next available ambulance to take me there wouldn't be available for at least 2 hours. Thanks, but no thanks. We grabbed my X-rays and drove there ourselves.
I finally got checked into a room about three in the morning and was told that I would be having surgery the next day. I slept a blissful, drug induced sleep until the evil, needle-bearing nurses arrived the next morning to inject me with more medication and to get me ready for surgery. "Getting ready" required a full body, and I mean every nook and cranny, scouring.
As they were vigorously scrubbing me up and down in the bathroom, with both the door to my room and door to the hallway wide open I might add, they told me that the anesthesiologist would be arriving soon to discuss her role in the procedure. La voilà, there she is! Ready to have our little chat while I'm standing there in all my naked glory, being buffed and cleansed.
It is rather humiliating to try to discuss medical terminology in a foreign language while high on painkillers and totally naked while having all of your bits washed. I don't recommend it.
I know the doctors and nurses are used to seeing people naked. To them it's no big deal. C'est normal. I, however, am not used to it.
So I was trying to ignore my humiliation and focus on what the anesthesiologist had to say. Something about putting the IV in my neck, straight into my jugular vein? I assumed that I had somehow misunderstood her. I mean, that sounds barbaric!
I didn't misunderstand her.
When they finally took me downstairs to knock me out before surgery, we had a bit of a problem. They couldn't get the needle into the right spot. Here they were, two trained anesthesiologists, standing over me with this long needle, jabbing me over and over in my neck, unable to find the exact angle or something. What I remember most is that I felt like a lab rat being experimented on. Complete and utter hell.
I finally begged them to stop. And that I didn't want them to administer the painkillers through my jugular. They would have to go through a vein in my arm.
They were quite unhappy with me and told me in rather disgusted voices that the drugs would take much longer to work that way, did it anyway, then said they were going to lunch.
And left me lying in a cold room with only a thin sheet to cover me. I was freezing.
Thankfully that is all I remember until after the surgery.
When I woke up husband was sitting in my room with an ice cold can of Coke, thinking that it would taste good and refreshing after not having anything to eat or drink in more than 24 hours. The nurses told him, "absolutely not!" I was only allowed a bit of water dabbed onto my lips. No Coca Cola!
Ok, fine.
Friends started arriving and family started calling from America. The hotel operator knew me as l'Américaine, and as soon as she heard an English voice, she transferred the call to my room. It was great to see and hear from so many people.
I was in a complete morphine induced fog, so didn't remember until much later that when our neighbors came by with their 13 year old daughter to say hello, there was nothing covering my upper body, leaving my left breast totally exposed. My right arm was all wrapped up against my torso so I couldn't put a shirt on, and nobody had bothered to cover me up with a sheet or a blanket when they arrived.
So now our neighbors know what my boobs look like. Great.
Hell, half the hospital had seen me naked by this point so I guess it really shouldn't matter.
When I later asked husband why he didn't bother covering me up he responded, "It's ok, they didn't mind."
Um, Hello? I did!
To this day, I'm still stunned that he didn't think it was a big deal. Especially after he made such a fuss about me leaving the house the night before with no clothing on.
?
The next day they brought the lunch menu and asked if I wanted beer or wine with lunch. I pointed at my IV and said, "but I'm on morphine." No problem! It was medicinal! Besides, I would only be served a small bottle.
Who was I to argue with doctor's orders?
In the end it took several days in the hospital, lots of drugs, six months of physical therapy, many follow-up visits to the surgeon, a lot of frustration and tears, and endless patience on husband's part. But now my arm is completely healed.
And even with theoveruse generous use of needles (did I happen to mention that I have a phobia of needles) and inability to find my shy veins, in my experience the medical system in France is excellent. The doctors and nurses are friendly and helpful, they take their time with you and they are thorough.
But I never, ever want to have to go to the hospital again. The wine may have been good, but it wasn't that good. Pin It
One thing to remember: It was August. The month for holidays in France.
If you don't know, August is the month when cities become ghost towns because the bulk of the population leaves to go on vacation and the beaches are wall-to-wall sweaty bodies soaking up the sun. And the hospitals are understaffed.
It was August and it was a Friday night in a small town hospital in rural France. Oh dear.
Not surprisingly, it was very quiet when we arrived, so thankfully we were helped immediately. But the first thing they did was take X-rays, not administer pain relief! Then they had to draw blood and the nurse couldn't find a single vein in my arm from which to do it. She kept jabbing and stabbing until husband found the doctor on duty, grabbed him, and asked for help. One quick jab and success! What a relief.
Only then did they give me some pain killers.
The X-Ray did indeed show that my arm was broken. In two places. I would have to go to the hospital in Narbonne for surgery and the next available ambulance to take me there wouldn't be available for at least 2 hours. Thanks, but no thanks. We grabbed my X-rays and drove there ourselves.
I finally got checked into a room about three in the morning and was told that I would be having surgery the next day. I slept a blissful, drug induced sleep until the evil, needle-bearing nurses arrived the next morning to inject me with more medication and to get me ready for surgery. "Getting ready" required a full body, and I mean every nook and cranny, scouring.
As they were vigorously scrubbing me up and down in the bathroom, with both the door to my room and door to the hallway wide open I might add, they told me that the anesthesiologist would be arriving soon to discuss her role in the procedure. La voilà, there she is! Ready to have our little chat while I'm standing there in all my naked glory, being buffed and cleansed.
It is rather humiliating to try to discuss medical terminology in a foreign language while high on painkillers and totally naked while having all of your bits washed. I don't recommend it.
I know the doctors and nurses are used to seeing people naked. To them it's no big deal. C'est normal. I, however, am not used to it.
So I was trying to ignore my humiliation and focus on what the anesthesiologist had to say. Something about putting the IV in my neck, straight into my jugular vein? I assumed that I had somehow misunderstood her. I mean, that sounds barbaric!
I didn't misunderstand her.
When they finally took me downstairs to knock me out before surgery, we had a bit of a problem. They couldn't get the needle into the right spot. Here they were, two trained anesthesiologists, standing over me with this long needle, jabbing me over and over in my neck, unable to find the exact angle or something. What I remember most is that I felt like a lab rat being experimented on. Complete and utter hell.
I finally begged them to stop. And that I didn't want them to administer the painkillers through my jugular. They would have to go through a vein in my arm.
They were quite unhappy with me and told me in rather disgusted voices that the drugs would take much longer to work that way, did it anyway, then said they were going to lunch.
And left me lying in a cold room with only a thin sheet to cover me. I was freezing.
Thankfully that is all I remember until after the surgery.
When I woke up husband was sitting in my room with an ice cold can of Coke, thinking that it would taste good and refreshing after not having anything to eat or drink in more than 24 hours. The nurses told him, "absolutely not!" I was only allowed a bit of water dabbed onto my lips. No Coca Cola!
Ok, fine.
Friends started arriving and family started calling from America. The hotel operator knew me as l'Américaine, and as soon as she heard an English voice, she transferred the call to my room. It was great to see and hear from so many people.
I was in a complete morphine induced fog, so didn't remember until much later that when our neighbors came by with their 13 year old daughter to say hello, there was nothing covering my upper body, leaving my left breast totally exposed. My right arm was all wrapped up against my torso so I couldn't put a shirt on, and nobody had bothered to cover me up with a sheet or a blanket when they arrived.
So now our neighbors know what my boobs look like. Great.
Hell, half the hospital had seen me naked by this point so I guess it really shouldn't matter.
When I later asked husband why he didn't bother covering me up he responded, "It's ok, they didn't mind."
Um, Hello? I did!
To this day, I'm still stunned that he didn't think it was a big deal. Especially after he made such a fuss about me leaving the house the night before with no clothing on.
?
The next day they brought the lunch menu and asked if I wanted beer or wine with lunch. I pointed at my IV and said, "but I'm on morphine." No problem! It was medicinal! Besides, I would only be served a small bottle.
Who was I to argue with doctor's orders?
In the end it took several days in the hospital, lots of drugs, six months of physical therapy, many follow-up visits to the surgeon, a lot of frustration and tears, and endless patience on husband's part. But now my arm is completely healed.
And even with the
But I never, ever want to have to go to the hospital again. The wine may have been good, but it wasn't that good. Pin It
May 15, 2009
La Fête du Fromage - May Round Up
This month's La Fête du Fromage International Cheese Tasting event is a fantastic mélange of five cheeses from five countries.
Danielle of Savor Culture takes us on a journey to the Sweet Grass Dairy in Thomasville, Georgia, in the southern United States, to taste Sevenwood. This is an aged, unpasteurized cow's milk cheese that is washed in balsamic vinegar. Sounds very interesting! Danielle describes the flavor as, "a little spicy, a little sweet, buttery...sensations of white peppercorn and cumin, with hay and butterscotch lingering on the tongue."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Snowy white orbs of fresh, Italian Mozzarella were hand made by Allison of Local Lemons. Her well tested recipe produces a succulent, perfect looking cheese in only 30 minutes. A huge thank you to Allison for sharing her homemade mozzarella with us. I'm definitely giving it a try!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A very tempting looking Spanish cheese called Torta la Serena was tasted by Nathalie of Spaced Out Ramblings. Even its name is seductive. She describes it as creamy and mild, with grassy and nutty flavors, and notes that the milk used to make this cheese is coagulated with thistle flowers instead of rennet. Fascinating!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Camille of Croque-Camille learned that "Stichelton is what Stilton is supposed to be" when she visited the celebrated London cheese shop, Neal's Yard Dairy. As the story goes, when traditional English, unpasteurized Stilton was banned several years ago, a couple of cheesemakers invented Stichelton, the same cheese as Stilton, only made in the old way, with unpasteurized milk. Camille offers a very tantalizing description of this cheese, "...piquant yet smooth, with toasty, caramelized flavors to round it out."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pin It
Danielle of Savor Culture takes us on a journey to the Sweet Grass Dairy in Thomasville, Georgia, in the southern United States, to taste Sevenwood. This is an aged, unpasteurized cow's milk cheese that is washed in balsamic vinegar. Sounds very interesting! Danielle describes the flavor as, "a little spicy, a little sweet, buttery...sensations of white peppercorn and cumin, with hay and butterscotch lingering on the tongue."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Snowy white orbs of fresh, Italian Mozzarella were hand made by Allison of Local Lemons. Her well tested recipe produces a succulent, perfect looking cheese in only 30 minutes. A huge thank you to Allison for sharing her homemade mozzarella with us. I'm definitely giving it a try!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A very tempting looking Spanish cheese called Torta la Serena was tasted by Nathalie of Spaced Out Ramblings. Even its name is seductive. She describes it as creamy and mild, with grassy and nutty flavors, and notes that the milk used to make this cheese is coagulated with thistle flowers instead of rennet. Fascinating!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Camille of Croque-Camille learned that "Stichelton is what Stilton is supposed to be" when she visited the celebrated London cheese shop, Neal's Yard Dairy. As the story goes, when traditional English, unpasteurized Stilton was banned several years ago, a couple of cheesemakers invented Stichelton, the same cheese as Stilton, only made in the old way, with unpasteurized milk. Camille offers a very tantalizing description of this cheese, "...piquant yet smooth, with toasty, caramelized flavors to round it out."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Le Cameau is a very special cheese from the Normandy region of France. I tasted it last summer and was immediately smitten with its unusual flavor. Le Cameau is an unpasteurized Camembert that has been soaked in Pommeau, then covered in a layer of crushed walnuts. This is a heady, interesting cheese that is especially good once it has had time to mature.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks to everyone who joined in La Fête du Fromage this month! I love being introduced to all of these different cheeses and hope that my readers are as inspired to try new cheese as I am.
Due to holidays and my work schedule for the next couple of months, La Fête du Fromage is taking the summer off. Look for more International cheese tasting adventures in September.
If you would like to join in the 9th Fête du Fromage International Cheese Tasting Event in the autumn, please have your entries to me by September 13. I'll post the round-up on September 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?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks to everyone who joined in La Fête du Fromage this month! I love being introduced to all of these different cheeses and hope that my readers are as inspired to try new cheese as I am.
Due to holidays and my work schedule for the next couple of months, La Fête du Fromage is taking the summer off. Look for more International cheese tasting adventures in September.
If you would like to join in the 9th Fête du Fromage International Cheese Tasting Event in the autumn, please have your entries to me by September 13. I'll post the round-up on September 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
May 14, 2009
Photo du Jour - Poppies
I literally slammed on the brakes when I saw this gorgeous field of coquelicot while driving to Narbonne to buy cheese and meet friends for lunch the other day. Luckily there was no one following dangerously close to my rear bumper, as drivers tend to do in this part of France.
Is tailgating a France thing? Or a south of France thing?
Another reason why I always try to have my camera with me.
(Not to document the accident I would have caused...but to take photos of the pretty flowers, of course!) Pin It
May 13, 2009
La Fête du Fromage - Le Chevrotin des Aravis
Picture a bucolic scene of hearty, chocolate brown Alpine goats grazing on lush green grasses and wildflowers, high up on the rocky slopes in the mountains of the Savoie region.
The creamy, fragrant, summer milk from these goats is used to make the heady flavored Chevrotin des Aravis or Le Chevrotin Savoie, as it is also known as.
In 2002 Le Chevrotin des Aravis was the 40th cheese to be awarded AOC status. This unpasteurized goat's cheese has been produced exclusively on small farms since the 17th century (some say 12th century) and is made in the same way as Reblochon. It is the 2nd smallest AOC cheese in terms of production after Banon à la Feuille.
It has a rich mushroom aroma and a soft, supple and fine texture. Chevrotin is aged in spruce wood and washed with saltwater several times a week, creating intense flavors that are spicy and nutty, as well as herbal and floral.
This is a unique, bold mountain chèvre that I highly recommended.
Enjoy with a glass of white Vin de Savoie or a red St. Joseph or Côtes du Rhône.
Traditionally the crust is drier that this one. I left it sitting in the car on a very hot day last week and it "matured" a bit. The strong cheese smell didn't dissipate for hours!
Pin It
The creamy, fragrant, summer milk from these goats is used to make the heady flavored Chevrotin des Aravis or Le Chevrotin Savoie, as it is also known as.
In 2002 Le Chevrotin des Aravis was the 40th cheese to be awarded AOC status. This unpasteurized goat's cheese has been produced exclusively on small farms since the 17th century (some say 12th century) and is made in the same way as Reblochon. It is the 2nd smallest AOC cheese in terms of production after Banon à la Feuille.
It has a rich mushroom aroma and a soft, supple and fine texture. Chevrotin is aged in spruce wood and washed with saltwater several times a week, creating intense flavors that are spicy and nutty, as well as herbal and floral.
This is a unique, bold mountain chèvre that I highly recommended.
Enjoy with a glass of white Vin de Savoie or a red St. Joseph or Côtes du Rhône.
Traditionally the crust is drier that this one. I left it sitting in the car on a very hot day last week and it "matured" a bit. The strong cheese smell didn't dissipate for hours!
Pin It
May 12, 2009
May 11, 2009
May 10, 2009
Sunday Reading
Paris on my mind: Inspiring Parisian shopping and decorating ideas. Mouthwatering Paris restaurant reviews. A new book about the joys (and pitfalls) of living in Paris.
Provence also on my mind, especially after browsing through this enticing site.
Looking for holiday rentals in France to die for? Check out these chic apartments in Paris and gorgeous houses scattered all over the country.
This is the apartment my sister and I are staying in at the end of the month. Looks fabulous, non?
All of the recent showers have brought out the beautiful May flowers.
I'm not the only one telling her Becoming a French Citizen tales. Heather in Paris is sharing her story too.
A treasured birthday gift designed by my Languedoc Lasses and fashioned by a very talented jeweler and a great friend. Pin It
Provence also on my mind, especially after browsing through this enticing site.
Looking for holiday rentals in France to die for? Check out these chic apartments in Paris and gorgeous houses scattered all over the country.
This is the apartment my sister and I are staying in at the end of the month. Looks fabulous, non?
All of the recent showers have brought out the beautiful May flowers.
I'm not the only one telling her Becoming a French Citizen tales. Heather in Paris is sharing her story too.
A treasured birthday gift designed by my Languedoc Lasses and fashioned by a very talented jeweler and a great friend. Pin It
May 9, 2009
The Saga of the Broken Arm - Or, My First Encounter With the French Health System
One August evening, four summers ago, I opened the skylight on our top floor to help keep the house cool. That one, innocent act means that I will forever have a titanium rod and two little screws in my right arm.
The clouds started building late that afternoon and by 9pm the thunder was rumbling and the lightening started flashing. I was in our bedroom changing into my p.j.'s when the skies opened up and the rain came crashing down. I quickly ran upstairs to close the skylight and as soon as my foot hit the water that had pooled on the floor, I slipped and came down hard on my right elbow.
Lying there stunned, I felt some pain in my upper arm and immediately thought that I had dislocated my shoulder. You know how you see in movies or on shows like ER that a dislocated joint can be popped right back into the socket?
Well, in my infinite medical wisdom I thought, "Ok Jennifer, no big deal, just be brave and pop it back in," then grabbed a hold of my upper arm with my left hand and pushed.
YEOW!
My shoulder wasn't dislocated. My arm was broken.
So there I am, totally naked, skylight still open, rain pouring through a hole in our roof into our house, and husband is down on the main floor, totally oblivious to what is going on up on the third floor. Yes, I was the I've fallen...and I can't get up lady from those TV commercials.
I started calling for him, somewhat loudly at first, then screaming, "honey! HONEY!" He came running upstairs, grabbed some towels, got the skylight closed and the floor mopped up. I was eerily calm when I told him that I thought I had broken my arm and needed to immediately go to the hospital.
He gave a brilliant response, "But...you're naked." (I still tease him ruthlessly about this)
Like I cared! The fact that I wasn't wearing a stitch of clothing was the least of my worries. I would have happily walked out to the car and gone into the hospital just as I was. Getting some pain relief was priority number one!
In the end I didn't go in my birthday suit. He helped me pull on a pair of sweats and wrapped a summer robe around my shoulders. Putting a shirt on would have been impossible anyway, as I couldn't move my arm.
It was about 10pm by now and as I said, we were having a dramatic thunderstorm. Out into the pouring rain we went, driving over the rugged roads while I held my arm and tried not to scream every time we hit a bump, to the nearest hospital in Lézignan-Corbières. Of course, we didn't know exactly where the hospital was. Just knew that there was one...
Part II of the Saga- How I Survived the Needles and Enjoyed the Wine in the Hospital.
My lovely black and blue marks in my good arm from the endless IV's and needles - Photo taken by Jon Knowles
. Pin It
~
The clouds started building late that afternoon and by 9pm the thunder was rumbling and the lightening started flashing. I was in our bedroom changing into my p.j.'s when the skies opened up and the rain came crashing down. I quickly ran upstairs to close the skylight and as soon as my foot hit the water that had pooled on the floor, I slipped and came down hard on my right elbow.
Lying there stunned, I felt some pain in my upper arm and immediately thought that I had dislocated my shoulder. You know how you see in movies or on shows like ER that a dislocated joint can be popped right back into the socket?
Well, in my infinite medical wisdom I thought, "Ok Jennifer, no big deal, just be brave and pop it back in," then grabbed a hold of my upper arm with my left hand and pushed.
YEOW!
My shoulder wasn't dislocated. My arm was broken.
So there I am, totally naked, skylight still open, rain pouring through a hole in our roof into our house, and husband is down on the main floor, totally oblivious to what is going on up on the third floor. Yes, I was the I've fallen...and I can't get up lady from those TV commercials.
I started calling for him, somewhat loudly at first, then screaming, "honey! HONEY!" He came running upstairs, grabbed some towels, got the skylight closed and the floor mopped up. I was eerily calm when I told him that I thought I had broken my arm and needed to immediately go to the hospital.
He gave a brilliant response, "But...you're naked." (I still tease him ruthlessly about this)
Like I cared! The fact that I wasn't wearing a stitch of clothing was the least of my worries. I would have happily walked out to the car and gone into the hospital just as I was. Getting some pain relief was priority number one!
In the end I didn't go in my birthday suit. He helped me pull on a pair of sweats and wrapped a summer robe around my shoulders. Putting a shirt on would have been impossible anyway, as I couldn't move my arm.
It was about 10pm by now and as I said, we were having a dramatic thunderstorm. Out into the pouring rain we went, driving over the rugged roads while I held my arm and tried not to scream every time we hit a bump, to the nearest hospital in Lézignan-Corbières. Of course, we didn't know exactly where the hospital was. Just knew that there was one...
Part II of the Saga- How I Survived the Needles and Enjoyed the Wine in the Hospital.
My lovely black and blue marks in my good arm from the endless IV's and needles - Photo taken by Jon Knowles. Pin It
May 8, 2009
Photo du Jour - Perwinkle Blue
Love these bright red roses against the periwinkle blue.
This is the same house, but I prefer this photo. Pin It
May 7, 2009
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
May 6, 2009
La Fête du Fromage - Chèvre Frais
Our local market boasts a hairy, wild looking guy who shows up in his battered van every week selling locally made chèvre and fresh eggs. He is actually very sweet and approachable, and yesterday gave me an extra piece of cheese as un petit cadeau. Needless to say, I'm enamored.
His little buttons of goat cheese are sold in four stages of affinage;
frais, mi-frais, mi-sec and sec. Over the last year I have tasted the frais and the mi-sec, so this week I decided to bring home one of each and do a little taste test.
The plump, snowy white chèvre frais is fresh, milky and tangy tasting. Fresh as in green grasses and tangy as in sour and citrusy. Its texture is fluffy and light, and it crumbles rather than slices when cut into.
This is the kind of chèvre that deserves to be drizzled with honey or served with a spoonful of fruit confiture. I can also imagine it spread thickly on a slice of rustic olive bread.
The chèvre mi-frais is also crumbly and is the tiniest bit chalky. Surprisingly, it is the mildest of the four. Its tangy and sour flavors are much more mellow than the chèvre frais and there is no hint of goatiness. It has a wonderful, rich mouthfeel and a sweet, milky flavor.
My favorite of the four is the chèvre mi-sec. It is the essence of a perfectly ripened, well balanced fermier goat cheese. It is very finely textured and quite chalky and the flavor starts out delicate and soft, then opens up into a rich, mildly salty and perfectly "goaty" goat cheese.
The most mature, smallest and wrinkliest of the four, chèvre sec, was my least favorite. It seemed too sour and ripe and overly infused with barnyard, goat flavors. The hints of mushroom and herbs were nice, but the other flavors took over. This cheese is buttery smooth and dense and I'm sure it has some fans. Just not me.
Along with the cheese taste test, I did a wine pairing taste test. Neither the Minervois red nor rosé worked with any of these chèvres. But the Vin de Pays d'Oc white from our local co-op, les Trois Blasons, was fantastic!
Just a reminder: Join me for the 8th Fête du Fromage International Cheese Tasting Event in May, please have your entries to me by May 13. I'll post the round-up on May 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?
His little buttons of goat cheese are sold in four stages of affinage;
frais, mi-frais, mi-sec and sec. Over the last year I have tasted the frais and the mi-sec, so this week I decided to bring home one of each and do a little taste test.
The plump, snowy white chèvre frais is fresh, milky and tangy tasting. Fresh as in green grasses and tangy as in sour and citrusy. Its texture is fluffy and light, and it crumbles rather than slices when cut into.
This is the kind of chèvre that deserves to be drizzled with honey or served with a spoonful of fruit confiture. I can also imagine it spread thickly on a slice of rustic olive bread.
The chèvre mi-frais is also crumbly and is the tiniest bit chalky. Surprisingly, it is the mildest of the four. Its tangy and sour flavors are much more mellow than the chèvre frais and there is no hint of goatiness. It has a wonderful, rich mouthfeel and a sweet, milky flavor.
My favorite of the four is the chèvre mi-sec. It is the essence of a perfectly ripened, well balanced fermier goat cheese. It is very finely textured and quite chalky and the flavor starts out delicate and soft, then opens up into a rich, mildly salty and perfectly "goaty" goat cheese.
The most mature, smallest and wrinkliest of the four, chèvre sec, was my least favorite. It seemed too sour and ripe and overly infused with barnyard, goat flavors. The hints of mushroom and herbs were nice, but the other flavors took over. This cheese is buttery smooth and dense and I'm sure it has some fans. Just not me.
Along with the cheese taste test, I did a wine pairing taste test. Neither the Minervois red nor rosé worked with any of these chèvres. But the Vin de Pays d'Oc white from our local co-op, les Trois Blasons, was fantastic!
Just a reminder: Join me for the 8th Fête du Fromage International Cheese Tasting Event in May, please have your entries to me by May 13. I'll post the round-up on May 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
May 5, 2009
May 4, 2009
Conchiglie al Salmone e Piselli
Lately, if you were to stop by our house for a glass of wine and a bite to eat, you might wonder where you are. Is this still France? Because the food coming out of my little kitchen certainly doesn't look like French food...
It isn't.
For the last month or so I've been craving all things Italian.
Except for French cheese of course. But that goes without saying.
There has been a crazy amount of frittata, pasta, pizza and risotto cooking going on. Why these four Italian dishes in particular?
The most recent pasta concoction used up three quarters of a bag of conchiglie pasta, a handful of frozen baby peas, half a package of smoked salmon and a slug of cream.
Oh, and some fresh chèvre. Just a little reminder that we still live in la belle France.
Conchiglie al Salmone e Piselli (e formaggi caprini)
serves 4
Related Posts:
A Gutsy Cherry Tomato, Garlic, Arugula and Feta Cheese Pasta Sauce Recipe
Still Eating as Much Asparagus as Possible...
Calzone
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It isn't.
For the last month or so I've been craving all things Italian.
Except for French cheese of course. But that goes without saying.
There has been a crazy amount of frittata, pasta, pizza and risotto cooking going on. Why these four Italian dishes in particular?
- we don't eat a lot of meat and they're delicious when made with fresh vegetables
- they're economical (unless you want to whip up something like this)
- they're easy to make
- they're perfect for using up little leftover bits of this and that
The most recent pasta concoction used up three quarters of a bag of conchiglie pasta, a handful of frozen baby peas, half a package of smoked salmon and a slug of cream.
Oh, and some fresh chèvre. Just a little reminder that we still live in la belle France.
Conchiglie al Salmone e Piselli (e formaggi caprini)
serves 4
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 shallots, finely chopped
- 1 cup frozen petit pois, defrosted
- 4 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon, chopped into 1/4 - inch pieces
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon whipping cream
- 4 ounces fresh chèvre
- 1 pound conchiglie (or farfalle)
- freshly ground black pepper
- Heat the butter and olive oil together in a frying pan over medium heat and sautée the shallots until golden.
- Add the peas and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the smoked salmon, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook for 2 minutes.
- Turn down the heat to low, stir in the cream and the chèvre, and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in plenty of boiling, salted water until al dente, according to package directions.
- Drain, reserving some of the pasta cooking water, and add the pasta to the sauce.
- Stir well over low heat until the sauce has thickened slightly and the pasta is coated. Add a bit of the reserved water if necessary to create a rich, creamy sauce.
- Serve immediately with more freshly ground pepper if necessary.
Related Posts:
A Gutsy Cherry Tomato, Garlic, Arugula and Feta Cheese Pasta Sauce Recipe
Still Eating as Much Asparagus as Possible...
Calzone
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May 3, 2009
Photo du Jour - Colors of May
The fields in May are splashed with color. Poppies, irises, lavender, dandelions, wild orchids, and many, many others that I wish I knew the names of. Pin It
May 2, 2009
French Citizenship - Chapter Too Many To Count
One more year to go.
That was the official word from the amazingly efficient fonctionnaire (if that isn't an oxymoron, I don't know what is) at the sous-préfecture in Béziers.
My dossier has been sent on to the next level for review, to the Minister of the Interior I believe.
So I wait. Patiently.
Thus far the process has caused a bit of stumbling and a hiccup or two, required a train trip, a lot of check writing, and brought the Gendarmes around for a chat.
More than a year has passed since I dropped off my substantial, 50+ page dossier at the Mairie for the first time, only to have it immediately returned due to a disagreement the sous-préfecture had with some dates. It was finally accepted several months later but was then held up by the delay of my Carte de Résident.
Now it is complete. And it is out there. Somewhere. Hopefully not lost under a stack of other dossiers or shoved into the depths of someone's desk drawer.
One more year.
Anyone want to bet that it will take longer than that? I think the odds are pretty good... Pin It
That was the official word from the amazingly efficient fonctionnaire (if that isn't an oxymoron, I don't know what is) at the sous-préfecture in Béziers.
My dossier has been sent on to the next level for review, to the Minister of the Interior I believe.
So I wait. Patiently.
Thus far the process has caused a bit of stumbling and a hiccup or two, required a train trip, a lot of check writing, and brought the Gendarmes around for a chat.
More than a year has passed since I dropped off my substantial, 50+ page dossier at the Mairie for the first time, only to have it immediately returned due to a disagreement the sous-préfecture had with some dates. It was finally accepted several months later but was then held up by the delay of my Carte de Résident.
Now it is complete. And it is out there. Somewhere. Hopefully not lost under a stack of other dossiers or shoved into the depths of someone's desk drawer.
One more year.
Anyone want to bet that it will take longer than that? I think the odds are pretty good... Pin It
May 1, 2009
Photo du Jour - Etang de Montady
Once a stagnant lake, the Etang de Montady was drained in a curious, spoke-like pattern in the 13th century to help prevent outbreaks of disease. Pin It
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