The Romans Did Everything

It was a beautiful evening on the coast, but we would learn later that it was the calm before the storm.  We journeyed 30 minutes South to check out the coastal town of Ste. Maxime.....explore a bit and have dinner.  Here are a few photos.....

 

After walking the back streets and checking out the shops, we see there is an Italian Fair on the waterfront.  Among the vendors are the Parmesan guys from, you guessed it,  Parma.  We have bought from them before...their cheese is OUTSTANDING......bio (organic) and aged.  We bought the 24 and 36 month.  Older than that,  the texture was a bit powdery.  125 Euros later, we thought we had purchased what we needed! 

Then we come upon the truffle booth......can't get past without making a purchase.  I bought a couple of jars of the truffle/mushroom spread that I will use on some blinis the next couple of weeks.  We are having a great time discovering what we love best.....FOOD!

Time to move on to dinner.  We head down the coast and this is where the Romans come in.  You know they were everywhere here in the South of France.  Julius Caesar came over from Italy (on the Aurelian Way) around 45-50 BC.  Frejus was a big Roman enclave, but here, between Sainte Maxime and Frejus, is a small unique site.  I guess you would say it was the first fish farm.  Yes, way back then, the Romans had the idea to farm raise fish (a vivier). 

Look very carefully in the center of the picture and you will see, underwater, the walls to contain the fish.  They used the natural calanque on each side to construct the ponds between them.  If you focus, you will see 2 connecting walls.

It is getting dark now so we turn our thoughts to dinner. Nous avons faim!  A little further down, we stop at a restaurant on the water.  Great setting....casual...and the food was exceptional.  

X had the gambas and I had the whole grilled fish of the day.  Have a photo of his but I dove into boning mine before I realized that I had not taken a photo.  C'est dommage....it was great and their sides were outstanding...a couscous.  Here is Xavier's shrimp...

 And our wine was, of course, rosé......from Rocquebrune s/Argens....our neighbor!

Headed back home as raindrops started to fall.  It was the night of the big storm.  Made it into the garage as the deluge began! Perfect timing.

Gateau de Jambon, Olive et Fromage

Xavier and I  have been cooking for the last couple of days getting ready for the next groups. For once, I had a bit of extra time and got to cook too. 

The French call this a gateau or cake.  I call it a bread....a quick bread.  It is perfect for cocktail hour or a picnic.  The bones of the recipe began with Robert Brunel, a chef friend in Avignon.  Of course, I have modified it on more than one occasion to make it work for us in the home kitchen.  Give it a try. Enjoy!

GATEAU DE JAMBON, OLIVE, ET FROMAGE

A Provençql treat!

2 CUPS FLOUR

1 TBS. BAKING POWDER

2 TSP. SALT

FRESHLY GROUND PEPPER

3 EGGS

1/3 CUP OLIVE OIL

1/3 CUP ROSÉ WINE (can substitute white wine)

5 OUNCES COOKED HAM, diced ¼” cubes

1 ½ CUPS COMTE CHEESE, grated

7 OUNCES GREEN OLIVES, coarsely chopped

GRAY SALT

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.  Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, olive oil, and rosé.  Add to flour mixture and stir just to combine. 

Toss together ham, cheese and olives.  Add to batter and stir to combine.  Pour batter into a well-greased oblong bread pan.  Sprinkle top with gray salt.  Bake at 350 for approximately 1 hour….internal temperature 190 degrees or skewer inserted comes out clean. 

Turn out on rack to cook completely before slicing.

 

OUR OWN TRUFFLES!

What a surprise when I walked into the kitchen this morning to see Xavier with a PILE of fresh truffles.  It could be only one thing.  Cedric and his team came early today to work in the yard and after the espresso that Xavier fixed for everyone, they thought they would give the yard a quick 'look see' for truffles.  They didn't have the dog but, lo and behold, they found a mother lode under one tree.  From now on, I think we should call him 'the giving tree'! He sits there so innocently at the back door but is quietly working away to give us precious truffles. 

So this early bird, who is always up by 6, did not get the worm this morning.  Can't believe I missed the photo op.....haven't slept in until 8AM for months and look what happened!....You would think the X after being with me so much would have grabbed the camera on the kitchen table to capture the moment!  Oh well,  here they are with the morning harvest of squash blossoms.  Lunch today????  Of course, a truffle omelet and squash blossom beignets....Can't wait!

No way these are for sale but in the market, these summer truffles would fetch close to $300....

 To see the making of the truffle omelet, click here

P.S. I have just read this to X and he corrected the fact that in my original post, I made the tree feminine.  Of course, I know that in French it is masculine but, for me, this tree that is so giving just has to be feminine.  I called her a she.  Anyway, when you see it written in French, both the masculine and feminine are 'l'arbre' because arbre begins with a vowel and needs the link.  THIS LANGUAGE!!!

Beaujolais...A Photo Journal

It is mid April.   

Xavier and I exit the autoroute as the sun is setting and head toward Chiroubles, one of the ten beaujolais cru villages.

In search of a gite for the night....

 This works....A charming winery ....'Domaine 'le Plateau de Grille-Midi'. Then it is off to

....Fleurie,  and a great restaurant choice.










 

Note the vintage...2003.  Beaujolais' are typically drunk young but then there is nothing typical about Xavier and myself.  The owner kept telling us we should have a younger wine.  We did not succumb to her wishes.  AND this was absolutely delicious! And my frog legs...a local specialty....were perfectly executed...whoops that doesn't sound right! 

Tasting room at our gite.....early morning wine tasting before departure...and, of course, our wine purchase.

 

Now on to a day of discovery.........The Hills of Beaujolais

Back roads...rolling hills...vineyards everywhere...nothing I like better.  We stop for a taste here and there...no agenda....but we do select our tasting stops carefully.....always looking for the vineyards with weeds.  Why?....probably means no pesticides.
 
Click here for a complete slideshow! Be sure to view in full screen.  Enjoy and post your comments.

Power is Back! A Frenchman in America...

No power in part of the house......an important part of the house....the KITCHEN.  It has been a day and a half so we are thrilled to see EDF show up to replace the melted box.

One of the men heard X and I speaking English and asked where I was from.....Caroline du Nord, Monsieur...."Oh, I love the USA. I have been there", he said!  "But there was one thing I did not understand".  Smiling,  he proceeded to tell of his trip to Austin, Texas.  While there, he always greeted friends and family the usual traditional French way.....a kiss on each cheek.  A stranger approached and told him that this is not done in America.  Surprised, he listened.

Did he misunderstand? Who knows what the stranger really meant.....were they just curious about the tradition or did they really mean that one should not greet someone in public with a kiss in America.  That is the way he took it so from then on he said he and his family shared no more French greetings in America.  C'est dommage

And, finally, we pass on a bottle of rosé acknowledging a job appreciated and well done.  Somehow I don't see us handing a bottle of wine to the Duke Power guys. Do you?

P.S. There was a geiko that must have been very close when the box was struck.  He is charred....absolutely black....but is still alive and well....must indeed have a suit of armor.  Have not been able to catch a photo of him.

A Favorite Garden

Knowing that I visit many places in the South of France every week, people always ask "What is your favorite?"  I never have an answer as every week is different....different people, different weather, different season, etc. BUT now, I believe I have an exception.  The Ephrussi de Rothchild villa and gardens is definitely a favorite in the springtime.  The house with many of Mme Rothchild's possessions has everything from porcelain, to clothing, to art, to antiques....the villa exudes her love of 18th century France. Then there are the 9 magnificent gardens that are changing every week.   Beatrice Rothchild took 7 years to build this estate on the narrowest part of Cap Ferrat where she would have a view of the bay of Villefranche sur Mer on one side and the Mediterranean Sea on the other.  Views are magnificent.  She did indeed accomplished her goal of feeling like she was on a cruise ship.  This too was enhanced by the fact that she asked her gardeners to dress as sailors. ...yes, she was a bit eccentric.  Married at the age of 19, separated a couple of years later, never to remarry, she bequeathed Villa Ephrussi de Rothchild to the Academie des Beaux-Arts de l'Institut de France who completed the gardens and have maintained them and the villa ever since. To see a complete slideshow of the villa and gardens, click here

Country Ham ...Past and Present

The roots of this sandwich go back to my childhood in Kentucky.  My father would purchase raw hams from a local farmer and come back to my grandmother's where the curing process would begin in the smokehouse that stood between her house and her beautiful garden.  These hams hung for at least a year but the prize hams hung at least 2 years.  No fast cure here! 

Anyway, the hams would eventually find their way into my mother's kitchen where she would get out the big electric roaster and boil them for hours before removing and topping with brown sugar, cornmeal, vinegar crust and baking in the oven to finish.  Now these Baked Country Hams were special, very special ....oh, how I would love to have one of Daddy's hams right now....nothing like it.  We ate it thinly sliced as a side or on sandwiches of rye bread with swiss cheese and Durkee's Famous Sauce.....which brings me to the reason for this post.

I still enjoy the old version but have tweeked it a bit.  I now like to buy the mini rye bread squares and grill the sandwich.  They freeze beautifully (even after grilling) and are perfect to have on hand.  I use  them with soups and salads all winter long....great quick lunch or dinner.  But best of all,  I like to cut them on the diagonal,  nothing fancy here,  and use them as an hors d'oeuvre for cocktail parties.  Note that I now use Comté cheese (least expensive place to buy is Costco...actually same brand I buy in France)  but you can substitute Swiss or Emmenthaler...just not as much flavor.  However, there is no substitute for the Durkee's......it is just the best.....one jar will do 2 loaves of the mini rye...so you see we don't spread too much.   And since we don't have my Daddy's ham, you can find an Edward's Petite Ham, fully cooked and boned, at Fresh Markets (they will slice) as well as online

If you have frozen your sandwiches, reheat until crispy again....I do that in my oven using convection but it also works on regular bake.  I love popping a couple in my new Breville toaster oven ...love that oven....but that's another post.

AIX-en-PROVENCE and TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY

You know I love to start with food.....this was my lunch at Les Deux Garcons in Aix....Do you know what they are?  Answer is at the end .

So now with what this post is really about.....

I think most of you know that I love  technology so when I saw this new app for the IPhone (also the IPad and ITouch), I was intrigued.  GPSmycity.com is a great travel aid and so easy to take along with you...no lugging those heavy books along. These self-guided  city walking tour apps feature over 2,000 cities worldwide.  You can grab these apps on ITunes, or the Apple store for as little as $2.99.  But, read on to see how you could have 3 of them for FREE..

Right now, GPSmyCity.com is sponsoring a contest featuring Aix en Provence.  Answer the 10 multiple choice questions below correctly and you will be awarded 3 city walk iPhone applications of your choice.  Send answers to quiz@gpsmycity.com. No purchase necessary. 

 Aix Quiz

1. Originally, Aix-en-Provence was perceived  to be  a popular:
A. Lovers' Nest
B. Spa City
C. Delicatessen Destination

2. Home to the famous Cathedral of Saint-Sauver, Aix is also called:
A. The city of 1000 fountains
B. The city of the lit candles
C. The city of the Three Musketeers

3. The biggest annual event in Aix-en-Provence which takes place for more than fifty years each july is:
A. Festival International d’Art Lyrique
B. Fête de l'Artisanat d'été
C. Carnival des Enfants

4. Aix is known for its fabulous architecture, featuring as key elements:
A. Romanesque basilicas
B. Colorful murals
C. Intricated doors

5. Paul Cezanne was born in Aix on 19 january 1839, in the family of a :
A. Hat shop owner
B. Violonist
C. Doctor

6. It was the Greeks who planted the first olive trees in the region and now olives and olive oil have become some of the main ingredients of Provençal cuisine. The first traditional pressing of the year's olives takes place in:
A. December
B. April
C. September

7. June 21st is a declared national holiday which transforms Aix into:
A. A funny Costumes' Parade
B. An immense Concert Venue
C. An open-air cooking competition

8. Current archeological excavations in the Ville des Tours, a medieval suburb  of Aix, have unearthed the remains of :
A. An old roman amphitheatre
B. An ancient war cemetery
C. The foundations of a lost city

9. Aix-en-Provence is officially twinned among others, with one of the following cities:
A. Sibiu
B. Cologne
C. Perugia

10. Built in 1792 and have been frequented by the likes of Paul Cézanne, Émile Zola and Ernest Hemingway - Deux Garçons is Aix's most famous:
A. Bookstore
B. Brasserie
C. Perfume store

Reminder....send your answers to quiz@gpsmycity.com.  Good Luck! 

And, oh yes,.... supions were my lunch at this historical brasserie...... in the family with calamari, octopus etc...They were yummy!

BOXWOOD BEAD CURTAINS

What beautiful craftsmanship! One sees these 'rideaux' (curtains) in doorways all over Provence. The true boxwood curtain is made from 'box', a very dense wood with beautiful grain patterns. From forest to bead is a long process. It takes almost 30 years for a box to have the 8-10 cm trunk necessary for harvest. Then it has to be stored for 2 years to dry before being transformed into a bead.

It is at this point that Manou Dia-Noguera, one of the few artisans left in France still producing these curtains, begins to work her magic. We see her at the Tuesday market in Lorgues and I can't help but marvel every time I see her handy work.

These curtains are multi-purposed as they not only allow air to circulate, but the boxwood also repels flies and insects. Most curtains are predominately the natural boxwood color, but as you can see, beads can be colored and patterns worked into the curtains. I have also seen them used as window coverings and room dividers. Visit Manou's website.  International shipping is available.

L'Estagnol et Domaines Ott

Beautiful June day on the coast....the weather, the restaurant, the winery.....click on the slideshow above to see the story. I drool over the langoustes.....

Summer Truffles

The truffles speak for themselves....outstanding.... such great specimens. We will pack some in oil and freeze them but, of course, we are also enjoying many of them fresh.

But you need to know about lunch at Chez Xavier. It began with a Cavaillon Melon soup. He took 2 melons and scooped them with a melon baller. The melon left behind was trimmed out and then pureed in the blender with a bit of Chartrueuse, fresh basil, lime juice, salt and pepper....the puree was then poured over the melon and served very cold. It was so good on this very hot day that I slurped mine down before ever thinking of taking a photo.


Then came the omelet full of truffles accompanied by the sauteed eggplant. And the eggplant deserves some explanation because his method works so much better than the way I have sauteed eggplant for years. First, he sliced it thick (1/2-3/4-inch) and placed it in the steamer....you know my favorite one that you can get at Target. He steamed it for 20 minutes of so.....not completely done but almost. He then removed it from the steamer and dipped it in seasoned flour, the beaten egg, then polenta. The reason I think this is so worth noting is because when the eggplant has been steamed, it does not suck up the fat when you are pan frying it. It was sooooo crispy and good. We had a few cheeses to follow. And, finally finished with an apricot rhubarb tart!

I guess you can figure that my afternoon was shot.....I was good just for lounging in the pool

Les Arcs Centre Ville Flood Aftermath

Photos: Flood Jun 15, 2010

Photos taken during the day and evening of the flood...

Flood June 15, 2010

The rain began during the early morning hours of June 15....didn't think much of it until we heard we were under an orange alert..... The French issue these weather warnings and I have certainly learned to take them seriously. Remembering the flood of 2002 in Chateauneuf de Pape when we were stranded for hours, I thought the worst that could happen would be to be stranded here at the house. ...how bad could that be.....we are at the top of the hill....have lots of food....lots of wine.....pas de problem....Oui? Mais Non....

The rain continued to fall...in fact it was raining sideways. Never have I seen so much come down for such a long period. Xavier and I struggled through our morning errands.....boulangerie, Hyper U, winery etc. Had a great lunch and were headed for a sieste when the water started to roll out of the fireplace...black sooty water. The sideways rain was now flowing down the chimney. Beaucoup torchons and a bucket and we were in control....for the moment. Whoops, the pool is overflowing....X tends to that. Oh my...now no power. Not to worry, we have a generator.... crank it up....How much diesel do we have????

I step out on the porch and there is a roar that I have never heard before....It does not stop....What is it? "Xavier, come listen" and then OMG, we realized that it was the river that most people do not even realize is there. THE RIVER IS BACK! I grabbed my camera and we headed down the driveway. And there at the road (or where there was supposed to be a road) was a raging river. It had traveled through neighbors yards, broken their walls, washed out the driveways......And we both now realized that we had no way out! Oh my, the rain is still pouring from the sky....when will it end.

Back up the driveway, thank God for our high ground. Fall asleep on the sofa ....and finally fall in bed at 2AM....still raining but maybe a bit less.

Up early at 6AM....walk back down the driveway to see if waters have receded.....notice that many neighbors did not make it home ......Water has receded but still flowing.....lots of damage.....In direction Les Arcs, the road is gone and we find out that the bridge at Clairette is out (by the vineyards on the way into town). But the good news is that there is a way out through Taradeau. Sadly, we learn of 10 dead and 18 missing persons. Centre ville Les Arcs is a disaster. Cars piled on top of each other in front of the Casino grocery ....In front of the gazebo, a giant hole opened and the river flowed through the center of the parking lot into the area behind the tourist office.. ...2 houses destroyed.......unbelievable. And at the other end of the street through town....cars are piled up in the pharmacy. Centre Ville is closed so I was not able to get photos.....but saw some that a guy here in the neighborhood had taken.

We learn that there were 200 people who spent the night at Hyper U last night. ..our neighbor being one of them.....another could not get any closer than Flayosc......and we have yet to hear from some. Draguignan is also a disaster ....many people had to be airlifted.....and lots of damage.

As the day goes on, we have neighbors showing up....using power here for charging cell phones etc. One, in particular, has yet to connect with her husband. The telephone is ringing ringing since TF1 (French TV) ran a story on Les Arcs.....I will post this video once it is up on their site as it is unbelievable. Shows what a disaster downtown is. Also hearing from American friends and family that it made the Today show & CNN.

June 21...
We are now in the Vaucluse for a couple of weeks......hard to leave Les Arcs with so much going on  ...but have guests arriving so must go and, frankly, are very greatful that we could get out.  There was a time when we thought that it would not be possible.

Everyday we saw new damage and more devastation.  The most incredible was the gorge that was created.  Many of you who have been with us know the road we take to go home...the one that runs by the cemetery.  Well, the river created a HUGE gorge with multiple waterfalls and it is ultimately what destroyed downtown Les Arcs.  After my initial shock and reaction, I turned to Xavier and said, 'you know, it could be beautiful" .  There are no words to describe it and my photos don't show the massiveness of it because I could not get close enough.  When we go back I will work on getting photos to post.

We thank all of you who have written, called and checked on us.  Say a prayer for lives lost and for those affected by this tragedy.

Sainte Barbe Day, A Provence Tradition

In Provence, the Christmas season begins on 4 December, Saint Barbara's Day, with a tradition dating to Greek and Roman times. You begin by choosing a saucer or other small container. Cover the bottom of the container with soft cotton. You can use a sheet of cotton or simply pull apart cotton balls. Then lightly sprinkle the cotton with water. It needs to be wet but don't drown it. I like to drip the water off the tips of my fingers. Now, scatter grains of hard wheat over the damp cotton. I purchased my hard wheat from the bins at Earth Fare. Water lightly daily. The grains should germinate in a few days and soon you will have wheat grass. The germinated wheat represents prosperity and a good harvest for the following year. Be careful not to overwater as it will rot the grains.

You can see that I got a little carried away with the number of containers. I even used empty tealight containers, and my friend, Lin, used an olive boat. Use the sprouted wheat on the table at Christmas as well as in and around the creche (nativity).

Wine Appreciation

I listen to Riviera Radio from Monaco via my computer almost every day. I like the music. It is English speaking and their features interest me. Which brings me to something I heard today that I thought was worth sharing. They have a wine appreciation course sponsored by antiquewine.com. Each segment is just 2 minutes, which you can listen to immediately or download....your choice. I was particularly grabbed by #10....'How to Tell if Wine is Corked'.....It is information that every person who drinks wine should understand. AND, it is the #1 reason for sending a wine back or taking wine back to a store. This podcast affirms the information I have been trying to share for years... So if you are ever at a table that the person tasting the wine says it is corked......PLEASE, take a sniff or a small taste so that you will know what all the fuss is about.