On our Stoep*

*Stoep definition :

Afrikaans (my mothertongue) for a small porch or veranda situated at the entrance of the house

Our 'Stoep' here Aux Jardins des Thevenets has seen many a memorable moment, and is probably more of a terrace than a 'stoep'. With Oliver we build it and the pebbles incrusted in the cement were chosen one by one - there is a little fossile and just in front of the entrance door, a heart shaped stone to welcome everybody and tell them that this is 'La Maison du Bonheur!'

Friends and Family on the Stoep

In summer we dine outside until late into the night with our guests, watching the stars twinkle above us, very often seeing falling stars (I'm still in 2 about whether it is falling stars or shooting stars) and it is also the usual breakfast place weather permitting. 

For Olivier and I, it is the place where, with the first rays of sunshine after the long gray winter, we have lunch outside covered in big snug jerseys or we lunch late into the fall like we did this year - still lunching outside mid november! Unheard of! And it is the place where we lunch or dine with our friends from near and far!

Being due south, it heats up very quickly and in the corner, a fig tree bears its load even late into the fall. With the green figs at the end of the season, I do a wonderful green fig preserve! I found various recipes and share some of them here with you.

Confettura di Fichi - From Italian Food (Canada, UK) by Elizabeth David - (British Cookery Writer of the mid 20th century http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_David)

Ingredients:

2 lb. of green figs

3/4 lb. of sugar

grated peel of 2 lemons

juice of 2 lemons

Instructions:

Put all the ingredients into a pan together and cook for about 1-1/2 hours.

An old Cape Recipe:

Two species of wild figs grow in the Cape, both of which have been made into jam from the earliest times. A traveller who visited the Cape in 1815 recorded that konfyt was made from the Hottentot fig and served as conserve with afternoon coffee. The method of preserving firm, ripe figs is in accordance with Chinese methods, without additional flavouring of any sort, as the flavour of figs is considered quite perfect.

1 kg firm, ripe green figs (stems intact)
15 ml slaked lime
2,5 litres cold water
1,2 kg sugar
1 stick cinnamon
30 ml lemon juice

Cut a cross at the base of each fig. Mix the slaked lime in the water, add the figs and leave overnight to soak. This ensures the fruit will be tender, yet have a crisp skin. Rinse thoroughly, place in a bowl of clean, cold water and set aside.

Place sufficient fresh water in a deep saucepan to immerse the figs, add the fruit and boil for about 15 minutes until tender. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon and drain in a colander. Measure the water, and make up to 2 litres. Pour back into the saucepan, add the sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice and bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. (Don't allow the syrup to boil until this has happened.)

Drop in the figs one by one (don't allow it to go off the boil) and boil fairly rapidly, uncovered, for about 45 minutes until the fruit is translucent and the syrup has thickened slightly. Pack figs into hot, dry, sterilised jars, fill with the syrup and seal. MAKES 2 x 500 G BOTTLES

 

Stoep covered in snow

But I get back to my little 'signature' at the end of my posts - all this is about sharing! Somehow our old lady (the house) makes people feel so at home that there's just a natural flow of sharing going on! For those of you who have never been to a B & B that does 'table d'hôte, it means that you arrive at a home where you've never been before, meet the owners and the other guests and a couple of hours later, you are all around the same table eating the meal that the hostess have prepared (a fixed menu with no choices!). This might seem daunting, but let me tell you, most of the time it works so well, and people actually become friends, exchanging adresses and often if they stay for a couple of days, going out on the same excursions!

The table set for a late autumn lunch with the fig tree as a backdrop

Our 'stoep' has also heard many confessions! People that stay with us very often open up and tell us their life stories, their joy, their laughter, their pain. For the space of an evening or two they let themselves be cradled by the wonderful welcoming feel of our home and for us, this is such a reward!

That is surely what life is about?

Sharing!

Bisous

Lynn