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Travelling

2011-07-13T19:01:00.000+02:00

Cape Town International Airport

Airports are funny places - almost like another world - maybe a kind of middle world in which one spends suspended time. Bubbly hubs where in the space of a few hours (which is my case on this trip down to Africa) you mix with travelers from all over the world. And then you realise once again that we all have the same needs.

To get to our loved ones, to get to a meeting, to see that place that you've saved for all your life, to....

travel.

We then get suspended in this world where all run around furiously to get to their gates, with a quick pit-stop at the duty free for the shopaholics, where they stock up on the latest label (probably more expensive than elsewhere)

And then one starts wondering about the 'inborn' waderlust of some of us.

I have learned to travel on 9 hectares the last couple of years. Before would be off at the drop of a hat.

I have come to realise that the yonder is in front of your eyes. The beauty of life is in the 'birds' tapping on the window every morning, the deer eating my roses, the incredible sunsets from our courtyard, seeing spring blossoming in front of my eyes, Lilli our silly cat seducing each and every one before tripsing off into the forest

Obviously this has not totally quench my thirst for jumping on the first plane to some unknown destination and whilst planning that, already think of other destinations, but it is not a huge gnawing craving bug in my belly anymore - only a little 'envie'.

And maybe this is just part of the amazing discovery of oneself.

The above I wrote sitting at Franfurt airport in March.

And now it is July already and our summer season is rolling ahead at lightening speed and having reread the above, I must confess that I do feel like packing that bag again!! Especially when I look at the photos of my trips!
View of my childhood beach

I must also confess that I have not been very good at doing this blog thing - will try and let you have some interesting 'titbits' soon and at the same time give you a quick and easy Coconut Flan recipe!

Here Goes - EASY Coconut Flan
3 eggs
1 tin of sweet condensed milk
1/2 litre of milk
125 g coconut

Butter a cake dish (or small individual moulds if you want to 'fancify' this dish)
Mix all the ingredients and pour into moulds or dish
Bake 50 to 60 minutes in a 'bain-marie' in a 200° oven!

Easy as pie!

Sorry about being absent - promise to be back!!

And I missed sharing with you!

Hugs
Lynn

Kuier* at Couffour

2011-02-18T17:52:00.000+01:00

I did this for the wonderful South Africain Foodblog - SHOWCOOK

and just had to share it with you too

It was our 15^th wedding anniversary last June! With Olivier we decided to be 'green' travellers and not to up our Carbon footprints by going off to some exotic destination. So instead we did a delicious road trip into the deep heart of the beautiful region of Auvergne that has been our home for the past 10 years.

The Cantal, one of the four regions that the Auvergne is compiled of, is a rugged region (even in summer) but oh so incredible! It is home to many of the cheeses that made Auvergne famous, as well as the loveliest brown Saler cows with their pointy horns!

It is a region where one eats well even in the tiniest of towns. And so we stumbled upon an amazing Auberge (actually thanks to the fantastic Fooding guide – for any of you planning a trip to France well worth consulting them online or buy it first thing on arrival – it even has writeups in English! www.fooding.com). Saint-Etienne-de-Chomeil is not a village you arrive upon via normal tracks. But certainly worth the detour as Jean-François Pécoul not only cooks the most delicious organic meals at his café, aka restaurant, aka epicérie 'Les Glycines' , he is also an organic farmer farming with Salers and his Salers steak the best I've ever eaten! Not to mention the 'to die for doll' Aligot!

But the best of the Cantal to me is the recently opened Hotel Restaurant of Serge Vieira just outside another spa village most foreigners have not heard about, Chaudes-Aigues.

(Reputed to have a hot spring with water so hot as to boil an egg!)

http://www.sergevieira.com/restaurant-serge-vieira-haut-debit/index-us.php

Serge, in his 30's, obtained the Bocuse d'or in 2005 and his CV is rather impressive – he worked with numerous chefs – amongst other he was 2^nd to Regis Marcon, 3 star Michelin Chef also IN THE AUVERGNE!! He travelled and worked in other countries, in particular Australia, and the influence can be seen and tasted in his food. His lovely wife, Marie-Aude who also worked at various Michelin Star restaurants, is the perfect hostess. (We first met her 'Chez Michel Bras' in 2007). But the incredible feat was that, not even 7 months after opening Couffour, he got his first Michelin Star! And after having dined there, we know why!

Upon our arrival, we walked through a swaying meadow between two medieval buildings (future bedrooms), and then we arrived in a modern futuristic world with his logo used as metal decoration everywhere. All is harmony, from the colours, choice of furniture through to the very pleasant and quiet service. Marie-Aude made us feel immediately at ease.

For the moment they only have 3 bedrooms, and our bedroom was the 'Silène' bedroom named after a common European wildflower (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silene_vulgaris) and used as inspiration for the decoration. Each room has a view of the beautiful Chaudes-Aiges Valley.

A long corridor leads from the rooms to the open space that has been very cleverly divided with a breakfast:lounge area just before the restaurant itself. All with 180° views on the surrounding landscape . The exterieur becomes part of the interior.

The 'apéritif was served in the lounge – Olivier had a local Cantal Beer and I had the 'house' mixture.

I could not wait to go through to the spacious dinning room for this show to start! We chose the 4 course menu. The amuses bouches was not just beautiful to look at, but delicious and tasty.

1) The first starter, a Crab ball floating on an asparagus gelée , topped with a frothy verbena/seashell mousse ,just encouraged you to have MORE! Tasty and futuristic

2) The second starter was inspired by the great barrier reef - various shellfish under a thin transparent lemon/water veil! Another artwork!

3) The cod was 'confit' and served with cabbage, cauliflower, organic almonds and almond oil.

The rosé pigeon was roasted to perfection with spices and served on blond peas from the Planeze, a region in the Auvergne where they grow different pulses, amongst other blond lentils.

The cheese trolley had such a variety of local ripened cheese that the choice was rather difficult.

And to top it all, the delicate attention to our anniversary on the dessert plate which were accompanied by a delicious 'Pink Champagne'.

We opted for a glass of wine with every course and the wine steward advised very interesting, mostly organic, wines from lesser known regions

I did on purpose not go into detailed decriptions of all the plates as it was just too special with the tiniest detail everywhere to put words to it – one has to experience it first hand!

Couffour with Marie-Aude's delicate attention and Serge's incredible food - a place to return to at the earliest occasion!!

* - Kuier -South Africanism for visit

Here's to sharing lots more!
Bisous
Lynn

'Someday is Now'

2011-01-31T17:51:00.000+01:00

Since I've read Kate's blog last week

http://serendipity-kate.blogspot.com/2011/01/flashback-best-laid-planspart-6.html

I have not been able to stop pondering about these 3 words :

Someday is Now!

In 2010 some of my friends had major health problems. Most totally unexpectedly and I just realised once again that life's far too short for nonsense.

So on this last day of January 2011 all I want to share with you is the realisation that time is of an essence and we only have here and now.
Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a dream, LIVE FOR TODAY!!

Take the time!!

I shall also try and be more present with fun recipes in the next few months - I said 'try'!!

Thanks for your encouragement and your friendship!

Life's about sharing
Lynn

Snowy Tales

2010-12-28T14:07:00.000+01:00

We've been under snow for 4 days now and I must say, I love this incredibly quiet white world that rubs out all flaws - especially all the work that must still be done !!!!

And on the other hand this is just far too early to have such incredibly cold spells! -11 yesterday morning!

Our house with the barns and dovehouse nestling in the snow

For a girl born in sunny South Africa, this does get a bit hard to handle especially if it carries on for some time!

But what this also gave us was a WHITE CHRISTMAS!

I am not going to blabber on and on about recipes and food and and and today.

I think we should all just take some time to say thank you for being so priviledged to have great food, warm homes even in the snow, wonderful friends wishing us great things for the future year ahead, loving families and the list can carry on! All the wonderful things we share every day.

And take time to think of those without anything.

And I shall end with this quote that my friend Jana posted on her Facebook Page:

"What is Christmas? It is a tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace." - Agnes M Pharo.

Here's to sharing stacks with you in 2011

Life is about sharing

Bisous

Lynn

Off to Senegal

2010-11-28T10:02:00.001+01:00

No no, am not off to Senegal in reality, it's just that I woke up this morning, with everything around me covered in frost, and somehow the magic of one's mind takes you along long forgotten paths.

Maybe it is the cold, crispy air that made me think of the most unforgettable meal I've had 'CHEZ AIDA', a tiny little café in the heart of the 'Goutte d'Or' area of Paris. Certainly not an area frequented by the chic Parisiennes as this it right up north in the city and known as 'Little Africa'. I went there on a similar cold crisp day with an old friend and had the most amazing Thiéboudienne!

Just the name allready evoke a trip to an exotic place and sometimes one does not need to be there in person, just preparing foreign-exotic dishes is travelling to different destinations!

Now, I know not many of you have heard of this dish, so I went on a big web hunt and found some recipes and info! And here goes:

http://www.whats4eats.com/fish/ceebu-jen-recipe gave such lovely explanations so I took the liberty to copy it here for you!

Thiéboudienne is one of the most popular dishes in Senegal, especially along the coast. A Wolof term meaning "rice and fish," ceebu jen is a tomatoey mix of fish, rice and cooked vegetables that shows a strong resemblance to Spanish paella and Creole jambalaya. A wide variety of vegetables and fish can be used, making ceebu jen an extremely versatile dish. Also spelled tiéboudienne, thiep bou dien, Ceebu jencep bu jën. (cheh-boo jen)

4 to 6 servings

Whole fish (or fillets, see variations), cleaned -- about 2 pounds
Parsley, finely chopped -- 1/4 cup
Hot chile peppers, finely chopped -- 2 or 3
Garlic, minced -- 2 or 3 cloves
Salt and pepper -- to season
Peanut, dendê or vegetable oil -- 1/4 cup
Onions, chopped -- 2
Tomato paste -- 1/4 cup
Stock or water -- 5 cups
Carrots, cut into rounds - 3
Cabbage, cut into wedges -- 1/2 head
Pumpkin or winter squash, peeled and cubed -- 1/2 pound
Eggplant, cubed -- 1
Rice -- 2 cups
Salt and pepper -- to season
Lemons, cut into wedges -- 3

Method

Rinse the fish inside and out with cool water and pat dry. Cut three diagonal slashes about 1/2 inch deep in each side of the fish. Mix the chopped parsley, chile peppers, garlic, salt and pepper and stuff the mixture (called roff) into the slashes on the fish.
Heat the oil in a large, deep pot over medium-high flame. Brown the fish on both sides in the hot oil and remove to a plate.
Add the chopped onions to the hot oil and saute until cooked through and just beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and about 1/4 cup of water and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in the stock or water, carrots, cabbage, pumpkin and eggplant and simmer over medium heat for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked through and tender. Add the browned fish and simmer for another 15 minutes or so. Remove the fish and vegetables and about 1 cup of the broth to a platter, cover and set in a warm oven.
Strain the remaining broth, discarding the solids. Add enough water to the broth to make 4 cups and return to heat. Bring the broth to a boil, stir in the rice and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked through and tender.
Spread the cooked rice in a large serving platter, including any crispy bits (the xooñ) sticking to the bottom of the pan. Spread the vegetables over the center of the rice and top with the fish. Finally, pour the reserved broth over all. Serve with lemon wedges. Ceebu jen is traditionally eaten with the hands from a common serving dish.

Variations

Fish: You can use whole fish or fish fillets. Any firm white-fleshed fish works well. If using fillets, try marinating the fillets in the parsley mixture (roff) instead of using it as a stuffing, then add the roff to the sauteing onions. Most Senegalese also add small amounts of smoked, dried fish (guedge) and fermented snails (yete) to ceebu jen. They add an incomparable, smoky flavor.
Vegetables: Use any vegetables you have on hand. Try yams, cassava, potatoes, green beans, zucchini, okra or bell peppers. You can use any hot chile pepper for heat, but Scotch bonnet peppers come closest to those used in Senegal.
Ceebu Yapp (Beef with rice and vegetables): Marinate 2 pounds of stewing beef in the roff mixture for at least 1 hour. Brown the meat in the hot oil and set aside. Brown the onions and roff in the oil, then stir in the tomato paste as indicated. Add the stock or water and return the beef to the pot, but don't put in the vegetables yet. Simmer the beef for 1 to 1/2 hours. Then add the vegetables and 8 to 10 shelled hard-boiled eggs and simmer for 45 minutes. Continue with the recipe as indicated.
The fish, vegetables and rice can also be served separately in the Western style.

The cuisine of Senegal has been influenced by nations like France, Portugal, and those of North Africa, and also by many ethnic groups, the largest being the Wolof; Islam, which first penetrated the region in the 11th century; and various European cultures, especially the French, who held the country as a colony until 1960. Immigrants have brought Senegalese restaurants to many world cities, where its popularity has been growing.

Because Senegal borders the Atlantic Ocean, fish is an important staple. Chicken, lamb, pea, eggs, and beef are also used in Senegalese cooking, but not pork, due to the nation’s largely Muslim population. Peanuts, the primary crop, as well as couscous, white rice, sweet potatoes, lentils, black-eyed peas and various vegetables, are also incorporated into many recipes. Meats and vegetables are typically stewed or marinated in herbs and spices, and then poured over rice or couscous or simply eaten with bread.

Popular fresh juices are made from bissap, ginger, Buy (pronounced bouy) which is the fruit of the baobab mango, or other fruit or wild trees. Desserts are very rich and sweet, combining native ingredients with the extravagance and style characteristic of the French impact on Senegal’s culinary methods. They are often served with fresh fruit and are traditionally followed by coffee or tea. tree also known as "monkey bread fruit",

FROM : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senegalese_cuisine

http://kariborders.blogspot.com/recipes/recipes.html

So happy travelling to you today !

Life's about sharing and I love sharing with you

Lynn

Dashing to the Dordogne (Feasting with the 'Marquis')

2010-11-17T14:12:00.000+01:00

After a mad Saturday evening where we had the house filled with friends, then hopping out to the Opera in Vichy to see 'Les Ballets Trocadero' http://www.trockadero.org/, and back home for a very late night supper, we dashed to the Dordogne Sunday just after lunch.

The main purpose was to see our friend John who has been looking at property in a very beautiful village in the Dordogne region and who wanted the expert advise of his fellow Capricornian friend, Olivier. So you can imagine, 2 Capricorns together visiting century old properties - not a good thing!

But what I really want to share with you today is John's absolute incredible love for food! John is a Gourmand and a Gourmet!! John has had many lives - University lecturer, restaurateur and writer amongst other. A couple of years ago he published : Take 40 Fresh Crayfish......

http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/article113584.ece

In the meantime, life has walked many different roads with him and after a 6 month stint in Asia the first half of this year, he has decided to settle in France for now. A country he knows and loves and appreciates as very few foreigners does.

On our arrival at his new temporary home in the beautiful town of Belvès, we were greeted with an apéritif and we then had the most amazing Thai curry.

The 2 boys at table with the delectable and easy Thai Curry

THE RECIPE received from John via email this morning:
'For Thai curry, simply slice boneless skinless breasts (with mushrooms or thinly sliced courgettes) to simmer in curry mix which consists of tin of coconut milk, generous scoop of Thai curry paste (red or yellow or green), splashes of Thai fish sauce, kaffir lime leaves and lemon grass, water chestnuts, touch of brown sugar, and don't forget the fresh ginger! Fresh coriander cut on top to serve. Recipe in 'Take 40 Fresh Crayfish' !'

Monday, after a visit to the now ex property, we quickly ran back home in the cold drizzling rain, to sit down to another great meal : This time a lovely Risotto of girolles with anchovies, parmesan and once again washed down with divine wine!

But the prize went to the delicious dinner. I've been crossing 'Elizabeth David' for many a year and actually never got so far as to buy a recipe book of this incredible writer on food. John cooked 'Noisettes de Porc aux Pruneaux' (Pork Noisettes with prunes and cream sauce) from her book, 'French Provincial Cooking' and when I got home on Tuesday afternoon, I ordered it on the spot!
Read more about her: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_David

In case you do not have her cookbook, here goes : 'Noisette de Porc aux Pruneaux'.
'This dish, a speciality of Tours, is a sumptuous one, rich and handsome in appearance as well as in it's flavours........' This is how she starts the write-up of the recipe.

Take 6 to 8 noisettes (John used filet mignon)
1 lb (500g) juicy prunes
1/2 bottle of wine (white Vouvray will be great)
1 tablespoon of red-currant jelly
1/2 pint (250 ml) of thick cream
a bit of butter
flour
and seasonings.

Put prunes to steep in bowl covered with 1/2 pint (250 ml) of wine, supposed to be done overnight, but with good prunes half-day will be sufficient. Cover and put them in a very low oven to cook - an hour or more, the longer the better!

John, the 'Marquis of Belvès' divine pork dish

Season the pork
very well with freshly-milled pepper and salt and sprinkle each 'noisette' with flour.
Melt butter in the pan, put in the meat, let it gently take colour on one side and turn. Keep the heat low - butter must not brown. After 10 minutes pour in the remaining white wine. Cover the pan. Cook very gently, covered on top of the stove for approximately 45 minutes to an hour.

Pour the juice from the prunes over the meat - this must be done over direct heat on top of the stove - keep the prunes hot in the oven.
When the juice has bubbled and reduced a little, transfer the meat to the serving dish and keep hot. (John kept the meat in the same pan) Add the red-current jelly and stir until it has dissolved. Pour in some of the cream, shake the pan and add a little more cream until the sauce is just beginning to get shiny and really thick.
John added steamed potatoes at this stage as well and according to Elizabeth, there should be enough sauce to cover the meat, but not the prunes!

A truely delicious and easy meal. Whilst the meal was simmering away, John took time to teach us the basics of a Chinese society game, Mahjong! Not only a divine cook, art collector, expert on Sade, but also a great teacher! And John loves sharing with others!

The beautiful antique Mahjong set on which he taught us the ropes

Here's to sharing amongst friends!

Life is about sharing
Bisous

Wilson the Piggy - Suite Ham!

2010-10-31T22:19:00.001+01:00

Well it's a rainy autumn Sunday afternoon, we had wonderful oven roasted fish and steamed cucumber from the market in Vichy, all washed down with a bit too much delicious South African white wine and apart from being in bed with a great book, the next best thing is to share with you!

A couple of months ago I did a post on Wilson the Piggy if you remember (in January I think). Yesterday, Olivier sliced into Wilson's ham for the first time.

Now let me tell you how I've been pampering that ham! First, after spending about 30 days in a big salt jar, then rinced, we suspended the 2 hams of Wilson in a wired cage in the attic above the pool. An airy space so that it could dry out properly. Every week they were lovingly rubbed with a kind of grappa and I spiced them with a pepper mixture, especially around the bone. This went on for about 6 months. Then Wilson's hams were fetched by our friend Jean-Yves, and he placed his a an ash box for the next couple of months.

We eventually fetched our ham from him about a week ago, and were waiting for the right opportunity to slice into this air dried delicacy!

Olivier's old friends and his godchild arrived this past weekend and we decided that this was the perfect opportunity to inaugurate dear Wilson's ham!

And boy oh boy, what a joy!! Absolutely delicious and perfect as an aperitif on a autumny Saturday afternoon sharing with great friends in the lazy sun! But the whole process was captured by our friend Pascal and he kindly allowed us to place his video on the blog:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5sl5GzSETo

So guys, now you've seen it all!! And with this good night and it's always nice sharing with you!

Life is about sharing

Froggie hugs
Lynn

Blabbermouth was bustling.....

2010-10-16T16:28:00.000+02:00

Hi you all

Just coming up to take some air as these last weeks shot past like an arrow and I cannot even begin to tell you about all the cooking that went on.

First we had Magic Marita, a South African writer living in Provence with her French Husband Alain and their four kids and a cat. Marita was presenting a 13 part series on South Africans in France and what they cook - called 'Marita Kook' and it will be broadcasted in South Africa in January.
You can follow Marita through her website
http://www.maritavandervyver.info/
her blog, http://www.maritareadingspace.blogspot.com/ or her Facebook Group http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=78346169084

Marita and Alain's Cookbook, Summerfood in Provence has just appeared on the shelves in South Africa! A MUST!!

You can follow what's happening about the kykNet series 'Marita Kook' (in Afrikaans) on their blog:
http://onskookfrans.blogspot.com/2010/10/welkom-en-lekker-saamkook-jaco.html

Was very nervy as I do not like being in front of the lens - am always the one snapping away - and here not just a 'photo' lens but a camera rolling along in my kitchen! I do not think any of you had any idea what my kitchen looked like at the end of the season! Books piled up, papers, invoices, notes, makeup, shoes,............ So my job was to get my kitchen in tip top shape for Magic Marita and the A team from kykNet. It did help that I sent a few lines to their blog every now and then and called myself 'Babbelbek' or 'Blabbermouth'

And when DDAY arrived it was lots and lots of fun! Marita is so natural and amazing and it felt like we've been doing this for years and it just went off like a dream! Antoinette, one of the co-producers of the program, did a couple of shots and I shall include them here (Thank you Antoinette!! all the pics in this post is by her!)

I did an adapted menu with local products and a slight South African influence:
Little mustard cakes from Charroux, a beautiful medieval village not far from us, for the apéritif.
Then fish bobotie in a springroll with home made chutney
Followed by sweet and sour Quails - poached in a wine-cranberry sauce and then roasted in the oven just before serving

We also had Tracy from the Food Studio in Cape Town (http://www.foodstudio.co.za/) and her cookgroup that came for lunch on Dday and it was wonderful sharing this experience with them! Thanks to all it went off so well and on time and here's to Magic Marita, Antoinette and Marike, the producers, Jacques and David the cameramen, my darling husband Olivier always drawn into the running whirlwind life of his wife!

Life's too short not to have fun and not to share!

Next post will be about Pam, the Gypsy Chef and the Second Groovy Gang!

Bisous

Ode to my French teacher Irène

2010-10-15T16:50:00.000+02:00

When we first moved to this property just over 8 years ago, little did I know that our new neighbour will become my French Teacher.

In South Africa, when you move into a new house, normally the neighbour comes over with a tray or drinks to bid you welcome. In France, the custom is totally different! The neighbours wait for you to invite them over to introduce yourself. This is what we did a coldish day in September 2002.

Irène stayed all by herself in a rather huge Napoleonic style house up on the hill above our property. She was direct and lively and we 'clicked' straight away. She also had an intense love for and understanding of the French language. I then asked her if she could help me with my very poor written French and so a weekly institution started. One week at her place, one week at our place.
She introduced me to wonderful authors, new and classic, and I did my 'dictations' with pure delight - her telling me lots of anecdotes about the authors or the caracters etc.

Irène on the far left next to me taken last March

Our weekly meetings also revolved around either a cup of tea, or depending on the time of day, we might take an 'apéro' together! Her favourite was 'Floc de Gascogne' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floc_de_Gascogne

We did not just meet to do French, Irène also joined us for many a meal here Aux Jardins des Thevenets and we even spent a Christmas together.When I cooked jam, she'll always have a pot or two, or a jar of chutney and she kept empty jars for me for my future cooking.
I used to mow her fields with my tractor and she could cook an amazing Cassoulet with the right beans from Tarbes.

Irène was witty and called a spade a spade. She loved reading, and travelling and nothing could get her away from her television when there was a rugby match. And she had the very sexy 'Dieux des Stades' calendar sitting on her piano! She loved music. She loved selling things at the brocantes in the summer. She loved birds and just knew a lot about everything from Greek mythology to the stories of the locals in our village. Irène loved sharing her knowledge.

Irène was not just any neighbour, she was my friend.
Irène passed away last night and I shall miss her very much in my life.

Here's to you dear teacher! You might give them hell up there!

I shall miss sharing with you

Sundays...... and the memories of sharing

2010-09-19T21:16:00.000+02:00

My maternal grandparents had a farm near a town called George, around 400 km's from Cape Town towards the east. A region we call the Garden Route as it is so beautiful between mountain and sea.
Not one of those huge 1000 hectares machines, but a very modest tiny small place with fields falling down into a beautiful river and an hours walk to the sea! Still one of my favourite places called Harold's Bay.
http://virtualgardenroute.co.za/vtours/perlemoen/harold%27s%20bay/_flash/haroldsbay.html

The Sundays of my childhood were very special. My granny on the farm (ouma plaas) was behind the cooking pots from early morning. In those days no telephones, emails, skype, cellphones etc and we used to ask her who's coming for lunch. In general her answer was, I don't know, but you'll see. And sure thing, after church the cars started pulling up and in the end, her tiny kitchen with it's huge Aga, used to spatter and boil and cook and produce food for between 20 to 30 persons.
One of my favourites was when she took the bread out of the oven and having a huge slice with butter melting all over your fingers.
And the aroma of her burning her coffee beans in a small black pot on the coals outside the house.
Smells that stay with you for the rest of your life. And then, many years later, you happen to stumble upon an Ethiopian restaurant in Paris where the hostess burns her coffee beans in a tiny pan and walks around the room with the fumes and smells taking you back to your childhood. How wonderful to be small again.

What a joy.
But the lesson was learned
My grandparents shared the little they had with those they loved!
That's what life's all about.
Sharing

ps And it's nice to share some memories with you on a Sunday evening when I'm feeling a bit homesick for Africa.

Blackberries - not the 'phone' kind!

2010-09-12T19:36:00.000+02:00

Since I last spoke to you in August, doing my 'mea culpa' about not getting out posts more often, we took a very small break to a teeny weeny island just off the West coast of France, Ile de Groix. I promise to tell you more about that and the seafood and oysters!

Having just got back home, and for the first time in months with a couple of hours free after guests leaving and the next batch arriving, I took a delicious long walk around our property, followed by Lili the pest!

And harvested the last of the Blackberries.

They are lush and plump and although the ripes ones has been eaten by birds or fallen on the ground, I still have enough to make some 'confiture' and some 'Crème de Mûre'.

Now I shall share with you today, Martine, our help's very delicious and easy Confiture recipe! She's asked me to tell you all that it has been a best kept secret for many years but that she's willing to share it now!

So here goes (in Martine's words):

Send your husband to pick the blackberries

Wash them, and then blend them in a mixer with half a glass of water.

Weigh this mixture and use 1 kg of sugar per 1 kg of berries

Bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes. Put in sterilised jars

Absolutely delicious!!!

(I have in the past added star anis to the mixture whilst cooking and it gives it a lovely flavour)

I use this confiture in my very easy blini recipe to make a sweet blini for dessert - put some fresh berries on the blini with a touch of cream, add some 'crème de mûre' and home made fatfree berry icecream! (Mix your fatfree yogurt with a little bit of confiture and freeze it! Easy as pie!)

Now a very quick and easy 'Crème de Mûre' recipe :
1 kg blackberries
1 liter redwine
800 gr sugar
1 glass of fruit alcohol
2 blackcurrent leaves

Put the blackberries in a big salad bowl and crush them a bit. Add the redwine, the alcohol and the blackcurrent leaves, let it steep for 5 days, stirring it every now and then.

Filter the mixture and put, with the sugar, in a pan. Bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes. Let it cool down and bottle it. Best to leave for about a week and then, Kir with Crème de Mûre!!

I wish you all a great harvest!

Life is about sharing and I wish I could share a glass of Kir with Crème de Mûre with you all soon!

Bisous
Lynn

Awesome Auvergne - to discover for sure!!

2010-08-16T15:53:00.000+02:00

I know I know, I have not been very active on my blog, but hey, this is summertime, our busy time, and our guesthouse full full with lovely guest from far and wide despite the terrible weather!

We did however take a small break early June to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary.

Instead of going off to some far exotic destination, we decided to discover a bit more of our lovely Auvergne region. The first day, a rainy meander brought us to our first great discover: Les Glycines, a delightful restaurant hidden in a tiny village, with the best organic home produced Salers meat ever tasted! And this thanks to: http://www.lefooding.com. Whenever you are visiting France, do look at this great website to find great hidden treasures!

The Salers with it's delectable 'Aligot'

Their write-up about Les Glycines:

Les Glycines

Le bourg 15400 ST ETIENNE DE CHOMEIL T 04 71 78 32 62 Cuisine fouchtra	Catégorie Terroirs, fruits de mer... Horaires Tous les jours, de midi à 13h30, le soir sur réservation.
Organic wine, slow-cooked veal, curled aligot, lots of attention… All that for a small price... Jean-François Pécoul finit de servir un coup de blanc (bio) aux habitués du comptoir, abandonne l’épicerie un instant et remet sa toque. La salle de restaurant est confortable et fraîche, même quand le soleil tape sur le vieux relais de poste. Au menu « touristique » de l’été, à 15 € (entrée, fromage, dessert et cuvée du patron comprise – un petit saint-pourçain tout frais), un coufidou de veau bio aux girolles mariné pendant des heures, et un aligot qui s’enroule autour de la fourchette et fond sous la langue. Quant à la cassolette d’écrevisses, elle arrive avec une serviette assortie qu’on vous attache avec amour autour du cou, et qui pourra resservir pour le sandre au Noilly Prat et la terrine d’agrumes maison, dont le secret de la texture est bien gardé (au menu à 25 €). // C.T. In particular, I've been so impatient to discover the Eco-Lodge and Spa of the Lac du Pecher, our stop for two nights. Landscape around the lake with the Eco-Lodge and Spa in the distance http://www.ecolodge-france.com/ Laurence and Daniel both worked in Megève in the tourism industry for a long time and took the plunge a couple of months ago when they took over an Auberge on the decline and turned it into a beautiful 'Eco-Lodge and Spa' situated on a remote lake, called the Lac du Pecher in the Cantal region of Auvergne. Lucky for us a mere 2 hour drive away! Not lucky for us the weather, but despite the rainy days we had a wonderful time. A warm welcome from this couple who has been taking car of the restoration of the 12 rooms and the environs on this beautiful lake. We were treated like royalty and our room was delicious and cosy. View from our room onto the lake Such a pleasure to sit in the jacuzzi overlooking a beautiful landscape and taking time in the sauna - total luxury for us always running around looking after others. And they managed to find a young chef who is out of this world! Inventive and creative and delicious and beautiful to look at!!!!!!!!! He uses local products in particular Olivier had as a starter, fresh asparagus rolled in Auvergne ham on blond lentils from St Flour. My beetroot soup was wonderful and then we had rolled lamb with a divine garlic crème! (Infuse your garlic in milk, boil it together and then mix with egg and bake in oven 'au bain marie') The desserts apart from begin delicious, was also spectacular! In a nutshell, sharing with you two days far to short at this lovely adress: L'ecolodge du Lac du Pecher! Life is about sharing Bisous Lynn ps will get my act together and let you know all about our evening spent at the Michelin star restaurant and hotel of Serge Vieira! Also in AUVERGNE!

The Merry Month of May

2010-05-06T18:19:00.002+02:00

Well, this Merry Month of May started off with the coldest spell that I've ever had in my 20 years of living in France (for a spring that is)!

Yesterday, the Broom and Hawthorne in Bloom had snowflakes dusting the petals. And all the shrubs in the garden had their heads drooping under heavy cristal raindrops.

The beautiful old Hawthorne tree at the bottom of our fields looking like a bridal bouquet

But somehow this does not curb the increbdible joy in the air. Birds twittering away from early morning, the nightlark singing his song when you put on a light in the middle of the night, ants scurrying around, deer grunting and galloping in the fields.

A lovely lively lushness all around!

And this morning when I started my post, I had a peep at Anali's blog and found this:

"I asked her what her secret was to living to 80 years old and remaining beautiful and young-looking. She told me that she loved the outdoors, and she loved beautiful things. 'I just like looking at beautiful things.'"

http://analisfirstamendment.blogspot.com/2010/05/just-some-random-pretty.html

Anali again was inspired by this incredible lady, Karen Walrond :
http://www.chookooloonks.com/blog/2010/5/3/random-thoughts-the-kind-of-person-i-am-so-far.html

And this just made me realise once again how powerful sharing really is! Real sharing - even of little things. And that's why I love sharing with you - especially the 'beautiful things' like the words of the 2 ladies above!

And may the sun of the merry month of May share her rays with us again!

Life is about sharing
Bisous
Lynn

Paris and Lucien and Georges!

2010-04-25T07:40:00.002+02:00

A visit to Paris, no matter how quick, always gives me so much energy and really recharge my batteries as was the case last week when we did a very quick 'aller-retour'. The main reason was to see the Lucien Freud exhibition - for those of you planning to come to Paris in the next couple of months, this is an absolute MUST!

But then no visit to the Centre Pompidou goes without either just having a peep from the rooftop terrace with the most exquisite view of Paris or, if you have a bit of time, lunching at this divine rooftop restaurant called:

GEORGES (Abstraction Surface)

We decided to spoil ourselves and for the starter had

Foie Gras de Canard for 2

followed by
Saint-Jacques (Scallops) tradition Provençale for Olivier and

Spicy Lobster Pasta for myself!

Accompanied by a delicious bottle of Viognier.

Bonheur complet!!

With a ray of sun, a splendid view of Paris rooftops, I shared a delectable moment with the very special man in my life!

Now all is back to reality and we are steaming into our busy season, so my postings might become a bit more sparse! But please do not give up on me!

I shall try and share with you when I can!!

Incredible view from the terrace

Life is about sharing

Bisous

Lynn

GAPERON = Garlic Galore !!

2010-04-12T14:56:00.000+02:00

My writer friend Marita, living in the south of France with her froggie husband Alain, wrote in one of her books 'Where the heart is' about Alain making Aïoli and adding even more garlic than what the recipe required.

(http://www.maritavandervyver.info/html/reviews/reviews_eng.html)

Well, on Saturday I had an outing with our local Auvergne 'Slowfood' group and we visited the last 'artisanal' producer of a very local cheese, Gaperon d'Auvergne. (there are of course industrial producers making this cheese with pasturised milk). Gaperon is made of unpasturised cow's milk, garlic and pepper! Alain would've loved this visit!!

Patricia Ribier and her partner peels more than 350 kilograms of garlic per year as this is one of the ingredients, along with pepper, going into this very delicious cheese. You must of course like garlic. The suble flavour when you bite into the Gaperon is a one off expercience!

To obtain this delightful cheese, they use a mix of milk - Beautiful gray-brown 'Brune des Alpes' cows and Black and White Holsteins. This makes for a creamy but not too creamy milk with a high protein content.

After the cream is skimmed off, Patricia puts huge ladles full in thin cotton bags where it is hung for a day or two. Then the subtle process of mixing the garlic an pepper into this creamy cheese. Her very private secret recipe. And then more hanging in a 'sauna' like room untill ready to go off to the markets or to various 'maitre fromager' who order this delicious cheese directly from Patricia

We were treated to Gaperon in various stages of finition and I must say, that it is a difficult choice. A toss-up between the very fresh mixture - almost a creamcheese with the garlic and pepper very present -or the Gaperon that has been stored for 4 months! A divine mixture of mature cheese with the garlic less present!

What heaven it is to live in France!! Do come over for a tasting!!

Life is about sharing
Bisous
Lynn

Easter and the art of sharing joy and sorrow..............

2010-04-08T19:26:00.000+02:00

It is not often that we rent the house to a family as a whole, but it happened this easter. I was contacted months ago by a lovely lady wanting to organise a surprise for her mother's 70th Birthday.

As usual this means lots of hard work and organisation and last week I was running around like a mad hatter to finalise everything.

First the children and grandchildren arrived on the gray saturday afternoon and then we had to hide the cars etc as this was a surprise. The whole family (11) hid in the bathroom when the granparents arrived.

What joy on the faces!! Laughter and and........

Saturday night I did a big meal with bobotie and quails and cheese and and with lots of frills and fancies and Pascal from our local café made 2 divine cakes.

On Sunday night instead of the normal 'Easter Lamb' I made them a very perfumed Lamb Curry with Basmati rice and my chocolat/chesnut hearts decorated with porcupine quills.

Always a winner.

Monday they all lunched at the local café and monday night the parent's friends arrived for another 2 days of fiesta!

But the thing that really made this weekend so intense is that it is the first time this family got together after a very big drama in which they lost 2 small girls in a fire at the grandparents home. As the father of the girls cannot face going back there, they reunited here. The wonderful thing is that this couple who lost their children, faced their pain, and now have a beautiful baby boy. Obviously the center of attraction for all around!

Being so close to everyone, we totally shared in their pain and in their joy of getting together again.

And of course wonderful things happens in the kitchen. The sharing of all their stories whilst I'm behind the pots cooking away!

So intense!

And that is what makes life so incredible.

Sharing sorrow and joy.

Life is about sharing

I am so privileged to share this with you

Bisous

Lynn

Meandre on the Canal du Midi

2010-03-29T09:13:00.005+02:00

What a pity that nice things never lasts very long and always comes to an end?

This past weekend we were invited by my dear longtime friend, Olivier Baudry (used to be called Cape Froggy and now Canal Froggy) and his lovely partner Gladys, to navigate with them on the Canal du Midi!

Breaking away for a weekend from our B and B here in the countryside near Vichy is not an easy thing and then we still had to get back quick quick on Sunday for another friend's 50th birthday lunch, cutting this little excursion far too short!!

Well, all I can say is that we were totally spoilt for 2 days. Apart from the wind that did not quite play along, we had an amazing time, taking time seeing the world going by. A rarity for us, always on the run! Beautiful trees with their knobbly root fingers stretching far into the canal lined the stretch we did on this incredible feature, the Midi Canal finished and inaugurated the 15th of May 1681! More that 300 years old.

This all on the beautiful Hotel Barge Alegria (http://www.hotelbargealegria.com) that Olivier bought and converted more than 2 years ago and charters for very small exclusive groups (4 pax max) on this beautiful engineering wonder!

As usual a lot about this engineering feat can be found on my favourite website : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canal_du_Midi

My Olivier enjoying his coffee next to one of the big portholes in the lounge

Gladys, Olivier's partner is not only a very smart lady, she is also an amazing chef and if I tell you the menu she prepared for us, you'll all be jealous!

Friday night: Starter - Goat cheese sprinkled with 'herbes de provence' on bread roasted under the grill, served with a fresh salad AND goat cheese icecream! Yes! This absolutely divine.

Main course - Filet Mignon with a Coffee sauce! YES! and the recipe will follow below, served with endives braised in an orange sauce

Dessert - Coconut Flans (steamed in a pot and not done in the over. I must still get this recipe though!)

Saturday lunch:

Gladys made a quick and easy mango achard that was gobbled up as a starter, then delicious pan fried prawns served with a creamy garlic, onion and lemon-grass sauce on basmati rice cooked to perfection and to end this lovely lunch, a very easy thin apple tart. (Roll out your puff pastry in a round tart tin, spread cooked condensed milk mixed with salt on the bottom - in France we get what they call 'Confiture de lait au beurre salée!' , arrange your thinly sliced apples on top and bake it in the oven until done - about 15 - 20 minutes! Quick and easy and DELICIOUS!)

Saturday night I had another belated birthday dinner!! So spoilt!!! (but maybe I deserved it!)

After a profusion of little snacks accompanied with an Organic Champagne produced by a friend's aunt, Gladys served us a local dish, a Bull Stew! (Gardiane de Taureau) Very much like a bourguignonne, the bull meat is macerated in red wine with herbs for a couple of hours and then slowly simmered for some more hours and served with simply boiled potatoes. Olivier then spoilt us even further by taking out one of his precious bottles of South African redwine - a Rust en Vrede Cabernet Sauvignon.

Manoeuvring through the narrowest bridge at Capestang

What great hosts, animated conversations, splendid meals all served with perfectly matched wines. Olivier has done a wonderful job finding great local producers. Some of them they also visit with their guests whilst doing their excursions on the Canal.

Bravo to our Captain Olivier (who navigated through one of the narrowest bridges on the canal with such style) And his lovely Gladys for her amazing welcome and great culinary skills (and in a small scully one must know what to do to)! A moment to savour!
Life's about Sharing
Bisous
Lynn
ps if this adventure tempts you, do not hesitate to contact Olivier as he has special prices up his sleeve!! email: olibaudry@aol.com

Gladys manoeuvring in her scully

And now for the filet mignon (pork fillet) with coffee sauce :

Roll your filet mignon in grinded coffee beans with pepper added.

Brown it in a hot pan and before putting it aside to finish the cooking in the oven (about 15 minutes), scrape off the coffee bean mixture into the pan.

Add a small glass of Cognac to this mixture in the pan and flame it. Add a glass of white wine and simmer for a while. Add cream and just before serving, add a small cup of coffee (espresso)! Absolutely sumptuous

Laksa via Mansell!

2010-03-24T11:51:00.000+01:00

For a while now I saw an old friend Mansell, talking on facebook about Laksa. So to curb my curiosity and ignorance, I jumped on my favourite ecological research engine ECOSIA and found the following on another favourite website, wikipedia!

'Laksa is a popular spicy noodle soup from Peranakan culture also known as Baba and Nyonya, which is a merger of Chinese and Malay elements found in Malaysia and Singapore, and to a lesser extent Indonesia.
Origin - The origin of the name "laksa" is unclear. One theory^[1] traces it back to Hindi/Persian lakhshah, referring to a type of vermicelli. It has also been suggested^[2] that "laksa" may derive from the Chinese word "la sha" (辣沙; pronounced "latsa" in Cantonese), meaning "spicy sand" due to the ground dried prawns which gives a sandy or gritty texture to the sauce. The last theory^[3] is that the name comes from the similar sounding word "dirty" in Hokkien due to its appearance.
Types of laksa - The term "laksa" is used generally to describe two different basic types of noodle soup dishes: curry laksa and asam laksa.

Curry laksa is a coconut curry soup with noodles, while asam laksa is a sour fish soup with noodles. Usually, thick rice noodles also known as laksa noodles are preferred, although thin rice vermicelli (bee hoon or mee hoon) is also common and some variants use other types.

Asam laksa is a sour fish-based soup. Asam (or asam jawa) is the Malay word for tamarind, which is commonly used to give the stock its sour flavor. It is also common to use "asam keping" also known as "asam gelugor", dried slices of tamarind fruit, for added sourness. Modern Malay spelling is asam, though the spelling assam is still frequently used. '

(Thanks to this wonderful source : WIKIPEDIA!! - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laksa - for more info on all the different kinds of Laksa!)

And then, very kindly, Mansell sent me his favourite Chicken Laksa recipe! Thank you Mansell!

Mansell's FAVOURITE CHICKEN LAKSA - courtesy Jacoba Louw

Ingredients for the spicy paste – you can make this a few days before the big day
• 3 long fat stalks of lemon grass, use only the tender hearts and reserving the rest of the stalks for another use
• 4 hot red chillies, don’t use the stem (if you have a sensitive palate, remove the seeds or some of them)
• 4 slices of galangal – if you can’t find fresh galangal and you should, use fresh ginger, peel it and grate on a fine grate
• 1 thumb-size lump of ginger, peeled and grated finely
• 1 teaspoon shrimp paste
• 3 shallots, peeled and chopped finely
• 3 large cloves garlic, peeled and pureed
• 4 tablespoons peanut oil
• 125 ml fresh coriander leaves (maybe you know it as cilantro), chopped
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground turmeric (always use fresh spices – especially turmeric_
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 125 ml tamarind paste

Method
• Stick the whole lot into your blender or food processor – pop in the lemon grass hearts, the chillies, the galangal and ginger, the shrimp paste, the shallots, the garlic and the oil first and the process until it’s a speckled mush.
• Add the coriander, the turmeric, the sugar and the tamarind paste and blend at the highest speed until it is a colourful but smooth paste.
• Scoop into a glass jar and refrigerate until you're ready to use it – it will stain plastic.

THE NEXT BIT NOODLES AND CHICKEN
125 g noodles - use thick or thin rice (I rather like the thin rice noodles, but it’s a matter of taste) wheat or bean-thread
800t organic cooked chicken (gently steamed chicken breasts work the best because it’s juicy and tasty)
Cook the noodles according to package directions, rinse, drain and set aside.
Shred the chicken into bite sized pieces – some people cut it into cubes but I like it to have a natural feel – it’s a matter of choice.

FINALLY THE LIQUID
• 2 Tablespoons peanut oil
• 250 g of the prepared spice paste
• 800 ml plus fresh, homemade chicken stock – make sure you’ve sieved out all the bits, you’re only looking for the clear, exquisitely flavoured stock
• 125 ml fresh coriander leaves, chopped
• 125 ml Asian basil (this is also known as the laksa leaf), chopped
• 125 ml nam pla or any other good quality fish sauce
• 400 ml good quality coconut milk – look at the expiry date on the tin – it must not be dated otherwise you will have on solid block of something indescribable
Method
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat and then stir in the paste gently – continue stirring until it is a little browned but take care that you don’t burn it – this should take about 3 minutes.
Pour in the chicken stock and then bring to a boil, reduce the heat, stir in herbs and fish sauce and simmer for about 5 minutes.
When you're ready to begin assembly, stir in the coconut milk and bring to a gentle simmer.

THE GARNISHES – YOU CAN USE WHAT YOU LIKE HERE – I LIKE TO OVERDO IT
• Crisp bean sprouts – get fine ones – there’s nothing worse than a hard bit in a laksa
• Asian basil – finely ripped or chopped
• Sambal of your choice
• Garlic-chilli type spicy hot sauce
• Preserved carrots
• Julienned cucumber
• Preserved ginger

TO MAKE
• Divide the noodles among your guest’s bowls – use big ones, small ones are ludicrous.
• Arrange the chicken over the noodles
• Pour the liquid over all of them
• Arrange the garnishes on top or pass them separately – I prefer the latter

Now all of you, how about a great Laksa dish this weekend!
Life's about sharing
Bisous
Lynn

Sharing of another kind!! Thanks Neeta!!!

2010-03-19T14:44:00.001+01:00

We're we live in the heart of the French countryside, the postperson drives up our little alley - winter, summer, spring, fall, rain and even try in knee deep snow! And this is a highlight of my day! Am always hoping to get a long letter with exotic stamps and beautiful handwritten prose like in the good old days! A very rare thing these days!

But last week, I received a very unexpected parcel......... beautiful striped boxes filled with Neeta's home made wafers, special organic sauces and wonderful sandalwood soaps!

AND WHAT JOY!!!!

A real goodies parcel filled with love from Neeta!

http://www.neetashealthyplate.com/

Wrapped in red tissue paper was the most delectable delicate wafers of zuccini/flax/almonds that I shared with local French friends and they were absolutely amazed :

Neeta writing about her treats: 'I made those - zucchini/flax/almond and onion/flax/sunflower seeds - wafer thin Crackers in my dehydrator, I have a 9 tray Excalibur which is one of the best things I've ever bought apart from my Vitamix blender :-)
I made the fruit paper in the dehydrator too....the almond as well as chocolate butters were made in the food processor....
Very few people have dehydrators, so I'm wondering how useful the Cracker recipes would be to your readers? Let me know if you'd still like it though, I'll definitely send it to you!'

I just got this info from my friend Kate - re dehydrators :

'You can use a very, very low oven as a dehydrator. I have a friend in London who has a dehydrator - she is cœliac so most sweets and snacks are out of bounds for her, but before she got the dehydrator she did the same thing in a really low oven overnight - like 50C.

One of her best snacks was fruit yoghurt leathers - mix fresh fruit (I like berries best) with a good thick organic yoghurt, spread in a thin layer on a non-stick sheet and leave in dehydrator or oven overnight then cut into strips or squares and dry a bit more. delicious!' THANKS KATE!!!

So all of you, if you want those recipes, look at Neeta's website and pester her for the recipes!

http://www.neetashealthyplate.com/

Also in this great box was handmade mini orange and chocolate shortbread biscuits that I saw very few of as my dear man Olivier gobbled them all up in a jiffy.

I did mange to hide the smoked Irish smoked oatcakes and have them at night in my kitchen whilst preparing my dinners for our guest! I know selfish me but hey, have the right sometimes!!

So dear readers, this was just a quick one to say that before I thought life's about sharing and now I KNOW it is!

Bisous from a sunny frogland

Lynn

Tartare for 2 and other tales!

2010-03-12T08:14:00.002+01:00

A couple of weeks ago we met up for lunch with friends in Lyon and what's better than sharing a meal at the Brasserie Georges near the Perrache station!

http://www.brasseriegeorges.com

Not for the squeamish or faint hearted, if you like your meat a bit raw, they have the best Steak Tartare prepared at your table as it should be!

Our delightful waiter arrived with the full monty and prepared everything under our hawk eyes!

Minced Beef,chopped onions, parsley, capers

First of all he mixes the egg yolk with oil, mustard, salt and pepper into a kind of mayonnaise

Then all get mixed together and spiced up with a bit of Tobasco. I love mine quite spicey and this time did not even had to add a drop! The King of Tartare our waiter he was!!

The Final Product served with fresh salad and chips!

So when next in Lyon, for real good brasserie food, do not forget GEORGES!!

Life is about sharing

Bisous

Lynn

Sharing some more suite...................in France

2010-03-05T22:50:00.002+01:00

I know I know - this time around am a bit late but not because I have not been doing my homework!! Promise - just because have been rather busy with end of year accounting etc etc - will not bore you with the silly detail!
In the meantime just want to share with you the following -

Places and people in France

The list is rather long, and two days ago I was writing away happily and thought all was saved - but as with the wonderful world of computers et al, when I looked again, what I wrote was wiped out! So this is the shortened version of what you would've had!
Sorry Chaps - c'est la vie!

Paris

Pierre's appartment:
Our friend Pierre has a very nice 'pied a terre' in Paris in the 12th arrondissement. A stone's throw from the Gare de Lyon making your arrival from the airports easy. The metro gets you all around Paris - or you can explore the nearby Aligre Market on foot and it is a quick bus ride to Bastille (or you do it by foot on the wonderful walkway called 'La coulée verte' )
(http://www.new-paris-ile-de-france.co.uk/guides-paris/routes/coulee-verte-and-beyond/up-and-down-the-viaduc-des-arts-77651.html)

His appartment has a bedroom for a couple, a lounge (with pull out bunk for an extra person or another couple), a dining room, kitchen and bathroom. He rents this for 70 euros / day. Pierre is also willing to do B and B for you and as he knows Paris off by heart, can take you around the place. His English is perfect (for a Frenchman!!) and he is a charming man who's travelled the world!
You can contact him :
Pierre Bouiller

4, rue Sidi Brahim

75012 PARIS

email : lejaunet@orange.fr of pierrebouiller@yahoo.fr

Selfoon : +33-630233097

Bar a Soupes : In a previous post I've allready told you about our friend Anne-Catherine who used to be one of Olivier's clients when they both still worked in the 'showbizz' as we call it here in France. Anne-Catherine left the limelight as manager to a couple of French singers to open the first 'Bar-à-Soupes' in Paris in 2000! Anne-Catherine has been going from strenght to strenght and has publised a couple of books on Soups as well. Her website : http://www.lebarasoupes.com/

Outside Paris

Boat hotel near Bzier : I first met Olivier Baudry many years ago in South Africa when I was working as a consultant on a Southern African Contemporary Art Exhibition in Paris. He had a Company called Zindouba - http://www.zindouba.com/eng_index.htm But his first love for barges (and a lovely lady called Gladys) called him back to France and he bought a barge near Bezier and does wonderful exclusive excursion with this!

www.hotelbargealegria.com

My wonderful crazy eccentric English friend Stephanie (who's son Henry is the hottest hit on the British fashion scene with his label 'House of Holland' - you can view his blog on Vogue here: http://www.vogue.co.uk/blogs/henry-holland/) and her partner bought Chateau du Ludaix around the same time we settled here in the Auvergne! They decorated it in a lavish delicious English style and you can either rent it as a whole, for workshops, special occassions like weddings etc or just simple Bed and Breakfast! Check out the full monty on their website : http://www.chateauduludaix.com/

Chateau du Ludaix

Marie-Claire and her partner renovated, in a remote corner of the Combraille's here in our beautifull Auvernge, the most wonderful two units - the chicken coop and the dovecot. They have done this with such taste and style and propose botanical outings with a local Botanist - of course a must for all the tired, city sleekers!
http://leseydieux.canalblog.com/

Marloes der Kinderen came to France many moons ago and organised all different kinds of acitivities mostly in the artistic line. She first rented in a little village that subsequently became a very fasionable Relaix et Chateau Hotel, and then bought this beautiful house on the 'flank' of a hill in a 'lost' corner of the 'Haute Loire' - still Auvernge. Done with such taste and style, La Grande Maison is a real 'havre de paix'! http://www.artedu.nl/maison/

If ever you have the opportunity to go and eat 'chez Michel Bras', just ouside of Lagioule, the best place to stay, appart from their very divine but expensive hotel, is chez Claudine and Philippe, at the Ferme de Moulhac : http://pagesperso-orange.fr/moulhac/index.html

I have so many other places to tell you about, but if I do not publish this now, you'll never get any more posts from me! So with my lovely glass of South African White wine, on a crispy cold starry night here in our beautiful Auvergne, a froggie hug and to say it's really nice sharing with you!

Life is about sharing
Bisous
Lynn

O Tell me The Truth About Love

2010-02-14T20:54:00.003+01:00

I never thought that I'll actually to a blog on Valentine's Day as it is the kind of thing that I do not normally celebrate. For one that I think it is just far too commercial and also some very personal reasons! But, with all our rooms being booked out this weekend by young loving couples wanting a special place and meal, I actually got thinking about Love and the Meaning of Love and I think that this poem by Auden is just one of the most beautiful 'thinkings' about love (obviously together with my very favourite writing on love by Kahlil Gibran - http://www.katsandogz.com/onlove.html)

O Tell Me The Truth About Love

Some say love's a little boy,
And some say it's a bird,
Some say it makes the world go around,
Some say that's absurd,
And when I asked the man next-door,
Who looked as if he knew,
His wife got very cross indeed,
And said it wouldn't do.

Does it look like a pair of pyjamas,
Or the ham in a temperance hotel?
Does its odour remind one of llamas,
Or has it a comforting smell?
Is it prickly to touch as a hedge is,
Or soft as eiderdown fluff?
Is it sharp or quite smooth at the edges?
O tell me the truth about love.

Our history books refer to it
In cryptic little notes,
It's quite a common topic on
The Transatlantic boats;
I've found the subject mentioned in
Accounts of suicides,
And even seen it scribbled on
The backs of railway guides.

Does it howl like a hungry Alsatian,
Or boom like a military band?
Could one give a first-rate imitation
On a saw or a Steinway Grand?
Is its singing at parties a riot?
Does it only like Classical stuff?
Will it stop when one wants to be quiet?
O tell me the truth about love.

I looked inside the summer-house;
It wasn't over there;
I tried the Thames at Maidenhead,
And Brighton's bracing air.
I don't know what the blackbird sang,
Or what the tulip said;
But it wasn't in the chicken-run,
Or underneath the bed.

Can it pull extraordinary faces?
Is it usually sick on a swing?
Does it spend all its time at the races,
or fiddling with pieces of string?
Has it views of its own about money?
Does it think Patriotism enough?
Are its stories vulgar but funny?
O tell me the truth about love.

When it comes, will it come without warning
Just as I'm picking my nose?
Will it knock on my door in the morning,
Or tread in the bus on my toes?
Will it come like a change in the weather?
Will its greeting be courteous or rough?
Will it alter my life altogether?
O tell me the truth about love.

WH Auden

Table all set with rose petals, red candles etc

And then just to tell you about my table, my meal and spending a nice moment with 5 young couples around our table!

As some of our guests arrived rather late having had to drive quite far in the snow, those allready here were treated to my 'Cocktail d'Amour'! I snippered Litches in a jug, added the juice, some Crème de Cassis (black current syrup), a touch of Grenadine, and topped it up with sparkling wine. Must say, the 4 couples waiting for the others, made a few jugs of my brew dissapear rather fast.

As I've tried to stay with a kind of red theme, the pre-starter (or soupette as those who know my 'table' by now calls it !) was a 'Bloody Mary' soup served in the little lion head soup bowls. Now I know right now with the snow around us it is not tomato time but if you've had the quantity of tomatoes in your garden as we have in the summer, you cook them up into a sauce and freeze them for the winter months when you long to have a taste of sun on the tongue! I just put my sauce in a pan, heat it through, add a dash of Tabasco, another of Worcester Sauce and then (especially when my mother-in-law is around) a nice splash of Vodka just before serving. Certainly helps loosen up the tongues. Table d'hôte is not always easy as, all of a sudden, you find yourself with 5 couples around your table (sometimes all different nationalities) who does not know each other from a bar of soap. And our role is to be the go-betweeners. Thank heavens 99,9 % of the time it turns out great! And the splash of Vodka certainly serves its purpose!

The starter was just another version of my easy cake recipe in a previous post (this time the salted version). I added shrimps and fresh little onions panfried to the batter with lots of parmesan, baked it for a while and served it with a kind of light creamy sauce! I use yogurt a lot in stead of cream and in this case added some tabasco (again - did anyone mention that I like 'spicy'?) to the yogurt with a bit of crème fraiche, placed a dollop on the plate with the little cake on top! Scatter some peri-peri spice around it and voila!

And for the main course, well, I can never resist these little birds. I do love my quails and this time stuffed them with chicken liver, foie gras and herbs, and after simmering them in white wine with cranberries onion and garlic, grilled them just a teeny tiny bit and served them on al denté tagliatelle.

I made a cranberry and strawberry tea jelly that I served with our wonderful cheese from the Auvergne and we ended the meal with my favourite chocolate and chesnut hearts (i know no red but still a little heart!) spiked with a porcupine quill!

A feast of love.

Life is about sharing with loved ones.

Bisous

Lynn

Sharing some more...........

2010-02-10T09:14:00.002+01:00

With our 7th season as B and B owners coming up, we thought that it is time to slightly change our website. A rather difficult task as it has been working so well and we've had numerous compliments on it!! All thanks to my darling husband who's original job, before becoming macon, electricien, plumber, mecanic, carpenter etc, was/is after all graphic artist and illustrator! One of the reasons for the changes was so that we could add a new button for the Dovecote in the renovating process and hopefully ready to receive it's first guests by the summer!

First of all, go and check out our new simplified website:

www.jardins-des-thevenets.com

Once again thank you so much to my darling multitalented husband for doing this! Am indebted to him forever!

And then the other purpose of my 'sharing' with you today is to tell you about friends with wonderful projects, doing wonderful things, lovely places to stay - just sharing with you some of the things and people I love! A bit of an eclectic mix but hey - that's what makes one so rich -

Blogs:

A couple of years ago when we still lived in Paris, I founded an Association called the 'French South African Friendship Club'. I was invited a couple of time for radio interviews etc and I organised a lot of activities in the framework of the Club (Art Exhibitions, SA day, wine tastings etc etc) This is how I got to know Kidi BEBEY who, in those days, ran a wonderful Magazine for Children in Africa, 'Planète Jeunes', she also did a great radio program called 'Reines d'Afrique' on RFI. Author of a couple of books for children and teenagers, Kidi has now also started a blog certainly worth following:
http://xtrafrica.blogspot.com/

When I first met Pam through my dear friend Uju, it felt like I've met a kind of wirlwind of acitivities! Always on the move, doing new things, a new course at University, a new chocolate course, running all over the US working and trying to put together 'Foody' groups to bring to us in the fall for our 'French Culture and Culinary Course'! AND she has time to do a wonderful blog! Do go and check it out and become a friend:

http://thegypsychef.blogspot.com/

Pam on the move as always- Market Vichy

And come it think of it, I also met Neeta through Uju!! Neeta used to live in Paris as well but with life being what it is in the city of love and lights, HECTIC, we only met a couple of times (amongst other a fun evening at 'Les Scandaleuses' - do you remember girls)?? In the meantime, we've moved to the countryside and Neeta with her family to the UK. Neeta has started a wonderful blog about HEALTHY FOOD! :

http://neetabali.blogspot.com

I've never met Kate in real, but it feels like I've know her for a long time. Reading her blog is always inspirational and it feels that she's also packing in 101 things in a day AND she takes beautiful photos - http://www.flickr.com/photos/12247410@N06/
http://serendipity-kate.blogspot.com/

As I have so much more to share with you, there will be a next one on Sharing - sharing artist friends, sharing lovely places to visit, just............. sharing!
Watch this space!

Life is about sharing
Bisous
Lynn

ps Last but not least -how could I forgot my other favouritist blog by my friend Marita?? Silly me!

Marita, fellow South African also married to a Froggie, is living in the South of France. All South Africans know this lovely lady who has taken our country by storm many moons ago with a book that shook the very root of 'Afrikanerdom' - 'Griet skryf 'n sprokie'. This book has been translated into many languages, amongst other French -'Héberger les anges'(Editeur : Anne Carrière)
(Entertaining Angels is the English title) She has a column in a SA womens Mag and 2010 is seeing a new book coming out simultaneously in Afrikaans and English, a play of one of her books being done at a Festival and a tv series! Whow!!
http://maritareadingspace.blogspot.com/
Oh dear and I forgot the Cookbook Marita is doing with Alain, her husband, and beautiful photos done by well know South African photographer, Lien Botha! Talk about things happening for Marita!! You can also become a follower on Facebook :
http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=78346169084&ref=mf

Wilson the Piggy, Baba au Rhum and Cannelés!!!

2010-01-31T21:04:00.005+01:00

I know, this post might shock some of you, but then, this is life in the French Countryside!

Photo taken by Virginie of the Boudin I gave her

A couple of years ago after having moved to the countryside from Paris, I went for the first time to the 'Journée du Cochon' - Pig slaughtering day! This means that with a friend or two, you buy a pig from a farmer and he feeds and raises it for a whole year and when winter comes, it is time to do the slaughtering. Not for the faint hearted but then, being a pucker 'Boeremeisie', am certainly not that 'faint hearted! This is a dying tradition here in France as with all the Europeen sanitary rules and regulations, this happens less and less.

Early morning you go to the farmer's home, the piggy gets killed and bled (to make the 'Boudin Noire' - black pudding) and it then gets cut up by the butcher. At the end of the day there's terrines, and black pudding and andouillette (kind of a tripe sausage), and numerous cuts of meat ready for your freezer.

The tradition is that one shares the black pudding (normally you have quite a couple of meters) with friends and family and so last Friday night we had a 'Soirée Cochon' with friends! After a Lentil and Coconut soup, we had the first terrine made from Wilson and then we had the black pudding with sautéed apples and a celeriac purée. Our friends from Paris, Samuel and Noel made the dessert which was the most délicious 'Baba au Rhum' - Rum Baba - that has soaked in rum for 2 days and in stead of whipped cream, Noel made a 'Crème Chibouste (Crème Chiboust is a crème pâtissière (pastry cream) lightened with whipped cream or stiffly beaten egg whites) !

The history of 'Rum Baba - thank you once again Wikipedia!! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rum_baba

Our evening ended in the early hours of the morning, and everyone agreed, Wilson, bless his soul, gave us all tremendous pleasure!

Also on Friday, the batter for the' Cannelé bordelais' was mixed and left for 24 hours to be baked late yesterday!! A delicious treat we took to friends where we went for dinner on Saturday night!

I found the perfect recipe for Cannelés on the following website for you!
http://www.cuisine-french.com/cgi/mdc/l/en/recettes/canneles_ill.html

For : 20 cannelés
Time : 1 h 45
Difficulty : medium
Ingredients for Cannelés 2 :

1 liter of milk
2 vanilla pods
500 g of icing sugar
4 whole eggs
4 egg yolks
200 g of flour
100 g of butter
30 ml of rum

Technical stages for Cannelés 2 :

	1 Prepare all ingredients.
	2 Bring the milk to a boil, add the vanilla pods split in two.
	3 Infuse and let cool.
	4 Cream the icing sugar with the eggs and the egg yolks.
	5 Add the sifted flour and the milk...
	6 ...cold melted butter...
	7 ...and the rum.
	8 Mix well.
	9 Pour this mixture...
	10 ...in cannelés Elastomoule cannelés mold.
	11 Bake at 180°C or 356°F...
	12 ...for about 1h10.
	13 At the end of cooking let cool slightly before unmoulding. To turn over the mould and to withdraw cannelés by giving a light pressure on the bottom of the silicone mould.

What they did not say in this almost perfect recipe, is that according to Noël, it is much better if you leave the batter for 24 hours before baking AND for the first 10 minutes of baking, the heat of your oven must be very high(240°) so that it caramalise the cannelés!.

Life is about sharing
Bisous
Lynn

Promises suite...

2010-01-19T17:45:00.000+01:00

Allready it is a couple of mornings that I am waking up in our new bedroom! YES!! After 7 and a half years of tinkering away, making nice rooms for the guest, we at long last have moved into our bedroom! There's pics to show - but that will be another chapter! Just had to share this with you quick! And what is more, I can sit in bed and work on my computer!!!! So you might get posts a bit more often! But then around 16 posts in just over a month is not too bad a start n'est pas?

So I thought that I shall give you my favourite bobotie recipe base - step by step today!

INGREDIENTS:

2 Onions

Oil or butter (I use a mixture of the 2)

1kg minced meat (mutton, beef or leftovers of your sunday roast)

(I replace the meat with white fish eg hake as we eat very little meat!)

Couple of slices of old bread

250 ml milk

2 eggs

15 ml curry powder

22,5 ml sugar

10 ml salt

2,5 ml pepper

7'5 ml tumeric

30 ml vinegar or juice of one lemon

Almond slivers

125ml dried raisins

Lemon or Bay leaves to decorate

45 ml Chutney

METHOD:

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F)

Peal onions, chop small and fry in hot oil till a little brown, add curry and meat (or fish) and continue until everything is almost cooked.

In a seperate dish, mix the bread in 125ml of milk and when thoroughly soaked, add the rest of the ingredients except 1 egg, and the leaves.

Place in an ovendish and bake for about 40 to 45 minutes.

About 20 minutes before the end, mix the rest of the milk with egg and pour over the mixture.

Serve with rice and chutney.

This is the very traditional way of doing Bobotie. (As can be found in the 'Bible' of South African Cook books, Cook and Enjoy by S.J.A. de Villiers - Cook and Enjoy celebrated it's 50th Bday in 2001 - since 1951, more than half a million copies was sold)

You can imagine that it is rather difficult for me to stick to recipes, so I normally do my Bobotie portion size in silicone molds. With the leftover mixture, I do little bite size boboties for our 'apéritif'.

And when I am left with still more, I roll the mixture in Philo sheets (almost like thick cigares) and then make Bobotie springrolls!

Once again let that imagination flow-who need to stay on the highway? Go off that beaten track to discover life's surprises!! Go for it!

Life is about sharing

Bisous

Lynn

tales of a year gone by

2010-01-08T17:05:00.004+01:00

A couple of years ago I started a kind of twice yearly newsletter to fill in our friends and family on what we're up to here Aux Jardins des Thevenets, timmering away at our old lady , slowly but surely getting her back to her former splendour. With our Bed and Breakfast that took off at a fast rate, this fell a bit by the wayside! So I thought this is quite a good idea, and way ,to share with all as I am rather motivated with this blog business! (All your fault Pam!!)

2009 - where shall I start??

In January I organised a small trip to Venise to celebrate O's 50th birthday and it was GLORIOUS! Venise in the winter, misty, mysterious, cosy - so many things! We stayed in a divine newly renovated palace 'Ruzzini Palace Hotel' on the Campo Santa Maria Formosa. Thanks to some friends we had the wonderful chance to go to a concert at La Fenice! and of course then there's the incredible Rialto market!! (But that will be another post as I am busy working on a Market one for you all!)

O did a small website with some of our pics of this marvelous trip! -

http://www.chaulieu.net/LOVenise/Site/LOvenise.html

I have been a very lucky and privileged girl this year - 3 of my friends from school days came to visit in March! Ilse, all the way from Bahrain, Lynette and Toni from South Africa. We've known each other for more than 33 years. First we had a wonderful time together in Paris and then we came down to our campagne. Visiting, eating and drinking away merrily!

The girls on top of the Puy de Dôme, a volcanic mountain here in the Auvergne

In April, well we had to start work and earn money with our rooms and thanks to a beautiful article we had in a Dutch Glossy, we had more than 30 weeks filled up with delicious Dutch guests! Dank uw wel!!

O also attacked the outside of the Pigeonnier in all earnest and thanks to 2 friends from the village, Jean-Yves and Philippe, did a beautiful job on the lime plastering!

It was open to the public during the patrimonial weekend we normally have once a year here in France and O had an article in our local newspaper!

http://www.lamontagne.fr/editions_locales/vichy/meme_plus_peur_du_vertige_pour_rendre_un_pigeonnier_au_patrimoine@CARGNjFdJSsHExsGBRU-.html

Then the next couple of months just wooshed past in such a flash of activity and cooking and lovely guests and great moments and and and that I have a kind of blank and too much to write about.

But it bought us to the end of the summer when we took off a couple of days to go and chill on the lovely little island off the west coast of France, Ile d'Yeu! (http://www.ile-yeu.fr/) Great fish and long bicycle rides and just doing nothing but eating and reading and relaxing.

Thus we were ready and prepared for the fall where we had our first group with PAM!!

The Gypsy Chef!

I allready did a post on that and you can go and have a look at 'Pam and the Groovy Gang' and have a peek at her Blog as well - http://thegypsychef.blogspot.com/ (all her fault if I stared blogging!!)

And more guests and then a well deserved break in South Africa for me whilst Olivier stayed at here Aux Jardins des Thevenets (without guests)

And of course a year cannot just fly past with all just being hunkey dorey n'est pas? (Or as the french loves saying ': La vie n'est pas un long fleuve tranquille' - Life is not a long tranquil river) Last photo of Fluffy
One of the sad moments of this year was the departure to cat paradise of our wonderful Fluffy who has been a fantastic companion for over 9 years! He will always be my number one fluffpot! So regal and beautiful!!

And now we're just tinkering along, doing some repairs and Olivier is welding and sawing like a master craftsman on his Eiffel-like structure that will be the base of the bathroom and staircase in the Dove House!
Watch this space for more!!!

So in a nutshell I gave you a bit of an overview of 2009.
Thank you to all of you for the support and love and encouragement. Without you, our task will just seem even more daunting.

Life is about sharing and here's to sharing lots more with you in 2010!
Bisous
Lynn

Promises!!!!

2010-01-02T12:31:00.001+01:00

Sometimes modern technology can certainly do it's tricks!!

I wrote a nice intro for my promises post and when I looked again, all whiped out! So here goes again!

I know - I know - I've made some promises of recipes in some of the posts last year! One of my new year's resolutions is to take more pics and give you more recipes!! PROMISE!!

So watch this space for posts after this festive season when all is gray and dull and the twinkly lights of Xmas becomes a vague souvenir!

Our New Year's eve table here Aux Jardins des Thevenets

But all I actually want to say today (apart from making promises) is that I hope you all have a wonderful 2010

and that your weirdest, wildest whishes will come true!

As I said on my Facebook Page :

May we all slide with our hot bums over the butter of life!

Life is about sharing!!

Bisous

Lynn

Christmas and............. Giving

2009-12-23T16:51:00.000+01:00

What shall I tell you today? - no recipes published or talk about food or tastings or or (although I'll tell you my Xmas menu after Xmas as it is a surprise for Olivier, my darling husband, with whom we are doing a Christmas 'en amoureux' for the first time in years!!

(and I know I've promised a couple of recipes in some of my posts over the last month, but they'll come!! Be patient!)

Snowbathing

All I want to share with you on this almost eve of Christmas is the text on 'Giving' from my favourite book in the whole world, The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran !

Then said a rich man,

"Speak to us of Giving."

And he answered:

You give but little when you give of your possessions.

It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.

For what are your possessions but things you keep and guard for fear you may need them tomorrow?

And tomorrow, what shall tomorrow bring to the overprudent dog burying bones in the trackless sand as he follows the pilgrims to the holy city?

And what is fear of need but need itself?

Is not dread of thirst when your well is full, thirst that is unquenchable?

There are those who give little of the much which they have - and they give it for recognition and their hidden desire makes their gifts unwholesome.

And there are those who have little and give it all.

These are the believers in life and the bounty of life, and their coffer is never empty.

There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward.

And there are those who give with pain, and that pain is their baptism.

And there are those who give and know not pain in giving, nor do they seek joy, nor give with mindfulness of virtue;

They give as in yonder valley the myrtle breathes its fragrance into space.

Though the hands of such as these God speaks, and from behind their eyes He smiles upon the earth.

It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding;

And to the open-handed the search for one who shall receive is joy greater than giving

And is there aught you would withhold?

All you have shall some day be given;

Therefore give now, that the season of giving may be yours and not your inheritors'.

You often say, "I would give, but only to the deserving."

The trees in your orchard say not so, nor the flocks in your pasture.

They give that they may live, for to withhold is to perish.

Surely he who is worthy to receive his days and his nights is worthy of all else from you.

And he who has deserved to drink from the ocean of life deserves to fill his cup from your little stream.

And what desert greater shall there be than that which lies in the courage and the confidence, nay the charity, of receiving?

And who are you that men should rend their bosom and unveil their pride, that you may see their worth naked and their pride unabashed?

See first that you yourself deserve to be a giver, and an instrument of giving.

For in truth it is life that gives unto life - while you, who deem yourself a giver, are but a witness.

And you receivers - and you are all receivers - assume no weight of gratitude, lest you lay a yoke upon yourself and upon him who gives.

Rather rise together with the giver on his gifts as on wings;

For to be overmindful of your debt, is to doubt his generosity who has the free-hearted earth for mother, and God for father.

And in this time of eating and drinking and abundance - food for thought :

http://leb.net/~mira/works/prophet/prophet6.html

Life is about sharing!!
Merry Christmas to you all

Bisous
Lynn

tables tables et encore tables

2009-12-18T19:15:00.000+01:00

With Christmas fast approaching, thought I must finish this post on tables that I started a while ago and just do not seem to get done! One of the reasons is that I've been wanting to take a walk in the forest and snap along happily, but boy, oh boy, with today's sub-zero temperatures I have decided to stay put and will add pics later when I have the courage to go out with my camera!
So here goes :

In this hurly-burly very consumerism world we live in, one sometimes thinks that you MUST HAVE THINGS, like your Baccarat Glasses and Cristofle Cutlery and Limoges Porcelain plates etc to be able to create a nice environment, decor, table etc. Not True!! Especially in these penny-pinching times, one must look at different means to have beauty around you instead of spending money!

Just start with LOVE! And then you take a slow walk out there in nature and you pick some nice branches or flowers from your garden or the local park and start your decor!

Or you pick up a few pebbles at your favourite beach on your next holiday and it becomes your table centre and/or knife and fork rests!

Or an ostrich feather or 2, and a couple of chocolates in the same colour as your table cloth and Bob's your uncle!

What can be easier!

And for easter you roll them coloured eggs all over the table or you choose some golden one's, add an Ostrich egg and there you go. Once again a beautiful table without emptying your pocket on expensive 'props'!

A very talented florist friend from South Africa visited a couple of years ago and said he'll set the table and decorate it for our table d'hôte that evening. Willem went out there and came back with things from my garden that I did not even knew existed! Ok, some of them were flowers planted but there were also weeds (or what we consider weeds) and a branch of this and a goody of that! The result you can see - a spectacular natural table in a jiffy - without a penny spent!

So I tried the same and did a table outside with just rose petals, or another one inside just with 'Buddleia flowers'. Yet another with ivy, or just rambling roses. Very often an accumulation of the same objects/plants gives really good results! And not to forget those candles!!

I really dislike paper serviettes and have found many beautiful white embroidered serviettes at the local brocantes (markets) we have in our region every year! (The brocante of Charroux opens the season end April and people come from far and wide for this event) Most of the serviettes need to be bleached and with a bit of TLC you have these beautiful napkins doing justice to any table!

So me dears, how about doing that next table with a small budget - make it a game! Xmas is upon us and I know you can do it!!

Life is about sharing and I love sharing with you!

Bisous

Lynn

Pam and the groovy Gang !

2009-12-17T12:23:00.006+01:00

When I first met Pam, it seemed like I met a small whirlwind!
She's always on the move! What energy!!!
Pam in action during the course

And we hit it off at once! (Uju our joint friend knew what she was doing putting us in contact!) Pam then decided to organise a Cooking Holiday here Aux Jardins des Thevenets and what fun that was! Early September Pam and an old friend, Randy arrived, then Debbie, who was certainly the most applied student in the group, and Annalize all the way from South Africa! A great great group! Every day swirled by in hurly burly activities around food - not just strictly cooking step by step boring boring!

Actually, I've decided to call it not a
'Cooking Holiday' but
French Lifestyle Adventure
and Cooking with Pam!

We did all kinds of wonderful things like visiting the Medieval Village of Charroux where the Mustard Lady, Madame Maenner, showed us how they still grind mustard seeds on an old grinding stone that used to be turned by a donkey but thanks to modern technology, now runs with a motor!
http://www.huiles-et-moutardes.com/fr

Then off to Saint Pourçain, the oldest vineyards in France, where we had a tasting at the 'Cave' of the Laurent Family! And stocked up with wines like the Cuvée Toussaint for our 'Foie Gras'! http://pagesperso-orange.fr/famille.laurent/

We also had the oppourtunity to eat at our Michelin star restaurant in Vichy, Jacques Decoret http://www.jacquesdecoret.com and I also took them to my very favourite restaurant in the area - L'Auberge du Pont!

All of us Chez Jacques Decoret - Pam in the middle

We spent time at the Vichy market - had lots of fun trying on things, Annalize turning the heads of all the men in the area, and of course oogling over all the food stands - from the cheese counters to our local Charolais meat to veggies and more exotic stands all under one roof. The Vichy Market inside - Photo by Pam

The four days together filled with laughter, especially due to Randy's quirky comments, went past much to fast and my life felt empty after they all left!

So why not come along on the next French Lifestyle Adventure and Cooking with Pam previewed for April 2009!
Watch her Blog for more info and hurry up as there's only room for 7!
http://thegypsychef.blogspot.com/

Life is about sharing!

Bisous
Lynn

Tastings, tastings and more tastings!

2009-12-14T19:31:00.002+01:00

Now, I know Napoleon said: 'Impossible n'est pas Français' - 'The impossible is not French' but staying trim and slim during this period of the year here in France is really impossible!

This past week we had the most divine 'Foie Gras' tasting at our local Café - Chez Minou et Kiki. Every year for Christmas, Pascal, the owner of the Café, prepares Foie Gras in various forms and normally invites us for a tasting a little bit beforehand!

Where to start? There were Just normal Foie Gras, Foie gras wrapped in a teatowl (torchon style) and cooked in a chicken stock, Foie Gras cooked in Red wine served with red wine jelly, Foie gras with truffles and my very favourite of the evening, a 'Terrine de Ris de Veau' - Sweetbread Terrine (Sweetbreads are the thymus (throat sweetbread) and the pancreas (heart or stomach sweetbread), especially of the calf and lamb (although beef and pork sweetbreads are also eaten). He served this with a mixture of Pistachios, hazelnuts and almond slivers slightly toasted in the oven and crushed together. Totally yummy!

I know that some of you might not like the idea of 'Foie Gras' - Fat liver - and the birds being force ged, but I can assure you that it is actually a natural phenomenon. In the wilds, migratory birds overeat before their annual migrations.

Panfried foie gras I sligtly dusted with allspice served with sweetpotatoes and simmered orange peel

A bit of history : (source - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foie_gras)

It was the Egyptians who discovered foie gras around 2500 BC. Hunters along the Nile noticed that the liver of the geese were bigger, paler and much tastier during the migration period than the rest of the year. They came to understand that this enlarged liver was the result of the geese overfeeding themselves before their migration. Migratory birds have the genetic capacity to stock surplus food in their liver, which then acts as an energy tank on which the bird can draw during its long and tiring journey.

The Egyptians particularly appreciated the taste of the foie gras, but since it could only be obtained during very short period of the year, they decided to reproduce that natural phenomenon themselves all year round. They started to feed geese with figs in order to get a tasty foie gras. Later on, the geese were replaced with ducks and the figs with corn.

The Jews were the first to develop the art of feeding. In fact, in Central Europe between the 13th and 18th century, they were known for their foie gras of high quality and impressive size. But it was the French who contributed to the popularity of foie gras by improving the feeding technique. It was also the French who developed the various methods for cooking foie gras that are known today. Foie gras torchon style, foie gras in a bloc and foie gras mousse are recipes that were developed by great French chefs. Over the years, the French developed a passion for foie gras that they spread worldwide.

(One of the reasons why I've chosen to live in France!)

The next tasting happened last Thursday night when we went off to our favourite restaurant in the area : AUBERGE DU PONT (http://auberge-du-pont-billy.com/)

Stéphane Roesch, Chef of 'L'Auberge duPont'

Stéphane organised, with Agnes who owns a delicious Wine boutique in Vichy, La Cave d'Agnes, a tasting of one of the best Rhone Valley producers! (Who they happened to lodge here with us at Aux Jardins des Thevenets!)

http://www.domaine-gerin.fr/eng/indexeng.htm

Jean-Michel Gerin and his wife are plain, down to earth people absolutely loving what they're doing! They love the soil, the vines, wine, life! as we say in France - des bons vivants! And Jean-Michel can talk about wine like rarely I've heard people talk about wine! PASSIONATE!

So our evening started off with a perfectly boiled egg still in it's shell with a touch of foie gras inside - just to open the palate! Called 'Oeuf Toqué' which also means mad egg in slang!

Pierre, the delightful sommelier of L'Auberge, served us our first wine - Condrieu - a fantastic white wine made with 100% viognier grapes! This went perfectly with the pan seized scallops served with a pumpkin purée and a classical 'beurre blanc' that was served as the starter.

The main course accompanied by a delectable Saint Joseph (100% Syrah grapes) was roasted pigeon with mashed potatoes, a crusty triangle filled with more pigeon, mushrooms and crushed 'dragées' - sugar coated almonds - lending a divine sweetness to the 'ensemble'. A reduction of pigeon stock with soja sauce was the final touch!

The wait certainly was worth it as we were then served with the first 'Côte Rôtie' 2006 - Champin le Seigneur (90% Syrah and 10% Viognier) matching perfectly our very local cheese called 'La comtesse de Vichy' served on toast!

The top of the top was a 'Marquise au chocolat' served with a thick syrupy redwine!! YES!
The Côte Rôtie 2006 - Les Grandes Places (100% syrah) was just out of this world with the chocolate.

Now you know why it's so difficult to get these hips down to a decent size!!

And all of you out there - would've been nice to share this with you in real life!

Life is about sharing!

Bisous
Lynn

Shandor and the art of Sharing!

2009-12-08T18:13:00.003+01:00

I am so privileged!

Just back from 3 days in Paris where we celebrated the baptism of my latest godchild, Shandor!

Now, this is the first time I have ever been godmother to a boy who has one godmother and 2 godfathers and who had a republican and church baptism!

What a lucky boy he is!

A lovely Mama and Papa that love him to bits, grandfather on mama's side, grandmother on Papa's side - even a great grandmother of almost a 102 that shared this very special occassion with him - as well as a mixture of divine French people from all different walks of life and origins!

And a lucky boy he is especially to have his 2 godfathers living 3 floors below him in the same building!

And who were there for him, sharing their appartment with all the guests Saturday AND Sunday!

And not only that, Noel, who signed with me at the townhall on Saturday, made the most divine Pear and Chocolate Cake for the more formal lunch on Sunday. And dressed the tables and did shopping and and and......

I have asked him for his divine recipe and as soon as I have it, will post it! Promise!

Samuel, his partner who signed with me at the Protestant Temple on Sunday, organised, and cleaned and entertained and and and....

Samuel, Eric with Shandor, myself, Noel and Violaine at the Mairie of the 11th arrondissement in Paris

It is not for nothing that Shandor has a South African godmother - I had to add the bit of South African flavour and did the Bobotie* for the lunch on Sunday with the most divine curry that my friend Vanessay Pillay from Durban posted to me in Cape Town on my recent quick sejour in South Africa. Eric, Shandor's father who has done his doctorate on the South African Muslim Community, and I have know each other since my first year in Paris and this is going back 19 years! We've walked a long way together and he and his lovely wife Violaine got married here in the Auvergne in the town of Ambert, where you can find the divine cheese 'Fourme d'Ambert'* and we had the wedding party here Aux Jardins des Thevenets!

Tables being set for Violaine and Eric's wedding party here in our courtyard

So basically this is just, as usual, about sharing. Sharing with those you love! Sharing in good times and also in bad times. Sharing with friends and family who might sometimes treat you badly because they hurt, and then the easiest is to hurt those close to you! Or they do not know different or do not realise that they hurt you! The lesson that I have learned again this weekend is that life is about sharing and what is really wonderful is that my beautiful godson, Shandor, will grow up with this notion of sharing as well as the influence of all the different people around him as his mother, Violaine, said in her beautiful text pronounced at the baptism!

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobotie

*Bobotie is a South African dish consisting of spiced minced meat baked with an egg-based topping. The recipe probably originates from the Dutch East India Company colonies in Batavia, with the name derived from the Indonesian Bobotok. It is also made with curry powder leaving it with a slight "tang". It is often served with Sambal.

*http://www.cheese-france.com/cheese/fourme_ambert.htm

* Fourme d'Ambert - Legend says that Fourme d'Ambert was already made at the time of the Druids and the Gauls. It is certainly one of the oldest cheeses in France along with Roquefort

On our Stoep*

2009-12-02T15:10:00.003+01:00

*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

What is ?????

2009-11-28T17:06:00.004+01:00

My friend Cathy's comments on my Facebook posting the other day (What is Gambas? what is Puy Réal ? etc) made me laugh and took me back to when I first arrived in Paris in 1990 and my first real encounter with French Cuisine and someone that knew loads about it. And who was a total Gourmet on top of it!

After a couple of hours walking around in amazement in the city of love and lights, I decided that that is where I want to live! (Knew no-one, did not speak a word of French, with only a tourist visa!! but had my 'Afrikaner' headstrongness and determination!!)

In front of the entrance to the Hôtel Particulier in which Mathilda had her appartment

So the first obstacle was to get a place to stay and a job - a little add on the noticeboard at the American Church said : 'Authoress looking for companion-cook. First Paris then Scotland!' This was for me!

Little did I know when I phoned from the nearest phonebooth (no cellphones in those days) that I'll work a short while for, and become friends with, Mathilda Mortimer, Dowager Duchess of Argylle.

Mathilda was a wonderful, eccentric woman who LOVED food. I was this real uncouthed girl from 'souf africa' that lived for 5 years in the Tsitsikamma Forest and knew NOTHING about cooking except the concoctions I made on my wood stove in the forest! She took me to the old Saint Germain du Pré market and taught me so many things about buying fresh fish, meat, veggies etc. It was amazing. She also loathed going to restaurants on her own and this way I accompanied her (in her Ford Mustang Cabriolet - the first car I drove through the tiny streets of Paris) to many a great restaurant all over Paris (and learned even more about food with a capital F)!

In Matilda's flat rue Tournon, Paris

One of the first meals she wanted me to cook was a 'Blanquette de Lotte' and for dessert a 'Sabayon'.

So I asked her :

What is Blanquette ?

What is Lotte (monkfish or devilfish) ?

What is sabayon - zabaglione??

* Blanquette - Originally invented to make something with left over meat, blanquette has become a proper dish with an unctuous sauce - I suppose in English we'll call it a kind of stew! The basis for this Rural Stew is to cook the meat (or fish) in a white wine and vegetable stock and when ready to serve, coat it with a Roux sauce additioned with an egg yolk.

* Zabaglione - [zah-bahl-YOH-nay] is a simple Italian dessert made of egg yolks, sugar and Marsala wine (although you can use rum, or champagne, or sweet wine) and served warm. The French refer to this as Sabayon and it is used as a dessert or a sauce. Other variations include the addition of whipped egg whites to lighten the dish, as well as a frozen version.
A bit of History from one of the most incredible reference books on food :

ALAN DAVIDSON, The Oxford Companion to Food
'Zabaglione is said to have been invented in the 16th Century in Florence, Italy in the court of the Medici. This dessert is classified as a "caudle" rather than a custard. A "caudle" is a sauce used as a custard to fill pies or tarts. The original pre-sixteenth century version was a drink made or wine or ale thickened with egg yolks.'

Now, if I get down to it sometime soon, will do step by step pics of how to do sabayon and post it - but you'll have to be patient!

Life is about sharing !

Bisous
Lynn

SHOWCOOK

2009-11-25T15:06:00.001+01:00

I know I know, I do not really do the recipes, gram by gram explaining all in detail bit - but warned you all in the first writing! This is about sharing and today just want to share a quick quick one with you!

South African Food Doyenne ANNETTE KESLER had the brilliant idea to start Showcook!

One of Annette's Cookbooks I've had since 1988!

Do go and have a look at all the wonderful articles on food, places, restaurants, cookbooks etc on:

http://www.showcook.com/

I did a couple of articles for Showcook on some of the lovely places we have had the privilege to eat!

http://www.showcook.com/2008/travel-culture/aubrac-adventure/

Aubrac Cows

http://www.showcook.com/2009/travel-culture/a-few-leaves-fromle-restaurant/

Salmon terrinne with herb oil

http://www.showcook.com/2009/travel-culture/troisgros-at-iguerande-with-lynne-chaulieu/

Outside 'Le Grand Couvert' looking towards the 'Colombier' and 'Salade Bucolique'

Life is about sharing!

Bisous

Lynn

www.jardins-des-thevenets.com

Soupettes - more

2009-11-23T11:19:00.014+01:00

Winter is almost upon us (although not the last couple of days with the wonderful weather we've been having here in our beautiful Auvergne) and it is time to do those delicious thick brothy soups that liven up our hearts and souls in the cold grey winter months.

The art of soupmaking has been perfected though by our longtime friend Anne-Catherine Bley who opened the first 'Bar-a-Soupes' in Paris in 2000. Not only does she do 6 divine soups per day winter AND summer, she is also the author of various books about Soups - also translated into English and available on Amazon!!
http://www.amazon.com/Soup-Anne-Catherine-Bley/dp/1552858340

When next in Paris, do go and have a soup chez elle in the very 'branché' area near Bastille :

Le Bar à Soupes

33 rue de charonne 75011 Paris
01 43 57 53 79

http://www.lebarasoupes.com/

(And have a good look at the series of 'Grosses Legumes' paitings in the restaurant done by Olivier, my dear husband!)

I have, since a couple of years now, started to serve a little soup at the start of my dinners here Aux Jardins des Thevenets. Our gastronomic critic friend Eric Roux quickly baptised it 'Soupettes' (meaning little soups).

In summer there's my favourite 'Bloody Mary' soupette (with a good dose of Vodka especially when I have my mother-in-law for dinner), and I also make strange concoctions that does seem to work like a green bean and olive soupette !

A summer soup decorated with a Hysope Flower

In winter I use a lot of lentils especially since we have wondeful varieties in our Auvergne region :

* 'Lentille Vertes du Puy' - Green Puy Lentils (http://www.lalentillevertedupuy.com/uk/i_actu.html)

* 'Lentille Blonde de Saint Flour - Blond Lentils from Saint Flour (http://www.lentille-blonde.fr/)

One of my winter favourites is Lentils with Coconut Milk and a dash of Cumin and Olivier's favourite is Cauliflower with Bleu Cheese. Or how about Butternut with smoked salmon? Or Carrot and orange juice?
Once again just use your imagination and try those strange mixtures - they might just work!

Life is about sharing!

Bisous
Lynn

Chestnut soup with grilled bacon bits

Below a recipe from my favourite restaurant here near us, AUBERGE DU PONT

http://auberge-du-pont-billy.com/

Le velouté Dubarry à notre façon

Prendre un chou fleur de plein champ, le cabosser.
Porter une grande quantité d’eau salée à ébullition, plonger le chou durant deux minutes puis le rafraichir dans de l’eau glacée puis l’égoutter.
Peser le chou, puis peser la même quantité de lait entier et la moitié de celle-ci en crème.
Porter à ébullition le lait et la crème puis ajouter le choux, laisser cuire durant 5 minutes puis mixer, assaisonner (sel, poivre, muscade pour mémoire).
Servir le velouté en assiette creuse puis disposer , au centre de l’assiette, quelques dés de saumon mariné ainsi qu’une petite quantité de chou-fleur poêlé minute à l’huile d’olive.

and a lovely translation found on another foody blog:

http://www.whiskblog.com/2009/07/whisk-wednesdaysveloute-du-barry-cream.html

Discovering the Auvergne!

2009-11-20T17:25:00.003+01:00

How did you end up in the Auvergne? The question asked many a time.

Well, whilst still living in Paris, I looked a bit after South African artist and it so happened that I met Louis Jansen van Vuuren and helped him with an exhibition in Paris. www.louisjansenvanvuuren.com

Louis painted by my husband Olivier

He invited us to his then holiday home in a tiny village in the Auvergne, Lapeyrouse.

We spent many a great weekend there eating the lovely produce from the region (not to mention emptying quite a couple of bottles of wine amongst other the local St Pourçain wines) and when we decided to leave Paris to look for our humble abode, we found a tiny little house in a tiny little hameau close to Lapeyrouse. This became our base for the next 2 years which we spent searching for the perfect place and I went back to Agricultural College to do an Organic Farming Diploma.

Louis and his partner Hardy Olivier sold their beautiful little holiday home and bought a Château in Boussac, in the Creuse.

They do wonderful cooking and painting courses - Look at their website : www.lacreuzette.com

and

The main reason for this quick one is the launching this coming weekend of their new book along with Anet Pienaar called

'FESTIVE FRANCE'
that can be bought on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.fr/Festive-France-Reflections-Recipes-Countryside/dp/1868423611

Life is about sharing !

Bisous

Lynn

www.jardins-des-thevenets.com

Green Tomatoes Suite.....

2009-11-20T11:20:00.001+01:00

Frank kept his promise, so here goes with the Green Tomato Relish!

GREEN TOMATO RELISH

1.5 kgs green tomatoes

2 large onions

½ tsp salt

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp garam masala

½ tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp mustard seeds

pinch of ground cloves

pinch of ground turmeric

100ml cider vinegar or white-wine vinegar

100 g sugar

1 tsp cornflour

Thinly slice tomatoes and onions, then put all ingredients except cornflour into a large non-reactive stockpot. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cook, uncovered for 1 ¼ hours. Mix cornflour to a cream with a little water. Remove a ladleful of hot liquid from pot and add to cornflour cream. Stir, then quickly return mixture to pot, giving it a good stir so that liquid thickens evenly. Cook for 15 minutes, then spoon into hot, sterilized jars and seal at once. Store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.

……….and if you still have some green tomatoes left – Fried Green Tomato

Dip thickly sliced green tomato into lightly whisked egg and then polenta and fry in olive oil until golden and crunchy. Great with anchovies, bacon or sausages, or just as they are!

Enjoy and greetings to y’all from sunny & Springy Daylesford in southern Australia.

Frank

Green Tomatoes

2009-11-17T17:06:00.012+01:00

I think most remember the delicious movie 'Fried Green Tomatoes at the WhistleStop Café'. Every year at the end of summer, there's a profusion of green tomatoes that has to be used before the first frost and since I do not do Fried Green Tomatoes, I have elaborated a Green Tomato Jam as well as a Green Tomato Chutney. I put word out at our local Café (Chez Minou et Kiki) that I am in business for Green Tomatoes and low and behold, different people from the village arrived with boxes of them! So here I am just going to give you a basic Green Tomato Jam recipe, and you can spruce it up with different spices to make it your creation! (I add vanilla pods and it gives it a divine taste)

Cut up the green tomatoes into blocks (the purest remove the pips - I do not have time and have not found any difference!)
Weigh 700 grams of Sugar for 1 kg of Tomatoes
Heat in a large casserole (or if you have a copper jam casserole even better) until the first bubbling!
Leave overnight and the next day cook until the bubbles are golden and bottle straight away.

Last night I did my 'Easy Cake' recipe and added some of my Green Tomato Jam. Rather nice must say!

I shall give you this easy recipe - really good to have and then to add whatever you feel like!

2 Eggs
160 Sugar
1 plain Yogurt
150 g Self Raising Flour
10 cl Sunflower Oil (Organic if possible)

Mix Eggs and Sugar together and beat until frothy.

Add yogurt Then stir Flour into this mixture
Add Oil at the end
Add 100 g of Green Tomato Jam (Other variations : 80g Coconut and Cinnamon; 100g Chestnut Purée; or other jams! Let the inspiration flow!!!!)

Bake in 180° oven until brown AND ENJOY!

Life is about sharing
Bisous
Lynn

ps I shall ask my Australian friend Frank Page for his wonderful Green Tomato Relish and if he's ok with me publishing it on the blog!!

Other Auvergne Adventures

2009-11-16T17:52:00.002+01:00

My friend Marlene normally buzzes around like a busy bee and when you see what she's been up to the last 3 years, well, you'll take your hat off to her. (Seen here in her Food Studio with 2 of our French Friends)

She renovated a lovely old house in the Medieval Village of Charroux with lots of help from our dear friend Charl Mouton and his Capey team, 18 km's from our humble abode here in the Auvergne, then she started with cooking courses at her home here in Charroux (something she's been doing in Cape Town for a number of years), brought out a first cookbook called Delectable : Food from Rural France to Urban Cape, renovated a beautiful old place in Green Point Cape Town (again lots of help from Charl) to create the 'Food Studio' and brought out a next cookbook with photographer friend Gerda Genis,
Sumptuous : Food from the heart of France to the Cape, allready on the bestseller list in South Africa!

Sumptuous Cover Above

In both of her books, Aux Jardins des Thevenets has a chapter and with this I shall give you a tiny peep of what was said and done in Sumptuous...

Visit her website : http://www.foodstudio.co.za/ and why not join one of her cooking courses!

Some of my friends at a recent lunch at the Food Studio,
17 Braeside Rd, Green Point

Life is about sharing!

Bisous
Lynn
www.jardins-des-thevenets.com

Samedi 14 après vendredi 13!!!

2009-11-14T21:17:00.001+01:00

Bon - Friday the 13th I did my first 'Table d'hôte' since my return from South Africa. I still felt like sitting on a beach, sipping chardonnay and watching a delicious sunset over the ocean but hey, a man's got to do what a man's got to do.

So I plopped some pumpkins in the pot with garlic and onions and did a very thick brothy pumpkin soup dotted with my most favourite black pepper from Cameroon (Penja) and some Ina Paarman (this is for my SA friend's) rosemary and lemon spice.

This was followed by a kind of Pork Colombo with Basmati rice, cheese from our beautiful Auvergne region and then I really improvised a stunning dessert - sautéed apples in salted butter with brown sugar, some cranberries and pecan nuts scooped into a philo cone!

Not too bad after a lazy -almost 3 weeks in Africa!

So tonight 14th, no table d'hôte and Olivier said to me, why do you not do a blog about the 'table', your recipes and just well, whatever you feel like telling! And eureka, we did this thing on Google blogger and from now on you'll have to put up with my yacking away about all and nothing and food and life in Frogland and and and.........

Before I bore you too much, I shall get some old pics on and a couple of things like my jams in case I do not have time to liven up your day (or week) with some chattering from my dear Frogland.

Also, just to say that I cannot come close to Pam ,the Gypsy Chef's blog, or Neeta doing a wonderful thing on healthy eating.
This is just about sharing the things I love : Food, Wine, France (and my french husband Olivier of course)! Bisous
ps and you'll have to put up with my not perfect written English. Do not forget that I am actually a 'Boerin' living in French and trying to write in INGLISH!!

White pepper from Penja -Info found on this website - http://www.gourmetstore.be/en/shop-produits/poivre-penja.asp

The pearl from paradise, as it was called by the Venetians, was for a long time a rare and expensive spice. Nowadays it has become the most widespread spice in the world.
There’s however one pepper that hardly anyone knows: the white pepper of the Penja valley in Cameroon. It’s rareness, origin and perfume makes it one of the most unique peppers. It is sought after by the most distinguished chefs and gourmets.
The taste of the Penja pepper is not comparable to any other pepper. It has a very delicate perfume, that is soft and refined, which goes together with a flavoursome warmth, more than any other spice. It starts by elegantly delighting the nostrils and brings out a warm, round, insisting feeling. Penja pepper complements the musked savours of pork, gives vigour to beef, accentuates the taste of eggs and raises the delicacy of fish preparations.
The perfumers classify the Penja pepper into the family of the “fresh spices”. Not very volatile, this pepper has a particularly dry and rich smell. Strong and exquisite at the same time, the white Penja pepper is contradictory with its smooth and savage taste. Its roundness overrides the spiciness and its powerful, woody, amber aromas do not mask its fineness.
Every pepper in the world comes from the pepper plant, a giant creeper called piper nigrum, originally from the humid Monsoon forests of India. Its round shaped berries grow in clumps, similar to the redcurrant. These same berries can be consumed in 4 different colours: green, black, red or white.

Autour de la Table d'Hôte

Travelling

Kuier* at Couffour

I did this for the wonderful South Africain Foodblog - SHOWCOOK

and just had to share it with you too

'Someday is Now'

Snowy Tales

"What is Christmas? It is a tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace." - Agnes M Pharo.

Off to Senegal

Method

Variations

Dashing to the Dordogne (Feasting with the 'Marquis')

Wilson the Piggy - Suite Ham!

Blabbermouth was bustling.....

Ode to my French teacher Irène

Sundays...... and the memories of sharing

Blackberries - not the 'phone' kind!

Awesome Auvergne - to discover for sure!!

The Merry Month of May

Paris and Lucien and Georges!

GAPERON = Garlic Galore !!

Easter and the art of sharing joy and sorrow..............

Meandre on the Canal du Midi

Laksa via Mansell!

Curry laksa is a coconut curry soup with noodles, while asam laksa is a sour fish soup with noodles. Usually, thick rice noodles also known as laksa noodles are preferred, although thin rice vermicelli (bee hoon or mee hoon) is also common and some variants use other types.

(Thanks to this wonderful source : WIKIPEDIA!! - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laksa - for more info on all the different kinds of Laksa!)

Sharing of another kind!! Thanks Neeta!!!

Tartare for 2 and other tales!

Sharing some more suite...................in France

O Tell me The Truth About Love

O Tell Me The Truth About Love

Sharing some more...........

Wilson the Piggy, Baba au Rhum and Cannelés!!!

Ingredients for Cannelés 2 :

Technical stages for Cannelés 2 :

Promises suite...

tales of a year gone by

Promises!!!!

Christmas and............. Giving

tables tables et encore tables

Pam and the groovy Gang !

Tastings, tastings and more tastings!

Shandor and the art of Sharing!

On our Stoep*

What is ?????

SHOWCOOK

Soupettes - more

Discovering the Auvergne!

Green Tomatoes Suite.....

Green Tomatoes

Other Auvergne Adventures

Samedi 14 après vendredi 13!!!