The Very Hungry Sabbatical Chef

With apologies (maybe?) to Eric Carle...

During my recent visit to Mme P's house in Pujaut, her son Harry was busy memorizing The Very Hungry Caterpillar for his English class.  The whole family got involved, of course, as families will do.  Especially families with an English-teaching mom and two older sisters who also study English.  Mme P drew inspiration from this children's book on my last night at her house and wrote the following story...  an ode to me, I suppose, and my meals while in the south of France.  She also supplied the two drawings, Skitching on my iPad.

The Very Hungry Sabbatical Chef

She started to look for food.  On Monday, she ate through moules-frites, but she was still hungry.

On Tuesday, she ate through cassoulet, but she was still hungry.

On Wednesday, she ate through choucroute, but she was still hungry.

On Thursday, she ate through tomates-mozzarelle, but she was still hungry.

On Friday, she ate through brandade, but she was still hungry.

On Saturday, she ate through the leftovers of moules-frites, gâteau des Rois,

cassoulet, galette,

choucroute, foie gras,

cèpes,

fondant du chocolat,

tomates-mozzarelle, rôti de veau,

fromage,

brandade, scones,

and on Sunday, she was GOOD!

Oui, I did indeed eat all of these things from Monday to Saturday.  I confess.  I just happen to have friends who are excellent cooks and love to share their food with me.   Moules-frites, cassoulet, brandade, galette, and scones were at Mme P's house.  Foie gras, cèpes, and fondant au chocolat were at Betty Boop's (along with champagne and Tavel rosé), the tomates-mozzarelle, rôti de veau, fromage, and first galette were at the Frenchie's house.  We spent a day in Arles and had choucroute at La Mule Blanche, one of my favorite places to eat in my adopted town.  Winter fare in France is amazing, but seriously, is there a bad season for food there?  Je pense que non.

Merci, mes amis--

The cast of characters...

Mme P's husband, dishwasher par excellence!

Mme P's daughter who generously gives up her room each time I visit--

Bigoudi, the new bébé who kept me company in the mornings--

Betty Boop, excellent hostess and cook who always makes me laugh--

And, last but not least, Mme P and the Frenchie, my French BFFs.

I will be back in just 5 weeks, you know...

Bon appétit et merci à tous mes amis!