Tavel rosé

While in France, I was lucky enough to make the acquaintance of Mme P's good friend and colleague, Mme Boop.
I am sure we were having a deep conversation here just as Mme P caught us with her camera--

Mme P and Mme Boop are both English teachers and will be on their way to chez moi with their students in just a few days.  Je les attends avec impatience!   No, I never wait patiently.
Mme Boop and her sister gave us a tour of the Tavel vineyards.  Yes, that lovely dry rosé that I am so fond of.  That Tavel.  Seems Mme Boop's granddad had a major hand in acquiring the Tavel AOC.  The mistral wind was blowing mightily, but we braved the weather and took off with Sister Maguy to get a firsthand tour of the vineyards and the winery.

Vines are far as the eye can see--

Growing in three different types of soil.
Limestone-

Producing this rosé

Stones

Producing this one (I brought home a bottle)

And sandy soil

Producing this bottle.

The displays in the visitors' center / tasting room are very cleverly done, n'est-ce pas?
The vines are goblet shaped

or held on wires.

A vigneron's work is never done.  See the pile of sticks to the side of the tractor?  They were hand cut from the vines.  This must be done every year so that the vines will keep their shape and not grow out of control (the way vines will do when left to their own devices).  It must be done between November and March.  After the harvest and before the new growth begins.
Maguy most definitely knows her stuff and has devoted her life to Tavel wine.
She has the tattoo to prove it, too!

After our tour of the vineyards, we went to the winery, Les Vignerons de Tavel, for a tour of the facility.
Maguy and her key to the vat--

The key to the kingdom??
Boxes and boxes just waiting to be shipped to all you rosé lovers out there.

Then on to lunch at Mme Boop's house.  Hubby made lunch and poured the wine.  Well-trained, non?

Dessert was equally delicious... crumble with crème anglaise.

Or Mme Boop's fondant au chocolat-

It was a lovely day and I hated to see it end.  I didn't want to leave.

But I plan to return in July!!  Save a few bottles for me, s'il vous plaît!

Berry crumble or crisp is one of my favorite desserts.  Crumbles are the rage in France, too.
I found this at allrecipes.com.

Berry Crumble

Use just one type of berries or a combination of any of the ones listed below.

1 1/2 c. fresh blackberries
1 1/2 c. fresh raspberries
1 1/2 c. fresh blueberries
4 Tbsp. granulated white sugar
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. rolled oats
1 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 1/2 c. butter

Preheat oven to 350˚F.
In a large bowl, gently toss together berries and white sugar.  Set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Cut in butter until crumbly.  Press half of mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan.  Cover with berries.  Sprinkle remaining crumble mixture over the berries.
Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until fruit is bubbly and topping is golden brown.
Serve with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, crème anglaise, or all by itself!

Bon appétit, Tavel et les vignerons!

Notre Dame de Paris et la soupe à l'oignon

Just a few days ago, Arles Lucy and I browsed Shakespeare and Company for an hour or so (her first time!).

I found a book of D.H. Lawrence poems for Mme P.  We talked to a couple of the current residents as they read in the upstairs reading room.  I didn't take photos because, well, you aren't supposed to.  Arles Lucy didn't see the sign and was snapping away...  I did add my own Sabbatical Chef carte de visite to the bulletin board.  I just couldn't help myself and then I took a quick photo.  (It's on the very bottom-- not a clear photo, but I was in a hurry. I didn't want the ghost of George Whitman to catch me in the act.)

After we finished our shopping, we walked across the street, searching for a lunch spot.  You just can't ask for a better view...

 Notre Dame de Paris.   That morning, we had had a great explanation of cathedrals, thanks to the Amazing Amale, our ACIS guide.

 I wish all teachers could be as interesting as she is.

The Crown of Thorns was going to be on display later in the afternoon.  We couldn't stay.  I've never seen it and would really love to.  It was supposedly given to (or bought by?) Louis IX, Saint Louis, during the Crusades.  He built Sainte Chapelle, a jewel of Gothic architecture on the Ile de la Cité, to hold it.

Across the street from the cathedral, Arles Lucy and I found this little café/restaurant-

Fresh flowers on the table, a beautiful menu--

La soupe à l'oignon...

It was very, very good.  Worthy of a close-up photo of the bread and melted fromage.

My lunch today was good, a nice salad and tabouli, but the view wasn't quite the same...  Oh well.
I'll always have Paris, my memories, and my photos.

I've posted an onion soup recipe before, but I am always looking for new ones and I found this one on-line.   Elle est vraiment délicieuse, cette soupe!

French Onion Soup 2- La soupe à l'oignon
4-6 servings
from simplyrecipes.com

6 large red or yellow onions, peeled, cut in half, and thinly sliced
Olive oil
1/4 tsp. sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 c. beef stock, chicken stock or a combination of the two (traditionally the soup is made with beef stock)
1/2 c. dry white wine
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. dry thyme or a few sprigs fresh thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
Sliced toasted French bread
1 1/2 c. grated Swiss Gruyère cheese
Grated Parmesan

In a large saucepan, sauté the onions in the olive oil on medium high heat until well-browned, but not burned, about 30-40 minutes or longer.  Add the sugar about 10 minutes into the process to help with the caramelization.

Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute.  Add the stock, wine, bay leaf, and thyme.  Cover partially and simmer until the flavors are blended, about 30 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Discard the bay leaf.

There are two ways to serve:

Use oven-proof individual soup bowls.  Ladle the soup into the bowls.  Cover with the toast and sprinkle with cheese.  Put under the broiler for 10 minutes at 350˚F or until the cheese bubbles and is slightly browned.

If you don't have oven-proof bowls, put the cheese on the toast and place it on a baking sheet and in the oven as listed above.  Ladle the soup into bowls and place the cheese toast on top of the soup.

Bon appétit, Notre Dame!

Almond blossoms

I've written about almond trees once, but I had no idea what I was writing about.  Not really.  Now I do.  Les amandiers were in full bloom last week in Provence.  Pink ones and white ones.  The smell is heavenly.  I had no idea what they even smelled like.  We don't have almond trees in North Carolina.  Or if we do, I don't know where they are and have never seen them.  The only thing I could possibly compare them to are the cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC.

When is someone going to invent a camera that records a photo and a smell?  Hurry up, smart people!
I went to L'Occitane En Provence at Southpoint Mall yesterday in search of almond scented lotions and potions.
They give out beautiful little shopping bags with your purchase--

And these shops really are found in Provence.  I've seen them all over- Arles, Villeneuve-lez-Avignon, Avignon, Uzès...
I found two almond products, shower oil-

which I plan to use this morning--
and Savon Gourmand (yes, they had me right there with the name)- Delicious Soap- exfoliant et stimulant aux eclats d'amande - exfoliating and stimulating with flaked almonds.  It does smell delicious.  They got that right.

It's even in a beautiful little ceramic soap dish.

I also searched for a candle but didn't have any luck in that department.
Somewhere around my house I have some Burt's Bees almond milk beeswax hand creme.  I just need to find it.  And then sniff it and see if it really smells the way it should.
All the sniffing made me hungry, bien sûr.  And instead of making something relatively easy with almonds, I tackled macarons once again.  For really only the third time.  But these little gems are not easy to make.  I can almost see why Pierre Hermé charges a small fortune for his lovely little delights. (Arles Lucy bought me a box of them at Galeries Lafayette in Paris.  I tried not to wince when I saw the price.  I did keep the box.  And I did eat all but one of them.  I gave one to Mme P's adorable daughter.)

My photos do not do them justice.
I pulled out one of my books on macaron-making, made a shopping list, and off I went in search of almond flour.

I didn't find any, but I didn't look very hard.  I hate driving around all over town.  I just bought almond slivers, toasted them, and ground them in my coffee grinder (that I do not use for coffee, only spices and almonds).
(Note:  This almond soap sitting right next me smells really good! Merci, L'Occitane and sales associate Avanti!)
I decided to make my macarons green in honor of St. Patrick's Day.  And I like mint and chocolate together.  They are not as pretty as I would like, but I am not very good with a piping bag and goopy stuff.  I guess I just need more practice.
Almonds, of course-

Macaron batter-

 Macaron on the cookie sheet "drying"-

Book photo-

My finished product-

I think I will have one with my morning coffee!

Mint Chocolate Macaroons
from Macaroons:  30 Recipes for perfect bite-size treats, Love Food, Parragon Books Ltd, Bath, UK, 2011
Makes 16 small cookies

3/4 c. ground almonds
1 c. confectioners' sugar
2 extra large egg whites (should be at room temperature; if possible, separate them and let them sit out, covered loosely by a paper towel, for a few hours to allow some of the moisture to evaporate from the whites)
1/4 c. superfine sugar
1 tsp. peppermint extract
Green food coloring paste or liquid
Chocolate sprinkles

Filling:
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c. confectioners' sugar
2 oz / 55 g milk chocolate, melted and cooled for 15 minutes

Place the ground almonds and confectioners' sugar in a food processor and process for 15 seconds.  Sift the mixture into a bowl.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place the eggs whites in a large bowl and whip until holding soft peaks.  Gradually beat in the superfine sugar to make a firm, glossy meringue.  Beat in the peppermint extract and enough green food coloring to give a bright green color.

Using a spatula, fold the almond mixture into the meringue one-third at a time.  When all the dry ingredients are thoroughly incorporated, continue to cut and fold the mixture until it forms a shiny batter with a thick, ribbonlike consistency.

Pour the batter into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch / 1-cm plain tip.  Pipe 32 small circles onto the prepared baking sheets.  Tap the baking sheets firmly onto a work surface to remove air bubbles.  Top with chocolate sprinkles.  Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 325˚F / 160˚C. (You can, of course, make them any size you wish.  Just try to be consistent so you can match them up.)

Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes.  Cool for 10 minutes.  Carefully peel the macaroons off the parchment paper and let cool completely.

To make the filling, beat the butter until pale and fluffy.  Sift in the confectioners' sugar and beat thoroughly until smooth and creamy, then fold in the melted chocolate.  Use to sandwich pairs of macaroons together.

They go quite well with café au lait, just in case you are interested.

 (my breakfast café au lait at the Hôtel Princesse Caroline in Paris)

I will have to seek further opinions on them.  Volunteers?

Bon appétit, les amandiers, Provence, et les macarons!

Back in Provence

Not only am I back in France, but now I am back in Provence. And not only am I in Provence, but I am chez Madame P. We left Paris on the TGV, headed south with no stops. We managed to get 23 suitcases off the train (okay, I have two this time), more purses and backpacks than I could count, and 22 people. We left behind an iPhone belonging to one of the boys (brought along against the counsel of his sage French teacher), but at least it wasn't the boy himself, n'est-ce pas? I have already eaten fondue bourguignonne, endive salad (lunch), sarazin crepes stuffed with ham and cheese, salad with Madame P's vinaigrette dressing, cheeses- chèvre and Saint Albray-, 2011 Belle Emilie Vin du Pays du Gard, and a piece of chocolate (dinner). The grocery store here, Intermarche, is giving away a box of chocolates for every 30 euros shoppers spend (forgot the forks, spoons, and coolers, Harris Teeter). After dinner, Madame P's husband built a nice little fire in the fireplace. Pas mal.
The almond trees, les amandiers, are in full bloom at the moment. Unfortunately, the mimosas were killed by the recent very cold weather.



A very belle photo taken by Madame P this afternoon. The smell is heavenly. Maybe I am in heaven?

Bon appetit, Madame P! Je suis trop contente d'être chez toi!

(It drives me nuts to leave off the accents, mes amis, but I don't know where they are on this truc ...)


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Sleepless in Paris

I am seriously not getting my beauty sleep. There is just too much to do and see. Oh, and did I mention the 20 eighth graders I am constantly chasing after? One of them snapped this photo today of Arles Lucy and moi. I have no doubt that at least 200 photos were snapped of la Tour Eiffel during our two hour visit. I can account for at least 20 of them...
I have seen some new sights, chiefly the Basilica of St. Denis, the burial place of kings and queens of France. What a beautiful place. The heart of Louis XVII was even in a little urn.
Arles Lucy has not yet had any mousse au chocolat so she is getting a bit cranky. I must remedy that tomorrow ASAP. I took her to Shakespeare & Co. Bookstore for the first time. She loved it. We struck up a conversation with a young British fellow who has been living there for 5 weeks.
Some of the girlies ordered (and ate!) escargots tonight in a little cafe near the Eiffel Tower.



Impressionant, n'est-ce pas?
Dessert looked good, too--



I didn't save room. There is always tomorrow, right?
Chocolate milkshake in Paris??



Pourquoi pas?
We are heading to the Aligre market tomorrow morning. Better get back to that beauty sleep...

Bon appetit et bonne nuit, mes amis!


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