Stuff
Oysters and bubbles!
Wow, its oyster season and still warm enough to enjoy them outside on the terrace! Fall has been unusually warm in the SW of France (the new normal?) so I have waited to try my first oysters of the season until the water is cooler – usually I start thinking of oysters in early October.
Oysters and bubbles! Read More »
Wow, its oyster season and still warm enough to enjoy them outside on the terrace! Fall has been unusually warm in the SW of France (the new normal?) so I have waited to try my first oysters of the season until the water is cooler – usually I start thinking of oysters in early October.
October, terrace of Bar Tabac “Chez Lamiche”, Orthez
In general, a Bar-Tabac in France does not serve any food, so bringing your own snacks is welcomed. Taking advantage of that fact. This sausage is a “chipo sèche” meaning a dry chipolata, from the excellent Basque artisan pork producer and charcutier La Ferme Elizaldia, who have a truck at the Tuesday market here.
October, terrace of Bar Tabac “Chez Lamiche”, Orthez Read More »
In general, a Bar-Tabac in France does not serve any food, so bringing your own snacks is welcomed. Taking advantage of that fact. This sausage is a “chipo sèche” meaning a dry chipolata, from the excellent Basque artisan pork producer and charcutier La Ferme Elizaldia, who have a truck at the Tuesday market here.
Fall radishes
Wow, it has been a warm start to the fall here in the Southwest of France. Record breaking even. On Saturday, it hit 32 C, and last week it hit 37 C, which broke the record for October high temperature in the area. As the summer heat tempered in September, we planted a fall crop
Wow, it has been a warm start to the fall here in the Southwest of France. Record breaking even. On Saturday, it hit 32 C, and last week it hit 37 C, which broke the record for October high temperature in the area. As the summer heat tempered in September, we planted a fall crop
Rosé, late summer, place d’Armes, Orthez
The end of September has been unseasonably warm in the southwest of France. What better reason to enjoy an outside table and a glass of rosé ? This particular pour is from AOC Béarn, where the rosé is mostly made from the tannat grape, as are the full bodied reds. Explains the juicy color!
Rosé, late summer, place d’Armes, Orthez Read More »
The end of September has been unseasonably warm in the southwest of France. What better reason to enjoy an outside table and a glass of rosé ? This particular pour is from AOC Béarn, where the rosé is mostly made from the tannat grape, as are the full bodied reds. Explains the juicy color!
P’tit déjeuner in Biarritz
Petit déjeuner, Basque-style, one recent morning at a table outside the covered market in Biarritz. A good strong noisette (we would call that a macchiatto I think), plus a warm slice of tortilla espagnole, the famous egg and potato frittata that is often served as a pintxo in the Pays Basque.
P’tit déjeuner in Biarritz Read More »
Petit déjeuner, Basque-style, one recent morning at a table outside the covered market in Biarritz. A good strong noisette (we would call that a macchiatto I think), plus a warm slice of tortilla espagnole, the famous egg and potato frittata that is often served as a pintxo in the Pays Basque.
August evening, Toulouse, France
Thanks to Doug McDonnal for this great photo of the Pont-Neuf in Toulouse on a very hot August evening. On the quai near the bridge, you can see the Grand Roue (Great Wheel) and the Racines X Guingette, a sort of pop-up summer bar and restaurant where people gather to savor the cool breezes off
August evening, Toulouse, France Read More »
Thanks to Doug McDonnal for this great photo of the Pont-Neuf in Toulouse on a very hot August evening. On the quai near the bridge, you can see the Grand Roue (Great Wheel) and the Racines X Guingette, a sort of pop-up summer bar and restaurant where people gather to savor the cool breezes off
Radish sprouts
About a week ago, we planted one of our vegetable plots (we call them potager 1 and potager 2) with a few veggies that have a short time to harvest, hoping for a mild fall and a last harvest before winter. We planted two kinds of radishes, turnips, scallions and mixed in a few wildflowers
About a week ago, we planted one of our vegetable plots (we call them potager 1 and potager 2) with a few veggies that have a short time to harvest, hoping for a mild fall and a last harvest before winter. We planted two kinds of radishes, turnips, scallions and mixed in a few wildflowers
Green figs from the garden!
The nice surprise of the summer: our fig tree has produced a lot of lovely, sweet green figs! We have always had a little fig tree, but in the past, it has never yielded much because it was basically buried by bamboo growing into our yard from the neighbors. This spring, I got ambitious and
Green figs from the garden! Read More »
The nice surprise of the summer: our fig tree has produced a lot of lovely, sweet green figs! We have always had a little fig tree, but in the past, it has never yielded much because it was basically buried by bamboo growing into our yard from the neighbors. This spring, I got ambitious and
Patou at work
Somewhere along the GR10 in the central Pyrenees mountains, a Great Pyrenees sheepdog protecting its troop of sheep. Know as a “Patou” in the local dialect, these are guard dogs, not herders. That job falls to another dog, usually a border collie or other herding specialist. Thanks to Doug McDonnal and Lisa St. George (who
Somewhere along the GR10 in the central Pyrenees mountains, a Great Pyrenees sheepdog protecting its troop of sheep. Know as a “Patou” in the local dialect, these are guard dogs, not herders. That job falls to another dog, usually a border collie or other herding specialist. Thanks to Doug McDonnal and Lisa St. George (who