In Orthez, I took this photo of a local snail making his way across a rain-soaked bench. If I was a more industrious sort, I would have captured this specimen, fed him on organic veggies, and kept him in captivity for a week to allow any toxins to flush out of his system, then simmered …
Escargot a little too local Read More »
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Here is a portrait of a farm raised chicken that I recently roasted for a Sunday dinner while spending time in France. This tasty critter was raised, free range and natural, on a farm just outside of Orthez that also raises ducks, pigeons and guinea hens (well, the pigeons probably have some limits on their …
Sunday dinner in Orthez Read More »
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Ever heard of caviar that is raised in France? With caviar from the Caspian Sea being either too expensive or morally murky ( Caspian Sea sturgeons have been on the endangered species list for a while) or just plain unavailable, many countries have seen growth in their farmed caviar industries, notably the U.S., Canada, Israel …
Caviar from Aquitaine Read More »
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When arriving in Orthez, our first stop, even before our house, is always our favorite dairy, Ferme Lait P’tit Béarnais. A couple miles up the road from our house, this family-run organic farm features the output of their small troupe of 20 or so of the local tawny brown Bearnaise cows; raw milk, sometime still …
Petite Dejeuner in the Béarn Read More »
Leave a CommentRemember a post I wrote in January about making cauliflower gratin at the house in Orthez? In that post, I mentioned that my inspiration for making that dish at that moment was a discussion with food writer Nancy Leson on the topic of crème fraiche for an article she was working on. If you do …
Creme fraiche and other delights Read More »
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The house next to ours in Orthez is what I would term a manor house; that is, a grand old home in its own modestly sized park. I am sure that the term ‘manor house’ implies something specific, but to my eyes, it’s a manor house. Although it was originally built as the home for …
Our neighbor’s eggs Read More »
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On the lookout for Foie Gras On a Tuesday in November, the display of foie gras at the market in Orthez is an impressive sight. Not that the market at Orthez is uniquely gifted with foie gras; at this time of the year, most of the markets in the region are similarly gifted. The holiday …
Foie gras terrine: why not keep one around the house? Read More »
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The cold streams of the Pyrenees are renowned for the wonderful quality of the freshwater fish they produce. For this reason, one can find the designation Truite de Banca in markets and on menus throughout the the Southwest of Franc. The Branca trout are raised in stream-fed ponds in the mountain pass above Saint-Jean Pied …
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On arriving at our home in Orthez, the first order of business is always a visit to the market. Conveniently, we arrived just in time for the Saturday Market (the smaller of the two weekly markets featuring exclusively local farm product (the big market day, that includes in addition to food, a wide range of …
First dinner in Orthez Read More »
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One of the things I find most endearing about the the French is how they find a use for just about everything. They were eating pigs, lambs and cows (among other critters) from “nose to tail” long before anyone had heard of the term in the U.S. They use the leftovers from making wine to …
Using every part of the walnut Read More »
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