Restaurants

Chez Mattin, still great!

Posted on

The last time I had the good fortune to dine at Chez Mattin in Ciboure was pre-covid.  This family-run Basque restaurants has been consistently one of my favorites for years, see my recommendation from 2013! But a lot changed during covid, and many wonderful restaurants have either not opened or never re-found their pre-covid form, […]

Chez Mattin, still great! Read More »

[portfolio_slideshow]

The last time I had the good fortune to dine at Chez Mattin in Ciboure was pre-covid.  This family-run Basque restaurants has been consistently one of my favorites for years, see my recommendation from 2013! But a lot changed during covid, and many wonderful restaurants have either not opened or never re-found their pre-covid form,

Tagged , | Leave a Comment
Stuff

Preserved and pickled lemons

Posted on

So it all started with a tajine that I saw at the local vide-grenier (vide grenier =”clear out the attic” = garage sale) to support the Calendretta, the local bi-lingual school, which teaches in French and Occitain.  A brand new Emile-Henry tagine, still in its original box, never been used!  Although my experience with cooking

Preserved and pickled lemons Read More »

[portfolio_slideshow]

So it all started with a tajine that I saw at the local vide-grenier (vide grenier =”clear out the attic” = garage sale) to support the Calendretta, the local bi-lingual school, which teaches in French and Occitain.  A brand new Emile-Henry tagine, still in its original box, never been used!  Although my experience with cooking

Tagged , , | 3 Comments
Stuff

Farm butter

Posted on

Purchased this Tuesday at the farmer’s market in Orthez:  organic butter from the farm Leit de Brunas.  In Béarnais, the name means “milk from the Brunes”, which is fitting for this family-run farm located south of Pau that raises the Brunes des Alps breed of dairy cows.  In addition to butter, their tiny stand in

Farm butter Read More »

[portfolio_slideshow]

Purchased this Tuesday at the farmer’s market in Orthez:  organic butter from the farm Leit de Brunas.  In Béarnais, the name means “milk from the Brunes”, which is fitting for this family-run farm located south of Pau that raises the Brunes des Alps breed of dairy cows.  In addition to butter, their tiny stand in

Tagged , , , | Leave a Comment
Recipes | Vegetables

Asparagus!

Posted on

Green asparagus from Les Landes were in the market for the first time this spring, a true cause for celebration.  The area of Les Landes is just north of the Béarn, and is known for its sandy soil (and in 2022, for its terrible forest fires!) that is perfect for asparagus. Les Landes asparagus is

Asparagus! Read More »

[portfolio_slideshow]

Green asparagus from Les Landes were in the market for the first time this spring, a true cause for celebration.  The area of Les Landes is just north of the Béarn, and is known for its sandy soil (and in 2022, for its terrible forest fires!) that is perfect for asparagus. Les Landes asparagus is

Tagged , | 6 Comments
Recipes | Soups

First signs of Spring

Posted on

After the longest of winters, spring always arrives…it just seems to take a long, long time years! So the first spring vegetables to grace the market tables are always a cause for celebration.  Last Saturday, I found spring green garlic, which I snapped up, along with last of the season Jerusalem artichokes.  The two ended

First signs of Spring Read More »

[portfolio_slideshow]

After the longest of winters, spring always arrives…it just seems to take a long, long time years! So the first spring vegetables to grace the market tables are always a cause for celebration.  Last Saturday, I found spring green garlic, which I snapped up, along with last of the season Jerusalem artichokes.  The two ended

Tagged , , , | Leave a Comment
Recipes | Savory Dishes

Gratin of green chard

Posted on

Late winter-early spring is a lean time at the farmer’s market (wow, hearing myself say that, it is hard to believe that it is already turning toward spring!).  The last of the fall harvest – winter squashes, pears, apples, onions, garlic – are getting old and a little rough looking.  Spring veggies are still just

Gratin of green chard Read More »

[portfolio_slideshow]

Late winter-early spring is a lean time at the farmer’s market (wow, hearing myself say that, it is hard to believe that it is already turning toward spring!).  The last of the fall harvest – winter squashes, pears, apples, onions, garlic – are getting old and a little rough looking.  Spring veggies are still just

Tagged , | Leave a Comment
Wine

Stocking the cellar

Posted on

As we settle into our new life in Orthez, top of mind was to refill our cellar.  So one of the first field trips we planned was to one of our favorite local winemakers,  Domaine les Pentes de Barène in Tursan, about 45 minutes from our house.  If you are a white wine fan, you

Stocking the cellar Read More »

[portfolio_slideshow]

As we settle into our new life in Orthez, top of mind was to refill our cellar.  So one of the first field trips we planned was to one of our favorite local winemakers,  Domaine les Pentes de Barène in Tursan, about 45 minutes from our house.  If you are a white wine fan, you

Leave a Comment
Stuff

Oysters fine de claire d’Oléron

Posted on

Fat, briny oysters from Oléron, purchased direct from the producer at the Orthez Saturday market, made a quick and easy evening meal. These beauties are what they call “fines de claire” meaning that that they spent their last few weeks (before I popped them open and squeezed lemon on them) in a “claire”, a sort

Oysters fine de claire d’Oléron Read More »

[portfolio_slideshow]

Fat, briny oysters from Oléron, purchased direct from the producer at the Orthez Saturday market, made a quick and easy evening meal. These beauties are what they call “fines de claire” meaning that that they spent their last few weeks (before I popped them open and squeezed lemon on them) in a “claire”, a sort

Leave a Comment
Recommendations | Restaurants

St. John’s, Marylebone London, England

Posted on

The third restaurant (plus numerous bakeries) in the lineage of landmark London restaurant St. John, which has set the standard  for locally sourced, wonderfully simple and traditional English food since the 1990’s.  The original location in Farringdon still has one Michelin star, a feat for a restaurant where the decor is minimal and the simplicity

St. John’s, Marylebone London, England Read More »

[portfolio_slideshow]

The third restaurant (plus numerous bakeries) in the lineage of landmark London restaurant St. John, which has set the standard  for locally sourced, wonderfully simple and traditional English food since the 1990’s.  The original location in Farringdon still has one Michelin star, a feat for a restaurant where the decor is minimal and the simplicity

Tagged | Leave a Comment
Moving to France

Closing down our Seattle life.

Posted on

Following our dream of an extended stay in France has been a long, long road, but finally we are so close that we can feel it!  Since the sale of Le Pichet in September of 2022, my time has been filled with getting us ready to move to our house in Orthez.  You can imagine

Closing down our Seattle life. Read More »

[portfolio_slideshow]

Following our dream of an extended stay in France has been a long, long road, but finally we are so close that we can feel it!  Since the sale of Le Pichet in September of 2022, my time has been filled with getting us ready to move to our house in Orthez.  You can imagine

Tagged | 2 Comments
Scroll to Top