Good things

Tour de French Cuisine-Stage 6-Gerone to Barcelona

So for stage 6 we are still in the Tour de France but just not technically IN France. Today the Tour crossed over for a little spin in Spain. After a drive from Perpignan the riders stayed the night in Gérone, some of them most likely in their own houses. A lot of riders live in Gerona during the season and use it as their European base; Lance Armstrong lived there for years before he retired in 2005.

 

Gérone is located at the confluence of the Ter and Onyar, Galligants and Güell rivers. Along the rivers you will find alleyways and stairs that lead you to the old quarter that occupies a hill overlooking the riverside and the brightly restored houses along the Rio Onyar. Arab influenced narrow streets and the well preserved Jewish quarter give some clues as the rich history. Its positions on Roman and medieval roads that connect to Southern France with the Iberian Peninsula making Gérone an important crossroad.

  The impressive Catedral with its Baroque façade can be reached by a grand stairway has the widest single span Gothic arch in all of Europe. A place of worship since Roman times, before that a mosque stood on the same site in 1038. Most of the building was built in the 15^th century, though parts are 400 years older, notable the five stories Torre de Carlemany and the Romanesque cloister.

 

Just 27 kilometers and over 350 curves of the Corniche, Sant Feliu de Guixois is a busy beach town with modern buildings all evidence of the prosperous 19^th century cork industry. Going back to the 10^th century when settlement was created around the Benedictine monastery where the ruins now include the Porta Ferrada still stand in Place Monestir. The church of Sant Feliu es la Marc de Deu dels Angels has a beautiful crafted crucifix dating from the 10^th century, but later rebuilt in the Gothic style in the 14^th century.

  At the end of the tortuous Corniche, the Roman town of Tossa de Mar is one of the prettiest along the Costa Brava. In the old town is the Vila Vella it is a protected national monument with medieval walls that enclose fisherman’s cottages and an 18^th century church. But the best way to visit Tossa is to arrive by boat for a perfect view of the medieval walls and turrets are pale and shimmering in the Mediterranean sun. Home to the 19^th century Far de Tossa, a innovative home to Mediterranean lighthouses, but just below that the 15^th century ruins of the gothic church stands a statue of actress Ava Gardner who made two very popular films in the 1950’s here, Pandora and the Flying Dutchman.

 

Just a few kilometers past Tossa de Mar is Lloret de Mar, a large tourist town with packed beaches but underneath that there is a centuries old town with a 15^th century church and Spanish mansions and some hidden rocky coves tucked away on either end of town.

 One of the longest beaches on the Costa Brava is in Blanes but the town also has another attraction for those that don’t want to sit in the sun all day. The Jardi Botanic Mar i Murta, the gardens designed by Karl Faust in 1928 and their spectacular location above the cliffs is the perfect place to showcase the 7,000 species of Mediterranean and tropical plants.

  The Tour ends today in Barcelona, the capital of the Caralunya region and home to the 1992 Olympic games and the most cosmopolitan of all the Spanish cities. Barcelona has been the home of some great artists and their touches can be seen all over the city. Picasso, Miro, Dali, Tapies all called Barcelona home and architects Gaudi, Joesph Lluis Sert, Bofill and Bohigas are all over the city. Gaudi being one of the most famous, you can’t find a book or picture without a nod to the Casa Batllo a building that was restored by the Art Nouveu architect Antoni Gaudi in 1905-1907. Locally it is know as the Casa dels ossos (House of Bones), covered with tiles and topped with a curved roof and multiple chimneys. It is one in a million and you might be able to look at it for days and still find something new.

At the end of the stage the riders will have to head up a steep hill to get to the finish line in the Montjuic district. Home to the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya which houses the national collection of Caralan art and the contemporary art in the Caixa Dorum and the famous Catalan artist Joan Miro in the Fundacio Joan Miro. Montjuic was chosen as the site for the International Exhibition of 1929, the slopes were laid with gardens, terraces and fountains, with Neoclassical buildings were added to the North side and many were later adapted as museums.  The riders will finish on the Avinguda de l’Estadi that leads you right past Barcelona’s most celebrated sporting sites, the Ricardo Bofill’s Institur Nacional d’Edicacio Fisia de Catalunya, the Piscines Bernat Picornell that has swimming pools and a sports complex and the Japanese designs steel and glass Palay Sant Jordi. The Olympic stadium itself, the Estadi Olimpic holds 65,000, built for the 1929 exhibition but then refitted for the 1992 Olympics.  If you watched it today, you should have been amazed at how beautiful the final few kilometers were, a large Avinguda lined with large palm trees and beautiful buildings and at one end a “magic fountain”. Stage 7 leaves from Barcelona, can’t wait to see more.

 So for the “tour de French Cuisine” we have a slight venture out of France so tonight we are in the “tour de Catalunya Cuisine”  A few months back at the library I was looking for a Spanish cookbook and came across the Mario Batali cookbook that was based on his PBS show that he did with Gwyneth Paltrow, I have to admit I never saw the show, Mario and his orange shoes are a little much for me. But this is a great cookbook; I love the way it is laid out and the graphics and how it is broken out by area, exactly what I want to do for a French version. So in the Catalunya section there is a Mixed Grill Catalan-style with Shrimp, sea cucumbers or scallops with red peppers and onions, tossed in some olive oil and then grilled for a few minutes. It was delicious, light and tasty and preserved the full flavor of the fish. Sometimes simpler is better.

I paired it with Pan Con Tomate which is a slice of rustic bread, grilled then rubbed with garlic and a little olive oil. Then you cut a tomato in half and rub all over the bread. As it says in the book “it is more of a method then a recipe” this can be found all over the area with every meal.. and it was great!

 

 

 

“Buen Apetitio”

Tour de French Cuisine-Stage 5; Le Cap d'Agde-Perpignan

As the tour begins to leave France and head to Spain, a stop in the Languedoc-Roussillon region and the continued ride down the edge of the Mediterranean  brings high winds and more amazing scenery.

 

Once home to small vacation homes, Le Cap d’Agde was developed in the 1970’s when Georges Pompidou drew up plans to develop the Languedoc-Roussillon coastline. It is now the area’s most popular seaside resort, but be careful on some of the beaches. You may see a little bit more then you want. The Naturist beach, is Europe’s largest nude beach is 2km long and about 20 m wide and can accommodate up to 20,000 people. Boy that is a whole lot of stuff to see… There are other beaches for those who don’t want to strip down, Plage Richelieu is the largest beach in the area, Plage Môle is the most popular. The Grande Conque has beautiful black sand and the Plage de la Roquille is covered with sea shells. Other beaches are the Le Grau-d’Agde and Plage de la Tamarissiere located on the other side of the canal. Other great things to see in Cap d’Agde is the Musee del l’Ephebe, the underwater Archaeology Museum that contains 25 years of treasures found on the bottom of the Mediterranean sea and coastal lagoons of the Herault delta. Here you can see the magnificent “l'Ephèbe d'Agde” a bronze statue of a young Greek man was found in the Herault in 1964. (maybe he she be on the Naturist beach)  Off the coast of Le Cap d’Agde is the le Fort Brescou and was built on the submerged part of an ancient underwater volcano. It was built by Vicomte de Joyeuse in 1586 during the wars of religion; it was destroyed by the Montmorency’s revolt in 1632 but was raised in 1680 as you see it today. In the 18^th century it was a state prison until it was closed in 1851. In my grandfathers collection of postcards I found one for Le for Brescou.

 

Just outside of Le Cap d’Agde is the city of Agde where you will see many of the buildings made from the lava from the Mont St-Loup a now extinct volcano. The Ancienne cathédrale St-Étienne was built in the 9^th century and rebuilt in the 12^th century. The 6-10 foot thick walls are topped with crenellations and machicolations. My grandparents were here in 1979 as the first stop before they started to travel down the Canal du Midi. This picture is from a old postcard of La Cathédrale St Etienne. I have a shoe box filled with old postcards from all France and Switzerland, they would send us all postcards and then would write “save” on the back and then we would give them back. Now it is a great record of where they were on their French adventures. So glad that I have them now.

 

Beziers lies 10km from the Mediterranean above the river Orb, where the Canal du Midi spans the river at the Pont-canal d’Orb that claims to be one of the first aqueducts. Beziers is also the capital of the Langueduc winemaking region and hosts the Feria d’Ete summer wine festival. The Feria de Béziers is a bullfighting festival held every August. The French bullfighting is a more humane version, it is a bloodless sport and the object is to take a rosette from the head of the bulls. The bulls are not harmed as in the more savage versions of the sport. A visit to the Eglise de la Madeleine which is now a peaceful Romanesque churched rebuilt during the gothic period and again in the 18^th century, the church was one of the sites of the Albigensian Crusade Massacre.

 

(that is my grandmother on top fo the boat and my grandfather behing the wheel September 28, 1979 in the middle of the aqueduct over the River Orb at Beziers)

 

Just as the tour heads into the Pyrenees-Orientales department the first stop is the town of Port-Barcares. You may come across a large white ship, the Lydia, that was deliberately run aground in 1967 and now a major attraction with a casino and disco located aboard the ship. Sardines have been fished for centuries in Port-Barcares and during the summer you can find them being sold in stalls and restaurants.

 

Argelès-sur-Mer is home to the Case de les Albères at 4 Pl des Castellans is a Catalan museum of folk art, and traditions such as winemaking and espadrilles and barrel making. Argelès also has more campsites than anywhere else in France.  Flowing through Argelès-sur-Mer is the Tech river and the Tech valley. The Tech valley gets sunshine 300 days a year with very little rainfall. Because of the climate, subtropical flora can be found lower in the valley and dense forests on the higher slopes. Since the Tech is so close to the Spanish border it made for a escape route from occupied France during World War II.

 Elne stands on a hill on the north bank of the Tech and just 6km from the beautiful blue waters of the Mediterranean and between Perpignan and Argles. The ancient fortified Catalan city of Elne was at one time the capital of Rousillon. It was later overshadowed by the Perpignan when it became the seat of the kings of Mallorca. In 1285 the town was besieged by the French crown and the entire populate was killed in the church where they were hiding

 

The stage 6 of the Tour ends in the city of Perpignan. With its Spanish flair it is second only to Barcelona in Catalan cities. There is a true sense of Franco-Spanish ambience in everything in Perpignan. From its Sardana to the food and even the landscape, it has a very distinct identity. Sardana is a traditional Catalin dance that dates back to the 16^th century. Dancers dress in red and white and move in concentric circles with arms raised high and they perform the intricate steps. The old medieval walls of Perpignan were destroyed in the 1900’s to allow expansion and were replaced with wide boulevards which maintain the separation of the cities older districts where many of the museums and monuments are. The tour rides into the finish on the Place de Catalogne

 

This week it has been in the 60’s and low 70’s which has been fantastic and great for cooking. But I was really craving some soup so I went to my “Soups of France” by Lois Anne Rothert. There are many great soups in here and are split up but regions of France. Since the Tour was in the Languedoc area I decided on the Gratinée Au Roquefort or Roquefort-glazed onion soup.  The recipe was rather odd, in that it wanted you to actual strain out the onions and only serve it as a broth, I didn’t do that. And it wasn’t the BEST onion soup either. Stick with Julia Child for that one. But the addition of the blue cheese to the toast hiding under the Gruyere gave it a nice little surprise.  

Some more of my grandfather's pictures of the Canal du Midi....

 

with their friends the Kendalls near the Lock Baquas, as usual my grandpa was taking the picture (my grandmother is the one with the dark hair)

 

Outside the Etang de Montady on the Canal du Midi, my grandfather....miss him so much

Stage 4; Tour de French Cuisine-Montpellier

Returning to the Tour de France this year is the Team Time Trial, ironically the last time they did it was Lance Armstrong ride to his seventh victory. I don’t think I need to tell you what happened this year do I? That’s right Lance Armstrong and his team Astana won again this year. I have a feeling the ASO might not have it next year if Lance plans to be there again. It was a fantastic stage and very exciting, I don’t think you want to miss a single stage this year. Since I am a day late I don't think I will spoil the fact that Lance is now tied for 1st, only off 22/100th of a second. They say "Every second counts"

The start and end town of the stage are one in the same, a short 39km or 24 miles That starts in the heart of Montpellier at the beautiful Place de la Comédie at the edge of the Centre Historique. The Theater Comédie, built in 1889 has a beautiful stucco façade is at one end, in the center is the Fontaine des Trois-Graces and the Berlioz Opera House and the Esplanade de Charles de Gaulle round out this beautiful site. I just want to go there and sit at a sidewalk café and take it all in.

Montpellier is also home to the first medical schools in Europe, the Faculte de Medicine, located in the former abbey; it has been enlarged and renovated over the years. Founded in 1220 it claims to be the oldest in the world and still the most prestigious in France.

Beurre de Montpellier is what was on the menu for the night of Stage 4, the Montpellier butter is so easy to put together and very good. The addition of the anchovies and gherkins give it a really great kick to normal everyday butter. Start out with a better European butter if you can. And speaking of butter, if you can find real French butter at your local Whole Foods or other grocery store, get it! You won’t want anything else ever again.

1 pound of fish, (I used Salmon)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
2 shallots, finely sliced
4 sprigs of parsley
1/2 glass dry white wine
1 tbsp chopped parsley
6 tarragon leaves, finely sliced
1 tbsp chervil, chopped
1 small gherkin, finely chopped
6 capers, finely chopped
1 anchovy fillet, finely chopped
Juice of 1/4 lemon
About 1 cup or two sticks butter, softened to room temperature

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Make a few ½ inch deep cuts in the thickest part of both sides of the fish and season fish with sea salt and pepper.

Place half the oil in a baking dish large enough to hold the snapper. Add half the shallots, half the fennel seeds and the 4 parsley sprigs. Place fish on top and scatter remaining shallots and fennel seeds over the fish. Drizzle the wine and remaining oil over fish, cover with foil and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, place chopped parsley, tarragon, chervil, gherkin, capers, anchovy fillet, lemon juice and a little freshly ground black pepper to the softened butter and mix in a bowl using a fork until just combined. Wrap this herb butter in a piece of foil and refrigerate.

To serve, remove parsley stalks and lift the flesh of the fish from the bones. Serve with a slice of Montpellier butter on top…. Voila!

Bon Appétit!

Tour de French Cuisine-Stage 3 Marseille to La Grande-Motte

Just like the first two stages of the 2009 Tour de France the start is near the water with great views of the harbors and the sailboats and yachts that are parked there while enjoying their summer holiday. The start town of Marseilles with its 26 centuries of history has helped create it into one of the oldest and greatest French cities. Marseille suffered a bit of isolation until the 19^th century, much to its own doing.  Even today it is the 2^nd most populated city in France, it has kept its character and distinct charm. All the streets lead to the Vieux-Port or “Old Port”, where stage #3 of the Tour de France will start. The Vieux-Port is the perfect place to start the day with a morning market to pick up some fresh fish or to grab a ferry out to the small rock island that is home to the Chateau d’If where the legendary Count of Monte Cristo was said to have made his escape. Don’t miss the most amazing views in Marseille from the Corniche President John F Kennedy (there are a lot of roads in France named after JFK) This 5 km road looks out over the sea, the islands just offshore and the nearby mountains.

 

One of the most authentic to Marseille dishes is Bouillabaisse; it was created by fishmonger’s wives trying to use up what the catch from their husbands. Julia Child once said "to me the telling flavor of bouillabaisse comes from two things: the Provençal soup base - garlic, onions, tomatoes, olive oil, fennel, saffron, thyme, bay, and usually a bit of dried orange peel - and, of course, the fish - lean (non-oily), firm-fleshed, soft-fleshed, gelatinous, and shellfish."

 

 

L’Estaque lies just outside of Marseille on the coastal waterway. Paul Cezanne described the town “just like a playing card-red roofs on a blue sea”  L’Estaque has a history of amazing painter was made famous by many avant-garde painters between 1870 and the first World War.  Part of the history of modern art was laid her by Cezanne, Renoir, Braque, Dufy, Derain, Marquet, Orhon and Friesz. Today the residents of L’Estaque and Marseille enjoy the local fish shops and fish auction house located on the docks. Among the fish you can find stalls selling Chichi Frégi which are tasty long fried donuts. Enjoy them while on the docks enjoying the amazing view from the place de l’Eglise.

 

Les-Baux-de-Provence lies on a bare rock spur off of the Chaîne des Alpilles, a small mountain range in the Provence region. Les-Baux-de-Provence sits atop the rock spur that measures 2953 feet long X 656 feet wide with high vertical ravines on either side, a fortified castle lying in ruins and old desolate houses all combine to make the spectacular site of the village of Les Baux. The village gives its name to Bauxite, which was discovered here in 1822. The town is surrounded by vineyards in a region that is classified as “les baux de Provence” reds and rosé are more dominate in the area but whites are also produced. One of the best wine in the area is made at Mas de la Dame where they produce organic Grenache and Syrah and the Cuvée de la Stèle.

  Arles was a Roman capital and major religious center in the Middle Ages; here you can see the preserved antiquities of Gallo-Roman times and gem of Romanesque art.  Arles is the largest town in the Camargue area and has become the rice capital of the area. But Arles has a deep cultural past. Vincent Van Gogh came from Paris in February 20, 1888 and lived in Arles. Some of his most famous paintings were done here such as The Yellow House, Langlois Bridge and Van Gogh’s Bedroom. It was in Arles where Van Gogh cut off his ear and gave it to a prostitute. The residents of Arles started a petition in February 1889 to have him confined. He finally left Arles for the asylum at St-Remy-de-Provence in May 1889.

Just outside of Arles, on a hill overlook the town are the ruins of the Abbaye de Montmajour. The abbaye was built between the 10^th & 13^th century as a Benedictine Monastery and still has some graves from the 11^th to 14^th century. In the 17^th century the abbey housed a handful of monks, laymen and officers of the crown, granted by the king and given part of the revenues. They developed a since of decadence and love of the good life and caused a bit of a reaction. The monks of St Maur, were sent to restore discipline sent new monks in 1639, the monks that were being expelled with force pillaged the abbaye. In the 18^th century part of the abbaye collapsed and were replaced. The last cardinal of Rohan was implicated in the famous “Affair of the Necklace” that helped lead to the demise of Marie Antoinette. Because of that Louis XVI in 1786 decided the suppression of the abbaye in retribution.  In 1791, the abbaye was sold as a national property. It had been purchased by a 2^nd hand dealer for 62,000 livres, due over 12 years. To repay the debt the purchaser broke up the building and all the furnishing, timberwork and marble and was sold. Regardless of that she could not make her payments and in 1793 the sale was annulled. It happened again a few years later, what was left was broken up even more and sold off.  It wasn’t until the last century that the people of Arles began to recover the monument piece by piece. In 1862 the restoration was started, and the abbaye was placed on the French historical monuments and in 1981 it was placed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites

 

  Before the finish in La Grande-Motte  the town of Aigues-Mortes is on the road leading in. With its fortified city, large towers and defensive curtain walls stands alongside the city’s landscape of pools and sea marshes. Aigues-Mortes means dead waters but lies in the far western edge of the Camargue in the Petit Camargue. The Camargue is home to more than 400 species of birds including Flamingos and the famous Camargue horses and the Camargue Bull. In 1970 the Camargue was established as a regional park and is some of the most protected lands in all of Europe.

 

Le Grau-du-Roi is the seaside resort that was once a part of the Auigues-Mortes until 1879, it grew up around the little port. From the far end of the pier you can catch a view of the Grande-Motte pyramids, Boucanet beach and the Port-Camargue where the 18km stretch of beach runs past the resorts of Le Grau-du-Roi and Port Camargue.

 

The stage ends in Le Grande Motte which lies right on the edge of the Mediterranean and 6km of a fine sandy beach. One of the most recognizable sight of Le Grande Motte is the honeycomb pyramids on the skyline at the Palais des Congres (conference center) that overlooks the marina that can house up to 1500 yachts.

 

With the Tour staring in Marseille, the “Made in Marseille” cookbook by Daniel Young was the perfect reference for the job.  Filled with many classic dishes of the area and based on the ingredients of the region. Marseille is home to Bouillabaisse and so many other amazing seafood dishes. Like I have said before, if you want the best stuff, go to the source!  I made three items from the book that would all incorporate into one and it was very tasty, and might be my favorite thing so far, and it turned out beautiful as well.

 

The first item was Tapenade. Tapenade is the famous paste of black olives, anchovies and capers and according to Daniel Young it was invented in 1880 by Charles Meynier, chef du cuisine at the Marseille restaurant La Maison Dorée that is unfortunately not around anymore. As with most things, tapenade changed over the years, the amounts of olives increased from 30% to 65%, capers were added less and less and anchovies were incorporated in more. Now it is hard to find a recipe that doesn’t call for anchovies. It can be served as an appetizer spread on toast or added to other dishes.  I based my recipe on Daniel Young’s but kicked up a few of the ingredients, here is my variation:

  Tapenade:

1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted

14 anchovies (do not rinse oil off)

3 ½ tablespoons capers

3 minced garlic cloves

1/3 to ½ cup of olive oil

Squeeze of lemon juice.

 

Add the first 4 items to a food processor or blender and mix into a paste. With the machine on, add the olive oil in a slow and steady stream. You will be able to tell when it has had enough oil, there is a noticeable change in the sound, if it sounds like it is “splashing” stop…. Add the lemon juice and pulse once. Can be stored in a tightly lidded jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

 

Tomato Confit, also from the “Made in Marseille” book, was very easy but make sure you put a lot of time aside. If you see the word “confit” in a recipe, you better have thought about it before 5pm the night you are making it. Confit basically means that you are slow cooking something in oil or its own fat. Duck Confit is the king of the Confits and can take weeks to complete it so that it is at its best and full of flavor.  The tomato confit can be made a little faster then duck confit but still you need 3 hours.  When complete it can be kept in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Tomato Confit

6 or 7 ripe tomatoes

7 cloves of garlic, slice

2 sprigs of fresh thyme

Pinch of sugar

French sea salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

Fresh ground black pepper

 

The original recipe called for plum tomatoes but I used the best tomatoes I could find. (It makes a difference) Bring a pot of water to a boil add the tomatoes after cutting a small X onto the bottom of the tomato and plunge into the water for 30 seconds to a minute. They will start to peel up in the water, remove and take off the outside and cut into quarters and remove the seeds.  To a nonstick baking pan add the sliced garlic and then top with the tomatoes. Sprinkle with thyme, sugar, salt & pepper and then drizzle with olive oil and cook in a 175 degree oven for 3 hours.

 

And finally this is where the Tapenade and Confit come into play. When looking through the book I knew I was going to made fish or seafood since the stage is so closely related to the water. I was struck by a recipe in the book and had to make it. Millefeuille de Loup en Croustillant de Tapenade, Tomates Confit et Poêlée de Différents Pois or translated to: Napoleon of sea bass and tapenade with tomato confit and peas….. but doesn’t it sound better the other way. A Napoleon is basically anything that is layered, in the pastry world it refers to layers of puff pastry, also known as Mille-Feuille which literally means “1000 layers” The term Napoleon actually has nothing to do with the little French man.

 For the dish using phyllo dough, which is paper thin and delicate sheets of pastry, you add a later, then some clarified butter, another layer of phyllo, more butter and then phyllo and then a thin layer of tapenade, fold over more phyllo dough and of course more butter. Cut into strips the size of the fish and then bake until golden brown. Besides the confit, tapenade and phyllo it called for peas blanched and then sautéed to give a nice little buttery crisp layer and then here is how it all came together. I just like looking at it, but it tasted just as good. The tapenade gave it the perfect amount of saltiness that worked great with the fish and tomatoes.

 

Bon Appétit!

Tour de French Cuisine-Stage 2 Monaco-Brignoles

Stage #2 is over and in the books, leaving Monaco and heading into Provence region of France. What is not to love about Provence, you have food, sun, amazing flowers, 2000 year old ruins and some amazing people and views of the Mediterranean.  So here are the highlights of the stage and some great things that I discovered and made.

Roquebrune-Cap-Martin is a lovely little resort located on the Cap Martin and lies along the coast between Menton and Monte Carlo. The castle of Roquebrune sits atop the perched village on the Grand Corniche. Built in the 10^th century by Conrad the I, the count of Ventimiglia but later belonging to the Grimaldis for centuries who remodeled it and later in the 15^th century when the keep became the castle and the rest of the fortress became the village. It is an amazing thing to see and worth a trip to.

 

Just past Roquebrune-Cap-Martin and Beausoleil is another hilltop village of La Turbie. Here you will find one of the oldest monuments in the entire Riviera. The “Trophee des Alpes” was built in 6BC by the Roman emperor Augusts to celebrate his victory of the the Celto-Liqurian tribes. In 1705 Lois IV ordered that it be blown up, although some of it withstood his attempt. It still stands today some 2000 years later and is second only to another Roman trophy still standing in Bucharest. (picture below)

 

Villefranche-sur-Mer is located just 6km from Nice, known for its fishing port and resort along one of the most beautiful harbors of the Mediterranean. It is not uncommon to see large cruise ships docked along the harbor to visit its 17 century character and beautiful old streets with sorbet colored houses.

 

Nice is the French Rivera’s largest city and a little more laid back then its neighbors Monaco or St Tropez.  Although it did not see the boom of sun bathing and tourism until the 1920’s, but did become a summer home of British aristocrats looking for a cure for their winter blues in the sun in the 1820’s. The most popular roadway in Nice the Promenade des Anglais was created by a British gentleman names Lewis Way when he collected funds from his fellow countryman to create the coastal walkway. When it was first created it was only two meters wide, it was enlarged in 1844 and given its current name and is now lined with luxury hotels and villas.

 

          One of the most popular items in Nice and something that should not be missed is Socca. Socca is a thin crepe made from Chickpea flower and olive oil and baked on large thin and flat round pan and sometimes cooked over an open flame. You can find Socca being sold on the streets of the Vieux Nice, it is one of the most beloved things of Nice. At one point the city felt that the Socca stands cluttered the city and banned the carts, but with public outcry they were allowed to sell the again. Like a lot of things in France, going to the source is worth it, for nobody makes Socca better then the people of Nice. Enjoy it hot with some sea salt and cracked pepper.

          I took a stab at making Socca with the help of David Lebovitz and his new book “A Sweet Life in Paris” They turned out great and tasted wonderful. Light and crispy and I added the salt and pepper and a little chopped fresh rosemary.

 

St-Laurent-du-Var sits along the Var river which was once the main route between Provence and the country of Nice in the 5^th century. Along the banks of the river small villages set up fortified areas to protect themselves against the wars that broke out along the way. Today St-Laurent-du-Var is famous with rock climbers with its Baou (rock in Provencal)

 

 

The Cagnes-sur-Mer, just by the name you will know this is a lovely town to visit. The area around Cagnes is split into three areas. The Cros-de-Cagnes is the seaside resort, Cagnes-sur-Mer is the modern town and the Haut-de-Cagnes is topped with the 14^th century chateau. You can find fine olives, vines and flowers in Cagnes and if you hang out near the water you may see some fisherman brining in the fresh catch of the day.  If you are a fan of fine art a visit to the Musee Renoir should be on your list. The museum is located at Les Collettes where Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) spent the last 12 years of his life. His house and two studios have been restored just as they were when he lived there. Here you can see some of his canvases from his more sensual period with lovely female forms

 

Villeneuve-Loubet is another town that has all the amentias of a seaside resort but the charm of an old village. The medieval castle and its village are edged by the coast and marina. But one of the greatest claims to fame in Villeneuve is it was the home of the illustrious cook Auguste Escoffier (1846-1935). Here you will find the Musee Escoffier de l’Art Culinaire in the native house of Escoffier. His cooking utensils and his reconstructed kitchen can be seen as well as over 1500 menus.

 

Grasse- The center of the perfume industry for France, here you will find fields of lavender, orange blossoms, roses and jasmine and if you are up early enough you may see them being picked when they are at their fullest and freshest.  Back in the 16^th century perfumed gloves were quite in fashion.  Perfumed gloves were made to help mask some of the more unfortunate smells of society and were a practice that became popular because of Catherine de Medici and helped create the perfume industry in Grasse.  

 

Fayence the home for artists of all the trades. Potters, stone and wood carvers, weavers, painters and coppersmiths all make a living on the picturesque streets/ Fayence is also the place to be if you are looking to do some hang gliding

 

Draguignan is one of the only towns in the Var region that is located inland and uses to be the capital of the Var department until 1975. Its name comes from a dragon that was said to have terrorized the area in the 5^th century. Today the area plays homage to the dragon in crests on gateways and house. Just east of Draguignan on the D59 is the beautiful American cemetery to commemorate the US 7^th Army’s surprise landing on August 19, 1944 as it drove up the Rhone Valley.

 

Before the Tour ends today in Brignoles they will ride through the small medieval town of Lorgues that has a beautiful central square with trees planted in 1835. Just beyond the village are the hilltops with olive trees and vines that are perfectly cultivated from the terroir of Provence.  Oil from both olives and grape seed is a specialty of Lorgues

 

The Tour ends in the narrow twisting streets of Brignoles that sits below the castle that was once home to the counts of Provence.  Along the green rolling countryside of the Carami Valley the market rich town produces peaches, honey, olives and oil. Each year in April the area holds its annual wine exhibition which has now made the town the wine capital of the Var and Provence. One of the most famous things to come out of Brignoles is the Brignoles Plums. They were famous throughout the kingdom until the 16^th century when they were then ransacked and destroyed. Since then Brignoles Plums are actually grown in Digne.

Some of the treats  from this area of France I created was the Socca, from Nice. Another thing I was very excited to make and find at my local farmers market was Squash Blossoms. I did some research and decided to make a filling of typical Provencal flavors: goat cheese, fresh herbs de Provence mixture and then breading it with flour and a little cornmeal to add some crunch.

 

Another very traditional dish of the region is Stocafi, a fish stew made with salt cured cod.  Last year I wanted to make a dish wish salt cod but I couldn’t find it anywhere. Fast forward a few months back and guess what I see at Safeway of all places? So I bought it right away and since it is salt cured it is good for a very long time. I have looked for an authentic recipe for months and all I could find is “salt cod cooked in a tomato broth with small vegetables” I could take it from there but wanted it to be more accurate. I did locate a version finally and that is what I used. I should have made it Sunday night but due to a migraine there wasn’t any cooking going on, so Monday lunch it was. I had my sister and nephew and my fellow Francophile niece over. It was a hit even with the kids. The flavors were very fresh and the nicoise olives added the perfect amount of saltiness to it.

 

The recipe I found was from Chef Andy D’Amico of Nice Matin. I altered it just a bit and here is the final edition with my changes. Try it, it really it was very good!

Ingredients

1 pound dried salt cod
1/2 cup to 1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup 1/4-inch-diced onions
4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1/2 jalapeño, minced and seeded (if the jalapeño is mild, leave the seeds in)
2 ounces chicken stock or white wine 
2 cups tomatoes, chopped, with their juice
Bouquet garni: parsley stems, thyme and a bay leaf, tied in cheesecloth
1 cup 1/2-inch-diced bell pepper
1/2 cup pitted Niçoise olives
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
Fruity extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
Sea-salt crystals and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

 Place the dried cod in a bowl, cover with cold water, and soak for at least 48 hours, changing the water every 12 hours. Remove the cod from the water, pat dry with paper towels, and cut into 1-inch pieces.

 

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a Teflon sauté pan, add the cod in small batches, and sauté until lightly browned; set aside and repeat with remaining cod. (If the cod is too wet, it will not brown.)

Warm 4 tablespoons oil in a 2-quart casserole; add the onions, garlic, and jalapeño; and cook gently without allowing them to color. Pour in the grappa, and reduce until the liquid has evaporated. Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Add the browned salt cod and bouquet garni, cover the casserole, and simmer gently for 45 minutes. Fold in the peppers, olives, and capers, and return to a simmer for an additional 15 minutes. The stew should be juicy; if it becomes dry, add a little water or stock. Ladle into bowls, drizzle with the fruity olive oil, and sprinkle with plenty of black pepper and a few coarse sea-salt crystals. Serve with grilled or crusty fresh bread.

 

Bon Appetit!

 

Tour de French Cuisine-Stage 1 Monaco

The day has finally come, the first day of the 2009 Tour de France. I could hardly sleep with the excitement of my favorite day of the year.  The last few days felt like time had stood still but now it seems like yesterday that they rode onto the Champs Elysees on the final day of the 2008 Tour.  Each year when it is over I go through a bit of PTD or “Post Tour Depression” I wonder each day as I wake up where are the soothing sounds of Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwin? What does one wear on a non Tour day; all I have left to wear is yellow? And the biggest question, what will I make for dinner? Well thankfully I have recovered from the 2008 PTD, and just in time for the PTA or “Pre-Tour Anxiety”. There is so much to do to get ready to share all that I want to with you. It has been a lengthy journey, with hours and hours spent on researching each city, area and stage and all the specialties of each area.

 

So here we go, let’s jump right in!

 

Stage  #1- Monaco-Monaco

The first stage of the Tour de France or TdF as we like to call it, is normally a Time Trial where each rider rides on his own for the best time.  Some years they take the Tour outside of France to share it with other countries, 2007 started in London and next year it heads to Rotterdam. But this year it starts in Monaco, and that’s not such a bad place to spend a few days.  Monaco is ideal for the biggest and hardest sporting events in the world, a perfect stage to start from. After all there is royalty there, and who doesn’t love a tiara? (mental note: wear tiara for the start in Monaco)

Monaco is the second smallest country in the world, second only to Vatican City and is half the size of New York’s Central Park. It may be only .76 square miles in size but Monaco packs a punch. There is of course Le Casino de Monte Carlo, built from 1878 to 1910 and partially designed by Charles Garnier the architect of the Paris Opera House. If you visit the casino you don’t want to forget to rub the knee of the Louis XV statue at the entrance of the Hotel de Paris for good luck before heading into the casino. You will need it, after all the Casino does pretty well, because of it the residents of Monaco or Monegasque’s as they are called, don’t have any income tax. Monaco attracts the glitz and glamour from all over the world, and of course it’s most famous may have been the lovely blond American woman that was wooed by Prince Rainier but I would think that Monaco and it’s beauty had a little to do with it as well. Grace Kelly was a perfect Princess and much loved in Monaco. Her touch is still all over Monaco, from the Princess Grace Hospital, the Princess Grace Rose Garden and the Avenue Princess Grace that is part of the Tour this year. It runs along the reclaimed seafront that was created in the 1970’s by taking back 100 acres from the Mediterranean and later becoming the home of the Louis II stadium, home of the Monaco Football Club and an Olympic size pool.  Other sites in Monaco that should not be overlooked are the Palais Princier, the winter home of the Grimaldis, the royal family of Monaco where you can view the impressive changing of the guards at 11:55am each day. And what I think may be the greatest of all structures of Monaco is the Musée Océanographique, sitting atop the Rocher de Monaco or the Rock of Monaco which is at the very edge over the beautiful blue Mediterranean and one of the most cherished spots in Monaco. It was here that François Grimaldi disguised himself as a Franciscan monk to gain entry to the city, and the rest is, well, history.

Now for the good stuff, the food. Because Monaco is so close to France and Italy there is a huge Southern French with a special nod to Provence and Nice and Italian influence can be tasted in the specialties of Monaco.  For the first stage I wanted to start out with a bang and made a few of Monaco’s favorite dishes. 

 

 To start with I made “Oignons À La Monégasque” from the Anne Willan’s book “French Regional Cooking” a fantastic book and my go to book on French regional cooking. The onions were made into a sweet and sour salad with raisins, honestly I thought the raisins might be a little strange but as onions, water, wine vinegar, sugar, tomato paste and bouquet garni slowly cooked for almost an hour the smell was fantastic and the taste was out of this world.

Barbagiuans are another thing you will find in Monaco, they are a crisp baked or fried pastry treat filled with savory flavors like swiss chard, leeks, ricotta, garlic or herbs. And usually served as an appetizer. I searched high and low for this recipe and then altered the one I found to have more of an Monégasque flavor.  There was a slight problem with my dough, I think the 95 degree day wreaked havoc so I had to pull a quick fix and used some rice paper wrappers, so my Monaco fried treats would end up with a bit of Asian flair. But they were very tasty and actually were a little lighter this way. Here is my adaption to a recipe I found from New York chef  Laurent Tourondel

Filling

• 2 shallots, minced

• 1/2 lb swiss chard

• 2 cloves garlic: one minced, the other whole

• 1/2 lb mushrooms

• 1/2 cup grated parmesan

• 1 tsp butter

• 3 sprigs thyme

• 1 cup olive oil

• 2-3 drops truffle oil (optional)

• Salt and white pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

For the wrappers:
Soak the rice paper wrappers in hot water for about 30 seconds, they will become translucent and completely soft

Filling:
Chop the swiss chard. In a sauté pan, lightly sauté the shallots, mince garlic, and chopped swiss chard.  Add the mushrooms and let them wilt slightly.  Remove from the heat and let it cool down.  Mix in the parmesan and season with salt and pepper.  If desired, add the truffle oil.

Lay out the rice paper in the lower 3^rd of the circle place 2 or 3 tablespoons of filling.    Fold the shorter edge over and the two ends in and then tightly roll.

In a sauté pan with high sides, heat the olive oil and add the thyme sprigs and the remainder of garlic (make sure to crush the garlic before putting it into the oil).

Making sure the oil doesn’t get too hot, let the barbagiuans fry for about 3-4 minutes, until golden brown.  Drain well on a cloth or paper towel and serve.

They really were very tasty and John gave it his seal of approval. These I will make again for sure and will most likely give it my little Asian spin to it.

For dessert we have an Monégasque Lemon Tart or Tarte au Citron. Lemon is one of my favorite flavors so I knew I would love this one. The recipe called for ground almonds and bread crumbs and was an interesting addition.  And the crust was very buttery and almost like a shortbread cookie. Fantastic!

So that brings us to the end of our first stage of the 2009 Tour de France and the 2009 Tour de French Cuisine. Tomorrow we leave Monaco and head South Western into Grasse, Nice and finally end in Brignoles.  So make sure you check back tomorrow. I’ll be awake and ready to go by 5am.

Bon Appetit!

Blue, white and red pom poms

If you read my blog on a regular basis there is a few, ok lets be honest, quite a few things that I am obsessed with. Anything French is at the moment at the top of the list.  Mostly because we are only a day away from the Tour de France but also because let's face it, France is pretty fantastic! So it is perfect that blue, white and red are the colors of France and the US. So I can make John happy on the 4th, since it is his favorite day. I compromise by not putting out the French flag on the 4th. I'm a giver....

So after seeing the Martha Stewart pom pom kits at Michael's I decided I needed to make them in Blue and Red to go with my Martha white ones. A quick trip to the party store I found packages of solid red and royal blue tissue, 10 sheets for 99 cents. So I took one of the Martha ones out of the package and measured and counted the amount of sheets and size of the pom poms and created them in blue and red. But wouldn't you know it, after I finished, I looked at MarthaStewart.com and low and behold there are directions to make the pom poms there.... Oh well, they turned out great and work for both the 4th and Bastille Day.

I put little white hooks in the ceiling years ago that I use to hang all sorts of holiday cheer throughout the year, they work perfect for my pom poms. And this project only cost a total of $1.98 to make and about 5 minutes to make! That is a great craft!

Some more projects around the house in honor of the big holidays (the 4th & the Tour)... A old French antique planter filled with blue, white and red flowers and looks just like a French flag:
 

and then I also made some little French flags that I turned into a garland for the French ornament branch and also for some gift tags for some French treats. That was the easiest project yet, I used a sheet of 12x12 textured paper in Blue, White and Red. I cut the red in 3 inch strips, the white in 2 inch and the blue in 1 inch, layer on top of each other and ooh la la, there is a French flag. Here are some step by step pictures:

    

 

I just love that little pile of Frenchness.....

It's almost time to do some real cooking!

 You would have thought I forgot about my blog, but no I am just buried in books and recipes getting ready for the Tour de French Cuisine for the Tour de France that will start on July 4th. 

With 21 stages each in a diffrent spot in France, but also rollign through Spain, Andorra, Switzerland and Italy thee is a lot still to do.

So please check back or visit my articles that will also be featured on BonjourParis.com (so excited about that)

But until then, check out last years daily posts and what I cooked up each day.

French Lessons from Martha

In the newest issue of Martha Stewart Living on new stands now there is a feature on a French chef, Tony Esnault and some wonderful recipes. Of course as soon as I got it, the plan was laid and off to the store I went. There are five different items on the menu in the magazine but I planned on making just two of them. But the whole menu looks fantastic, it includes:

Watermelon Bloody Marys

Gougeres with Parmesan and Black Pepper

Green Salad with Tarragon and Mint

Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Piperade

Zucchini rounds with Roasted Tomato

Strawberry Tart with Cream

Of the menu I decided on the Pork Medallions and the Zucchini rounds, I love Gougeres and have made them many times and if you haven't you must try this recipe.

 

Zucchini rounds lightly sauteed with a little basil before they go into the oven topped with goodness

 

the goodness, tomatoes that you first roast and then add to the pine nuts, nicoise olives and garlic. So very South of France and oh so good!

  

these were fantastic, they would be a great appetizer for a party and all the tomato mixture could be made ahead of time.

 

Also on the menu and was wonderful was the pork medallions with Piperade which was roasted peppers, tomatoes and white onions. The pork was a tenderloin that you sear whole on the outside until browned then cut into medallions and continue to cook. The best part is the little butter bath that you toss it in at the end that gives it a little extra love. The leftover Piperade can be used to top chicken or fish. I used the leftover the next night on some Copper River Salmon and it was fantastic.

Make sure you pick up the newest issue of Martha on new stands now

12 of 12 June 2009

Wow, two months in a row after taking a year off. What can I say, I am on a roll..... Here is a day in my oh so exciting life.

 

It's always good to get a package first thing in the morning, we are at the beginning of the UPS route so we always get packages bright and early

 

mmmm coffee in the midst of my piles of books and notebooks researching for the Tour de France

 

I need a little inspiration, lets pop in the 1999 Tour de France, Lance's first win. All 8 hours of it. By stage 5 I forgot it was 10 years old and was cheering Lance on.

 

This morning I sent off my first article for a fantastic website all about France and this was my final proofing copy. Did you need me too look up a French word for you in my giant dictionary?

 

the mail has arrived and in it my French flag ornament that will go on the France branch in July

 

taking a break and went to look in the garden and I had four lovely strawberries, yes I ate one

 

I love how red it is and it tasted pretty darn good!

 

Made a trip to Barnes & Noble hoping I would find a TdF guide, very happy that there was one in and waiting for me. Now it really is getting close

 

Time for dinner, tonight I am making the special French menu in the July issue of Martha Stewart Living, more info on the full menu tomorrow. But these are the zucchini rounds that will be topped with goodness

 

Pork Medallions with Piperade, which is roasted pepper, tomatoes and onions. It was fantastic

since it is cherry season I decided to make the Julia Child recipe for Cherry Clafouti. This is before the rest of the batter was poured on.

 

And here is the finished results, what you don't see is John standing behind me wanting a piece. He knows it is ready when he hears me taking pictures