French Travels: Beaucoup Fromage

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Start Your Own Adventure in Taste!

We've coined some lovely phrases and methods of walking around Birdeaux.

You're right, I should call it Bordeaux, but there are a lot of pigeons here. 

I can't shake the feeling that I am in some sort of movie.

Some parting photos of our last few days. 

At the end of our Rue

French Soup Card Game

St. Emillion

Next stop, Paris! 

Since We Last Spoke ....

The sun has set over our time, for the time being, in Poudenas and I'm feeling a wee bit guilty about leaving you in the lurch! 

What have you been up to?

We've entered Phase Five - no Six - of our trip to France. 

It's hard to believe that soon it will be 2 weeks since our little group of "Twelve Days" disbanded. 

What's happened since? 

Rich and I had a couple of days to ramble around the small villages that lead out of (or into) Condom on the Chemin de Santiago, in preparation for where we are now. 

Plan de Lot et Garonne (a map of sorts) 

Then our sons, Erick and Jaryd arrived...what a long journey from their homes in Colorado and California.

We enjoyed cooking as a family and one night full of stars for the lovely entourage of Marie-Claude, Christian, Sandrine, Jean-Claude and Jean-Antoine. 

Then, beaucoup Le Market in Condom and Auch. 

Armagnac tasting at Gelas in Vic-Fezensac.

And then Kayla - Erick's girlfriend arrived - another long journey behind her.  Welcomed in the only proper way, a Reblochon Pizza from La Galerie. She shared a beautiful bottle of 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Company! 

Wear 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit! 

Jaryd, Papa, Marie-Claude, Kayla, Jean-Claude, Christian, and Erick! 

The Arcade of La Galerie

 Nerac's amazing market..

Here are some litle moments from last week.

I bid you a lovely Vendredi, Friday! 

Erick and Jaryd in the kitchen at La Belle de Gasconne

Ah, the Hour of Pate c'est arrivee!

Jaryd and Erick hamming it up! 

Sleepy Chat in Fources

Door in Fources, the round bastide

Marie-Claude Gracia Rey, 

The Queen of Foie Gras! 

Pruneaux, Figuer, and Potiron

The rain falls steadily, softly; marking tiny circles in the millpond of La Belle Gasconne.

An escargot marks a Chemin - a path - across the picture window of La Belle Gasconne. 

It's our little band's last full day of this trip and we have a bit more tumbling and rolling and stirring to do for a Fete Midi.

But in the meantime here are a few photos from our adventures in this beautiful and tranquile embrace of, and with, Gascony. 

                Madame Fromagier

            Michel and the Marmite

       Potage Potiron with Haricot Rouge,              Recipe of Marie-Claude Gracia.

Cocottes waiting for Flan aux Verveine, Marie-Claude Gracia's Recette. 

French Travels: David Downie and Onward to Southwest France

   

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Bonjour from Poudenas!

In a huge irony, I click on my I-phone outside of the 14th century Cafe Galerie on the main street of Poudenas, a village of 300 inhabitants. I wait patiently for the wireless to activate, come on line, whatever it does in Southwest France, it does on its on accord. When it wants. And not before.

Chef Marie-Claude Gracia Rey and her husband, Christian are out walking Cookie, their bouncy little white chien, puppy-dog, across the stone bridge.

While waiting, let me catch you up on where we've been the last three days - in Paris!

Cooking Class in  Paris Apartment off of
my favorite market street, Rue Daguerre

One very early morning with writer, Isabelle Bachelard,
at Rungis Market

France's season of wild game has begun at Rungis Market. 

Fromage as far as the eye can see. At Rungis. 

Also in Paris, we spent a lovely morning with author and punster, David Downie and his wife, Alison Harris - photographer of all beauty, touring the Marais delighting in the history of the Templars, a small restaurant where President Clinton ate, the seductive aromas of Marche l'Enfant Rouge and the sights of bejeweled chocolates. Lunch apres at one of their favorite restaurants. 

Desserte

Canard, Duck

Plat aux Sardines

Le Moulin de Rosa Restaurant in the Marais

A swirl of cardamon and curry at Marche l'Enfant Rouge in the Marais

David Downie, author, and Alison Harris, photographer
On the train from Paris.

Piquenique-ing

All of a sudden the wireless comes on and a flood of messages come through. 

But the ducks never lose a moment in their swim across the millpond beneath the ancient stone bridge.

In a few minutes we'll see Michel Lebecq, a bit of a bon vivant, typical Gascon renaissance man, wood turner, farmer as he leads our little band through many culinary experiences.

On To Market in Mezin