Tag Archives: Gascony

Meadows and Pastures

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Postcards from the Pyrenees, encore.

Driving up the winding lane, alongside the fields that will soon burst with maize and sunflowers, I’m struck by the variety of livestock in our small village. A gathering of 250 inhabitants and a myriad of small farms, in every other home the obligatory well-tended kitchen garden. There are cows, sheep, ducks, pigs, chickens, guinea fowl, geese (of course, we are in Gascony after all) and goats – well they are the ones I have seen anyway, there may well be others! Continue reading Meadows and Pastures

The borderlands

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Postcards from the Pyrenees…again

The Mountains form a natural border between France and Spain, but more than that they traverse the historical regions with their distinctive traditions, culinary and otherwise. To the west on both sides of the peaks is the Basque country, wonderful people who are rightly proud of their traditions, food studded with Pimentón, and an incomprehensible language with lots of X’s and J’s. From the beautiful Atlantic towns to the tiny coves that pepper the northern coastline, semi-sparkling crisp white wines like Txacoli (you see, it is unpronounceable but very drinkable!) and dishes that ooze with the warmth of spiced sausage alongside classics such as bacalao (salt cod). Continue reading The borderlands

A Right Pear

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Chilli Crab Cakes with Thai style salad.

“Why do you want that one?” a baffled DJ Ozz asks? Mata and I smother our smirks….the detritus of breakfast remains scattered before us and the Gascon sun beats down. Continue reading A Right Pear

What’s the Story?

 

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Well, need a little time to wake up, wake up
Well, what’s the story morning glory?
Well, need a little time to wake up, wake up.

We have been bad…very bad. For the last week or two, no healthy eating for us, just lots over indulgence and a degree of junk. We are feeling the worse for it and so something colourful and some seafood has become a necessity. Continue reading What’s the Story?

One Franglais day….Cider braised chicken

 

IMG_2751So this morning I was up early, read my favourite foodie blogs, cleaned the house from top to bottom, shopped, walked the doggy, emailed my cousin Cheesecake, did some washing, painted a table, spoke to Rocket (who is somewhere on route driving down from Aberdeen)… all before mid-day.

IMG_2780Whilst I hate housework, there is a certain satisfaction when the house is at it’s best – so I bought it some flowers…

Back to the tale…

Continue reading One Franglais day….Cider braised chicken

The Gascon Paradox

IMG_1939Gascony, is a very ducky area. Typical dishes such as Cassoulet, and Confit Canard are synonymous with the area. Friends and neighbours here make their confit, which has been used as a way of preserving food for hundreds of years.

Continue reading The Gascon Paradox

I love you for your pink Cadillac

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musical_notes_set_blackCrushed velvet seats
Riding in the back, oozing down the street
Waving to the girls
Peeling out of sight
Spending all my money on a Saturday night
Honey, I just wonder what you do there in back of your pink Cadillac
Pink Cadillac

I had a really strange day…. culminating in dinner at the establishment featured here. It is the Pizzeria Miniport near Lannemezan, France. We did eat there once before many years ago before their theme was changed to Tex Mex. We discovered however that it was Tex Mex with a great big dollop of Gascony in it… Continue reading I love you for your pink Cadillac

Le Vin, Le Pain, Le Madiran

 IMG_0749This week sees the annual Wine festival for the Madiran wine producers, here in the southwest of France. Madiran is known for full bodied reds, although white wines, and a great range of pudding wines are also produced across the Madiran area.

We all jumped in the car and took a drive over to see the festival, which is free to enter on payment of your tasting glass at 3 euro’s. It’s a shame for the elected driver on these occasions… Continue reading Le Vin, Le Pain, Le Madiran

Tempted by the Fruit of Another

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There is a very uninspiring looking tree at the front of the shack in France, it’s clearly quite old and when we first got the place we thought it might even be dead. However, every August it produces a bounty of the sweetest and most delicious greengage plums.

In the early years, being townies and not knowledgeable about this kind of thing we believed the tree fruited on alternate years because…. Continue reading Tempted by the Fruit of Another

Tarragon from London, Limousin Beef and the Pyrenees

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Safely ensconced at the shack, having rushed through vacuuming up bugs, etc and held our heads in shame at the weeds that have sprung up everywhere, we have a frisson of anticipation in regards to this evening’s supper. Continue reading Tarragon from London, Limousin Beef and the Pyrenees