Oysters and bubbles!
Wow, its oyster season and still warm enough to enjoy them outside on the terrace! Fall has been unusually warm in the SW of France (the new normal?) so I have waited to try my first oysters of the season until the water is cooler – usually I start thinking of oysters in early October.
Oysters and bubbles! Read More »
Wow, its oyster season and still warm enough to enjoy them outside on the terrace! Fall has been unusually warm in the SW of France (the new normal?) so I have waited to try my first oysters of the season until the water is cooler – usually I start thinking of oysters in early October.
Pan roasted duck breast with roasted quince and cabbage
The arrival of quince is a landmark of late fall: quince are traditionally the last tree fruit of the year to show up on the farm stands, usually in mid to late November. So they have for me an association with the holidays of the end of the year. This may be, in part, because
Pan roasted duck breast with roasted quince and cabbage Read More »
The arrival of quince is a landmark of late fall: quince are traditionally the last tree fruit of the year to show up on the farm stands, usually in mid to late November. So they have for me an association with the holidays of the end of the year. This may be, in part, because
Sare, France
A beautiful fall day in the lovely little village of Sare. Located in the heart of the French Basque Countries, perched on a hill overlooking rolling green countryside and facing the Pyrenees, Sare is considered on the of most beautiful and most typical of Basque villages. On a crisp day in November, the town is
A beautiful fall day in the lovely little village of Sare. Located in the heart of the French Basque Countries, perched on a hill overlooking rolling green countryside and facing the Pyrenees, Sare is considered on the of most beautiful and most typical of Basque villages. On a crisp day in November, the town is
Transhumance in the Vallée d’Aspe
The transhumance is the practice of moving livestock to high mountain pastures as the weather warms in early summer. As I learned when I visited the Fromagerie Écologique Agour Irati, this ancient practice has economic and culinary roots. Moving the flock to communal mountain pastures in the summer allows the farmer to use his land
Transhumance in the Vallée d’Aspe Read More »
The transhumance is the practice of moving livestock to high mountain pastures as the weather warms in early summer. As I learned when I visited the Fromagerie Écologique Agour Irati, this ancient practice has economic and culinary roots. Moving the flock to communal mountain pastures in the summer allows the farmer to use his land
Fava Bean Hummus
Still another way to enjoy fava beans during their (too short!) season. Thanks to my good friend Kelly Lillis for this recipe, which I first enjoyed at her home. This recipe works great for fava beans that have started to get starchy, save tender young favas for another use. The recipe is very quick and
Still another way to enjoy fava beans during their (too short!) season. Thanks to my good friend Kelly Lillis for this recipe, which I first enjoyed at her home. This recipe works great for fava beans that have started to get starchy, save tender young favas for another use. The recipe is very quick and
Just another Friday night in Orthez
Chez Cabaillou is a restaurant and bar just around the corner from our little house in Orthez, family run since 1935. At lunch, it bustles with locals enjoying their well prepared daily 3-course lunch menu – an crazy bargain at 16 euros. In the evening, the bar becomes a sort of working man’s hangout, where
Just another Friday night in Orthez Read More »
Chez Cabaillou is a restaurant and bar just around the corner from our little house in Orthez, family run since 1935. At lunch, it bustles with locals enjoying their well prepared daily 3-course lunch menu – an crazy bargain at 16 euros. In the evening, the bar becomes a sort of working man’s hangout, where
Pork chipolatas sauteed with fava beans, fava leaves and green garlic.
When planting fava beans for ground cover and to add nutrients to poor soil, one tends to forget that, with very little work, you may end up with a whole bunch of fava beans. One of the beauties of favas is that, not only are the beans delicious, but the leaves and flowers are edible
Pork chipolatas sauteed with fava beans, fava leaves and green garlic. Read More »
When planting fava beans for ground cover and to add nutrients to poor soil, one tends to forget that, with very little work, you may end up with a whole bunch of fava beans. One of the beauties of favas is that, not only are the beans delicious, but the leaves and flowers are edible
Restaurant Le Socowa, Ciboure France
Literally across the street from the Bay of Biscay, Le Socowa is the French version of a beach front fish shack. With that in mind, you would expect that organization would not be a strong point, which it is not: they almost never answer the phone if you call for a reservation and as far
Restaurant Le Socowa, Ciboure France Read More »
Literally across the street from the Bay of Biscay, Le Socowa is the French version of a beach front fish shack. With that in mind, you would expect that organization would not be a strong point, which it is not: they almost never answer the phone if you call for a reservation and as far