Free Newsletter
Sign Up
Receive periodic e-mails on upcoming events at Le Pichet and Café Presse.
Tag Archives: Our House
Escargot a little too local
In Orthez, I took this photo of a local snail making his way across a rain-soaked bench. If I was a more industrious sort, I would have captured this specimen, fed him on organic veggies, and kept him in captivity … Continue reading
Sunday dinner in Orthez
Here is a portrait of a farm raised chicken that I recently roasted for a Sunday dinner while spending time in France. This tasty critter was raised, free range and natural, on a farm just outside of Orthez that also … Continue reading
Caviar from Aquitaine
Ever heard of caviar that is raised in France? With caviar from the Caspian Sea being either too expensive or morally murky ( Caspian Sea sturgeons have been on the endangered species list for a while) or just plain unavailable, … Continue reading
Petite Dejeuner in the Béarn
When arriving in Orthez, our first stop, even before our house, is always our favorite dairy, Ferme Lait P’tit Béarnais. A couple miles up the road from our house, this family-run organic farm features the output of their small troupe … Continue reading
Creme fraiche and other delights
Remember a post I wrote in January about making cauliflower gratin at the house in Orthez? In that post, I mentioned that my inspiration for making that dish at that moment was a discussion with food writer Nancy Leson on … Continue reading
Our neighbor’s eggs
The house next to ours in Orthez is what I would term a manor house; that is, a grand old home in its own modestly sized park. I am sure that the term ‘manor house’ implies something specific, but to … Continue reading
Foie gras terrine: why not keep one around the house?
On the lookout for Foie Gras On a Tuesday in November, the display of foie gras at the market in Orthez is an impressive sight. Not that the market at Orthez is uniquely gifted with foie gras; at this time … Continue reading
Famous Trout
The cold streams of the Pyrenees are renowned for the wonderful quality of the freshwater fish they produce. For this reason, one can find the designation Truite de Banca in markets and on menus throughout the the Southwest of Franc. … Continue reading
First dinner in Orthez
On arriving at our home in Orthez, the first order of business is always a visit to the market. Conveniently, we arrived just in time for the Saturday Market (the smaller of the two weekly markets featuring exclusively local farm … Continue reading
Using every part of the walnut
One of the things I find most endearing about the the French is how they find a use for just about everything. They were eating pigs, lambs and cows (among other critters) from “nose to tail” long before anyone had … Continue reading