Stuff

Happy Quatorze Juillet!

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Happy Bastille Day everyone!  Here I am firing up the Weber and doing some BBQin’ for two: steak, peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, and more, all washed down with a nice bottle of Burgundy!  It is 36 degrees C here (which equals VERY HOT in degrees F), which explains the bandana.

Happy Quatorze Juillet! Read More »

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Happy Bastille Day everyone!  Here I am firing up the Weber and doing some BBQin’ for two: steak, peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, and more, all washed down with a nice bottle of Burgundy!  It is 36 degrees C here (which equals VERY HOT in degrees F), which explains the bandana.

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Recipes | Savory Dishes

Pork cheeks braised with Normandy apple cider and violet artichokes

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Tiny violet artichokes are one of the joys of late spring.  The pale green new leaves are tender enough to eat whole, especially if slowly braised.  Pairing them with rich, meaty pork cheeks simmered in Normandy apple cider, is a sure winner; the region of Normandy is known for pork, apples and artichokes so it

Pork cheeks braised with Normandy apple cider and violet artichokes Read More »

[portfolio_slideshow]

Tiny violet artichokes are one of the joys of late spring.  The pale green new leaves are tender enough to eat whole, especially if slowly braised.  Pairing them with rich, meaty pork cheeks simmered in Normandy apple cider, is a sure winner; the region of Normandy is known for pork, apples and artichokes so it

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Stuff

Transhumance in the Vallée d’Aspe

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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 »

[portfolio_slideshow]

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

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Recipes | Veggies

Fava Bean Hummus

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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

Fava Bean Hummus Read More »

[portfolio_slideshow]

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

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Stuff

Just another Friday night in Orthez

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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 »

[portfolio_slideshow]

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

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Recipes | Savory Dishes

Pork chipolatas sauteed with fava beans, fava leaves and green garlic.

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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 »

[portfolio_slideshow]

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

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Restaurants

Restaurant Le Socowa, Ciboure France

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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 »

[portfolio_slideshow]

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

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Stuff

Farm Chicken

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One of the difficulties of translating French recipes for the American kitchen is that many of the ingredients are just not the same in France as in America. This difference in ingredients can often mean that getting good results using a French recipe can require a lot of modifications in measurements, timing and techniques. Take,

Farm Chicken Read More »

[portfolio_slideshow]

One of the difficulties of translating French recipes for the American kitchen is that many of the ingredients are just not the same in France as in America. This difference in ingredients can often mean that getting good results using a French recipe can require a lot of modifications in measurements, timing and techniques. Take,

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