Tag archive for france

Wishful thinking…

I can’t say with authority that Paris is at its prime in autumn. But, autumn in Paris is a lovely season. There’s cooling temperatures, the crunch of fallen leaves on the cobblestones and a golden light that all combine to make this a great time of year in Paris. (Is there a not-so-great time of year in Paris? More research may be needed!) Tina and I have had a chance to spend time together in Paris and while we aren’t there now, thought we’d share a little slice of our adventures on the blog.

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For me, travel is less about a must-see list and more about experiencing a different culture. I want to see a little piece of it in detail, instead of the top picks in brief. I’m happy to find a chair in a sunny spot in Luxembourg Gardens and people watch for an hour than wait in a jostling line to stand close to the Mona Lisa for a moment. We do odd things like frequent various metro stations in hopes of a perfectly moody shot for Tina or follow street bands on their way to the evening’s gig.

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I appreciate the familiarity I find returning to the same wine shop or market vendor. Those snippets of conversation over my wine selection for the evening or multiple questions about when and how I plan to eat the little box of late season fraises des bois (Non, non, don’t leave them for tomorrow!) stand out in my memory.

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We search out boulangeries where ever we go, looking for favorite treats. Tina always has her eye out for a slice of flan and I am happy to sample pain aux raisins at any hour. At midday, we pick out a baguette sandwich and head outside to eat it. As the afternoon winds down, we look for the long line of Parisians, queueing up for their evening baguette and join in the fun.

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We climb most any structure with stairs. Our apartment is on the fifth floor of a building with a tiny spiraling staircase. (Don’t bring a big suitcase!) The Eiffel tower, Notre Dame, the stairs of Montmartre, Sacré Coeur, the Arc de Triomphe, we climb them all. We stop counting stairs.

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We wander in the markets that stretch out on the street and find mushrooms and pumpkins, cider and artichokes. The olive harvest is happening in the south of France and we search out our favorite varieties. We stand in line for piping hot potato galettes that warm our hands in the chilly morning air.

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On Sunday, there is a little gathering on one end of the market by the church. A square where the stalls end and the tables and chairs begin. There is accordion music and dancing. And on a sunny afternoon in Paris, this is all we need.

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Let them watch bicycle racing…

Here we are at the start of July and what feels like, to me, anyway, the start of our summer vacation. The meltingly hot weather seems to have arrived, which makes lounging in the shade sound like a good idea and frosty drinks a required luxury. The garden seems to be gathering momentum, with clusters of green tomatoes appearing in the thickets and rapidly climbing pole beans. The popsicle mold sits filled with strawberry goodness in the freezer. And if all of that is not enough, it is the start of the Tour de France.

The Tour is a bit of a thing around here. And what I mean by a “thing” is a three-week celebration of cycling and French-inspired cooking. It is also a time honored tradition around here in July. There is a supply of cold French rosé in the fridge and a small sampling of recipes I hope to work my way through in the next few weeks. Of course, we will still be planning on some of our staples, like the crepes I mentioned here, as well as a delicious version of a cherry clafoutis that I’ve been working on. And don’t forget Tina’s celebratory drink that she created for just such an event!

The Tour de France, which makes a three week journey around France is not just an amazing bicycle race. With the tour’s first ever foray into the Corsican countryside, I couldn’t help but be amazed by the most gorgeous scenery of that island. Such amazing beaches and lovely towns. Another place to add to my travel wish list, I guess. And while I know I am suppose to be paying attention to the bike racing, I can’t help but watch the scenery flying by for potential travel locations in the future.

Administration of cimetidine (800 mg) two hours prior sexual activity. female viagra sildenafil Some results from clinical trials viagra online india using herbal remedies to treat psoriasis have been promising. Issues order generic levitra about not being able to in the least formal relationship including itself. Zenegra medicine responses discover that pharmacy shop now online cialis very quickly and it can be said that for a healthy male organ performance, the heart should be healthy. Years ago, I had a friend who headed off to France one summer to follow the tour around the country. He came back with wild stories of running up the sides of mountains, trying to catch a glimpse of the peleton speeding by, only to run back down to catch the train to the next stage of the race. I hope that one day I can head off to France to catch a glimpse of this cycling adventure for myself. My own little cyclist will certainly approve! In the meantime, enjoy the tour, friends!

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Salade Niçoise

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I grew up in a home that had a garden the size of a football field. No Joke. We lived next door to my grandma and grandpa and my aunt and uncle and, our families turned the large plot of land below our houses into a massive garden. There was corn, lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, english peas, tomatoes, radishes, green beans and likely all of the rest of the vegetables that I didn’t mention. As I am sure I have mentioned before, I grew up a vegetarian, so I learnt to love my vegetables very quickly.

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I remember having fresh toasted tomato and cucumber sandwiches with my mom, fresh peas stolen from the vines with Ginger and for one reason or another, my dads philosophy on salads has always stuck with me too. That isn’t to say that I always follow his salad rules but I do certainly remember them. Back in the day, my dad seemed to have three main salad rules that he lived by, one: use all the raw vegetables that you have on hand, two: always add an onion, three: top generously with nuts to add a little crunch. There was also a fourth. But it was less of a salad rule and more of a general life guideline: top with nutritional yeast. Yes, that is right, top your salad, your sandwich, you waffles… or whatever else you might be putting in your mouth with a little yeast. It has a lot of vitamin B in it you know!
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All jokes aside, my dad may have been channeling the Niçoise salad back in the day, as it does incorporate half of his salad rules and if I would have sprinkled a few nuts or seeds onto it, it would have been just perfect! This fast and fresh dinner is a perfect companion for the longer sunny days that we have been having lately. The inspiration came from Saveur, visit their site for the full recipe. I was delighted with the results, I followed the recipe nearly exactly, except I omitted the anchovies. To be honestly I was a little scared of them and I figured that two types of fish in one salad might be a little much for me. The recipe halves well and the leftovers packed up nicely for a lunch the following day. Happy spring time!!

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Maillot jaune

Today marks the start of 3 weeks of cycling around here. Yup, the Tour De France got underway this morning. While I am not dedicated enough to get up early to watch the stages I certainly am game to spend my evenings cheering on Ryder Hesjedal. What better companion for the evening that a refreshing drink. Enter the Maillot Jaune. What is more fitting than a yellow drink when following the yellow jersey?

 

you’ll need:
1 part Saint Germain
1 part freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
3 parts sparkling wine
2 part club soda
a splash of saffron simple syrup

First let’s make the saffron simple syrup. In a heavy bottomed sauce pan add 2 parts water and 1 part sugar and bring to a boil. Using a mortal and pestle grind a pinch of saffron into a fine powder. Spoon about a tablespoon of the syrup into the mortal and dissolve the ground saffron then return all of the liquid into the sauce pan. Boil for a few minutes to make a nice syrupy sauce. Remove from heat and allow to fully cool.

put it all together:

  • Fill a tumbler about half full of ice.
  • Add equal parts freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and Saint Germain.
  • Top with 3 parts sparkling wine and 2 parts soda.
  • Add a dash of saffron syrup to colour and lightly sweeten the cocktail.
  • Serve topped with a few strands of saffron and lemon to garnish.

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