The weather in early October wuz so fair in France that in many places folk's is still servin' al fresco. Heah is a picture perfect mound of fresh salat greens hidin' a warm round of Chevre, sprinkled wif' walnut pieces--ain't it purty against this tree an the flowers?
The night a'fore that salat above, on a village patio in south central France I endured this plate of salmon after 9:30 pm--yes, endured: overcooked, an' not hot.
Ah, but soon thereafter, in monastery tucked in the hills of Provence, I'se too far out to go back into town to forage fer food....an' took mah chances wif' whatever the monks an' their cooks had up their capacious sleeves. It were worrisome 'cause the place seemed untended--olive groves unpruned, buildings wif (haint blue!) shutters beggin' fer a coat of paint...but, here is the shot into the kitchen/ dinin' area from the courtyard tables--lovely at dusk, under olive trees.
The tables is rustic, spare, but the wine crisp, the candlelight hinted at the pleasure ahead.
I ain't sure how this photo be such a disappointment --but it will do to show ya' the lovely presentation of braised pork served wif' a potato-parsnip puree, an a broiled tomato, delivered sizzilin' on a slab of slate! Sublime! The chef is the 20 somethin' kid of the lady that handles visitors to the monastery.
Lunch al fresco in Provence--a li'l town I will kindly not name-ugly, traffic choked, it's "market" nuthin' like what we come to imagine when ya conjor "market day in Provence." But above wuz a marvelous midday repast: chevre in a half of a small baked apple wif' raspberry couli an watercress, a jar of the BEST chicken salat I evah did eat--warm an' chickeny, not over fussed wif'.
Days later, in the French Alps, the host of this alpine farm B&B invited his guests towalk in the kitchen garden.
Amazin' weather--even forbiddin'--misty, ever-changin'...but the veggies seemed to thrive...
real garden work done around this place...an' it shows!
more from France hereand here
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