I'm planning a trip to France for the month of April and so, of course, that inspires me. So many thoughts are going through my mind as I prepare for this trip, part of which will be spent in the Southwest area where I lived. And as I make my reservations for planes, trains and automobiles I am also making plans for what I want to eat!
So those thoughts and plans are the inspiration for the title of this blog and the proposed theme of any upcoming posts. Let me explain.
Gascony is described in one of my guide books as "the beautiful, unspoilt and completely rural area of South West France, close to the Pyrenées Mountains and stretching between the cities of Bordeaux and Toulouse." It is an area that has something for everyone! You can surf on the Atlantic coast, ski in the mountains to the south and in a few hours enjoy northern Spain. The Basques claim this area as do the Catalans. There actually is a movement to restore the ancient kingdom of Catalonia. One will find geographic signs posted in three languages - French, Spanish and Catalan (Gascon).
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| So much green! |
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| Biarritz on a winter day |
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| The majestic Pyrenées |
I am so looking forward to visiting some of my favorite places - the gothic cathedrals, medieval abbeys and castles, Roman ruins, mountain vistas, local markets and restaurants. And I can't wait to spend time with my lovely friends at Lassénat. I hope to share stories of my experiences living and traveling in this region both before and after my trip in April.
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| Thursday morning market in Eauze |
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| The interior of the Cathédrale St Pierre in Condom |
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| My French family! |
When you travel in France and Italy you will find that menus and meals vary according to regions and seasons. The gastronomy of Gascony is different from other regions of France. I have a cookbook that I will refer to as I write these blogs so that I can share with you the definition and uniqueness of the foods and cooking of this region. "A Culinary Journey in Gascony" by Kate Hill, was published in 2004. At that time, Ms Hill was living and entertaining on board her canal boat.
Yes, people do live on canal/barge boats all over France. Along the Seine in Paris you will find a number of boats docked with dogs and bikes and tiny cars on top. This was tiny living before that even became a movement! Take your tiny house with you through the waterways of France! As all of the major rivers in France are connected with each other by use of man made canals it is actually quite easy to navigate the entire country on the water. You can thank Louis XIV for that!
In Ms Hill's book she introduces her readers to towns along the route between Bordeaux and Toulouse with recipes for every occasion. I plan to use her book as an inspiration for my blog posts, interspersed, of course, with my own musings regarding traveling and eating the local cuisines.
What is the local cuisine, you ask? The south of France is the home of ducks and geese, the fabulous foie gras, salt cured hams, slow-baked plums steeped in the local brandy called Armagnac. Walnut orchards are everywhere and lots of meals enjoy recipes made with walnuts - cakes, tarts, there's even walnut wine which is wonderful! Everything grows in abundance in this region which boasts 325 days of sunshine every year. Meals take on different flavors, colors, textures depending on which produce is in season. The French are suspicious of fruits and vegetables that are not grown locally.
Herbs grow in abundance here and are plentiful any time of year. On your daily walk anytime of the year you will find wild garlic, rosemary, thyme, sage, lavender, mushrooms - all of these can be added to any meal. And this area is filled with vineyards! Local wines are wonderful and inexpensive. You drink them as well as cook with them. There's a regional wine called "floc" which is only grown and only sold in Gascony (which I will also call the "Gers" from time to time). Floc is made in red, white and rosé and all are quite wonderful, slightly sweet and fruity and will go with just about everything you are serving.
She begins her book with "Aperitifs". This is such a lovely concept and one that I always take advantage of when I'm in France. Aperitifs are the real first course of any French meal. Aperitif drinks are aromatic, sometimes herbal, often sweet and always alcoholic. My favorite is a "kir" - served in a flute with a splash of Crème de Cassis (black currant liqueur) in the bottom and filled with a white wine. There is a Gascon version made with blackberry liqueur and red wine. There's also a "Pousse Rapière" which is made with an orange-flavored Armagnac (see above) and white wine. And don't forget about the fabulous walnut wine!
The aperitifs menus include dishes as simple as mixed olives or a fancier version of tapenade which I think I will make this weekend. Stay tuned for the recipe and the results! And I may have to make some "rôties salées" - A French version of Italian crostinis - to put the tapenade on. Other recipes in her aperitif section which tempt me are "pâté de poulet" (chicken pâté) and "tarte de tomates" (tomato tart - however since tomatoes aren't in season right now this may have to wait til summer).
But, I think that gives me enough to start with, don't you? This was your introduction to my plan for the year 2020. So many of you have been asking me when and what I will be writing about next. I really do appreciate your encouragement and compliments over the past four years. I hope that I will not disappoint in this new year. I will still "bore" you with stories of my three dogs, my adventures at National Mill Dog Rescue and my zoo visits. As I write this, our rescue team is on the road returning from a long journey to bring about 90 dogs to freedom, so the next few days will be busy for all of us who work and volunteer out there.
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| One of the new mountain lion kittens at the zoo |
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| Happy New Year from my home to yours! |
Cheers to all as we begin this new year, new decade. May it be a peace-filled and happy year. I lift my glass of kir to you all! Salut et Santé !
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