Champagne party

Thursday was a public holiday in France, which often means people will take the Friday off as well (a bridge day). Some of our local Champagne houses took advantage of this and opened their doors for a ‘Champagne party’.

There were 14 houses who had joined in, all within a 30 minute radius of each other. We’d chosen three we wanted to go and try, and headed out to the furthest one away in Arcancon — a pretty little village about 25 minutes drive from us. We were heading to see ‘Farfelan’, a small family run business. For 10€ we could try 3 glasses of their Champagnes, from the six or so they had on offer. They also had a pizza oven fired up, so we ordered a pizza to enjoy with our Champagne tasting. All very pleasant and rather delicious.

Our next stop-off was in another pretty little village called Spoy, just five minutes down the road. I’d read previously about Spoy, and had noticed the producer Jacky Tapprest from some local reviews, so this was a great opportunity to try his Champagnes.

Each of the producers we had stopped at had organised stalls with local artisans, and food stops. After our glasses of Champagne we would wander around and see what they had to offer, which included jewellery, knitted ware, confitures and all kinds of wonderful handmade things. It was tiring work though, so we treated ourselves to a couple of ice-creams. On a boiling hot day they were very welcome.

Our last stop was in Urville, the home of one of the areas most famous producers, Drappier Champagne — once the preferred Champagne of Charles De Gaulle. We were heading to Daniel Billette, on the outskirts of the village. It was a very pleasant set-up, with music, comfy chairs and, of course, Champagne. We sat with our glasses enjoying a view of the vines. What’s not to enjoy!

Light lunch

We needed to pop into Chatillôn this week, which meant we could visit one of our favourite little cafés, Serge Barbier. We make sure we get there just before 12am, because it can be quite popular at lunch time.

A salmon and spinach quiche with a coffee is a lovely little filler-upper, but it’s the desserts that always catch our eyes.

They may look extravagant, but they are actually so light, you could almost eat two!

Rhubarb, rhubard, rhubarb

Brian finds my casual approach to parking rather amusing nowadays. I had just popped to buy a baguette in the little shop in Mussy, before we headed to the annual vide grenier that happens there on Ascension day.

It’s always quite a popular event, and this year was no exception, with perhaps a 100 stalls taking position around the central market area. The people in this area drift into the markets all day long, and a big vide grenier can go from 8am – 6pm, but the bargains go early.

There were some interesting little finds. Brian bought a selection of books, all to help his French reading. We also found a few hat hooks, which will be great for our ‘hat wall’ we are currently collecting hooks for.

And really excitingly I bought some rhubarb. I want this for a recipe, and haven’t seen any at the market yet.

Asperges de bois

I had lots of ideas for the woodland asparagus that my friend picked for me the other day, and I settled on two of them.

For the first dish I needed to prepare some for blanching. I cut the delicate stalks to about 5 cm below the head, then dropped the bunch into boiling water for 3 minutes, before transferring it to ice-cold water. This helps maintain the vibrant green colour of the vegetable.

I served it simply with locally sourced cured ham, I’d fried off the asparagus in a little butter, and sprinkled with pepper and a little salt.

The second dish was a simple risotto. I cut them down as before, but this time I used the cut-off ends to make a little stock, which I mixed with some wine and reduced to form the base of a risotto. Once the risotto was made, I stirred through the woodland asparagus, and added a little butter for lusciousness and plenty of pepper.

All so fresh and yummy.

The drive home

As we headed home last night the light on the fields and vineyards was gorgeous. The lush green fields of corn were glowing in the last minutes of sunlight.

‘Stop the car’ Brian exclaimed, ‘I want to take a pic’. I’m used to this, and I’ve learnt that it can literally be a case of minutes and the opportune moment will pass.

I pulled over, safely manoeuvring onto the grass verge. Brian jumped out, got a bit of height by standing on the sill of the car door, and snapped a few of pics.

Moments later the light had gone.

What a gorgeous drive home.

Les mains dans les poches

Our friend Marie was back in France for a few days, and she told us about a free concert that was happening in the little chapel of Saint Béline in Landreville. It featured a two person group called les mains dans les poches, or ‘hands in pockets’; a boy and girl duo. It sounded like a nice night out.

‘Chapelle Sainte Béline de Landreville’ is up a small path in the forest at the back of the village.

It’s a delightful little chapel, that has been recently restored, and is a beautiful venue for an intimate concert.

The group had a very interesting playlist for the evening with some favourites of mine including Lemon Tree, Tainted love and Hallelujah — it really was a journey through eras and genres, and all beautifully played, and sung, acoustically.

When the concert had finished we made our way outside for drinks, and a chance to catch up with our friend Marie, whose mum, Vicky, had organised the event.

What a wonderful night out and a pretty spectacular view.

Slow cooked spiced lamb

I found this little book at a local charity shop. I love bistro cooking in France, the focus is always on local produce, which is why it’s so often fresh and full of flavour. I thought the book would be a great way to learn some new French influenced recipes for the chambre d’hôte.

I fancied doing something different for our guests arriving on Thursday. They had stayed with us a few times and I wanted something different to cook them, so I decided to chose a spicy, slow cooked lamb recipe.

I translated it into my notebook, so it made it easier on the day. Unfortunately I couldn’t get any ‘souris d’agneau’ (lamb shank) so I used a cut from the leg instead. It was deliciously tender and full of flavour, and I served it with a roasted tomato and shallot pilaf rice.

I’m glad to say It went down very well, so we will no doubt do it again.

Dahlias

I’d been waiting for mid May so that I could plant my dahlias. You need to wait until there’s no risk of frost, that’s around the 18th May in our region of France, otherwise it could stunt their growth. I’d popped them into pots in early May, and kept them in my ‘buanderie’ for a couple of weeks, just to give them a little head start before planting them out.

They need to be spaced out sufficiently to give them room to flourish, about 30cm. I’ve kept the little packets they were delivered in next to them, so I know which ones are which.

It’s very exciting, it feels like just a day or two since I planted them, and they are already starting to poke their early shoots through. I’ve got 8 plants, and 5 are already sprouting.

I’m so hoping I’ll get some good cut flowers from them throughout the summer and early autumn.

Cheese & wine

The weather on our last day together with our friends was gorgeous, so we decided to have an early dinner in the courtyard. Brian and Sharon had set the long table up whilst Pam helped me prepare dinner. We made a caramelised onion and cheese tart, local charcuterie, freshly made salads and prepared a rather interesting selection of French cheeses.

One of them I served was a ‘Livarot’ , which is a soft, pungent washed rind cheese made from Normande cow's milk. It’s the one you can see with a striped outer. The optimal months for tasting Livarot are from May to September. It was certainly one of the most talked about cheeses on the cheese board.

We finished it off with a tasty seasonal coupe of meringue topped with strawberries and cream, and remembering a very delightful few days spent together.

Taking the plunge

We’ve had the pool open for a few weeks now, and we’ve been enjoying sitting by it and having a little drink overlooking the vineyards. However we haven’t had high temperatures to really warm it up just yet; they are coming in about a weeks time. But this week we did have a very brave volunteer who took the plunge and went for a swim. Our friend Phil was both the first, and last, to swim in it last year, and it looks like he’s going for it again. I’m just not quite sure I’m ready for it yet, a few more degrees and I’ll be there.

Randonnée gourmande

Every year, in the neighbouring village of Celles-sur-Ource, they have a ‘randonée gourmande’, or Gourmet hike.

It’s a fabulous event, where up to 1,000 people gather to walk 10km through the vineyards, stopping at designated places for amuse bouche, starter, main, cheese and dessert, all freshly made and cooked on site, and washed down with different Champagnes from the producers of the village.

The walk itself isn’t too tough, and suits nearly all ages and fitness levels. And although there’s such a large number of walkers, with the staggered start time, it’s surprising how few walkers you bump into as you go, or as you arrive for food and drink. It’s just so incredibly well organised.

The day has a wonderful, convivial atmosphere about it. No one is rushing, people are chatting and enjoying the relaxed ambiance. Other walkers are happy to give up their seats to you as you arrive for food, and they ready themselves to set off on the next stage.

And as if the walk, the food, and the drink weren’t enough, there’s also plenty of live music to help the mood. Excellent bands play their music among the vines, leaving you the opportunity to have a little dance if you fancy it.

It’s so well thought through, everything’s catered for!

Wine festival

The third weekend in May is when Essoyes has its annual wine festival. It’s a great opportunity to try wines from all over France and buy if you find something you’d like to take home with you. You pay just €3 for your glass, then you can try as many wines as you’d like from the 30 or so producers. There’s also lot’s of other produce to try.

We particularly wanted to revisit G. Metz, an Alsacien producer who we have bought from before. We love wines from the Alsace region, and this is always a great way to try and buy without travelling there, although it’s only about four hours from us. We then chose a few new ones from other stalls to try, and were suitably impressed enough to buy.

It’s a fabulous event, and one we really value coming to, in a village just ten minutes from us. You find wine festivals all over France throughout the year, and they are a great way to try before you buy, and have access to wine direct from the producers.

After we’d all tasted and bought some wine we enjoyed a simple lunch of jambon or poulet et frites, before heading off for a game of boules.

What could be more French?

Trottinettes

I’d booked us in for a mini adventure around the lac d’Orient. We were all going on a nature excursion to discover what’s growing and living around the edge of the lake. Our mode of transport was electric scooters, known as trottinettes in France.

We met our guide Maximilien at the beach in Géraudot, and Bruno, who was supporting us on the scooters, soon had us fitted out with rather fetching hairnets and helmets, before giving us a briefing on how to use the scooters. I hadn’t realised that Brian’s balance on a scooter was probably similar to that on a bike, so he was worryingly a bit tippy at the start.

But once we were started he soon got the hang of it, and was zooming ahead to capture some photos. The route took us along a forest path, which at times was a bit bumpy, but made for interesting riding and great fun. Along the way, Maximilien shared with us his knowledge about the wildlife, flora and fauna that can be discovered in this region of the man-made lake. His little talks were a great opportunity to learn about the nature and gave us all a bit of time to rest before moving on.

We had a lot of fun, and learned some interesting things at the same time. Absolutely brilliant!

Most photographed spot

It’s an exciting time for us, as we have a group of friends with us for a little stay. After an evening of settling in, we all went out for a trip to the market, which everyone always enjoys. French markets are always vibrant and quite lovely, but there are also the little independent shops in Bar-sur-Seine to visit. A relaxed coffee in the local café, and we all sauntered home.

Time for a short walk up to the point de vue before lunch.

The vineyards are filling out now, and the bare earth of winter is giving way to the lushness of spring, with summer just around the corner.

The point de vue above Viviers is a must for all guests, and everyone needs a photo.

Here are some of ours.

It’s the little things…

There is nothing more valuable than someone who can bring joy and pleasure into your life.

We have friends in the next village, who we share some lovely times with, and we often think about when we aren’t with them. Yesterday, I was left a gift. When we were last together we had talked about the wild asparagus she had found growing in a nearby wood, and I had mentioned how lovely that was. Just the idea of asparagus growing wild in our woods brought me a lot of pleasure. She must have understood, as she took the time to pick some and wrap it in newspaper to leave outside our gate. The asparagus, the little parcel, and the thought that someone cared enough to do that for me brings the most wonderful sense of joy.

It’s the little things that mean so much, because they have so much thought behind them.

I’m thinking I’ll make an asparagus risotto.

Pink tones

My winter window boxes were very much in need of rejuvenation. I’d been to the local garden centre to buy some geraniums to brighten them up, and I wanted to get them potted as soon as possible.

They were just what the front of the house needed, looking super refreshed with a mix of pink tones.

I had also bought a mix of annuals, which I was going to pot up around the walled garden for some summer colour. I always think it’s great to include yellow flowers in the garden; such a burst of sunshine.

Whilst I saw to the pots Brian was busy mowing the slope.

All in all a very productive day, and the garden is looking great. I feel we have much better control of it than we’ve had before.

What are those holes?

It’s one of the questions we get asked most frequently, and the simple answer is that they’re nesting holes.

But the question is why?

When the house was built, probably around the mid 1800s, having bird nesting holes was a symbol of status and wealth. Our house, normally described as a maison de maître, or master’s house, would have been built for people important to the village, and to make that clear they included these nesting holes.

Nesting holes were one example of this display of status, but there was another, the pigeonnier or dovecote — a tower designed to keep and breed pigeons or doves. Although they were in themselves a status symbol, they were generally designed to allow for the collection of droppings as a rich fertiliser. This was indication that the owner was also a land owner. Below is a photo taken in 1908 that shows the original dovecote that would have stood in what is now our driveway.

The dovecote vanished a long time ago, along with other structural changes that modernised the usage of the house. The nesting holes remain though, and the little birds still love them.

I love having them live just around the corner.

Nature has it all

I do lots of posts about the beautiful flowers that we now have in our gardens, because they bring me so much joy.

But it’s not just me and our guests that they touch, they also bring something for our tiny little friends.

If they weren’t so beautiful and dramatic, these lovely little creatures wouldn’t find them, and get what they need. So nature brings it all together, and who doesn’t love that.

Such a delight.

Mettre la table

Some time back we bought a couple of cast iron table supports — they were probably from an old bistro table. They were very rusty and didn’t have a top, but Brian had found a piece of old kitchen worktop in oak which he had been keeping for just such an occasion as this.

He started by wire brushing the legs, to remove the loose flaking rust. He then positioned them onto the underside of the wood, which he’d already sanded down, and smoothed the edges. We’d decided the legs would be better fitted with the wide end on the floor, we know that’s upside-down, but it meant they would be more stable in the garden.

With the legs in place, we took it up into the garden, near the little bench under the fruit trees.

Brian then coated it in danish oil to protect the iron work and the wood. We were using danish oil as this dries quicker and is therefore better for use on oak.

It’s looking excellent, and completes a perfect little spot to enjoy a glass of wine or a cup of tea. Delightful.

I’m going to enjoy sitting here.

Jeans, jeans, jeans

We were off to Troyes today. Well, to the MacArthur Glen shopping village more precisely, as I wanted to try and get a pair of 3/4 leg jeans for the summer. first though we popped into Feuillette for breakfast — it’s such a beautiful little patisserie for breakfast or lunch.

All fed and coffee’d, we set off in earnest on my clothes hunt.

We began in Lee Cooper, a brand I’m very familiar with. The shop, and the changing rooms, were wonderfully empty.

I tried a few pairs, even though they weren’t exactly what I was after, but I just didn’t like the styles, they didn’t do anything for me.

Next stop was Levi’s. That shop was a bit busier, but surprisingly a little uninspiring, so we moved on again. Wrangler’s was close by, but their choice was pretty limited for what I was after. I was starting to feel that maybe I was being too picky, and a little too prescriptive in my choice, when Brian suggested we try G-STAR. It’s not somewhere I really think about, and I don’t know why, because Brian goes there a lot, and I do like the clothes he gets there. With a little resistance from me we went inside. They have a massive store, with a big choice, and it was almost empty. The staff are really helpful, but not overly pushy. I quickly found several pairs to try, and headed for the changing rooms.

Voila ! The first pair I tried were exactly what I wanted.

But then so were the second, third and the fourth! Now what to do?

Loving this pair with my new top.