All hands on deck

As arranged, the gravel to finish our neighbours drive was delivered late morning. It was all hands on deck to spread it across the driveway, ensuring it was level and packed into the edges well. Having three guys labouring really did make light work of it.

Good job complete, and our neighbour was very pleased with the outcome. Time to enjoy a coffee together in the sun, before heading into Bar-sur-Seine to do a little shopping.

Sans gluten

It’s been fun this week cooking for a guest who is gluten free, I love to challenge myself on what to make. I had ordered some GF (sans gluten) bread from one of the boulangeries in Bar-sur-Seine, I have to say it looks quite appetising.

I’d also made some GF biscuits, it was my normal biscuit recipe, but instead of using the einkorn flour, which is lower in gluten, I used a GF flour.

I had to taste one to check they were ok, and I can confirm they were rather scrummy.

One I’d made earlier

The heavens opened last night, but luckily it had little effect on our neighbours driveway, so this afternoon Brian went to lay the weed suppressant. Carefully cutting it to fit and stapling it, with some massive staples he had made earlier, to stop it from moving about.

It’s looking ready now for the gravel delivery tomorrow.

Helping out

A neighbour of ours wanted to lift some paving slabs and replace them with gravel. When the slabs were originally laid they were put down without any weed suppressant underneath them, and it was a constant battle for our neighbours to pick out the weeds. So yesterday was day one of ‘Operation driveway’.

As the blocks were lifted, we stacked them into the back of the car, and took them back to ours, as we are hoping to reuse them on a little project we have in mind. We think that we’d like to use them under a seating area halfway up our slope, at the back of the house. That’s maybe a spring project to look out for. For now though, they have been stacked in the barn.

Back at the driveway, we made sure all the weeds were removed, and then Brian raked the area flat ready to lay the membrane. The gravel is being delivered on Wednesday, so it needs to be prepped and ready by then.

Duck parmentier

When my brother and his family visited recently I wanted to prepare a traditional French dish ahead of time, so that when we came back from our day out on the Sunday I could just pop it in the oven to cook. So I chose a Duck Parmentier, which is a rather tasty, one pot pie. I served it with some roasted vegetables, as I love the colours and tastes of all the autumn root vegetables and pumpkins.

I looks a rather large pie I admit, but it was feeding six! It was also very easy to make, so we thought we would make a video showing the process.

Gin tasting

What better way to start the weekend. On Friday evening we went to a gin tasting at our local ‘épicerie’ l’instant gourmet. They had organised a convivial tasting of 5 gins from around the world.

We started off with a gin from Yorkshire. First of all we tasted it neat, then with a ‘skinny London tonic’. I felt that the tonic really brought the aniseed flavour out of the gin, which Brian was really liking. We both found it rather refreshing, and felt we’d got off to a good start.

The next one was very different. It was from Japan, and full of floral notes. It was paired with a violet tonic. Neither of us were very taken with this, although they had served it with a tiny rose bud in the glass, which looked very attractive.

The third one was from Scotland, and had a rather unique flavouring, using a salty seaweed. I quite enjoyed the savoury taste of this, and again it was paired with a ‘skinny London tonic’.

The next one was from Tasmania. This had had a large variety of botanicals and aromatics added to it, including strawberries, raspberries, orange, lemon and hibiscus. I think we both felt it was a little confused as a taste, and although it had a beautiful colour, it was not a gin we would chose.

Finally, we tried another Japanese gin, which had been flavoured with Yuzu and served with a Yuzu tonic. It had a very fresh taste, but you could also definitely taste the juniper in it, which gave it a warmth.

It was definitely our favourite, and one we decided to buy. We are both looking forward to cosying up in front of the fire and enjoying a delicious G&T or two over winter.

Sunset

The temperatures here have been bubbling around the 23°C mark, which is unseasonally warm for October. With that, there has been some rather spectacular electric storms at night, with the night sky being lit up with frequent lightning strikes, lasting for a good few hours. Last night, as we headed out, the stormy skies provided the perfect frame for a magnificent sunset, and we couldn’t resist pulling over and taking some photos.

The vines against the early evening sky were stunning.

Vignettes

Do you remember green shield stamps? I remember spending what seemed like hours sticking the stamps that Mum and Dad had collected through the week into a flimsy booklet, and saving the booklets up to one day visit the ‘green shield stamp shop’ in Norwich. That was our nearest shop to exchange our stamps at.

Well, I’ve now found myself doing a similar thing in France. They are called ‘vignettes’ , and I collect them from the ‘Intermarché’ . This week, I’d saved enough to get a saucepan. Which I have to admit is really quite good quality.

Autumn glow

After breakfast we decided, as it was such a gorgeous day, to don our walking shoes and head out for a walk. We headed up through the forest and out across the fields, where the winter crops are looking well established.

At the end of the fields we began our journey back, via the ‘point de vue’. The autumnal view, glowing with rich, golden hues and deep, flushing reds, peppering the vineyards, was breathtaking. It left me feeling quite giddy, soaking up the spectacular sight of our village of Viviers-sur-Artaut nestled in this stunning landscape.

Miraculous

As I sat on the 17.12 to Troyes, I was very pleasantly surprised how organised the french train strike was.

My previous experience of a train strike was a hastily thrown together tannoy announcement advising that ‘The next train to Maidstone would be leaving from platform 10’, which was immediately followed by hundreds of commuters pushing their way onto an overcrowded train in the hope it would get them home. After being squished together in the carriage for 20 minutes or so and, if you were one of the lucky ones with a seat, being leaned on and glared at with a stare that said ‘How come you are sitting and I’m not’, we then heard another announcement saying ‘The train for Maidstone will now be leaving from platform 11’. At this point hundreds of people then scrambled to get off of one train and onto another. If you had a seat before, you definitely would not have one now. Then the overcrowded train, that was probably leaving 40 minutes late, staggered its way out of the station, across London and into the Kent countryside, a sweaty, angry, mess of a journey. The experience was horrendous.

But this was different. I’d watched the boards, as the smartly dressed man had told me to, then made my way to platform 9 when the details were updated. I was soon sitting quietly in the carriage, waiting for the train to leave on time.

The journey took about 90 minutes and, to my amusement at Nogent-sur-Seine, a seat opposite me became free, and my new train companion was a young cat, who I have to say was excellently behaved. It certainly made me smile.

This morning the journey is just a memory, and we are enjoying a delicious cup of coffee outside, catching up on our days apart, with the changing vines, which have become a beautiful rich orange and gold, as our backdrop.

Strike!

I think I was extremely lucky that my Eurostar train was still running. I was booked on the 12.31, but the 13.31 and 19.01 were both cancelled. So as you can imagine, the train was completely full.

I arrived in Paris on time and made the five minute walk down to Gare de l’Est. As I arrived, the front of the station looked unusually quiet, this did not look good!

Inside, the platforms were empty, with a few people milling around. I walked through the station in the hope that any of the trains were running. There was a glimmer, when I saw that at least some local trains were operating, but there was no sight of my 16.42 to Troyes. However, I did spy a very smartly dressed man from ‘inOui’ (I think they are customer services). ‘Excusez-moi monsieur, pouvez-vous m’ aider’. I showed him my ticket, and he apologised that my train was not running today, but there was one at 17.12. He told me to check the departure board for the platform number.

I’m now sitting waiting for my train.

Addictive?

I’m heading home today, after spending a few days visiting Hilda and having the opportunity to catch up with some friends.

I have found this visit to London so much busier than my last couple of visits. Life in London has definitely returned to pre-pandemic chaos, no quiet cups of coffee anymore, just back to crowded bars and waiting to be seated at cafés. That said, the buzz is still very addictive, and although I enjoy it for a short while, it is not long before I am missing the calm of our life we have created in France.

I am waiting for my first train of the day, the DLR from Westferry to Bank, where I’ll then catch the Northern line to St Pancras.

I am a little anxious, as there is a train strike in France. I managed to miss the UK train strike when I arrived, but I am firmly in the middle of this one. I believe my Eurostar train is running, so 🤞🏻 I will get to Paris okay. I really do not want to delay getting home, but I can only see what happens next when I reach Paris.

Doing their bit

Part three of a series of three blogs.

Guest written by Brian

My vision of a resistance fighter was someone dressed in dusty, French style work clothes, a beret, maybe a trench coat, stealthily creating havoc around occupied territory with an ancient sub machine gun. There were definitely some that fitted that description, but there were many more that didn’t.

It’s impossible to mention the Second World War without talking about the resistance. They frustrated the nazi war machine at every opportunity, from blowing up bridges to printing newsletters to keep the populace updated on the war effort. There was a vast secret army doing their bit, no matter how small, to make a difference. But big or small, any resistance could be met with severe punishment.

When we visited the Charles de Gaulle museum recently I was struck by one such tale. Charles de Gaulle was to become the image of resistance in France, the man who would take the fight to the nazis. Before he made his open call for resistance however, having fled a divided France for England, he had been stripped of his military titles and sentenced to death by a French, Vichy court in his absence. Effectively exiled as he began his rallying cries, nobody could put a face to this would-be leader, the man that was asking them to risk their lives for him and their country. To help resolve this problem, his sister-in-law and niece, both working for the resistance, slid photographs of the general into secondhand books, and lightly pasted the pages together to hold them there. These books were then distributed by like-minded people, who knew their purpose. It was important to give a face to the man who was asking the people to resist, and his now famous portrait was soon to be recognised by all. This tiny act gave focus to what would become a massive force for resistance, but could easily have cost them their lives. Thankfully they were not caught in the process.

This simple act of defiance was brought beautifully to life in the museum with a set constructed vertically on a wall at the end of a corridor devoted to the resisters. You approach it as you see it below, a striking display that captures your interest and forces you to read their story. It truly is a wonderful museum, more a vibrant story than a dusty collection of artefacts.

La Boisserie

Part two of a series of three blogs.

One of the first exhibits inside the museum describes Charles de Gaulle as a family man. Charles and his wife, Yvonne de Gaulle, had three children Philippe, Élisabeth and Anne. He adored all his children, but had a special place in his affection for little Anne, who was born with Down’s syndrome. He was extremely protective of her, and her needs helped him chose what they needed from a home.

The little museum displays help you imagine the children’s rooms. As you walk into the display, an audio of a child’s lullaby starts playing, perfectly setting the scene. In fact, much of the museums beauty is that it conjures different atmospheres and evokes emotional responses.

You are able to use audio guides around the museum, which are translated into many languages, but we chose to read the many informative cards, which are in French, English and German situated either within or near the exhibits. The one below describes Charles de Gaulle purchasing La Boisserie, and how it became his family home.

Beyond the museum, Just a short drive into the little village of Colombey deux églises, you can visit La Boisserie. It’s a beautiful old, stone house, covered in creepers, that when we visited were just about to change into a brilliant red for autumn. The downstairs rooms have been left as they were when the family lived there. You can feel the stateliness of the rooms, and how they would have been used to receive VIP’s and statesmen from all over the world, as well as the warmth of family life.

In the museum they have also created some beautiful 3D cut-outs, displaying some local scenes. One is of the church, where Charles de Gaulle is now buried, alongside some of his family.

Such a wonderful day out, and so much to learn.

Charles de Gaulle museum

Part one of a series of three blogs.

There’s a small village about 50 minutes from us called Colombey-les-deux-Églises. It was the home of Charles de Gaulle, where he lived with his family from 1934 until his death in 1970. It is now also home to a very considered museum, dedicated to the life of Charles de Gaulle.

It’s not a museum that goes un-noticed, as above it stands a rather large and distinctive structure, the Cross of Lorraine. During WW2 it became the symbol of Free France. The emblem of the cross had previously been used by the crusaders, and was perfect for the Free France movement as it was an easy symbol to reproduce graphically, and was rapidly painted on Free France ships and aeroplanes. It was also adopted by the French resistance, both inside and outside of the country.

The museum itself is extremely well thought out and very well presented. We have visited it perhaps four times already, and we always enjoy it, there’s so much to see and read.

Sweet tooth

Time has flown by with Dad these last few days, I’ve managed to get his booster and flu jabs done, which was not a straight forward task, but I wouldn’t let it beat me.

We had a day out to visit some very old friends, who we used to go on holiday with. We had a wonderful afternoon, reminiscing and nattering about times gone by. It was great fun for both Dad and me to spend some quality time with family friends.

We also got to enjoy, probably too much, coffee and cake. I think I’d forgotten how creamy and big the cakes can be here - Dad has a massive sweet tooth though, so wasn’t daunted and got tucked in straight away.

Step change

Whilst I’m in the UK, Brian has been ticking off some of the little jobs he has wanted to do for a while. First of all, he wanted to fill in the hole that had worsened when we had the railings fitted. It wasn’t anything major, but we didn’t want the weather to get into it, and for it to crack the step. So he mixed up some chaux and sorted it out. He then decided he would coat one of the lower steps in a PVA solution, to help protect the porous stone. The issue is that this one step is made from a different stone to the others, and it’s more layered. If rainwater gets into the little fissures, and then freezes, the expansion can cause the stone to cleave, so sealing it is more of a preventative measure.

Whilst he was out there doing little jobs, he mowed the walled garden for me. Oh, and the slope up to the pool! He certainly knows how to fill his days whilst I’m away.

I’m loving how we still have roses blooming, a gorgeously green lawn, and the yellow daisies are sparkling against the richness of their dark green leaves. And well, the Busy Lizzies are still in full bloom. Still!

Beef bourgignon

We are only 20 minutes from the border of Burgundy, so it only seems right that I make beef bourgignon to serve to some of our guests through autumn.

It’s a wonderful hearty, rich supper dish, that goes well with buttery mash potatoes. It’s a dish that, with a little effort to start it off, can be left to cook and bubble away in a low oven most of the afternoon.

You start off by preparing your meat. I asked the butcher for beef for a bourgignon, but if you use a good stewing steak that will work well. Cut it into approx one inch chunks, then leave the meat out of the fridge for a bit, as it needs to get up to room temperature. Make sure it’s dry and season it well with salt and pepper.

Whilst this is happening, peel 10 small onions or shallots, 4-5 small carrots and crush 3 garlic cloves. Make up 2 cups of beef stock, and wash 3 bay leaves and a couple of bits of thyme. Chop 4 large rashers of good smoked streaky bacon or use 1/2 cup of lardons.

Fry off the bacon or lardons in 30g of butter in a casserole dish - I used a cast iron one - which goes on the hob then in the oven. Take out the bacon, then fry off the beef in batches, add more butter if needed.

Once this is done add a little more butter to the casserole dish and fry off the onions, garlic and chopped carrots. Then add in the herbs, and place the beef and bacon back into the dish. Mix in 2 tablespoons of a good tomato purée, and 2 tablespoons of flour. Mix all together until the flour is completely incorporated, then add 2 cups of beef stock and 2 cups of red wine (a burgundy red if you have one). Stir it all together, bring it to the boil, then pop it into the oven.

I cooked mine at 120°c for about 3 hours.

Fry off some button mushrooms, about 200g, in some butter until brown, then add about 2 tablespoons of brandy. Cook long enough to burn off the alcohol (about 5 minutes). Add all this to the casserole, turn up to about 150°c and cook for another 30 mins. Take out of the oven 10-15 minutes before you want to serve it.

Delicious. Really hope you make this over winter. If you do, please let me know how it goes.

Green tomatoes

Before I left for the UK, I had managed to make my green tomato chutney - well nearly, as it didn’t go quite according to plan. I think the issue was that I had tried to make up all the tomatoes in one batch, and there was just too much juice in the pot to reduce down and thicken properly. I was using a mix of red and green tomatoes, and some onion.

Actually, quite a lot of onion. The final thing in the mix was a few bottles of vinegar, oh, and some rich muscovado sugar, which helps give the chutney a rich deep colour.

The quantities are not exact, but as long as you have enough vinegar to balance out the sugar all will be well, so definitely taste it as it cooks. You can also add your preferred spices, such as ginger, chilli, cinnamon etc. I want this to be a general chutney for cheese, meats and patés, or simply to pop into a casserole to zing it up, so mine will certainly have a kick.

I definitely had too much on the go, and it was difficult to judge the set. After I bottled up the majority of the chutney I decided it was way too thin, so I did a bit of a test on a small quantity in the bottom of the pan, reducing it more to see what effect that would have. It thickened much better, so we tried this sample with some paté de campagne from the butcher, and it was all rather yummy. So what I’ve managed to do for now is effectively preserve the tomatoes in the vinegar in the jars, but when I return I want to cook them a bit more to improve the texture. After the little test I’m pretty sure that will work, we shall hopefully see next week, I will then share the recipe.

08.15 to Paris Est

It was an early start this morning. Brian woke me around 5.30am with a gentle tap and a cup of tea. A slow wake up, and then we set off at 6.45am. I’m heading to the UK to visit my dad and Hilda, Brian’s mum. It’s never easy leaving Brian at home in France, and it seems to get harder, but it’s so wonderful to see dad, and catch up with Hilda.

I caught the 08.15 from Troyes to Paris Est, and made the short 5 minute walk to Gare du Nord. Check-in was really quite busy, not what I’d expected, but they were very efficient getting people through passport control. British passport holders now have to have their passports stamped on entry and exit into an EU country as there is a restriction on length of time to stay in the EU. However, as I have my Carte de Sejour for France, I have to show that as well, so the passport does not get stamped. Just one more thing to remember to do when traveling.

Once I was through border control I felt relaxed enough to buy myself a coffee and a pain aux raisins for the journey. It was good to get settled in my seat and on my way to St Pancras.