Back in my own Kitchen

Wednesday, August 25th

Although the travels are done for the moment, the cooking/food is not. The original plan for this blog was to share my daily dinners and post recipes and ideas, and that is what I hope to do. I had a couple of days rest to recover from jet lag and although I cooked the meals after enjoying Marc's welcome home dinner, I was too out of it to post any further food tidbits.

After being away from my kitchen and seeing all the great food in France I've come back really keen on trying out some new things or giving a new twist to some old favourites.

This was dinner on Saturday night: Veal Scallopine al Limone with Sweetlet peas and mushrooms braised with a thinly sliced Vidalia onion. Ross was still in France mode and found a lovely bottle of white wine Macon Villages which he chilled to go along with the veal. This reminded me of our dinner collaborations of years ago; I cooked and he chose the wine.

This is really a very quick and simple meal with great results. Easy enough for a busy night and delicious enough to serve to guests. Begin with the vegetables. Thinly slice the onion and the washed mushrooms. In a heavy pan heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat and add the onion. When it begins to soften add the green peas (you can use fresh or frozen) and cook for about five minutes then add the mushrooms. Add a pinch of salt. Lower the heat and let them braise stirring occasionally while you prepare the meat. In another pan heat a tablespoon of olive oil and one tablespoon of butter. While the butter melts, lightly flour the veal in a dish of white flour to which you have added a pinch of salt and pepper. When the butter is melted, place the veal in the pan. Cook on each side on medium heat. As the meat is very thin it only needs a minute on each side then take it out and put it on a plate so that you have room to do the rest. Don't overcrowd the pan or let the meat get brown. If it begins to brown around the edges lower the heat. Continue with the rest of the veal. In the pan drippings toss in a smashed clove of garlic, which you use only to flavour the oil. Add in the juice of one lemon (if you have lots of meat you will need two lemons but for all the meat on the platter above I used one and a half lemons) Add also two tablespoons of water to the pan and stir. I know that some people think adding water is not right, they want to add wine or stock but I don't want the flavour changed. I want to taste the fresh lemon and veal is so delicate that you don't want to overpower its taste.

When it is all well mixed place the meat back in the pan and coat it with the sauce on all sides. When the meat is heated through it is ready. You can sprinkle in finely minced parsely if you wish or when you serve it garnish with lemon slices and parsley. Your braised peas and mushrooms will also be ready now. Yummy and quick. If you try it tell me what you think. Remember not to use too much flour on the veal or you will get a thick coating that comes away from the meat.

On different occasions I have substituted thinly sliced chicken breast or pork scallopine for the veal. It was a nice light dinner which everyone enjoyed.

Macarons and Goodbyes

Thursday, August 19

Last day in Paris

After checking out the huge outlet area in Troyes and discovering it wouldn't open till 10 a.m we looked for a place to have our morning coffee. Troyes seemed a very quiet town without many open cafes or restaurants. At the Rue des Marques (Label Avenue) there was a cafe with the owner outside chatting to some early arriving workers of the area. We asked if he was open as it certainly didn't seem that he was but he said no problem come on in, and locked the door behind us. You want coffee? All the chairs were still piled up and he told us to sit wherever we wished so I took down a chair while he took down another. We had both asked for a café au lait and he asked "à la crème?" I guess he meant with cream rather than milk. I didn't really want too creamy a coffee so I said I would have a cappucino instead, which would have just the milk foam on top. He told the woman behind the counter to warm up the machine and off he went to prepare the two coffees. Couldn't believe my eyes when he brought the tray, this wasn't morning coffee, this was dessert! Ross had a foamy coffee with an extra pitcher of warmed cream to add while mine was topped by a huge and I mean huge, mountain of whipped cream, swirled just so and sprinkled with chocolate. I hadn't wanted a rich coffee but there were enough calories in that whipped cream top to suffice me for two days, but, I must admit it was very good. The owner unlocked the door and saw us off and asked where we were from etc. and after chatting a few minutes and wishing us a bon retour au Canada, we were off to Paris.

Took the Route Nationale 6 all the way back to Paris and the Péripherique, the ring road around the city. The closer you get the crazier the traffic got. Good thing Ross knows the streets so well and we made it to the hotel to leave our bags and then off again to drop off the car at the Gare de Montparnasse. The train station is an incredible complex of buildings and we went down to the fourth level below and dropped off the keys. Then off to explore wander the streets awhile. We subwayed it over to the Tuileries Gardens which was packed with people. When we were here at the beginning of the trip there weren't as many tourists as today. We found a stone bench in the shade and did as several others nearby were doing, we had a picnic lunch. Some people bring their own food and some people buy sandwiches from one of the many take out casse croute on the boulevard at the entrance. Spread out my tablecloth, cut up our fresh bread and sliced up the goat cheese as well as an extra sandwich we picked up when we bought cold water as it looked interesting. I mean how can you resist Jambon de Paris and Brie? It was so pleasant sitting in the shade and watching people from all over the world go by that we didn't want to move, but we did.

We were on a mission. Ladurée, the upscale pastry shop and tea room whose multi flavoured macarons are being featured in all the magazines lately. They have been making them for decades, since 1862, but their popularity has just hit the world wide foodie media. Aveline said that it was the only thing she wanted from Paris so we made the sacrifice of waiting in line to get them. Yes there was a line you had to stand in and the macaroon Nazi at the door, in her pressed black shirt and skirt asked us "boutique ou salon?" It felt like a Seinfeld episode again, the Sandwich Grec shop repeated on a fancier scale. We said boutique and she showed us to the end of the line. There was a sign listing all the flavours and the sizes of boxes so you had to be ready to order when you reached the counter. There were three young people behind the counter, all dressed in black with a printed silk vests and wearing gloves. The people who handle the food do not handle the cash. The young man asked me what I wanted and I stated, the green and gold mini box of six. And.....said he, with his hand poised to pick up my flavour choices and fit them neatly in the box. Vanilla, chocolate, raspberry, caramel and okay just make the other two chocolate, can't go wrong with that. He gave me a slip of paper with my order number and told me to move on to the caisse without giving me another look. He had already moved on to the next person in line. I paid and not only will Aveline have her macarons and box but also a lovely light green Ladurée paper shopping bag and the bill that says Ladurée.

Off again on the subway to Notre Dame Cathedral. Last time I was here part of it was covered as they were doing renovations. As we walked towards it I could see it in its full awesome Gothic splendour without any scaffolding. The sunshine on its cleaned limestone walls was warm and light. We lined up to go in and the line moved pretty fast and as we waited the bells rang the hour. I love the sound of church bells. Each time I go in I seem to forget about the difference between the interior and exterior --light stone outside and in so dark, except for the stunning stained glass rosettes. I like that they are now playing music inside, probably to remind people to keep their voices down, but I like the effect it gives of giving you a glimpse of what people back in the 1200's would have experienced.

More walking, down to the banks of the Seine and sat for a while on one of the quais. It was so quiet down there away from all the traffic and thousands of visitors to Notre Dame. Watched the bateaux mouche go by and then walked along the quai to the next bridge and then up to St. Germain des Prés strolling along the little streets filled with restaurants. We stopped at Le Procope, a restaurant that has been around since 1686, and among the patrons over the years were Voltaire, Robespierre, Benjamin Franklin and many more names from the history books. We had a look at the menu to decide whether we wanted to come back to dinner. The inside looks so elegant with dark wood and velvet and their menu is a mix of old and new. They still serve tête de veau, calf's head, just as they did way back when and a prix fixe menu with modern salade composée for today's tourists. It is located in a little covered gallery area with other restaurants and shops along cobbled streets. I'm sure they must have fixed the cobbles since Voltaire's time but they are so uneven and well worn that you can believe you are stepping in his footsteps.

Back to the hotel to rest and change before dinner. At this point I didn't think I would be able to go out again as I had done a lot of walking but you don't know how you will feel after a hot shower and rest. Before the rest though we stopped at Monoprix, a department store that has been around for a few decades and offers great selection at lower prices than some of the other stores, but we weren't looking for deals. Monoprix has a food floor that looks almost like a small supermarket and we needed mini sauscisse to take back for Marc. I don't know if you are allowed to bring them back but they are cured mini sausages all vacuum packed so I am going to try. They taste so good but I can't take a chance of buying too many and having them confiscated.

I could not make it across town back to Le Procope so we decided to go to a bistro around the corner from the restaurant. Although the hotel restaurant is good we can't have our last dinner in Paris inside. We sat at an outdoor table at the Royal Cambronne and each ordered the same salade, La Gersoise: a bed of greens; frisée, endive and green leaf lettuce, haricot verts, hard boiled egg, mini toasts with foie gras, sliced duck sauscisson, magret of duck (a bacon type meat of smoked duck breast). All this had a lovely drizzle of french vinaigrette made with white wine vinegar. Ross had a glass of red Chinon and I had a glass of Beaujolais Rose.

Ross convinced me that as it was our last Parisian meal we had to have dessert. He had a rich dark chocolate mousse and I had a creme caramel. The only thing we didn't like is that they tried to improve the classic and sprinkled both desserts with rainbow coloured sprinkles. Soooo touristy, I just pushed my aside and ate the good stuff.

Back to pack up our last bits and pieces and rest for our flight tomorrow. We need to leave the hotel at 6 a.m. I feel tired but great and despite eating and drinking so much and don't feel any heavier but I will definitely need to hit the boardwalk. I don't often weigh myself but I will just to see what happens when you eat like a French person.

Moutarde de Dijon

Monday, August 16^th

Another grey, cool 14 degrees, rainy morning in Chagny but we were determined to go to Dijon today. We would take one of the large golf umbrellas Celeste has and that might ensure that the sky would clear. It had worked that way Sunday for the market. Breakfast and off to Dijon. Celeste of course wants to feed us at lunch but we told her that they were not to wait for us but eat and we didn't want them to change their schedule on our account. She reluctantly said she would make something that we could have later when we got back --reminds me of my mother and how she had to feed you.

We arrived in Dijon and the rain and stopped but we brought the umbrella along anyway, it is insurance. We parked below the ramparts of the fortifications built by the Comte de Guise for the numerous squabbles between the Dukes of Burgundy and France. (Marc can correct me here if my memory fails me). If you have seen the film of Cyrano de Bergerac with Gerard Depardieu you will have seen the wall as they used it in a battle scene. Left the car and headed into the streets of medieval Dijon, headquarters of the Dukes of Burgundy for centuries. There are still so many timbered medieval buildings and narrow, twisting streets. The main street of the old town is Rue de la Liberté and when you come out into this wide avenue there are pennants with medieval coats of arms fluttering all along the street hanging at intervals from the store fronts.

One of these wooden storefronts is the home of Maille la moutarde de Dijon. It has beautiful window displays and jars from centuries back. I have forgotten how long they have been at this location making their mustard, 17...something rings a bell and I will look it up. You can buy one of their many mustards which are unique as they use vinegar made from the wines of the Burgundy region and some mustards are made with the Marc de Bourgogne, a spirit made from the pressings of the grapes after wine is made. They also have their own line of vinegars and now olive oil which they import and flavour. They have two huge marmites on an old polished wooden counter and you can choose the jar you want and then which mustard you want them to fill it with. Luckily, we can get Maille mustard at home too and my favourite is a l'ancienne, a grainy type. My problem with going places like this is that I want to bring the foods and jars and bottles back and they are heavy and there is the danger of them breaking in my suitcase. Before the security scares I was able to just carry breakable things in my carry on but unfortunately no longer.

We strolled through the large square, Place de la Constitution, in front of the Palace of the Dukes. All around are hotel particuliers, homes of the nobles, from the 1600 and in the center modern fountains gushing water at different heights. We decided to visit the musée des beaux arts which is housed in Dukes' palace. They have a beautiful collection and the surroundings are very regal, they were powerful people who lived in here after all.

Then we bought light picnic supplies just to tide us over till dinner as we had a few more stops before we returned to Chagny. Dijon is 53 kilometers from Chagny but on the way back we wanted to take the scenic route, la route des grands crus, which is a route departementale that runs through the vineyards. On our left and right as far as the eye could see, growing up the hillsides were names such as Chambertin, Musigny, Moret St. Denis, Clos de Vougeot, Vosne Romanée, Nuits San Georges and then back along the Cote de Beaune wines.

We stopped at Fixin on the side of a vineyard and rolled down the windows to listen to the silence. It wasn't raining but too wet to sit outside so we had our lovely fresh, crusty bread and jambon in the car with the fresh air coming in then off to have a look at a little chateau on the way. We pulled in through narrow streets and parked in front of Chateau de Vougeot. We got out and walked around a bit then back in the car back to Chagny, continuing along the Route des Grands Crus.

Dinner was ready of course shortly after our return. Celeste is one of those cooks that seems to quietly and effortlessly just make dinner happen. It is surprising when you sit down and you think 'when did she make that' but there it is right in front of you looking delicious and ready to be eaten. Since the main meal is at noon this was a light dinner of fresh green beans tossed with sliced boiled potatoes and minced garlic and olive oil. (This is not French but southern Italian handed down from our mothers and grandmothers and still a favourite summer dish of my kids) Then there was a platter of thinly sliced grilled eggplant dressed with basil, olive oil and spicy , finely minced fresh pepper, all from the garden. Grilled pave, which is similar to our strip loin and cheeses and fresh bread and for dessert a sweet Cavaillon cantaloupe melon. this was all washed down with a bottle of 2003 red Mercurey from their Domaine. Too late to have coffee.

So ends another day with us full of wine and excellent food.

Market Day in Chagny

Sunday, August 15th

Sunday morning is market day in Chagny and for us it a good thing that it is raining a bit as Celeste told us that last week it was so packed that you couldn't even move. I was surprised that the market was on as it is the 15th, Feast of the Assumption and most things are closed but the market was on. We took a large golf umbrella as insurance from a downpour and walked towards the town center. The covered portico area in front of the Hotel de Ville was filled with stalls as were three other streets but Umberto said that it was a small market today due to the holiday.

The smells were mouthwatering: roasting Bresse chickens, cheeses, Chinese food, paella, bread, and ripe tiny cantaloupes and fruit. A couple of the sellers keep it lively by calling out their wares back and forth and there are people stopping to chat along the winding street. Celeste has her favourites. She always buys cheeses and chicken from the same young man as he raises his own organic chickens and makes all sorts of things with them including chicken sausages which Celeste bought along with the DOC chickens which the young man had roasting. His food is excellent quality and it doesn't hurt that he is very handsome too. Ross won't be mad at my comment as the young fellow is of Sicilian origin just like him, so really it is as if I am giving Ross a compliment.

There is also a section for clothing and pots and pans and lingere and live chickens, ducks and turkeys if you want to raise your own for meat or eggs. I just bought hand made donkey's milk soap for Ave, you can't get that everyday. We headed back after strolling around and checking out all the different offerings. Celeste usually buys her Sunday meat course from the cute artisan butcher and we had the chickens so home we went.

Lunch began just after the church bells rang noon with fresh melon, prosciutto and spicy olive mix washed down with cool, white Rully 2003. Then while we had been sitting around before the market Celeste had been busy making fresh fettucine and a red sauce from the tomatoes in her garden. She had added a handful of fresh basil and parsely from the garden but used the immersion blender to liquify the tomato and the herbs were completely incorporated. After came the pedigreed roast chicken and a salad. Of course to be followed by cheese and the rest of the white wine. We just finished coffee when the phone rang and Celeste's neice Margaux, who is my Facebook friend but I had never met, asking if it was okay to come over with her dad and meet us.

They arrived and I met another cousin who I had never met before. He is Celeste's youngest brother and lives in Chalon sur Soane with his daughter Margaux. It is so nice to meet people that you only know via internet. We just finished our coffee and Rocco called to ask to go over and have coffee there. We all crossed the street over to the Domaine which has the cave and offices and then behind is their home.

It is so lovely in France to see how people respect the old homes and style and yet still manage to build in modern touches. The kitchen has been redone and it is an amazing space, ultra modern black, grey and stainless steel. A gas cooktop and two induction burners beside it. The eating area is all glassed in filling the space with sunlight and has a walk out to an old stone terrace. The blending of classic and modern striking a perfect balance. It makes me think that that is how Rocco and Isabelle make their wine. Classic methods and vines and respect of the soil blended with modern stainless steel vats and scientific temperature control. I told Ross I would take his picture in the modern kitchen and Rocco ran off and got him an apron and the picture will be posted later of the two of them pretending to cook. I commented that anyone knowing Ross will know that it is not for real.

We moved to the living room and coffee along with a homemade cherry tart with vanilla ice cream that Isabelle had whipped up. Seems most French women run the home, run the office and can still cook a great dish.

The evening was spent back at Celeste and Umberto's with Rocco and his family joining us. We had boar sausage that Ross had bought at the market, a new type of blue cheese plus at least five other types , tomato salad, roast chicken and a few other things that I can't remember, it must have been the red wine.

After laughing and chatting for several hours time to hit the hay.

In the Steps of Julius Ceasar and Johnny Depp

Wednesday, August 18th

Up early, hahahaha, that means 8 a.m. and packed our things and went down to our warm croissants and cafe au lait. It was a little on the cool side and had just started to rain so Ross brought the car closer to the door and we loaded up. It was hard to say good bye to two such warm and hospitable people. We reminded them that we are waiting to them to come and visit us in Toronto. One last hug and out through the wrought iron gates and off towards the last leg of our trip.

It began raining steadily but in the distance we could see a clearer patch in the clouds so we would hopefully be able to walk around when we got to Flavigny. Further and further away from the vineyards and into pasture lands and higher hill country with peaceful Charolais cows munching happily. We arrived in Flavigny and if you have seen the movie Chocolat with Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp you will know the place. They do not make or sell chocolate there but they they have been making Anis de Flavigny candy since Roman times. They are the candy with the longest history. They are made of licorice root and violets and then dipped in anice flavoured sugar. I think it takes about 15 days to make them. They are still sold in the lovely designed tins and cardboard tubes that they have been using for centuries.

The place is very quiet with narrow lanes and cobblestones. There are the remains of an old Abbey and they have done a lovely job of restoring the crypt, which you can walk through. There were Gregorian chants playing as we walked deeper into the carved limestone walls. A sign marked the spot of the altar as the place where the religious from 721 to 1790 took their holy orders. The sacredness of the space fills you with a peaceful feeling that continues as you walk along the little streets.

Took a picture of the little shop, closed at the moment, that has to be the one they used as the chocolate shop in the movie. We then moved down to the lower part of the town and bought some of the Anis de Flavigny candy in a cute shop belonging to the candy making establishment (I just can't call it a candy factory). That was it for walking in Johnny Depp's footsteps now on to follow Julius Caesar.

Narrow, twisting country roads going down and up green valleys towards Alesia, the site of the battle between Julius Caesar and Vercingetorix, chieftan of the Gauls. We parked the car and walked across a grassy field and then uphill past diggings of the foundations of the defences built by the Romans. Up to the very top and the gigantic statue of Vercingetorix. We had been here 16 years ago and I swear it was a shorter walk uphill then. The views are amazing from the top and would have loved to have Marc there telling me all about where and what the defences were and how the battle unfolded. We will have to do it together as we did 16 years ago but now on to Troyes.

We had bought our usual picnic supplies at my favourite supermarché in France --Auchan, love it! Best selection and so neat and fresh. The trouble is getting out of there without buying more than we need as it all looks so good. I should have taken a picture of their yogurt aisle, and their pastry section. With our things we stopped at a picnic spot on the side of the route nationale which just happened to have the Seine running by it. We ate our jambon persillé on crusty buns. We chose five buns for 1.50 Euro, one plain, two with green olives and two studded with lardons. Then cold Perrier and crottins de chèvre, white peaches and for dessert (as if we need it!) a religieuse pastry each. It is a cream puff filled with chocolate pastry cream, a small cream puff, also filled, on top and a chocolate swirl on top and some crème chantilly to look like a collar between the two parts. Yum. I also couldn't resist and bought a package of assorted mini pastries called viennoiserie which include flaky, buttery type of delights---I had to they were on special. We can nibble them in the car on our way to Paris tomorrow.

Our final stop for the night was Troyes. It has a small medieval town center and an incredible cathedral which is currently being worked on. The rosetta windows inside are breathtaking and when we were here 16 years ago with the kids Aveline just couldn't stop videotaping them. Walked and enjoying the tiny streets. One sad thing is that many of the houses and shops are empty. It seems the town is very popular for all the fashion outlets as you come in town and people have forgotten the historical part of the city. I hope to come again and see it more alive. On the way back to the hotel we stopped to have a quick dinner as we have an early start in the morning and frankly I can't walk another step today. I think Ross is missing workouts with his athletes and making me get a good workout instead.

We had burgers for dinner, fast food French style at a restaurant called Hippopotamus (I think it is a chain) but what a burger. The meat was Charolais beef, all those cream coloured cows we passed all day, grilled to perfection. I probably already mentioned it in France they like their meat bloody so you need to ask for it to be done bien cuit (well cooked) if you want it to be medium rare. On top of Ross's was jambon d’Auvergne ( a proscitto type cured ham) and a local cheese and caramlized onions. Mine had carmalized onions and Roquefort cheese, I mean a real big hunk of the blue cheese. Wonderful. Fries came on the side and then as we will be dieting when we return, Ross had crème brulée and I had French vanilla ice cream in which I could see the vanilla bits covered with strawberry pieces and a raspberry coulis with a spear of fresh mint on top and a squirt of chocolate sauce. This place would be similar to a Casey's or the Keg but much tastier and cheaper, dinner cost 36 Euros.

Good night, an early start tomorrow and I must check out the outlet shops before we leave.

Santenay Birthday

Tuesday, August 17th

Happy birthday to me! Great place to celebrate; in the place where I was born. The morning began with the sun breaking through the clouds and warmer than yesterday. It was a gorgeous morning and and wanted to have my breakfast of croissant and cafe au lait out on the patio in the beautiful garden where you can hear the river running past. It was so lovely that we went for a long walk around the town, starting in the opposite direction that we usually go.

We went round the back of the property and look at the newly placed plaque of the Thomas Jefferson Bridge. It was placed to mark the 220th anniversary of the French Revolution and recognize that he was a supporter and that while travelling through France he passed through Chagny. Each spring the town has a Fete des Voisins, Neighbours Party, and each neighbourhood has a pot luck get together in some common area and this neighbourhood set up tables and enjoyed their party here in 2010.

We walked over the bridge and along one of the backstreets that is lined with vegetable gardens on each side and then around the town. We stopped to have a look in the pastry shop windows. They all have the lastest craze: macarons, in many flavours and colours. We have promised to buy some in THE macaroon shop of macaroon shops, Laduree in Paris. We hope the line ups are not as long as they were at the beginning of our trip. I would like to buy some here at one third of the price just to see the taste difference.

We also went into the Eglise S. Martin to have a look around and I picked up a pamphlet that they have available for any visitors. The church was started in the Romanesque style then Gothic additions were made. Since its earliest parts were from the 700's you can expect a few style changes. We made it outside just as the noon bells were beginning to ring, We’d better finish our walk as it is certain that Celeste will have lunch ready. Boy am I being spoiled!

As they remembered that it was my birthday, Umberto had chilled a bottle of Cremant de Bourgogne from their Domaine, the sparkling wine that is made in the area. It was not the Brut but the Extra Brut, and since I am not a fan of sweet wines, absolutely perfect for me. It was crisp and clear taste, and refreshingly cool and went well with the lunch. Celeste had made a slowly simmered sauce of tomatoes fresh from her garden in which she had braised sausages made of chicken which she had bought from the market the day before. This sauce was served on gemelli pasta and delicious. We next had the sausage with a salad and the white sparkling wine was a terrific contrast for the rich sauce and meat. We ended with cheese and cantaloupe. I looked at the clock; 3 p.m.

Someone stopped by to pick up a case of the sparkling wine for a family reunion and I really could recommend the stuff. We had finished the bottle and I think that my glass had been filled a little bit too much. I didn't want to overdo it as we were going to visit the owners of the vineyard where my dad and uncle worked in Santenay and of course they would be expecting us to have a glass with them too. We left for the 10 minute drive to Santenay to be there at 4p.m.

They had left the gate open for us and received us so warmly. He always loves to talk about my dad and uncle Vito and all the things he remembers about them. How they used to work in the cave and the vineyards and how my dad could do so many things. How uncle Vito liked to go fishing and how my dad crocheted him a pair of gloves. We have been to visit it them over the years and he never forgets what good people they were. He was very sad to learn of uncle Vito's passing as he was still with us last time I was here.

We were so engrossed in our conversation and then he suddently realized that they hadn't offered us any refreshment. His wife said 'how sad in the house of a vintener and not even a glass of wine to drink' so off he went and brought in the tray with different crackers and sesame breadsticks (by the way they taste really good with wine) and then he opened a bottle of Santenay Les Gravieres 2003. OMG! Silky smooth taste, what can I say , it is a premier cru. The time just slipped by and three hours later we said our good byes and I took a couple of pictures of the hills of vineyards that can be seen from their front terrace. Just as we were leaving he gave Ross a great map of all the wines of the area, and the appellation of each vineyard. He was impressed with Ross's wine knowledge and said that he should have some fun with the map. Reluctanly I said goodbye, it is so nice to talk to someone who knew me from the time I was born and someone who has so many stories to tell about my dad and uncle, it brings them back to me for a little while.

We drove down the narrow Rue de la Forge, past the Eglise of St. Jean and through the Place. I looked at the boulangerie that my mom would buy bread at, the cafe where my dad would go and then past the gate of the house we lived in. A lovely way to spend a birthday afternoon.

Back at Celeste's we sat around and chatted and laughed and she reminded me to cut some bay leaves from her tree to take home. Don't tell anyone but I am sneaking them into the country. The flavour that these bay leaves give to my soups and stews is amazing. Perhaps I will make you a boeuf bourguignon to share.

A light dinner with the wonderful grilled eggplant, salad, cheese, a great chewy baguette and of course another bottle of wine. Is this our third today? A white Bouzeron from the Domaine Pagnotta. This is a relatively new production for them and is made with Aligote grapes. It is lighter in taste, not so green in flavour but with a light smoky finish. Perfect end to a perfect day. Tomorrow morning packing and on the road again. It will be sad to leave the wonderful hospitality of Celeste and Umberto. I hope that their sons can convince them to come visit us in Canada.

Frog's Legs and Wine

Friday, August 13th

Enjoyed a good night's sleep in the quiet town of Chagny at my cousin's home. I left the shutters slightly open so that I could see the morning light come in. Downstairs for breakfast and of course Celeste and Umberto started spoiling us right away. Umberto just brought in the fresh croissants from their favourite bakery, one of the five in town. By the way five bakeries making bread and croissants and two pastry shops that make only cakes, tartes and pastries, all this for a population of 6,000. This is not to mention what you can get at the three large supermarkets.

After our cafe au lait and croissants we decided to take a walk around the town. There are lots of little streets and shops, people walking about doing their morning shopping. This is the town I was born in. It feels sort of strange being here as if I should know the town but I don't really and yet there is a comfortable feeling here as there are lots of people who live here to whom I am connected. We walked past the Hotel de Ville with its covered porticoes and flower pots filled with geraniums and other flowers. A little further down the road was the maternity hospital where I was born, it is now an old age home. Maybe I can spend my last days where I spent my first. It looks pretty good, and I know the food there will be very good.

Back to the house and lunch time. Of course Celeste has the table set and everything prepared. We ate outside on the lovely terrace. Orrechiette pasta, the little hand rolled circles of thicker than usual pasta dough. They are from the Puglia area. They were served with a delicious tomato sauce made fresh from the tomatoes in her garden, cubes of zucchini and basil and a touch of fresh pepperoncino. Of course there was pecorino cheese to grate on top of it but not for her husband - he prefers parmigiano. All this was washed down with a white Mercurey from the Domaine Pagnotta. And the usual cheese platter at the end, just to finish our wine.

Off to Beaune. This is the most lovely of towns. There are the houses with the trademark Burgundian tiled roofs of many colours, the flowers everywhere, cobbled streets and wine merchants galore. This is truly the heart of Burgundy wine where the famous wineries all have their headquarters and where since 1443 the Hospices de Beaune, first hospital in Europe, has been funded with the sales of the wine from the prestigious vineyards. You can tour the hospital which is now a museum. There are mannequins with nun habits on and huge starched white caps. When I was still in utero my mom had to have her appendix out and this is where it happened, it wasn't a museum as yet.

Beaune also has the best school for vintners in the world. This is where Celeste and Umberto's son, Rocco who now runs the business with his wife Isabelle, went to school and where he met Isabelle. She came from a wine family in the Macon region and he from Chagny. They met at the school and the rest is history. Now they love each other and their wine business and of course their 3 children.

We climbed the ramparts and had a look over the town then back to Chagny as we have a dinner reservation. Where are we going? We are going to a little restaurant called Le Beau Rivage, nearby but Ross doesn't remember how to get there and I certainly don't. Umberto drove the country roads and there we were on the banks of the Soane River under three huge plane trees. Of course we chose to sit outside and enjoy the view of the slow moving river. First up was a 'friture' which basically means a fried dish. It was small fish that had been swimming a short while earlier. A huge fish shaped blue platter arrived brimming over with the crispy, hot fish. Although it was fried there was no taste of the oil or soggy bits. The fish have their heads left on and you eat the entire thing. There were lemon wedges to sprinkle over the fish. Umberto chose a crisp white to go with our dinner. At the moment the name escapes me and I will fill it in later. Next was our second course, frog's legs. We were each given a clean plate and cutlery after the empty fish platter was taken away. Then the waitress brought out a hot sauté pan and serving spoon and the perfume of garlic and butter and parsley surrounded her. She quickly placed five frog's legs on each of our plates and wished us bon appétit. As we worked our way through the frog's legs, which were amazing, I thought that it was a good thing that the wine was cool and fresh tasting to counteract the richness of the dish and because I knew from last time that the waitress would be coming out soon with her hot pan again and the rest of our frog's legs. They only serve you half of your order at a time so that it won't get cold. Sure enough, out she came with four more for each of us. I really shouldn't have eaten them all but they were so good, melt in your mouth good, that I couldn't leave them. Unfortunately there was no more room for dessert. I couldn't be that piggish.

We made our way out to the car completely full and Umberto decided to take another route back, this time via Chalon. Celeste was being a back seat driver and saying that it was the longer way around while he said it was the same. The bounced their opinion back and forth at each other and Ross and I tried to keep out of the conversation. We got home and the discussion of which route was longer continued and there was a promise that the truth would come out.

Off to bed after chatting till the late hours. Gotta digest all this food.

Burgundy: Chagny and Santenay

A few missing days here, but I'll catch up!

Saturday, August 14

A quiet, relaxing day. The morning was bright but cool, 22 degrees so obviously too cold to have breakfast outside on the patio. But what difference does it make when you get to eat warm, freshly baked croissants with your cafe au lait. We are definitely being spoiled. After breakfast I spent some time in the lovely, walled garden and, as I am not used to just sitting, I deadheaded all the roses. As we were outside my cousin's husband told us that there was a house for sale just across the river from them. It is a huge place with an enormous garden and its own strand of trees. It also has its own little door in the surrounding wall that leads to you to the river if you wanted to take your canoe or rowboat along the river. It also has its own waterwheel as it used to be a mill many years ago. We were told that the roof was done not so long ago and that the elderly woman who owns it lived in it up to a year ago so it will be in good shape. The asking price? $280,000 Euros, not bad at all for such a interesting and large property.

It was a beautiful morning and perfect to go and visit the vineyards. First we went out to Santenay, about 5 kilometers away, up through the town and up the hill behind the town. We stopped the car and got out to the warm sunshine and complete silence. On either side as far as we could see were grape vines also enjoying the sun. The vineyards look as if they belong to all one owner but they are not. They are divided up and each owner knows which belong to him. Some have been owned by the same family for generations. When a piece comes up for sale you are very fortunate if you can buy it especially if it is on a certain slope. This part was bought by my cousins last year and this will be the first harvest for them from this particular area. A littler further on is another area they own that they just planted new vines in the spring, the wait will be a little longer for a harvest from there.

The silence was beautiful and we enjoyed a little walk amongst the grapes, peeking out dark and full from behind the green, green leaves. There were also lots of little snails around the edge of the vineyard in the small bit of grass dividing it from the road. There were so many of them, no wonder it is a popular dish around here and the symbol of Burgundy. The church bells were ringing noon and so it was time to go back to Chagny for lunch.

The table was set outside under the covered patio and all that was needed was a bottle of wine to go with lunch. Roast loin of pork, tiny new potatoes roasted and it was all perfumed with rosemary from the bush at the edge of the garden. Also tender green beans that had been picked earlier in the morning and I had helped to prepare. After that there was of course a cheese platter with five different varieties and a tomato salad sprinkled with basil that had been growing on the plant just a short while ago. The red wine and the fresh bread, although they weren't mentioned, were delicous too.

We ended this leisurely lunch with an apricot tart and espresso. I had to get up right away and do something or else all I really wanted to do was stretch out like a cat on one of the loungers and sleep.

About an hour later we went over to the Domaine to use the swimming pool and enjoy a little sun before the clouds moved in. The air was cool but the pool felt comfortable after a minute. The water was 25 degrees. I could get used to this lifestyle but I really do miss cooking. My cousin is an excellent cook but I miss the creativity of coming up with meals each day and the food here is so fresh and wonderful that I crave cooking.

We had decided to go to Mass in the next town, Santenay, which happens to be the town where we lived before moving to Canada. I had never been in the church as on other trips to the area it was always closed. I was excited to finally go into the church that I was baptized in after so many years. It is the Eglise de St. Jean and a wonderful example of the Gothic style. Inside the columns and ceiling look elegant and there are high windows letting in sunshine. There was a small choir of five people but they sounded as if there were about twenty as the acoustics were amazing. Ross nudged me and whispered I think that the couple two rows ahead of us are the Jessiaumes, the people who owned the vineyards your dad worked on. He was right. We have gone by to see them on other visits to France and I had sent them a letter that we would be in the area but hadn't called them yet. At the end of Mass we met them outside the church and they asked us to give them a call and stop by their place for a drink. First thing M. Jessiaume asked me about news from Toronto. What he was asking me politely was if my uncle Vito, or Victor as they called him, was still alive. He knew that my dad had passed away and hoped that Victor was still with us. M. Jessiaume reminded me of a couple of stories that he remembered about my dad and my uncle Vito. It was so nice to see that someone who hadn't seen them in fifty years still remembered them with fondness. As we said good bye, he looked up and said rain is coming. It didn't look as if it would rain to me but someone involved with the land for so long knows better than I. I look forward to visiting them in the next couple of days.

Back to Celeste's and of course dinner was almost ready. We had left Santenay in sunshine and half way back to Chagny there was a huge downpour. Ross said, of course M. Jessiaume would be right after watching the weather and nursing the vines for so many years, he would know what was coming. We raced in from the car to a warm, rich minestrone filled with zucchini, beans, tomato, potato and swiss chard from the garden. It had been cooked in a pressure cooker and all the flavours melted together creating a rich broth. Unbelievable that it was only made with vegetables and herbs. Since we had our main meal of the day at lunch time we just enjoyed cheese and bread and then another slice of the apricot tart all washed down with a cool, smooth white wine.

Time for bed. Tomorrow is market day in Chagny.

Rain and Picnics....

Wednesday, August 11

A gray and rainy day.We headed for breakfast in a small room off to the side of the circular staircase and sat under the wood beamed ceiling. While we had our continental breakfast at the hotel; a basket of baked on the premises croissants, bread and petit pains au chocolat, it was only a light mist, but when we were ready to go out and have another look at the old town center it began to rain. Too much rain to enjoy sightseeing. We packed up the car and said au revoir to the tiny, charming medieval hotel.

We drove by the huge chateau of Amboise where kings and queens of France over the ages lived and died and where Leonardo da Vinci spent many hours. Not far down the road is the Clos Luce which the King, Francois I, gave to Leonardo to live in. This is where he spent his last years and died. You can visit his bedroom and study. Also Leonardo's chapel which has frescoes, painted by his pupils under his direction. In the basement and gardens are quite a few of his inventions that have been brought to life and it is a great hands on place for kids.

We headed off, taking country roads through Touraine, which have forests and fallow fields on either side. We continued on through the Sologne, considered one of France's most remote areas but coming from Canada and our vast stretches of plains and forests this didn't look so remote to us. Every 5 to 10 kilometers you are sure to come up to a small village. We checked our watch and made a quick stop for lunch provisions in Aubigny sur Mer. Even large chain supermarkets will close to let employees go home for lunch at noon. We weren't hungry yet but better be prepared. The drizzle continued on and we could see sun in the distance and finally about 2 p.m. we hit a sunny spot at Chatillon sur Loire and stopped at a picnic area next to a canal for our lunch.

Then on the road again. St. Fargeau was a quick half hour stop. You can't just drive straight past a medieval town, castle with cobbled streets and timbered houses. You have to give it a little nod. Sooo cute! Then on to our stop for the evening, Auxerre in Bourgogne. This is another wine stop, a name from the days of Ross buying a good bottle and telling me about it and then I would plan a perfect meal to accompany it. But that was ages ago. Auxerre has an amazing gothic cathedral, St. Etienne, with fabulous stained glass windows. We enjoyed more than usual as it was a welcome break from the drizzle and then we braved the wet and walked around the narrow cobbled streets and enjoyed more medieval timbered buildings. I think I'm obsessed with them. Even if they are run down I wish I could live in them. If one is for sale with a store front below I think I could have a cafe downstairs and live upstairs. The reality of medieval plumbing stops my dreaming.

It is still pouring rain so we will just have dinner at the hotel restaurant. We went for the smaller of the set menus as neither of us was too hungry. I guess not as much walking outdoors to stimulate the appetite. We started with the appetizer , jambon persillé, which is a local Burgundian specialty. It is a sort of coarse ham paté with gelatin and lots of parsley. It is served over a bed of tender lettuce with a light dijon mustard dressing. Then, to match the grey, rainy mood, we had burgundian beef stew with boiled baby potatoes. For dessert we both went with the chocolate mousse. We had a small pichet, a small earthenware jug, of red wine. Now off to bed as we have an early start tomorrow. So ends our first day in Burgundy, well half day. A demain mes amis.

The Road to Burgundy...

Tuesday, August 10th

Wow what a day! I am sitting in our hotel which was built in 1490 in Place Richelieu in the center of Amboise in the Loire region. I read out to Ross that it was originally built as a boarding school for young girls and he said that means they were young girls from well to do families who got pregnant and had to be sent away. My husband, ever the romantic. Then it became a laundry and there is still a small stream running under the hotel. After that it became the home of a blacksmith. It was left abandoned for forty years and restored in 1992 as a family run hotel. We have the cutest room with a huge wood beam running across. Ross needs to look out if he gets too close to the wall, so that he doesn’t bump his head, but he is charmed by it just as I am. It is odd to be using their WiFi with wood beams and stuccoed walls all around --the building has aged/been restored well.

The day was spent mostly on country roads heading to St. Nicholas de Bourgeuil to check out the little town of a wine we were taken with back in the day when we drank wine with dinner. Outside the church was a plaque we stopped to read. From the town two families left in 1636 to begin a new life in New France --wonder if their descendants are still in Canada and if they have ever been here.

Then we headed to Bourgeuil where it was market day. Lively with people and traffic being diverted so we parked away from the town center and walked as we wanted to get picnic supplies and what a great place to get them. Live young chickens, guinea hens, the knife seller, baskets, a man recaning the traditional chairs and of course delicious smelling food. There were all the stalls lining the cobbled, twisty streets and then the covered market. We headed in there to have a look and of course stopped at the sausage man. Ah the choice! We chose our lunch and off to Chinon. Chinon is the home of Rabelais, one of Ross's favourite writers and a well known gourmet of the middle ages. Sitting on the banks of the Cher River, we parked the car and took our picture with the statue of, you guessed it, Francois Rabelais. Usually statues look very serious but Francois was smiling --very apropos. Down one of the narrow streets was a well with a plaque. On the well was where Joan of Arc stepped down from her horse as she was too tiny to step onto the road. She had come to Chinon to recognize Charles II as the true king of France and pledging herself to him and telling him of her purpose. Also in Chinon, but we couldn't locate it, was the house where Richard the Lionhearted died. Off again, to Azay le Rideau.

Lunch was a picnic in a little public garden before our visit to the Chateau. Spread out the tablecloth and dig in --saucisse de sanglier, yes that is boar and it is delicious, fresh baguette,fromage de chèvre cendré that just melted in the mouth, cavaillon melon, petit pot de crème au caffé. A couple of French people walked by and wished us bon appétit. So very French.

The chateau and its park sits on a tiny island in the middle of the Indre River. It is a lovely Renaissance chateau with the first straight staircase ever built in France. The whole structure was built in the Italian style of the Renaissance. From here on to the next castle and what a castle --Chenonceaux.

This is definitely fairy tale castle material and has been photographed countless times. It straddles the Cher River and was the home of Catherine de Medici and Diane de Poitiers and Louise de Lorraine, among others. The views are spectacular from all the windows of the gardens below and the river. The rooms are elegantly Renaissance with a Florentine style gallery on the first floor. Loved the rooms but the gardens took my breath away, can't wait to share the pictures with you. Didn't want to leave this gorgeous spot but we had to hit the road for our evening stop, Amboise.

Dinner in Amboise was in the old part of town under the walls of the castle. We thought we might not get any dinner as the whole town seemed asleep. I joked that we might have to cut into the boar sausage that we had bought to take back to Marc. We walked to the center of the old town --that is where everyone was hiding. The area is closed to cars and there are restaurants and cafes and stalls selling food and artisans offering their products along the walls of the Chateau d'Amboise. This is where Leonardo da Vinci lived and died. What looked like a small restaurant, Le Parvis, down a side street, was in fact two patios and three rooms in an old medieval building with exposed beams and a open fire place where they were cooking some of the dishes. Both outdoor areas were full and if we wanted to eat it would have to be inside. No hardship to eat in a room so full of ambiance. We chose the pre-set menu where you get to choose one of three different appetizers, one of three mains and one of three possible desserts. Ross and I both decided on the same thing. To start, a lovely salad with warm goat cheese on baguette slices, rillettes, which is a thick cut bacon, cucumbers and tomatoes on a bed of baby romaine lettuce. Next came a marmite, not the spread, but a slow cooked meat and vegetable combination. It had rabbit cooked with chunks of the local jambon to help keep it moist, two kinds of mushrooms with leeks, and on the side a roasted potato that was heavenly with a homemade mayonnaise on it, sort of the way we use sour cream, as well as half a tomato grilled with herbed bread crumbs on top. Boy am I ever full of run on sentences, but once I get started it is just like a stream of conciousness, so please disregard my grammar. I am not going back to edit. Dessert was chocolate mousse for Ross and because I knew I would be too full for pastry or chocolate I had a home-made lemon sorbet and cassis sorbet. Of course both desserts had a huge dollop of whipped cream on them. With all this we sipped a half bottle of St. Nicholas de Bourgeuil. It is as nice a red as we remembered.

Dinan to Saumur

Monday, August 9

Good morning Dinan! Before we head off we had to have one more walk around this charming medieval town. Everywhere you look down the cobbled streets -- or lanes, they are too small to be called streets, is another half timbered stone house with leaded windows and baskets of geraniums falling over the sills. We walked by the market but it wasn't open yet and the streets were being washed down and all around shop owners were setting up and washing their windows and getting ready for the day. We stopped in an interesting building selling "Produit Regionaux" a lovely shop that seemed to go on forever. It was two floors but we only made it through the first floor. It was filled with neatly displayed locally made goods at great prices. I've seen these before in France and they are sponsored by the local government and are a great place to pick up souvenirs and get to know what the area is famous for. It is neat to see so many products with labels 'founded in 1792', 'artisanal production since 1643'. History in your hand.

After giving the town a last look we bought supplies for a picnic and packed up the car for the next leg of our trip. Leaving Brittany and heading to the Loire valley to see a few castles, the first of which was Fougeres. This huge medieval castle and ramparts is touted by the tourist bureau as the largest medieval castle in Europe. I am not sure about that , this is where I need Marc or Elijah to verify the facts. Whether it is or not it is pretty spectacular. We walked all around and up and down the towers, despite my intense fear of heights (pictures to prove it will follow). Another cute, cute town overflowing with flowers and cobblestone but we didn't tour it, just the castle, how can these people live with all this charm? Back on the road we stopped about 1:30 at a picnic table along the side of the road. There are many of these in France, usually in a spot where you have a nice view of the countryside. I spread out my tablecloth, took out my knife and sliced the fresh whole wheat baguette. Opened the package of cold cuts---what a great smell. Today we just bought cold cuts from the local small market in downtown Dinan before we left. Even though they are pre packaged the quality is excellent and they offer so many types, even if it was a small store. We had proscuitto, capicollo and genoa salami plus a new type of cheese from the area as well as some fresh plums. As we munched the silence of the corn fields across the way and birds was only intermittently broken by a passing car. As we packed up and left, another car pulled up to use the picnic table just over from us. Guess we are not the only nuts.

Back to the road and our next destination: Saumur, another castle but this one in the Loire and from the early Renaissance period. It is on a stunning spot overlooking the Loire River and looks as if it is the setting for a fairytale. We walked all around its walls and its courtyard and enjoyed the view of the valley and off to dinner as I am losing track of time since the sun seems to never set here until late (yes I know it’s because of our latitude). Since we had spent a lot of time travelling we just had dinner at the hotel. You could choose to order a la carte or one of their combinations so Ross had the "plat du jour" which was paella, a dish much loved by the French and it appears on the menu more, and more the further south you go and then the cheese platter featuring a variety of the area's cheeses. I chose the appetizer buffet followed by the dessert buffet. Why oh why do I do this, I always end up overeating as I have to try everything. Need to go and sleep off the food as tomorrow Ross promised a very interesting itinerary of chateaux.

Mont St. Michel

Sunday, August 8

Cool morning but sunny --great weather for sightseeing and I know I will be doing lots of walking today. After a quick breakfast at the hotel with the usual two cups of cafe au lait, petit pains au chocolat and croissants, which never get boring since they taste so good, we are off. Our first stop is the fabulous Mont St. Michel. For a number of years Ross had a huge poster of Mont St. Michel in his classroom and always wanted to go there but each time we came to France it was not on our itinerary, we finally made it. From quite a distance you can see it and the closer you get the more spectacular it is. We parked the car in one of the many parking lots, which were already quite full even though it was only 9:15 in the morning. We had a look at one of a number of boards advising of the time of the tides. We noticed that since it was low tide there were a lot of people walking on the flood plain. We continued across the causeway and into the fortified town of Mont St. Michel. Cobblestone streets, stone walls, the enormus cathedral with statue of St. Micheal the Archangel high above. Although there are many tourist shops selling souvenirs and local products they have a massive presence of the stone dwarfs in the shops and the many tourists. We climbed and climbed stopping to look out at the magnificient views of the sea and inland, and also to catch our breaths. Many of the shops had pirate shirts and flags and pirate related names and I thought of my young friend Nathan whose imagination would certainly be captured by this place.

Although the smell of crepes and galettes was certainly tempting we continued on as our plan was to have lunch in our next stop, St. Malo. Besides the crowds in the little cobbled lanes were certainly getting thick.

Pulled open the sun roof on the car as the sun continued to shine and on the road again heading to St. Malo. This is where Jacques Cartier left to discover new lands and of course landed in our own Canada. There was a plaque in one of the upper streets of Mont St. Michel commemorating the place where the introduction of Cartier by the Bishop of St. Michel to King Francois happened. The town of St. Malo was so busy, filled with tourists and although they had many parking lots they were full. Of course, it is Sunday and everyone is out and around. But we were determined to find and spot and finally did even though it meant walking a way into the old city. The views of the sea are great, the old town ramparts and interior town is in fabulous shape with stone everywhere and cobbled streets. More pirate stuff! We wandered around the streets snapping pictures around every corner. How can you get tired of cobblestones? Time for lunch and we chose a restaurant on Rue Jacques Cartier, by this time we were quite hungry from the sea air and all the walking.

The restaurant was called La Taverne Breton and like most of the others in the town, offered the local foods. It is so interesting in Europe to see menus. They are very regional relying on the local foods --healthy and tasty. Not that you can't find a touristy place that offers their interpretation of hamburgers and of course there are always Italian pizzerias and pasta, but when in Rome. So, what is the local food in St. Malo - moules of course and galettes and crepes of every imaginable flavour. Both of us chose to start with the moules and they came in a huge bowl, steaming hot and delicious with butter and wine and parsely. I felt full by the time I finished the large portion but there was more. A galette, which is a crepe made of buckwheat flour, which for sure I am going to try to make on my return, and ours was stuffed with sliced pototatoes, bleu d'Auvergne cheese and finely minced walnuts. I was so full but I had to finish it it was too tasty to leave any. The cheese had melted and created a sauce which I just had to mop up with the edges of the galette. We ate every bit of it and we had also ordered dessert --crazy. Dessert was a thin crepe with just butter and sugar, my son's favourite way to eat them. A good thing we had a long walk back to the car --I need to work off some of these calories or I will be sleeping on the drive.

Off to Dinan just 40 kilometres away is a town I had read about years ago and it captured my attention as it was described as a beautifully preserved medieval town which held a great medieval festival each year -- they got me hooked. It has taken a few years to finally get here but better late than never! ....Checked in to the hotel and rested and then out again to explore this medieval jewel, silly me I should have worn my running shoes out. Cobblestones everywhere and steep lanes all heading down to the riverbanks. The walk down in sandals is not a good idea but too late to go back and change. The steep road down is at least a kilometre and I kept saying this better be good and also worrying about the climb back up. No worries the whole way was filled with charming shops, restaurants and ancient timbered houses. The homes that had fallen into ruin have been meticulously restored and the whole effect is one of going back in time.

Chose a restaurant half way up the cobbled slope on our return called La Fontaine du Jerzual. I was still hungry from my filling lunch and chose a Salade Paysanne. The word salade is often a misnomer in France as it was a full meal -- on a bed of tender bibb lettuce were hard cooked egg, lardons (yummy thick hand cut bacon) boiled potatoes and tomatoes all with a light delicious vinaigrette. Ross had andouillette sausage with frites, (how can you say no to frites in France?) and he even ate the green salad on the side. We washed it all down with a pichet of the local cider which was cold and quite good, just the right balance of sugar and a whiff of apple. Ross couldn't resist and had a crepe for dessert with creme chantilly. Good thing the rest of the walk back to the hotel is uphill