April 2012

Store in Vienne, France

 It is the end of April. I had just about finished this posting when I hit some key and it all disappeared!! ZUT.

I had even saved it, but that was gone too. Oh what key did I hit!! I worked at re=doing the whole Blog, but it is 10pm and still a few paragraphs to go...so this will be a May 1st post!

April, cold and rain, and more rain. What a month. Really wonderful couple of weeks in March, and absolutely nothing really nice since. Some freezing, and up higher in places  on the Côte, some snow was seen. Brrrr

OK, first I am going to talk about french politics and elections. Candidates must register ( with a certain number of signatures and mayor endorsements). Then the race starts about two weeks before the first round (April 22nd). In the two months before, candidates are interviewed by the major TV stations, and try to get their names in the paper as often as possible. There are no TV or radio ads, no lawn signs, and no mud slinging. And as I said, it is for two months. Oh sure, before this, they try to get their names in the paper or on the news, but it is not the same ambiance as in the US.

The two top candidates from the first round go onto the second round (unless there is a clear majority of one candidate in the first round). So it will be Nicolas Sarkozy (Union of Popular Movement- a little right) and François Holland (Socialist Party). The second round is 6th of May, this coming Sunday (elections are held on Sunday).

Who will win? On verra ( we will see)...stay tuned.

In each voting region, photos of the candidates are posted.
There has been a little vandalism to some of the photos!
These all come down the day after the vote.

I have done a few outings this month that are very historical. I will keep those descriptions to a minimum. If interested, Google it or send me a note and ask. I have added photos instead.

My history club had a visit to the Château d'Entre Deux Monts (between two mountains). It is an XI century château, or at least parts of it are that old. It was a cold day with a strong wind and we all were freezing. Most of the tour was outside, and even the part in the château was cold because no lives there and it is not heated (stone holds the cold ). In spite of this, the tour was very interesting.

Front of the XI century Château

The back

Bridge over the moat at the back

Chapel to Saint Gertrude

And of course they hunted 

Also have a few other outings scheduled for the whole group and a few for the Flora and Fauna group (want to go see the Lady Slippers in bloom soon...protected here too).
Then as part of the history group I am on the archive committee. We are defining the criteria for the archive list. There are a lot of photos, documents pulled from the archives, old post cards.....and the list and the items need to be tied together. I am looking a little at Microsoft Access. On the club computer I have it in french!!! So I downloaded a 60 day trial in english to work. Any Access expert out there willing to give me free advise? Just thought I would ask.

Keith and I took a couple of days to visit a city just south of Lyon. It is an old Gaulic/Roman city called Vienne.

The Gauls were known as the Allobroges and came under the rule of J. Caesar in 47BC. It is on the Rhone.

We took the train down (and Keith took his bike) and stayed for a couple of days and tried to see everything. Across the Rhone there is a great museum with lots of artifacts and roman mosaics on the inside and an excavated Gaulic/Roman city on the outside. The glass ware, running water, heated homes, public baths....and then the middle ages? One does wonder why it was all lost.

Vienne and the Rhone looking south

On the west bank looking north

Cathedral St Maurice Built between 1052 and 1533 3 doors across the front, this is far right	Inside...HUGE and stark

St André en Bas - XI century	Garden of St André en Bas

Temple of Augustus and Livia..started 1st century BC

I found the old middle ages doors interesting

The roman theater...it had all been covered in marble, as seen
in the first row. It is still used today.

St Pierre (or St Peter), originally 5th centruy
rebuilt in the 9th century. Part of the
Benedictine abbey 

Inside it is a small museum of some of the
stone archaeology findings. This is not the
main museum. There are 3, the largest across
the Rhone

A villa in the excavated city at the museum Saint-Romain-en-Gal.
This is the largest museum across the Rhone

 I will stop here with the photos before you loose interest completely!

I came back on the train on Friday, and Keith returned via bike and train on Saturday. He had planned on more time out camping, but the winds on Saturday of plus 100km were a little too much. He had a good day on Friday, 120km. And Saturday another 75km before giving up and hopping on a train home.

We had battled the winds on Wendsday in Vienne, coming up the Rhone valley from the south - it was hard  walking. But we had no rain and the weather had warmed up down there. When I got home Friday afternoon, it was 53 degrees in the house! Started a fire right away. Did not expect it to be that cold here while we were gone.

On Sunday, a colleague of Keith's stopped by to say hello. I was leaving to go to Messanges and hopefully for a nice walk. Keith and Tom decided to join us. We walked for about 2 hours looking at plants, flowers, trees and a ancient borne (stone property marker). I goofed up with my camera, therefore no photos from our nice walk!

Keith went off to Bligny this morning, May 1st. It is a holiday here in France ( workers day), so almost everything is closed. There had been a brush fire or something (Keith did not have the details) and the track needs to be fixed. So there was a call for everyone to come today and help. Hope it is not too serious.

I will sign off here for the month of April.

Recipe of the Month
Caramelized Cherry Tomatoes

Not too difficult appetizer. Looks wonderful  with the bright

red color.  Keep the cherry tomatoes small so it is a single bite.

Ingredients

•  15 cherry tomatoes 
•  5 oz powder sugar
•  balsamic vinegar 
•  sesame seeds, or finely chopped peanuts or finely chopped pistachio
  nuts

Preparation

1. Put picks in the tomatoes ( long wooden type used for kabobs)
2. Put the sugar in a warm pan and let it caramelize (watch this step!)
3. Add a little balsamic vinegar until the carmel is dark
4. Quickly dip the tomatoes in the carmel and then the bottoms in the nuts
5. Set aside on cooking paper
6. Put in the refrigerator about 30 minutes before you serve

March 2012

A wild daffodil

APRIL FOOL....


you thought this would be out in March -    I bet!





I know, it is April, not March. Just a little late.
Spring has arrived. It has been warmer than normal, and I find that the warm weather and sunshine are wonderful. Flowers have bloomed and so have the trees. Bees are a buzzing.
>
As always in March,Marsannay-la-Côte has a "Journées Gourmandes". Keith and I decided to head over there and see what we could have for lunch. There is a wealth of choices of things to eat. This year they even had fried frog legs, but I did not go there. I picked a charcuterie plate (assiette)  and Keith had oysters and cheese. We bought some fresh bread and a glass of wine. Could it get any better?

So simple and yet SO GOOD...the ham was sublime

One of the warm days I stopped by the old mill just outside of Messanges. The mill had been given to the Catholic church at Cluny ( not this exact one, the mill in the photo was built later) by the family Vergy. It is now an historic monument.

The red dot on the right of the mill is the historical plaque

Yes-my feet, I decided to take a moment and listen to the birds and enjoy the sun.

One Sunday it was cold and rainy, so we hopped in the car and went in search of somewhere to enjoy lunch. We ended up on one of those picturesque french roads, that is really just one car wide, but has stripes down the middle. I took a photo to from inside the car to show you the proportions. Do note the scene in front of us on that small windy road.

If you can see it, there is a village on top of the hill

After lunch we took a small walk to see the village, Mont Saint Jean. However it started to rain and cut our walk a little short. There is a chateau here too, but I did not get any photos this time...maybe next time.

Mont St. Jean

I enjoy the countryside. Here is one photo near Messanges again, and the other near Chambolle-Musigny.

Ah those grapevines and flowering fruit trees

And just as an added measure, a few more photos to show off spring.

Flower pot in Gevrey

In the neighborhood

Same day when I was out on my walk, I took this photo of "going to the market".

I really need to get my bike out of the garage, washed up and tires pumped and use it to go to market!! My basket is on the front, I do not have the panniers on the back like this bike.

Yesterday, Keith and I both thought to surprise each other. I had gone over to Chambolle-Musigny for their Fete, and I found some goat cheese. Keith on coming home from Bligny, stopped at a little shop on a goat farm and bought some goat cheese. Mmmm, guess what we had last night.

Fresh goat cheese "artisinal"

Keith has been out on his bike increasing his kilometers with each ride. Also he has started to make a new light for the upstairs hall (stained glass light). He is busy in the garage (his workshop) as I write.

In pottery I am working on a large lizard. Finished his body and letting him dry so I can paint him. As for photo club, had to get my three photos in this last week. The theme is 3...sooo two of the photos had to have the theme of 3 and the 3rd photo had to be some kind pf portrait. The Expo is not until May.

A couple of you might recognize this photo!

second photo with 3

Did not want to do a "portrait" so did a family tree!!

Kind of ran out of steam at the end...

So that brings us to the end of the month, or to the beginning of April.

RECIPE OF THE MONTH
Pear Salad
This salad is so good and yet so easy.
 

INGREDIENTS

1 pear ( fresh better, but a well drained canned might work)

hand full of walnuts

4 oz of roquefort cheese

2 large handfuls of lettuce (I prefer small mescalin)

vinaigrette with honey


Toss together and enjoy

Feb 2012

This is going to be a very short Blog this month. It is also a very short month.

Gevrey has been rather cold and rainy. Not a pretty month, but that is how it goes. Can not wait until March and spring. I have been busy as usual, always something to do; photos,pottery,walks, clubs...
( and you know it is my way of not doing the things I said I would do during the cold rainy winter...all those little chores I had thought I would tackle).

I forgot to show you my Christmas present lat month.
Keith bought it at our new small Gevrey market. I love  baskets and just before Christmas there was a woman at the market who made and sold baskets. Now I can go to market like other french ladies with my basket.

My beautiful shopping basket

Then at the beginning of the month we decided after 10 1/2 years, it was time for a new car. Our little 106 Peugeot had served us well, but needed a few too many repairs. So Keith started shopping around.
He found a slightly used car at the auto place in Gevrey. We moved up in the world, it is a 206 Peugeot with air conditioning even! When we had the little white car, there were always lots of other little white cars in the parking lot when shopping. Ah dark grey...well you guessed it, this is now the color of choice and it is hard to find in the parking lot!

Our new Peugeot 206

Went for one good walk this month. Walked part of the Tacot line. What is the Tacot line you say. Back in history there was a train installed from Dijon to Beaune with some connections to other villages in the Haute-Cote.

The tunnel was built in 1913, but because of the war, the line was not finished until 1921. This connection to Curley was difficult. The train went up 100 meters in just 3 kilometers. (Amazing facts from Sue).
The road going north from Gevrey to Brochon is a small road, with black top. It is the back road that the residents (people in the know) use.

1913 tunnel and Flipper the dog

The line was named the Tacot. I need to dig a little farther into the history books to find out why it was named Tacot.

While winding our way along on our walk, I noticed all the moss. It was a vibrant green on a sunless day. With the rain, the moss is everywhere. This is in the woods just above the Grand Cru's of Gevrey.

Mossy hillside in the woods

Working on a few new things in pottery. Tried an esay plate that I could paint. The paint is called engobe and is actually colored clay. Here is my first plate. It has not been glazed yet. Always trying something a little different.

Having lots of fun with painting

Keith has been busy as usual, repairing an old bike. Kept him busy this winter. And he is slowly increasing his riding miles on his regular bike. Still on the flat, but more kilometers each time he goes out.

I will leave it there this month.

Recipe of the Month

This is an easy recipe for apertifs. With summer months coming and inviting friends over to sit on the patio, you can serve these little nibbles. You may wonder at the combination, but try it you will like it.

Bacon and Prune Appetizers

INGREDIENTS

1. Prunes
2. Bacon (not thick slice)
3. Toothpicks or Rosemary twigs

PREPARATION

1. Cut a slice of bacon in two
2. Wrap the half slice around the prune
3. Fasten with a toothpick or  a twig from your Rosemary bush.
4. Place on a cooking tray (cookie sheet with side)
5. Bake at 350 F degrees turning once for about 15 minutes – watch carefully
6. Let cool before serving – that prune gets hot

JANUARY 2012

Evening sun Brochon

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Although my greeting is a bit late, here a Happy New Year can be sent out until the end of February. So let's go with the french tradition.

For my January weather report. As for winter it has been mild, but rainy and/or foggy. We have had sun here in Gevrey only a couple of days. Dreary, damp and cold can be tiring!
But the other side of this, mother nature is really confused. At the round-about the spring bulbs have all poked through and are about 5 inches tall!
And I have added a couple of photos from my yard, and this is January, supposedly winter! We have had a few nights below freezing, thus some frost. But this next week they promise winter will be here. Nights below freezing( oh no!) and maybe below freezing all day on Thursday(yikes). Get out the winter gear. Maybe it will be over after this week, one can hope.

Rose photo Jan 14

Same rose photo Jan 18..a little frost

Jan 29, dandy lion! ! ! Backyard

Even weeds are pretty when frosted

 Both of my clubs celebrated the Epiphany. It is celebrated here with a Galette des Rois. Ah the Galette des Rois. Flakey pastry with almond paste filling. Good baker, good galette. And with a feve ( feve is a type of bean, but now it is a fancy little token).

This last month I was privileged with tasting a gevrey wine at least 115 yrs old, at least. All it states on the

bottle is marriage of M and M 1896 ( names hard to read). So was it 2 years old at the wedding feast or more?
It had been opened two weeks before, so it had deteriorated some; but after the acid taste...there it was, long lasting in the mouth - was the taste of Chambertin! Absolutely AMAZING. What an experience!!!!!!!! And below is a photo.
Only living here does one get an experience like this ( or if you have millions and can buy anything you want).

Very old wine

I took some photos one sunny day walking around Brochon. Sometimes the light in the evening here in the winter months is absolutely gorgeous (opening photo). It takes on an intense golden tone. Love it. These others however were taken in the other direction, and did not get the setting sun's gold tones.

Château Stephen Liégeard -1895

Eglise Saint- Symphorien XI century

Great example of a Burgundian roof- Brochon

Time of year that the vines are cut back and the cut branches are burned. Note the burning barrels. The work in the vines never ends. If all the cutting is done and the serments are all burned, then some vignerons are able to get some time off in February. What hard work, but the results-ahhh! Last summer I bought a bottle of wine from this vineyard back of our house. Have to try some day. The vineyard is Craite Paille, but the name (lieu dit-place called) is not used on the wine labels.

Working on the vines behind out house

Vines in Brochon

On Friday we went to Beaune for lunch. We took the train so we both could have wine with lunch. It is only a 20 minute train ride to Beaune. We ate lunch at the Caveau des Arches. What a wonderful lunch. The food was perfect (I have scallops with risotto for my main plate...it was heavenly-and sinful at the same time-so rich). A nice white wine from St Aubin, and it was a perfect meal (Keith had fish). Needed to walk a little after a lunch like that!! We had time before the next train back to Gevrey, so we walked around Beaune a little. And the sun was out now and then!
This week-end is the Saint-Vincent celebration ( patron saint of the vines). This year it is in Beaune, Nuits-Saint-Georges and Dijon. It is spread between the 3 villes to celebrate (and enlist more signatures) for the "Climats de Bourgogne" ... 50,000 signatures needed to apply for UNESCO( if you know french and want to apply to here: http://www.climats-bourgogne.com/fr/#/RejoindreLeComite). I should go and take some photos, but on Friday, Beaune had not done any fancy decorating for the event. A few signs up pointing the directions for wine tastings, somewhat surprising. I had thought they would have some decorations around the city.  But tourists will come and the tourists will drink.

Old Lavoir ( place to wash cloths)- on the right-Note that it is covered. 

Another Burgundian roof - Beaune

one of the towers in the ramparts of Beaune

This Sunday here in Gevrey is also the day that Saint-Vincent is celebrated. At 11am there was the mass. We went up to the church just after 11:30 so I could take photos of the statue of Saint-Vincent and the parade. The crowd started to gather (all those who did not go to mass) and wait for everyone to leave church. The noon bells rang and my feet were frozen. Finally they emerged from the church carrying Saint-Vincent. There was a small parade in a grand circle ( more or less around the block). Then all into cars to be continued in Brochon. The vigneron who keeps Saint-Vincent for the year invites everyone for a glass to celebrate ( a kir). So we followed and had our glass of Kir and sang the ban bourgognon. Below are a few photos.

Outside the Church with the statue

Gevrey's Saint-Vincent

Vigneron decorated _ outside his cave

OK I am going to try to load a short video of the parade just outside the cave of the vigneron in Brochon, with the band playing.  Tell me if it does not open well. This is the first time I have tried this. It is short, a small taste of life in a small village. For those who have been here, it is next or behind the SuperU (grocer).

                 

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Chicken Soup

France is a nation of soups.  It is a cold day here in Gevrey and I was outside taking photos of the Saint-Vincent festivities. So I thought hot soup sounded like a good idea for tonight. Chicken soup is anything you want it to be...and can be used to to get rid of some leftovers. This is my version of chicken soup with left over Roasted Chicken. 

INGREDIENTS Left over chicken -from Roasted Chicken 1-2 carrots cut in small circles or half  circles (spoon size morsels) 1 branch of celery chopped 1 large onion chopped 1 Tablespoon olive oil 12 green beans cut into 1/2 inch pieces 2 tomato cubed (or a can of diced tomatoes) 3 medium potatoes cubed 1 Tablespoon parsley chopped fine 2 sprigs Thyme 1 bay leaf 2 chicken bouillon cubes** 1 small branch celery chopped into small pieces 6 cups water Salt and pepper to taste * You can add other vegetables also, be creative. Add some peas, or zucchini, or yellow summer squash. Or add rice instead of potatoes or use pasta noodles. Also  use what herbs or flavorings you like. Try something...today I added a tsp of cumin. ** Taste, depends on the broth you recoup from cooking the chicken

PREPARATION 1. Clean chicken and cut into petite morsels. Place in a bowl. 2. In large stove top pot, saute the onion and celery in olive oil 3. Add the drippings from the left over chicken** 4. Add 6 cups of water and chicken broth cubes. 5. Bring to a boil. Add thyme and bay leaf 6. Add cut chicken and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes. 7. Add all the vegetables and simmer another 30 minutes. This should reduce the liquid by about one third. 8. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste [this will depend on the saltiness of the bouillon cubes ]