Lobster in Brittany

Everyone knows that Brittany lobsters are the best in the world, right? Well, apparently not-they're Canadian!! However, they are sensational and while in Brittany we decided a lobster lunch was de rigueur! We asked our charming host at Villa Kerlubec - the B & B where we stayed - where we could eat lobster in town but he wasn't sure. His suggestion was better.
The local, massive hypermarche has a seafood stall which sells live lobsters and crabs etc. He suggested to go there, choose a live lobster (Buddhists please stop reading here) and get them to steam it for us while we waited. So we did. There were only two sorts of lobsters - small single serve ones or enormous family sized ones. Guess which we chose? There were four of us and as anyone knows, the flesh to shell ratio increases with the size of the lobster - you get more bang for your buck in other words.
The lobster was 2 kg and at 40 euro a kilo, was rather indulgent but they are the (second) best in the world. We picked up some lemons, some homemade mayonnaise, a bottle of Loire valley white (from memory was Pouilly fume'), a fresh baguette and butter. Our delightful host provided the lawn, the ocean view and the implements - including a table and chairs. PLEASE do this if you are ever in Brittany - we had an amazing lunch! Note the size of the claws in the photos above! The third photo is of the beach ( a bit like Bondi really ) we could see from our B & B and that's Richard (right) and James (left). The last photo is the B & B.

Le Scorlion in Charentes

We arranged to meet our friends in what appeared to be a quaint B&B in Charentes but which turned out to be rather insignificant. While waiting we thought we'd have lunch at Le Scorlion. Who on earth knows what that means?
It turns out that I was so enthralled with the dining experience that I really didn't care what it meant and certainly forgot to ask! The Michelin guide online is worth checking out (www.viamichelin.fr) for any local eateries. It's nowhere near as detailed as the book but it's free and online - what more can I say? This was how we found Le Scorlion in St Jean d'Angely in Brittany.
Now we could've gone the 17 euro lunch menu but we did have a few hours to kill and the fuller menu was only 34 euro so we partook of the latter.
Naturally, coupe de champagne as aperitif - you may as well in France, it is very cheap!! Luckily, it came with a little nibble of a freshly grilled slice of saucisse and a little croute with fresh cheese and herbs. Next, since we didn't do the cheapskate menu, we were offered an amuse-gueule of beetroot mousse - so very deceptively light. It was essentially beetroot puree folded through whipped cream with a few seasonings but mainly snipped chives.
Richard and I then diverged: I ordered lasagne de langoustine et saumon sitting in a light shellfish bisque. Very, very light (interesting isn't it how everything is oh so light?) and delicate. It was an extremely small cirlular portion that appeared to have been steamed rather than baked. Richard had the salade de rouget (red mullet) avec sa bouillabaisse et pomme vapeur. This was delicious but rather too substantial for a starter. It turned out to be a poor choice as R's main course seemed to be similarly constructed. He had the medaillons de lotte (devil fish), crevettes rose (shrimp) et pommes purees and a seafood bisque/bouillabaisse type of sauce! My choice on the other hand was fabulous: quite simply, assiette de lapin. This included a ravioli with rabbit meat flavoured with fennel; roasted loin of rabbit (the tiniest you've ever seen); a braised leg and braised breast. The flavours were sensational and the meet perfectly cooked. I stopped there but Richard had the dessert. His choice, which he had to make at the beginning, was pistacchio souffle. It was served with a small 'quenelle' of pistacchio ice cream. The sweet young waiter served the souffle by spooning out a portion from the centre, filling it with the ice cream and replacing the spooned out portion. The heat of the souffle melting the icecream ever so slowly. It was pretty 'wow'. We accompanied all with a local bottle of Vins des charentes chardonnay. All in all, a very pleasing lunch. In fact, we were so impressed we returned for dinner. This is the typical mistake made by yours truly. Have to go overboard! I was too full from lunch to appreciate it. We therefore had the 17 euro menu which was expertly executed but much simpler and lacking the impact of the other dishes.
On the down side: pommes puree a bit too prevalent; we could've done with a finger bowl for the unshelled crevettes.

I'm back and overdosing on artichokes.

Back in Paris that is. After several months renovating and putting on weight at our home in Adelaide - we are now back in Paris where I can finally lose some weight!!! Impossible you say? Well, not really. I go up and down the stairs to our 3rd floor apartment several times a day (well at least once!) and walk everywhere. So it is possible.

What have I been eating since returning a month ago? Apart from great bread (the subject of a future entry), eating ARTICHOKES!! I don't think they're actually in season here at the moment but they are somewhere in the world! The ones I'm overindulging in are the little purple ones (known as artichaut or poivrade in French) that don't have a hairy choke which, by the way, I nearly died on in a restaurant in Helsinki last year. My artichoke inexperience (and the restaurant's it appears for leaving it in!) had me stuffing the choke in my eager gob along with the rest. If you've never eaten the hairy ole choke - don't try it! Anyway, back to my artichokes. I eat them 3 times a week as a starter - two per serve. Here's the best and simplest way of eating them - it surely is heaven. Don't forget the salt!
1. cut a lemon in half
2. squeeze half of it into a saucepan of cold water and drop in the squeezed half
3. cut off stalk of artichoke at base and snap off a few old tough leaves. cut about 2 cm off top.
4. rub cuts with other half cut lemon and drop artichokes in the acidulated the water -you will cook in this.
5. squeeze rest of lemon into pan and drop it in the pot. Add 1 tbspn salt.
6. bring to boil and simmer about 30 minutes
7. drain well and squeeze out some water.
8. serve with a squeez of lemon, salt, pepper and some butter melted with slices of fresh garlic (I also season the garlicky butter with salt and pepper) dip each leaf in the butter and scrape between your teeth. Once you get to where the leaves are soft enough to eat, dip the whole heart into the butter and eat. It is soooooooo good!!!! I hope you try it.

What to do with all the quinces?

With quince season nearly upon us in Australia, I wanted to record this fabulous recipe for Mostarda - a recipe from Bologna. You must try it. I'm always stuck for what to make with the quinces (last year I made quince paste - a real success and I'll do it again). Mostarda is a kind of spicy jam or smooth chutney and used to fill cakes and pastries - the tastiest are Raviole - pastries filled with mostarda, shaped like a mezzaluna and baked.
1 kg ripe quinces
150g unripe pears
250g prunes (stone removed)
50g blanched almonds
100g sultanas
500 ml water
500g sugar
grated rind of a lemon
1 cm piece cinnamon stick
2 tbspn vinegar
1 tspn mustard seeds

Chop the quinces and pears without peeling nor removing seeds and cores (all the hard bits will be sifted through in the food mill). Mix together with all other ingredients and cook slowly until quinces are cooked. Pass all through a food mill. Fill clean jars, seal and cook in a bain-marie for 30 minutes.

Montepulciano and Montalcino

Seems like the months before and after Christmas have been a wine and food blur. I am only just recovered enough to start writing again.
The commencement of our indulgences was at Montepulciano where a bunch of us - led by our intrepid and very well connected North American travellers - met at Sant'Antonio (www.santantonio.it) in Montepulciano for a long weekend in late November.
Our warm and inspiring hosts - Nico and Elena - were a delight and truly hospitable. Elena also has a family connection to Avignonesi (www.avignonesi.it) - the noted producers of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (current vintage in Wine Spectator's Top 100) as well as the much awarded Vin Santo "Occhio de Pernice". Their olive groves yield highly perfumed and fruity olive oil.
Our first experience was the Tuscan specialty - pappardelle al cinghiale - sampled at La Foce. The next night was at Osteria del Leone in Bagno Vignoni (where the hot baths are found) owned by Nico and apparently the oldest in southern Tuscany (www.illeone.com). We ate and drank soooooooo well. Gnocchi allo zafferano, coniglio al vino rosso and insalata di finocchio were the dishes I chose. The fennel was shaved with the simplest dressing of lemon and olive oil. Richard had the tagliata with olive oil and rosemary.
Next day we took ourselves to Montalcino in search of the 2006 Wine Spectator's wine of the year - Casanova di Neri, Brunello di Montalcino, Tenuta Nuova 2001. We did not find it and if we had it would have been 3 times the price. So we had a hearty and gutsy tasting lunch at Il Grappolo Blu of crostini assortiti, salsicce e fagioli and cinghiale al vino bianco - all washed down with a half bottle of Brunello di Montalcino.
Other fun things we did was go to a Vin Santo tasting in Montefollonico; tasting sheeps milk cheese in Pienza and, finally, a light meal (with amazing wines which I can't remember right now) at La Porta in Montichiello.
Photos to follow as soon as I find my camera cable!!!!!!!!!!!
I have found my camera cable - finally! The photos are of neither Montepulciano nor Montalcino. The first shot is a shot taken while approaching Pienza - the next shot is in the town. Montefollonico is the third shot. We went there because they had a Vinsanto tasting which was very disorganized! Sant'Antimo is the next shot but doesn't do it justice. The olive tree is just one of many ancient trees surrounding Sant'Antimo.

Trento, Trentino Alto Adige

Wonder why I love Italy?!? Here is our latest short trip - Trento in the mountainous north-east. The first photo is the Piazza del Duomo. Notice the frescoed exterior walls of the building behind the fountain. The next is the same piazza at night from a different angle.

The famous painter Albrecht Durer painted this church.

The scenic views are taken on top of one of the hills behind the town and we are looking down over the city of Trento.

The view from our hotel window below - the church of Santa Maria - Hotel Accademia Vicolo Colico 4/6 38100 - TRENTO.

Below is the famous Christmas market in Trento - il Mercatino di Natale - where I purchased some speck from Alto Adige and the sweetest locally made copper frypan just the right size for one fried egg (maybe served with fresh shaved truffles - see below!!!!)

One of the recommendations from I ristoranti d'Italia from the fabulous Gambero Rosso gang- (http://www.gamberorosso.it/portale/Homepage/homepage) - is the restaurant/wine bar Lo Scrigno del Duomo which is housed in a frescoed very old building in the Piazza del Duomo (see top photo). We tried the local speciality canederli along with some local wines from Trentino (NOT Alto Adige) - a white varietal called nosiola and a red tereldego. Another recommendation which we tried was the Osteria Due Spade just behind the Piazza del Duomo. We nearly died over the roast pheasant breast with chestnuts accompanied by a, this time an Alto Adige wine, Pinot Nero riserva by Hofstatter.

White truffles in San Miniato, Tuscany

It's white truffle season in Italy and boy have I indulged!!
http://www.italianmade.com/foods/subcat29001.cfm



First off, we tasted (three times in Bologna in 3 different restaurants) Tagliolini all'uovo al Tartufo Bianco (fresh egg pasta with butter and shaved white truffle). That did it for me and so I had to find more fresh truffles (now I know how those truffle hunting dogs feel like). To my delight, Richard found an advert for a truffle festival in Tuscany. Perfect! The next week-end we jumped on a train to Firenze (1 hour in the Eurostar), a short regional ride from Firenze to San Miniato and a short bus-ride from there to the hill-top town of historic, picturesque, history and truffle infused, San Miniato (see photo).
As soon as we got off the bus we could smell the earthy delights - all we had to do was follow our nose and our increasingly gurgling stomachs in anticipation of the fungal delight.
Following the signs to the truffle festival, we discovered the stalls displaying mountains of the dirty tempters. However, we could not stop to look - we had to eat!!!

The discovery of the local hotel and restaurant:
Albergo Ristorante Miravalle*** Piazzetta del Castello, 3 - 56027 San Miniato (Pi)Tel. ++39.0571.418075 - ++39.0571.401015 Fax ++39.0571.401968
E-mail: info@albergomiravalle.com,
with its special truffle menu for 50 euro was worth the trip. I cannot begin to describe how superb it was. The menu consisted of a welcome glass of prosecco followed by a degustation of 5 starters, 3 first courses, 4 main courses and 2 dessert. We drank Antinori's Badia a Passignano with all courses except dessert which was accompanied by a muffato (on the house).
Finally, we waddled out of the restaurant and bought fresh truffles (15 grams for 30 euro), a truffle shaver and one litre of new season olive oil from the San Miniato hills before heading back to Firenze for a quick shop before catching the train to Bologna.
The festival is on every November during truffle season. It's on our agenda for next year. Don't miss it. Here's the menu:

MENU’ DEGUSTAZIONE TARTUFO BIANCO DELLE COLLINE SANMINIATESI

Mousse tiepida tartufata,
Bignolina calda alla fonduta di tartufo,
Crostini alla crema di mascarpone e lamelle di tartufo,
Sformatino di baccala’ e tartufo
Lonzino di cinta senese con lamelle di tartufo,

Tagliolini all’uovo con lamelle di tartufo,
Risotto carnaroli tartufato con scaglie di pecorino,
Crespella di farina di ceci farcita con ricotta di pecora, patate e tartufo,

Carpaccio di vitellone con scaglie di parmigiano e lamelle di tartufo,
Coniglio farcito con magro di manzo e tartufo,
Uovo con scaglie al tartufo,
Sformato di patate,

Sfogliatina al cioccolato su salsa di fragole,
Bavarese alla crema con frutti di bosco e lingua di gatto.

Stunning sanctuary and vista at San Luca, Bologna

A few weeks ago we walked up to San Luca from Bologna - a sanctuary on a hill about 5 km from Bologna. I didn't realise that 3.5 of those 5 were uphill!!! In fact, 3.5 km of covered porticos uphill doesn't sound so bad but it was an effort - especially when trying to pretend that it wasn't! We finally got there and the view was superb - but let's face it, once you're there - then what? You go back down. This photo was not taken by me.




The portici from the outside.....

















....and from the inside. We're almost there.
















And the view from the top - mozza fiato (that's Italian for breathtaking)

Firenze, Davide and knock-offs

Ahhh, Firenze. So beautiful and charming (see the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio above and David's butt left) and sooooooo full of tourist groups!!!!
UGH!
I wish it wasn't so. After Bologna - tranquil, genteel, NO tourists (just a few full-time and part-time expats), the historic centre of Florence was like an open air museum.
Nevertheless, I will persist.
We are to return next week to discover quieter waters and eat and drink at the Marchesi Antinori and Marchesi de' Frescobaldi wine bars. Stay tuned.

And now for one of my pet hates - knock-offs! What is it with the EU that tolerates the plethora of immigrants displaying their copies - Gucci, D&G, Burberry and the list goes on - only for some to attempt to restrict imports from China to protect the incumbents. Now that's inconsistent.
No-one is going to believe you spent $2000 on a handbag when they see what kind of shoes you're wearing - it's inconsistent. And we wouldn't want to be that. What is the point? It's just another uniform.
Stay tuned for more pet hates.......

Godot Wine Store #2

The bad news.....After being so keen on Godot Wine Bar earlier - we have now discovered that it's closed down!!!
The good news.....They have another, better one where you can actually have a proper meal as well as the great selection of wines by the glass. Via Cartoleria 12 - the web address is the same.

Italian Made

Click on the title link to check out this great website on the food and wine of Italy. Much to explore.

My Palate loves Godot Wine Bar

Latest discovery is the Godot Wine Bar just off the Piazza Santo Stefano in Bologna (my favourite piazza). Wines by the glass that change weekly - sometimes daily. We are recently indulging in some fabulous whites and reds from Alto Adige. For instance, a Franz Haas Manna '03 - an interesting white blend as well as a crisp and perfumed Müller-Thurgau. You can have a simple dinner there but we have not yet. We have had a platter of affettati e formaggi with bread and grissini so the wine doesn't go straight to your head. YUM!

Here we are in Bologna!

Finally got a chance to update. We are now in beautiful Bologna in the region of Emilia Romagna in the north of Italy. We'll be here until February - a long sojourn with plenty of time to explore and partake in the delicious mountains of pasta fresca. This is the Piazza Santo Stefano - my favourite in Bologna. We take an aperitivo at the bar in this piazza.

Tsé and Longchamp

A quick update on our Longchamp excursion.
Well, our day at the races is over - what we lost in cash we made up for in calories at the generous brunch at Tse in the porte d'Auteuil in the 16th arrondisement.
We met our friends at noon at Tse and, for 20 euro a head, we had way too many carbs and saturated fat - but alot of fun - in a very cool restaurant designed by Jonathan Amat. We walked off the calories (dreamer, I know) through the Bois de Boulogne on our way to the hippodrome.
We didn't back a single winner but a few that placed.
The free area is the place to go if you don't want to be too precious about clothes, shoes and hats. It was very comfortable and surprisingly not crowded. The barriers only ever got about 2 deep. Large screens made watching the progress easy and food, drinks and bookmakers were on standby. Some were dressed up and others - like us - wore 'neat casual' attire.
Compared to some race meetings I've been to, the general atmosphere was very gentil.
A thoroughly recommended day out if you find yourself in Paris when the race is on.

Longchamp

This isn't really a food blog - but it is travel I s'pose.
We are off to Longchamp races tomorrow!!!! I'll let you know how the food was.

Le Gorille Blanc

Here are my thoughts on Le Gorille Blanc - a fabulous neighbourhood bistro in Paris near the Bon Marché that we hadn't tried before.
I didn't want to go because the name sounded silly but I was so very nicely surprised. The food was beautifully executed - not the overcooked plats you often have in Paris bistros. The service was very professional but also had the feel that you were in someone's private dining room. Very warm and welcoming.
To begin I had persillé de lapin - the gelatine was light and had that desirable lip-smacking quality you find in well-reduced meat stocks.
Richard had the terrine de champignons avec crème à l'ail. The terrine was superbly rich and flavoured with what I assumed were cèpes. I am going to make that one.
Next we both had the jarré de veau confit au miel et romarin with what I will call (because I don't know and didn't ask) terrine d'asperge. The delicate, honey sweet jus was light and lean and the terrine was loaded with fresh asparagus.
Finally, the tarte fine aux figues. An almost paper thin disc of pastry with thinly sliced fresh figs loaded and layered on top, baked and dusted with icing sugar. Simple perfection.
On the down side: the colour of the walls was a bit pastel yellow for my taste.
A bottle of Moulin à vent completed the meal. Total cost for two: 100 euro.

Welcome to my blog

Woke up this morning after a fabulous dinner wanting to share my thoughts on the food I love in Paris (and elsewhere for that matter - not least my own kitchen).