Food and French Country Life!

Me on the steps of 'The Old Presbytery'

Hi everybody, welcome back to a taste of village life in the Charente region of south west France. I am really looking forward to sharing with you my passion for this beautiful corner of France.

This week I thought we would look at food. The subject seemed an obvious choice, as not long after moving here, I realised while talking to a French person, no matter what the subject, the conversation would always come back to food! Yes, it is not a myth; the French are passionate about food. 

It is indeed through food that our neighbours reached out the hand of friendship to us in so many ways. Francoise and Jacques, an elderly couple from the village, had the most wonderful potager (vegetable garden). I saw them there each morning when I opened the shutters and Jacques would still be there in the evening, when the church bell called him in for aperitifs at seven. During the growing season, they often had more than they needed and Francoise would appear at the door and present me with a basket full of the most delicious tasting tomatoes, broad beans or whatever happened to be in season. 

I remember a lovely afternoon shortly after I got to know her, when she took me down to her cellar. It was like stepping back in time. Francoise preserved food as they have done in the Charente for years, bottling it in Eau de Vie, (a clear colourless brandy made by fermentation and double distillation of grapes). Not only fruit, but she showed me glass jars of Foie Gras and something called Civet de Lapin, which turned out to be jugged rabbit. She went on to explain she had preserved the Civet about thirteen years earlier and described

how the flavour would improve with keeping. It was our great honour to be served this ancient stew a few weeks later for Sunday lunch with the family. Yes, I did feel a little nervous tucking into something that was celebrating its thirteenth birthday, but I have to agree with Francoise that the flavour was out of this world.

In the next village, a weekly street market was held throughout the year. This provided us with the opportunity to sample a wide range of different specialities from around the Poitou-Charente region. It is worth pointing out that some of the best sea food in France comes from the Atlantic coast of our department, which is famous for its oysters and muscles. One of the best day trips I can remember was to La Rochelle on the coast, where I enjoyed the perfect 'Moules Frites' (muscles and chips) in a little restaurant overlooking the harbour, complemented beautifully by the smell of the Atlantic ocean.

Finally, I couldn't finish this chapter on food without mentioning my favourite restaurant, 'Chateau des Tallyrand' in the small town of Chalais.  The setting for this restaurant is within the castle itself, approached by its original drawbridge. The magic continues inside with the reception one gets from the host, a Monsieur Jean-Louis Bruneau. Jean-Louis welcomes each guest personally and remembering names and faces, he manages to make each guest feel special for the evening. Behind the scenes, he presides over a professional kitchen with talented chefs, creating delicious food in the true French style, utilising local, fresh and seasonal produce. 

I hope you have enjoyed this look at French country food in my region and perhaps someday, if you read the book, it will help provide the perfect backdrop. In the meantime, I look forward to the next time we meet, when I will introduce you to more aspects of our life in France and living the dream!

Bienvenue! Welcome to French country life.

Hi, everyone! Welcome to the first in this series of posts from the Charente region of southwest France. Over the next months, I look forward to sharing with you my experience of life in a small French village, at the heart of this beautiful region. As you can see from the map to the right, the Poitou-Charentes area is divided into four separate departments. In the south of the region you have Charente-Maritime - the coastal area to the west and further inland La Charente - the gently undulating hilly area where we made our home. If you look closely at the map, to the left of the word Charente, you can just make out the name of Angouleme, the large fortress town, which is the capital of this department. The old presbytery where our story is set, is situated in a little village 30 minutes to the south of here.

Me & Murphy my dog

One of the reasons we chose this part of France was the climate. It boasts some of the mildest and sunniest weather in the country, after the Mediterranean coastal area of the south. Around our village the countryside is vast, the Poitou-Charentes region itself covering some 10,000 square miles. The main crops in the rolling fields are sunflowers and maize, with some vineyards mostly growing grapes for the famous Pineau des Charentes. This is an aperitif created almost exclusively in the Charentes. It is a fortified wine made from a blend of lightly fermented grape must and Cognac  eau-de-vie; a rich golden aperitif with quite a kick. It didn't take us long to acquire a taste for it!

Surrounded by such beautiful countryside, it is not surprising that the 'Randonnée' is the most popular form of recreation, with Petanque or Boules a close second. It is basically a cross-country hike, often organised by the village walking club or just a group of friends. We had only moved in to the presbytery about a month, when the door bell rang and I was greeted by a group of French ladies of a certain age, dressed in sturdy walking shoes and brandishing long hiking sticks. They had kindly called to ask me to join them on the weekly Randonnée, which met each Wednesday in the village square. Through their kindness, I soon got to know my neighbours and improve my French, (although I have to say, at first, walking and talking French was a tall order and I often returned exhausted). It was, however, the most wonderful way to discover the countryside.  For the first time in my life, I walked alongside sunflowers well over six feet tall, with heads the size of huge dinner plates and marvelled how they all turned towards the sun, as it journeyed across the clear blue sky.

Coming from a small country like Ireland, I soon discovered the size of France and the vast openness of the countryside would be a wonderfully liberating part of my new adventure, which was to blossom into a life long love affair with this beautiful place. In the months ahead I look forward to sharing it with you.

Life in the south of France, in tune with the Church bells!

Welcome back everyone! After a little Tuscan dreaming, I think it's time to come back down to earth. Recently I found myself with some time on my hands. The book is finished and while I endeavour to search for a publisher, I had the idea that it would be fun to introduce you to the house at the heart of my memoir, 'The Old Presbytery'. 

We spent three wonderful years here, in the centre of a tiny village in the Charente region of south west France. In my next blogposts, I hope to share with you some of our experiences;  renovating an old French house, discovering this beautiful area of France and discussing the food of the region. Of course our story will be in the book, but what a wonderful opportunity this is, to set the scene for you. I can introduce you to the amazing house which remained at the centre of our French adventure, until family circumstances dictated our return to Ireland. Not before our renovation was complete, however, and the old presbytery was up and running, as a beautiful 'Chambre D'Hote'.

The picture below shows the house shortly after we bought it.  As to how we found it, well, it was a case of love at first sight for me. Not in an estate agents window, but on the Internet hundreds of miles away in Ireland. We did, of course, eventually view the property, but only after exploring many other regions. What we didn't fully appreciate when we moved in, however, was that the position of the house at the heart of the village and next door to the Mayor, was to make our French adventure a complete integration into village life. It meant our lives would be bound up entirely with our French neighbours, often proving both challenging and hilarious, but ultimately never boring!

The Old Presbytery

The house was built in 1852 as the presbytery for the village Church, which stands nearby. Our neighbours had many happy memories of the place.  They enjoyed telling us of times, as children, when they would attend confirmation classes in the front room and of summer Fetes in the grounds, when the whole village gathered to enjoy a family day out. They explained that our old barn in the garden, housed the 'corbillard' or hearse. This was a beautiful old horse drawn affair, brought out when any one in the village passed away.

And so it was that as we renovated this lovely old place, we lived our lives by the bells of the Church. Rising in the morning early, before the mid day heat, to the sound of the 'Angelus' and downing tools at seven in the evening, to enjoy an aperitif at the end of the working day.

Join me next time and I'll share more of this lovely region of France and village life in the Charente. 

Tuscany-Lifted into Gothic splendour to fly with the Angels!

Hi, everyone! So glad you dropped by. Just this week, I came across an e-mail from my daughter. Nothing strange there, I hear you say, and you would be right, as we often keep in touch this way. This e-mail, however, is different; it contains something of a first for me - a link to a recording of a piece of organ music. On first inspection, the subject matter of the e-mail is entitled, 'Memories of Tuscany' and below, the only text reads - 'Remember hearing this music playing in the little chapel we went into?'

The air inside is still, its coolness pouring over our sunburnt shoulders, feels like cleansing holy water, as we step inside the little chapel, out of the relentless heat of the mid-day Tuscan sun. Around us a heavenly silence hangs in the dark, damp air, so quiet that its assault on our senses is as profound as any cacophony of noise one can possibly imagine. Gradually, our eyes adjusting to the light, we focus on marble pillars, drawing our gaze upwards to the Gothic splendour of a deep-blue roof, dotted with golden stars. On either side of us simple wooden chairs face the altar, where a painting of the Virgin Mary gazes down lovingly. Her face illuminated by the light from the many ornate candles on the altar below, reflects the light of Christ in a tranquil corner of our busy world. Suddenly, the emptiness of this holy place is filled with organ music and, as our souls rise on the notes of Bach, we find ourselves lifted into Gothic splendour, to fly with the Angels.

Unbeknown to me at the time, Katie had taken out her phone and recorded the moment and playing it back today, here in my 'empty nest', I stepped out of the Tuscan sun once more, into the beauty of that magical place. You can read about our adventures, a mother and daughter enjoying 'La Dolce Vita' in the Italian sun, in a blog post I wrote some time ago now, entitled - ' Nesting in a Medici Hunting Lodge in the Hills above Florence'.

Perhaps you too enjoy visiting churches on your travels? Please do feel free to share your magical moments!

The Art of French Eating!

Welcome back, everyone! I hope you enjoyed our trip to 'Parfums Sucrés' in my last blog post. Since writing it, I have just finished reading, ' Mastering the Art of French Eating' by Ann Mah. It got me pondering my own years living in France and the profound relationship I developed with food, learning at the table of my wonderful French neighbours and sampling regional dishes from Paris, to the shores of the Cote d'Azur.  

Ann Mah, the wife of an American diplomat is a lifelong foodie and francophile. When she learns of her husband's new posting to Paris, she begins plotting the gastronomic adventures they are going to have. Shortly after their arrival, as they settle into Parisian life, however, her dream of a romantic sojourn in the City of Light is brought to an abrupt end, when her beloved husband is unexpectedly posted to Iraq for a year and Ann finds herself alone in Paris. 

 Faced with isolation, Ann must make a life for herself and it's not long before her love of food draws her out in search of comfort.  She sets off on a journey around France, looking for the signature dishes of each region, delving into their history, how they are traditionally made and at the same time meeting the amazing characters involved in their production. Dishes like cassoulet, boeuf bourguignon and the infamous andouillette sausage, are just a few of the recipes to give up their secrets. Temptingly, Ann ends each chapter with a regional recipe for us to try at home. 

Cassoulet

My own French food experience can be summed up in a word, which Ann explains very clearly towards the end of the book. The word is 'gourmandise'.  It is a wonderful word, for which there is no exact English equivalent, but it sums up the attitude of the French to food, an attitude which is ingrained in them from birth. It is basically the cultivation of an educated palate, the art of fine dining, the enjoyment of a good meal. It originates from the French word for taste, 'gout' and is all-encompassing in its description of the art of food appreciation.

In our little village in France, when you pass the school gates, the menu for the week is printed each Monday morning for parents and children to eagerly anticipate. There will be starter, main course, a cheese course and of course a dessert. Also from an early age the curriculum will include lessons in food appreciation and education of the palate. I know this all sounds a bit extreme, but what it has done for the French is to equip them with the ability to really enjoy good food.

Next time, I will talk more about the food in my region of France, La Charente.  In the meantime, if you too are a francophile, with a love of good food, why not get hold of a copy of Ann Mah's book, 'Mastering the Art of French Eating' and enjoy!

My Favourite place to eat - 'Chateau Talleyrand', Chalais France

'Parfums Sucrés' - My Guilty Pleasure!

Welcome to south west France, where I spent three wonderful years. This morning I would love you to join me in the city of Angouleme, as I return to my favourite chocolatier, 'Parfums Sucrés' on Rue Postes.

Now, we all need a treat sometimes and a visit to, 'Parfums Sucrés' is my guilty pleasure! 

Before we go in, though, let's step back and admire the Artisan approach of the French, to the concept of the Salon de Thé.  Each pastry is a work of art, crafted with love and the display under the glistening lights of the comptoir, resembles a jewellers window. The pinnacle of excellence in the genre can be enjoyed at Ladurée on the Champs Elysées, where the beauty of the macaroons is mirrored in the decadent decor of the salon itself!

Of course, Parfums Sucrés cannot match Ladurée with its sumptuous decor, but its pastries and wonderful chocolates, crafted with the same love and attention, would not be out of place in the salons of Paris. There are, of course, many such establishments in towns all over France.  Today, I invite you to come with me to my favourite, in the heart of the walled city of Angouleme, perched high on its promontory overlooking the beautiful Charente countryside.

Once inside, we find ourselves surrounded by displays of chocolates and biscuits beautifully wrapped in coloured cellophane. Pretty pink and white meringues, next to delicious cocoa covered truffles, make delightful gifts and point the way to the counter or comptoir, where one is invited to choose something to enjoy in the salon above.  After a difficult decision, where one is spoilt for choice, we make our way upstairs to our table.

No frustrating queueing with an awkward tray at Parfums Sucrés. Instead we make ourselves comfortable at a table by the window, while a pretty waitress arrives to take our drinks order. At this point, for me, there is only one choice, their delicious hot chocolate. It arrives in its own beautiful little pot, with accompanying cup and saucer.  On pouring, it can only be described as liquid chocolate! Simultaneously, as if by magic, the culinary works of art chosen at the counter below, appear plated and placed on the table for our delectation. There is nothing left to do, but sit back and enjoy the sophisticated atmosphere of the Salon de Thé. 

But don't take my word for it! Why not try out your linguistic skills - with this review of Parfums Sucrés in French.

Je suis une personne très gourmande et j'ai trouvé mon paradis des gâteaux. La qualité est excellente, patisserie fine, le choix varié avec des thèmes en fonction des saisons et des évènements, comme la fête des mère, ou halloween etc... Une multitude de possiblités de faire des cadeaux sympas et gourmands. L'accueil est très bon, de bons conseils à écouter. Je recommande fortement, moi je ne peux plus m'en passer...

Stepping Out of my 'Empty Nest' into the Lights of Paris..... Revisited!

I was thinking how I might celebrate Christmas with you all and decided, what better way to do it than to share with you once again, the blog that you have made my most successful post ever! It's the true story of a magical Christmas experience and I have had fun revisiting it, hopefully you will too.....

Bear with me, readers, as I jump from nest to nest, but you will probably have gathered by now, in the last decade I have moved my 'empty nest' between Ireland and France, and so, as I feather the empty corners and tidy the twigs, metaphorically speaking, reminiscences of recent adventures are never far from my mind!

With the summer coming to an end and the idea of winter leading me to ponder where I might be nesting this Christmas, my thoughts took me back to early December in my French nest, in our little village in the Charente region, of South West France. 

As usual, things were quiet, everyone having closed their shutters against the freezing temperatures outside, while life beyond ambled along, driven by the church bells' call to rise at seven and stop for lunch at noon. Bright lights and glamour were confined to distant memories of the big city, while here in the countryside the only visible illuminations to be found were in the amazing night skies, where shooting stars darted between galaxies of twinkling lights and the full moon alone illuminated the fields and hillsides below.

Just when my husband and I had become accustomed to wearing clothes as a matter of warmth rather than style and gained our evenings' entertainment from throwing another massive log on the wood-burner and sitting mesmerised, while watching the flames lick hungrily at the glass door.  Suddenly we found ourselves on the TGV to Paris, flashing through the French countryside, at well over a hundred miles an hour.  Where were we heading?  Yes, it seemed rather unlikely, but we were heading for a glamorous fashion show on the 'Champs Élysées', hosted by one of Spain's best known actresses, Victoria Abril!  

It's worth mentioning at this point, as one will find out eventually in my book, that many of the outstanding moments of my life can be traced back to the intervention of my amazing daughter, and this one was a perfect example, as it was Katie who had orchestrated this huge event to raise money for charity.

Having booked into a hotel; in the comfort of our luxury room, my husband and I sipped a glass of champagne, as we peeled off the layers of woolly garments designed for survival in subzero temperatures and for the first time in months slipped into our glamorous evening wear.  Stepping out into the street below, we hailed a taxi and set off into the Parisian night. Minutes later driving up the 'Champs Élysées', on either side of the car, trees covered in fairytale Christmas lights lined the streets and sitting spellbound in the back, I whispered to Ron, "It doesn't get much better than this!"

Finally, stepping out at our destination, in front of the illuminated white marble entrance to our venue, the Christmas lights bounced off the white walls, like the flashbulbs of the paparazzi, completing our final transformation, from French peasant to Parisian socialite!

To enjoy more of my French adventures and read the true story of my life in France, click on the link top right to buy the book or, if you are feeling lucky, enter the Goodreads competition to win one of ten free copies! Bonne Chance!