twas the night before Toussaint…
In France, we changed the time back last weekend. This week has been the usual jet-lag trying to catch up with the hands on the clock. Since Bacon doesn’t wear a watch, he is hungry an hour earlier and needs to be walked along the towpath in the dark. Neither of us go very far and usually he chickens out before I do. Tonight as I made the rounds to lock the Relais de Camont against the night before settling in the barge, Bacon had a barking frenzy at what I took to be... Read More
Camp Cassoulet- compass heading Southwest
For those of you meeting me on Saturday (or for those just wishing you could meet me on Saturday) here is the plan for the first ever Camp Cassoulet! Meet me at the Relais de Camont at 9:45 orat the Nerac Market- cafe next to the maison de presseat the market square. Each team will shop for all the necessary ingredients for cassoulet- confit de canard and/or pork, saucisse de Toulouse, couenne (pork rind), ventreche, etc. I’ll supply the vegetable basics (onions,... Read More
Fall back… Truffle News!
It was six and a half months ago when I wrote that Spring was coming.Just now at 5:35 those same plaintive calls from so high are announcing that winter is at last on the way- the sound of 200some cranes overhead waking me from an afternoon reverie. Here on the ground, it’s a sign for other winter rites. So grab your beret and jackets and if not flying south, then think about the winter treats to come- foie gras, armagnac & truffles.For more truffleness consult: here... Read More
Spilled beans… Camp Cassoulet continues
, Back to work.No use crying over spilled beans.After all the tea and sympathy for the loss of my oldest cassoulet cassole, I am back on the track… with a few diversions along the way. Camp Cassoulet begins this week with a jaunt to the Not Freres poterie outside of Castelnaudary. With that goal in mind I decided to load up as many pots as my 2CV will carry. After securing enough pots to throw around, I invite any and all readers within cooking distance to join me All Souls/All... Read More
Cassoulet- part #3 interruptions
11:55 am 11:57 am J’ai casse’ ma cassole. (jchay kass-ay maa kass-ole) translation: I broke my cassoulet pot. This should be a sad story but my Mother visiting from the states and looking over my shoulder starting laughing. Clearly she doesn’t understand the seriousness of all this blogging! But I had to admit a pile of priceless beans, two legs of confit and a good length of sausage spread across the tile floor and sprinkled with terracotta pot... Read More
