About the coolest place on this Gascon planet is under the oak trees, in the ‘parc’ between the boule-au-drome and potager, within earshot of the chicken yard (tais-toi, Henri IV, it’s middle of the afternoon already!). That just happens to be where I moored my movable office this summer. A good thing, too!

This is the summer that was. Hot. Sultry. Summery. Not enough rain to keep the garden watered but the tomatoes are great! Hot enough to sleep with the fans on all night and drown out the aforementioned rooster’s night song.  A real rare hot Gascon summer where a good wet thunderstorm is what we need.

However, these dry days are perfect for harvesting the purple pod beans given to me by Robert Hammond at Honeyman Creek Farm. The little hand written package said that they came over the Oregon Trail in the 1850′s and now they are growing here at Camont in SW France. What seemed like an abundance of beans on the vine, now looks merely like one good cassoulet’s worth.  But that’s going to be a great Cassoulet- a l’Americaine!

When Vetou Pompele stopped by to sit in the shade, gossip and help me shuck beans, I dipped into ‘the piggery’ (the larder for those not used to Camont’s layout)  for a fast food lunch… French fast food. Vetou plucked some ripe coeur de boeuf tomatoes and three jars later plus one bottle, we were ready to schuck,  sort, and talk story the rest of the long hot day.

A Three Jar Lunch

1. pate de campagne ’09- this was a yet another taste test and yes, the was just enough salt and piment d’espelette.
2. estouffade or escaoudoune- a gascon version of pulled pork cooked with onions and sweet wine
3. confiture de tomates et chilis- my own potager version inspired by New Zealand friends. Hot, sweet and tangy!

After the lazy meal under glass, (actually it entailed hours of cooking but weeks ago!), I got down to business and nudged my faithful hound aside for another hot afternoon tradition- the Nap Attack. oh, these dog days…