The Gascon clock tells me it’s half past summer. The wheat is harvested. The corn is tasseling out. The sunflowers are in full bloom.

Driving Gascony is what I call these field trips. My R&D, research & devour, to discover what lies behind the painterly landscapes of southwest France. I hit the road a lot this month with friends and guests while our new site was being created by Georgia W back at Camont.

Unchained from the virtual world, we sought the real deal, the in-your-mouth experiences, and the memorable souvenirs of Our Gascon Summer 2010. Here are a few of my favorites:

• The Night Markets at Le Frechou, Vianne and Nerac- suckling pigs, plates of ripe tomatoes, moules frites and drinking cold rose with friends.
• La Route de Blé- the Wheat Road to discover the ripening fields, ancient mills and best bakers for our new ‘Baker-flourwatersaltyeast’ course.
• Baroque Music drifting from under a 19th Century bandstand along a quiet River Baïse near Nerac while eating good food prepared by Lionel and Luc.
• Making golden scones with our own eggs while worker bees pick pears, plums and berries for breakfast from our own backyard- a harvest of Gascony’s great climate. (Oops, Bacon just ate all but one scones out of the basket!)

I hope you enjoy the bright look, colors and programs created for you on our new site so that you, too, can ‘Drive Gascony’ with me as we celebrate our French fork to table courses at Camont.  Bonne Route!