BLOG.SABLETHOME.COM

New Blog at http://Sablethome.Blogspot.com

2011-09-13T03:54:28Z

Bandits, Crusaders and Other Travelers just posted at Sablethome.Blogspot.com
See you there!

Blog Catalog Interview

2011-08-29T23:08:23Z

Melody Haislip of Blog Catalog has just posted her interview - Living the Dream of Provence which we did last week.

You can read it at: http://blog.blogcatalog.com/2011/living-the-dream-in-provence/

Sablet blog has moved!

2011-08-27T18:03:12Z

Latest Blog - August 27th 2011
Paris to Avignon by TGV - High Speed Train to a Relaxed Vacation!

A bientot!

Sablet Blog has Moved!

2011-08-19T01:56:08Z

Sablet blog has moved!

2011-08-17T05:49:58Z

Thank you so much for visiting this Sablet Blog............ here's the latest news .............

.......... Sablet blog has a new home - please visit us at

                                               http://Sablethome.blogspot.com

      This link does not work, but if you copy and paste it into a new browser page,
         it will get you to the right place. Sorry for the inconvenience....

                                                            A bientot!

May Day - Brocante and Mugettes in Sablet

2011-05-02T02:09:00Z

.......What are Mugettes?

I'll give you a clue......
The (new) Duchess of Cambridge (Kate Middleton), carried a bouquet of Mugettes
when she married Prince William last Friday morning........

Yes ...... Lilly of the Valley!

But that doesn't mean that the French have become huge fans of the Royal newlyweds,
and designated the May 1st as a time to exchange Lilly of the Valley.
(Although they very well be??)

Mugettes have a long history in France as a sign of camaraderie and good luck.

On May 1st 1561, King Charles IX of France received a Lilly of the Valley as a lucky charm. It must have worked well for him, since he decided to begin his own tradition of offering all the ladies of the Royal Court a sprig of the delicate, and
beautifully fragrant flowers each year, on that date.
By the beginning of the 20th Century, it had become customary throughout France
as a way to celebrate the coming of a new Spring and friendship.

My first experience of May 1st Mugettes was while
we were renovating Masion des Pelerins -
I had the "very difficult chore" of going to Sablet for the finishing touches...

(sooooo tough!).

On the way, I stopped in Paris to visit the family of a young gentleman,
who had worked for my company, as an intern for a year while
he was studying in California. I had met his parents when they visited for their son's
graduation. They were a delightful family, who owned and operated a beautiful Florist store in the suburbs of Paris.
Our intern had met beautiful Californian girl during his studies here
- who went back to Paris with him and they married there. Such a lovely couple.
They picked me up at the hotel and on they way to dinner, they wanted to show me the Store. That was the first time I heard about the very charming idea of exchanging Mugettes on May 1st. It was mid April and the store was stocked full of Mugettes. When I asked if these were for an upcoming wedding - they said, "no ... it for the 1st of May, and of course you know that on the 1st of May, friends exchange Mugettes."
They presented me with a very pretty pot of Mugettes
that traveled with me on the TGV down to Sablet when I left two days later.
When I arrived at Maison des Pelerins I made sure
that the pot of Mugettes had a place of honor on the kitchen window sill.

There was another first that year. As the time (and work) in Sablet progressed,
I had the best time getting to know our village and the commercants
- who do such a great job for all of us.
May 1st was a glorious day - sunny and warm.
I decided that this was a day to be spent out in the Courtyard ... gardening.
I had not read all the "affiches" around the village advertising the Brocante that day,
so I was really surprised when I went down to visit Madame Bonnet the Florist.
The Village was alive with people.
Antiques merchants had set up their stalls and Sablet's population had turned out in force along with lots of visitors from many surrounding villages.
I couldn't help but walk around and around looking for all of the things I couldn't live without. (Any kind of market has that effect on me).

I saw wonderful sets of silverware complete with fish knives (hadn't seen those since I was little - my parents had some) - I seriously thought of buying them (just nostalgic), .....but thought again.
Then the china platters .... dangerous ..... yes, I found one I couldn't live without ....
and it works with my grandmother's china, which she very kindly left me.

Satisfied, I started to head back to Maison .... plants and new (old) china platter.... that was when I noticed that not only the florist (I expected that),
but the Epicerie and a couple of other stores had pots and pots of Mugettes!

I then learned that the May 1st Brocante, as well as the Mugettes
is an annual event in Sablet ....
so for me, May 1st is Brocante and Mugettes Day .......
........and wasn't it lovely, and so timely that (the former) Kate Middleton
chose to carry a beautiful bouquet of Mugettes on her wedding day?

Easter Flowers in Sablet

2011-04-25T05:58:00Z

Have you ever had one of those things,
that every time you walk past it you say, "I really must do (such and such)??".
Well, during our time is Sablet last summer there was one of those things .....
every time I walked from Maison des Pelerins to the village via place de l'Eglise,
I passed the side of the Church of St. Nazaire.
The large, shady Plane tree (in the "Place") was surrounded by newly erected balustrades,
to protect the tree from drivers trying to rearrange items in the "Place".
There they stood, seemingly just crying out for some flowers to decorate them.

Eventually, we did it ...... we installed four new "window boxes" ("bacs"), each filled with bright summer flowers - some new flowers at the base of the Plane tree, and a new pot of flowers by the seat.
Our neighbor le cure was so pleased, as were many of the parishioners.
It was lovely having flowers decorate the "Place".

In "Spring Flowers" I recently wrote about the flowers and petit potager that our wonderful neighbor and garden caretaker was going to install at Maison des Pelerins.

Yesterday, Easter Saturday, we received a picture of the new potager and were so excited
to see the new garden boxes planted with tomatoes and aubergines (egg plants).
We emailed back a big "Merci" and asked, "by the way, how are the boxes outside the church doing?" We said that we want to make sure they are replanted this year, and what a shame we didn't think about it earlier so that it would be done for Easter Sunday.

Easter Sunday morning - California time: very early this morning, a new picture arrived!
It was the side of the church with new flowers in the boxes, looking beautiful for Easter Sunday!
Monsieur had started very, very early.
He paid a visit to Madame Bonnet, the Fleuriste for some pretty petunias and other flowering plants.
He renewed the tired soil and had the new floral decorations in place for Easter Sunday visitors.

What a great Easter surprise! We were so happy to see it, and really touched by the fact that Monsieur went out of his way to make it happen, especially on a holiday.
It's the kind of thing that makes our little village of Sablet such a special place.

I can't wait to get back!

Jet Lag - part 2

2011-04-17T16:21:00Z

A few weeks ago, I came across a great article on Fodor's blog about the10 best ways to avoid jetlag.
I started to write about it and .....
............ I got completely sidetracked on a very nice memory that involved the effects of jetlag.
Now ....at last, as promised are the suggestions ........
these are a combination of items in Fodor's article and my own experiences.

With the Spring travel season in full swing, it's important to make the most of the time you have at your destination(s). Laying awake in the middle of the night, waking up at 2am - 3am and being drowsy all day while you should be out enjoying your destination is enough to make anyone irritable
- irritability being one symptom of jetlag.

1.
Start your anti-jetlag campaign even before you get on the plane.
During the week before your travel, start to adjust your internal clock. Gradually shift your sleeping and eating times to coincide with your destination. Then once you arrive, it will be easier to adapt to the local time. For instance, traveling from California to France which is nine hours ahead - start by going to bed a little earlier and waking up a little earlier each day to put yourself closer to French time. Doing that will also adjust your eating times to work better when you arrive.

2.
Pack well ahead of time and try to be as organized as possible.
This cuts down the stress of getting away.
Worrying about all the last minute details really takes its toll on the first few days of vacation.

3.
3.. If you have an afternoon or evening flight, and it is at all possible, try having a massage before your flight.
It really helps you to relax and gives a jump start into your vacation.

4.
4. Overnight flights help - as you can have dinner soon after take off and then go to sleep. Depending on the number of time zones you cross, you will usually arrive at your destination in the morning
- much easier to start your daily routine.

5.
5. After arrival, go out for a walk
- get plenty of sunlight which helps to reset your body clock to your new surroundings.

6.
Back on the plane ..... Stay hydrated.
Drink at least 8ozs of water for each hour of your flight - even if you are not thirsty.

7.
If you wear contact lenses, clean them thoroughly before your flight,
and use eye drops while you're in the air.
When you sleep, you may want to remove your lenses.

8.
Your carry on pack should include:
a bottle of moisturizing lotion, lip balm
and hydrating spray with essential oils (not just water), to spritz your face with.
Be sure to use it inflight - and please note that all liquids must be TSA compliant.

9.
Limit or avoid alcohol in flight.
Cabin air dehydrates and altitude exaggerates the effects of alcohol
(a rule of thumb is one drink in the air equals two to three on the ground).
Make sure you drink at least one glass of water to each alcoholic beverage,
as a drink might help to relax you, but it can also worsen the effects of jetlag.

10.
Try to sleep on the plane - especially important when you are traveling overnight
or when you're flying from west to east.
Don't forget eye shades and neck support pillow.
It's also good to include a shawl as one of your clothing layers
- to double as a blanket for keeping you warm when sleeping.

11.
When you arrive at your destrination, try to do activities appropriate for that time of day.
Try to stay awake until bedtime.

12.
At your destination, do a little shopping. Pick up a few snacks, fruits and drinks - it sometimes helps if you wake up in the middle of the night and it's dinnertime back home.
Having a quick snack when you wake up, often helps you to get back to sleep.

13.
Now ..... if having done all of this ... you still wake up in the early hours of the morning and can't get back to sleep .... be sure to have a good book!

Most of all ... relax, enjoy ...... bon voyage and bonnes vacances!

The First Flowers of Spring

2011-04-13T03:06:00Z

What a way to start the week!

Bright and early on Monday morning, we received an email from a wonderful fellow "Sabletain"
who cares for our "jardin exraordinaire".

He had some suggestions for the new seasons plantings and .........
........... some pictures of les premiere floresons de Printemps - the first blooms of Spring.

Voici ........ Our garden has started to bloom ......

Lilacs against a background of the old church wall ......

Bright blue Wisteria winds its way along the arbor by the kitchen doors .......

Waiting for lavender, roses and, potager hollyhocks to bloom ........
Amongst his great suggestions was building a small "potager"
- two small raised beds where we can plant some tomatoes, aubergines, bell peppers and strawberries - together with the herbs that are already growing ...... a real Provencal welcome to Maison des Pelerins.
I can't wait to see it!

Sablet Newsflash!

2011-04-09T04:13:00Z

Madame Gisele Bonnet of GB Fleurs - Artisan Fleuriste is giving classes in the art of creating floral arrangements at her atelier in Sablet village. The cost is 30 Euros which includes instruction and materials. Madame Bonnet will guide you through the art of creating the type of arrangement of your choice.

What a fun activity while visiting Sablet!

April 1st - Fish or Fool?

2011-04-02T00:53:00Z

The Scene - A spring evening, at a home in the South of France...... A family sits down to dinner.

Tonight, amongst the dishes on the menu is a scrumptious breaded fish filet, gratin of potatoes and sauteed green beans. They have a wonderful starter of the new season's asparagus with Hollandaise sauce and then get ready for the main course. Maman serves the family and then toasting their meal again with the usual, "bon apetit", they begin.

The fish is golden brown with a crispy coating - just the way the kids love it. As they cut into their filets they think, "Maman must have bought these at a new fishmonger!" ....... but ....... no sooner than they take the first bite, the young daughter exclaims indignantly, "Maman! Qu'est-ce que c'est ce poisson?????!!!" Maman and Papa break out into howls of laughter and counter with, "Poisson d'Avril!!"
The kids had been pranked by their parents!
It was April 1st ...... le Poisson d'Avril .... of course!

After much laughing and joking, the family continued with their meal, this time with real fish filets.

One of my French/Ameican friends told me this story, about the trick she played on her children one April 1st. She had carefully cut out fish filet shaped cardboard, very carefully breaded them and cooked them for the kids as an April Fool's day prank. The result was a lot of fun and a very enjoyable meal of real fish, but I'm sure the kids will get her back for the prank one day!

Fish or Fool, the April 1st designation as the day of pranks, appears to have its roots in similat beginnings for both France and Britain 9and I'm sure some other countries).

The most common theory is that April 1st was New year's Dy prior to the introduction of the Gregorian Calendar in 1582. At that time, Charles IX decided to reform the calendar to bring the lunar year into alignment with the calendar year. The date for New Year was changed to January 1st. All learned people made the adjustment, whilst others carried on celebrating New Year's Day on April 1st. They were considered to be mere fools, or fish in the case of the French, since fish were thought to be lowly and unintelligent creatures.

Now ..... we have a day of fun and pranks. In France, you would carry paper fish and try to sneak up on friends, workmates and family, trying to pin one of the fish on their backs. The unsuspecting recipient of the fish walks around with their Poisson d'Avril until they discover it. It's a bit like walking around with "hit me" pinned on your back, and it gives everyone around a lot of amusement.

My favorite of all Poisson d'Avril treats, are all the edible decorations that adorn the patisseries and chocolate stores, paying tribute to the day. Artistic patissiers create fantastic versions of the lowly "poisson". Chocolate fish come in all sizes - with colorful bows tied around their midriffs - small sardines wrapped in colorful foil wrappers - small fish filled with ganache - spectacular fish in sea scapes and tanks surrounded with all manner of other sea creatures around them.

.......... it's all very fishy - but it's a lot of fun!

Newsflash! Weekly Market in Sablet begins in June!

2011-03-22T06:27:00Z

I've just heard that our village will have its own Weekly Market every Friday morning, starting in June and continuing until Mid September! Tous au Marche!

Jetlag ......

2011-03-12T04:52:00Z

Here we are, at the beginning of the 2011 Spring travel season and two weeks ago I found myself on a business trip to South East Asia. First leg, 29 hours with two stops. Trip home….. about the same.

I am so used to our routine flight from San Francisco to Paris, then TGV to Avignon or connection to Marseille that I don’t even think about taking action to minimize jetlag or what clothes to wear on the plane for maximum comfort. Everything just happens.

Then just in time, I found two great articles on that very subject …… as I started to ponder a blog on “Ten Tips To Avoid Jetlag” - somewhat a departure from the usual “Sablet Blogs” – my mind went back to a particular attack of jetlag ……….. and the downside of avoiding jetlag as your body makes a quicker adjustment to the new time zone ……..

……….The down side of course, is that you’ll miss waking up at 3am starving for breakfast, as I experienced on a trip to Paris many years ago. My husband who had been in Europe (on business) for two weeks before I arrived was not amused when I woke him up saying, “I’m dying for a cup of coffee.” Being an absolute Saint he got up, and off we went for a walk in Paris at 3am looking for somewhere to have coffee. Our Hotel was a small one in the Opera district and Madame at the front desk said “definitely no coffee until breakfast”. She said it was perfectly safe to walk in Paris in the middle of the night, “…. It’s not Chicago – we don’t have gangsters!” (This was also the days before we found our now favorite Hotel Relais Bosquet, that has coffee making facilities right in the rooms).

We walked and walked, Paris was wonderfully quiet other than the occasional group of people leaving a night club in high spirits. But all the cafes closed. We walked from the Opera to Madelaine, down the Rue Royal across the Place de la Concorde which was completely deserted – far from its usual daytime look! Left at the Rue Rivoli skirting the Jardin des Tuilleries ….. on and on for about two hours by which time we had decided to head back to the hotel, sans café! Around 5am when we were almost there, we decided to turn right and walk down the Boulevard des Capucines instead of going left to the hotel.

About five minutes walk from our hotel ….. what did we see? ……The Grand Café des Capucines ….. it was open! Le Grand Café des Capucines, has been operating in Paris for about 130 years, and is known for its sumptuous Art Deco style . This opulent (open!) restaurant is one of the Grande Brasseries of Paris. ….. But were they serving coffee? Yes!

Le Grand Cafe des Capucines - one of their beautifully presented business cards.

As we settled into a comfortable red velvet armchair at a table by the large ornate windows, it dawned on us (no pun intended), that we had stumbled into a time when the day and night crossed over in this restaurant. While we were enjoying our cappuccino and croissants, two late night club goers in evening dress, arrived and sat down to a bottle of red wine accompanied by very good looking steaks! No problem for the staff though – they were perfectly friendly and happy serving both dinner and a very early breakfast t the same time. As we later learned, this restaurant prides itself on being a open 24/7 or as they say, “ouvert 7J/7, le jour comme le nuit”. What a great find and what a beautiful setting. After an hour or so of drinking cappuccino and eating croissants, we walked back into the hotel

….. ready to go back to sleep, albeit for just a little while.

Even though jetlag can be annoying ……. It’s hard for me to get too annoyed when I remember our very, very early morning walk through Paris on a warm summer night.

Ten Tips to Avoid Jetlag is coming soon!

Windows on our Village of Sablet

2011-02-19T06:48:00Z

"My windows look our over a tiny town........... I have a bouquet on the windowsill and a counter covered with tangerines, plums, tomatoes and every kind of apple ........ a young woman may be sitting for a small portrait."
..... David Oleski .....

I found this quote, and I thought of our tiny town or Village of Sablet ....... it reminded me of our windows, that look out over the rooftops of the village houses all huddled together, the vineyards and the Dentelles ..... it reminded me of the views on a misty morning...........

...... of the brilliantly colored rainbows that I see from our windows after the brief but spectacular thunderstorms.........

...... of the pretty windows dressed up with white louvered shutters,
looking out over the Village Square.......

........it reminded me of the variety of windows that you see walking around Sablet ..... there are many different styles but .....
they all have a character and charm of their own.

Let's take a peek at the windows of Sablet............

A Roman Arch frames a a window of the twelveth century Church of St Nazaire.....
it has looked out over the village from its perch for around 900 years........

Very Small Windows in a very big wall that surrounds the old village....... the tiny windows were used for for "look outs" over le Plan de Dieu for any "unwelcome guests' and just big enough to do their job, but not let any artillery from opposing armies through...... that also served a dual purpose of being large enough to let light in, yet small enough to protect from the Mistral.

Shuttered Windows ............

Some with fancy shutters...... and some .... not quite so fancy .......
                                                                      some modern .... some ancient ......



      Inviting windows ..........



                                                                                      ........... that say, "come in and join the fun!"

Sophisticated Windows ...... of what once may have been a Maison bourgoise ......

Or this "window" - is actually one of my favorite doors in the village ......

........imaginative and pretty ...... a trompe d'oeil on the door
.... of windows looking out on the vineyards and fields of Provence!

Around My Garden in Provence

2011-02-11T03:41:00Z

"Jardin Extraordinaire".........

.....that's the name of the song, sung by Charles Trenet that plays on the Home Page of SabletHome.com

It will come as no surprise then, that our courtyard garden at Maison des Pelerins is a place that we spend a lot of very happy hours. From breakfast on a cool crisp morning by the fountain to lunch under the cool shade of the large umbrella on a hot summer's day - let's not forget an early evening aperitif as the sun sets and then dinner in the light of the old church steeple until the last bells chime at 10pm.

I just love "pottering" around the garden, trimming here and there, cutting the dead flowers, tying back the wisteria vines, trianing the bright orange Bower Vine on the wall around the fountain and making sure the herbs are "happy".

Here is a little pictorial "Sablet - Provence garden tour" that I hope you will enjoy.



The back wall of our courtyard is also the back wall of the old Church of St. Nazaire ......... Wisteria and Roses climb - on the wall and around the windows. On warm days, when a window is open, we can sometimes hear the sweet sound of the children singing at their Catechism class.

From late Spring to late Summer, Hollyhocks pop up in different spaces all around the garden ..... wherever the wind has blown the seeds .... they happily stand up, their faces smiling to welcome visitors .....

What is this creature???? No it is not the escaped Monster from the Ouveze River!! During Winter 2009/2010 we had a heavy snowfall and were very sad to lose the old, old Rosemary bush that had grown near the front door of Maison des Pelerins for a long time. Our thoughtful gardener saved the root and the large ball at the base of the trunk, which now decorates the base of the Olive tree!

Monsuieur Lyon (the old cast iron fontain)...... roses climbing agianst the old stone wall

Anyone for Dinner?


Potted Geraniums - a must in any French Garden ....... Spring blooming Lilac ..... Wisteria vines....Oleander ....... Lavender ...... Herbs - Bay Laurel - Sage - Thyme - Mint - Rosemary - Tarragon - Basil (of course!) - Chives - Parsley (in season) ......
a welcoming Cypress Tree       ..............

C'est, Mon Jardin ....... Extraordinaire ......

Provence Dreaming ...... in the middle of Winter!

2011-01-31T05:08:00Z

Provence in the summer is Europe’s place of warmth and light

- bright sunlight - lavender fields and le cuisine du soleil!

But ……. Provence in the winter is just as special …. Be it truffles (les truffes) a long time standby for gourmets ….. or the wonderful seafood season which brings incredible shell fish at Christmas time ……… winter fruit like the intensely sweet, almost white, translucent, small grapes of winter …… winter vegetables like cardoons – a delicious vegetable that looks like celery, with coarser ribs, but has a taste that is more like artichoke .

During one of our visits to Sablet, whilst talking to Chef Johannis Sailer of Restaurant Les Abeilles, he told me that the origin of many of the traditional Provençal dishes is the fact that the Provençaux have always been hardworking people who spent their days out in the vineyards, olive groves, orchards and grain fields. In order to be able to go out into the fields in the morning, arrive back at their homes at noon and have their mid-day meal ready to eat before returning to work in the afternoon, they would prepare it in the morning and leave it cooking slowly (known as mijoté). By lunchtime, it was perfectly cooked and lunch could be served, eaten and enjoyed in a more leisurely fashion before returning to work.

One of my favorite dishes that no doubt has its roots in this method of cooking is the Provençal Daube. It’s warm, it’s hearty, it’s fragrant and rich in flavor. It is the very essence of Provençal comfort food.

My most frequently used recipe for Daube is one which is in a Cookbook that I have three copies of – one in Maison des Pelerins, one in La Baume des Pelerins - both in Sablet, and the other at home in California. It is the “French Farmhouse Cookbook” written by Susan Hermann Loomis - (if you haven’t read any of her cookbooks or novels, it’s well worth looking up her books – the recipes are FANTASTIC!) Her description of the dish and the recipe, called Jacqueline Priaulet’s Daube, which is a Beef Daube (it is also commonly made with Lamb), just makes you think of a warm winter meal on a cold evening - by an open fire. The perfect winter meal – Provençal Daube, a fresh green salad, warm crusty bread to mop all the delicious sauce. Accompanied by a glass of Cote du Rhone and your favorite cheese – perhaps an Apple Clafoutis for Dessert - what more can you ask for when your Provence Dreaming in the middle of winter?

Jacqueline Priaulet’s Daube

– from a French Farmhouse Cookbook by Susan Hermann Loomis

10 sprigs of thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried thyme

6 imported bay leaves (bay laurel)

4 strips (3 x ½ inch) orange zest

4 ½ pounds stewing beef (round or chuck), cut into 2 inch pieces

2 ½ cups hearty red wine, such as a Côte du Ventoux or a Vacqueyras (or any Côte du Rhône)

2 tablespoons fennel seeds

9 ounces slab bacon, cut into 1 x ½ x ½ - inch pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 medium onions, peeled and coarsely chopped

6 cloves garlic, peeled

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 large carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into thin rounds

1 cup olives cassées*

Divide the fresh thyme, bay leaves and orange zest into to lots, and tie each lot into a bundle with kitchen string. (If you are using dried thyme, tie it and the orange zest into two small squares of cheesecloth, leaving the bay leaves separate.)

Place the beef, wine, 1 bundle of herbs and a tablespoon of the fennel seeds in a large nonreactive bowl. Mix well, and push the meat down so it is mostly covered with the wine. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours, turning the meat occasionally.
Drain the beef over a bowl, letting it sit for several minutes, and reserve the marinade. Discard the herb bundle.
Place the slab bacon and the olive oil in a large heavy stockpot over medium high heat and sauté, stirring frequently, until the bacon is golden, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pot with a slotted spoon and set it aside on a plate. If there is an excess of fat, drain all but about 2 tablespoons from the pot, and thoroughly brown it on all sides. (If necessary, brown the beef in two batches.) The beef should be good and dark – far from scorched but solidly browned. It will take 10 to 15 minutes to brown the beef if you are doing one batch.
Add the reserved marinade, the onions, and the garlic cloves to the beef and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Then reduce the heat so the liquid is bubbling merrily, partially cover, and cook until the liquid has reduced and nearly evaporated, 30 to 40 minutes.

Marianne’s Note: I like to prepare it ahead – stopping at this stage and refrigerating until I’m ready to continue. Sometimes I do the next steps in a crock pot with the timer set for 4 hours when I leave for work. If using a crockpot, use a circle of parchment paper about one inch larger than the diameter of the crockpot, that has had half inch notches cut in to the paper. Gently ease the paper onto the top of the daube, then cover it and cook. When you lift the lid, lift the parchment out carefully as it will have water in it. This helps the sauce to cook down and not become diluted with the steam that condenses and drips back into the crock pot.

Add enough water to just cover the beef, along with the remaining bundle of herbs and the remaining 1 tablespoon of fennel seeds. Season with salt and pepper to taste, partially cover, and cook until the beef is tender and has absorbed much of the cooking liquid, at least 2 hours. Check the daube occasionally, stirring to be sure it isn’t sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Add the carrots, cover, and cook covered until the carrots are completely tender, another 15 minutes. Season carefully to taste.

To serve, remove the herb bundle and ladle the daube into warmed shallow soup bowls.

6 – 8 generous servings

Bon Apetit!

* Olives cassées are brined with fennel and have a rich, aromatic flavor. If you can’t find them, use ordinary (but unstuffed) green olives.

Note from Susan Hermann Loomis describing this recipe…….

“I love the whole process of making daube: the marinating of the meat as it gradually turns a burgundy color, the tying of herbs into little bundles, the fragrance of the orange zest and fennel as it cooks. Then finally there is the thrill of serving the almost black, toothsome beef that literally glistens in the bowl. I can’t think of a better dish for a winter day, when the sum might shine but the chill goes right to your bones.” From French Farmhouse Cookbook

I can’t think of anything better on a winter’s day either!

Christmas Traditions in Provence - la Fete des Rois

2011-01-07T00:38:00Z

Today, January 6th, La Fete des Rois or the Epiphany marks the end of the Calandale in Provence. The Calandale is the Christmas season that stretches from St. Barbe's Feast Day on December 4th through Christmas and New Year to la Fete des Rois.

The Fete is celebrated with family and friends who gather to enjoy the Galette des Rois.

At the beginning of the year, right after St. Sylvestre, the windows of Patisseries and Supermarkets display their selection of Galettes

- a puff pastry or brioche tarte filled with Frangipane, an almond flavored custard like filling.

Our first experience of La Fete des Rois was three years ago,

at the home of our neighbors in Sablet.

We were invited for galette at 4pm.

We were joined there by other neighbors and friends

who started the late afternoon party with Champagne

and of course galette - three different types.

As the galettes were cut and distributed,

those who found the feves ( the small porcelaine figure)

in their slice of galette were the "king" and "queen" who

dutifully wore the gold cardboard crowns that came with the galettes

for the duration of the evening ...............

whilst dispensing many Royal commands to serve more wine.

One of the Boulangeries in Sablet prominently display both types of

Galette des Rois, puff pastry and brioche

So..... we leave Christmas in Provence for this year ..... the trees will come down, the lights put away till next year,

the "Chimney Climbing Pere Noels" (often seen decorating chimneys)

will climb down for another year

......... now we will turn our attention to truffles!

Christmas Traditions in Provence - Soirée de la Saint-Sylvestre - New Year's Eve

2011-01-01T00:34:00Z

Sainte Sylvestre was the 33rd Roman Pope who died on December 31st in 335 AD. As many days are recognized by a Saint's feast day - New Year's Eve is known as Saint-Sylvestre. The New Year's Eve Party - getting together with friends, at a home, at one of the many restaurants that host special dinners, or a ball, is know as le Réveillon de Saint-Sylvestre.

A New Year's Eve at Les Abeilles - Sablet -
Dinner Guests at Les Abeilles prepare to toast the New Year

The feast of the Réveillon includes the time honored favorites of Fois Gras and Champagne.

Below is a copy of this New Year's Eve Menu at Restaurant Les Abeilles, one of our favorite places to spend New Year's Eve with friends when we are in Sablet. As always, they will be serving this feast to diners eager to see the New Year arrive in a manner they would like it to see the year continue.

A New Year's Eve at Les Abeilles - Sablet -
Tme for fun!

Soirée de la Saint Sylvestre 2010/2011

Corail d’oursin à l’œuf brouillé

Le choix de la première entrée :

Velouté de courge à la huile de truffe et croûtons

Comme un vol-au-vent de champignons

Raviole de petits gris, crème d’ail doux

A New Year's Eve at Les Abeilles - Sablet -
Chef Johannis toasts the New Year with guests

Le choix de la seconde entrée :

Noix de Saint Jacques, mousseline de topinambours

Ragoût de homard

Foie gras de canard poêlé à la tomate verte

Granité à l’églantine

Plats au choix :

Biche rôtie, sauce grand veneur

Cochon noir de Bigorre piqué à la truffe

Barbue en filet nage au romarin

Tous les plats sont accompagnés de légumes

Chèvre, confiture de figue, pain au noix

Happy New Year! - Bonne Annee!

Le dessert :

Bavarois de noisette

Tartelette de carotte au citron confit

Banane rôtie et sorbet pamplemousse

Mignardises

Coupe de champagne à minuit …

Balloons, streamers and Nerf ball pea shooters! Hard to not have fun
on Saint-Sylvestre ......

Bonne Annee a tous! 2011 Happy New Year to all!

Christmas Traditions in Provence - It's almost here .... Treize Desserts time.....

2010-12-22T05:03:00Z

Probably the best known of the Christmas traditions in Provence is the Treize desserts or Thirteen Desserts that finish the Christmas Eve meal.
In her book A Framhouse in Provence, American author Mary Roblee Henry* describes having a Christmas meal with their good friends in Vaison-la-Romaine back in the 1960's. The family, who were quite prominent in the area were also quite formal in their daily lives but particularly when it came to special meals. As they came to the end of their meal and it was near dessert time, the children broke out in a chant, "trieze! trieze!" unitil dessert was served!
That gives us some idea of how well loved this custom is.

As time has gone on, there have probably been some "updates" such as the Patisserie in the area that makes a " Gateau desTreize Desserts" - incorporating all the elements of desert into one cake.
My neighbor in Sablet recommended it as really delicious .... must be sure to try it when we are next in Provence for Christmas.

Below is a picture of the thirteen desserts as it was displayed in Seguret as a part of the Exposition des Santons, and a picture of the description of the "Gros Super", or Big Supper that precedes the thirteen desserts.

Below - les Treize Desserts version 2010
dutifully guarded by "Cinnamon" our longtime Christmas Elf and Santa's watchdog (who at one time, when our boys were little, found himself blindfolded by a would be naughty litte boy)

The thirteen deserts symbolize Christ and the twelve apostles. Although the items can vary, they most commonly include:

       Four Mendiants (the Monks who have taken a vow of poverty)

        Raisins for the Dominicans
        Almonds for the Carmelites
        Dried Figs for the Franciscans
        Hazelnuts for the Augustines

        Four Poors

        Apples
        Pears
        Mandarines
        Dates

        Four Riches (any combination of these)

        Confit Fruit
        Nougat Blanc
        Nougat Noir
        Conig – Quince paste
        Panade – Apple Tart
        Calisson – Marzipan candy, specialty of the Aix-en-Provence area

Fougasse or Pompe a Noel (Olive oil bread)

RECIPE: Panade – Apple Tart with almond frangipane

1 Recipe Galette Dough
        1 cup Flour
        1 teasp. Sugar
        ¼ teasp. Salt
        6 tabsp. Butter – chilled and cut into 1 inch cubes
        3 – 4 tabsp iced water

Combine flour, sugar and salt. Add butter and cut into flour mixture. Add 3 tabsps. Water and continue mixing until dough comes together. If dough is dry, add another tabsp. of water. Gather dough together and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 mins. the dough can also be froze at this point.

1 Recipe Frangipane
         3 ounces Almond Paste
         3 tabsp. salted butter – at room temp.
         1½ teasp. Sugar
         1½ tabsp. Flour
         1 Egg
         1/3 cup Cream

In a stand mixer, combine almond paste, butter, sugar and flour. ‘beat on medium speed until smooth. Add egg and cream - beat on low until incorporated. Use at room temp Frangipane can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

To assemble Panade:

1 Recipe Frangipane

1 Recipe Galette dough

4 Apples – Sierra Beauty or Golden Delicious – peeled and thinly sliced.

¼ cup melted butter

1/3 cup sugar

Roll galette dough into a large round 1/8 inch thick. . Place dough in a parchment lined tart shell. Spread with a thin layer of Frangipane. You can save the remaining Frangipane in the refrigerator for use in other desserts. Place sliced apples over top of frangipane in concentric circles. Pull edges of dough into the center to create a ½ inch crust around the edges. Brush the edges with butter. Sprinkle with sugar and bake in a 400 deg oven for approx. 40 -45 mins.

* Mary Roblee Henry - wrote a novel entitled A Farmhouse In Provence, in the 1960's. It is the story of Mary and her French Diplomat husband who fell in love with the area on a visit to their friends and decided to buy and renovate a run down farm house in the village of Seguret - Sablet's closest neighbor. Her descriptions of Provence during that time are delightful, not to mention looking back at some of the names she mentions - most of the families are still in the area and some of the items in her book are deserving of a blog entry on their own. By popular demand, her book was reprinted a few years ago, and is well worth reading. It's one of those books that I can read over and over again.

Joyeaux Noel a tous - Merry Christmas to all

Christmas Traditions in Provence

2010-12-17T04:11:00Z

Bright garlands of light, Christmas trees, Festive Shop windows, Expositions of Santons, Welcoming garlands and bows on houses, misty mornings .......... it's Christmas in Provence ....

Looking through my photographs, I couldn't help but put together this photoblog of some of my favorite scenes from the Christmases we have spent at Maison des Pelerins our vacation home in Sablet.

If you have ever thought about visiting Provence at Christmas,
I hope these pictures will give you a sense of the fun, festivity and tradition
that accompanies the Christmas season in small villages and larger towns in Provence.
As an added bonus - at this time of the year, Provence has an atmosphere that is much more serene
than it seems to be during the summer "season".

It starts with a very, very early morning view out from the bedroom window of Maison des Pelerins.
A pre dawn, look at the frosty sleeping vineyards .......... I just love this view and take full advantage of every opportunity to enjoy an early morning cup of tea by this window

Looking at this picture - I can almost smell the bread baking at the Boulangerie in the square below

On with the day ....... An Exhibition of Santons in Seguret - our neighboring village .......

Master Santonniers from towns and villages throughout Provence come to this very well known
"Expositions des Santons" to display their creativity.

The Christmas Creche plays a very important role in Provencal Christmas decor

As legend has it, Christ was born in Provence, and Santonniers create scenes that show how the village would have looked at the time of his birth. In addition to the usual figures of the creche, Provencal creches also include characters from the village as can be seen in the display above. It shows the villagers carrying gifts, on their way to greet the new baby Jesus.

Time to do a little shopping ....... the Christmas windows look so inviting

Coffee time at this beautifully decorated cafe in the Village of Seguret

A festive book store window in Carpentras

......... in the village of Seguret

Our Village - Sablet - the festive window of a boulangerie with a great display of Three King's Cakes
(Galette des Rois)

As the day goes on..... streetlights and decorations light up the evening......

Vaison-la-Romaine

Aix-en-Provence cheerful shop windows and street lights add to the festive ambiance

Aix-en-Provence - a canopy of bright Christmas lights guides you all the way down the Cours Mirabeau which is lined on either side with Christmas Market stalls.

Vaison-la-Romaine - the Place du Montfort - dressed up in lights for the season

Dinner time after all that shopping .... The Chateau Martinet - a restaurant near Sablet -
decorated and ready for Christmas and New Year guests

Joyeux Noel! The dining room at Maison des Pelerins ready for Christmas dinner.

"May your days be merry and bright ........."