May 29, 2008

Spanish Roadkill- a baker's dozen


When my French Kitchen gets side tracked, as it often does, it’s usually because I live too close to Spain—close to the Atlantic, close to the Mediterranean and close to… a completely different palate. From the latest Spanish Road Trip with Signor Clinch, a dozen pictures of markets and bars in Gallicia.

Gallicia of pulpo, Ribeiro, chorizo, morcillo, and corporal and spiritual pilgrims.


Bar kitchen 0'46


chorizo cooked in wine


little bowls of wine

granite market

pilgrim's dilemma


Gallego Greens


Special spunds ...and they are.


For Judy- salted pork fat- rancio


Market go cart

so Fsh this fsh


for Steve Sando at rancho gordo

Souvenirs to take home to Camont's potager- piment de Padron

the end@
Santiago de Compostello




May 12, 2008

Berry nice...



I wasn't kidding about seeing red. The flavor of the moment is Strawberry, here in the flat fertile Garonne River Valley. And while our own potager at Camont is growing greener by the minute, (tarbais beans are 6 inches high, leeks, kale and courgettes sprouted, tomatoes, aubergine and peppers in...) it's the fruit of someone else's labor that takes my fancy.


These oversized (and admittedly too juicy) monsters caught my eye at the Nerac Saturday Market. This was a serious flat of big berries fit for a bowl of crème fraiche, to eat like a peach or offer as a 'tip' to the cafe server. Of course, it came home to the French Kitchen.


As large as an egg and at the very peak-and-then-some of ripeness, we couldn't eat them fast enough. This morning I breakfasted on fresh goat's cheese, HALF a berry and black pepper. Then I measured enough sugar over the rest of the berries, added a swish of blood orange juice and put them on the heat as the first cafe au lait brewed.


Bring to a quick rolling boil, and then cool in the syrup and refrigerate. I'll make a fraise sherbet with creme fraiche and fresh cream, pain perdu et sirop des fraises, and add lemon verbena tea and sparkling water for an afternoon cold drink- a T-Garden soda.

Happy Spring!!!

May 04, 2008

Spring makes me see RED!!!


Home sweet Home to a French Spring that is as RED as it is green.

From the Lot-et-Garonne market gardens to our near daily markets, French artisan food producers keep us in the pink and healthy with several varietals of sweet, perfumed fraises.

Charlotte, gariguette, mara des bois, ciflorette... all in the height of the season. Last week's summer warm weather (75-80') made for some super sweet juice available from one enterprising producer.



After filling a basket full to make a strawberry shortcake, French style... I saw nothing but red,


red,


and more RED!



Welcome home!