All of the below, with the welcome addition of some cool, sweet melon charentais and Bayonne ham (delectable), foie gras as made by my mother (divine decadence!), a thimbleful of champagne, salade verte to my heart's content, clafoutis de cerise and more I can't quite remember now...
*burp*
I love going home - can you tell?
Showing posts with label holidays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holidays. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
Things I am looking forward to eating in France
On Friday morning, I leave for Toulouse to catch up with family and a beach holiday. Despite my repeat reminders to myself to focus on the here and now, I just can't wait to go home, lounge around and read non-improving books.
Here are some of the things I am really looking forward to eating:
Haricots verts
As a child, we used to dread haricot vert season because it was just so intense. First, we'd have to pick the damn things early in the morning before it got too hot. Then they would feature at lunch and possibly at dinner too. For what felt like weeks on end. Plus they were green. And ubiquitous. We didn't know how lucky we were.
The haricots verts you get in Sweden are wrong in all sorts of ways. First of all, I have been spoiled when it comes to freshness. I mean come on, you pick in the morning to eat at lunch - can't really get fresher than that. Also they come from East Africa which is great for East African farmers, but not so great for the old carbon footprint. Nor is it great for the food budget - outrageous prices! Finally, they are just too stringy for this haricot snob.
Magret de canard
Duckbreast, but actually I'd be glad for any part of the duck to be honest. It should be cooked over a woodfire, bright pink in the middle and served with parsleyed pommes sautées cooked in duck fat. Hells bells, I am drooling already.
White peaches
These delicate little beauties are hard to find abroad because they don't travel well. But the rewards! Sweet, juicy and parfumée, they are perfect after any meal as you let the juices run down your wrists. They spell summer for me.
Le plateau de fromage
This year, I will forgo all soft unpasteurised cheeses. It's a tough thing to do, but at least I will be consoled by the likes of Ossau Iraty and other Pyrenees cheese made with cow or ewe's milk. Sharp yet creamy, they are absolutely delicious with a good piece of baguette (my mother has informed me that she has ordered daily fresh bread - I am in heaven). We do not bother with crackers, digestives, fruit or other preserves here, it is just pure unadulterated cheese bliss.
Salade de tomates
Not a fancy dish by any means, and probably not with homegrown tomatoes either, but with a sharp red wine vinegar dressing and some finely chopped red onion, this is another summer starter hit. I can feel the sweet acidy taste hitting my tongue now, soothed by the olive oil... The juices get soaked up with a piece of bread. Heaven.
Here are some of the things I am really looking forward to eating:
Haricots verts
As a child, we used to dread haricot vert season because it was just so intense. First, we'd have to pick the damn things early in the morning before it got too hot. Then they would feature at lunch and possibly at dinner too. For what felt like weeks on end. Plus they were green. And ubiquitous. We didn't know how lucky we were.
The haricots verts you get in Sweden are wrong in all sorts of ways. First of all, I have been spoiled when it comes to freshness. I mean come on, you pick in the morning to eat at lunch - can't really get fresher than that. Also they come from East Africa which is great for East African farmers, but not so great for the old carbon footprint. Nor is it great for the food budget - outrageous prices! Finally, they are just too stringy for this haricot snob.
Magret de canard
Duckbreast, but actually I'd be glad for any part of the duck to be honest. It should be cooked over a woodfire, bright pink in the middle and served with parsleyed pommes sautées cooked in duck fat. Hells bells, I am drooling already.
White peaches
These delicate little beauties are hard to find abroad because they don't travel well. But the rewards! Sweet, juicy and parfumée, they are perfect after any meal as you let the juices run down your wrists. They spell summer for me.
Le plateau de fromage
This year, I will forgo all soft unpasteurised cheeses. It's a tough thing to do, but at least I will be consoled by the likes of Ossau Iraty and other Pyrenees cheese made with cow or ewe's milk. Sharp yet creamy, they are absolutely delicious with a good piece of baguette (my mother has informed me that she has ordered daily fresh bread - I am in heaven). We do not bother with crackers, digestives, fruit or other preserves here, it is just pure unadulterated cheese bliss.
Salade de tomates
Not a fancy dish by any means, and probably not with homegrown tomatoes either, but with a sharp red wine vinegar dressing and some finely chopped red onion, this is another summer starter hit. I can feel the sweet acidy taste hitting my tongue now, soothed by the olive oil... The juices get soaked up with a piece of bread. Heaven.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Holiday destination revealed
Our holiday destination was in fact Tunisia, hence the arabic Coke. The first picture is of the Gulf of Tunis taken from the ancient site of Carthage, and the second was from the terrace of a cafe in the village of Jedidi on market day. We were staying in the very touristic town of Hammamet, but it also appeared to have a lot of visitors from Tunis as well as Algeria. At night, the whole family wanders around town, slurping ice creams and weaving through the dense traffic. Tourism for Westerners is mainly limited to these areas and to all-inclusive hotels which I'm sure is fine for a while, but it must get pretty boring after two weeks: where is the fun in eating at the same restaurant day in, day out?
I have a relative there I'd never met so I gave her a call and she picked us up as well as gave us a fabulous dinner. First she gave us a tour of the local town and I was bombarding her with questions about Tunisia and was starting to really like her. Then we got to her place and discovered that she has a live in maid, no older than 16. Bizarro.
I have a relative there I'd never met so I gave her a call and she picked us up as well as gave us a fabulous dinner. First she gave us a tour of the local town and I was bombarding her with questions about Tunisia and was starting to really like her. Then we got to her place and discovered that she has a live in maid, no older than 16. Bizarro.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
And I'm back - typical of me to start a new blog a mere couple of days before I'm due to go away on holiday, talk about setting yourself up for a fall.
Anyroad, some holiday pics
Can you guess where it is yet?
Going through the holiday snaps has made me realise 2 things, a) the double chin has to go and b) I don't think I can get away without make up. Neither of these are particularly rejoiceful and have about the same effect as shopping for a new bikini (couldn't be avoided this year).
Sigh
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