Showing posts with label Aperitif. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aperitif. Show all posts

06 October 2014

The Atlantic Coast.

My regular friends who follow my posts will know that I've had a miserable time this year.
I love where I live in the beautiful countryside of France and I'm happy just pottering in my garden.
This year I've not been able to do very much, but now I'm feeling so much better and the last of our summer visitors have now left, so Mr France suggested a short trip away to the coast.



 
Before we moved to the middle of nowhere in central France we'd always lived near the sea,
so like a flash I was searching on internet for somewhere to stay, nothing fancy, somewhere quiet, where we could take short walks and enjoy the sea air and that's just what we found.
 
 
This  is where we stayed.
It was a Perfect choice.




Talmont is on the coast of the estuary of 'La Gironde' 
 



On the edge of the cliff was this imposing12th C church.
Very bare inside.

 


 

Most of the houses are stone or painted white with blue shutters and doors and looked like this.




This pretty little village has narrow streets and
only the people who live there are allowed to drive their cars in.

So we saw lots of bicycles, I think some were there just for ornament .

 
 
 
These larger houses had just been renovated and were 'For Sale'
I would have loved to have a peep inside,
but this couple were with an agent and seemed like prospective buyers .
 



I'm always collecting seed heads from plants where ever I go !
but
I only saw this sign after I had my pockets full !
oops !
 
 




I loved this sign outside of a holiday rental house.


 
 
 
 
After our morning walking around the narrow streets, we drove up the coast a few miles
where there are three beautiful beaches. We chose this one to have our lunch.
As you can see hardly anyone around. This is definitely a summer seasonal place.
 I'm sure during the months of July and August this would be so crowded.
But we so enjoyed our time here.



 
After our lunch of fresh fish, the waiter suggested we went down onto the beach to relax,
 and have our coffee sitting under the beach parasols. He must have sensed our needs.
 

 
 
 
 
Then some youngsters came onto the beach for what looked like a sailing lesson.
So the view was constantly changing, first group green sails then the next blue.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Being thoroughly relaxed,
 we then walked from one end of the beach to the other, along the edge of the sea.
 
 


 
 
After spending the afternoon at the beach a little further up the coast
we arrived back to the village where we were staying to have a relaxing aperitif.
 
 
 


This was the 'plat du jour' menu
One course and a glass of wine or beer.
However we had already eaten our main meal at lunch time.
 
 
 
 
 
I was so happy to see at least one or two Roses Trémières / Hollyhocks still flowering.
 

 During the summer months the village is a mass of pink & red from 'Roses Trémières '
which grow along the edge of the walls of the houses.
 
 
 
 
 

I couldn't stop taking photos.


 
 
 
 
Back at our hotel room, each evening the family dog arrived
 for any tit-bits that might come his way.
Those adorable eyes staring at me, made me find something to give him.
 
 
He was still there, until we closed the shutters.
 
 
 
 
I hope you enjoyed seeing a hidden treasure of a place
in France you might never think of visiting.
 
You might be wondering what happened to the sketches
I was planning on doing during the time we were away.
 
Well I have a confession to make, I was so busy taking photos
and then relaxing.
I didn't find time to sketch 'en plein air'
so I'll be painting from photos.
 
Next time I'll show you some of the other places we visited.
 
 
à bientôt
Barbara Lilian
 

15 September 2012

Almost the end of Summer

When I lived in England, and the month of September arrived, I always thought, that's it summer's over now, but here in central France where I live I've found that September is a lovely month. Fortunately we're still enjoying warm sunny days by the pool and as we had a late start to good summer weather this year, all the summer flowers are now at their best. Hopefully as we've been given a good forecast for the next 2 weeks, our summer will stretch out a little bit longer. Naturally some of the leaves have started to change colour and the early mornings & evenings are dewy & slightly chilly, so the signs of Autumn is on it's way. A new season which will be a joy for all it's colours and the fruits on the trees to enjoy, also searching in the woods for the hidden mushrooms, if I'm lucky enough to find them. I've never quite mastered the art of  'trouver les champignons'.

Today we've spent a lovely day with some of our friends who are staying in the house which we rent, called 'La Petite Maison'. I thought you might like to have a peep.




La Petite Maison terrace
with a grape vine covered pergola & the beautiful climbing Campsis,
 with it's vivid flame coloured trumpet flowers.






The grapes and Campsis growing happily together.



La Petite Maison.
A peep inside the cottage, with it's cosy lounge.


 



One of the many hanging baskets.
Still looking good.




Preparing to share aperitifs on the deck with our friends, on their last night.

 


Their last view of La Petite Maison for another year.


  







Hope you liked seeing the end of summer at La Petite Maison.
Au revoir.


A bientot.

Barbara Lilian.

10 September 2012

Vin de Noix - Aperitif.


I'm now back home after a busy summer, making sure  all of our visitors had an enjoyable holiday in our gites So now I can get my life back to  normal, what ever normal is.
When we moved here to France which is now 23 yrs ago, our English friends asked what will you do with yourselves when you get to retirement age? That's another thing, what is retirement age? I used to think it was when you reached 60 and stopped working, and you where automatically slotted into the category of being too old to do most things. Well I've well past that age & everyday we are doing things I had never dreamt I would be doing.
This summer I had the chance to experience making Vin de Noix, which is an aperitif in the Dordogne region of France, which is well known for it's Walnut trees.
While I was holidaying at my daughters her 'Belle Mere' (mother in law) was also visiting, so we spent a very pleasant time together and picked some walnuts from the trees in my daughters garden, then she showed me how to make  Vin de Noix. This is her old recipe which was passed down from her grand mother, which I will translate for you. There are lots of variations of making Vin de Noix, but I like the idea of using an old traditional method. 
Maybe next year if you get the chance to find some walnuts at a market or be fortunate enough to have a walnut tree of your own, harvest them while they are still green, which is very important! you might like to try my now cherished French recipe.


Recipe for Vin de Noix


 


3 litres of GOOD red wine.
1 Litre l'eau de Vie (alcohol des prune 45 deg )
20 Green walnuts
750 gr. sugar

Method
Chop the green walnuts into small pieces & put into a wide necked glass container. If you can find an old flagon or demi /john similar to the one shown in the photos which we used, all the better. add the  alcohol and leave for 1 week. Then add the red wine and leave to macerate for 45 days. Now add the sugar and give it a swirl from time to time to make sure all the sugar is completely dissolved. Pass the liquid through a filter taste & if necessary add more sugar  to your required taste. Leave in a dark place, the longer you can leave it the better the taste.

Just a tip. use gloves when cutting the walnuts as the tanning will stain your hands. or do as shown in the pics. put plastic bags over your hands in true French country style, also do not use a wooden chopping board as it will be no use after.

l'eau de Vie





Cleaning the demijohn







 
 


The walnuts are usually ready at the end of June around Saint Jean’s feast day 24th June which is the correct time, specified by French tradition. Important thing  about this recipe is unripe walnuts, still in the green outer casing and feel soft when pierced with a pin.  If you're reading this in the autumn, you're too late to make it this year. But you’ll know how to make it  for next year. Bon chance.





Chopping the walnuts.



 Vin De noix




Good health, Cheers, a la votre.

A bientot

Barbara Lilian

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