January 7, 2013

Marseille Provence 2013 European Cultural Capital

Marseille Provence 2013 European Cultural Capital

August 2012 was scorching in Provence; late summer on the Mediterranean coast meant daytime temperatures of 35C. Summer crowds sweltered in the breathless, port of Marseille as they waited in queues for ferries to the nearby L’archipel du Frioul. The normally beautiful city skyline was filled with busy construction cranes. Drivers and pedestrians were equally frustrated with each other, as they crawled through gridlock, a maze of diversions, temporary hoarding and restricted views. Nutmeg had booked a few nights in the port city. Ginger was speechless. (more…)

Recipes & Travel:
, , , , , ,

 
November 12, 2012

Dancing in the Streets of Salon de Provence

Dancing in the Streets of Salon de Provence

For readers who know Ginger and Nutmeg well, the following statement will not be surprising. When it comes to pairs dancing, Ginger insists that Nutmeg leads and Nutmeg insists that someone should! Although, they both love to dance when it comes to the classic dances like waltz, tango, salsa they are frankly way out of their element. (more…)

Recipes & Travel:
, , , ,

 
August 23, 2012

Thomas Jefferson in France Part Two

Thomas Jefferson in France Part Two

Jefferson’s voyage continued south. He paid a visit to St Remy de Provence and Les Baux, his interest in agriculture and antiquity were the main drivers. The rural area around St Remy continues to be heavily focused on agriculture today. Although, the combination of agricultural crops has changed over the years, the enduring olive tree continues to be a strong contributor to the local economy. (more…)

Recipes & Travel:
, , , , ,

 
July 5, 2012

Provence’s Antique Theatre Spectacles in Orange

Provence’s Antique Theatre Spectacles in Orange

Does the colour ORANGE cause you think of your crazy Dutch friends, celebrating Koninginnedag (“Queen’s Day”) on April 30th? Does the colour ORANGE make you cringe due to the gyrations in your trading account at ING Direct? Does the colour ORANGE make you think of the massive mobile phone network operated by France Telecom? Does the colour ORANGE evoke memories of the political protests in the Ukraine in November 2004 – January 2005 (the Orange Revolution)? This post is not about any of those. (more…)

Recipes & Travel:
, , , , , ,

 
October 17, 2011

Craving a Seafood Curry Bowl

Craving a Seafood Curry Bowl

France is without question a country of fabulous food, great variety in local cuisine and easy access to fresh produce.  However, France is not known for Asian cooking and Nutmeg has had the odd craving for a little curry. One of Nutmeg’s favourite restaurants is the Crazyweed Kitchen (click to see previous blog post) in Canmore. Her friend Hot Chili also loves the restaurant and has accused Nutmeg of always ordering the same thing off the menu.  That is not 100% correct, but it is true that the Seafood Curry Bowl that is on their menu is one of Nutmeg’s all-time favorites. This delicious dish is almost a stew, perfectly seasoned and wonderful anytime of the year. Ginger and Nutmeg are currently living 8049 kilometers from Canmore, so a visit to the restaurant is not possible at present. As a result Nutmeg has taken matters into her own hands and made her variation of the Seafood Curry Bowl using local ingredients. This recipe has been tested on Ginger a few times, and even served at a dinner party to rave reviews. Print Seafood Curry Bowl Recipe type: Main Dish Cuisine: Asian Prep time:  15 mins Cook time:  20 mins Total time:  35 mins Serves: 2-3   This is a really easy dish full of color and flavours. Try experimenting with the fish and spicing to your taste. Serve with Basmati rice and a great wine. The recipe usually makes enough for two plus leaf-overs for lunch. Ingredients 2 Tablespoons Olive or Canola Oil 1 Can (200ml) Light Coconut Milk 1 Can (250ml) Crushed Tomatoes 1 Fillet (250-300ml) White Fish, de-boned and cut in bite size chunks 8 Large Shrimp, shelled and de-veined 8 Large Scallops, cleaned 2 Medium Carrots, cleaned and chopped 1 Medium Onion, diced 2 Large handfuls Spinach Leaves 2 Teaspoons (or to taste) Chili Sauce 2 Cloves Garlic, peeled and crushed 1 Tablespoon Cumin, dry powder 1 Tablespoon Mild Curry, powder 1 Tablespoon Coriander, dry powder Salt and Pepper, to taste Instructions Heat oil is a heavy bottomed stock pot Add onion, carrot, garlic and cook until the onion is soft and the carrots are starting to brown (about 5 minutes) Add cumin, curry and coriander, cook for about 1 minute to let the spices sweat Add crushed tomatoes, chili sauce and coconut milk, mix well and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes Add the spinach, fish, shrimp and scallops, cook until the seafood is cooked about 5 minutes 3.2.2499  

Recipes & Travel:
, , , , , , ,

 
February 28, 2010

Waterloo or Waterlogged in Belgium

Waterloo or Waterlogged in Belgium

What a fitting day to visit the battleground of Waterloo! February 28, 2010: Driving rain, 4 degrees celsius, 100Km/hr winds – down right ugly – do you get the picture?  This trip was optional for Nutmeg, not so much for Ginger but they both decided to go along and learn something.  What Nutmeg figured out really quick is to get out of the bus in the driving rain was stupid and she could learn all about the battle inside the comfort of the vehicle.  Ginger felt he should support his classmates and stand outside until he totally soaked along with the camera. Here is a short version of the long version we heard on the bus: The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium. An Imperial French army under the command of Emperor Napoleon was defeated by combined armies of the Seventh Coalition, one an Anglo-Allied army under the command of the Duke of Wellington and the other a Prussian army (Germany before it was formed) under the command of Gebhard von Blücher. It was the culminating battle of the Waterloo Campaign and Napoleon’s last. The defeat at Waterloo put an end to Napoleon’s rule as Emperor of the French and marked the end of his Hundred Days’ return from exile. Napoleon delayed giving battle until noon on 18 June to allow the ground to dry. Wellington’s army, positioned across the Brussels road on the Mont St Jean escarpment, withstood repeated attacks by the French, until, in the evening, the Prussians arrived in force and broke through Napoleon’s right flank. At that moment, Wellington’s Anglo-allied army counter-attacked and drove the French army in disorder from the field. Pursuing Coalition forces entered France and restored Louis XVIII to the French throne. Napoleon abdicated, surrendered to the British, and was exiled to Saint Helena, where he died in 1821. The battlefield is in present-day Belgium, about eight miles (12 km) SSE of Brussels, and about a mile (1.6 km) from the town of Waterloo. The site of the battlefield is today dominated by a large monument, the Lion Mound. As this mound used earth from the battlefield itself, the original topography of the part of the battlefield around the mound has not been preserved. Needless to say for battle historians there are libraries built and waiting to be read on battles such as this one.  For Nutmeg, the view of the waterlogged field of clay-based soil was enough to understand that horses and men with cannons had a really hard time getting through.  The cavalry attrition rate was over 50%!!!!  Nutmeg suggested to Ginger that might not have been a good way to get a promotion in those days… Waterloo or Waterlogged?  Either way it was a tough battle. [tfb username=’GingerandNutmeg’ count=’true’ lang=’en’ theme=’light’]

Recipes & Travel:
,

WordPress › Error

There has been a critical error on this website.

Learn more about troubleshooting WordPress.