For Nutmeg this is a terrifying blog post, so it is fitting that it arrives just in time for Halloween.
Ginger and Nutmeg left Calgary on September 30, 2010. Nutmeg has quite happily not set foot on Canadian soil for 13 months. What is so scary? They are headed back to Calgary in the darkest, coldest month of the year!
Here are some fun statistics from their time abroad:
| 35,000 | Kilometers driven in the trusty car by Ginger |
| 15,000 | Roundabouts |
| 8,000 | Photos documenting the year |
| 5,000 | Toll booths |
| 395 | Number of days since Nutmeg has been in Canada |
| 395 | Wine bottles consumed more or less |
| 150 | Number of times Nutmeg went to a market |
| 150+ | Bike rides |
| 50+ | Churches visited |
| 35+ | Hikes |
| 18 | Ski days at new resorts |
| 15 | Gap T-shirts |
| 13 | Provencal deserts at Christmas time |
| 8+ | Concerts |
| 4 | Ferry rides: to Corsica and Sardinia |
| 4 | Pairs of runners |
| 3 | Masks from the Venice Carnival |
| 5 | Cooking lessons |
| 5 | Countries Visited:France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, UK |
| 2 | Jars Cherry Jam by Ginger |
| 4 | New pieces of art |
| 2 | Gym memberships |
| 1 | Mountain bikes |
| 2 | Pairs of Hiking boots |
| 1 | Wedding |
| 1 | Opera – Aida |
| 1 | Kayak trip |
| 1 | Trip to the Grand Prix in Monaco |
| 1 | Trip to Paris |
| 1 | Market bag |
| 0 | Number of sessions with a personal trainer |
| TOTAL | PRICELESS |
It has been a fantastic time, hardly captured in the numbers above. Ginger and Nutmeg have made some new friends and improved their French a bit. So as a send off before they leave G&N will share a pot-luck (“Buffet Canadien”) with the neighbours. Nutmeg can hardly wait to get back to Calgary to dig out her woolly sweaters and visit her dentist!
Do not despair; Nutmeg has prepared another 12 months of posts, yet to come on their trip. That way she can continue to feel like she is living abroad. When the grim, endless days of Canadian winter show up there are always the photos in the galleries to keep Nutmeg going (a few specific galleries are below).
As Ginger and Nutmeg fly across the Atlantic eating questionable airline food, they would like to leave you with this warming recipe.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!
[tfb username=’GingerandNutmeg’ count=’true’ lang=’en’ theme=’light’]
Tags: Provence Travel, Pumpkin Soup, Quick and Easy Soup, Travel in France, Vegeterian Recipes
Ginger and Nutmeg have a dear friend in Aix en Provence who is a proud Breton by origin. Although, Delphine has lived in the south of France for a number of years, she stays close to her roots by running a delightful crêperie in the heart of Aix-en-Provence, called Crêpes Cidre & Compagnie.
One hot day in August, Ginger and Nutmeg had a crêpe-making lesson from the expert, and a brief introduction to another culture. Here, are a few ABCs in order to better appreciate the natives of northwestern France.
Tags: Aix en Provence, Food from Brittany, Food info in France, French Food, How to make real French crepes, Provence Travel
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.
Tags: Canmore, Curry, Curry Bowl, Easy Asian Recipes, Recipe, restaurants, Seafood Curry, Travel
Ginger and Nutmeg have discovered that within France, Provence is the land of abundance. There is lots of sunshine, almost never ending wind, at times constant rain, olive groves, vineyards, orchards and endless markets. One could be overwhelmed by the array of choices and local flavours. Nutmeg’s very practical side has decided that given the array of local choices it is best to narrow the selection and the following are her thoughts on the essentials in a Provençal kitchen:
Fleur de Sel
Literally translated as “Flower of salt”. Fleur de Sel is the top layer of sea salt, it is hand-harvested before it sinks to the bottom of the salt pans. Traditional Fleur de sel in France is collected off the coast of Brittany, Ginger and Nutmeg are many hours from there, but the good news is there is lots also produced in Camargue (part of Provence). The salt appears to be slightly pinkish grey as some sand is collected in the process of harvesting. The salt is flaky in texture, and has natural potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper and iodine that occur within it. Each container is carefully packaged with a cork top and is signed by the salt-raker who harvested it. Fleur de Sel is named largely from the aroma of violet that develops as the salt dries.
Herbs de Provence and Olive Oil
Herbes de Provence is a traditional blend of highly aromatic herbs that grow mostly wild in the hills of southern France in the summer months. The herbs are used both fresh and dried. Typical herbs include (quantities may vary); Bay leaf, chervil, oregano, thyme, fennel, rosemary, savory, tarragon, mint, and marjoram. Sometimes for the tourist crowd orange zest or lavender are included. As a practice the herbs are used to infuse the flavour in grilled foods such as fish or meat. Often the herbs can be found in stews and or mixed with olive oil to infuse the flavors. On a recent hikes we literally felt like we were walking in a jar of “Herbes de Provence” as they grow wild through-out the region.
Jams and Jellies
The French are not big breakfast eaters, they love a cafe (usually just a shot of expresso) and a little bit of fresh baguette or maybe des viennoiseries (pastries…croissants, pain au chocolate, strudels etc) with some jam/jelly. In general, French bread is fantastic it is baked several times a day, and literally can go stale in between. In the morning, there is nothing better than a bit of jam on your pain. The jam is often homemade, full of sugar and outrageously delicious. Ginger and Nutmeg have been treated to plum, peach, fig, cherry, peach-melon, pear and apricot all fait à la maison – delicious on bread and even better with chèvre.
There are of course many other things required for a true French kitchen but these are just some of the basics. It helps to have one of these in your back yard.
A bientot!
Tags: French Food, Provencal Food, Provencal Traditions, Travel in France
Due to a wedding cancellation only few days before the event, a lucky group of foodies received an email invitation, to participate in a rare Saturday morning cooking class. La Petite Maison de Cucuron is the successful restaurant run by chef Eric Sapet and his lovely wife. They offer a top quality seasonal menu and limited cooking classes.
The restaurant has been open since 2007 in the charming medieval village of Cucuron, in the Luberon. The Luberon is filled with one delightful village after another so it is difficult to choose a favourite. Cucuron although small, it is unique among the hamlets, as it has a truly distinctive shaded main square with a large water feature l’etang or pond.
Tags: Cooking classes, Cucuron, Desserts, La Petite Maison, Provence, Tomatoes
