Nutmeg believes that the celebration of Halloween is perfect timing for this post.
Trust the French to come up with an annual event that is sophisticated, classy, a bit rebellious and a whole lot of fun. Diner en Blanc started in 1988, when a group of 100 friends got together for a reunion in the Bois de Boulogne. The story is that François Pasquier instructed everyone to wear white in order to recognize each other. This was a brilliant idea, given those were the days before fancy cell phones, text messaging, Facebook and Twitter.
Tags: Diner en Blanc, Dinner Parties, Easy Appetizer Recipes, French Food, Recipes for Savoury Tarts, Recipes for Tomatoes, Travel in France, Travel to Paris
The local newspaper and the affiche (poster) at the bakery confirmed that there would be a concert at the church on Sunday.
Dimanche Juillet 22
à 18h30 à L’Eglise : Pour la 6ème année
Concert gratuit de musique classique
« De L’Espagne à L’Argentine »
Flûte et avec Julie Scolnik et Olivier Pelmoine à la guitare
Organisé par Le Foyer Rural et le Comité Paroissial
Tags: Eygalieres, Julie Scolnik, Summer Concerts in Provence, Travel in France
It is Saturday morning in the Luberon village of Cucuron, Eric Sapet the chef and owner of la Petite Maison is enjoying a few minutes of social time over a pause-café with friends. He has a busy day ahead there is a 25-person cooking class focused on girolles (chanterelle mushrooms). And the restaurant is fully booked for both lunch and dinner.
G&N love these theme based cooking classes at la Petite Maison. Clearly, based on the number of attendees for the courses they are not alone. After five years of programming Eric Sapet has developed a loyal following.
Arriving in Cucuron, a small medieval town dating from the 11th century was a combination of hard work and chance for M. Sapet. He was classically trained in his field in Paris at l’Ecole Hôtelière. Once the scholastic course load was finished, the long kitchen hours began in earnest. He spent 11 years working his way through the ranks in some of the Grands Restaurants Parisiens including the Michelin 3-star la Tour d’Argent. The path of his cooking career wandered from famous Parisian kitchens to a Relais et Châteaux in the Ardèche before he was attracted to the popular village of Lourmarin in the Luberon, in 2005.
Tarte fine aux girolles, oeufs de caille pochés, échalotes confites
La Petite Maison was once just that – a private residence. The charming building dates from the 19th century. The restaurant is situated, in the heart of this working village, right next to an enormous rectangular etang (pond) shaded by plane trees. In 2007, the house was converted into a restaurant. An old structure in a medieval village translates into a tiny kitchen and equally small prep area. Wood paneled walls and period photos surround the dining tables adorned with crisp, white table linens and china place settings, a classic backdrop for Eric Sapet’s inventive cuisine.
The morning’s cooking class is followed by the opportunity to sample the creative menu over a long, lazy lunch – accompanied by excellent wine pairings. Nutmeg was able to borrow a few minutes of M. Sapet’s precious time to ask some questions.
Provence is a rich canvas for local products – do you have a preferred season for ingredients and produce? No, every season is intriguing with powerful, rich flavours.
In your opinion what is the most versatile ingredient? The black truffle.
What is the most critical piece of equipment in your kitchen? The high quality oven.
If you had the chance what would you change at La Petite Maison? It would be fantastic to have more prep area and a larger kitchen. The existing space is remarkably tight for a total staff of 10 people; in the kitchen and waiting on tables.
Aside from your own restaurant do you have any regional favourites that you would recommend? Yes, two particularly enjoyable places to eat are La Bamboo Thai in Lourmarin and la Bastide de Moustier in Moustier.
G&N left Cucuron after an exquisite lunch, with a few new recipes and cooking tips. The only thing missing was a hammock for an afternoon siesta.
Are you going to book a cooking class or a table at La Petite Maison?
______
References:
1. La Petite Maison
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Image Credits:
1. Ginger and Nutmeg
2. Ginger and Nutmeg
3 & 4 Courtesy La Petite Maison
Tags: Chef Eric Sapet, Cooking classes, Cucuron, French Food, Provence Travel, Recipes with Mushrooms, Travel in France
It is possible, that it was the thirst and hunger created by biking over the lunch hour, or maybe it was their recent trip to Italy. Regardless, both Nutmeg and Ginger both thought they had been transported from Provence to Tuscany. The hilly rolling terrain, endless vineyards, Cyprus trees, olive groves and small villages are all extremely reminiscent of Tuscany. It is no accident that the Luberon area within Provence resembles Tuscany. Roman presence in present day Provence began in 2 B.C.. The Roman rulers heavily influenced architecture and immense construction projects (aqueducts, theaters, arenas) within the region. There is documentation of organized religious activity as early as the 3rd century, in Roman occupied Provencal towns. During the 14th century, (1309 – 77) seven French Popes led the Catholic church from Avignon. Perched villages and castles in Provence created for defensive purposes are similar to those found in Tuscany.
Tuscany or Provence?
Provence.
Tags: Ansouis, Provence Travel, Travel in France, Travel in Italy, Travel to Tuscany
Nutmeg has only met Christian and Joseph Lane the co-founders of in.gredients via Internet channels. She did not have to meet these two in person to be convinced that they had not only an intriguing concept, but also a solid business plan.
in.gredients is an exciting new food retail concept in Austin, Texas. As “the first zero-waste, package-free grocery store in the US,” in.gredients seeks to eliminate waste from unnecessary food packaging by encouraging customers bring their own containers to their store for filling.
Tags: food info, in.gredients, Market Style Grocery Store, Zero waste grocery store
Ginger and Nutmeg had been away from Canada for almost 10 months, and they were both experiencing the need for some interaction with their Calgary friends (read: a little too much one-on-one time). That sentiment was not quite strong enough to persuade Nutmeg to book a ticket home, no need to rush from the South of France. However, when they received an email invitation to a small gathering in Florence to celebrate a wedding, they said YES without hesitation, despite the 7-8 hour drive.
Tags: Coffee in Europe, food info, Italian Markets, Markets in Europe, Travel in Italy, Travel to Florence
It may not be the same garden that Frances Hodgson Burnett wrote about in her 1911 novel The Secret Garden. That garden with all its hidden corners was in Yorkshire. The Jardin de Tim is a discrete Bed and Breakfast located in Eygalières in Provence, which opened to the public in 2010.
Tags: Eygalieres, Jardin de Tim, Provence Travel, Travel in France
Anticipation is what Nutmeg would call this blog post. The labour of love required to persuade grapevines to produce their fruit year after year is one for only the most patient individuals. Owning a vineyard and producing your own wine certainly sounds romantic, to those who might be desk or office-bound. However, the reality of the yearlong process is one of hard physical labour and working with what Mother Nature delivers.
Ginger and Nutmeg have certainly sampled their fair share (possibly more) of wine, while in Europe. They certainly do not pretend to be experts in the field of growing grapes, nor producing wine. There is no reason to dive into the specifics of viticulture in a blog post, as there are many experts who have written tombs on the subject. Instead, here are some ABCs around wine that will make you sound like an expert (or an idiot) and some fun facts.
Tags: ABC Travel Lists, French Wines, Provencal Traditions, Provence Travel, Travel in France
One would think that when biking in France you would never need to worry about food. That is true to some degree, unless you get caught between hours.
Breakfast in France is straightforward; coffee, baguette and sometimes les viennoiserie (croissants and pain au chocolate). Be aware that as the morning wears on, you are more likely to eat stale baguette, than the fancy pastries. This meal is not one that will keep the energy stores high for a long bike ride.
Lunch starts around 12:30 and runs until 2pm. However, typically the traditional (“non-tourist”) restaurants actually do not want to serve much beyond 1:30pm. Then again, do you seriously want to eat a multi-course meal before that next big hill on your bike? In theory, you could always stop at a boulangerie for a quick bite. Technically, yes but Ginger and Nutmeg have been caught numerous times in small villages where the bakery is closed at 12:30pm, until well into late afternoon.
Tags: Easy healthy snack recipes, Food for Biking, Recipes with Sunflower Seeds, Travel in France
Nutmeg’s “Top 10” list for Provence included a visit to the Gorges du Verdon. This magnificent area is sometimes referred to as the Grand Canyon du Verdon, due to the natural chasm formed by the river. The turquoise-green Verdon River cuts a meandering path along the steep, limestone cliffs. The length of the gorge is roughly 25 kilometres (km), and at certain points, the cliffs reach 700m (2,300ft) in height.
The Gorges du Verdon is certainly extraordinary, but the comparison to the Grand Canyon might be an exaggeration. The Grand Canyon is 446km long, 29km across at its widest point and reaches depths of 1,800m (6000 ft).
Tags: Gorges du Verdon, Hiking, Provence, Randonee, Sentier Martel, Var
