The Journey begins

Bonjour

For those who may be reading this my second my reislog welcome, you could call it a culinary diary or the beginning of a new bundle . We will see

As I travel my thoughts are often connected to the cuisine not only of where I am at that moment but also to all my years in La Cuisine Francaise.

Should you wish you are welcome to follow me. There will be personal anecdotes and some flash backs, some recipes too of course. The rest is adventure, I have never camped or done anything like this in my life, apart from frying sausages with my father on a camping gas when we went on picnics to Wales when I was a young girl living in Liverpool, it could be interesting 

I would love to hear your input, even your recipes  and also ideas of places you may know on my route. Though of course my route is not set only that I will be in St Remy de Provence a month from now.

I started well with a wonderful send  of from my great friend Mickey, a tear was almost shed. Then to a warm welcome in Valkenberg at the Hastens B&B run by my dear friend Henri and his wife Mica . Henri is MR Magimix, I worked with him in the 1980 helping to introduce the Magimix to Holland . We toured Holland on the weekends demonstrating in the cooking shops , pioneer days again. The first Magimix book was launched (the publisher was  Unieboek),  28 years ago today , my name is still one of those on the cover. Henri has one book me too, we sat in his den and browsed through his copy together  and do you know what it is still to the times. A very good basic book. . We sold 47,000 books a top for Holland in those days, incredible .You may find it somewhere on the web. !!! 

Henri has given me a project to find a vineyard, he gave me the bottle of wine Domaine Haut Gleon , corbieres wine with the task to visit the vineyard with a message, the white wine is perfect but the rose wine is according to Henri the best in France ,of course I will send him a case.  The search begins, but the bottle is empty !!! Pure Gold oh what a delight to taste a really top wine. I do not do that enough nowadays.  

It is never too late to begin. As I said at a wonderful wine tasting from Gilles in LCF recently, make a diner party around a good wine , at a restauraunt you will pay 60 euros or more , but at home that same wine is much less 20 to 30 euros, the price you pay for house wine in a restaurant . The system is crazy but you cannot live without it in the Horeca . A pity.

My drive to the Voges was fine, a good tip from Jose my hostess had  helped me avoid a part of the busy motorway near Luxembourg so I arrived quite relaxed 

Jose van Mil whom I have known for more than 25 years is owner of food communication consultants  PEPPER AND SALT . Jose studied at Cordon Bleu in 1978 and lived in England for a few years . She has a house in Roan aux Bois. Jose had invited me to visit her on route and then hearing of my plans yto visit George Blance decided to join me in the camper van. We have  spent the last 2 days  cooking and tasting , chatting, swimming, relaxing and visiting markets. and planning our trip.

The first night we dined on  foie gras, rillete, cheeses, cornichons with pate, rhubarb jelly and fresh bread . France I have arrived 

Today to Epinal where we  bought a smoked filet mignon of pork to use instead of bacon !, We ate saucisson with garlic so delicious and still soft which I like and we tasted much more! 

Lunch was slowly baked salmon with red tapenade and creme fraiche and parsley topping, joined by a glass of wine of course enjoyed on the terrace with a view over the woodlands,  like being on top of the world. Tonight croustade of left over chicken with girolles.  

But first we  pack Pattys wagon for our 4 day trip to the Jura and the Rhone  Valley 

Why George Blanc

When my first book came out in 1981 I met George Blanc via Unie boek , I asked him if I could do a stage with him and being a French male he said yes. When I arrived together with an American female Line chef Audrey he was a bit shocked but eventually we worked it out and the staff had never had such good lunches, we where entertained like princesses Fantastic. That was in 1982 .  I have been back once with Ellen several years ago. Now I am redtreading my footsteps and the best place to begin, after Henri that is , is a 3 star Michellin .  We are stopping of in the Jura on the way , lunching at Jean Paul --a top young chef, then overnight in the camper, plus tent at a vineyard from the book France Passion . But more of that next time 

That is the future now is here in the middle of nowhere, somewhere in France

Pat and Penny