Fresh produce in France is amazing!

I wrote this a few days ago, but couldn’t post it!

I have been staying in a gated community (I’m dead posh, me) at Roquebrune-sur-Argens in Provence with my friend Carol and we have had no internet (so not that posh), hence my recent lack of communication.

Roquebrune is a couple of miles from the coast but that’s not far so we have visited a few villages and the Cote d’Azur and eaten and quaffed, as is only right in these situations.

Sometimes, however, we lunch or dine on the shady deck of our little house but still in the French fashion, of course.

There are so many fabulous cheeses to choose from; so far we have tried Tomme (yum), Comte (yum), various Chevres (all yum) Morbier (yum) and Chaumes (yuk – but then I never did like a washed rind cheese).

The saucissons here are resplendent and we have tested a variety of rock hard, dry, salty and strangely moreish versions. With good bread, extra virgin olive oil, fleur du sel, salad and, of course, the old vin rouge and sunshine this makes an excellent meal.

For dessert we have fruit or, a couple of times, a kind of cream cake called Galette Tropezienne (which is a very good light fatless, I think, sponge filled with crème patisserie and a lovely crunchy sugar topping) from St. Tropez.  I have been told that this is well kept secret recipe and shall be investigating on my return to the UK.  I’d like to make it as my real man would love it.

The produce here is amazing, for instance just look at this lettuce which, oddly enough, I have put my foot beside to give some perspective; it’s all I had available at the time. If you buy a lettuce in Franceyou’d better really be in the mood for lettuce!

And this bloody enormous tomato! This time I used my hand as we were in the supermarket.

In other news …

The BT fiasco continues – see here – it is 7 weeks last Friday since they disconnected our line for some minor work then found we had one of Britain‘s rare slightly busy roads outside our house.  They had only switched the connection off at the exchange a few minutes before this discovery but for some inexplicable reason were unable to switch it on again. They did call me yesterday in France, despite my having given them an alternative number to call in my absence, to tell me that they will update me next week on when they might be able to do the work.  Is this bad “customer service” do you think, or am I just being picky?

How can this be possible?

Today we left lovely old Carcassonne and had lunch at a place called Marseillan. We only stopped because my friend has a  bit of a coffee habit, the place looked like a typical touristy family holiday resort sort of place but we noticed an interesting eatery in a road of eating places that was pretty and quirky and absolutely packed – a good sign.  We read the menu …

Whilst pondering we each drank a Sangria, which was not as I think of Sangria at all but was rich and deep and port-like.

Then for €12.90 which at today’s exchange rate is £10.88 I had …

Soup de Poissons 

avec accoutrements!

Gambas Marinée

with several sauces and fragrant rice

Gauffre Chocolat & Espresso

Not bad, eh?  The meal came with a generous basket of bread and a bottle of iced water. The service was absolutely superb, the place well kept and the price included various taxes. How can they do this?

One more question …

We saw the sea for the first time since getting off the boat at Roscoff (actually we didn’t see it then – thick fog) and beside the beach was a sign telling you what you can’t do on it.  I understood the first four but what is this one …

… Face interdit?

Gorgeous Carcassonne!

The above is a real picture taken by me out of the car window, all I’ve done is put a white frame round it.  I know it looks a bit weird but that’s just how it looked!

I am sat sitting here in the heart of Carcassonne, French France and I can hear quite clearly someone playing, on a trumpet or similar, “Auld Lang Syne”  Quelle Surprise!  

It is also pissing with rain but I’ve had a great day and a bit of sitting on the bed blogging isn’t a bad thing.

Last night we ate at an outdoor restaurant, the name of which sadly escapes me where for €14.50 I had …

Gazpacho

Crusty yummy bread

oOo

Confit de Canard with Potatoes Roasted in Duck Fat

oOo

Crème Catalan

My dining companion had mussels au gratin with aioli and we shared a half litre of local red wine for just €6 so that’s quite a lot of good eating and drinking for not much money. 

Today we first went to the market which was as I have always been led to believe French markets are – piles and piles of great produce! 

We didn’t buy much as we have no fridge or kitchen at the moment; just a couple of white peaches and one each of these …

If you can’t decipher the writing they are oreillettes and you can read more about them here … Oreillettes Recipe which is where I looked! They are like deep fried crèpes, crisp and sugary and very good with coffee.  I might try making some when I get home.

After we had wandered and marvelled for a while I went off on my own like the big girl I am to look at the medieval citadel or cité – very nice and not too full of people whilst I was there although they did seem to be piling in as I was leaving.

France ~ first impressions.

What does this picture remind you of?

Travelodge?  Little Chef?  Surprisingly not.

Our first overnight was at a place called Saintes which is some distance north of Bordeaux where we stayed in a Campanile in a small retail complex situated immediately after turning off the autoroute.  I think it is France‘s version of a Travelodge or similar but what a difference!  

The room was fine; basic but clean and comfy with unlimited free wifi (it’s £5 for an hour at Travelodge). As we were knackered we decided to eat at the hotel which, as you probably know, would be a silly decision to make in a similar place in the UK.  It was brill!

We sat outside (warm and breezy) and had a glass of wine (above) whilst ordering and the lovely friendly waitress (yes – table service) brought us each a complimentary glass of gazpacho!  Honestly, she did!

I ordered a salmon “burger” which came on a delightfully crunchy toasted bread of some sort with tzatziki and green salad (dressed deliciously) and my companion ate steak and chips.  She did say the steak was a little on the tough side but loved the rest of the meal. 

On the way down to Saintes we had enjoyed several coffee stops (excellent real coffee too) but one stop in particular sticks in my mind.  Carol went to the “ladies” but it was closed for cleaning so she used the disabled lavvie.  She put her handbag down in the washbasin and was disappointed to see the tap turn on automatically and fill it up!  It did make us laugh, me even more than her!

The next morning we made an early start but first bought ourselves some bread and a seafood quiche to enjoy on the way.  I really am quite a snob about bread as you will know if you have read previous posts.  I love chewy, tasty, crusty stuff so was glad to find this …

and this …

… in the bakery over the road which was set between a hardware store like B & Q and a furniture shop.

We are now in Carcassonne for two days and I’m still impressed but more about that later.  Got to go exploring!