Naan bread recipe

I have recently been asked to post my naan bread recipe as these are not easy to get hold of in France, but are very easy to make. We never have curry without them and tonight will be chicken and pumpkin curry night so I’ll also be making a batch of these today. See here for my curry paste recipe.

Homemade naan breads

Makes 8 small naan breads

250g plain flour

2 tbsp ground almonds

1 tsp dried garlic

2 tsp sugar

½ tsp salt

½ tsp baking powder

130ml milk

2 tbsp vegetable oil

I use my bread machine on the pizza dough setting to do the mixing for me. Place the ingredients in the bread machine in the order shown above and when the mixing cycle is finished put dough in an oiled bowl and cover. Alternatively mix all dry ingredients, combine oil and milk, make a well in the dry mix and pour in liquid. Slowly bring together to form a dough, knead well for 8-10 minutes then place in an oiled bowl and cover. After an hour split into 8 even balls and roll into teardrop shaped breads.

Prick over the breads with a fork and either place on a hot baking sheet and grill for 1-2 minutes each side (until there are brown spots on the surface), or cook in a hot frying pan – I use my pancake pan for this. These freeze well once cooked.

This recipe is taken from Anjum Anand’s book Indian Food Made Easy but slightly changed, as is my way. 

World Toilet Day

A decorated public toilet in Cognac, France

Today is World Toilet Day and so a perfect day to talk about toilets in France, from the nicely painted one we found in Cognac this summer to the still popular hole in the ground toilet. I have a confession; it has taken many years, but I can now admit to quite liking them.

However there is a serious message to today. World Toilet Day has been organised to raise awareness of the fact that one third of humanity (2.5 billion people) do not have access to proper sanitation, including toilets or latrines. This contributes to the fact that almost 2000 children die every day from preventable diarrhoeal diseases. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says:

“By working together – and having an open and frank discussion on the importance of toilets and sanitation – we can improve the health and well-being of one-third of the human family”

For more information please see the UN World Toilet Day page here.

I am privileged that I live in a house with three flushing toilets, all connected to the village mains drainage system. In rural France it is still very common for many villages not to have mains drainage, but an individual fosse septique or cesspit. Reading the information on the UN page has certainly made me think and I now feel guilty that I sometimes resent the fact that having three toilets means more toilet cleaning. I remember my first visit to my eighty-year-old Great-Grandmother’s farmhouse in Co Cork, Ireland when I was in my teens. Although they had installed electricity there was no mains water or toilet, just a patch of land out back.

The French hole in the ground toilet

My first encounter with the French hole in the ground toilet was when I was about 15 and on my French exchange visit to Annecy. My friend Gillian and I really had no idea what to do, or how to do it, so just turned our backs and left. Other memorable encounters have been in ski resorts, and they weren’t very successful either. I still do not know how with ski boots and an all in one ski suit it is possible to pee in one, and I have tried, believe me I’ve tried! I will add here that my Mother-in-law seemed to manage OK, but as Ade and I hadn’t been married very long at the time I didn’t have the courage to a) ask her how or b) ask for help, but boy was I glad to return to the hotel room at the end of the day.

I first cracked them the summer I was pregnant, as then when you’ve got to go, you’ve got to go, and sitting in the car driving from the Morvan to Calais seemed to make me want to go a lot. I did find wearing a dress made it a bit easier.

I guess swapping a desk job and a 2 hour commute morning and evening for a life of veggie gardening, cycling and dog walking has helped my fitness. One thing I was lacking in my younger days was leg muscles strong enough to support the body when held in the squat position (maybe this was my Mother-in-laws secret and also why I was crap at skiing). What with the improved leg muscles and increased exposure to these toilets from living in France I can now even manage them wearing jeans. I also quite like the fact that there is nothing to touch, so no possibility (unless you have a major mis-balance) of any bits of mine touching anything somebody else's dirty bits have touched. The one in the  picture above was even playing the radio to me when I used it and as I unlocked the door it flushed the whole floor area clean - how clever. 

Have you come across any unusual toilets in France? What do you think of the hole in the ground toilet?

Book review of J'Adore Paris by Isabelle Lafleche

J'Adore Paris

J'adore Paris by Isabelle Lafleche is the second book featuring chic Parisian lawyer Catherine Lambert, but it is not necessary to have read book one J'adore New York: A Novel of Haute Couture and the Corner Office beforehand. Having survived the cut-throat life of New York Catherine returns to her beloved Paris to take on a new job as corporate lawyer for fashion house Christian Dior. The beginning of the book is very upbeat and dreamy. Catherine is on a high to be back in Paris, in love and moving into her boyfriend’s apartment and excited about her new role at Christian Dior. The descriptions of life in Paris as seen through Catherine’s New York eyes are brilliant and vibrant especially the café scenes.

As she settles into her new life, it isn’t long before things get a bit more down to earth. Her boyfriend becomes jealous, her work in the counterfeiting department is much more hands on and frankly dangerous than she had imagined and apart from her trusty assistant Rikash, it is difficult to know who is on her side, both at home and at work.

I loved the character of Rikash, gay and glittery, but always there for Catherine no matter what is thrown at them. He was born to be in the world of fashion and is having a ball at Paris Christian Dior. Catherine is strong and feisty but also a little vulnerable, but together with Rikash they have the team chemistry, strength and technical know how to tackle anything. I had no idea the life of a corporate lawyer could be so exciting and the world of counterfeiting so dangerous. 

This was a fast paced read with plenty of adrenalin pumping moments perfectly offset with the romance of Paris and the glamour of the fashion world.

J'adore Paris is published by Harper Collins and available in ebook format and J'adore New York: A Novel of Haute Couture and the Corner Office is published by Harper Weekend and available in paperback and ebook.  Links to Amazon below.

Life in a small village

Our village is small, about 300 people, a church, a hairdressers, a boulangerie that is also a post office, a long-ago-closed-down bar/restaurant/shop and a library. The library is only open a few days a week and is run by volunteers of which I am one. It is lovely to spend an afternoon there and see so many people from pre-schoolers in their pushchairs, to primary school children popping in when the bus returns them to the village, to the older generations, some of whom have an enormous appetite for reading. Hooray! In a society where electronics are taking over I think a small village with an active library is something to shout about.

Last weekend we held a little exhibition displaying some of the talents of the villagers. I was speechless when I first walked in after the transformation from small village library to art gallery had taken place. In typically French style, curtains and fabrics had carefully been selected to enhance the displays; colour coordinated, artfully draped and very pleasing to the eye. For a small village we have some talent! Oils, watercolours, photography, origami, sketches, embroidery, poetry, jewellery making, music and food were just some of the talents on display. Cake and coffee were served to welcome visitors during the day and the final evening saw a small music concert with exquisite (and very arty) amuse-bouche aperitifs served. Ed was part of the musical talent on show and we were very proud of his guitar performance, but BIG parenting fail, we forgot to take our camera! He even played a rock number requested by a lady of a certain age who told him she wasn’t really too keen on classical music. There was also a lot of foot tapping and clapping to the Vielle (Hurdy-gurdy), not something I have ever seen being played before.

Sometimes life out of season in a small village can feel quiet and empty, but last weekend we rocked! Here are a few photos of the art displays.

This post has been linked to Paulita's Dreaming of France weekly meme.

France et Moi with author Steven Herrick

Welcome to ‘France et Moi’ where this week I am talking to author Steven Herrick about what France means to him.

Steven Herrick

Steven Herrick is an Australian author of twenty-one books for children and young adults. His books have won the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards in 2000 and 2005 and the Western Australia Premier’s Literary Award in 2013. He has been shortlisted for the prestigious CBCA Book of the Year Awards on seven occasions. He has also written two travel memoirs based on his bicycle adventures in France, baguettes and bicycles: a cycling adventure across France (Eurovelo Series: Book 1) and bordeaux and bicycles (Eurovelo Series: Book Two) . You can read my reviews here.

Firstly, I think France is a special place and it is famed for many things including its cheese, wine and diverse holiday locations plus, dare I say it strikes and dog poo littered streets. What do you think makes France so very unique and ‘French’?

Steven: The French! After numerous visits, I’ve yet to meet a surly arrogant French person. Even the waiters of Paris have been friendly and cheerful. Maybe it’s in the way I approach the natives... always armed with a smattering of French spoken with a horrible nasal Australian accent. Perhaps they just feel sorry for me?

2) What is your first memory of a trip to France?

Steven: I was in my twenties when I first visited. I spent hours marvelling at the variety of cakes on offer in the shop windows of Parisian patisseries. My sight-seeing tended to focus on food and people rather than galleries and museums.

3) I’ve read 'baguettes and bicycles' so I know you like to visit Boulangeries/Patisseries but do you have a favourite thing to buy there?

Steven: How long have you got? Being a cyclist, I have a soft spot for paris-brest, a choux pastry filled with praline-flavoured cream. I also enjoy millefeuille, kouign amann, croissant aux armandes, cafe eclair, canele and chocolate mousse. And then there’s the bread...

FVD: wow, you certainly know your patisseries.

4) Imagine you are sitting outside a French café at 10.00am on a sunny morning watching the world go by, what do you order from the waiter?

Steven: Anything but a coffee!

I love the French. They excel in food, wine, cars, design, films, poetry, practically everything but coffee. They use robusta beans instead of the higher-quality arabica and it shows. In fact, I’ve written a blog on where to find decent coffee in Paris. The list runs to only three cafes, but a friend assures me he’s now found a total of eight cafes where he can drink a decent cup.

So, to answer your question? A glass of Kronenbourg, s’il vous plait.

5) Having cycled through many regions in France and enjoyed your three course meals is there a particular regional dish that sticks in your mind?

Steven: I’d always been slightly disappointed in cassoulet until I tried a serving in Castelnaudary, reportedly the home of the dish. It was fabulous. I’m also a sucker for confit de canard - it’s my default dish after cycling fifty kilometres anywhere in France. Lunch or dinner.

6) What would be your most memorable day on a bike in France?

Steven: Every day on a bike, anywhere in the world is memorable. But, if pushed, I would nominate two days.

A) Cycling in the Pyrenees on the D918, perhaps the greatest cycling road in the world. It includes the legendary Tour de France mountain climbs of Col de Peyresourde, Col d’Aspin, Col du Tourmalet and the unforgettable Col d’Aubisque. All on one road. I’m not suggesting you ride them all in one day of course, but I spent a week climbing one a day and each day was cycling nirvana. I quickly add, I don’t ride mountains as any testosterone thrill. I ride very slowly and sedately, enjoying the quiet and the majestic surrounds. It’s not about the thigh muscles, it’s the scenery.

B) I really enjoyed riding along the Canal du Centre between Paray-le-Monial and Chagny in Burgundy. It’s a beautiful canal path which is rarely used. If you have a few days, detour into Beaune and cycle through the vineyards.

 

7) Mont Ventoux in Provence is a regular in the Tour de France and many amateur cyclists dream of conquering it (including my husband) do you have any words of advice?

Steven: Spend a few days in the area and ride it from all three sides! But, certainly train for a few weeks riding up smaller hills, preparing for the rigours of Ventoux. My first climb up Ventoux was from Bedoin, the route used most often in the Tour de France. I started very early in the morning and had the ascent all to myself. It was glorious. I paced myself and enjoyed the view. The last section of bare rock and scree is breath-taking in all sorts of ways. The second day I began from Sault which is a longer but much easier route and yet still includes the difficult scree section. Take lots of water and relax. Bend your elbows, keep your head up, tell yourself this is the best ‘office’ in the world. And, on the descent, stop and pay your respects at the Tom Simpson Memorial.

8) France has many different cheeses, a silly question, but which French cheese are you? A hard and mature Tome, a soft, fresh and lively goat cheese, the creamy and rich Camembert or maybe the salty and serious Roquefort?

Steven: Perhaps a Saint-Marcellin, a soft cheese made from cow’s milk that has 50% fat and it’s exterior is a mottled creamy yellow. Not attractive, but pleasant in small servings.

9) Do you have any embarrassing language mishaps you are happy to share?

Steven: Every time I open my mouth. The worst examples are when we cross the borders between France and her neighbouring countries. Oui, Ja, Si!

10) Do you have any plans to visit France again soon?

Steven: Yes, next year we hope to cycle in Provence and perhaps return to the French Alps. But first, my wife and I are planning on cycling down the Danube from Vienna to Belgrade.

Finally, do you have any current projects you would like to tell my readers about?

Steven: My most recent ebook is bordeaux and bicycles (Eurovelo Series: Book Two) - a cycling adventure from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean following the Canal des Deux Mers. I’d like to think of it as a handbook for those who enjoy slow food, easy cycling and grassroots travel. I’ve also just finished editing my next children’s book, titled ‘Bleakboy and Hunter stand out in the rain’ which will be published in 2014.

Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions about France and you.

You can find Steven on Twitter, Facebook, his bike blog and website.

Book reviews of Steven Herrick's Eurovelo Series books one and two

I am reviewing two books by the same author for BookWorm Wednesday today: baguettes and bicycles: a cycling adventure across France (Eurovelo Series: Book 1) and bordeaux and bicycles (Eurovelo Series: Book Two) by Steven Herrick.

baguettes and bicycles

Steven lives in Australia where he spends his days writing children’s books and cycling to keep fit, but for pleasure he packs his bike (called Craig) into his suitcase, well almost, and hops on a plane to La Belle France. In his first book, baguettes and bicycles: a cycling adventure across France (Eurovelo Series: Book 1), his solo journey starts in St Nazaire in the west and follows the Loire Valley and Saone River to the east. He then spends a few days indulging his passion for gently climbing some of the French mountains climbs that have been made famous in The Tour de France, including Mont Ventoux and Alpe d’Huez.

Being a closest adventure cyclist this book really appealed to me especially as Steven spends almost as much time describing the food and patisseries he fuels himself with on his journey as he does the wonderful scenery he sees. His delight and excitement at a good three course formula lunch or dinner was contagious. I think I would get on well with Steven.

I found his writing style gave an easy, entertaining read that made me feel I could do something like this too. I especially loved his little finalé to each chapter - ‘What I should have said’ – there were some great little laugh-out-loud funnies to end each day on his bike.

bordeaux and bicycles

The second book, bordeaux and bicycles (Eurovelo Series: Book Two) sees Steven and his bike Craig back in France but this time with his wife Cathie and her bike named Jenny. Their journey starts in Arcachon on the Atlantic coast and they cycle to the Mediterranean following the canals and waterways, eating and staying in out of the way villages. You can tell from his writing that having Cathie with him made a great trip even better and he certainly got lost far fewer times with her in charge of the directions to the B&B’s. Talking of B&B’s, of all of the B&B’s in Carcassonne to choose I was delighted to read they stayed at the same one we have stayed in twice on our road trips in the Mini Cooper – great minds obviously do think alike! Once they completed their journey they took a car to the Pyrenees where Cathie sensibly let Steven do a spot of col climbing on a hired bike. He is keen to reinforce his belief that cycling up mountains isn’t about testosterone and thigh muscles it’s about taking the time to see the scenery, a very sensible attitude. There is plenty of good food chatter, humour (did I mention he talks to his bike?) and practical information included too. I spent a few happy days in these reasonably priced books and I hope Steven and Cathie come back to cycle in France again soon.

I am delighted to say that Steven will be joining me on Friday for a chat in my France et Moi feature and what can I say but that there is lots of food talk.

Both of Steven’s cycling books are available in ebook and paperback format. You can find links to Amazon below.

We Will Remember Them

Remembrance Day

In the UK a poppy is worn in the run up to 11th November as a sign of remembrance for those who have lost their lives fighting for their country. The hostilities of World War I officially ended at the 11th hour of the the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. Paper poppies are made and distributed for donations by The Royal British Legion with the funds going to support families of the Armed Forces, whether veterans or those on active service. Services of remembrance are held on the nearest Sunday and a minutes silence will be observed by some on 11th at 11.00am. The poppy is a prominent symbol of remembrance throughout the Commonwealth and was chosen due to the large numbers of the flowers that appeared in the battlefields and graveyards of Northern France after the First World War. Poppy seeds will lie dormant in the soil for many years, germinating once the soil is disturbed. They are mentioned in the poem In Flanders Fields by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae and were first suggested in 1918, adopted by the American Legion in 1920 and the British Legion's first Poppy Appeal was in 1921.

In France there is no poppy appeal, but the 11th November is a public holiday. Every town and village has a memorial to it's 'children' who lost their lives 'mort pour la France'. Flags and flowers will be displayed and ceremonies of remembrance will be held in the morning of 11th by the local Maires. A vin d'honneur will be served in our village and probably in many others as well. 

Our French neighbours are pleased that we join them for their remembrance ceremony and have grown used to seeing us wearing our poppies with pride. Our two countries may well have different traditions and ways of remembering this shared date, but the important thing is that we all, young and old, remember. How do you remember this important date?

Book review and giveaway of Unravelled by M K Tod

Unravelled MK Tod

Today I am taking part in a virtual book tour and giveaway via France Book Tours for the novel Unravelled by M.K. Tod and I’m delighted to be able to offer an ebook copy to one reader. This giveaway is open to all, wherever you live in the world, just email me frenchvillagediaries@gmail.com with ‘Unravelled’ as the subject. The winner will be the first name drawn on 11^th November 2013. Here is the synopsis:

Two wars, two affairs, one marriage.

In October 1935, Edward Jamieson's memories of war and a passionate love affair resurface when an invitation to a WWI memorial ceremony arrives. Though reluctant to visit the scenes of horror he has spent years trying to forget, Edward succumbs to the unlikely possibility of discovering what happened to Helene Noisette, the woman he once pledged to marry. Travelling through the French countryside with his wife Ann, Edward sees nothing but reminders of war. After a chance encounter with Helene at the dedication ceremony, Edward's past puts his present life in jeopardy.

When WWII erupts a few years later, Edward is quickly caught up in the world of training espionage agents, while Ann counsels grieving women and copes with the daily threats facing those she loves. And once again, secrets and war threaten the bonds of marriage.

With events unfolding in Canada, France and England, UNRAVELLED is a compelling novel of love, duty and sacrifice set amongst the turmoil of two world wars.

My review.

Despite having a sombre theme this book is full of passion and intrigue, and I was totally transported into the lives of Ann and Edward. Theirs is not an easy life, there are secrets, troubles, pain, sacrifices and the story twists and turns over the years with the reader as uncertain of what their future will hold as the couple themselves. Ann is a strong character and by the end of the novel I was very fond of her, although there were things she did along the way that I wasn’t keen on. I had a bit of a soft spot for Edward, despite his faults, and I would love to learn more about Helene.

Although it is a novel, the amount of detail in it gave another perspective to my knowledge of the wars. I have visited the Canadian memorial at Vimy in northern France, but the lives of those affected back in Canada wasn’t something I had really given much thought to. The ‘behind the scenes’ work done during WWII in training and volunteering was incredibly important, hard work and very stressful and despite the ‘safe’ distance from the front line, hardships were faced by all on a daily basis. I feel I learnt a lot reading this book.

This was one of those books that didn’t just occupy my reading time, it also kept running through my head when I wasn’t reading and I was always looking to sneak in some more time to read it (yes, it was a stay up late into the night book). The thing that stood out for me the most was the fantastic descriptions that ran throughout the story; beautifully worded and moving, like art on the page. It is hard to believe this is a self-published, first novel as it is such an engaging read and it was difficult to find a book to follow it.

MK Tod has enjoyed a passion for historical novels that began in her early teenage years. In 2004, she moved to Hong Kong with her husband and no job. To keep busy she decided to research her grandfather’s part in the Great War. What began as an effort to understand her grandparents’ lives blossomed into a fulltime occupation as a writer. Beyond her debut novel UNRAVELLED, she has written two other novels with WWI settings and has an active blog on all aspects of historical fiction. Additionally, she is a book reviewer for the Historical Novel Society. She lives in Toronto and is happily married with two adult children. You can also find and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

Don’t forget to email me if you want to enter this ebook giveaway.

http://francebooktours.com/2013/07/29/m-k-on-tour-unravelled/

Toussaint or All Saints Day

All Saints Day is a busy time for florists in France

Today is All Saints Day and is a public holiday here in France. This doesn't mean a roaring trade for the supermarkets, garden centres and DIY stores as it would in the UK as in our little corner of France bank holidays still mean closures. In the last few years we have noticed that more shops are opening on bank holiday mornings, but it warrants big notices everywhere as it is still considered the exception rather than the rule. Our village boulangerie was particularly fragrant this morning as a long weekend with family calls for extra patisseries. 

Chrysanthemums in the cemetery  

The garden centres, flower shops and market flower stalls have been busy in the run up to today as the French celebrate the lives of loved ones they have lost by leaving beautiful floral tributes at their graves. November 2nd is the actual date to commemorate those who have died, November 1st being reserved for Saints only. However as it is a bank holiday today it makes the visit to the family plot at the village cemetery much easier. In some places candles are still lit and left to glow after dark, but more recently the chrysanthemum has become the popular tribute. Even our relatively small commune cemetery has been bedecked with the beautiful autumnal colours of the huge potted chrysanthemums. There will be a steady flow of cars all weekend, family members arriving to tend the grave and then enjoying a meal together often in the home they or their parents grew up in. It is a very important tradition that seems to be held by the younger generation as well as the older ones.

A war hero's grave stone

Although the chrysanthemum isn’t my favourite of blooms I have to admit to loving the many colourful displays to be seen in France at this time of year. The thing we and many expats have done, but only once, is to buy the chrysanthemums either for some autumnal decoration outside the house or worse as a gift for a French friend. The French really only think of the chrysanthemum as a Toussaint grave decoration and will look at you rather oddly if you dare to use it another way. It is just one of those many things you learn on your expat journey in France.

Our village cemetery

Book review of Cycling, Wine, and Men by Nancy Brook

My review today is for Cycling, Wine, and Men: A Midlife Tour de France by Nancy Brook. The title of this book includes three things I love and it’s set in France so I just HAD to read it. 

By her early forties Nancy had already accomplished a lot, including picking herself up after her husband disappeared with money from their joint business, leaving her a single parent with debts and in trouble with the police. However in terms of a serious relationship and time for herself, things were lacking in her life. Putting her corporate life on hold for a much needed holiday we join Nancy as she makes the amazing journey across France from Bordeaux in the west to the Alps in the east, by bike.

Nancy and I are of a similar age and although I live in France and love cycling here the thought of undertaking a trek by bike from Bordeaux to the Alps is still quite daunting. Nancy sets out to accomplish it and on her first visit to France. She flew into Paris from the States with her luggage and bike (all packaged up), immediately found her way onto a train to Bordeaux and within a few days was cycling the vineyards with a group she only just met in a country she had only just arrived in – chapeau Nancy. I loved the day-by-day descriptions of the cycling route, she was honest, enthusiastic and her determination was quite something. France was somewhere Nancy had always wanted to visit and it was refreshing to experience her fresh-faced love for this beautiful country and to share in her enthusiasm for some of the very French scenes she saw on the way. It is true that we often tend to take for granted what is on our doorstep.

There is no doubting Nancy is a strong, independent woman, but she admits to being a romantic too and her need for the fairytale happily ever after is something she discusses in the book. For me, there was a bit too much musing on the various men and what went wrong, but as the title mentions men maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised by this. What this book did give me was a kick up the backside - if you can do it Nancy, why the hell can’t I? However, I’m not sure camping is my idea of a good holiday and especially having cycled between 80 and 100kms each day. I do like my comforts.

If you are a cyclist or an armchair traveler you will love this journey across France that takes in vineyards, hilltop towns, markets, fetes, mountains and gorges all without the discomfort of riding a bike and sleeping in a tent.

Cycling, Wine, and Men: A Midlife Tour de France is available in paperback and ebook format and links to Amazon are below.

Accidents in the home

They say that most accidents happen in the home and that you should be aware of common dangers so they can be avoided. I wouldn’t say I was a particularly accident prone person, but yesterday I had a little mishap that resulted in a huge gash to my leg. But don’t panic Mum (if you are reading this) I survived, without medical intervention, to walk another day.

Yesterday was a busy one and as I munched my way through a hearty breakfast of shredded wheat, chopped apple and walnuts, I was busy planning what order to tackle the tasks on the to do list:

Ironing mountain – impossible to reach the summit in one day, but getting to the first viewing platform was my aim

Floor sweeping – to be tackled most days, but especially when the return of the husband is imminent

Pastry for a quiche

Dough for a homemade pizza night

However, before anything it was shower time. As Ade was due home running a brush through my hair and throwing on some clothes wasn’t acceptable. I was in full making an effort mode, hair washed and conditioned, legs shaved etc. and this is where it all went wrong. Somehow I managed to snag a nail while shaving my legs and no, I have no idea how. What I didn’t notice until it was too late was that the ripped nail had raised the blades on the razor so that when applied back to the leg – ouch! It is just as well the sight of blood doesn’t bother me, and although a broken nail, a huge plaster and half hairy legs wasn’t quite the look I was hoping for, I survived. Is this the most bizarre accident you have come across, or can you amuse me with something better?

The really cruel twist to all my efforts is that due to some rather horrid weather due to hit the north of France and south of UK tomorrow/Monday, I waved my man back off after morning coffee today – 18 hours home between jobs is not ideal, but we were both happier this way than him travelling during a storm with gale force winds. At least I have plenty of ironing to keep me busy, and lots of new books to read, including two exciting new pre-releases The People in the Photo and The Foundling Boy that arrived in the post today, thanks to the team at Gallic books.

Clocks go back one hour

Don’t forget the clocks in our corner of Europe go back an hour tonight. In order to avoid me falling off a chair when trying to change the kitchen clock, Ade has already done it for me, and left me a helpful note to remind me that for today the clock is slow!

Book review of Mastering the Art of French Eating by Ann Mah

Mastering the Art of French Eating

My latest book review is a real gem. Mastering the Art of French Eating: Lessons in Food and Love from a Year in Paris by Ann Mah was sent to me by the US publishers Penguin, to read and give a fair review.

There are some books that capture you from the minute you open them and this was one of those books. I always felt hungry when reading it, which as my reading time is usually late at night wasn’t good, but that is about the only downside I found with it. It has also given me itchy feet (again) for this lovely country we live in, but where to head first? Alsace for Choucroute, Brittany for Crêpes, Castelnaudary for Cassoulet, or Provence for Soupe au Pistou are just some of the choices Ann gives us, with each dish featuring in it’s own chapter.

The book is a good mix of exploring the food in regional France, giving some great information and history (but not overdoing it) and letting us into the highs and lows of her life as she tries to settle in Paris. It should have been a happy time with a three-year Parisian placement for her and her diplomat husband to look forward to, but within the first months he is sent to Baghdad, leaving her alone in Paris. Reading her story was addictive, not just as I was keen to learn more about some of France’s classic dishes and how they evolved, but also because I enjoyed following her personal journey of coping with her new life that was turning out to be a lonely experience. As a wife in a foreign country, away from family and friends, whose husband regularly travels for work, I can understand only too well, some of the things she was feeling. It would be true to say the food of France saved her and it's certainly helped me too.

Ann shares a lot in this book, her childhood, her life as a diplomat’s wife, her time alone in Paris and her knowledge about France and it’s lovely food. In the recipes her easy steps-to-success with some of France’s greatest regional dishes have given me the confidence to try them out myself – le vrai cassoulet here I come.

This book would make a great gift for the food loving Francophile in your life. Available in hardcover a link to Amazon.co.uk is below.

When Farming is in your Blood

There has been the unmistakable smell of the countryside oozing around the village today, so it was no surprise to see that the fields were alive and buzzing with tractors when Mini and I were out on our walk. Some were busy to-ing and fro-ing between their well rotted heaps of farmyard gold, filling their spreading trailers and setting off for the next field to be fed. Others were busy turning the soil, leaving behind a rich, dark, velvety soil that looked almost good enough to sleep in. 

The narrow tracks we often have to ourselves were busy, almost congested, and we often had to tuck ourselves into the hedge to allow a tractor to pass. On one occasion I was surprised to see the driver was the young son from one of the farming families, being put to work during his school holidays.  He is not much older than Ed and was out alone in the fields, driving a huge tractor and looking to be enjoying every minute of it. A little different to Ed’s holiday, where lie-ins, music, bike riding, and a friend over are what he has been enjoying so far this week and even if I asked him to mow the lawn I doubt he’d know where to start. I guess this is the difference between the families who have worked the soil for generations and the newcomers like us. I love to feel the soil under my fingernails, something I am sure I inherited from my Granddad and eating from our land is an important part of our lifestyle, but it isn’t in Ed’s blood just yet. I doubt we will ever be a part of the land like these families who I’m sure have the soil of the village running through their veins but maybe I’ll suggest Ed and I do some soil bonding and weed the potager tomorrow.

Freshly turned soil