St Fabrice
Yesterday's weather. Very unseasonal!
We had a lovely day yesterday. We dropped in at the garage to arrange for new number plates for the Méhari and made an appointment to have them fitted on Thursday. Then we took a drive up into Dordogneshire to look at the views and have lunch in Domme.
Somehow we managed to miss all the rain and even sat outside the restaurant in the square where we had an extremely nice meal. I apologise to vegetarians now, but I thought I would describe this meal as it is typical of this region of France.
It started with the local speciality garlic soup. This might sound pretty anti-social, especially if you are not a garlic lover but it really isn't, it's a light white soup which always contains slices of pain de campagne and is really delicious. Knowing the health benefits of garlic it is probably very good for seeing off colds. And vampires too. Jon and our friend then had a duck terrine with foie gras, staying with the local speciality theme. I had a very nice smoked salmon and carpaccio of salmon duo. Then we had a speciality of that restaurant, a very rich coq au vin cooked in Bergerac wine served with wild mushrooms which were probably picked locally as it is coming in to mushroom hunting season.
The desserts are to die for! A Dommois is a cross between a mousse and an ice cream, made with walnuts and has a slightly nougat-y flavour. It's very popular in this restaurant. I chose a dish that is translated as 'cork-shaped rum baba with summer fruits'. Mmmmm. On my plate were two small rum babas with a small pot of crème anglaise a strawberry coulis, an apricot coulis, a slice of pineapple, a strawberry and a spoonful of chopped up Calvados jelly.
We aren't really dessert people, but we do enjoy a dessert when we are out for lunch or dinner, it's the only time we really spoil ourselves. That dessert alone would have cost about £8 in our favourite restaurant back in the UK, but here it was included in a set menu which was ridiculously well-priced. We are always amazed how French restaurants can produce an excellent meal for such a good price when back home in the UK the equivalent would probably cost around 2 1/2 times as much. That probably explains why restaurants like this one are always full, not only with tourists but locals too.
After lunch we took a pretty drive back home so that our visitor could collect his luggage before we returned him to the airport. The weather had been very miserable really for August but we had a lovely visit with him and look forward to his return later this year, we hope. On our way back from Toulouse we saw the most spectacular sunset through some amazing cloud formation, but by the time we were half way home the clouds had gathered and it rained heavily all the way. Back here we were greeted by two dryish cats who had obviously found shelter, and one little fellow who looked several pounds lighter than usual and rather spikey with his fur all soaked!
Showing posts with label restaurants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label restaurants. Show all posts
Wednesday, 22 August 2007
Tuesday, 14 August 2007
Chez Louise
St Evrard
Yesterday's weather: Very nice, thank you.
Last night we met up with some friends and went in search of a restaurant. It was a spur of the moment meeting and as one couple live south of here and another were holidaying north, we ended up on our 'patch', so to speak.
Monday is not a particularly good night to try and find a restaurant as so many close for the day after a usually frantic weekend. We decided to head for the nearest large town but as we passed through a village I suddenly remembered passing a small auberge there so we thought we would give it a try.
Luckily it was open, and if Madame was somewhat surprised to have to find a table for six unreserved on a Monday evening she coped with it very well. Her English was very good and she obviously wanted to use it so we sat back and relaxed, not having to translate everything for friends who find French a little challenging at times. Our friend jokingly asked Madame if she needed a hand with the washing up as she had mentioned to us that she and the chef were working alone that evening, and quick as a flash she responded 'No, it's OK, I have the dog!'
We really did find a little gem there. While not cheap and not plentiful, the food was delicious, served hot (something that is a bit of a hit-and-miss affair especially in the tourist season) and the nougat glace was to die for.
As we were leaving, one of our friends stopped to chat with Madame, saying that he intended to live in France once his children had finished university. He asked what she thought about the influx of English, German, Dutch and Belgians in the area, saying that he had heard that the Dutch are renowned for bringing their own food on holiday with them. 'Yes', she laughed, ' they even bring the cat food with them! It's not so good for the local economy. But we are mostly happy to have people move into the area because they do bring good business to the area and they are friendly too.'
We left the restaurant with that nice warm, fuzzy feeling that you sometimes get after a good meal with good company. It doesn't always happen, but doesn't it make you feel great when it does?
Yesterday's weather: Very nice, thank you.
Last night we met up with some friends and went in search of a restaurant. It was a spur of the moment meeting and as one couple live south of here and another were holidaying north, we ended up on our 'patch', so to speak.
Monday is not a particularly good night to try and find a restaurant as so many close for the day after a usually frantic weekend. We decided to head for the nearest large town but as we passed through a village I suddenly remembered passing a small auberge there so we thought we would give it a try.
Luckily it was open, and if Madame was somewhat surprised to have to find a table for six unreserved on a Monday evening she coped with it very well. Her English was very good and she obviously wanted to use it so we sat back and relaxed, not having to translate everything for friends who find French a little challenging at times. Our friend jokingly asked Madame if she needed a hand with the washing up as she had mentioned to us that she and the chef were working alone that evening, and quick as a flash she responded 'No, it's OK, I have the dog!'
We really did find a little gem there. While not cheap and not plentiful, the food was delicious, served hot (something that is a bit of a hit-and-miss affair especially in the tourist season) and the nougat glace was to die for.
As we were leaving, one of our friends stopped to chat with Madame, saying that he intended to live in France once his children had finished university. He asked what she thought about the influx of English, German, Dutch and Belgians in the area, saying that he had heard that the Dutch are renowned for bringing their own food on holiday with them. 'Yes', she laughed, ' they even bring the cat food with them! It's not so good for the local economy. But we are mostly happy to have people move into the area because they do bring good business to the area and they are friendly too.'
We left the restaurant with that nice warm, fuzzy feeling that you sometimes get after a good meal with good company. It doesn't always happen, but doesn't it make you feel great when it does?
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