Gastronomical exploits

Food here is exquisite. I just have to get that out there. France has a reputation for wonderful food and wine, and I'm happy to report that the rumours are true. This week has been particularly excellent.

This is the closest I've come to French poutine. This is for you, Shawn. It's called tartiflette. It's potatoes with a sauce made from onions, cream, and bacon, with an entire wheel of cheese cut in half and melted on top. Heaven. The salad is cabbage, with a vinaigrette I made myself. I'm getting to be a decent cook!

You can see the crust of the cheese that's melted over the potatoes. Hardly fatty at all. Ha. 

This is what was for dinner tonight. Stingray. I have to admit, this dish scared the hell out of me. I mean, look at it. And it smelled... wierd. But at the same time, it looks very interesting. I'll try anything once. 

This is what it looked like after it was cooked in a pot of water with onion, bay leaves, and various spices. Very delicate. 

I made a sauce using capers and cream to go over the ray. We ate it with fresh potatoes. I was shocked at how good it tasted. The meat was delicate and flaky, and tasted wonderful. The bones were strange and hollow, jointed like bamboo, and very flexible. 

This is the pie that our guests brought for dessert. The pastry was made by hand, and the filling is cherries, blackberries, and currants from the garden. A bit tart, but so good. 

This is our cat, Grisou. Frédéric and Mathilde rescued him about a year ago, and they figure that he's about two years old. He was found, months old, in the winter in the motor of a car. He's terrified of new people. It took me two weeks here to be able to get close enough to pet him. Now we're best friends. Here he's all tuckered out after a good play. Look at the smile on his adorable little face. 

Yes, I finally bought my basket. I got it at market yesterday morning. It's colourful and tough, and awesome. Right now, it's for laundry and market (not at the same time, I hope). I love it. Now I need a new project to work on. I've found the mustard store, and bought my basket. Any suggestions??

To all my friends back home, have an excellent Monday off, and a relaxing Reading Week (if that applies to you). Thanks for all the excellent Skype chats!

À bientôt!