1 July 2015

Sorry for delay - been busy with visting friends Barry and Lynda below.  After a wonderful party for Barry's 70th, yesterday we decided to have lunch at La Corniche restaurant in Brousse, near the village fleuri, Saint-Antonin in Tarn et Garonne.

Sounds normal, but on the dessert menu were several items with Grand Marnier liqueur and the local delicacy, Armagnac brandy!  That was fine with us, particularly Him indoors, but we and the neighbouring French party at the next table became increasingly aware that the French owner and waiter was drunk - in fact, very drunk. We were served the coffee ordered by the French party, with all the coffee spilled in the saucer!  Soon the noise of splintering plates could be heard from the kitchen.  When the l'addition was asked for, we were presented with a practically indecipherable bill for 198 euros!!  I queried this and was asked to step inside to the dark interior, so I foolishly did where I was actually touched up by the inebriated man!!!  Eventually he agreed that the bill was too much and lowered it to 120 euros for the 4 of us - probably a little too low for haute cuisine but he was totally incapable of discussing it, throwing his glasses on the floor.  We left. Him indoors says if he'd wanted a Basil Fawlty sketch, he'd have switched on the video.

5th December 2010

It's icy. Even our visiting Canadian friends say it's warmer back home. Only one thing to do. Eat! So, the four of us went to a famous truffle market in the nearby pretty village of Limogne in Quercy. Despite the cold, there were trestle tables laid out under the oak trees in the square, and the farmers set down their wicker baskets before carefully removing the checked cloths. But, the contents are worth a fortune. Last year, some went for as much as 4,000 euros per kilo! They're found under oak trees at this time of year, especially in SW France. Farmers used to use pigs to root them out, but now generally use trained dogs with good noses. The truffles are a kind of fungi about 7 cm in diameter and have their highest perfume in Dec and Jan. Some say it's the perfume rather than the taste that makes them so delicious.
Him indoors? He says he prefers that other delicacy in this region, especially this weather: Armagnac. Here's a recipe just for him: Soak some raisins in the alcohol, then drain. Mix in some ricotta, 2 whole eggs and pepper. Whip 2 egg whites and stir into the ricotta mix, adding some cubes of some local Roquefort cheese. Bake in buttered ramekins at 200C for 20 mins. Ah, le bien manger!