A Simple Life...

The last few days in Pont de Cause have been very relaxing. With less guests during the weekend, we have been taking time to ride bikes (23 km, a lot for me!), read by the pool, and attend some antique fairs. There was even time for a driving lesson for me, as I am trying to learn how to drive stick shift. Currently,  I am reading Julia Child's My Life in France, and today I read something that I couldn't agree more with.

Driving in France was always a competitive sport, but driving in the south  was positively death-defying...The roads are steep, built against sheer cliffs, and just barely wide enough for one monster truck and one small car to pass. There were no speed laws, no road police, and few road signs.

 Ironic that I read this passage just a day after my own death defying stint behind the wheel! Though I will have to get some nerve and drive the little truck around by myself, I need some major practice before I am confident enough, but I'll get around to it!

Our days of relaxation are now over at the B&B as it is now full, but I did get to enjoy some very delicious meals before, specifically last night's dinner and today's lunch.  Last night, Caitlin & Albert's friends, Sarah and Max from Italy arrived at the B&B. They have been coming every year, partially for their love of going to the antique fairs and shops of the region and partially for the good food, wine and friendly people.  All of dinner we had a great conversation, from truffles (in Alba, Italy, yum) to their beautiful, albeit sometimes difficult love story, to their recent antique finds. Between the busy conversation and the late arrival, dinner was a simple chicken with potatoes, but of course with plenty of garlic for the visiting Italians. However, what was truly special was the bottle of bubbly they had brought from Italy to share.

Sara & Max

Heaven in a bottle

This wine was really, really, dance on your tongue, amazing delicious. I love any sort of sparkling wine, and this was just the perfect example of a crisp, not too sweet, and even a little spicy bottle of a 2002 Brut. The wine is made is northeastern Italy, up tucked in the corner near Austria and Slovenia. The winery, Vigneti Pittaro, makes all sorts of wine on its land, but this combination between Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio was molto bene. I think I may have to plan a trip to the winery when I'm in Italy in October.


Today, our lunch was so simple, so cheap, and so delicious. After a long day at the Brocante, (translated directly into English as 'flea' but is really an upscale 'flea market' or antique show), we had worked up an appetite. After we discovered that one of their favorite restaurants in the countryside was closed for the day, we ventured into Cadouin, a small town famous for the Cadouin Abbey. After a glance at the Abbey, we quickly turned our attention to the small, very full restaurant nearby. A prix fixe menu of only 12 Euros brought us 3 courses. Sometimes, these menus can be not so good, but with the amount of people, French people, eating there, we decided to give it a shot and boy were we glad we did. Starting with Le Tourin Blanchi  soup, moving on to  Roti de Porci, and Pannacotta avec Fraises du Perigord. Or, in translation, a garlic with egg white soup, a slow roasted pork with sauce, and a pannacotta with the local Strawberries from the region. Each dish was remarkably simple and really demonstrated a blend of what this area is known for.

Le Tourin Blanchi

The soup, seen many different ways, includes loads of garlic, vinegar, eggs, flour, water, and duck fat. Ours was a little more rich with cream instead of water. For a translated recipe, take a try at this one I found online. The key to success? Garlic. Recipe

Roti de Porc

A nice, slow roasted Pork, with a Brown sauce. On the menu you could order this meal cold, called Enchaud de Porc, or the Pate of the Day, which just happened to be it warm. We ordered it warm. Also a traditional Perigord meal, a translated recipe was found online that seems to be delicious, similar to what I ate, and simple to make! Recipe.

Pannacotta avec Fraises du Perigord

So, pannacotta isn't a traditional Perigord dish, but the strawberries have to go through a vigorous process (60 conditions!) to be labeled from Perigord. There are different varieties of the strawberries, some start early and have already stopped producing fruit while other last later into the summer season. Either way, they are just delectable.

So I thought this was going to be a shorter post, I guess I just get a little too excited about our cheaper meal, that turned into something quite fabulous!