Au Revoir

Au Revoir, means goodbye in French and that is what I'm doing, saying goodbye to France. It seems like just yesterday that I was on a plane over here, not knowing what to expect, and not knowing just how I was going to fill two months of my life here. But, I think one could spend a lifetime easily is this quaint little nook of Southwest France. I went today on a final bike ride to Castelnaud-crisp air, turning trees, a babbling brook, and a giant castle in the distance-you can't just find this anywhere. I was reminded of all the special moments that I have had here in this valley. From cooking to cleaning, discovery of new foods to a new appreciation of the old, to making countless new friends and unbelievable memories, it has truly been an amazing experience. Below, some of my most memorable moments here in the valley, some featured on the blog and some not but all important to my experience and my time here

My home, the B&B

.

Albert & I at the first night market I went to of the year in Saint Cyprien

Wildflowers

Salade de Perigord-Duck Confit, terrine, gizzards-the best!

wine!

Learning about Foie Gras

Cenac Rugby Bodega

Foie Gras plate at Cabanoix

Fresh bread at a night market in Audrix

Daglan Faire

The Dordogne Valley

Medieval Kitchens

Dinner with a view

Castelnaud and kayaking :)

Wine tasting in Montbazillac

22nd birthday

The ruins of Chateau de Commarque

Making your meal at night market in Bouzic

Bouzic Firework Show

Lessons from Daniele

Learning more from her

Making pommes sarladaise and magret in Daniele's kitchen

Sarlat Market

So many vendors!

DUCK lasagna=YUMMY

St John Bread & Wine in London

Borough Market in London

Night at the Proms fireworks in London

Castelnaud Tete du Veau lunch

Tete du Veau with a large brass band

Walnut Mill

In the Kitchen, eating the lamb meal I made

What you see here is only a small explanation on my life for the past two months. Thank you Caitlin & Albert for the best time in the Dordogne. Now I'm off to Italy to start a new adventure with one of my best friends :)

Bodegas, Brocantes, Marchés OH MY!

Though the weather hasn't been too fair, we have managed to have some busy times this weekend! The month of August is very busy for people of the Dordogne region, with the marché nocturnal, marché, brocante, vide grenier, bodega and more all happening all the time. This weekend, we went to a marché, a vide grenier, a bodega, a brocante, and to cap it all off, a beautiful Sunday lunch. WHEW!


Saturday started with the marché and vide grenier in Belvès. A vide grenier is another sort of flea market type event. It means literally , "to empty your attic", and I happily helped someone out by purchasing a "new" purse to replace my falling apart one I have been using. And at 5 Euros, its nearly the same amount as the basket of strawberries we get every morning for the guests! Mixed in between the treasures waiting to be found, was the marché, full of yummy fruits, vegetables, meats, and cheeses. 

As large as your hand!

Hunk of cheese

Chicken on a Spit, with potatoes cooking underneath with the rendering fat. YUM

The same stand that had the chicken and potatoes had a wonderful red sauce with sausages. The sauce, called Rougail is traditionally served over rice, had tomatoes, onions, garlic, olive oil, the sliced sausages, and ginger. It comes from the islands (who typically also include peppers in it to make it spicy),  and is a nice slow simmering dish.

Recipe!

The recipe is quick, easy,and can be used on rice (as we had), chicken, fish, vegetables, pasta, anything!



Saturday night we went to a bodega, which is essentially a street fair. This particular bodega was in Cenac, the same village where the wine fair was last weekend (see post on Cenac), apparently the people here like to have a party! The bodega was held to raise money for the Rugby team of Cenac, as they have their first match on August 29th against another local team from Saint Cyprien. Upon entry, one is greeted by the many scents of fish, beef & sausages on the bar-b-ques, as well as rugby players serving the beer. However, I think the players were drinking as much beer, if not more, then what they were serving! Similar to the wine tasting, we sat underneath a large tent and shared food with our friends. 

Festive, non?

fishy fishies

We had an assortment of food, with a plate of duck (of course), some sausages, and the above fish. Good, simple food that doesn't need any explanation, and brings the community together for a fun cause. After the food, a Basque-style Brass band played, along with Pom-Pom girls. If only my photos had turned out as they were all decked out in traditional Basque white and red and were really fun to watch. They, along with the DJ that came on when they were done, travel around to all the Bodegas, much like a traveling Circus. And speaking of the DJ, man oh man was he fun. We stayed for awhile dancing and humming along to the French tunes that I don't know any of the words to. However, when The Black Eyed Peas "Tonights Gunna be a Good Night" and a techno version of  Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" came on, I was happily singing along. We left at 12:30, far before the party had any sort of inkling to stop the music.  I tried to upload a video of all the music and lights but the connection just isn't strong enough. I will try to work on it, so you can see a lot of French people of all ages singing, dancing. There was even a couple trying to do some sort of French line dancing in the midst of the crowd. Below is just the best picture I could get from the event.

Sunday started slowly, and after the guests left breakfast, we headed off to another brocante. This was a little bit of a drive and unfortunately the whole time we were there it was POURING down rain, sadly ruining some antiques that couldn't get covered quick enough. We decided it was time to eat, and headed to a lovely restaurant, called Auberge Lou Peyrol. Off the beaten path, you can discover this wonderful place. For those from Sonoma County, it slightly resembles The Washoe House, as it was the old road for the travelers heading out to sea (Bordeaux), though obviously, it is MUCH more French and really maintained. It is run by a fabulous duo of a French chef, and his English wife in the front of the house. Not having too much time before some new guests were to arrive at the B&B, we only ordered a la carte, but it was utterly delicious.

Duck Confit with Stuffed & Grilled Veggies

Goat Cheese & Honey Salad

Naturally, there was some duck ordered, which was the best confit I have had here (out of three so far). The giant white circle in the plate? A whole head of garlic, cut in half and roasted, amazing spread on some bread. The vegetables were stuffed with herbs and cheese (a mild goat we think). I mean, how could you go wrong with anything on that plate? The cheese and honey salad was surrounded by fresh apple slices and baby tomatoes, as well as some local walnuts and the cured duck breast meat. YUMMY.


The meal was a perfect conclusion to a fun filled, fantastic weekend!

Cenac

In this area, there are tons of little towns and villages that each hold they're own fairs, functions, antique shows, and wine festivals. Today, we visited one of these wine festivals in a town called Cenac, only a ten minutes drive. When someone from the US thinks wine festival, the instant thought is to think of some sort of benefit, charity event, or something that is going to cost more than a few bucks. Sure Napa and Sonoma Valleys each have there own wine festivals, but typically, you aren't going to get anyone just walking right in and within minutes securing a spot for lunch and tasting wines, which is exactly what we did.

We (meaning Caitlin &Albert, the owners of the B&B and I), were greeted by this large, tissue paper/dried leaves wine bottle. It was quite large, but I appreciated their spirit in the event. All over they had hung up wine and gold paper flowers and streamers. They sure know how to make their wine festival festive! Not very big, it was easy to scope around to see all the different winery booths, as well as the various foodstuffs people were selling. We were quick to reserve a lunch ticket, as they said they would be starting in about ten minutes. But, this is a French lunch so that ten minutes turned into nearly an hour, and the lunch after lasted at least another hour after that if not more. Thats what I like about the French. They eat slowwwwwwly, and appreciate what they are eating, even if was just some 'festival' food. A meal here, does not have to be at a five star restaurant for people to actually want to sit there and enjoy it. We had four courses, and none were over the top or extravagant, but they were good and simple. And that's just what these people want.

1st course, a half of melon, SO sweet & good

2nd course, Entrecôte and fries, entrecôte is a sirloin cut

3rd course, a great fresh lettuce salad with vinaigrette

and finally, a walnut cake with ice cream

And that was it! Simple, non? But it was wholesome, served nearly family-style and we sat next to all the winemakers from the festival! It was one of those times when I really wished I knew how to speak better french (if any at all...). Caitlin sat and talked to one winemaker for a long time, who couldn't seem to fathom the fact that we, in California, grow all different types of grapes in the SAME region. For in France, they only grow the one, two, or maybe three grapes that have been grown in the same region for centuries. Wine here is labeled not by what grape (Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Noir, etc) but by region(Bordeaux, Champagne etc famously, and Bergerac, Pécharmant, Saussignac etc locally). Even blended wines that are made in cooperatives have to be raised in certain percentages on each farm. For the local cooperative wine, it is 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. So each of the 22 farmers with the grapes for the wine have to all have 70% Merlot and 30%Cabernet Franc produced on their land. It is a different system and takes a lot more understanding of the wine you are drinking because you need to know the area in which it comes from. A lot different then Napa Valley! But I think it brings people closer to their community, closer to their wine, and in turn, also closer to their food.

Pecou, happily pouring another tasting!

Of the 10 or so wineries and winemakers there, only one of them was a female. Wine, and specifically winemaking it seems, has been left for the men to take care of. But, Jocelyne Pecou has started a winery in Bergerac and has done quite well for herself. It was refreshing to see her behind the wines, talking to you, pouring your sample, while her male counterpart was watching. Normally is is the other way around. We didn't buy her wine to drink at our lunch, but it was fun to talk to a successful female winemaker (well I listened to them speaking French to each other and then got the translation). Her motto? Une Femme, un Vin . I think I like it.

Volailles

Volailles means poultry in French. The region that I am spending time in, the Dordogne Region is known for foie gras, with signs leading to farms on every other turn. Here, all parts of the duck and geese get used, not just the one special piece.  I have not had foie gras from the region yet, but I have had my fair share of poultry, mostly duck.


Most know, my family has been in the duck business for many generations, so I have a particular interest and taste for it. Fresh off the airplane, my first dinner included duck. But not a traditional magret (the duck breast from a fattened Moulard), or even a duck confit (a duck leg cooked in fat and salt) but a duck burger. Yes, I said it, a duck burger. Here I am, thousands of miles from America and I am having the quintessential American food, a burger. But, don't get me wrong, it was so so delicious, and made at the B&B, so I was feeling quite at home. This particular duck burger included about half hamburger and half aiguillette, which is the small little fillet on the back of the duck breast, typically cut off before the preparation of the duck breast. Finding the aiguillette was a feat, as two butchers were out of the actual magret we were looking for. Shows how popular this meat really is! Also in the burger was sauteed shallots and duck fat. The duck fat was necessary to keep the burger together and juicy. Cooked medium rare, it was like I had never left home in Sonoma County right down to the sauteed green beans with bacon, just like my dad would have served!


This region has been a poultry area for hundreds of years. But back in the day, it was so sophisticated and posh. The bed & breakfast La Tour De Cause, was built sometime in the mid-1700s. Above the house is a Pigeon Tower  or Pigeonnier in french which was also built sometime right before the house was built. These towers were used to provide a shelter for the pigeons, and to supply the people with some tasty protein. Pigeon is still served on some menus today. This particular pigeon tower is a simple, yet beautiful structure, that is standing so remarkably well after all these years.  Even driving through the valley, you can see these cylindrical structures poking out of the trees all over the place. Some have been converted to homes, or vacation rentals, while others have been lost and have deteriorated over the years. After cleaning the rooms, my job for the next two months, Caitlin and I went to clean the path so all their guests could go up and appreciate the splendor of the tower!