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Monday, December 31, 2012

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Happy New Year
Just back from a fantastic 2 weeks in the UK, visiting friends & experiencing 3 different Christmas celebrations, necessitating in much eating, drinking & enjoyment. John & I have brought back a few kilos & I don't mean luggage, so Wednesday is the start of less excess & lots of healthy resolutions!

New Year's Eve brings with it a time of reflection, making me feel a touch nostalgic & appreciation for all that we have had & what is yet to come. We send our best wishes to all our clients old & new & a very happy, peaceful 2013.

Saturday, December 29, 2012

THE DELIGHTS OF LILLE




On our way back from UK we stayed in the beautiful city of Lille in northern France  the shops are to die for, perfect for indulgence even if it was just post Christmas. After a busy morning shopping there is nothing nicer than to restore one's energy with a delicious lunch. We discovered the famous Aux Moules restaurant, you cannot book, you have to queue, we waited 20 minutes but wow it was worth it.  John choose Moules mariniere, I decided to go for the parsley, cream, garlic version. Just thinking about it brings back juicy memories, with chunks of baguette to soak up the juices. 

This is the easiest dish to make & deceptively filling. Simply Sauté a sliced shallot in butter, add as much diced garlic as you like. Add a glass of white wine, bring to a gentle boil, toss in 1 kilo of cleaned & de-bearded mussels, toss in the juices, lid on reduce the heat a touch, then about 4-5 minutes later check to see if all the mussels have opened, if necessary allow another minute. Any mussels which remain closed, discard. Pour in fresh cream to enrich the juices. Spoon into 2 bowls, sprinkle over chopped parsley for colour & texture, serve with lots of bread, cold beer & french fries, Or as in our photo serve in cooking pot which restaurants tend to serve to the table. A little tip - it's fun to eat the Moules with an empty mussel shell, simply use the two sides as pincers, then pull the mussels from the shell.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

CHRISTMAS STARTER




Christmas is fast approaching and I'm sure everyone's wondering what special things they can come up with, with perhaps a touch of difference, something easy, can be prepared in advance & just needs a bit of time in the oven, hopefully I have come up with just the thing. I tried this out yesterday, I was looking in my fridge for inspiration and as always found some lovely tit bits, the remnants of some delicious pate de foie Gras needed to be finished. our chickens despite all the rain we have been having lately are laying their mandatory 6 eggs, so as I hatched a plan (excuse the pun), why not make a foie Gras brûlée. Sophisticated  but light the perfect starter. So sleeves rolled up I began creating a surprisingly tasty little dish.
I blended the pâté, which by the way could be any type of smooth pâté you wished even vegetarian. I mixed in my small blender 300g of pâté with 120ml of heavy cream, your looking for a smooth consistency. Bring 240 ml of heavy cream slowly to a boil, when a bubble pops the surface it's ready. Whisk 2 egg yolks in a bowl add a good pinch of chilli powder, dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, season with salt & pepper. Then add a little of the hot cream whisking all the while, slowly adding all of the hot liquid, or it may curdle, although its never been my experience. Pour into a jug (easier to fill pots), then fill the 6 ramekins. Place them in a roasting tin, & fill to half way up the sides of the pots with hot water. Pop into an oven 325°f after 20 minutes check, if their is a tremble then it's ready, otherwise allow another 5 minutes or so. Lift the roasting tin out of the oven, I leave the pots in the water for another 5 minutes, then remove to slightly cool.
Just before serving sprinkle brown sugar on top & caramelise under the grill or with a chefs blowtorch, serve slightly warm with toasted nut or fig bread. Eh voilà the perfect starter.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

ANTI VIRAL SOUP



I wish you could smell the aroma in my kitchen! I decided that it was time to make a really tasty soup which was high in vitamin C & anti viral, therefore immune boosting! If you can protect your immune system sooner rather than later with pro-biotic ingredients, you will have invested wisely. The holiday season will soon be upon us.  this can be both a fun & stressful period, Nothing affects your body harder than stress! So here is a little medicinal soup, I have created. I prescribe that the ideal dose is one large bowl to be taken once a week, & just what the doctor ordered, also it freezes beautifully. 

Take 2 large cloves of garlic, cut horizontally, place in a roasting tin that you can also put on the cooker hob. I large onion cut roughly, I large potato cut into small chunks. Pour over a good glug of sunflower oil, salt pepper, give a good stir. Cover tightly with foil. Then place in a hot roasting oven 400c for 30 minute. Take out the oven & remove the garlic halves, leave to cool. Add a 1/3 cup (125ml) water stir, recover with the foil, then place back in the hot oven for another 20 minutes, the idea is to get the vegetables really golden brown. Remove from the oven, place on the hob over a gentle heat, stir scrapping any brown bits on the bottom, add the squeezed out soft pieces of roasted garlic, add a 1/3 cup dry sherry, let it come to a bubble, then add 1 litre of chicken or vegetable stock, again bring to gentle boil, adjust seasoning. Put it into a blender till smooth. For a perfectly smooth soup pass through a Chinese sieve. I sprinkled over chopped parsley This soup will freeze well. 
Garlic has many healing properties. Anti fungal, anti viral, anti bacterial, helps prevent heart disease, purifies the blood, helps reduce high blood pressure, in other words a good all rounder. It's part of the Allium family which onion is also closely related. Garlic when cooked in the oven has a softer taste & is easily digested, the good news is your breath is less likely to be offensive as the cooking mellows the over powering garlic odour. PARSLEY is medicinal too, containing vitamin A & C. So you can see the wonders of this soup, not only delicious to eat but a foe in warding off winter colds & flu. 

Thursday, November 15, 2012

BREAKFAST DELIGHT


It's not often that I have the time to indulge in a special breakfast, let alone a breakfast which is so naughty but nice! This morning however I woke with a real craving for American style pancakes, crispy bacon & lashings of maple syrup. So I headed off for the kitchen to create this plate of delight.

Ingredients

30 gram(s) unsalted butter melted.
225 gram(s) plain flour
2 teaspoon(s) baking powder (heaped)
1 teaspoon(s) white sugar
300 ml full fat milk
2 medium egg(s)
10 rasher(s) streaky bacon (or approx. 100g wafer-thin-cut pancetta)
2 teaspoon(s) vegetable oil (for frying)

I started by putting all my dry ingredients into a large bowl, I put the remaining ingredients into a large pyrex jug, whisked them together till smooth, then slowly adding them to the dry, whisking between additions, the batter should be thick, it is also possible by the way, to throw all the ingredients into a blender pulse till smooth. I like to rest the batter for an hour ( if you can wait that long ). Use a large frying pan add a little vegetable oil & wait till its hot, then add as many spoonfuls as your pan will allow, don't over crowd though! I can usually fit 5 in my large pan.When you see little bubbles across the surface of the scone it's time to flip them over. Meanwhile cook the rashers of bacon & keep warm. I like to make a stack of 4, top with 2-3 rashers & of course lashings of maple syrup.
These scones freeze really well, so you can always have a stash in the freezer to enjoy anytime.
This was undoubtedly a treat & probably one I won't repeat too often due to calories & cholesterol content, but once in awhile it feels great to have a splurge & simply cook what you really fancy. I recommend giving them a try maybe next weekend.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

SEASONS END!

END OF OUR 2012 SEASON!

Our season for 2012 has ended & John & I are looking forward to a well earned break. We went to Bordeaux for the weekend to charge our batteries up, & despite the torrential rain it did not disappoint. Now we are back & focused on winterizing the property which is no mean feat! usually it takes 2-3 weeks then we can relax & think about next year. We are extremely encouraged with the many bookings already for 2013, & we have 3 bookings for 2014, amazing!

I have asked my clients what exactly it is they like about Chateau Perroterie, & apart from the peace & tranquillity  it's the food, so I will be posting interesting foodie recipes etc for your consumption, I would love any feedback you may have, as this will help with the contents of each Blog.

Just a final note, we would like to thank all of our 2012 guests for their business, & their repeat bookings. We are very grateful for the many compliments & suggestions, we hope you will think of Chateau Perroterie with fondness & remember the happy times.

Sunday, September 30, 2012

GRAPE HARVEST


Its that time again, when the word on everyone's lips is will it be a good vendage? The jury is out as we had a bad June with a deadly mould which destroyed many of the grapes, sadly this has meant some vineyards this year will have no harvest a catastrophe, which apparently occurs every 8-10 years. The hope is that next year the vines will flourish stronger & better than before, I really hope so.

Duras & some 15 surrounding towns, is known as the mini Bordeaux, & our wines are some of the finest in France, but not with the fancy price ticket!

The development of vineyards dates from the 12th century. Duras wines won their reputation thanks to the support of renowned people such as Pope Clement V, the kings of England whose lords occupied the region for three centuries to the point of being accused of "harvesting the Aquitaine area".

Our favourite local wine
The appellation stretches 2000 hectares, today nearly 210 vineyards continue the tradition of cultivating & bottling the "Cotes de Duras" wines. We received our Appellation Originalle Controlle (AOC) in 1937 & never looked back.

Many of our clients have enjoyed trips to some of the surrounding vineyards where the owners are more than happy to educate them on the history, & techniques that go into wine making. Of course the highlight of the tour is the wine tasting, whether you choose to spit or swallow is a personal preference!!!!

I have hanging in my kitchen a little plaque which a wine drinking friend gave me, the famous saying I have to say is very true in my house - CHEERS!

Sunday, September 23, 2012

ODE TO LES TOMATES

The last 2 months here at Chateau Perroterie are the busiest of the year, hence no weekly Blog! August was an exceptional period with a heat wave not only here in SW France but in Northern Spain, in fact we were on a red alert for 3 days, which basically means the heat is a potential killer. Anyway as I am writing this Blog there is a beautiful warm breeze with a very agreeable 29 degrees & not a cloud in the sky, all change tomorrow I believe, ah how we all love to ramble on about the weather.



Tomato & cream soup with parmesan toast
Delicious starter
This time of year is not only the start of the grape picking period but also the height of the tomato harvest, & I am inundated with all shapes & sizes of tomatoes. Marmande a town about 20 minutes from here is the tomato capital of France. So as I stand & admire the kilos of this beautiful fruit ( yes tomatoes are not a vegetable) on my garden table, the smell is of sunshine & the taste well its indescribable, let's just say summer in a bowl, or plate or glass. There is no end to the things you can do with these gorgeous red jewels. My favourites are a Tomato & basil soup with a grating of parmesan cheese, or a swirl of cream or both, the colour is so vibrant & not a drop of tomato purée needed to enrich the colour. The alternative is icy cold gazpacho, sit a little dish in the middle of a plate of melon & jambon sec, very decadent. I always make a tomato passata which is stored in sterilized jars, & on a cold winter,s day it adds a touch of summer to any tomato sauce. I usually add a touch of chilli & basil for extra warmth, great in curries, & chicken dishes too. My basic recipe is to a kilo of washed tomatoes which have been quartered, add to a pan which you have already sautéed an onion & 2 garlic in olive oil, add a tablespoon of sugar, bring to a gentle boil then reduce to a simmer, a good dash of balsamic vinegar, lid on, then cook for 30 minutes. Whizz in a processor or liquidizer till smooth. For a smoother texture strain through a sieve, then either pour into sterilized jars or freeze in freezer bags. If you are thinking of freezing in a plastic container, a good tip, is to brush the sides of the container with oil & this stops the tomatoes staining the plastic. This will keep well either way for months, although in my house not so long!   

Friday, August 3, 2012


BLOG OLYMPICS HEALTH JUICES.

Friday night John & I were sat in front of the tv along with a billion others watching the Olympic opening ceremony, what an amazing spectacle, I must confess to a teary moment when the torch rose up like a Phoenix from the ashes. This has inspired me to create some fruit & vegetable gazpacho, I might not be running a marathon today, but it feels like I am around our property & my kitchen looking after our guests, perhaps I should be playing chariots of fire music to help me with more stamina, it's been a very very hot & humid week & the French have been heard to use the word insupportable (unbearable) on many an occasion.


strawberry gazpacho
All you need to try these gazpacho soups is a blender, processor or Thermomix. The strawberry gazpacho is summer in a bowl. Hull a punnet of strawberries, rinse them under cold water, pop them into a saucepan add sugar to taste 1-2 tbsp, 2 sprigs of lemon thyme, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, a good grinding of black pepper. Bring to a gentle boil then switch the heat off, allow this to cool completely. Put the strawberry mix into your blender of choice, make sure it is smooth, pour into a jug & chill, serve in a pretty glass.


summer vegetable gazpacho
The second gazpacho was a mélange of sliced courgette, cucumber, tomatoes, carrots splash of olive oil, splash of balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper to taste. Blend vegetables, add cold water till its a consistency you like. Pour into a jug & chill in the fridge, just before serving add diced tomato & cucumber & a few ice cubes. Of course you can make this vegetable gazpacho with what ever you have available. So enjoy this healthy quick drop of summer. Now all I need to say is come on team GB.

Monday, July 23, 2012

Vampires & Garlic


A tribute to Vampire Diaries - garlic!

I am a big fan of Vampire Diaries, and as we are just harvesting our garlic it gave me the idea for this Blog.
Garlic drying out 
Fresh cut garlic
garlic in olive oil

Despite our little red squirrels best endeavors of stashing the bulbs in our rockery, we have successfully grown a good few kilos of these tasty culinary nuggets.
Garlic must be my favorite seasoning, & with my Italian background it's a very important addition in my cuisine.
It has so many benefits. Lowers cholesterol, strengthens immune system, good for the heart, purifies the blood, strong antibiotic, it has antifungal properties, good for recovery from coughs & colds to mention a few.
My son recently bought me a little silicone tube called "mr garlic" it rolls the garlic clove & takes all the outer skin off, works a treat. I then pop them into a Kilner jar with olive oil & herbs, I used tarragon & rosemary. Now I always have garlic ready on hand for that vital addition to any dishes.
Garlic bread has to be a popular favorite; it goes well with most savory dishes. Cut a baguette in two, length-wise, squish 2-3 cloves of your garlic into butter, or my personal favorite, use some of the oil from the marinating jar & 2 garlic, squish & smear along the baguette, wrap in foil pop into a moderately hot oven for 10 minutes, as easy as that - yummy bread in a flash.
I love it on any roast meats, vegetables before popping into the oven. It's delicious in mayonnaise, sauces, and soups.
Finally as I said at the beginning I love anything to do with vampires. My fascination began with Anne Rice’s interview with a vampire, Brad Pitt & Tom Cruise.  My favorites are the Twilight Saga films,starring Robert Pattinson as the gorgeous Edward Cullen. The TV series, The Vampire Diaries, starring Ian Somerhalder alias Damon Salvatore, is to die for, oops excuse the pun! It's hard to image a vampire who isn't a hunk, or is it just me, & they don't seem to mind garlic!!.

Monday, July 16, 2012

TIME TO JAM

MIRABELLE PLUMS
PLUM JAM
I'm jamming!
Hope you like jamming too.  It's that time of the year again when fruit is ripening in the garden & heaped high in the shops. Nature seems to love getting ready all at once & suddenly you have fruit coming out of your ears! For me it's also my busiest time here at Chateau Perroterie & I have very little time to bottle, pickle & freeze kilos of fruit. This year our apples are not abundant, thank goodness, unlike last year, the wild boar had a lovely pig out rooting & gobbling up all the dropped fruit. This year the quantity may be less but the quality is gorgeous. I love to freeze slices of apple which I can later turn into apple ice cream, or a apple & cider sauce which is yummy with roast pork. My neighbour kindly gave me 2 kilos of apricots which I converted into 12 jars of jam, this will be enjoyed with buttery croissants & is fantastic in curry sauces. This year our mirabelle plums are a good, 2 weeks late, but they are my husband's most important crop for his precious Eau d'Vie. I love our plums because they make a fantastic sauce for duck confit.

Apple sauce
Peel core & slice 3 large apples. Place them in a pan with 75ml of cider, 50g of butter & 2-4tbsp of sugar to taste, slowly simmer for 10-15 minutes, the sauce is ready when the apple starts to collapse but isn't mushy. Allow it to cool, serve with pork. It can be frozen too.


Basic Plum jam.
3 Kilo plums, wash, add to pan, with 500ml water, bring to the boil then simmer for 30 minutes. Sieve to eliminate pips, measure the juice and return to the pan, add the same quantity of sugar. Boil up & allow the jam to steadily reduce to a syrup, 40-60 minutes. Pour into sterilized hot jars. If you choose, add chopped red chillies & chopped rosemary, absolutely gorgeou
s melted in a small pan with some pineau liqueur or port, serve with any red meat dishes.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

GONE FISHING!

Gone fishing!

When we get an enquiry from a new client, one thing that is at the top of the list is - what is there to do?
Well, quite a lot. Kayaking, canoeing, tennis, cycling, go karting, bowling, swimming, prehistoric caves & grottos, walking, vineyard tours, ancient chateaux, river cruising, eating drinking, markets, the list goes on.
But the two favorite pass times is lazing by the pool with a good book or the more modern way a kindle, or fishing.
We have a not inconsiderable size lake at the back of the property. There are a number of coarse fish mainly roach & carp. My husband & son Gareth recently fancied "drowning a worm" as they like to call it. They encourage two ways of fishing, a serious competition of who can catch a fish the length of a bottle of wine, the bottle must have been consumed before the catch, see photo! The second way is to drink the wine while fishing with no hook, so maximum enjoyment of said wine will not be interrupted by a fish on the line. Both ways seem to be enjoyed, & have become a bit of a tradition while fishing at Chateau Perroterie.

Sunday, July 1, 2012

CAFE SOCIETY


OK, I confess I love relaxing with a coffee & sometimes a yummy pastry. Southern Europe has the climate which has helped create the cafe society. Taking time out to enjoy an aromatic cup of cafe creme outside under a shady parasole is not a treat, more a daily ritual for most French. Its where all the local chatter is discussed & most cafe owners are quite happy for you to eat & enjoy a tasty treat you have bought from a nearby patisserie, very civilized! This leaves only one problem, which pastry or cake to choose, the selection can be quite daunting. I find it works best when you are with a group of friends, then you can share from a box of creamy delights, or arm wrestle!. The photo says it all, hands diving in from all sides.

oh which one?
Quick!

Our local boulangerie in Duras asked my advice this week on cheesecake recipes. Marilyn's father is the cake maker & he said the English make the best cheesecakes, I thought it was the Americans but I didn't argue. I went home & had some fun tinkering in the kitchen with some simple ideas that might be useful, & this was the result, a no bake lemon cheesecake, recipe below.


200g digestive biscuits, crush in a bag with a rolling pin. 100g melted butter, add the biscuits & stir till all the butter is incorporated. Press into a loose form ring tin 20cm, chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Gently warm a jar of ideally home made lemon curd check out my Blog dated  1/24/12 for recipe. Meanwhile soak 2 leaves of gelatine in water for 5-6 minutes, squeeze the water out with your hands, stir into the warm lemon curd. Once the lemon curd is cool stir it into 250g of  Mascapone  cream & 350g of creme cheese like Philadelphia. Spread the lemon cream mix on top of the biscuit base, chill in the fridge for 12 - 24 hours, as simple as that but really tasty.
Lemon cheesecake




So put your feet up with a cup of coffee & enjoy a slice of cheesecake heaven - Bon appetite!

Sunday, June 24, 2012

A WEEK OF WINE MUSIC & BBQ'S

view from our table at Monteton
Our second visit from friends & family has just come to an end. I love June we specifically try to have as many friends & family staying as possible, time to have lots of fun & laughter. This final visit coincided with France's week of music. Each town hosts a concert with live entertainment & of course all washed down with wine & delicious food. We kicked of on Wednesday night at Monteton, a little French gem hidden from the modern world, about 15 minutes from Chateau Perroterie.
 In the heart of this little village lies an ancient ruin of a Chateau. The owner & his son, lovers of music, keenly support musicians from all over the world. We had an evening of the most amazing jazz from a young up & coming jazz group with the unlikely name "Mr Chan & the Texas sluts" we dined on the terrace which over looks beautiful views. The bill was a meer 15 euros each for a 2 course meal wine & music - fab value.
Mr Chan & co


Friday was beer & pizzas at Regine's in Duras, followed by another jazz group who played at our neighbours, The Chaters vineyard. The night was free unless of course you wanted wine or a choice of a cheese platter or charcuterie platter. They are hoping to repeat this event every other Friday night throughout the summer.
singing for their dinner


Saturday was a must visit to St Foy La Grande, they have a Saturday market which is in the top 10 of markets in France. The girls had a great time spending their monies & their boyfriends monies at the many jewellery stalls. Each bar & cafe had buskers & musicians playing around the tables, so a few coffees & drinks had to be partaken of whilst feet were tapping along with the music.



Our son Gareth & his girlfriend Sindy
































When we weren't out & about enjoying music, we took turns at out doing each other at the BBQ, how is it that men really excel at this cuisine, but thank god they do! then a lot of shouting at the Television with the football, Mauro one of our Italian friends nearly had a heartache when he thought his team would lose. 


My last news for this week is to do with our cute little cat "Chattoo" who has been renamed Dave! bizarrely he now only comes to his new name, family, what can I say! they are all flying home  & John & I return to tranquillity for a brief time, before our work begins in earnest till mid October.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Breads & Cakes

Breads & Cakes


When you mention bread to a French man, they are likely to lick their lips & sigh! 
Bread is probably one of the most important foods to the French.


A French household typically buys fresh breads twice a day. Under French law no preservatives may be added to the dough, as a result you will find it goes stale very quickly, but the taste is awesome. I have been told that no self respecting French person would consider eating left over bread. They prefer to purchase their evening bread later in the day, so they once again enjoy the pleasure of soft fresh bread.


Marilyn the owner on the left.




yummy pastries - which one?
Marilyn,s father the cake & pastry baker.
Another French law stipulates that each town must have at least one boulangerie open in each town 365 days of the year, how civilized is that! Each town will have more than one bakery shop, they decide with each other, which shop will take their day off, so as not too clash with each other. competition is strong with each bakers trying to outdo the other with the most unusual loaves & pretty pastries, a great deal of pride is at stake, also once they have the custom of a client they rarely swap to another unless quality slips. Breads & pastries are not cheap, but the French respect good food & are happy to pay for the best they can afford. 


When invited to lunch especially Sunday lunch, guests usually bring gateaux or handmade chocolates, so the hostess does not have to worry about dessert & treats to accompany coffee, how civilized.
Antonella,s birthday cake
Our son arrived yesterday along with 7 friends for a week of fun. One of the girls is celebrating her birthday whilst here, We called into our favourite boulangerie & Marilyn the owner organized a beautiful cake, taking all the strain off my shoulders, a guaranteed baking delight is assured. 

Sunday, June 3, 2012

BEER & STRAWBERRIES



A follow on from yesterday's blog. I wanted a Suggestion of what beer would also pair well with strawberries. I asked my good friend Darren Packman a renowned beer expert to select some liquid nectar. He came up with two recommendations. The first is a Duvel, a Belgian strong ale a little like a champagne. Or following the chocolate route a big Imperial Stout. Sounds like a good plan!

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Think Strawberries think summertime.

This juicy red fruit is actually not a fruit or a vegetable but a pseudo-fruit! The botanical explanation is a bit convoluted so I'll leave it at that.




As my strawberry patch is very new I won't be blessed with too many this year, but I do have some mature alpine strawberries which are so decorative & add to the prettiness of any dessert. I planted them for my grandson, he said they were just for the fairies to eat, but I do recall him helping himself too!




My neighbour very kindly gave us a basket of strawberries from her garden, intoxicatingly sweet & smelling of sunshine, I headed to the kitchen tout suite to create some fruity delights. First I made a simple sponge cake, sandwiched with lashings of strawberry jam. Then I made everyone's favourite, meringues topped with a dollop of cream & of course berries. Accompanied with a glass of purree'd strawberries, crushed ice & lemonade with a sprig of mint for colour. Alcohol & strawberries are a match made in heaven, just sliced & popped into ice cubes with water makes a very pretty addition to a jug of Pimms. I am particularly partial to a Kir Royale, strawberries Cassis & icy cold Champagne the height of decadence.  






Last night I made some home-made ice cream, I didn't get the chance to take a picture as it was demolished in 5 minutes flat. The list of what this versatile pseudo-fruit can be used is endless, & quite frankly just eaten individually is hard to beat. I do have a favourite salad which is simple but looks special, scatter some pretty lettuce on a plate with thin sliced fennel, smoked salmon ribbons, & sliced strawberries, dress with a raspberry vinaigrette & lots of ground black pepper to bring the flavour out of the strawberry yummy!

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Wedding bells


The biggest day of a girl's life is surely her wedding day. The fairy tale dress, a sunshine day.
Anything less is unimaginable.  This wedding has been in the making for over a year, & finally on Wednesday THE day arrived. The bride looked amazing I think you will agree, & the dress wow so beautiful, & after a week of horrendous weather yes even the sunshine arrived right on time for the photographs.


Helen





Helen our bride rode for France on Miss Amblan in cross country eventing, & the current owner surprised her by bringing her along for the photos. Helen & many of her family cannot eat wheat or gluten so a very special cake was made & you can see how gorgeous it looked, the taste was even better, I swear you would never of known it wasn't a typical made wedding cake.





Miss Amblan


So now the excitement & the nerves, & the tears of joy have been replaced with silence & tranquility, once again Chateau Perroterie was proud to be part of a family celebration & I believe the energies of our "place with space" helped make the whole day a day to remember.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Rhubarb vodka jellies

Rhubarb vodka jellies!

Half way through May already, wow!, where does the time go? This year our weather is very changeable, one minute hot next minute heavy rain, our global climate is definitely all over the place. The upside (& lets face it its important to look for the positive!) is our beautiful roses are late blooming & the smell is intoxicating, fingers crossed they will be a stunning backdrop for the wedding on Wednesday.

Our neighbours very kindly gave us some of their new season's rhubarb, because its not forced, the colour is green unlike shop bought. I am not the biggest fan of this fruit (vegetable?) but John loves it. I thought about how I could come up with something different, and oooh! was I delighted with the result. So here is what I did......




I lightly poached a few sticks of chopped rhubarb in 400ml of water & 2 heaped tablespoons of sugar, then strain the fruit & ,set aside, let the fruit infused syrup cool. Meanwhile I soaked 4 gelatin leaves in water 5-7 mins. When its gone all floppy, squeeze out excess water, pop into the cooled syrup along with 3 tablespoons of Vodka, gently heat till the gelatin has dissolved. Pour into 4 pretty wine glasses, chill overnight in the fridge, perfect as a dinner party dessert. it has a lovely sexy wobble. Just before serving top with a dollop of creme fraiche & a couple of pieces of the poached rhubarb. Don't worry I didn't waste the surplus poached fruit, it went into a dish with some crumble mix & voila John had his favourite crumble the next day, how versatile is that!


Sunday, May 13, 2012

Asparagus season





France has been gripped by election fever, & we now have a new leader, Monsieur Hollande has deposed Sarkozy, my French neighbours assure me that nothing will change they are both useless! so back to the more important business of food & drink

France is a country which prides itself on eating seasonal foods. Each new fruit vegetable meat fish etc is eagerly anticipated. The asparagus season is all too short & probably the most popular vegetable with the French. Every cook has their preferences white or green, the white being much bigger & probably the most popular. Cooks have their favourite recipes, from steamed with butter, to hollandaise, quiches, wrapped with smoked salmon or Jambon sec, vinaigrette dressings, & on & on. the recipes are endless.

 I needed a really quick supper dish, I bought a bundle of asparagus from the market at St Foy la Grande, I lightly poached the asparagus in water with a spoonful of salt & sugar, (sugar is a must), meanwhile I grilled some bacon, sautéed mushrooms in a little butter,  I poached 2 eggs & then its a simple case of placing everything on a hot plate, make sure the egg sits on top of the asparagus so the yolk acts like a sauce. Simple but oh so yummy.


Sunday, May 6, 2012

1893 wedding

2009 wedding
History lesson

In 1835 the Coustou family arrived at La Perroterie they were a very important family in the area. Monsieur Coustou was the Pastor of Duras for more than 40 years. In the 1850's his wife Elise was responsible for introducing into our region the American grapevine root stock, after the infestation of the disease Phylloxera which destroyed 90% of the European grapevines, this would prove to be a hugely significant exercise as it literally resurrected the production of wine throughout Europe. Elise became the chef de region pour de vin, which was no mean feat for a woman, in fact it would be quite a thing if a woman had this title in 2012!!


In 1893 the granddaughter of Elise was married in Duras & the wedding was celebrated at Chateau Perroterie & here is the official photograph. In 2009 we had a local family wedding, & a photo was taken in the same place. Next week we are fortunate to be hosting once again a local wedding. So fingers crossed the weather is perfect & love will once again be in the air at Chateau Perroterie.


I wanted to share this cocktail with you as it is a particular favorite with French weddings.It's a very pretty & popular wedding drink. You need a chilled Rose wine, pour 1/3 into a large wine glass, then fresh grapefruit again 1/3 juice, top up with sparkling water. Add crushed ice if your liquids aren't chilled.

For weddings its lovely to add rose petals into ice cube trays & freeze, they look amazing floating in punch bowls or in large wine glasses. 
Wedding cocktail


Monday, April 30, 2012

My new toy!


Thermomix




Thai green chicken curry

Creme Brulee



I recently became the proud owner of a Thermomix. As a self confessed foodie it was like winning the Lottery!  It arrived 2 weeks ago & as, I was in the throws of welcoming our first guests of 2012 it had to be kept in its box until I had a free day to read the instruction manual & properly begin to understand its workings. I set myself 2 days this week to play in the kitchen with my new toy, this was of course no hardship & I spent a very enjoyable time recreating dishes I love & experimenting with new ones with very satisfactory results. my husband has gained a few pounds as my number one guinea pig, but he has not been disappointed with anything I have made praise indeed!


We are both avid fans of spicy food so today I decided to make a Thai chicken curry with a creme brûlée as dessert. OMG where they delicious. To help folk who have never heard of Thermomix understand what I am raving about, it is nicknamed "the smallest kitchen" as it literally does the work of a processor, mixer, blender, juicer, steamer, sorbet ice maker, and so much more, but in seconds or minutes. it's expensive but a very worth while investment for any one who cooks a lot or is serious about food. I should be being paid for this plug, but to be honest I am so delighted with the results that I know I have made a wise purchase. I look forward to a summer of culinary fun which I am sure our clients will benefit from.