When there was room on the ledge outside of the pots and the boxes for a cat, the cat was there, -- in sunny weather -- stretched at full length, asleep and blissful, with her furry belly to the sun and a paw curved over her nose. Then that home was complete, and its contentment and peace were made manifest to the world by this symbol, whose testimony is infallible.
A home without a cat -- and a well fed, well petted, and properly revered cat -- may be a perfect home, perhaps, but how can it prove it's title??
Mark Twain
Chapter 1, "Puddin' Head Wilson and Those Extraordinary Twins"
Someone else's shot of the Abbey at Caunes-les-Minervois
This past weekend we either hosted or went somewhere for dinner every night. And, now, we must pay.
On Friday night we drove out to Caunes-les-Minervois, where the village puts on a dinner and a jazz show on the last Friday of every month. It's in the cave or basement of an old abbey -- but very simple with a gravel floor and folding chairs and tables and such. We met up there with Scott and Jeannie who had driven an hour from the other direction. For us it's a very pretty 20 or 30 minute drive.
They just started up this "Jazz Night" deal - I think this was the second show. At any rate, we were made very welcome, had a table reserved for "Simson" and everything. The food was served buffet style and all the courses were put out at once - but people still made 3 different passes for the entrée (first course), plât (main course), and fromage/dessert (cheese and/or dessert). The food included various charcuterie stuff (ham, paté, sausage) and salads, a hearty provençal style pork stew, cheeses, pears, and apple tarts. Not haute cuisine, but very good and amply served (although we waited a little too long for the cheese and just about missed out.)
The music was gypsy jazz - or "manchaunge" - think Django Rhinehart, and you've got it. This band had a clarinet and a soprano sax, along with the guitars. And an accordian instead of the sublime Stefan Grappelli's violin....
Outside and across a small courtyard was the back of the beautiful romanesque chapel of the Abbey....all lit up, of course.
Friday night, we had our friends Nicole, Julie, and Nicole's daughter Candice over for dinner. No translator present, but we managed to make it through the 4 hour meal without too many references to the dictionary... We were the cooks this time. Nicole said that French people don't have any idea of what American people eat, and really believe that we all go out to McDonalds at least 3 or 4 times a week. So we thought we'd try and put on a show. Apèritifs - blanquett de Limoux - with (french) olives, then the entrée of fresh shrimps served with salsa fresca (or as close as I could get - couldn't find cilantro!) and avocado (sort of California/Mexican), Emeril Lagasse's "Pork Wellington" slightly modified (hazelnuts instead of walnuts, rosemary instead of basil, etc.) and done without a blender (American??), ginger glazed carrots (Vi Simpson), red cabbage slaw (slightly Asian?), powerful french cheeses (Reblochon, among others; not "fade" or bland, believe me!), and Dave's chocolate soufflee.
We explained that American food - especially for those of us on the coasts, is world food, and we just kind of mix it up. We haven't tried to explain Trader Joe's yet....
Then on Sunday, we were off to Montpelier (about 1.5 hour drive east on the autoroute) to attend a surprise birthday party for our buddy Nico "Froggy" Fouquet. The surprise was for his parents - who thought he was in the United States until December. I wish that I had a picture of the look on the faces of Florence and Claude, when they saw Nico there!
The "dimanche midi" (Sunday lunch) party was at the apartment of Cecile, JP, and Elliott - daughter, son-in-law, and beloved grandson of Claude and Florence Fouquet. Not to mention two HUGE cats - Lucifer and Berlioz; the dog, Themis, and a couple of fish. JP did most of the cooking: Shrimp with a dipping sauce (popular item!), toasts with a flavored fromage blanc spread, gigot (leg of lamb) with a bearnaise (?) sauce, potatoes, herbed and broiled tomatoes. Then cheeses, then an incredible gateau (cake), that was hardly cake at all, being chocolate mouse and pears inside, with a very light not quite chantilly, but something else whipped up topping.
So....all in all it was just too much. I think I'll go on a fast which should end just in time for the "Le Mousse au Chocolate Championship Mondial" scheduled for our house next Dimanche Midi. This is a contest between Florence and Dave...Claude and I are to be judges.
Hmmm......but what shall I make for lunch??