France Part 12: Cahors and Grenade

We loved our little house in Tremolat, but it dawned on us about a day before we left France that we had a 10 AM flight to catch in Toulouse on Saturday morning and Toulouse was a 3 hour drive.  To make things easier for ourselves, we booked a room for Friday night in a cute boutique hotel in the town of Grenade which is about 30 minutes from the Toulouse airport.

We said goodbye to the kind people we rented from in Tremolat and left a day early.  It was hard to drive out of that place knowing it would be a very long time, if ever, that we return.  We had fallen in love with Tremolat.

Driving to Grenade was a fun adventure, though.  There was no time pressure and no agenda.  We could stop in any town we liked or shop if we found a place to do it.  It was a pleasant way to travel a couple hundred miles through parts of France that were new to us.  We still had to buy souvenirs for the kids so we stopped at a mall in one of the larger cities.  That's where we found a scarf for Ava, a Where's Waldo book (in French) for Nate, and an adorable umbrella for Lucas.

I don't know why his name is Charlie in the French version.

We also drove through Cahors which is famous for their fortified Medieval bridge.  Built in the 14th Century, Pont Valentre has become a symbol of this city.  Many similar bridges were ruined in wars, so it's nice that this one remains and is in great condition.

As we were walking to take a closer look at the bridge, Cody spotted this street sign.  I was surprised to find my friend Greta's name on a street sign in France.  A little blurry, but right there it says G.R.E.T.A.
I didn't know what it meant, and would have never known had Greta not googled it and told me it stands for a network of adult education centers.  There is at least one GRETA branch in each county.  Mystery solved.

We finally rolled into Grenade around 8 PM to find a cramped city with tiny streets.  The streets we needed to drive on to reach our hotel near the city square were strangely barricaded.  Every parking spot along every tiny street was taken.  We finally found a tiny space and squeezed in with some impressive parallel parking by Cody.  Several bands were playing loud music and the streets were packed with people as we made our way to our hotel.  The manager greeted us warmly and apologized for the crowds.  Apparently it was the first day of summer, and it is a major celebration in Grenade and from what I gathered many other towns in France.  Families and partiers parade the streets while local bands and musicians play well into the early hours of the morning.  And our hotel was in the middle of the party.  

Usually when this sort of thing happens, I'm slightly ticked at the universe.  But I found it impossible to be upset.  Our hotel was gorgeous.  Our room was comfortable.  The air was cool and calm.  The music and people were happy and festive.  I didn't have to get a good night's sleep for any reason so it didn't matter that music was going until 2 AM.  I was perfectly content.  I almost convinced myself France was celebrating our last night there instead of Summer.

The Villa Leopoldine

our private balcony

We walked to dinner at a nearby restaurant and had some delicious things.

Our entrees were yellow tomatoes with fish and an eggplant mozzarella salad.  By the way, in a French meal the entree means the appetizer, not the main dish.  It took me a while to figure that out since we use the word differently here.  The main dish is called the plat.  A common phrase is plat du jour, or plate of the day.

We walked back through the city square to our hotel, packed and repacked our suitcases (trying to defy the laws of physics and come in under the weight limit on each bag...somehow, we managed to bring back 9 bottles of wine!), and drifted asleep to the sounds of music and joyful celebration.

Speaking of bringing back wine...I purchased these great things from amazon called Wine Diapers.  They are cushioned bags that seal with a ziplock style closure.  The claim is, and many reviewers back this up, that if the bottle of wine breaks, the special material inside the bag will soak up every drop so none will be in your suitcase to ruin your clothes.  Thankfully, none of our bottles broke in transit, so I can't verify it.  Now we have these bags tucked away for the next time we want to carry wine while traveling.  They are very handy.

One more tip...when I knew I wanted to buy these wine diapers, I entered them into camelcamelcamel. I've blogged about that website before.  It's the best way to get the lowest price on Amazon.  The website watches the product and sends an email alert when the price reaches what you're wanting.  Any item I want to buy from Amazon but don't need right away goes into my camelcamelcamel account, and I have literally saved hundreds of dollars that way.  It's crazy how the prices fluctuate on Amazon.  Read more about camelcamelcamel here.

France Part 11: Paunat

We drove to a nearby town called Paunat to eat at a highly recommended restaurant housed in a former Abbey next to the church.  Looking back, I see that a lot of our decisions in France revolved around meals.

The village of Paunat is picturesque, as most villages in this area tend to be.  I like this photo because it shows poppies which we saw a ton of in both towns and open fields and because it shows typical houses.

We even saw school children playing at recess in a schoolyard in Paunat.  We were starting to wonder where all the French children were.

The Paunat church was large, old, and beautiful as we had come to expect.  In the photo below one can see the restaurant Chez Julien in the church's shadow.  Everyone told us this restaurant has great atmosphere, and they were right.

We arrived early and walked through the church first.  There were many lovely stained glass windows.

I especially like the cobwebs in the above photo.  It's nice to know dusting isn't high on the priority list for someone other than me.

Chez Julien was a typical restaurant with pretty outdoor tables as well as simple, elegant indoor seating.  We sat inside because it was misting.  I really liked it when the menu was written on a chalkboard.  The server would carry the huge board over and either prop it up on the table or on an easel.  Some restaurants had only one board that rotated around, while others had several copies that could be used at the same time.  The writing seemed so lovely and carefully done.

This was one of our last meals in France, so when we noticed escargot on the menu we decided to go for it.  I've never eaten a snail before, and I may not ever again, but I'm glad we tried something decisively French while we had the chance.  They were covered in garlic and butter so overwhelming that the "meat" was indistinct.  Later, while telling the kids about our unusual meal, we wondered out loud about who first had the idea to eat a snail!  Nate guessed it must have been some really poor person who had no choice.

For dessert we enjoyed creme brûlée (Cody's favorite dessert of all time) and the tartest lemon tart ever made.  My lips are puckering just thinking about it.

I can honestly say we never had a "bad" meal in France.  There were a few dishes that were not as stunning as most, and this restaurant had a few of the non-stunning courses.  That's not to say they tasted bad.  But by this point, we had eaten so many amazing plates of food that our expectations were inflated.  I probably ate 10,000 calories a day while in France.  All that butter, foie gras, wine, and a pastry (or two, or three...) for breakfast every morning.  Yes, I said every morning.  I had a favorite pastry.  We always stopped at the Boulangerie to pick up a chausson de pommes.  It's like a fried apple pie, except flakier, richer, tastier, and better all around.

I usually ate them so quickly I didn't get a chance to photograph one until the very last day when I figured it was my last opportunity.  Sadly, my last chausson de pommes was slightly overcooked, as seen in the photo.  Did that slow me down or hinder me in any way?  Nope.  I'll forgive one over-toasted pastry for the dozens of perfect samples I enjoyed throughout the week.  Look at those flaky layers.

I am so thankful to France for their food.  They have a lot of other things going for them, too, but oh how I love their food with all my heart.  I would like to formally thank the entire country right now for their culinary genius.  Oh, and also thank you for making the best wine.  Ever.  Keep up the good work.

France Part 10: Les Truffieries

Let me tell you about one of our favorite meals in France.

It was nearing the end of the trip.  It had been cold and rainy all day.  The day before we had made reservations for Les Truffieries which is a Ferme Auberge (farm house restaurant) in Tremolat.  We had heard great things about this restaurant, and were very eager to try it.  We drove on winding roads up into a mountain a few kilometers outside of town, parked in mud, and braved the rain as we walked to the door about 5 minutes early for our 7:30 reservation.  The door was locked.  We were shivering and confused.  However, 7:30 is usually the earliest dinner reservation available so we figured the restaurant just hadn't opened yet, but would soon.

After a while, a man in his 60's came to open the door.  We quickly learned he spoke little to no English as he beckoned us to choose from about 9 tables in the room.  We sat near an open fireplace on which he tossed a fresh log.  The restaurant was packed with decorative items, in a "grandparent's living room" style.  Books were stacked high on the upright piano behind us.  Framed photos were everywhere.  Maps were pinned to the walls.  Odd vases, houseplants, and radios were placed on various shelves and ledges.  All the tables and chairs were mismatched.

The gentleman brought out a steaming tureen of soup as the first course.  It was the perfect dish for our cold-soaked bones.  It was the most unusual tasting soup.  I loved it, but I had never tasted anything like it before.  I later found out it is a traditional garlic soup made in the area.  When we got home I found this recipe online and tried to copy the soup we enjoyed this night.  It was similar, but I doubt I'll ever have anything just like it.  For one thing, a major ingredient is duck fat, which is a bit out of my league and accessibility.

We learned that the man serving us was Yanick, a retired architect turned Ferme Auberge proprietor.  We didn't remember that he and his restaurant were mentioned in the article Cody read in Budget Travel magazine that sparked our interest in Tremolat in the first place long ago.  Here we were, in person with famous Yanick.  And Yanick, being a typical Ferme Auberge out-going spirit, wanted to talk to us in a bad way.  He pulled up a seat at our table and began a 3 hour conversation that was conducted in broken French, broken English, smiles, nods, hand signals, and every prop imaginable from maps to goose livers.  He only paused long enough to prepare the next course and bring it to us.

At some point we realized we were still the only customers in the restaurant.  No one else had come, which was a little unsettling.  We were enjoying Yanick's attention, but we couldn't help but ask where all the other customers might be.  He shrugged.  The rain, it was mid-week, people didn't want to spend the money, he had been busy earlier in the week.  Don't ask me how I got all that.  Some miracle of timing and nature had occurred to render Yanick and his restaurant ours alone, so we sat back and soaked it up.

After the soup, we were served the best foie gras.  Goose liver is not my favorite food in the world, but Yanick's preparation of it was the most palatable, bordering on this is quite good.  He brought out a goose liver and the special mold he uses to chill the mixture he creates.  He told us all about how he makes it...mostly in French, so it's still a little unclear.

By this time, the pear wine we started with and the chilled white that accompanied the foie gras were kicking in and I was warming up.  A gentle rain still fell outside, the fire cracked and glowed, Yanick disappeared to ready the next course.

Little did I know I was about to be presented with the most beautiful salad I had ever seen.

It tasted as good as it looked.  The cantaloupe was sweet and juicy.  The mixture of strange leaves, herbs, and flowers was perfect.  Unusual, but perfect.  I have no idea what kind of pate is in the corner, but it went well with the salad, too.  I didn't want this salad to end.

After the salad, Yanick brought out grilled duck with mixed grilled vegetables and potatoes.

We had been eating duck prepared various ways all week, but this was by far the best.  Crispy on the outside, tender inside and flavorful.  I would have believed it was a steak.  I would volunteer to replace most steaks with this duck dish any day.

Meanwhile, Yanick got out a map of the US to show us where he visited a few years ago.  He also got out a map of France and proceeded to tell us where all the best wineries and restaurants are.  If only we had dined with him at the beginning of our trip!

The next course was a simple, yet elegant cheese plate.

Yanick admitted that he doesn't like Roquefort cheese.  I agree it's a little too strong, but I like it in small quantities.  We heard more about his history as an architect and his love of cooking.  Again, I stress that each of us knew hardly any words in the other's language.  Conversations like these border on the sacred...dare I compare it to speaking in tongues?  It may be blasphemous, but I am unsure how else to explain the mystery of the conversation we shared at the table in this small farm house setting.

We finished with a dessert of strawberries and cream.  The past three hours had been delightful and filling in every way.  It will always be a special memory for Cody and me.  It could easily be crowned our best meal in France, maybe our best meal ever.

If just one aspect had been missing: if it had not been a cold rainy evening, if the food had not been blissfully delicious, if Yanick had not been friendly and eager to converse, if there had been other customers dining nearby...then it would have been nice, but not as memorable.  Everything came together to create one of the most beautiful meal experiences, and I am so thankful Cody and I shared it and get to savor that memory together.

Best Brownie Recipe

This is the only brownie recipe you'll ever need for the rest of your life.

Be prepared for the consequences of baking these:

You'll be the most popular person at the party.
You'll never be able to eat a brownie made from a box mix again, even if it's Ghirardelli.
You'll instantly gain 10 pounds.
Your children will rise up and call you blessed, and your husband also will praise you.

This recipe comes from the America's Test Kitchen cookbook, over which I have sung praises time and time again.  BUT, there is also a little twist of my own involved.

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
1 stick butter
3 TBS Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup all purpose flour

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line an 8 inch square pan with foil, then spray it with non-stick baking spray.  Toss all the kinds of chocolate, cocoa powder, and butter in a microwave safe bowl and heat until melted.  Stir together.  Let mixture cool slightly.  In another bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt until combined, about 15 seconds.  Add chocolate mixture in and stir until combined.  Last, stir in the flour until no streaks remain.  Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.  Bake until toothpick comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes.  Let cool to room temperature on a wire rack, about 2 hours.  (Can be shortened if you are ravenous or addicted to chocolate.)  Pull the brownies from the pan using the foil, then cut into small (hahahahaha...who do they think we are?) squares.

I'm sure this recipe, as given, is fabulous.  BUT, what about my top secret twist?

I am so enterprising (out of cocoa powder) that I decided (desperately as a last measure) to put in a packet of Starbucks hot chocolate mix instead of the cocoa powder the recipe called for.  And the results were....

AMAZING.

Now I make it that way every time, at least until my box of hot chocolate runs out.  These are seriously good brownies.  I have a pan of them cooking in the oven right now.  Let me know if you make them and what you think.

Brothers

They fight like cats and dogs.

Seriously, it's like there's a magnet within each of them that constantly draws them together.  They can't avoid touching.  They look like puppies rolling around in the floor.  They hit, claw, push, and tackle.  It almost always ends up with someone crying.  In fact, as I am typing this I heard a playful fight turn into Lucas' wailing from their room.  His head got slammed against the dresser.  Don't worry- Cody's on it.

Lucas follows Nate everywhere which annoys Nate to no end, so he claims.  Secretly, he likes being looked up to and admired.

But every once and a while...something sweet happens to remind me they really love each other.

Between all the tattling, crying, hitting, blaming, competing...a ray of sunshine bursts through to let me know all is well.  Last night, the boys camped out in a tent in the yard.  Before they headed out, Lucas packed a backpack with his beloved blankie and a bottle of bubbles.  As one can imagine, things went horribly wrong and I ended up washing a blankie and backpack last night at 9 PM.  Lucas was devastated.  He hates to sleep without blankie.

When the boys came in this morning at 6:30 after their big night outside I noticed Nate's pillowcase was missing.  Turns out he had taken it off and given it to Lucas to use as a blankie sometime during the night.

Our siblings are our longest lasting relationships.  Long after I'm gone, these two will be there, still looking out for each other.  And that makes me smile.

France Part 9: St. Martin's

Outside of Limeuil stands a lone chapel.  This 12th century church was in the worst condition of all we visited.  It's dark, imposing exterior surrounded by colorful burial crypts beckoned us to come take a look...so we did.  One could honestly spend all their time just visiting 12th century churches on a trip like this.

The original dedication stone, in Latin.  In reading about the history of the church here, I discovered this chapel was dedicated to Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury.  The name of Saint Martin was added later.  There is a very long, complicated history between England and France. (Understatement.)

Frescoes painted long ago.  Some still remain.  I wonder what the church looked like in its glory days.

Monsters University Morals

I just got home from seeing Monsters University with the kids and here is what I love about this movie:

SPOILER ALERT---(Is there an adult reading this that is really, really concerned with not finding out about the plot/ending of this movie?  I guess it's possible.  So heed the warning.)


What I love about the movie is that when Sully and Mike (I'm not even positive those are the main characters' names...I was busy chowing on popcorn and dreaming about the fantastic outdoor patio I'd like to build one day...)

Where was I?

Oh yes, those crazy lovable monster characters lie and cheat and do some major things that are against the rules and they get expelled from the University.  And they don't get a second chance!  The head mean lady in charge comes to them at the end and wishes them well but she isn't going to take them back into the program.  In order to reach their dream of becoming "Scarers" they now have to start out in the mail room and work their way up in the company.  If it were a Harry Potter book, Harry would get rewarded and thanked for breaking all the rules and be some kind of a hero because it would turn out that his special-ness trumps all.  In Monsters University, that crap don't fly.

And that's reflective of the real world, so I appreciate it.

I hope my kids realize that consequences don't get glossed over by feel-good charisma or noble intentions.  Are there times when going against the rules for the greater good is the best choice?  Maybe so.  But that doesn't happen nearly as often as people seem to think it does.  Usually rules are stepped on for selfish motivations and a mistaken idea that one is an unique exception to the rule.

Well done keeping it real, MU.  This mom thanks you.

France Part 8: Limeuil

The little town of Limeuil, located about 3 miles from Tremolat, has been voted one of the most beautiful villages in France.  It certainly was lovely.  The charming cottages and buildings cascade from the top of a hill all the way down to the bank of the river.  The bank of two rivers, I should say.  Two rivers meet here at Limeuil then join to flow together.

We took the above photo from within the public garden at the top of the hill.  It's a small arboretum which can be toured for a fee.  The next several photos were taken in this garden.

This is the "Witches Garden."  I had never seen a mirror in an arboretum before.  Pretty cool.

Another view from the gardens.  It was a cool, rainy morning.  We were trying to get through the garden tour before it really started to downpour, and we just made it.

I have no idea what was up with all the cats we saw in Limeuil.  It's as if all the cats in France have congregated in this tiny village.  They appear to be feral, but then again they approached us hoping to be petted.  This little orange cat acted like he owned the place.

Right next door to the city garden is this gem of a restaurant called Garden Party.  It's very small and cozy inside.  Two large windows were open to the cool air and breath-taking view of the valley.  I chose a decidedly non-French meal here of cheese tortellini, and I must say it was one of the best dishes I ate all week.

Halfway through our meal, other diners began making a stir and going to the windows.  There was a rainbow.  I went to the window and snapped a picture of it also.    Looking at the photo now, I can almost make out a double rainbow.

This photo means so much to me because the rainbow is jam-packed with significance regarding God's promises and love for us...for me.  This rainbow feels like a love note.  I can't explain how God's blessing on our marriage, his redemption, his love and care, and his peace can be so wrapped up all at once in such a simple symbol, but that's how I experienced it.

France Part 7: Anniversary Photos

I bought a new toy right before we left for France.  I got a cheap wireless shutter remote for my Canon from Amazon.  I wanted something that would let me take pictures of Cody and me in France with the touch of a button...a hidden button that I could hold in one hand that is out of view in the shot.

I got the Cowboy Studio Wireless Radio Remote and it worked great.  It did exactly what I wanted it to do, and I think I captured some special photos that we will cherish and enjoy for a long time.

One evening before dinner, we dressed and headed to the courtyard next to the church in Tremolat.  I like that we did the anniversary photo shoot in Tremolat because that was our home base and the city is very special to us.  The stone walls were so pretty, and there were these amazing red flowers and yellow roses scattered throughout the place.  We just set up the camera on the tripod and took a few shots in various places around the courtyard.  Nobody was around.  It was mostly an overcast sky, though sometimes we had to wait for cloud cover before continuing the shoot.  We just talked and laughed and enjoyed spending the time together.

I need to get some of these turned into prints so I can frame them.  It's hard to even choose which one(s) are my favorite.  What do you think?  Which shot is the best?