OCTOBER 2017

  Octobre 2017

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Halloween is not a big holiday here. There are Halloween parties for the children, and some will try to go Trick and Treating, but overall, the holiday has not caught on.

It is fall and the fall colors have been pretty this year. I was not sure what would happen with the dry summer, but the vines had enough water and it rained some in September. Our backyard faces west, so here is a sunrise photo and a sunset from the back door.

Sunrise...colors were vivid
All the gold in the background -right, are grape vines

Beautiful sunset! Surprising results since I took it with the
Macro lens (accidentally)!

One Sunday afternoon, we both were sitting reading in the living room. It was sunny beautiful day outside and here we were mid afternoon, sitting inside. So I went to the kitchen, cut the bread into slices, pulled out the cheese (Comté), and put the bread, cheese, a knife, small bottle of Chablis wine and two galssses in a sack and said we were going out. We went above Gevrey near the vineyard called Ruchottes, and sat on a bench and enjoyed the view, the day and our little snack. Perfect way to finish the afternoon.

Keith on the bench

Ruchottes -Chambertin (all that is gold is vines)

Our view of people walking in the vines (they are walking on a
small tractor road)

Renovation next to where we were sitting

Above is an old building that was going to ruins. It is being restored to its former glory. Regard those beautiful tiles on the roof, so Burgundian. Not everything can be saved, but sometimes it is worth it.

As I understand a vigneron bought it and is restoring it.

And I will toss in a few more photos since I am already telling you the vines were pretty this year. Why the hills (and department) are called Côte-D'or (side of gold) has been lost, but when fall arrives, I have no doubt why it is called the Côte-D'Or.

Clos Saint Jacques Gevrey
The little shelter (left) was designed by Thomas Jefferson

Cellier de Dimes and the Church- Gevrey

Vines around Clos de Vougeot
Burning barrel 

Road to the Château du Clos de Vougeot

More Vines- Gevrey looking west towards the Combe Lavaux

Château du Clos de Vougoet
with hot air balloons in the background

We do not have the beautiful maples and the vivid fall colors that trees like that produce. But we have the vines. Our trees turn subtle fall colors, muted yellows, oranges and browns.

We have had very little rain again this month, but we had a little, so set out to find mushrooms. I am probably boring you with mushroom photos, but the colors and difference are amazing. MT had hoped to find some edible mushrooms, but so far they have eluded us.

A collection a friend left for me to see
(can you name any of them?)

Amanita ocreata, or Death Angle
Very poisonous!

Probably tricholome soufré

Stink horn - oh the small trying to take a photo!!

Ramaria

Puff balls or in french "Vesse de Loup"

Clavaire

Mycena

Chlorociboria aeruginascens
Like the name! It is very small and growing on the log

l'Amanite panthère

Life here has been back on track. Keith is going to Bligny to work on trains, and sunny days he tries to get in some riding of his bike. Right now he is working on putting in a cat door into the outside garage door. Not as easy as it would seem, because our garage door has a Z brace on the inside with a metal hinge bar on the outside, exactly where the door has to go. Hopefully we can get the cat to use it!!

I have been interviewed by the local news letter for the December of next July issue! Always the question "why do we live here". It is a new experience, for sure. In our backyard (almost literately) there is so much history to explore; 1000 years, even 2000 years ago! So little time to explore it all. And then all of Europe is so close. We can visit so many different countries so easily (well, before we had the cat to take care of, he has crimped our vacation style a little). I can get to the mountains or the sea in less time then it took us to get to the Black Hills from Minneapolis.  I am amazed at least once a week, if not more often. But before taking the big step, one has to realize that this is not Disneyland, that you have moved out of the USA and there are differences. And let me tell you, learning a language at an "older" age is not easy. It was a long way from high school french.

This week and last, the schools are on vacation for Toussaint (all Saints Day). When we first moved here it was a one week vacation break, now it is two weeks. Poterie closes for the two weeks also, but Photo Club continues.

Other than that all is well.


RECIPE of the Month
Sauce forestière
I know this is a rich sauce and not something you use every day, but once in a while a treat is fun. And it is the season for mushrooms. Forest mushroom such as chaterelles, bolets (Boletus),and trompette de la mort, are delicious....you do need a mushroom with some taste. If all else fails, use cremini mushrooms (more flavor than Paris mushrooms).

INGREDIENTS

• 30 g of wild mushrooms (best to use fresh, but if no alternative use dehydrated)
• 2 TBS of Madera ( I used a cognac)
• 20 g of butter
• 10 g of flour
• 1 onion
• 15 cl of chicken broth
• 10 cl of cream liquid or crème fraiche
• Pepper and Salt
• 1 tsp of corn starch 

PREPARATION

25 min

Cooking time: 20 min

1. Cut up the mushrooms in pretty slices ( if using dried mushrooms, you must re-hydrate the mushrooms in 20 cl of warm water, then drain and rinse thoroughly and drain again).
2. Finely chop the onion, then brown in half of the butter.
3. Add mushrooms to the onions, salt, and pepper and cook for 10 minutes.
4. In another saucepan melt the remaining butter. Add the flour all at once and mix well. Leave to brown- slightly-watch carefully!
5. Take off the heat, slowly add some chicken broth ( a little at a time) and mix vigorously until you have more of a sauce than paste. Return to heat and add the remaining broth little by little while stirring. 
6. Let reduce and again watch carefully. Add the Madeira
7. Add the cream.
8. Put this sauce on the mushrooms, and rectify the creaminess if necessary with the corn starch

Here the french recipe said to add the corn starch to "si besoin l'onctuosité" -if you need to make it creamier. 

 I love the sound of the word in french "onctueuse". There is a word in english "unctuous", but it is not used frequently. I also think the "unc" has a harder sound than "onc". This is one of my favorite words. It feels as good as it sounds when you say it!

OK back to the sauce....

Serve on pasta, or with a steak or pork or...
Did you know you can look for recipes by using the little search section, it does work, or just ask. Also let me know what you think? Anyone try the pear tarte?