Mai 2010

May 2010

I think that every month I lament that time is running out and the month has passed by quickly. I have to say this month is no different. Yikes I had better start writing.

The first part of May it was cloudy, grey and cold (about 40 degrees at night). Although it was grey and on the brink of depressing, we did not get that much rain. But all that has changed and good times have returned. It has been sunny and warm and we did have one day of rain this week. But what is one day, and the garden needs it.

To start out the report for this month, I will talk about our bed. We have had a Select Comfort bed for about 12 years (if you do not know, Select Comfort beds have an air chamber that inflates to individual settings, so hard setting for Keith and soft setting for on my side). I wanted to check the settings, so got the electric converter out (American bought and on 120v) and plugged everything in. Although I had my side at about 40-45 and Keith’s side at 90-100%, both sides read 100%. Then suddenly, there was a hissing noise!! OH NO, the air started to escape. I tried with the remote to inflate and the air went out faster ! ! Short story, the bed was finished, kaput, wrecked,defunct.. . Now we had two large depressions, sort of bathtub shapes on each side of the bed!! The reading still said it was pumped to 100% (the lying remote control). I tried a few things, nothing. The pump would not start up to inflate the bed.... So now we have a new bed. Our bed was a king...and the bed in the spare bedroom is a queen... after all these years in the king, the queen was not big enough. With the new bed, happy days are back again (we had the new bed made to fit the old platform, so it is extra long for Keith).

I have had a busy month with my Genealogie/Histoire / et Patrimoine Club.

On May 3^rd we took a tour of the Combe Laveaux to look at the sources (springs). The Combe Lavaux is just west of Gevrey, maybe ½ km outside of the town. It was designated a natural reserve a few years ago. Gevrey in total has __ springs. This was a tour of four of the sources. We started in the Combe (a combe is a the valley in a ravine...closest I can come to a description). The spring in the Combe is the most prolific and the best water. The actual spring is below ground and there is a small housing over it. Also they have built a reservoir for the water. We had to hike back on the trail to see the source and then back to the reservoir. Now it was almost noon. We had all packed a “little” lunch. Our next stop after the Combe Lavaux was a little east into the vineyards. This was in the vineyard known as Les Verroilles (the vineyard name comes from Latin origine meaning a little valley). It is on a hillside...so is the name because of the valley of the Combe?, I have no idea. Anyway to continue, we are in vineyard, where one of the club members has a small “maison” [house] (it is a two room building used for shelter and a rest place). Gerard opened the house and the one room had a large table and chairs. Ah perfect..we ate lunch here and admired the view. Everyone had brought extra food to pass around and share, and “comme habitude”, there was wine.

Combe Lavaux

Down,down to the Source

After lunch, Gerard talked about our second source that is underground. This is the source called Romanee. This source is in the vineyard next to Les Verroilles, and flows under the vineyard called La Romanee (named after the Romans that were here no doubt). Our third source was above in the vineyard called Poissenot. And for the fourth and final source of the day, we walked west into another small valley (about 1km) and found a very small source, Boissiere. It was an interesting day, and as always I enjoy the company.

Maison in the Vines

Romanee

Boisserie at the base of the tree

On May 15^th we had a tour/lecture in the village of Fixin. A famous Captain of the Guard under Napoleon built a house in Fixin (pronounced FEE SAN) and a park in Fixin. His name was Claude Noisot. One of our club members lives in his house. So we toured the house and his bedroom (where he had the french Imperial Eagle put on his ceiling, and where he died), and the beautiful gardens in back of the house- very large gardens in fact. Back in the house, we had a lecture on his military life while we drank some champagne (not a bad afternoon...). After our lecture and rest, we went up to the park where he placed a statue of Napoleon (Napoleon Rising to Immortality by Francois Rude-note there are different theories on this statue, it was called at one time napoleon in Repose), and where he had a small museum built. Another great day.

House of Noisot

Gardens

Eagle

Museum

Napoleon

On the 29^th of May, we return to Brochon for another historical tour and on June 19^th, we tour the chateau of Brochon (it is only about 100 years old..but more next month).

We continue to prepare for our August exposition on Cluny and life in the middle ages here in Gevrey. There will be five panels on Cluny, and 20 some on Gevrey. We are not including the Chateau, since the owners of the Chateau are covering that part of the Expo. But you will here about this in great detail in the August or Sept report.

At the beginning of May, my photo club had its annual Photo exposition. There was no theme to this expo, so the photos were really varied. There were some great photos, and if interested here is a site with many of the photos (unfortunately, not all).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/refletsechos/sets/72157623908722763/

As usual, Friday night after the “vernisage” (the opening of the expo with Cremant or Kir ,a short speech by the Club president and the mayor of Gevrey) we had our pizza party. And as it is a french pizza party, there was an abundance of food, from appetizers to quiche, and of course lots of pizza. And naturally, there were bottles of wine (hey not beer here), including some very good Gevrey Chambertin and Clos de Fixin (2005...wow), follwed by a cheese course and finally dessert. We wandered home near midnight.

Caveau de Gevrey

Fireman arrive- water pouring in after rain

The other night at the Photo Clubs weekly meeting, those that wanted brought photos for the theme “Sur la Vif”...which sort of means “on the spot”. Now let me say that philosophy is a required high school course and they must pass a philosophy test to graduate (get their BAC). With 12 photos presented there was about 30-45 minute discussions on the meaning of the theme. I am not sure that more than 3 people agreed on any given definition. My take home was that it was something that happened, on the spot, and it was totally spontaneous. Therefore, Robert’s photo of a horse jumping over the barrier was not “sur la vif” to some of the members. It is interesting to listen to these discussions, and difficult when 5 or 6 people talk at the same time.

There is a new dog in Messanges (poor Frisbee died in March, for those of you who met Frisbee). The new member of the family is named Flipper and he is 2 months old. Marie Therese and Christian searched many animal refuges before making their choice. He is sweet. Very much a puppy and a “pest” to her father’s dog, Dolce.

Flipper and Keith

I like to bite his Ears

All Innocence

Dolce on a walk

Keith has been on his bike as usual, but had only one trip this month (working trip that is). He has a couple coming up in June. He went to Bligny last Sunday to help out and had a long day at the railroad. The steam engine “blew” a rod (not sure if I am describing this correctly...no corrections please- take it as is). He was at the station and got the call from up the line. So he fired up the diesel train and went up to pull back the passengers (8 cars full of tourists...tough work for the diesel). The other two stayed with the steam engine and brought it in ever so slowly. So all is well that ends well, however they have a engine to fix.

We went to Saulieu one Sunday a few weeks ago for the “Weekend gourmand”. Saulieu is over an hour from here. There was all kinds of food and wine to sample, sausage, cheese, bread, pastries, foie gras, chocolat, cookies, jams, snails... and I know I have missed a few things. Actually we tasted only a couple of wines, and not that much food. Keith tried some cheese and sausage, since he wanted to buy both. Ah fresh artistinal goat cheese, nothing better. There were, in addition to the food and drink, some exhibits on making wooden shoes, and old way of making rope, some bread from old roman recipes, some quilters and basket weavers. It is not too large, and it makes for an interesting visit. We had a good lunch there too.

I know you all want to know about my garden! OK maybe not.... I have planted peas, green beans, tomatoes, zucchinis, cucumbers, egg plant, and carrots. Sure hope most of it does well. Right now everything is looking pretty good.

Our irises are all in bloom too. How beautiful (first photo).

The other day on a hike, Marie Therese and I found wild asparagus in the woods. I thought it would be ready next week, but there it was, so we picked a sack full.

Now for the recipe for the month. It is a recipe for grilled chicken, without any oil. I will come clean here and admit that I am having a little gallbladder problem. So for the trip to the USA, and for the summer, I am trying to hold off the inevitable, and eating practically fat free diet. This is working relatively well, for the time being. So, as a consequence, my cooking has changed. This diet also means no cheese...that is hard. But I am coming up with new recipes.

GRILLED CHICKEN

6 hours to marinade

This is easy and totally fat free. Give it a try on the grill and of curse send any and all comments.

Ingredients

v 2 chicken breast filets(without bones or skin)

v 3 oz of non fat yogurt

v 1 TBS of lemon juice

v 1 tsp of salt

v 1 TBS of Italian spice

Preparation

1. Butterfly cut the breast (carefully run a knife almost through the breast to open into two halves) . Not totally necessary, but it marinades better this way and cooks faster and more even.
2. Mix all of the next 4 ingredients together
3. Cover all the chicken pieces with the marinade and return to the refrigerator for 6 hours
4. When the grill is very hot, place chicken on the grill (if you want you could sprinkle with a little more Italian spice at this point). Grill with all the yogurt stuck to the chicken.
5. Watch carefully, it is about 3 minutes only on each side.. check to see if done (small cut inthe fat part. When no longer pink, remove. You do not want to over cook, because without any oil, it can dry out easily, so cooking is the delicate step, but very fast step in the process.

April 2010

April 30, 2010

This month was taken up by my trip to the good old USA. Getting ready, going to the USA and coming home occupied much of the month. It was so good to see family. Marie Therese came on this family voyage with me. Because of my trip,this is going to be a short note this month and really not about our french life at all.

Unfortunatley when planning a trip, there is only so much time (and money), and we had to make some choices. I did not stay that long in Phoenix, nor get to Minnesota this time to see friends or to other US cities to see other family members.

First, it was Phoenix for a couple of days, have lots of family living there. The orange blossoms were in bloom while we were there, and the sweet smell of orange blossoms is everywhere. Wow, how wonderful. And I did enjoy having time with everyone, it was just too short.

One day while in Arizona,we all piled into the car and we took a trip to Sedona. Sedona itself is now very commercial, however the scenery from the “Vortex” was stunning. Had to stop and soak up some of the positive energy there (and take a few photos).

We also went to San Francisco. My sister Vicki came with us, so we had a few more days of visit time. San Francisco is a interesting and charming city. We stayed down on Fisherman’s Wharf, so we walked to the seafood market for dinner and sat on the bay to eat each night (vendors there sell salads, sandwiches, seafood plates....). Shrimp and crab, and crab and shrimp. Soooo ooo good.

One afternoon, Marie Therese and I walked across the Golden Gate Bridge. I stayed in the inside with Marie Therese next to the railing, but I made it across. While in San Francisco, we did a city tour on an open deck bus, rode the cable cars, visited and lunched in China Town, and did a boat tour of the bay. Whew, we were moving fast and trying to see as much as possible.

This Thursday our club had its monthly photo presentation. The theme was “Pub” ( publicity shot). I did not have time to do a photo and have it printed, however, I tossed this one together (and did not get it printed for presentation at the club meeting- it was not finished). Just thought I would put it here anyway.

San Francisco to Nebraska. My in-laws live in Chadron Nebraska. It is in the western panhandle just below the Black Hills of South Dakota. Our trip took us through Denver and then a small prop plane flies into Chadron (and what a bouncing ride that was). Our flight from Denver was late, and we did not make it to Chadron that evening as planned (flight was 3 hours late). We spent the night at an airport hotel and flew out the next morning. While visiting in Chadron, my in-laws took us up to the Black Hills to visit Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse (will it ever be finished -I've included a 1966 photo as a comparison). In addition to the great monuments, we saw a herd of buffalo (at a distance), antelope, deer, wild turkeys and wild goats and of course prairie dogs. Great visit and great day and also too short.

From Chadron to Chicago via Denver. I wanted to visit Chicago, a city that I love. Fortunately for us, my cousin still lives there (they are in the process of moving to Cleveland). Valerie invited her twin Tom and wife to come up to Chicago also, so it was a great reunion. And while in Chicago, we toured the downtown area and saw some of the architecture wonders of downtown Chicago. I really love art deco, and Chicago has it. Even the building that my cousin lives in is art deco. WOW! We went that evening to Second City and had lots of laughs. We also saw the University of Chicago and the F. L. Wright house.(ave you seen the "bean" in Millennium Park? Photo below..) And of course, a few nice walks along Lake Michigan.

It was a fun visit filled with many memories and a toast to grandma (for her date bar recipe).

Although there were four extra days, a large amount of time was spent trying to re-book our flight back to France [that is a whole story in itself and I will not whine here today..). But, as a bonus during one of our extra days, we went to the Museum of Science and Industry. That was very interesting and even went on the submarine tour. (U-505).

So that ends a great trip (OK it had a few hitches in it).

Poor Keith stayed home. He did guide a trip for the Paris-Roubaix (this is a one day bike race). He also went to the Alsace to check the new route for a bike tour there. While there, he broke a tooth. So he has been going to the dentist to get a cap for that tooth. My poor husband, left behind to work while I toured the US and then he broke a tooth.

This week he is at the annual meeting that is in the south of France. He will be home tomorrow (April 30th). He has two tours for the month of May, here in the Cote D’Or. So the summer tourist season has started.

Busy May coming up.

There is no recipe this month. I am following a low fat diet and experimenting with recipes. Will have a low fat recipe for next month (I hope). It is May and a great time for vegetables. Asparagas is in the stores and I am eating a lot of it. Just put in boiling water for about 4 minutes (thin stalks), and eat plain or with a little lemon. Got to love it...so goooood.

March 2010

March 2010

 

I started this out with the March 2009... hmm, guess the year has passed faster than I thought. It is 2010.

We have spring. Oh it has been wonderful this week. Temperatures near 70 degrees, birds singing, and flowers starting to bloom. It seems late this year after the early start we had last year.

 

 

I took some flower photos to add to the spring ambience.

I worked in the garden too this week. Had to clean out all the debris and get at some of the weeds that were already coming up. We have trimmed all the roses, actually Keith trimmed all the roses. He then got out the boyer (electric chopper) and made shavings of all of the debris.

Because of the cold winter, some of my plants may not have survived. I am waiting to see if they will bud. My rosemary turned totally brown, as did my bay leaf bush. Also not sure if all of my thyme will do well. The old plant does not look good, but I am hopeful. These are my herbs and an important part of my garden.

Also busy with the yard. Now that spring has come there is work to be done. Turned all the soil in my vegetable garden. Cleaned up around the irises. Raked some of the other gardens, moved some of the coreopsis (Keith was worried that it was pushing out the roses, but those pretty yellow flowers), and pulled some the weeds that have already shown up. It is so great to be outside in the warm sun.

At the end of February, we had visitors. My sisters neighbor (and friend) from Phoenix was over in France, and she and her french friend came down for the weekend. We went out for a nice dinner on Friday night and enjoyed a night here at our house on Saturday night. They toured Dijon on Saturday. Luckily it was a nice weekend. Sunday when they left was the day the wind started.

That Sunday there were horrible winds. The west side of France had some major damage. Here the wind blew the entire week. Keith tried to bike at the end of the week, and came back after one kilometer. The wind was too strong .

Trying to think of what I did doing this month. Ah yes, I must brag about the wine tasting. Marsonnay la Cote, just a few miles from Gevrey has a Journee Gourmand each year(Day of Eating one might say.....or tasting is actually a better concept). Marie Therese and I have gone for the last few years together. We had our wine glasses ready, and started off to taste the different wines that were offered. We could of tasted food too, but we had our priorities.

 

Each year we also go to the corner where the Club Bacchus is located. For one Euro, you do a blind tasting. If you get the right answer, you win a bottle of wine. I asked to taste the white wine and Marie Therese tasted the red. My white had a very fruity nose... and very dry/tart in the mouth. I picked Pouilly Fume.... and I was right!! I won a bottle of Rose.

And the WINNER is... Sue (yeah)

 

 

Autre chose (other things), Keith bought some potatoes from a door salesman. He was eliminating the middle man. I said sure a few kilos of potatoes. But what ended up in the garage was 25 kilos of potatoes and about $0.10 per kilo more than I would pay at the local store..I guess the word here is SUCKER....live and learn. Don't let Keith know I told on him.

There is a custom here, not sure if it is French, European, or just here in Burgundy. Each day, however, you hang your blankets out the window to air them out. I even read an article that said even in winter, 10 minutes of fresh air is good for the house. So if it is not storming or raining or too far below freezing, I open the bedroom window to let the fresh air in. Maybe someday I will make a poster with the windows of the Cote D'Or.

Keith is getting ready to start his tours. This April an American couple wanted a special tour for the Paris-Roubaix bike race (Roubaix is a suburb of Lille). So the company Keith works for said yes, and Keith gets to be the guide. The race itself is just a one day race, then they will have a couple days of riding the route. The route that is followed for the Paris-Roubaix race is rough. There are narrow roads and a lot of pave (cobblestone) roads. But Keith is happy, it is one of his favorite spring races to follow, and this year he gets to see it in person.

In addition to his tours here in Burgundy and in the Loire Valley, he also will have a new tour in the Alsace later in the season. So he will be busy for the next few months.

All winter he has gone to Bligny to work on trains. This last Saturday they tightened track bolts. From lifting the equipment and the wrench, and squatting to tighten bolts, he had some sore muscles on Sunday. As fit as he is, these were different muscles.

He has profited by the warm weather too. He has been out on his bike and logging in the Kilometers. He had a few days over 100 km already.

I have volunteered to do more work for the Genealogy /History Club. We have the big Cluny exhibit in late August and there is lots of work to be done. Research in the archives ( probably will not do this), and transcription of the information found (this is where I come in).

It is so interesting to find information that is hundreds of years old. The information will center around the chateau here in Gevrey and the involvement of Cluny in this area.

I took some photos for the Genealogy/History club this month at a house in Fixin. A famous person (Noisot) who worked with Napoleon built the house. It was an interesting afternoon, and of course there was tea after the work was done.

Also I am still puttering around with the pottery. Some grand ideas, we will see what happens. Still working on mid size bowls on the wheel. Can only handle about 1 to 1 1/2 kilo of clay. Got to strengthen the arms!!

And of course there is my Photo Club too. The Photo Club also has a exhibit on Cluny. It will be in black and white, I think in November. I took some photos of the church in Arcenant, if interested they are here.

CLUNY PHOTOS

Not much else for this last month. Usually think of something after I have sent out my letter.

 

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Verrrine with Avocado and Salmon

Have to confess here, I have not made this. We had a monthly photo presentation at my Photo club (art culinaire), and a member had made this and had taken a photo for presentation. I thought the photo was great and the recipe appealing.

Ah the word Verrine...it translates from french as a " glass pot" (roughly).

It is simple and makes a wonderful starter (entre) for a dinner.

  INGREDIENTS :

• 2 avocados
• 4 slices of smoked salmon
• 4 tablespoons of sour cream
• 2 tablespoons of ricotta
• 1 tablespoon of chopped chives
• 1 tablespoon of chopped dill
• Juice of a lemon
• Salt and Pepper

　PREPARATION :

1. Peel and cut up the avocados. Smash with a fork slightly. Add some lemon juice, salt and pepper (if daring a dash of Tabasco too)
2. Cut up the salmon into small bite size strips (small bite size), coat with a lemon juice.
3. Stir the sour cream, ricotta and herbs together. Add salt.
4. Layer carefully in your glasses, starting with the avocado, then the cream mixture and top with the salmon. Top with a small sprig of dill.
5. Refrigerate until served.

Caution, do not make to far in advance...

February 2010

Feb 2010

 

The month has passed by ....

I took the opening photo one morning. I was up early and there was the moon shining into the kitchen. I just picked up the small camera and took the shot. Not the best photo in the world, but it was so bright and pretty that morning (and also cold).

 

I am told that this winter is more normal, however it is the coldest winter we have had since we have moved here. The last few years have been warmer than normal. So what is normal? The winter you remember when you were a child? An average of the last 3-5 years? I am not sure, but I do know that I like the milder winter. And this February I could count the number of sunny days on one hand.

Since it has been cold and gray and raining (or snowing) we have not done very much. We have stayed in the house with a huge fire in the fireplace, puttering around the house.

Once in a while we have had a house guest... it is our neighbors cat. He is well cared for, so we let him come in a say hi, but we do refuse to feed him. He has tried to ask for a handout or two. He is small for a male and is very sweet. Loves to be petted and caressed.  I just wonder what it will be like this summer when the doors are open all the time? Since I am allergic to cats, he gets most of his attention from Keith.

 

Our visitor

 

We had a wine tasting with Marie Therese recently. A place in Saint Aubin where she buys wine told her to come and taste this year’s wine (this years bottled wine, not harvest). So off we went. They had opened a new tasting room, a typical cave. He had all these bottles lined up for us to taste. He explained that he wanted us to taste the 2007 against the 2008. St Aubin in my opinion is a very good white wine. But hey, 15 bottles of wine later (amid our protests not to open another). I was not driving, however Marie Therese and Keith had to toss a lot of wine (MT drove to St Aubin, but Keith had driven to Messanges and would need to drive home). But even I, with all that wine, had to toss some of it.

 

We have had a couple of nice warm days. One just has to go out for a walk when that happens. I went out one day and took a few photos. I walked on the road between Brochon and Gevrey. It is called the Tacot road. It is the old train road, a train that ran from Dijon.

In Brochon there is a chateau. It is not old, about 100 years. It is the Château Stephen Liégeard, It was built by poet/writer Stephen Liégeard in 1895 to 1902.

 

Chateau Stephen Liegeard

Brochon

Old barrel used to burn Vines

Burning the old vines

 

It is the time to trim and then burn the vine branches. They use an old barrel to burn.

 

 

Still going to pottery. I have several projects going on right now. Trying another lamp and also did some pieces for a garden mosaic stone.

 

The Genealogie/Histoire club is in full swing. I am again adjunct treasurer, but this year I am keeping the computer program up to date. Have to learn all the terms of accounting in french. I am used to Quicken (no french version on my copy), so it is a little challenge to use this one in french.

We (genealogie club) have several projects this year. We now are publishing a Gazette (I think 3 per year). So articles must be written, photos taken... and a Gazette published. Our first was a huge success. Now on to the next one, all items due by March 15th. We also have an exhibit on Cluny and the chateau here in Gevrey in August, and several outings planned.

Photo club too is busy. We have our Cluny exhibit in September. I just found out that the photos are going to be in black and white, so all my fall photos of Arcenant are for not :( ... I have to rethink this and see what I can do in black and white. I can go back to Arcenant and take some of the church.

Colored photo of Arcenant Church

 

Keith is also busy. He will be working for DuVine again this summer. This year they may be adding a tour in the Alsace (where Strasbourg is located), and Beaujolais (around Macon). He went this last week to look over the Beaujolais tour (it is south of us). So he took the train to Macon along with his bike. To his surprise they had snow down there (we had none). He made it as far as Cluny, but said it was hard going in the snow. So he will need to go back and ride through that tour another day.  He also has one or two tours here in the Cote D’Or for Smithsonian Journeys. DuVine is working with Smithsonian Journeys for some European bike tours.

 

On Saturday the 20th, I was home alone (Keith at Bligny with the train), when the drier stopped. I thought that was strange, then tried the light. No light either. So we blew a fuse. We still have a fuse box here at this house (I prefer circuit breakers). I flipped the one switch back, nothing. So I opened each and every little fuse compartment to see if one of the fuses blew (and actually did it 3 times to be sure)... could not find the problem. Continued with the housework, and started the fire in the chimney (our heat is electric). Went back and looked at the fuse box. Flipped the switch again, nothing. Put more wood on the fire. At about 6pm, found the flashlights and lit some candles. Keith got home about 7pm. There was another dial that had to be turned! Oops. So we had electricity. Discovered that the dryer element must have gone and caused the power outage. So Monday Keith start to fixed the dryer.

 

We will see how February ends. There is a fuel refinery strike right now, and there were serveral trucks at the gas pump today filling up containers in case there will be a gas shortage. Always something.

 

Feb 24th, my garden

 

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

I was looking an alternate to mayonnaise for a sandwich. I made an humus without any oil. I did not find it half bad.

It is very easy to make too.

 

INGREDIENTS

v     One can of garbanzos beans

v     One grilled red pepper (I grilled my own, so no oil)

v     1- 2 cloves garlic

v     1 TBS water

v     Dash lemon juice

v     Salt and pepper

 

PREPARATION

1. Put everything in a blender
2. Mix thoroughly

Note: Garlic, I used 2 large cloves and the garlic is rather strong. Start with one, taste and you can always add another.

 

Use as a spread for any sandwich.