Ginger and Nutmeg would like to wish all their fans a very Happy New Year. We sure hope that you do not wake up on the first day of 2012, feeling sleepy or worse.
They would like to share some projections for the year ahead:
Queen Elizabeth will celebrate a big ANNIVERSARY (60 years)
The US federal election will be a big BORE
The French national election will have no DSK
The 100th Anniversary of the Calgary Stampede will be a big PARTY
The summer Olympics in London will be a big TRAFFIC JAM
There will be lots of focus on the Mayan Calendar big DATE (12/21/12)
AND
The French will continue to make really good bread.
Ginger and Nutmeg spent 13 months in France, a journey that would have been impossible without the help of friends and family. They would like to pass on best wishes for a delightful holiday season to all their friends, new and old.
The English and French love to debate many things, including the origin of the popular Christmas carol, “The Twelve Days of Christmas”. Ginger and Nutmeg do not have the answer but thought it would be a fun way to show off some photos of their time in France.
Wishing everyone a safe and fun-filled holiday season. Watch for more posts in 2012!
Ginger and Nutmeg were invited to join some friends for a day of “easy” cycling on L’Île de Porquerolles. This is the biggest of three small islands that make up the Îles d’Hyères or Les Îles d’Or (Golden Islands), located just off the coast from Hyères. This is the rougher, wilder, “native” side of the Cote D’Azur. The ferry leaves from a couple locations; you can check the schedule on the official site.
Scheduled departure for the ferry was 10:30am, a bit of extra traffic congestion through Toulon, and a slight wrong turn made for a VERY tight connection. G&N were absolutely the last to board the boat, but they made it! This late February day was certainly not one for bathing suits or t-shirts, fleece and puffy jackets were in order. The temperature hovered around ten degrees Celsius, with gusting winds and a constant threat of rain. Nutmeg is absolutely not a boat person, so the short choppy crossing from the mainland was just the right length of time (approximately 20 minutes).
Insult to injury is what I would call this post. First of all Ginger and Nutmeg leave me alone for two nights, while they go to a fancy hotel. Apparently, the hotel would not accept Black Labradors, and that is the story that Nutmeg is sticking to. Then, they went hiking in the reputedly beautiful Gorges du Verdon (allegedly as I was not there). Then the worst part! They had lunch with the fastest dog in France, Dabir a Saluki, in Banon.
One of the greatest pleasures Nutmeg had during the months in Provence was being introduced to Henry Ferrier and his lovely wife Annick Brunet. This is one energetic couple; Henry is an artist, writer and philosopher, Annick has been in politics, film and continues to be an enthusiastic volunteer. The first time Ginger and Nutmeg met Henry, he recited a riddle:
What happens if you toss a buttered piece of toast in the air?
It lands on the buttered side
What happens if you toss a cat in the air?
It lands on its’ feet
What happens if you place a buttered piece of toast on a cat’s back and throw it in the air?
Just try typing 11/11/2011 in your web browser and see what results you get, in this case a mere 14,490,000,000. There are volumes of prophesies regarding the significance of the date. Numerologists and astrologists have published tomes on the subject and the demise of the world as we know it. Bored? You could spend hours on this subject.
This post has nothing to do with that.
November 11, 1918 was the official end of World War I. It was at the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” when the Armistice was officially signed with Germany, agreeing to the end of hostilities. In France, Armistice Day is a national holiday to celebrate the country’s role in the allied victory, of this Great Patriotic War. The French population suffered tremendously during the First World War. Almost every town has a memorial to recognize the lives lost in battle. The French use the blue cornflower or Bleuet as a symbol to commemorate the sacrifices, the blue reminiscent of the uniforms worn by soldiers.
The following poem was written by Guillaume Apollinaire (his adopted name), his reflections of youth and conflict.
I could tell that Nutmeg would not have time to write this post, as they were busy packing bags, boxes, sporting goods and the car. I travel much lighter than they do, Ginger had cleaned my kennel, so I was ready for the voyage back to Calgary. With the two of them distracted, I thought that I would take this opportunity to share with you a few of my favourite things about the village of Eygalières.
Ginger and Nutmeg have a dear friend in Aix en Provence who is a proud Breton by origin. Although, Delphine has lived in the south of France for a number of years, she stays close to her roots by running a delightful crêperie in the heart of Aix-en-Provence, called Crêpes Cidre & Compagnie.
One hot day in August, Ginger and Nutmeg had a crêpe-making lesson from the expert, and a brief introduction to another culture. Here, are a few ABCs in order to better appreciate the natives of northwestern France.
Ginger and Nutmeg have discovered that within France, Provence is the land of abundance. There is lots of sunshine, almost never ending wind, at times constant rain, olive groves, vineyards, orchards and endless markets. One could be overwhelmed by the array of choices and local flavours. Nutmeg’s very practical side has decided that given the array of local choices it is best to narrow the selection and the following are her thoughts on the essentials in a Provençal kitchen:
Fleur de Sel
Literally translated as “Flower of salt”. Fleur de Sel is the top layer of sea salt, it is hand-harvested before it sinks to the bottom of the salt pans. Traditional Fleur de sel in France is collected off the coast of Brittany, Ginger and Nutmeg are many hours from there, but the good news is there is lots also produced in Camargue (part of Provence). The salt appears to be slightly pinkish grey as some sand is collected in the process of harvesting. The salt is flaky in texture, and has natural potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper and iodine that occur within it. Each container is carefully packaged with a cork top and is signed by the salt-raker who harvested it. Fleur de Sel is named largely from the aroma of violet that develops as the salt dries.
Herbs de Provence and Olive Oil
Herbes de Provence is a traditional blend of highly aromatic herbs that grow mostly wild in the hills of southern France in the summer months. The herbs are used both fresh and dried. Typical herbs include (quantities may vary); Bay leaf, chervil, oregano, thyme, fennel, rosemary, savory, tarragon, mint, and marjoram. Sometimes for the tourist crowd orange zest or lavender are included. As a practice the herbs are used to infuse the flavour in grilled foods such as fish or meat. Often the herbs can be found in stews and or mixed with olive oil to infuse the flavors. On a recent hikes we literally felt like we were walking in a jar of “Herbes de Provence” as they grow wild through-out the region.
Jams and Jellies
The French are not big breakfast eaters, they love a cafe (usually just a shot of expresso) and a little bit of fresh baguette or maybe des viennoiseries (pastries…croissants, pain au chocolate, strudels etc) with some jam/jelly. In general, French bread is fantastic it is baked several times a day, and literally can go stale in between. In the morning, there is nothing better than a bit of jam on your pain. The jam is often homemade, full of sugar and outrageously delicious. Ginger and Nutmeg have been treated to plum, peach, fig, cherry, peach-melon, pear and apricot all fait à la maison – delicious on bread and even better with chèvre.
There are of course many other things required for a true French kitchen but these are just some of the basics. It helps to have one of these in your back yard.
Summer is festival time, and France is no exception. The only problem is making a decision, with the overwhelming variety of events. Famous events like Jazz a Juan in Antibes (started in 1960) or Le Festival d’Avignon (started in 1947), which attract large crowds and well-known performers. All the principal cities and many small towns host at least one noteworthy event during the warmer months. Ginger and Nutmeg both love music, although, neither of them can sing nor play an instrument with any level of competency. With the balmy Provencal evenings, they decided to take advantage of some of the local events and listen to the experts. The following is a musical summary for your listening pleasure:
The Festival de Musique d’Eygalières, this event is only four years old, in 2011 they hosted four nights of mostly classical music – alfresco. This is an extremely well organized event, held at the beautiful private residence Mas de la Brune. The evening starts with a seminar or group discussion related to the music that night.Then there is an opportunity for dinner or as they called it a “Picnic Chic”, followed by the concert. Check it out (very yummy):
The “Viva Argentina” evening was excellent, a tribute to the music of this South American country. The trio of artists included a pianist, clarinet and soprano.
The Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, has been held every July, since 1948. The focus of this festival is oriented towards opera; however, there are also recitals of chamber music, vocal concerts and orchestral sessions. This event is a large tourist attraction for the city of Aix and the surrounding area. Ginger and Nutmeg enjoyed an evening with the world-renowned London Symphony Orchestra click here.
Festival les Eclats à Salon, was held for the eighth year in 2011 at the Château de l’Emperi. The courtyard of this 9th century medieval fortress may not have originally built for the acoustic qualities, but certainly is an excellent venue for a range of theatre, choral music and other musical evenings. This particular concert was a group of four brothers and sisters who have been playing together since 1994, the group is called Les Ogres de Barback. The evening was lively and engaging, as they play over thirty instruments. Click hereto watch and listen to Les Ogres de Barback.
The tiny village of Eygalieres is home to only about 1500 people. However, the town’s small size is deceiving. This is a place filled with artists, writers, musicians and many aficionados. The season started with the music festival (see above). However, that was just the beginning. Ginger and Nutmeg were treated to a free concert in the church. Over 200 people were listened to a duo of flute and piano. The lovely and talented Julie Scolink organized this concert. You can find her at Mistral Music. You can watch part of her concert here.
Provence has been an inspirational backdrop for artists, writers and musicians for centuries. The famous names are far too numerous to mention. In Eygalieres, there is a unique four night series named Calan d’art, which marries, the artistic mediums of visual art (sculpture, painting) and music. This series is held in private gardens, creating an intimate setting with the musicians, called Les Nuits des Patios. The musical theme was different each night. Nutmeg’s favourite was “La Dolce Vita” with Jean-Pierre Como on piano listen here.
The 31st International Piano Festival was held outdoors in the village of La Roque d’Anthéron. This is a popular musical series that attracts over 85,000 people annually. Ginger and Nutmeg decide to take in the evening of piano duos. Twin sisters, Michelle and Christina Naughton, played the first section. A pair of sisters also performed the second section of the evening. The talent and timing was incredible. Here, is a video of the Naughton twins in action.
To wrap up the musical tour the evening of Nutmeg’s birthday there was the inaugural “Diner Blanc à Eygalières” with the musically talented Sanders Band.
Ginger and Nutmeg are now sitting in silence – Tuned Out!
About Ginger & Nutmeg
Ginger and Nutmeg is a Food and Travel blog for Active Foodies hooked on travelling. We love food, history and digging into cultural traditions. This is a blog with a bit of humour, informative travel information and some great recipes.
Perfectly Provence provides a vast online resource for all things Provence, France. Whether you are about to travel to Provence or currently live their as a local or ex pat, we have curated the region’s best experts to bring you everything you need to know. Perfectly Provence is all about great regional cuisine, France travel tips, local markets and things to do in Provence. Bon Voyage!
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