A mixture of seawater, alkaline solution and fat
Documented use as far back as 2800 BC in Ancient Babylon
A carved “recipe” found on a stone slab from 2200 BC
The Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all used it
Cooked for 8 days in a cauldron, dried for 2 days in a mould
Latin word Sapo
Boutiques filled with shiny objects, and a congested ring road of honking diesel trucks and cars. These are the modern-day realities in a large Dordogne town of 9,300 residents. The town bustles with over 1.5 million visitors a year yet the ancient core of historical Sarlat provides some instant reprieve, begging you to step back in time.
Does that sound romantic?
Actually… Ginger was away in Canada, and Nutmeg was certain that he had zero interest in visiting the Provence perfume distillery le Musée des Arômes or candle maker at the Ciergerie de l’abbaye des Prémontrés.
Key West is mile zero on Florida’s Highway 1 (U.S. Route 1).
In 1928, it was also point zero for Ernest Hemingway and his pregnant (7-months) wife Pauline. Their Model-A Ford was not ready when they disembarked in Key West from Cuba, a 90-mile ferry crossing. They were going nowhere fast. The car dealer found accommodation for the couple in an attempt to make amends (try that today…).
Recently launched, Pitcher and Powell is a travel concept that combines the creative talents and cooking passions of two accomplished ladies. Even their last names work well together!
Barbara Pitcher is a Canadian by birth, with an international spirit, she is a painter who lives in Provence with her family. Like many artists who have lived in the region (think: Cezanne, Picasso and Van Gogh) the Provencal light decidedly inspires her artwork. This is what Barbara shared regarding her approach to the canvas,
“There is the cliché of “the light is beautiful in Provence” well it truly is! The colours of the landscapes beg to be painted. I have been painting since the early 90’s. In Provence, when I arrived eight years ago I changed my style altogether, I have embraced abstract that I love because I never know where it will take me.”
Please read the rest of Barbara’s story here. Continue reading
The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is held annually over two weekends (seven days) at the end of April and beginning of May. This event rivals Mardi Gras for its commercial impact on the city, an estimated $300million (2012).
Read more about the Five (5) essentials for New Orleans Jazz Fest here. 
The Wine Scholar Guild (WSG), formerly the French Wine Society, is in the process of evolving the 10-year old organization and pursuing a lofty goal. The WSG wants to be the recognized global leader in wine study programs for France, Italy and Spain.
Guild members range from certified wine experts to enthusiastic drinkers. What the group has in common, aside from the obvious appreciate for wine, is a desire to expand their industry knowledge and specific regional comprehension. Whether the goal is to develop wine lists for the restaurant trade or understand which bottle to order with your dinner, WSG certification will help. Continue reading
Nutmeg is reasonably certain she is not the first person to walk through the Glanum archaeological site, near St Remy de Provence, and consider that mankind is relatively insignificant in the passage of time.
A previous G&N blog post “Glanum Glorious Views” covers much of the history of this site. The following post is a short overview only as an excuse to show off a few new photos. The main street in Glanum is below.
Linda Garson spent her youth in Manchester, in the United Kingdom, a place best known for soccer matches and beer-filled celebrations, not necessarily for wine expertise. A visual communications graduate, Linda relocated to Canada (Calgary) in 2003 on a contract with Trade UK – the British Government’s export division. The contract was for 13-months, and Linda is still in Calgary.
The friendly guy behind the counter at Community Coffee in the French Quarter asked
“Are y’all you going to the Fest this mornin?”
G&N were visiting New Orleans or NOLA, as some like to call it, for the second time.
They had forgotten about the je ne c’est quoi smell that defines Bourbon Street or Calle De Borbon. It is difficult to determine which is worse; the humid evening whiffs, a combination of stale booze and its fresh side effects, or those same odors reawakened in the morning during street cleaning.
