Finally, Saffron got her wish! For years, she has tried to convince Ginger and Nutmeg to travel to Chamonix for Christmas.  Of course that sounds outrageous and decadent, but long ago Nutmeg decided that travel at Christmas time is highly over-rated; crowded airports, busy roads, surly border guards, heavy clothing, excess baggage – you get the idea.  This year, Ginger and Nutmeg really had no good excuse to say no, as Chamonix is an easy 5 hour drive from Aix en Provence.  So they gladly accepted the invitation.
Then the plans had to change, Nutmeg flew to England for a rather sad family event, to celebrate the life of a very special lady.  The game plan was to fly back to Marseille and drive with Ginger and Jade to Chamonix.  So Nutmeg had packed one small carry on bag, with the essentials for a two day trip to the UK.  However, Mother Nature had another plan, she covered the UK…

Recipes & Travel:
Chamonix, Easy Appetizer Recipes, Travel in France

Ginger and Nutmeg are out celebrating the New Year, so it is finally my opportunity to write a blog post.  For those of you who do not know, I am Jade a 9 + something year old black Labrador.  I love food, people and smelling stuff – in that order.

So way back in September we head out for a little car trip in Calgary, I love the car.  We go to “big-box dog heaven” sometimes known as Pet Smart. I am really excited there are lots of my favourite things, see above.  Ginger is busy moving big plastic boxes off the shelves and I oblige when asked to run in and out, it’s kind of fun.  So we all head home including the plastic box.  The box is OK and I get to sleep in it for a few days.
However, there is something clearly greater going on, I know as I have seen this kind of action before. There…

Recipes & Travel:
Provence Travel, Travel in France, Travel Tips with Pets, Travel with Dogs

In Southern France (Provence), many of the roads are lined with beautiful sycamore trees (sometimes called plane trees).  Ginger and Nutmeg noticed, that the Christmas light installation in Aix en Provence, on the Cours Mirabeau started the third week in October.  It was a lengthy process, as it took about 10 days for the light installation (there are a lot of trees). However, the lights are not illuminated at that stage, instead they hang in anticipation, for the upcoming festivities at the end of November.

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Recipes & Travel:
Christmas in Provence, Festival of Lights in Lyon, Provence Travel, Things to do in Lyon, Travel in France

France is known for many things; art, music, food, wine, cafés, diverse scenery etc… As a population, they are very proud of all things French, and if there is one thing that is clearly a huge part of the national culture it is the bread.  This country does not easily cater to those who might require a gluten-free regime, unless you can survive on French fries.  The bread is made fresh several times daily; every small town and village has at least one, or in some cases a few boulangeries.
Ginger of course is in heaven, since every meal promises a basket of fresh baguette or other equally good options.  Nutmeg has found you need to look a bit harder, but there are some options for “7-cereals” and multi-grain.  The Artisanal Boulangeries (fancier variety) tend to have some really decent quiche and/or tarts.  So far Nutmeg has tried quiche with tomatoes and Dijon (yum), quiche with salmon and capers, tarte…

Recipes & Travel:
Easy Appetizer Recipes, French Food, Provencal Food, Recipes for Savoury Tarts, Recipes for Tomatoes, Travel in France

Ginger and Nutmeg have been overwhelmed by their generous welcome to Provence and Southern France.  They feel very privileged to have been invited into peoples’ homes for  some terrific meals during the last few weeks.  The lovely lunches and dinners have included; sausage stuffed peppers and tomatoes, curry chicken, soupe de poisson, shrimp and scallop risotto, roast beef, chili, summer salads and a traditional pot-au-feu.  These have all been very special occasions, highlighted by terrific company, lovely wine and great food.
The pot-au-feu and soupe de poisson are very traditional Provençal dishes.  Pot-au-Feu is literally translated to “pot on the fire”, which is essentially a French stew.  Typically, it is made with beef although can easily be made with pork as well.  Many countries have a variation on pot-au-feu, as it is typically a way to use low cost (less desirable) cuts of meat. (more…)

Recipes & Travel:
Easy Casseroles, French Food, Provence Travel, Recipes for Pot au Feu, Stew Recipes, Travel in France

Expresso used to love Caffe Beano on 9th Street and 17th Avenue SW in Calgary, for the coffee and the scene.   Times have changed a bit and rumor has it that he now loves his Nespresso machine more.
Caffe Beano has been in existence and in the same location since 1988.  The owners might have been slightly concerned when Starbucks first opened its doors in Calgary,  in the late 1990’s a few blocks away.  Any concerns were washed away by a very loyal following of coffee lovers, who were not swayed by the big shiny Seattle based brand.  The loyal crowd continues to support this local coffee establishment.  So a couple years back the when the barber in the adjacent retail space moved on, Caffe Beano expanded.  Before Nutmeg left for France, she had the pleasure of several good-bye “coffee meetings” with good friends at Caffe Beano. (more…)

Recipes & Travel:
Cafe Beano, Calgary Restaurants, Coffee Shops in Calgary, Food in Calgary, Restaurant Reviews

At the mouth of the Petit-Rhône in the Camargue, you find the seaside town of Saintes Maries de la Mer.  It is located right on the Mediterranean Sea, with a lovely long beach and wild surf.  The town was built between the 9th and 12th centuries and was a strategically important location for defense against pirate attacks.  The church (Notre-Dame-de-la-Mer) is unique in both structure and height, as it is much taller than the surrounding buildings. The roof of the church at one time, served as a watchtower. Even to this day, the church is a site for Gypsy pilgrimages.  Gypsies come from all over Europe every May 24th to come to pray to Saint Sara and usually leave an offering of cloth from their clothes for her to protect them through the coming year.
This town in the heart of the Camargue, is home to black cows, white horses, red rice, and the recognizable Fleur de Sel.  The region…

Recipes & Travel:
Camargue, Cowboy Culture in Provence, Provencal Traditions, Provence Travel, Saintes Maries de la Mer, Travel in France, What is an Abrivado

Nutmeg felt a certain obligation to attend a family reunion that Hot Sauce (Mum) had organized at a pub, where her family lives, an hour outside London.  The event was scheduled for later in November – a lovely time to head to the UK  :-). The pull was strong and the guilt factor very high, as Google Maps identified a 12 hour drive (not counting the channel crossing) and a distance of 1253 km!  So Ginger got out his trusty bible of Michelin rated restaurants and charted a leisurely route that took us from Aix en Provence to St Pere de Vezelay, outside Dijon, then onto the Normandy coast to Honfleur and Calais. The plan was to drive no more than 4-5 hours a day to allow for Ginger to have a big nap and for Nutmeg to explore the surroundings in her running shoes or on her bike.  The general plan was to eat in fantastic restaurants, and…

Recipes & Travel:
Normandy Beaches, Travel in France, Visiting Normandy

Hot Sauce (Nutmeg’s Mum) loves bananas, she grew up in the West Indies on an island that produces bananas for export, so it was best to love them…
Bananas are considered a super-food:

Potassium-rich; studies show foods with high levels of potassium can reduce the risk of stroke by as much as 40%
High levels of the antioxidant phenolic compounds work to detoxify cancer-causing agents
Although not specifically high in calcium can help in the absorption of calcium
They reduce stomach acidity and in some cases may even reduce nausea (more…)

Recipes & Travel:
Banana bread recipes, Easy baking recipes, Easy healthy snack recipes, Food Nutritional Facts

As a way of getting acquainted with Provence, Ginger and Nutmeg treated themselves to a bike tour along with a good sampling of the local food and wine!  The tour started in St Tropez with a day of biking around that area.  It was beautiful and not too crowded, as the summer crowd was long gone.  The harbour and surrounding vistas were terrific. However, for Ginger the best part was Le Club Porsche de France was in town for the weekend and he was able to check out some real fancy cars. There were over 20 in our hotel alone and likely over 300 in the whole town – quite a show!

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Recipes & Travel:
Europe, Pont du Gard, Provence, Travel Tips