About Me

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Buying Extra Virigin Olive Oil

Buying olive oil is such fun – I buy direct from the producer, one who has been making olive oil for years.
I discovered J. when I first started looking at AOC producers of olive oil in my region.
He grows six different types of olives and produces six different types of olive oil. There is no mixing and customers know they are getting pure, totally organic extra virgin olive oil.
Customers can’t be in a hurry when they visit the 17 acre plantation; J. encourages all his customers to taste before they buy.
The ‘tasting parlour’ as I like to call it is warm, inviting and full of bottles of the good stuff; he is proud of the certificates and press releases on the walls.
Thanks to J. I have learnt how to taste olive oil like a pro.
I have learnt how to smell before I taste.
I now know how to hold the container in one hand, cover with the other, swirl, then take a good whiff. Distinguishing the different aromas is still new to me but J. is patient and lets me get on with it.
“Do you remember the first time you came? You were coughing and spitting. Now you know what to look for,” he reminds me.
Do I?                                                                                                                                 
I have learnt to take a good mouthful of the oil; a little sip is not enough. I close my mouth and breathe through my nose and swallow.
I get the peppery taste at the back of the throat, but this is a positive characteristic of olive oil.
Connoisseurs call this pungency and say it’s an acquired taste.
I finally leave clutching three bottles of liquid gold against my chest. It’s a cold day but I feel warm instantly.
Two of these bottles are for me; one for cooking, the other for making salad dressings.
My good neighbour swears that drinking one table spoon of extra virgin a day helps soothe his rheumatoid arthritis – I will let him have a bottle this Christmas.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Three days in Carcassonne


A chance to meet up with some friends in Carcassonne was an occasion I could not resist.
Three days was not enough.
Tourists go to Carcassonne is for its historic canal, medieval fortified city, but equally exciting is visiting the Cathar castles in the area and checking out the new town of Carcassonne.
At one time the Canal du Midi stretched more than 240 kms; it took over 14 years to complete this engineering system of canals, locks and aqueducts. The canal was built to connect the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea passing by way of the Pyrenees.
The Canal Du Midi used to have the royal title of the Canal Royale de Languedoc (named after the region) but after the revolution, of course the name had to be changed -- the royal connection was no longer appropriate.
Today, the canal is used purely for recreation. This is a good way to relax and take in the beautiful landscape while someone else navigates.
Visiting the medieval cité is like stepping back in time and you do need time to visit this popular tourist attraction – there’s much to see in the cité of Carcassonne.
The French word, Cité does not translate as city; it means a walled town.
The cité which overlooks the modern Carcassonne has a double row of fortified walls almost two miles long, 52 towers, numerous shops and restaurants with a population of 120 people.
We spent a day driving in the Corbières, south of Carcassonne. Our aim was to trace some of the Cathar castles and to discover the relatively wild mountainous region while checking out the vineyards.
Some thirty Cathar castles are open for visiting today. Most of them have been destroyed, some restored such as the castle of Carcassonne.
Catharism was a religion started up in the twelfth century in Europe but it was in this region of France where the religion flourished. The Cathars saw themselves as Christians but rejected the idea of priesthood and did not worship in churches.
Many of these castles are perched on spectacular hill tops, not always easy to drive to.
Chateau D’ Arques in my photo  is an exception – it was built on flat land.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

A Passion for Pears

My guest had an unusual request.
“I’d like to check out the different types of pears in your market-- see which ones are used for eating and for cooking and perhaps try making something for you,” he enthused.
I knew he was a foodie but had no idea he had a passion for pears.
The Sunday market seemed a good place to start.
 We were lucky – the stallholders allowed us to chat, taste and shared their enthusiasm.
We learnt that France is the third largest producer of pears in Europe, the most common being the Poire William available from August to October. 
These are two categories of pears depending on the season.
  Poires d’été (summer pears)
  Poires d’automne- hiver (autumn and winter pears)
We discovered
Le Beurré hardy: available from September—November, the fruit is olive green, has a thick  skin, very fine flesh, and is sweet and juicy.
Le Conference: October – April, this is a juicy pear. The one we tasted was slightly elongated  and  exceptionally sweet and juicy. This is everyone’s choice for desserts, tartes and jams. This is ideal also for cooking whole in wine.
Le Comice: October -- February. This pear is slightly yellow in colour with a very fine white flesh, and seemed a little more fragile than the other varieties.
We settled for six Conference pears and I was treated to a most delicious tarte aux poires. This is  a simple recipe -- easy to make and no crust.

Tarte aux Poires

6 Conference pears
1 lemon
175 gms of butter
200 gms of flour
3 eggs
175 gms sugar
I/2 sachet of baking powder (one teaspoon)
150 gms of chocolate
2 tablespoons of cream
--Peel, remove the seeds and cut the pears into quarters. Mix with the juice of the lemon.
-  Grease a small tarte tin with a little butter and flour.
Turn on the oven to 180° C.
In a large bowl beat eggs and sugar until creamy, then gently add flour and baking powder using a wooden spatula. Pour in the melted butter and mix again, very gently and allow to cool.  Pour the mixture into the tin then place the pears on top. Bake for about thirty minutes making sure the pears don’t burn. Cool. Just before serving melt the chocolate and crème.
Cut and serve the tarte with warm chocolate sauce on top.
I served my special eau de vie Poire William that evening after dinner --  the perfect digestif.
Now, that's a recipe I'd like to get my hands on.