Category: Food

Tidy Tidbits: Mostly Local

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BOOKNOTES

Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson

Author Atkinson (The Guardian)

I thought Kate Atkinson’s Life after Life was a tour de force of a novel and I loved it.  I started Shrines of Gaiety about a month ago, read about a third, and then set it aside.  I wasn’t sure I’d finish it, but every time I picked it up again, I read a few chapters, getting to know the characters better and very much appreciating the writing.  In short, I finished the novel and am glad I persevered.

Overall, it’s a period tapestry, a portrait of a particular time in London in 1926 when nightclubs and glitzy parties were the rage.  Nellie Coker, owner of a string of clubs and mother of six adult children, rules strongly over her fiefdom.  The reader is introduced to all the children and to Detective Chief Inspector Frobisher and one time librarian, now aspiring detective, Gwendolen Kelling. 

Gwendolen comes to London to try and locate Freda Murgatroyd, a sister’s friend who has disappeared. Frobisher is involved in investigating the case of several missing girls who may be connected to dancers at these clubs.  Beneath the gaiety and glitz of the clubs (shrines to a good time), is a seamier crime-laden slice of London life. 

While the reader gets to know Niven, Nellie’s oldest son, I found the other characters more sketchily drawn.  There’s a large cast of notables and undesirables and layers of society both royal and aspiring interact.  Nellie is based on the real Kate Meyrick, an owner, and queen of Soho London clubs. I didn’t love this novel, but I was engaged enough to read it through.

LOCAL THEATER & DINING

The Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help at Asolo Repertory Theatre

Sisters Becky and Linda (Asolo)

As always, the sets and the overall staging of The Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help were excellent.  The problem as the Chief Penguin and I saw it, was with the material, the play itself.  Set in 1973, it is a memory play built around a series of key moments in one week.  The narrator, older daughter Linda O’Shea, is the focal character in this family of mother, father, and younger sister, along with live-in aunt Terri and grandmother.  Practicing Irish Catholics, the O’Sheas’ morality and their reputation are monitored by the local priest. Father Lovett takes a very personal interest in his flock.  The incident of the title arises after Linda gives her sister Becky a talk about the facts of life.  

Parts of the play are very funny, but I found the first act overdone and enjoyed the second act more.  The coda summing up everyone’s future life and death was of interest, but not relevant to the heart of the play.  I’d give the cast credit for their performance, but don’t think this play was Asolo’s finest dramatic choice.

The Ringling Grillroom

We returned to The Ringling Grillroom for another pre-theater dinner.  We’ve had several lunches here and one dinner.  The food is consistently very good and much superior to the fare when it was known as Muse.  The hummus starter was creamy and fresh, and my blackened salmon was excellent. The fish had just the right amount of blackening and spices, and the rice with red pepper bits, okra pods, and corn was different and tasty.  The Chief Penguin enjoyed shrimps and scallops on a bed of polenta with a side dish of blistered cherry tomatoes in a shallot sauce.  Highly recommended!

TOP NOTCH CHEESE SHOP IN OUR BACKYARD!

Artisan Cheese Company (artisancheesecompany.com)

In her latest e-mail, Louise Converse, owner of Artisan Cheese Company in Sarasota, reported that Wine Enthusiast has named them one of the top ten iconic cheese shops in the country. That’s in all of America. Opened in 2012, the store moved to its larger space in the Rosemary District in 2018.  Here’s what Enthusiast wrote:

Its expansive selection includes such all-American standard-bearers as Jasper Hill and Point Reyes, as well as hard-to-source European producers like Switzerland’s Gourmino and England’s Neal’s Yard. The airy, industrial digs also feature beer, natural wine, salumi and more, and the café serves grilled cheese, crostini and other small plates.

As my regular readers know, the Chief Penguin and I are great fans of and regular patrons of Artisan Cheese! With their red walls, they are unmissable! Do stop in.

France: Provencal Villages

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Yesterday and today we took a relaxed approach and each day went for lunch and a wander in a small town.  We were sorry this morning to leave our B&B in Avignon, our longest stay.  It was a lovely setting, our hosts were super, and the accommodations met all our requirements!

ST. REMY DE PROVENCE

Flags on city hall

St. Remy is about a 30 minute drive from Avignon, and it made a nice outing.  St. Remy is located at the foot of  the Massif des Alpilles Natural Park with these low mountains as its backdrop.  The town is noted as the birthplace of Nostradamus, an astrologer, physician, and seer.  It’s also where Vincent Van Gogh lived for a year.  In our later wandering, we stopped to read a few informational signs at spots Van Gogh painted. 

Umbrellas, church spire, & monument

Waze includes parking lots in its database, and you can always ask to be routed to a parking area near your destination.  We parked the car (on a very narrow street as it turned out, not the designated lot) and then walked around a bit before lunch at Rose des Sables.  This restaurant advertised Mediterranean cuisine which sounded like a welcome change from all the traditional French dishes.  It was!  We thoroughly enjoyed our chicken citron confit and my couscous dish with veggies and chicken and Merguez sausages.  They were generous portions and were enough for this meal.

LOURMARIN

View toward hills from Lourmarin

We were not familiar with Lourmarin, nor had we ever heard of it before.  But looking at the recommended towns to visit, we decided that this would be a good stopping point between Avignon and our next B&B in Aix-en-Provence.  It was a pretty drive through the countryside with a taste of the Luberon Hills on some of the, now familiar, narrow twisty roads. It took about an hour, and Waze got us to a parking lot.  

Lourmarin castle

On the edge of town, is an impressive castle which you can tour (we didn’t).  In town, there are cafes here and there and some upscale shops.  The feel of the town was pleasant, the air fragrant, and we finally got some bright sunlight and blue sky.  Obviously, the tour buses stop here for the castle since we saw groups of people on the small streets.  But it wasn’t overly crowded.

A beautiful day to be outside
Enjoying the fresh air

We opted for lunch at Le Café de L’Ormeau, thanks to France Just for You.  It was an excellent lunch and made us think that more time in Provence on a future trip would be desirable. We ordered the menu formule which consisted of a green salad and a small pastry filled with walnut halves and blue cheese to start.  Following was roast lamb with gravy and potatoes for the Chief Penguin and some panfried dorado for me with a lovely white wine sauce, ratatouille, and wedges of polenta. 

Lovely light!

 The fish was so good, I could have eaten it all over again!  Dessert was crème brulee.  With that lunch, dinner will be munchies only or a local pizza.

Art gallery in Lourmarin

TRAVEL TIPS

  1. One of the best purchases we made for this trip was two EPICKA universal travel adapters.  This adapter can be used in multiple countries, is compact, and can accommodate cords for iPads, iPhones, and other electronic devices like Fitbit and Kindle.  There are 4 slots for USB connectors and one for C. It is cube-shaped and comes in a little zipper case.  You can buy it on Amazon.  Thanks to our friend Bill for this great recommendation!
  2. Pack a nightlight if you’re likely to get up in the dark.  Most B&Bs and many hotels don’t have nightlights in the room or the bathroom. Here we are using a little nightlight that plugs into a USB power connector, like the type you’d use to re-charge your iPhone. Amazon also has these.
  3. We’ve also found that Kleenex is not always supplied, so small travel packs of tissue can come in handy.

Note: All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)

France: Avignon

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LODGING & LOCATION

Avignon is one of France’s largest cities with walls and many gates of entry and the famous bridge of the song every American school child learns in 3rd grade. The city is historically important because In the 14th century, for almost 70 years, Avignon was the site of the papacy. Over that time, seven popes resided here. Pope Clement V chose Avignon over Rome because it was more centrally located in Christendom. Although the papacy moved back to Rome in the 15th century, Avignon did not become part of France until 1791 after many invasions and sieges and just two years after the start of the French Revolution.

We are staying on Ile de la Barthelasse, very close to old Avignon. There is free ferry service across the Rhone River.  Our B&B is down a dirt lane tucked in, but it is possible to drive and park at a nearby restaurant and walk from there to the ferry landing.  Ferry hours are more limited now that is October and post season. 

The house we are staying in has a pretty garden and pool and small round tables outside each guest unit.  Our room is quite spacious and has modern plumbing and a nice shower.  We also have a mini fridge, just the right size to store a bottle of wine or some fruit.  

B&B grounds and pool

Last evening, Luc, our host here at Le Mas de L’ile, kindly drove us and another guest to a parking lot near a bridge.  We climbed a tall staircase and then walked across the bridge over the Rhône and through one of the gates into the city. There is nothing subtle about the architecture, but it is pleasant to walk these streets and think about all that has gone on here.

Avignon’s outer walls are impressive to say the least!
Grand architecture
Bank, now a wine bar/restaurant

We had dinner at an up and coming newer restaurant called L’Essentiel.  The Chief Penguin loved what he ordered, and I think he made better choices than I did.  He had the foie gras starter followed by lamb shank cooked for 7 hours and then a little molten chocolate cake. 

Roast lamb and veggies

 I had the egg parfait to start.  I was being adventurous since I had enjoyed an egg cocotte previously.  This dish was okay with its croutons and fried zucchini rounds, but a bit bland and too eggy.  My main course was chicken (cooked sous vide) layered with some greens on top and underneath a mixture of tomatoes and potatoes.  It was different and nicely presented, but I didn’t love it.  My dessert was raspberries and cherries in a thick jam with sorbet and meringue.  

Serious conversation

The restaurant’s hostess was delightful and quickly agreed to arrange a cab to pick us up and take us back to our B&B.

WHAT THIS TRIP IS ABOUT

This trip has many aspects.  It’s a return to a country where we have spent considerable time over the decades. It’s an opportunity to visit regions we had not been to before like Normandy and Brittany and experience their noteworthy history and culture.  Traveling by car, it’s a chance to explore small towns and villages and get the flavor of local life.

It has not been a trip marked by lots of museums and ruins, a bit more of those when we get to Paris.  And because we love food and French cuisine especially, we have focused on and savored the meals, whether they be traditional fare in a casual bistro or the creative offerings of a rising young chef. We are deliberately not maintaining a frantic or even a frenetic pace.  We are picking and choosing from the suggestions from our trip organizers and going about our days in a somewhat relaxed manner.  This is travel that works for us at this stage of life.

SATURDAY IN AVIGNON

This morning we took the ferry across the Rhône. We had a wait for the small boat, but the actual crossing takes only about 3 minutes. 

Ferry landing, Avignon side
Two women are the ferry boat crew

Disembarking, you go up a ramp and walk a short distance along a busy road to one of the big gates.  We entered just beyond Porte d’Avignon and spent about an hour wandering the streets and re-visiting the main square, Place de l’Horloge, in the old town. Translated it means Clock Tower Square, but the clock of its name is barely visible, and I never did see it.  Like Paris, the square is filled with grand 19th century buildings (city hall, opera house, old bank) and dotted with lots of sidewalk cafes.  If nothing else, the French give priority to dining well and often.

On the recommendation of Luc, our host here, we had lunch at La Cour d’Honneur.  The tables in the courtyard offered views out to the street while still being enclosed. Here, we had a wonderful meal, another one of the best of this trip.  The Chief Penguin and I both started with the Provençal tomatoes with mozzarella and greens in pesto oil.  He had scallops with black truffle and I, the salmon with spinach. Silky risotto accompanied both dishes.  With a bit of local wine and espresso to finish, it was perfect.  I heard no English at all, and had fun watching the French diners around us.

Animated conversation
A good time

Note: Photos by JWFarrington (some rights reserved.) Header photo shows one of Avignon’s exterior walls.

France: Hills of Provence

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STAYING NEAR LE BARROUX

Back of house with dining room

Our current B&B, Ferme des Belugues, is a gorgeous property nestled in the hills outside the village of Le Barroux with views toward the Dentelle Mountains.

Note the cypress trees

It’s formerly a farm, and the house exists on two levels with an addition on the upper level that has private entrance accommodations for guests.  There’s also a separate common sitting and kitchen area for guests with spaces earmarked for each room.  

Addition with guest entrances

 Our hosts, Karen and Spencer, are British.  They left their jobs in the corporate world in London in 2015 and created a new life here in Provence.  They both like to hike and cycle and often their B&B guests are groups of cyclists. 

The setting is very quiet and peaceful, and our room airy with a most comfortable bed and two big upholstered chairs. Outside each room is a round metal table and chairs. Breakfast each morning has included croissants of our choice, French bread, juice, and a plate of ham, salami, and cheese.  We are Karen and Spencer’s last guests this year, but this has not diminished in any way the welcome or the hospitality they have shown us! With her lilting voice, Karen reminds us fondly of our friend Rebecca.

DINING IN CAROMB

Based on the recommendations of France Just for You and Karen, we had dinner at two very different restaurants in Caromb.  This nearby town of 3,000 residents has a pleasant main shopping street with a small produce market (source of several clementines), tabac, pharmacy, wine bar, butcher, and the aforementioned restaurants.  The first night we dined at Le 6 a Table, an upscale gourmet restaurant whose chef has received some attention from Michelin.  The dining area near the bar is industrial style in shades of gray and white.  Our meal was excellent.  The Chief Penguin had a scallop starter while I had a zucchini blossom stuffed with cod.  Our main dishes were the lamb confit topped with squash for CP and red mullet over veggies.  The lamb was sweet and tender and the fish delicate. Desserts were grapefruit and sorbet for me and the cheese plate for him.

Scallops with blini
Zucchini blossom on tomato

Last night we opted for the casual, family run bistro called 156.  The son, who said he is a singer first of all, let us into the restaurant a few minutes early where we ordered glasses of wine.  He told us the cook would arrive at seven—his mother.  Meanwhile, his father was scurrying around getting things in order.  Quickly, the small space filled with locals. From the blackboard menu, we ordered  prosciutto to share and then each had the gnocchi a la Gorgonzola. (We’re now in a part of France where the Italian influence is evident, both in pizzerias and Italian dishes.) 

 Simple comfort food followed by the brioche dessert, pain perdu (lost bread aka French toast) topped with ice cream for the Chief Penguin.  This meal was as satisfying and good as the one the night before.

Bowl of gnocchi with prosciutto

Note: Photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)