le sud

recently i took a spontaneous trip to the south of france with a friend of mine... our first stop of many was in a little town called Sariannes, located about 20 minutes outside of Avignon. my friend has a family-friend who owns a bed-and-breakfast there, and i went not knowing a thing at all about what we were getting ourselves into...

i was unaware when we got to this house that the owner, the amazing Catherine, was a chef! it was meant to be... this experience showed me the typical south of france lifestyle that was just an image in my head until now... the fruits, vegetables, milk, cheese, meats was all incredibly fresh. the big bowl of almonds and walnuts we were told were from a friend's yard... as i looked out the window, i saw rows of olive trees... the vineyards were plentiful, fruit trees lined up outside... it was too gorgeous...

the sunset over the vineyards

the minute i got to talking with Catherine, i mentioned my interests in the culinary world, and she welcomed me to help her make dinner for the little dinner party she planned... after an aperitif of champagne, we got to making asparagus risotto. of course Catherine, with all her experience, made it seem so easy! and it turned out so delicious. with mascarpone and parmesan cheese, the risotto was creamy, yet not too heavy, and the big, green asparagus tasted so good and garnished the dish beautifully...

typical to a southern french meal, there was a plate of charcuterie alongside the risotto with a few different types of meats that all tasted so different, salty, sweeter, spicy, a perfect com

pliment to the risotto...

and there was a salad of arugula picked fresh from the garden that was spicy (the way arugula should be) mixed with just a bit of sundried tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and a very light dressing... after this course came some cheese, each so spectacular (although it is difficult to find a cheese i don't like). with the cheese, Catherine served something a bit unusual: olive jam. at first, i was a bit hesitant as to what it would taste like. i took just a little on my plate and after that one bite i was addicted! it was too good. as it was not overwhelmingly sweet, the little bit of sugar was a perfect

compliment to the saltiness from the olives. then a light dessert followed.... each person was served a little glass filled with strawberry puree topped with whipped mascarpone that was mixed with a bit of wasabi. another unusual element to a dessert, but it was actually really light and good! Catherine also placed a gorgeous basket of bright red strawberries on the table for everyone to help themselves to...

breakfast was also a delight the next morning... me and my friend woke up to a gorgeous spread of freshly made yogurt, an assortment of homemade jams that were spectacular, bread, fresh butter, kiwis and strawberries, it was the perfect start to the day!

what a wonderful surprise i stumbled into!! a great way to introduce me to the southern french world! Catherine has cookbooks that she wrote (and she is currently working on her next one), offers cooking classes at her home, and is always busy coming up with new ideas using the fresh ingredients she picks in her yard... this was a lifestyle i know i could get used to.

adventures in colorful barcelona

since i've been in paris for the past couple of months, i have taken two little weekend trips to barcelona, spain. coming from paris, the difference in food culture was undeniable. the food in barcelona was just so fresh, and the culture takes advantage of the freshness in a sensational way...

the entrance of La Boqueria

it is so easy (and, not to mention, so cheap) to get the freshest foods at la Boqueria, a good-sized (yet not overwhelmingly large) market place that is made up of an assortment of stands where you can find anything... fruits such as coconut, strawberries, cherries, lychees (love these), and all sorts of fresh fruit juices that made for the perfect breakfast; vegetables like

deliciously ripe avocados, asparagus, peppers of any color, and the most heavenly tomatoes; you can find any type of raw meat, chicken, fish (not the most appetizing part of the market, but really any part of any animal's body was available); there were stands for just dried fruit and nuts; and one of the many chocolate stands sold the largest selection of anything chocolate you can think of!... and, buried in between all the market stands are a handful of bars that cooked up heavenly tapas, perfect for lunch! at one bar called Pinoxto (which I went to two days in a row it was so good) the sauteed calamari was divine and a dish of chick peas mixed with an assortment of spices were the best i think i have ever tasted...

another special place for lunch was found at a different market. the restaurant/bar was called Ciunes Santa Caterina, located at the Mercat Santa Caterina. this was a bit more upscale, with a beautiful decor and fabulous atmosphere. and, not to mention, every dish we ordered was so heavenly! an assortment of the most incredible tomatoes came, which made me crazy for the local tomatoes! sauteed calamari was again a favorite, flavored with green onions and delicious olive oil... and we ordered crayfish (something i would never think to order, but thanks to my uncle we did) which turned out to be so good. just looking around, i could see the colors of all the ingredients and just how fresh they all were...

i will end on another tomato dish that is a traditional catalan dish served all over barcelona. we rarely had a lunch without this... crusty, relatively thick bread is toasted. then, they take a delicious tomato, cut it in half, and with the cut side down, rub it all over the top of the bread. ! then it is brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with a bit of salt.... the juicy tomato soaks into the bread and it turns out so wonderful! such a simple concept that is so popular throughout the city and tastes delicious.

getting out of paris was a nice little break, especially in a city that serves food like that in barcelona... the colorful markets and dishes were no surprise in a city that is so colorful itself!