All posts filed under: Gastronomic Adventures

Cooking experiments

Rhône-Alpes – Chassenay d’Arce and Domain de l”Oiselet Vacqueyras

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Let’s change the sights for today. I’m heading towards Mont Blanc. As we drove towards the far eastern end near the Switzerland border, the landscape changed dramatically. It was an interesting comparison, geographically speaking. The Mont Blanc was approaching closer and closer, making me want to climb up there one day. Barren and rocky mountain peaks started to appear and the houses looked different and the temperature was higher as well. If you continue through the Mont Blanc Tunnel, you’ll arrive in Turin. We arrived in our destination, very close to the Mont Blanc Tunnel, and the reason we were there was to pick up a new fancy van for Cyrille. The car dealer had an amazing house with a living room that has this incredible view like a wide panorama TV screen. On the way back home, we stopped by at a gourmet grocer to stock up some vegetables and things. I liked the shop very much because all the produce was fresh, local and good quality. But well, dead rabbits and ducks, with fur unplucked …

Being a Gourmande – Full Course: Escargot to Best Pear Tart / Saint-Joseph Rhone Wine

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I’ve been cooking everyday and indulging in eating so much that I hardly have time to sit in front of the computer. In a way, I’ve been deliberately trying to stay away from the computer as being in France is a holiday and a treatment for the pains in my back and shoulders that I’ve had for quite a while. Blogging means a lot of sitting, whether it is for writing or working on photos. But once committed to blogging, one feels anxious when I don’t post anything for more than 5 days. I wish I could post everyday – I probably could if it was just about writing – but a big part of my blog is the photos as you can see. I love taking photos of food. My photos aren’t so professional like the ones you see on blogs of professional food photographers, with beautiful lighting and props, etc.

Being real French – Mushroom Picking and Jura Wine

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Can you imagine how lucky I am waking up every morning to this panoramic landscape? I must have done something right in the past or past life to have this kind of luck. Or my passion for food, wine and cheese has led me to this. Whatever the reason is it’s a bliss. Although it’s not sunny every day this time of the year, it has its own charm. When the rays of afternoon sun shine the plateau of Mt Jura, it feels like a paradise. Even the French say I’m more French than the French because I know more about cheese and wine than the ordinary French; they like drinking and eating them than knowing them. Also, my appetite for food is bigger than the French. I must look strange to the French, knowing so much about French food. Well, I’ve been in France on and off for the last 5 years, 1-3 months each time. I’ve tried most of the food and cheese. One of the great pleasures of French life is eating …

Finding Best Jura Wines and Comté / Jura Gastronomy

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Ok, let me take you on a journey of the Jura and its gastronomy including the wines and Comté. This region, shadowed by Bordeaux and Burgundy, is not very well-known. Even the cheese, Comté , is not as famous as its competitor, Gruyère. I threw this question, “Which cheese is the best among  and Beaufort ?” to French people. It’s a darn hard question if you’re a cheese lover. Ok, then, “Which cheese is stinkier Comté or Gruyère?” To my surprise, Gruyère. Hmm…my obsession with cheese led me to a Gruyère fruitière 2 years ago but it didn’t sweep me off feet as much as Comte did. Before this trip, I visited by chance a Comte fromagerie, caves de affinage, where cheeses are ripened, but I didn’t have a camera with me at that time and only hoped to have another chance for a visit, which didn’t happen. I still remember the shock, the strong, sharp ammonia odor stinging my nostrils and then my eyes – I couldn’t keep my eyes open – when I walked inside …

Burgundy and Rhone Wine Tour – Part 3 – Mâcon, Beaujolais, Côte Rôtie to Côtes du Rhone

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Marking the end of the Cote d’Or (Part 2), we stopped off at a cave in Mercurey for the final tasting of Burgundy wines. Upon entering, I was immediately put off by the Enomatic machines but after the short battle between the logic and emotion, I stayed and tasted some wines, hearing the chattering of tourists. We quickly drove through Macon and reached Beaujolais, where another surprise was awaiting me. Like many people, I instantly frown at the sound of the name, Beaujolais, all because of the worldwide reputation of Beaujolais for its marketing gimmick. I was dreading at the thought of tasting that cheap bubblegum wine.

Burgundy Wine Tour – Part 2 – Meursault, Montrachet

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Continuing on the road after the Cote de Nuits and Beaune (Part 1), as we were passing through Meursault, we stopped by in Domaine Delagrange just to check out their interesting cave. The owners were busy drinking and talking with clients but still tried to be as hospitable as possible by asking us to see the barrel room and pouring some wines for tasting; imagine how chaotic it would be in June to August! Because of my preference for rich and powerful red wine, the reds in Burgundy tickled my appetite but the whites were good, which compensated for the desire for reds. So I decided to drink nothing but whites till the Rhone. While driving along Rue de Grands Crus, we saw some life happening in this rather quiet town so we checked it out. It was a medieval festival where people were dressed in medieval costumes and making and selling crafts and home-made food. We bought some of the aged mouldy goat cheese and the bread that was baked at the site, which we …