France, pt. quatre: Cordes-sur-Ciel

Just a few minutes past Albi is a small town called Cordes-sur-Ciel, a darling town on the top of a hill. It looks impressive from a distance, and, as we found out, even better when you pass it up and look back upon it. This town came complete with 8ft wide, two lane roads at about 15% grade incline.

Like most of these towns, visitors are encouraged to park just outside the main part and walk into town. These streets are steep enough to make this walk a bit huffy, and, like I mentioned for Albi, it was roaring hot. But the walk was worth it, as you get an eagle eye's view of the surrounding countryside at the top of the town, peering over vineyards and mountains.

This town has a Medieval festival each year on the day after we arrive. I think we were there the day before Bastille Day, so it made sense. They all dress up in medieval costume, even renting costumes to visitors and tourists, and all speak in langue d'oc and just generally cavort. They were setting up for it when we passed through. Shaw and I went to a wine store and had a bit of a taste of some typical area wines. They tend to be soft, but pleasant, and we liked enough to buy one and drank it that night for dinner (plus some food).

France, pt. trois: Albi

Albi is one of the three "red cities" in southern France. Only slightly less famous than Toulouse, it gets its name from the red bricks used in most of the old houses. Albi was about 2 hours away from Carcasonne, following a terribly scenic road through forests and mountains, plus all the quaint small towns beckoning to us like Greek sirens. Most of the small towns were along the Aude River, which snaked itself right through Carcasonne.

Albi taught us a hard lesson: small southern French towns often shut down, hard, after lunch, and don't revive until dinner. I can see why, as it was blazing hot that day. We had a lunch destination in mind that closed earlier than advertised, a backup that also closed just before we arrived, and a secondary backup that was probably out of business. We did stumble on a place in the main square that served delightful salads and ice creams that kept us going until dinner.

After the Salad Revival, we went back to the Cathedral of St. Cecilia to tour. Heavily Gothic, this one had brightly colored gesso paintings all over the ceiling, and a huge depiction all over the front behind the altar of the Judgment. The bottom layer was all the people roasting and skewered, the next level was a procession of penitents, and the upper layer was a congregation of saints with hymn books. I'm guessing it was a serious deterrent to sin in a 14th century congregation. There was no picture of Jesus or mercy anywhere. Then we read the tablet in the back. In the very center, just behind the altar, there were two pulleys which seemed to suspend some sort of tapestry that was missing. The tablet showed the front of the church as it should be, with a huge tapestry of Jesus in the direct center, stretching from the floor to the soaring ceiling. I wish it had been in place. As Cecilia is the patron saint of music, this cathedral had a really impressive choir section that took up the entire back half of the space, but conveniently partitioned off so as to charge for viewing. I bet it was spectacular.

France, pt. deux

No lie. Check out the license plate. And we didn't even specially request it, although I would have if I could.

This trip to France was primarily a driving trip. And I hate driving trips. Each day, we set out for towns about two hours away from Carcasonne, our home base, and while I had planned the destinations, I was dreading all the driving.

I can say now, with all confidence, I do not dread ALL driving trips. This was some of the most beautiful driving country in all creation. It also helps to have an excellent driver along. Shaw, not only fluent at road signs, is a masterful manual transmission interpreter. I will brag on his european driving skills till death do us part and beyond. We went on some pretty snakey, twisty, narrow roads that were interpretively two-way. And many of them were up mountain cliffs! But they were well worth it, as I will post pictorally below.

Some of my favorite moments of the trip were just driving on roads through towns of 10-15 buildings so picturesque you had to examine them all, and then 100 yds later the town was over and another small town began. They were all so inviting and charming, and you just had to pass through them as it was the only road from here to there.

France, and Stuff, pt. un

We just got back from our trip to southern France last weekend. I have to say, the trip can be summed up in the following words:

yummy
gorgeous
quaint
hot

We stumbled upon some wineries in Corbieres and purchased some wine we can't get at home. (However, thank you TEXAS @#%^$##$@ for not letting us ship anything tasty to our door step!^$%^%%&#$^*^%(#%^$) I'm thinking of adding another S to the end of our state. However, when we stopped in wineries in France, you tasted everything you wanted to, free. I'm just used to California wineries, where they want a buck anywhere they can get it.

We tasted and purchased Blanquette from Limoux. This sparkling wine originates there and claims to rival Champagne. It does; and cheaper. We tasted and purchased some others in the area, as well, and found them so enjoyable. I did pass up a Rose in Corbieres that will haunt me for at least a few months; if you ever see a Rose from Trillol, you are hallucinating, as they do not sell it in the States. But if you do, buy it for me!

We ate in a variety of towns, too. Dad, turns out, can be very adventurous in his selections. That was great for me, since I didn't want to actually order a whole main course of weird stuff but could sucker him for a bite.

As for me, my eating goal was to consume as much fresh, hot white bread as possible no matter the consequences. And coffee. I drink coffee on vacation. The bakery was about 7 minutes round trip from the house, with morning and afternoon hours of hot, lucious, caloric, crusty bread and pastries. Heaven!

Baby Pasta

Shaw and I took dinner to Shaw's cousin's family last week before leaving town. A and K just had a new baby boy! and we were seriously delayed in bringing them food to sustain them for this adventure, as this is their third youngun'. They already had two gorgeous and vivacious girls, and new little C just became their first boy. They live across town, and while it is not too far for travelling people, sometimes it is too far for, say, delicate leafy greens. I thought pasta would transport well, so I decided to give Martha Stewart another chance (after her disastrous pound cake recipe) and used a recipe from her site for this pasta.

I didn't think fresh ricotta would mix in well, and didn't want to fuss with it while serving in a remote location, so I grated some ricotta salata instead. It is cheaper and firm enough to keep its grated shape while adding creamy yum factor. I also sauteed some chicken, sliced it up, and tossed it with the pasta.

Gemelli with Tomatoes, Olives and Ricotta

8 oz gemelli or fusilli or penne
1/2 c extra virgin olive oil (use discretion)
10 sun dried tomatoes, in oil or rehydrated
1 T red wine vinegar
2 t capers
2 garlic cloves
pepper, freshly ground of course
1/2 c grape tomatoes, quartered
1/3 c kalamata olives, sliced
1/3 c basil, torn
fresh ricotta, for serving

Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Martha's site would ask you to drizzle with enough oil to coat and spread on a baking sheet and refrigerate 10 minutes. I think this is stupid. You don't need extra oil and it will cool on its own while you get everything else ready. Pasta need not always be hot.

Pulse the sun dried tomatoes, vinegar, capers and garlic in a food processor. With machine running, add enough oil until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Toss this vinaigrette with the pasta and add the grape tomatoes, olives and basil. Top each serving with a scoop of fresh ricotta, or grate some ricotta salata. Sprinkle with pepper. Yum!

Marybell Saves the Day

Martha Stewart's Living magazine has some interesting recipes in it, and the July 2009 edition has a beautiful spread on pound cake variations. As alluring as these photos are, don't be beguiled by her basic pound cake recipe. I made the basic recipe with the vanilla bean and ginger syrup variation; it was WAY, WAY too salty. The basic recipe calls for one whole tablespoon of coarse salt. I will forgive Martha's food editor if she writes me directly and says it was a misprint, but that cake was inedible. The variations, however, are lovely. I think they must have used two vanilla beans (pricey!) in the pictured cake, though, and I'm not that rich.

I ended up making Aunt Marybell's recipe for our cousins' dinner delivery, since Martha's was, as I mentioned, PUCKERED Beyond Repair. Marybell saves the day! It is the standard of pound cake from my childhood, and it will remain the Queen of Poundcake for all my adulthood. It can be slightly underbaked if you like somewhat gooey centers, and fully baked for still moist solid cake. Clearly, Aunt Marybell (my dad's mother's aunt) knew what she was doing, and also had a tube pan, which I do not. This recipe can be baked in two loaf pans if you are tubeless, as I am.

Also, I was trying to use up my Greek cheese/sour cream from last week, so I substituted it for the sour cream. Apparently, this recipe is indestructible! Dad says he has even cut back the eggs to 4 instead of 6. One last thing: please try toasting it by the slice, you won't regret it.

If you are going to follow this recipe exactly, and have only one mixing bowl, beat your egg whites first before making the cake recipe.

Aunt Marybell's Pound Cake Recipe
All others cower in fear!

1 c butter (softened to room temperature if you can)
3 c sugar
6 eggs (or 4 if that is all you have)
1/2 pint sour cream
1/2 t baking soda
3 c flour
1 t vanilla
1 t almond flavoring

Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 6 minutes. Add yolks one at at time, then flavorings. Sift flour and soda and add sour cream alternately with the flour mixture. Fold in beaten egg whites and pour into a tube pan or two loaf pans. Bake approximately 1 hour, 300-325 degrees.

Vanilla Bean/Ginger Syrup Variation

Swap the vanilla and almond for 1-2 vanilla beans, scraped clean. Once cake has cooled, slice 1/4 c ginger (peeled or not) into 6 T milk. Heat until simmering, then cool. Remove ginger and mix in 2 c confectioner sugar. Drizzle on cooled cakes, top with candied ginger.

Neighborhood Dinner Club

We have had two meetings of our neighborhood Dinner Club with two other couples in our 'hood. Plus kids. One couple has two girls, and one couple has one on the way. I'd consider that three kids total, plus six adults. It makes for a rare evening of a variety of conversation topics, as well as backgrounds and locations. Our most recent meeting was at our house.

As it is 100 degrees regularly now, I made some room-temperature friendly things. One of which was this chickpea salad which I served over greens which was probably redundant. Delicious either way, and we need to eat more beans. My next challenge is to soak my own dried beans, but I'm saving that for another week.

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
(serves 6?)

8 oz, dried chickpeas, soaked, liquid reserved, OR 2 cans drained
1 1/4 t coards salt
1 garlic clove, minced
16 crushed peppercorns (WHAT? I'm just reading this. Just grind as you please.)
3 T sherry vinegar (I used white balsamic)
2 T olive oil
3/4 t dried oregano
2 c yellow or red cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 English cucumber, peeled and diced 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 green bell pepper, 1/2 inch dice
2 carrots, thin sliced
3 scallions, sliced (I think you know I left these out)
3 T parsley, chopped
2 T basil, shredded

If not using canned, place dried chickpeas, soaking liquid and 3/4 t salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer gently. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chickpeas are tender, about 40 minutes. Drain, and transfer to a bowl.

Meanwhile, pulverize the garlic cloves with 1/2 t salt to make a paste. Transfer to a bowl and whick in pepper, vinegar, oil and oregano. Pour dressing over chickpeas and let stand, stirring once or twice, for 30 minutes. Add all the chopped vegetables and herbs.

I actually made this one day ahead, and nobody got hurt.