Oh, NO! Spaghetti-Ohs!

After eating perfectly prepared French food for 10 days, we were stunned by Air France serving COLD Spaghetti-Ohs with mini-cubes of mozarella, rubbery quiche (also ice cold) and stale rolls (cold again) for dinner on the 11 hour flight home.They must have a deal with the petroleum industry - everything was either wrapped, sealed or bottled in plastic. Not to complain but to encourage all our traveling friends to pack a picnic, pick up a bottle of wine in the Duty Free Shp and grab a box of praline macarons at the gate. The folks in First Class will be jealous and the flight attendants will be extremely accommodating in addition to chirping " Bon Voyage!!"

Time to leave la Trousse

Spent the day in Paris at the Sennilier art store, in art galleries, cages (I meant CAFES) and wandering the streets on the Left Bank. We have photos galore and a memories to last a lifetime - or two. Our last evening together began with a glass if Don's 1992 En Tirage and a toast to return again.

Cathedrals and Caves

The day started out with croissants and warm bread as we headed off - passing a chateau in Boursault that was right out of Sleeping Beauty - to Epernay and then the land of the iconic Joan of Arc (pronounced "John Dark"): glorious city of Riems ( pronounced a variety of nasal ways not even resembling the spelling. It is somewhere between "ronz" and "rawngsz" muffled by an extreme head cold). The Cathedral is astonishing!!! It is 800 years old and could be the topic of study and reconstruction for easily another 800.

After a picnic in the peaceful park behind the apse, we returned to Ay (pronounced eye-ee) to visit Chateau Bollinger. We were given a special private tour of some of their 5 km worth of underground caves.
From the heights of heaven to the depths of the cellars, we ended our day's adventures sitting in Madame Bollinger's home as their Chef du Cave tasted Don's Champagne with us, a couple from Moscow, their translator and a charming Parisian wine merchant, Lionel Michelin (of the Michelin Guide???). Hopefully Don, Kay and Lionel will be meeting up in Paris next week...

Cider at the Chateau

Cidre Fermier in a most idyllic setting. The picnic tables have been put out on the grand staircase and so we are enjoying late afternoon lunch of mixed saucisses, purple potatoes (masquerading as object d'art) and spicy moutardez. Cannele, nougat, madeleines, chocolate caramels and marshmallows will join the financiers (the little cakes shaped like gold bars, not us) for tea.

Don't run ANY of these blogposts through spell check. Between being in a foreign language where at least one third of the letters are not pronounced and having to type on an iphone, mischief abounds.

Champagne tasting

These are big strong men holding glasses of the littlest bubbles ever. Looking both sophisticated and slightly smug, these Californians are champagne tasting in a town near Epernay called Ay - home of many of the famous champagne makers. Jean Baptiste Geoffroy introduced Chuck and Don to his new "Expressions" champagne as a "happy" champagene. As is should be. He and his father, Rene Geoffroy, are some of the premier makers of champagne in a region of 5000 independent vintners.

After the requisite chilling, Jean Baptiste tasted Don's 1992 En Tirage sparkling wine that he has just released (do the math) and had many complimentary things to say. "Truffles" being one...

In the radius of 125 mile radius there are some 20 million bottles. We are bringing home a few to help them out.

Chateau Sunset

Another glorious day driving through the French countryside via La Ferte Jouarre to get vegetables and spices Autour Du Pain for picnic sandwiches, baguettes, pastries (especially Paris-Brest) then to a Charcuterie for a special veal preparation (a small package shaped like a crepinette, wrapped in bacon with butter on the top), a picnic in a park, then a side trip to L'Abbaye Reclus - a XXII Century abbey.
Missed tea but remained civilized and came "home" to a spectacular sunset, fabulous dinner, underground explorations and a full moon lit evening.

French Wine at Whole Foods

After much tasting and fussing, we ordered this wine for dinner at an obscure but authentic and delicious Bistro names Chez Janous in Paris. Much to our amazement, the label is in Braille. Even more amazing it is possible to get it in Petaluma at Whole Foods!

Chez Janous

Michael Gregory and Ora Zelle met us for dinner at Chez Janous-a small neighborhood Bistro that we'd visited last time we were in Paris many years ago (that night Marina ate a whole baker's bowl of Chocolate Mouse). They still let us in. We'd started the day at the organic market, went to Clingancourt Flea Market then the Luxembourg gardens. It was the first day of Spring and EVERYONE was out to bask in the sun. Full moon to offer a counterpoint at night. Glorious all around!

After a day in Champagne Country

...it's red wine poured by the Master wine maker as Kay cooks in the kitchen. We're driving into PARIS tomorrow, organic market, flea market, walking, walking and Chez Janous for dinner. "A mixing bowl of chocolate mouse for the table, si vous plait."

Baumhefner Bonjour!

Bread and beautiful boulangeries abound in every village throughout the countryside. Driving to Chateau Thierry this foggy day, we discovered picturesque streets, hidden alleys and breath-taking roof lines. "Drive SLOWER, Papa, slower."
The Champagne region in the Marne Valley is a patchwork of stubby (3 inch) grape vines planted in unterraced lines as far as the eye can see. Rows of grapes and rows of graves are present remindersders of the 310,000 soldiers who fought and 67,000 who died here. The weather was equally somber and the light elusive. We were reflective in our promenade.
Until, of course, we observed yet another boulangerie and patisserie. We brought home souvenirs for our kitchen table...

Comte e Comptesse dot Com

Late at night, after the poulet noir aux pomme de terre avec graisse de Canard assausonnee (pan roasted black chicken with potatoes browned in goose fat) and bio broccoli was consumed, Armagnac sipped, pots scrubbed, 3 language charades vetoed and maps folded, Charles de Pyle and Kay did a little "networking sociale."
We are getting ready for "Le weekend."

How do you heat this?

March might have been a problem for the Marquis. The Chateau has 16 apartments, fireplaces generally in living, dining and bedrooms plus heated towel racks - but it IS cold outside. Inside we are extremely comfortable but there will be tennis, swimming, or strolling the well-stocked forests today. There is a box in the hall containing hundreds if keys: for armoirs, clocks, cabinets, bathrooms, doors( laissez Le Groom fermer la Porte), the dungeon and, probably the pigeon (1600 squab) cote. Curious Kay and Don have gone up to the mansard roof attic rooms that smacks of something Jane Eyre would be tempted to explore.

Bookmaking

At the end of the dining table for twelve, I've set up a little studio for bookmaking. Looking over the HUGE fireplace and tapestries, I think of the people who have come and gone from this place since the 16th Century. The word AWESOME comes to mind, but it is, like, so overused...

Jet lag

In a bedroom larger than our living room, with ceilings twice as high, Chuck collapses after the nine hour flight and two hour (20 mile) rather circuitous drive from the airport. Nine hours over the clouds, one hour sleeping on one.

Ready to go...ready to gossip

Imagine Kay and Tina stylishly gossiping in a fashionable Parisian cafe.
Alas, we are not here yet....but if we were, we would be saying loving, somewhat west county, things about the people reading our blog and giggling about the silliness of it all.


It's (in Petauma) raining and Chuck and Tina are packing at nearly midnight to leave in the morning of the Ides of Match plus one. Somehow everything we need fits into a space 20x24x18 inches This in the face of Clarke and Lisa moving (after renovations) into a 1402 s ft house. Do the math...

And stay tuned to our edition from either the airport or feet-on-the-ground France.

What would Julia do?

Cuisine Chateau La Trousse - here we come. We have NO IDEA what kitchen utensils, equipment or conditions are available. But we do know that if Julia Child could create a cookbook, and Babbette created miraculous feasts we can also do JUST FINE.

Kay Baumhefner looks a bit like a Gourmet Gulliver and those petite peas have certainly earned their proper appelation.

Off to France

The day after the ides of March, we're heading across the pond to France to the Chateau La Trousse to languish in any and everything french, relaxing, graceful and grand. It may be chilly, but we'll certainly be warm amongst the layers of wool, scarves and history. Our friends, the Swansons have invited Chuck and me to help them get their apartment in the chateau ready to rent to select visitors. We'll do it happily! Don and Kay Baumhefner will join us in exploring the countryside, drinking champagne, cooking and eating fabulous food, shopping for rare foods and unique trinkets (egg cups being high on the list) and perhaps dashing off for a day trip or two to Paris. Lucky Kay and Don! They get to extend their stay in a few more weeks Paris. She is stocking her aesthetic pantry to add to her Come Home to Cooking repertoire, Don will be introducing our newest franophriends to his newly released 1992 "En Tirage"sparkling wine, Chuck will be painting, sketching and swooning over objects d'art while I'll be in a general state of bliss from sun up to sun down. Stay tuned.