Chantilly Cream

Chantilly Cream over raspberries.
Photo credit: http://www.domainedechantilly.com/sites/default/files/M.Savart-IMGdessert.JPG

One cannot leave Chantilly without trying the Chantilly cream. Each village in France has its own culinary traditions and specialties, with Chantilly being no exception - this is an area that for centuries catered to the nobles' refined tastes.

Chantilly cream is what we might call whipped cream sweetened with sugar and flavored with vanilla, and sometimes, orange water or brandy. The origins of the recipe are ambiguous; some attribute it to Francois Vatel, an unfortunate chef at the Chantilly Castle, who committed suicide over the fish order that didn't come in time at the reception of Louis XIV in 1661. However, there is no mention of the cream in historical records until late 18th century.

Chantillois take pride in their cream - they say the amazing light taste of the cream starts with the grass and the grounds of the area that are unlike anywhere else. The cows must take their job seriously too - as replication of the recipe in any other area of France doesn't taste the same.

Truly, the cream we tasted there is like no other whipped cream - simply divine, light, subtle, and deep.

Official recipe of the Chantilly cream 
(http://www.domainedechantilly.com/domaine-de-chantilly/cr%C3%A8me-chantilly/recettes-officielles)

Preparation 15 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 50 cl cream 
• 40g icing sugar  
• 1 vanilla pod

Put very cold cream in a bowl previously cooled in the refrigerator. Add the vanilla sugar and icing sugar. Vigorously beat the cream with a whisk or electric mixer until the cream thickens and forms waves. The cream is rising "Chantilly" when cream waves appear retain their shapes. Be careful at this stage as overeating transforms cream into butter!

 

For a pleasant change
Here are some other recipes:
All ingredients are to be incorporated in the cream when it has the texture of a sour cream.

Chantilly with herbs: 1L liquid cream 35% fat, 1 bunch dill, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, salt and pepper (to taste)

Chantilly Espelette pepper and tomato: 1L liquid cream 35% fat, 250g tomato paste, salt and pepper (to taste), sprinkled with Espelette pepper

Chantilly curry: 1L liquid cream 35% fat, 3 tablespoons curry powder, salt and pepper (to taste)

Pistachio Chantilly: 1L liquid cream 35% fat, 4 tablespoons pistachio flavor, 3 tablespoons icing sugar

Chocolate Chantilly: 1L liquid cream 35% fat, 4 tablespoons cocoa powder, 3 tablespoons sugar

Chantilly Raspberry: 1L liquid cream 35% fat, 150g raspberry jam, 2 tablespoons icing sugar

An official recipe of the cream in Chantilly Gardens

 

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The Chantilly Castle

Having experienced Lille's braderie in 2010, we decided to escape it this time. Although vintage and antique shopping does hold a particular attraction to us, but the circumstances haven't changed - the kids dislike crowds and shopping. And 2 days of rubbing shoulders (literally!) with millions of people didn't feel appealing to us either as we this week we rented an apartment right in the centre of Braderie. So, we rented an car and drove south to Chantilly.

To call it a castle will not give it enough credit. This is really a land, an estate, an island of peace, serenity, beauty, and... luxury. Nothing I've seen in France so far struck me with such force of its wealth, refinement, confidence, and beauty. Not Versaille, not the Petergoff, not Austrian's Schoenbrun, or any other domain out the dozens I've seen, exhibit such monumental architectural cohesion and leaves such a deep impression. It is imposing and grand without being being overly touristy and fake glamour that inevitably creeps in with it.

The history of the area on the web is sketchy, intertwined with the history of France and in many painful ways is reflective of its history. Although Chantilly estate existed since the mid-Ages, the work on building the estate started in the 15th cc. when it was handed to the house of Montmorecy. Later the estate was inherited by the Great Conde and belonged to the great Prince's family till the Revolution. A huge part of the Chantilly glory belongs to the Duke of Aumale, who inherited the estate from his uncle after the Revolution. Left with no heirs, the Duke of Aumale undertook massive restoration of the property and bequeathed Chantilly to the state of France with a few conditions, namely, public access and daily operation of the property.

A view of the main Chateau

Les Hameaus - a fashion picked up by Marie-Antoinette

The extensive Chantilly Gardens

The Chateau, an inner view

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Les Petits Plaisirs: Kasteel Rouge

My general approach to gastronomic exploits include the statement from "When Harry met Sally" - I'll have what she's having. I was looking around the tables in an outdoor cafe, when I spotted quite a few glasses of reddish drink in a snappy tall glass. This turned out to Kasteel Rouge, made by a Belgian family-run brewery since 1826. It has a nice flavour of dark cherries to the base of ale, without sugary sweetness that makes other beers taste like lemonade.

I have to say, I don't like cherry flavour in anything and generally, shudder at the idea of fruit-flavoured beer, but this works well as a refreshing mid-afternoon aperitif.

Kasteel Rouge

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A l'entree. Back to Lille

It's been only 5 days since we came to Lille. It is hard to believe it's been less than a week - so much has gone on! This time around we are much more comfortable with the city, people, culture, and language. We bypassed living in the sleepy upscale Lombersart and opted for Vieux Ville - the heart of the city. It is busy, lively, and has lots of character, with its cobblestone streets lined with boutiques, restaurants, and bakeries. There are 3 patisseries within mere 20m-30m of the house. The apartment itself is on the 3d floor of a typical French building with a Flemish influence: narrow and long.

This time around the cultural novelty I had experienced on my first visit lost its edge - it is a given that people here are so much slimmer, despite seeming to eat and drink all the time and their cafes being full at any time of day, that they are dressed non-nonchalantly great, that women wear virually no makeup and their hair looks in need of a good cut, that scarves are the most popular accessory, that almost all people have fantastic shoes, that kids are super well-behaved, etc, etc, etc...

As we are settling in, the kids are getting used to the new school, new classes, making friends, and all four of us creating new routines and trying to stick to old ones. I'm ferociously interested in what's going on at school, all the how's and what's of each day. Everything about French elementary school fascinates me: textbooks, stationery, agendas they fill out every day, hot 5-meal lunches, relationships, and instruction.

There is so much more to learn and discover! We are thinking ahead and trying to plan out the next 4 months here and I'm terrifired that they are not going to be enough to see and do everything I'd want to do. Here is my big wishlist: the Loire Valley, Brittany (Saint-Malo), Normandie (Mont St. Michel, Vimy), and Alsace (Strasburg & Colmar); Amsterdam, UK (London), Switzerland, Cypress / Malta / Morocco. This is pretty ambitious, especially given that the first trip we've scheduled doesn't include either one of the items. Anything you would recommend?

Les Macaroons at Pauls

A typical street in Vieux Lille

Boys taking selfies at La Grande Place

The Belfry tower

The Meert confectionary masterpieces

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Au revoir, La France!

Bidding farewell to France took several rounds and made the leave longer, hectic, and in a way, sadder than I would have liked it to be. There were kids' farewell lunches at school, lunches with the new friends from the French class, packing for the next trip, catching up on the last sights, events, and restaurants! Alas, swift English goodbyes (which I would so much like in this case) are not for moms with kids!

The Little Nomads' teachers had hinted that it'd be nice to have a class farewell with some treats for the kids.
- Oui, avec plaisir!
What do French kids consider a treat if they have pain au chocolat for breakfast? I didn't want to leave the class with the lasting memories of North American-type sponge cake, nor was baking an option. Finally, it was decided on tarte aux fruits which was a smashing hit! Both classes had prepared beautiful albums with keepsakes of the months the boys spent at school.

By the end of November the temperature in Lille was slightly above 0C, just cool enough to remind you of the looming winter. Christmas music was floating at the Place du General-de-Gaulle around a tall decorated Chrismas tree. Marche de Noel was in full swing and the smell of roasted chestnuts, cooking specialties, and spiced wines filled the air.  With these Christmas-filled memories of Lille, the Little Nomads and I left for Russia on December 1st.

The remnants of my lunch at Aux Moules -
a quirky Flemish restaurant

Vin chaud -
hot spiced wine is
a winter-time specialty in Flandres

The Very Little Nomad's farewell lunch

The Little Nomad's belle francaise

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Seasonal sale in France

A general notion is that France is not a consumer-oriented society. Whoever subscribes to this concept has not been to seasonal sales! French women and men L-O-V-E their shopping!!!

Galeries Lafayette's 3-day sale alone is a sight to wonder: these are the days when Lafayette, sparkling and gleaming, gets crammed, swirling with people who try on outfits and make purchasing decisions. The line-up at cash registers - incredible! Prices - unbelievable! Girlfriends discuss fashion, moms and daughters stroll through rows of neatly laid-out clothing, couples wait patiently in line to get to the watch and jewelry counters... Men, split in pairs, wander around stacks of cashmere sweaters, asking each other couture questions.

Later, shoppers take a break in restaurants around Galeries - men drink beer, having piled their shopping bags under and around the seats; women discuss their shopping victories, picking on Croque Monsieur and a salad.

The French enjoy shopping and sales as much as every other person in any other country. The main difference is that they seem to do it so non-nonchalantly and no-stress; the same way they dress, eat and live.

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Toulouse Impressions: Gascony cuisine

Recipe of Cassoulet Castelnaudary in Carcasson

The Gascony area has had many scientists stupefied by what is called "a Gascony paradox": the diet in the region has the highest fat content in France, but people here live the longest in the country, while their blood pressure and coronary heart diseases rates are the lowest! The Gasconians themselves attribute it to the healthiest ingredients, garlic, wine, and Armagnac, of course!

Typical meals of the Gascony region embody three adjectives - hearty (as in rich), unpretentious (as in rural), and delicious. In spite of its proximity to Provence, the cuisines of the two regions have nothing in common. Quite opposite to the sun-lit Provence with the abundance of olive oil, vegetables, and a variety of meats and fish, in Gascony duck rules the table.

Duck is stewed, cured, poached, smoked, dried, fried, and roasted; all parts of it are utilized including liver, which is used for making spectacular foie gras; neck, which is served stuffed with truffles; gizzards are fried and used in salads. Finally, goose and duck fat is used instead of butter and olive oil.

The four most renowned dishes of the regions are these:

1. Cassoulet is the heart-and-stomach-warming casserole that signifies the richness of Gascony. The key ingredients are local white beans, duck, pork rind, and Toulouse sausage. I've also seen recipes that include lamb, pork, and even ribs. Very similarly to pilav there are dozens of recipes of the dish, each one claiming to be authentic. However, Toulouse, Carcassonne, and Castelnaudary lay most serious claims to the origin and the authenticity of the perfect cassoulet. I've had it in both Toulouse and Carcassonne and found the latter much tastier and more delicate, in a way.

2. Saucisse de Toulouse - the origins of this garlicky fatty sausage, which is a key ingredient of Caussoulet, is not being disputed by rivals. You'll many see shops in Toulouse displaying coils of uncooked sausage in the windows.

3. Confit de Canard - a centuries-old method of preserving duck legs is very much in vogue today. First, the meat is cured for at least 36 hours, then poached till done and stored in its own fat. I'm not sure if this process is followed to a "t" in restaurants, but the confits I had were incredibly tender and delicious, with a distinct flavor that is typical in duck. Usually, it is accompanied by potato slices, fried to perfect crispness in ... well, you guessed it - duck or goose fat!

4. "Foie Gras belongs to the protected cultural and gastronomical heritage of France".

French rural code

Is there anything else to be added? This is the dish that I had fresh and well-prepared. Its buttery texture and unique delicate flavor make a rare combination that would want me cross the Atlantic again!

The wine
The Gauls and later, the Romans knew what they were doing when settled in the territory. The sun is hot and soil rich and quite different in the terroirs, which are the perfect conditions for growing grape. Gaillac appellation traces its history back to the Gallo-Roman times and is the second-oldest wine-growing region in modern France. Cotes du Frontonnais - another appellation, which makes wine predominantly from the Negrette grape variety, which is rarely found outside the area. It is used as the dominant variety in both red and rose wines, and brings a perfumed character to the wines, which are best drunk young.

Armagnac - "It makes disappear redness and burning of the eyes, and stops them from tearing; it cures hepatitis, sober consumption adhering. It cures gout, cankers, and fistula by ingestion; restores the paralyzed member by massage; and heals wounds of the skin by application. It enlivens the spirit, partaken in moderation, recalls the past to memory, renders men joyous, preserves youth and retards senility. And when retained in the mouth, it loosens the tongue and emboldens the wit, if someone timid from time to time himself permits."

Cardinal Vital Du Four

Little needs to be said in addition to this quote of a Dominican philosopher, turned Cardinal, of the late 13C. Haven't experienced its effect on retardation of senility, but I certainly like the preservation of youth claims!

Somehow heavy flavoruful meals, light-textured wines, desserts, and Armagnac as the finishing touch, easily come together for a tremendous-sounding concerto of rural gastronomic sophistication it its purity and simplicity! Beware though, that if you have a lot to see and do, this type of food brings your mental and physical activity to null.

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Food for thought and not only that (4)

Clement Marot ***/*

16 rue de Pas, 59000 Lille, France
www.clement-marot.com 

I wondered if we'd be lucky to get a table at lunch at this Michelin-starred restaurant. The main seating area got filled up right after we had managed to get a table without a reservation. The decor was lovely, wine list exhaustive and pricey, the chef gracious and welcoming, however, I felt like inspiration was not a part of the menu. The menu du jour had a Flemish focus, which was perfect for the grey clouds, occasional snow and drizzle that day. Having spent so much time in Lille I had not yet had a chance to try Flemish food stapes besides mussels. I ordered Terrine de Poisson for an appetizer and Carbonnade Flamande for the main dish. The terrine arrived beautifully served. This colorful dish looked quite lovely with a few layers of fish and veggies but I could hardly make out the taste of fish and both the homogenized texture and the bland taste were a bit disappointing. The Carbonnade was very good but I had scooped an equally good Carbonnade off the Big Nomad's plate in Ghent in a side-street restaurant. The Big Nomad's Foie Gras Terrine was served on a bed of greens and Coq au Vin was pretty good, as I was told.

I have to admit that my expectations were set high for this place and they were not quite met. The food was quite good but only good.


L'assiette du marche ****

61 Rue Monnaie
www.assiettedumarche.com

Both the interior and the exterior of the restaurant are beautiful and it is a pleasure to be eating here. For the first time in France we had to ask for the English menu as the list was quite extensive and featuring lots of out of ordinary ingredients. I had a Salad with smoked herring and apples - an usual twist on a Russian vinaigrette, with refreshing and interesting textures. The main dish was fish (can't remember which one though) quick-fried to perfect crispy crust and tender flaky meat, accompanied by butter-sauteed leeks the taste of which still haunt me. The rum baba, which looked deceivingly simple, melted in my mouth.

The cuisine here really excels at great combination of tastes and textures. It is wonderfully-prepared, well-served by impeccable waiters in a great setting. One of the best restaurants I've visited in Lille!

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Toulouse Impressions: words to know before you head to Southwestern France

Basic Terms to know when going to Southwestern France

Albigensian Crusade - a series of formal Crusades, interspersed with continual warfare against the people of the Languedoc which lasted for some forty years. The Crusades are conventionally held to have ended in 1244, though Cathars were still being burned alive into the fourteenth century.  An Inquisition was founded to extirpate the last vestiges of Cathar belief.

Catharism (Cathars, see also Albigensians) - a name given to a Christian religious sect that appeared in the Languedoc region of France in the 11th century and flourished in the 12th and 13th centuries. The Catholic Church regarded the sect as dangerously heretical. Peaceful attempts at Cathars' conversion undertaken by Dominicans were not very successful and the Church called for a crusade, which was carried out by knights from northern France and Germany and was known as the Albigensian Crusade.

Cassoulet - a traditional dish of the Occitan area. This rich slow-cooked stew is made with white beans, duck / goose, and a pork sausage (can also include lamb and pork).

Gascony (Gascogne) - is an area of southwest France that was part of the "Province of Guyenne and Gascony" prior to the French Revolution. Gascony was historically inhabited by Basque-related people who appear to have spoken a language similar to Basque. The name Gascony comes from the same root as the word Basque (Wasconia). From medieval times until the nineteenth century, the Gascon language was spoken, which is a regional variant of the Occitan Language.

Occitane - is a Romance language spoken in Southern France, the Occitan Valleys of Italy, Monaco, and in Catalonia, Spain, the regions sometimes known informally as Occitania. It is also spoken in the linguistic enclave of Guardia Piemontese (Calabria, Italy). It is an official language in Catalonia (known as Aranese in Val d'Aran). Modern Occitan is the closest relative of Catalan. The languages, as spoken in early medieval times, might be considered variant forms of the same language. The term Provençal is often used to refer to Occitan.

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Carcassonne, France

The Cite from the bridge

On our way to Carcassonne I heard that it laid in a rather neglected region of France, so it is mostly overlooked by tourists. This or the off-peak season being the reasons, Carcassonne was so comfortably deserted! Alas, for the same reason(s) there were no guided tours and traditional jousting but I know the Big Nomad was happy we missed these typical tourist must-dos!

We spent there a great deal of time at Carcassonne - browsing through the Fortress and the city, having unhurried lunch and breaks, having caught the sunset that made the castle gleam under the light!

Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site it is a fortified medieval French town, complete with a Castle, a fortress, a basilica, the ramparts. The hilltop was identified as a strategic location by the Romans and the Colonia Julia Carcase was established here between 43 and 30 B.C. In 462 the Romans officially ceded the western colonies to the Visigoths; he built more fortifications at Carcassonne: traces of them still stand. Saracens from Barcelona took Carcassonne in 725. King Pepin the Short drove them away in 759-60 he was unable to penetrate the impregnable fortress of Carcassonne. 

In 1067 Carcassonne became the property of Count Trencavel through his marriage. Carcassonne became famous in its role in the Albigensian Crusades, when the city was a stronghold of Occitan Cathars. In August 1209 the crusading army of Simon de Montfort forced its citizens to surrender. After capturing Trencavel, imprisoning him and allowing him to die, Montfort made himself the new viscount. He added to the fortifications. Carcassonne became a border citadel between France and the kingdom of Aragon (Spain). The city submitted to the rule of the kingdom of France in 1247, and King Louis IX founded the new part of the town across the river. He and his successor Philip III built the outer ramparts.

In 1659, the Treaty of the Pyrenees transferred the border province of Roussillon to France, and Carcassonne's military significance was reduced. Fortifications were abandoned, and the city became mainly an economic center that concentrated on the woollen textile industry. 

Carcassonne was struck from the roster of official fortifications under Napoleon and the Restoration, and the fortified cité fell into such disrepair that the French government decided that it should be demolished in 1859. The mayor of Carcassonne, Jean-Pierre Cros-Mayrevieille, and the writer Prosper Mérimée, the first inspector of ancient monuments, led a campaign to preserve the fortress as a historical monument. Later in the year the architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc was commissioned to renovate the place. Carcassonne is agreed to be a work of his genius, though not of strictest authenticity.
Credits: Wikipedia

This is a rare case of pictures being worth a thousand of words...

 

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Toulouse Impressions: things to do with kids

The city offers many places of interest for the kids. The places below will most certainly dilute the historical and religious emphasis of the city's sights:

Musee d'Historie Naturelle

This museum is certainly not as overwhelming as the one in Brussels but the Nomads still spent good 3 hours roaming the exhibits, touching, asking questions, trying. 

I found the 5 themes of the exhibitions incredibly well-presented, especially for the kids from 6+:

-Earth power (minerals, solar system, volcanic activity, earth history, fossils): you can feel the earth move at the time of an earthquake and watch a movie on continents shifts.

-Botanical and bio hierarchy. This was a bit scholarly for my Nomads, but a great exhibit to give the kids the basics of the structure.

-Continuity of Life. In simpler terms, your dinosaur exhibit, which takes you beyond a mere T-rex. 

-Functions of Living Beings.

-The future: focus on environmental impact and human relationship with nature

The museum provided no information in English beside the museum plan. So I thanked my school teachers for being to recall the basics of the school program...

After visiting the human impact on environment exhibit, the Little Nomad says:
Ok, I understand that I have only one choice - to die right now rather than see what will happen to the planet. 

We also caught a new exhibit Prehistory, the Investigation. Having discovered two skeletons, the team launches a forensic search for their origins, environment, way of life, etc.

The museum also has a botanical garden, which the Nomads absolutely refused to visit. 

Jardin Royal, Grand Rond, Jardine des Plantes

3 parks connected with each other occupy about 10 hectares of land. All three combined are a great way to spend a leisurely day with the kids: the Botanical Gardens, especially (not to be confused with the museum's gardens). There's a maze of trees studded with waterfalls, staircases, ponds, too many things to explore with an inquisitive child! A few cafes and a playground make it easy to spend hours here!

Musee St-Raymond

This museum presents the history of Toulouse through a easy-to-digest collection Gallo-Roman relics excavated on sites in Toulouse and Chiragan from the Bronze age to the year 1000. The basement of the museum houses remains of the necropolis of Saint-Sernin. It's not a hands-on museum but a great starting point for showing to the kids how the city evolved.

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Toulouse Impressions, continued

We walked a lot admiring Toulouse, trying to make the most of our few days there. It is a very easy city for walking - no cobblestone which kills high-heels and feet, no intertwined narrow streets, no confusing mazes. The Mediterranean warmth  instilled comfort and some peacefulness, falsely maybe, but nevertheless, it seemed so different from the reserved cool air of Nothern France.  
The food was definitely adding to the serenity factor - the traditional game meat, foie gras, and potatoes washed down with Gaillac or Frontonnais leave body no other choice but to go in a passive-defensive digestive coma.

Most of the architectural sights in Toulouse are either relatively "new", built the 17-18th century or they were built to replace the old structures. So is the case with the striking Capitole in the centre of the city.

La Capitole

The Capitole at night

The Capitole has been a seat of the municipality since the 12C. During frequent absences of the Count, the town councilors assumed a range of powers and oversaw operations of the city. Capitouls were elected for a year and were awarded titles of noblemen with a coats of arms. The regime of capitouls was abolished after the French Revolution.

After the 12-day fire of 1463 most of building was rebuilt. The present Capitole is a mix of styles from the 16C to 19C. The building was closed for a wedding ceremony so we couldn't go inside, but they say the halls are magnificent.

The square in front of the building once drew the border of the Roman town. Although it was created in the early 1800ies, it has immediately become a focal point of Toulouse. A large bronze Occitan cross covers the centre of the square's pavement. Usually empty, 12 balls of the cross are decorated with 12 horoscope signs by Raymond Moretti. He also created 29 coffers on the arcades of the ceiling opposite the Capitole retracing important events and citizens of the city. I only vividly remember the portrait of Ferma who worked in Toulouse.

Musee des Augustins

 The Gargoyle sculptures

Part of the charm of France (beside many other things) is in its creative ability to boldly combine seemingly polar concepts, textures, and materials. This is so well-reflected in their food, fashion style, and architecture. A rare city would dare top the sacred medieval symbol of the city with horoscope signs, plop a bizarre glass pyramid in the middle of the neo-Classical square, install an art museum in a former swimming pool. Exploring every city brings childish excitement of a new discovery that ties the impossible, as is the case with the Musee des Augustins.

Former monastery cloisters

The fine arts museum is housed in a former Augustinian monastery (built around 1310). The religious community was disbanded at the time of the Revolution and the building was used a museum. It is best known for the outstanding collection of Romanesque sculpture taken from the cloisters of Toulouse destroyed during the last century Cloisters, chapels, courtyard are well-used to display the art work and sculptures. The art collection is modest but well-represented to cover periods from Italian primitivists to impressionists. For me the art highlights were La Belle Epoque and neo-classical painters (and yet another death of Marat) and a work of Perugino.

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Toulouse Impressions

The rose-colored Toulouse (La Ville Rose) is most certainly a she-city with its air - warm, the color - sublime Mediterranean blend of red, rose, taupe, and yellow, the breeze - gentle.  It is not hurried, in spite of being the 5th largest city in France (after Lille), but relaxed and content. Thanks to its color and temperament Toulouse is compared to Spain and Italy rather than other French towns. Located on the banks of the River Garonne, it has a perfect location - half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, 2 hour-drive away from the Pyrenees ski resorts and the Mediterranean beaches.

The first recorded inhabitants are thought to be a Celtic tribe who settled here in the 3C BC. A century later it was colonized by the Romans and annexed to the Gallia Narbonensis colony. Till this day, a few architectural remnants of the Roman times remain. Conquered by the Visigoth in 418, it become the capital of a kingdom. In the 8C Charlemagne created the County of Toulouse, which was annexed to France in the 12C after the Albigensian Crusade by which the Papal Church reasserted its dominance. A period of prosperity of Toulouse marked the 15C, when a special blue dye extracted from locally-grown woad, made fortunes for many merchants in town. They built magnificent mansions and chateau that can still be visited today. After the decline of woad trade, maize, sunflower and other cereal crops were introduced in the 17C and they still remain the main agricultural focus of the area. The 18C saw the decline of the city and it was only after the WWI that Toulouse started to grow into France's high-tech centre. Aviation (Airbus plant) and space industries, electronics, satellite, software companies migrated to Toulouse.


Toulouse has a magnificent collection of the most unusual churches and basilicas: their history and architecture reflect tumultuous religious periods, having gone through stages of reconstruction and renditions. Nevertheless, this layer-upon-layer effect creates a puzzling and unique character that can be identified only with Toulouse. 

The Legend of St. Sernin

This story of the martyrdom is essential to the history of the area as it is omni-present. Saint Saturnin was one of 7 bishops sent by the Pope in an effort to christianize Gaul around 250. He was consecrated as the first bishop of Toulouse. The pagan priests ascribed silence of their gods to the presence of St. Sarnin. One day they seized him and on his unshakable refusal to sacrifice to the pagan gods, they tied him by the feet to a bull which dragged him about the town until the rope broke. The street taken by the bull exists today, Rue de Taur.

Religious buildings in Toulouse

Cathedrale St-Etienne
Its incoherent shape is a result of several periods of reconstruction, from 11 to 17C. Built on the site of an early Christian church of the 4C, the first building was ready in 1140. The 2nd wave of construction was interrupted by the Albergensian crusade in 1211 and when taken up again in 1268 the new bishop had a different vision- north Gothic instead of the Romanesque. When he died the nave was not built and so the earlier one remained. The cloisters and other buildings were demolished between 1812 and 1817 and some capitals of the Cathedrale that are now exhibited in the Musee des Augustins, date from the 12C.

Eglise des Jacobins

7 columns spread into ribs

The Dominican order was founded in Toulouse by Domingo de Guzman from Castile, later to become St. Dominic. in 1206 he was traveling from Italy to Spain and was horrified by the Albigensian heresy. He and his 6 followers initially lodged in a house of a wealthy resident of Toulouse; in 1215 he received a Papal approval for the Dominican order; in 1229 work began on a church and finished in 1235. In 1340 it was chosen as the final resting place of St. Thomas Aquinas whose relics still lie there.


Only the doorway remains of the first Romanesque building thanks to 4 different building campaigns that took place between 1230 and 1335. It was also badly damaged during and after the Revolution.

The inside of the church is quite austere, reflecting the Dominican postulates of self-denial. The rose and green colors of the columns and the ceiling faded.


Basilique St-Sernin

The original site built in 400, housed the body of St Sernin and the number of pilgrims was so great that a bigger building was required.

The work on this most photogenic religious building in Toulouse was started in 1096 and completed in the 14C.

Built of rose brick and stone in the shape of a Latin cross, it has radiating semi-circular chapels. The remains of the saint are vaulted in a lower crypt.


Eglise de Notre-Dame-du-Taur

Both the church and the street (Rue du Taur) take their name from the Occitan work for bull - a reference to the legend of St Sernin, who was dragged down the street. This church was the first burial place of the remains of the saint.

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Food for Thought and not only that (3)

L'Ecume des Mers (***/*)
10 Rue Pas
59000 Lille
03 20 54 95 40

Apparently, places like these do exist - impeccable service by rather arrogant but nevertheless efficient waiters in crisp white shirts who appear and disappear quietly with gleaming trays of seafood, piled oyster shells, and sparking Champaign glasses. The menu features seafood mainly - from fish to lobsters, served beautifully. Though the food very good, the stand-offish air of the restaurant makes it hard to enjoy the meal.

Le Petite Table (***/*)
59 rue de la monnaie
 
My grandma would cook these meals, if she were from Provence. This lovely small restaurant serves  simple and unassuming food with a very approachable price tag - the way Provencal food should be. My meal consisted of seafood tartar made with smoked salmon and walnuts, seafood lasagna, and creme brulee. The portions are very big, the waiters extremely charming and welcoming, and the room itself quite homey. If you are in a mood for soul-food, this is the place to visit!

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On the well-behaved French children

NOT a typical French kid

I've heard a saying that French kids are seen but not heard. I testify fully by this statement! The metro, museums, restaurants, supermarkets, malls and boutiques are full of kids but you don't realize this until you make a conscious effort to seek them out. Only then the French kids start transpiring - in strollers, shopping carts, metro seats, but you will never hear them! Maybe a casual tiny baby would catch your attention by an accidental whimper coming from a zoom-zoom stroller, but that's the pinnacle of French kids' misbehavior. Haven't heard a single tantrum over chocolate, a scream at a sibling, a fight at a bus stop, or anything of a kind! Actually, I think I haven't heard a sound coming from a single French kid!

We had lunch at a super-busy Italian pizzeria today. You wouldn't realize it was full of kids until you put on your special "I Spy Kids"-glasses. Every single table was occupied by a couple or a parent with at least two kids ages 1-13. And the only sound you could hear was the wine pouring and the "Il Divo" music coming from the restaurant's speakers. The kids didn't occupy themselves by drawing on restaurant-offered paper using restaurant-offered crayons, nor did the play Nintendo DS or iPhone games, they just were there, quiet and well-behaved.

Last week at the market a 50-something man came up to us and said - "I've seen you in the city before. I mean I've heard your kids". Of course, he did! I think most of Lille has first heard and then seen my rowdy Little Nomads: a finger-pointing, loud-talking, fast-running, hand-grabbing, comment-making, incessantly-talking, song-singing, each-other-pushing-and-shoving couple. How can you possibly not notice them - they are certainly not the French type! Nor they are Canadian or North American. They are just the Little Nomads, what else?!

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Lille's Fine Arts Museum (The Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille)

The Old Women by Goya

Ever wondered where this surreal Goya's black-period "The Old Women" painting is? It's in Lille's Fine Arts Museum, as well as many other magnificent works - an amazing collection for a city of 1.2 mln!

The Museum is the largest outside Paris and hosts a very decent collection of paintings. Housed in a beautiful belle-epoque palace built in late 19th century specifically for the museum, it overlooks an equally beautiful Place Republique.

The art collection represents a wide panorama of artistic highlights from the 12th to the 20th century. I embody its Gothic collection with a Bosch-like "La chute des réprouvés" (15th cc) by D. Bout. The 16-20th centuries collections are more varied and plentiful, arranged by schools and location. There are a few magnificent works by Rubens and his workshop. The Spaniards are represented by Goya, El Greco, and Ribera; 16th - 18th century Italy: Venice, Tintoretto, Bassano; Romantists represented by Delacroix, Neo-Classisism represented by David, and much, much more!

The antiquity collection was much more fun for the kids - ancient Greece and Egypt, always a hit!

Photo credit: linternaute.com

The Museum's ceiling

The Museum's tiled floor

The reflection of the museum in the back building's windows

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How to raise a gourmand

1. Start with sending your kid to school in France, which participates in a municipally-run lunch program.

Lunch is serious business, which takes two hours (including a round-trip to the canteen). At lunch children are not coerced to eat everything on their plates but rather encouraged to always try everything that was served. Meal consists of at least 4 dishes - a starter salad, main dish + side dish, cheese and dessert. In the 6 weeks the Little Nomads attend school, none of the menu items were repeated (except fries, which I've seen a couple of times).

2. In a few weeks the child will start using napkins, use silverware, and ask you which sauce you'd serve with meat tonight (:0). Viola!

Here is an excerpt from the last and this weeks' menu at the Little Nomads' school (last week / this week):


Monday

• starters - x / tabbouleh
• main dish - cordon bleu in tomato sauce / turkey saute in curry sauce
• side dish - macaroni / green beans
• cheese - garlic cheese with fine herbs / Camembert
• desert - season fruit / season fruit

Tuesday

• starters - cucumber vinaigrette / x
• main dish - pork saute with mushrooms / ham cooked in a towel served with ketchup
• side dish - white beans in juice / fries
• cheese -  yogurt whipped with fruit / St-Paulin
• desert - season fruit

Wednesday

• starters - grated carrots / celery remoulade (a salad with mayo-based dressing)
• main dish - omelette / ground beef steak with sweet pepper sauce 
• sidedish - vegetable piperade (a Basque dish prepared with onion, green peppers, and tomatoes) and potatoes / torti (sauteed veggies with zucchini being the main ingredient)
• cheese - mimolette / yogurt
• desert - apricot tart / x

Thursday - Farmers' day

• starters - x / carrots and cauliflower florets served with chive and cream dip
  
• main dish - veal roast in herbs / beef in Miroton-style sauce (mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic)
• side dish - vegetable cordiale (another veggie saute) / pumpkin puree
• cheese - gouda / x
• desert - season fruit / creamed fruit with caramel and almond sauce

Friday (fish day)

• starters - tomatoes and basil / green salad
• main dish - fish fillet in Provencal sauce /  pollack fillet in sauce Aurore
• side dish - rice Creole-style / carrots in butter and fries
• cheese - petits-suisses / x
• desert - x / chocolate flan

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Food for Thought and not only that (2)

Le Lion  Bossu *****

Courtesy of www.lelionbossu.com

The meal at this very cosy restaurant was absolutely fabulous!

In spite of its numerous awards, reviews,  and accolades, we did not have difficulty getting a table for lunch. The upstairs room has about 15 tables closely put together but the room was not full and we had a wonderful time. Nothing of pretense here - lovely decor and delightful ambiance!

All of the Menu du Jour items had complex and delicate flavors: it started with a Remoulade de maigre - a spreadable fish pate with nuts on a bed of endive. My main dish was magret de canard (duck fille) with raspberry sauce and celery risotto which was absolutely fantastic! The Big Nomad's lasagnes de petoncles (scallop lasagna) with spinach and creamed mushrooms was served in red curry sauce. A little pear and almond pie in wine topped the meal and was on par with the rest of the dishes!

Magret de canard, risotto de celeri

Lasagnes de petoncles

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How to be unambiguously Canadian

Roots handbag

How do you identify a Canadian in a crowd of tourists on St Marco's square, the Louvre, the Pyramids, etc? Look at the backpack or purse they are carrying (never mind the bright red baseball hat with a maple leaf on it) - it will most probably have a Roots symbol on it! It is like a secret sign - the Masonic handshake, the "know" symbol of a sort, that whispers "you are here too, eh"?

I love Roots purses for their casual ease and functionality but had not thought they'd be more than just a purse when I packed two on my trip. Incidentally, I've had a few conversations with fellow-Canadians inspired by the bright-red Roots purse I was carrying.
A rare Canadian is fond of red-and-white flag-waving, instead, they are inconspicuously wearing Roots abroad!


The Impression of the Day.
The Little Nomad: You know, mom, girls at school are not girlie-girls at all.
The Nomad mom: What do you mean? They don't play with Barbies?
The Little Nomad: No, they don't. The fight with boys and some are even stronger than any of the boys!

Maybe that's one of reasons French men are so lean?

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Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle

Another Wednesday... I took the Little Nomads to the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle with a collection, which is "unique in France and includes over 250,000 objects". The collection has certainly outgrown its building - there is an impressive insectarium with species from all over the world, fossilized remnants of prehistoric life, reconstructed dinosaurs, and recreated prehistoric tropical forests.

The museum must have been heaven for a team of taxidermists as both floors are packed with thousands of stuffed species.

The building is located in one of the most picturesque areas of the city with a park, which elicited much more the enthusiasm in the Little Nomads, than the museum itself. They joined a horde of French kids who were tediously working on  knocking nuts off the park's many chestnut trees. We left the park with the Very Little Nomad's pockets stuffed with chestnuts.

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