Category Archives: perfect day

Summertime blues……

Posted on August 23, 2012 by

The August malaise of “all play” is starting to make Jacques a dull boy. If me equals Jacques then boy equals ageing smudger. The longed for beribboned parcel of  sun and blue skies duly arrived. It arrived after a long … Continue reading →

Posted in 2012, Art photography, blackberries, Blackberry, Creme de Mure, Digital photography, Dreams, Excellence, Expectation, food, Food and Photography, Food photographer, France, harmony, Ingrate, perfect day, Photography, photography course, Photography holiday, Smudger, Still life, summer, Summer holidays | 40 Comments

Central eating in the summer…

Posted on May 31, 2012 by

Sometimes I feel that life is just too short to write a blog. The effect of puffy white clouds, which pose seemingly stationary, on a clear blue infinity, house shutters closed against the afternoon sun and the indolence created by … Continue reading →

Posted in Cooking, Cuisine bourgeoise, Digital photography, eels, food, Food and Photography, Food photographer, France, French countryside, harmony, Landscapes, lifestyle, oysters, Patisserie, perfect day, photography course, Photography holiday, Uncategorized, Vendee, Writing | 39 Comments

The summertime blues…

Posted on May 14, 2012 by

With the arrival of several consecutive days of sun, and the possibility of more to follow, comes a new way of being. The fire is still lit in the evening but more as a comfort than a necessity. We have … Continue reading →

Posted in 2012, baking, Basil, biscuits, cake, capers, Claire Ptak, Confit de canard, Cooking, desserts, Digital photography, fireplace, food, Food and Photography, Food photographer, France, French countryside, friendship, Herbs and Spices, la lune rousse, Lemon bar cakes, Les Gouteurs de Provence, Les Saints de Glace, lifestyle, Memory, Mint, Patricia Wells, perfect day, Photography, photography course, Photography holiday, Recipes, St.Mamert, St.Pancrace, St.Servais, summer, Vendee, Violet Cakes, Walnut oil, walnuts, Writing | 25 Comments

Pike fishing in the Vendee..

Posted on May 10, 2012 by

I went looking for a château this afternoon and found one very easily. In the newly Socialist  led Republique Francaise it is not difficult to find châteaux with noble French families still ensconced within. France may well be “gauchiste” but … Continue reading →

Posted in Cooking, Digital photography, Eau de vie, fish cookery, Fishing, food, Food and Photography, Food photographer, France, French countryside, grapes, Landscapes, Noa grape, Othello grape, perfect day, Photography, photography course, Photography holiday, pike, Pineau de Charente, Quenelles de brochet, Vendee, Vineyard, Wine, Writing | 30 Comments

On mange bien tous les jours..

Posted on May 5, 2012 by

This is a busy week here with clients. The sun has shone, we’ve done pictures and most of all, we’ve eaten well. Last night we had a simple entree of Pork Rillettes with cornichons, followed by an Elizabeth David recipe … Continue reading →

Posted in Cheese, Cooking, Cuisine bourgeoise, desserts, Digital photography, Elizabeth David, Fish, Food and Photography, Food photographer, France, Mary Cadogan, perfect day, photography course, Photography holiday, Salmon, spinach, Tarte a l'Orange, Wine, Writing | Tagged , | 29 Comments

To market, to market to buy a fat pig….

Posted on April 8, 2012 by

Yesterday I was splitting the logs of the last of our winter firewood in the warmth of the sun. The crisp sound of the logs splitting under the axe has the effect of bringing my neighbour, Fernand, out of his … Continue reading →

Posted in Digital photography, food, Food and Photography, Food photographer, France, friendship, harmony, Markets, perfect day, photography course, Photography holiday, Writing | 32 Comments

The bar that Zagat forgot to visit….

Posted on March 20, 2012 by

This is the nearest bar to our house which, I should mention, is a very, very, very fine house with two cats in the yard, life…I have to confess that the cats have been dead for a couple of years … Continue reading →

Posted in Digital photography, Eau de vie, fireplace, Food and Photography, Food photographer, France, French countryside, lifestyle, perfect day, Photography, photography course, Photography holiday, Vendee, Writing | 43 Comments

Fire and ice…..

Posted on November 27, 2011 by

Firstly, I’m sorry Mary, but I had to use the title! A chilly morning saw me filling the log basket from the stock that I keep in the dépendance that is close to our back door which I need not … Continue reading →

Posted in Baking, Cooking, Creme Caramel, family, harmony, lifestyle, perfect day, photography course, Writing | 23 Comments

The Good Ceps Fairy makes a fleeting appearance…

Posted on November 9, 2011 by

Yesterday morning found me driving through the grey drizzle towards our local Lidl store. Not an auspicious start to a day, but not bad in comparison with recent mornings, but as my mobile rang I felt it might get worse. … Continue reading →

Posted in Ceps, Cooking, Cotes de Rhone, Digital photography, Food and Photography, France, French countryside, friendship, mushrooms, perfect day, Photography, photography course, Photography holiday, Recipes, Vendee, Writing | 11 Comments

Cut off point

Posted on September 25, 2011 by

I just don’t care what you had for dinner last night, and my guess is that you feel the same about me. I’m not sure why I started writing these dispatches, but the concept of  exchanging recipes was never foremost … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn, Digital photography, food, Food and Photography, France, French countryside, Landscapes, perfect day, Photography, photography course, Photography holiday, Vendee, Writing | 10 Comments