Lemons – how much is the juice of a lemon?

In recipes, it is best to state lemon juice quantities in millilitres, rather than simply say the juice of a lemon. Often it is essential to be precise in the quantities one uses. When a recipe calls for the juice of a lemon, it always raises the question, how much is that?  Over the years, [...]

By |2021-10-24T14:47:59+11:00October 19th, 2021|Food, Fruit, Lemons, Lemons - hints and tips, Musings|Comments Off on Lemons – how much is the juice of a lemon?

In search of the perfect Tarte Tatin

Years ago, in 2007, I attended La Varenne Cooking School in Burgundy, and one of the many dishes we cooked there with the chefs was the classic Tarte Tatin.  The class was held in one of the beautiful kitchens of the Chateau du Fëy, the home of La Varenne Cooking School and its founder, Anne [...]

Bresse and the Chicken market at Louhans.

Cooking all these chicken dishes and stock as I have been in this  Covid-19 winter 2020, reminded me of some happier times and our visit to Bresse, the home of the famous Bresse chicken, la volaille de Bresse, and the Monday market day in the market town of Louhans in Burgundy. The summer of 2017 [...]

The Bresse Chickens – why they are so special, their story and AOC and AOP

Way back in 1957, Bresse chickens were the first food and the first chickens to be awarded the AOC, Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée and more recently, they received the AOP, Appellation d'Origine Protégée, accreditation. This AOP label is the European Union version of France's AOC, Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée.  It basically means the products with these labels [...]

Coq au Vin

This is a flavoursome classic Burgundian dish, with red wine playing a major role in the flavour, along with lardons, button mushrooms and tiny onions. The flavour of this dish, like many others, improves when the dish is refrigerated and served the next day. It is traditionally cooked on the stove-top, however, you can also [...]

The tunnel at Pouilly-en-Auxois and the beginning of the Canal de Bourgogne

We are having a sensational trip along this glorious canal. Every-day is blue skies and sunshine and something new to see. For the past two days we climbed a staircase of 36 locks, each about 500m apart so it was busy and tiring getting up and down to do the ropes to secure the barge [...]

By |2020-07-06T17:40:38+10:00July 6th, 2020|Barging on the Betty B, Burgundy, Canal de Bourgogne, Culinary Travel, Culinary writing, France, France - wine, France and cooking, French food, French food, Musings|Comments Off on The tunnel at Pouilly-en-Auxois and the beginning of the Canal de Bourgogne

‘M.F.K. Fisher among the pots and pans: celebrating her kitchens

‘MFK Fisher among the pots and pans: celebrating her kitchens’, by Joan Reardon. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2008. As a former librarian and an avid collector of books on foodie people and all things to do with food, cooking, France and travel, I share a favourite book here from time to time. It was [...]

By |2018-12-17T13:19:44+11:00December 17th, 2018|Books, Books and reading, Culinary writing, M.F.K.Fisher, Musings|Comments Off on ‘M.F.K. Fisher among the pots and pans: celebrating her kitchens

Le 1131 at L’Abbaye de la Bussière – dinner Sunday 21st July 2018

On the recommendation of some recent cooking school clients, we were looking forward to going to this lovely restaurant for dinner.  Neville had said it was in the Realis et Châteaux group but did not mention it had a Michelin star.  He did say it was just a short walk from the Canal de Bourgogne, [...]

By |2018-08-02T17:57:01+10:00August 2nd, 2018|Barging on the Betty B, Burgundy, Canal de Bourgogne, Culinary Travel, Culinary writing, Food, France, France - wine, France and cooking, French food, French food, French wine, L'Abbaye de la Bussiere, Restaurants, Travel|Comments Off on Le 1131 at L’Abbaye de la Bussière – dinner Sunday 21st July 2018

Fresh grape juice for those hot summer days.

Does anyone have grapes climbing and growing over the trellis on their back terrace? If you do, then this machine is for you. And what is this contraption you may well ask? This contraption makes delicious, natural, pale green coloured grape juice. All you do is put the fresh grapes into the container, they are [...]

By |2017-10-03T15:48:26+11:00October 3rd, 2017|Food, France and cooking, Fruit in season, Grape juice making, Grapes|Comments Off on Fresh grape juice for those hot summer days.
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