A Sunny Lunch at Le Plongeoir, Nice

We flew into Nice, France, and stayed a few days. Recent articles on Nice had mentioned that Nice was experiencing a renaissance since covid. It has been about 15 years since we were here last, and the time was right for another visit. We stayed in Vieux Nice, home for 20,000 people, and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We ate well, strolled the famed Promenade des Anglais along the water, and took in the Monday brocante (flea) market.

A few days later we drove and stayed at the picturesque port and small town of Cassis, along the Côte d’Azur. Enough time for an evening dinner along the port, and to take in the Wednesday market there. A quick stop at Domaine du Paternel for wine tasting. This area is known for gorgeous white wines.

Above Cassis is the start of the Route des Crètes, one of the most scenic routes along the highest cliffs in France which allows to you view the coastline and out to the Mediterranean sea. Breathtaking!

Picturesque Cassis Port

Market Day at Place Richelme in Aix-en-Provence

On to Aix-en-Provence for a day and night. A vibrant university town with magnificent architecture and a grand wide boulevard called Cours Mirabeau. We had one of our most memorable and delicious lunches at Les Vielles Canailles at this tiny little restaurant, know for the talented chef and extensive wine list.

Hiking at the Gardon du Gorges, A UNESCO Biosphere

After almost a week in France, we rolled into our village around Uzès. So happy to be here again, to further explore our area, work on our little mas, and search for decorating treasures from brocantes and flea markets.

It is not all work, we have taken time out for market days, long lunches, and one day we hiked part of the Gardon du Gorges. It is an incredible gorge carved over time by the Gardon River. Steep cliffs, rushing river water, and natural landscape have earned this protected pristine gorge a UNESCO World Heritage Biosphere site.

My New Wall Sconce, Upper Left, for the Living Room

Sharing with you the vintage sconce I found for our salon, living room, stone wall. Small, delicate, a perfect size. It is French, and pre-World War II. It cleaned up beautifully, and adds a touch of elegance to our rustic room.

Our Neighbor’s Beautiful Stone House

It is beautiful here in the autumn. My neighbor’s vine-covered stone house is a site to relish in the fall.

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend from France…Bonnie

Last Days of August at Domaine de Manion

“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy. They are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” —Marcel Proust*

That is the way I feel about all of you! I love sharing ideas, recipes, philosophy, tips, travel, styling, in other words, a “Taste of French Country Living” to live by, no matter where you are. A few pillars of this life is simplicity, awareness of living in the present, and embracing everyday simple richness.

I hope you all had a marvelous summer, full of excitement and everything you like to do with family and friends!

This is a post from a few years ago, I love as summer ends, to pause and be grateful and thankful for those in our lives, and especially to all of you. Merci!

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie

*Marcel Proust was a French author, literary critic, and essayist who is considered by critics and writers to be one of the most influential authors of the 20th century. He was born July 10, 1871, and died on November 18, 1922.

All Ingredients Except the Pasta Ready for the Oven

I am so excited to share this recipe with you, for many reasons. It is prime tomato time, and if you are fortunate to have an abundance of tomatoes from your garden, this is a fabulous recipe to use them. It is how I love to cook, from the garden, simplicity in ingredients, and letting the flavors shine.

This recipe is so easy to prep, and to make for a weeknight luscious dinner. It has an unusual flavor mix utilizing cinnamon sticks, lemon zest strips (not grated), a whole head of garlic, and ancho chiles. This tasty pasta delivers flavor without onions, butter, and the usual addition of cheese. It is very versatile, and you can easily swap dried ancho chiles for one long red chile and a teaspoon of smoked paprika or if you don’t have dried ancho chiles in the pantry, use two teaspoons of ground dried ancho chiles. Any fresh tomato will work in this recipe. Fresh oregano is used in the recipe and as a garnish. If you don’t have fresh oregano, use dried. It is close to a “one pot” recipe. The second time I made this recipe I added a sliced zucchini to the roasting mixture, which was a nice addition. It is a recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi who has written several distinguished cookbooks with tasty recipes. Yum!

Smoky Confit Tomato and Lemon Pasta Ready to Serve

Smoky confit Tomato and lemon Pasta

Published in The New York Times, Recipe Lovingly Adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

2-1/2 pounds mixed heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces, or left whole, if bite-size

1-1/4 cups olive oil (I recommend using 3/4 cup olive oil instead)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 lemons, zest peeled into strips, avoiding the white pith

2 cinnamon sticks

2 small dried ancho chiles (I used 2 teaspoons ground dried ancho chile)

1 head garlic, top 1/2 inch of the buld removed

10 fresh oregano sprigs, plus 1 extra to serve as garnish

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound rigatoni pasta (or another similar shape)

Directions:

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. I suggest using the Convection Roast setting, if you have that on your oven.

In a large about 11-by-15 inch (I used a 9-by-13 inch pan and it was fine) roasting pan, add all the ingredients except for the pasta, and season with 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread into an even layer, wth the head of garlic facing cut-side down. Nestle the ancho chiles under the tomatoes, tearing them in half if necessary to immerse them, then roast the mixture for 35 minutes, until the tomatoes are tender and lightly charred. Use tongs to squeeze the garlic cloves into the pan, discarding the papery skins. remove and finely chop the ancho chiles, then return to the pan, discarding the stems.

While the tomato confit roasts, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to boiling water before the tomatoes have finished cooking, cook pasta as recommended on the package. r

Reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta water, then strain the pasta. Add the pasta to the roasting pan and gently stir to combine until the pasta has absorbed any cooking liquid from the pan. Add some pasta water, a few tablespoons at a time, until the sauce clings nicely to the pasta.

Discard the cinnamon sticks and serve straight from the pan, with the extra oregano sprinkled on top.

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie

Chocolate Raspberry Tart Ready To Serve

The French love their chocolate, and often have a dark chocolate truffle or square at night as a treat to satisfy a sweet tooth. Generally speaking chocolate desserts are eaten more in fall and winter, and fruit desserts are eaten in the spring and summer. This Chocolate Raspberry Tart recipe is culinary artistry, as raspberries are a natural complement to chocolate, cream, raspberry brandy, and cognac flavors. So, yes, when fresh raspberries are in season in the summer, be sure and make this tart for your loved ones and family.

This tart is perfect for summer entertaining, as it looks incredible, is simply delicious, and is easier to make that you think. The recipe is lovingly adapted from The Complete Book of French Cooking by Hubert Delorme and Vincent Boué (Flammarion, 2023).

I loved that the chefs actually suggest it best to use a copper saucepan, and I could use one of my traditional copper pans. You can use any non-reactive saucepan too, such as a non-stick pan or a stainless steel. pan. Do not use an aluminium pan, as it can affect the taste of the cooked raspberries.

Raspberries, Sugar, and Honey in Copper Saucepan

Chocolate Raspberry Tart

Lovingly Adapted from The Complete Book of French Cooking by Hubert Delorme & Vincent Boué

Serves 8, Prep Time: 45 minutes, Resting Time: 20 minutes, Cooking Time: 40 minutes, Chill: 2-3 hours

Use 10 inch Tart Pan

Ingredients Creamed Sweet Short Pastry:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

2-3/4 cups cake flour (make sure you use cake flour)

1 teaspoon salt

Ingredients Chocolate Ganache Cream:

1/2 lb. (225 grams) fresh raspberries, divided

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 oz. honey, or agave syrup

1-2/3 cups whipping cream

7 tablespoons unsalted butter

scant 1/3 cup raspberry brandy or cognac

1-3/4 lb. dark chocolate, at least 64% cacao, chopped ( I used Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate 72% Pound Plus)

Directions For Pastry:

Place the butter, sugar, and egg in the bowl of a food processor and cream together until smooth. Sift the flour and add it with the salt to process for 1-2 minutes further, until smooth. Remove from bowl. Press down the the palm of your hand, pushing it away from you, until the ingredients are thoroughly blended. Form into a disk. Chill, wrapped for 20 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out the dough very thinly about 1/8 inch to form a large disk. Use your rolling pin to transfer it from the working surface to the baking pan or circle: drape it around the pin and then unroll it over the tart pan. Prick the dough with a fork, line it with parchment paper, and fill with baking weights or dried beans. Blind bake for 20-25 minutes and allow to cool.

Directions For Chocolate Ganache Cream:

In a copper saucepan, cook 3-1/2 oz (100 grams) of the raspberries with the sugar and honey (or if using agave syrup). Bring to a boil and leave to simmer for a few minutes. The raspberries will start breaking down. Add the cream and butter and bring to a boil again.

Remove from the heat and add the raspberry brandy or cognac and the chopped chocolate. Mix until thoroughly blended. Strain through a fine mesh sieve the chocolate ganache separating out the raspberry seeds. Pour the ganache into the cooled tart shell. Leave in the refrigerator until set, about 2-3 hours. Garnish with remaining raspberries and serve.

Chocolate Ganache Cream Ready for Tart Shell

Chocolate Raspberry Tart Ready to be Chilled

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie

Walking In An Open Field At Sunset In The French Countryside

Having spent some time in France now, I thought it would be fun to share with you some of my ponderings of this life. This is a quick, short list.

Some of these ponderings stem simply from experiencing a different culture. Some ponderings are simply from not knowing. Still other ponderings are from trying to get it right, and still getting it wrong. It is all in good humor and jest. Perhaps these ponderings will give you a smile or even a chuckle.

1) Lunch is sacred. Most shops and services close for midday. People stop and dine for a big lunch. In South France, parking meter spaces are free from noon to 2pm, so everyone may enjoy their lunch.

2) The French are known for their “joie de vivre” and relaxed present moment living. On the road, however, is where they must take out their inner demon frustrations by driving fast, close, and taking risky chances.

3) I have found the French very friendly and helpful, yet they are private people. They don’t go for a lot of small talk and “chit chat.” They like to be direct, which might be misinterpreted.

4) They respect their land, tradition, and culture. They work and use the land, borrowing it from their children and grandchildren. Organic methods are practiced and popular. Farmers, fishermen, winemakers, and artisans of food are held in high regard. Market days are part shopping, part social, and part traditional celebration.

5) Recycling is taken very serious, and exactly spelled out as how to recycle. Most villages have a designated spot for recycling paper, glass, and plastic. Household non-recyclable garbage is picked up once a week. Landscape greens, construction materials, used household items have to be taken to the nearest dump which is free with a processed card that proves you are a resident.

6) The number of croissants a boulangerie bakes for a day, is meant to sell out in the morning. Almond croissants are not baked by every boulangerie and tend to go very fast. Consider your day special, if you get an almond croissant.

7) Since many of the homes, villages, and buildings are very old, I mean hundreds of years. They are quite good at fixing and maintenance. They like to keep things in good working order as best they can. I think that they prefer fixing old over new. There is certainly a respect for those who came before them.

8) The cost of living is fairly low. Water, insurance, and internet is very reasonable. Electricity is very expensive. Electricity is more common than gas now. Induction cooktops are very popular.

9) They love their dogs and smoking, two of their favorite things.

10) Days are nice and long, with late sunsets. The heat of the day usually comes around 4:00 to 5:00pm. Dinner starts later because of their midday lunch and relaxation break. There is always room in the day for cafe time.

11) Weather can be a little more dramatic with hard fast rain, thunder, and lightning. There are varying degrees of Mistral winds in South France, which can blow sometimes for days or with big gusts that catch one off guard. I was at a flea market one Saturday morning, where local vendors had beautiful mirrors and paintings falling down right and left from the wind gusts.

12) School children have Wednesday afternoon off, and can go home for lunch twice a week, if they are picked up. School lunches are multiple courses, with fabulous cheese, etc. French food culture is taught early, to be delicious, quality, and in courses. I can see the smile on Alice Waters now. France has a national program, free for all children, to learn how to swim.

13) The French take great pride in their country, but you won’t see them waving French flags. It is just a given. They do love a good protest, too.

14) French love their gardens. If they don’t have garden space they may have flower boxes, pots, and usually climbing roses on the front of their homes.

15) You often hear more “non” than “oui.” One has to get use to that, and understand the “non” to get to the “oui.”

16) The color “French Blue” is alive and well.

17) French people are masters of quality, style, and good taste in every aspect of living. It is a real joy to observe and experience this. Vive la France!

Sunset In The Magical French Countryside

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie

A Slice of Heaven, Lemon Gingersnap Icebox Pie

Here is a great dessert recipe, perfect for any occasion, Lemon Gingersnap Icebox Pie by Erin French. Erin French is the owner and chef of The Lost Kitchen, a forty seat restaurant in Freedom, Maine, that one has to send in a postcard for a dinner reservation lottery. Her restaurant was recently named Time’s World’s Greatest Places, and Bloomberg includes her in “12 Restaurants Worth Traveling Across the World to Experience.” She has quite a life story which she vividly describes in her bestselling memoir Finding Freedom.

This might be a perfect dessert for your upcoming Easter gathering and celebration for many reasons. It is best to make it the day before, so advance preparation eases up your schedule. You slice it straight from the freezer when ready to serve. Makes one 9” pie, serves 8.

Lemons are in season, and who doesn’t love a bright, cool, and creamy lemony dessert. It is so easy to make, and the citrus-ginger combination is addicting.

This icebox pie just looks like spring. You can have fun and be creative with garnish. I used fresh sliced kiwi, but you could use other fruit such as blueberries, or candied ginger pieces or even dainty edible flowers. Make your whipped cream the day before, and dessert is done.

Lemon gingersnap Icebox Pie

Lovingly Adapted from Erin French’s Big Heart, Little Stove

For The Crust:

1 box gingersnap cookies (about 9 ounces)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For The Filling:

6 large egg yolks

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Pinch of kosher salt

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest

3/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Freshly whipped cream, for serving

Make The Crust:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the cookies until the crumbs are the consistency of coarse sand. Transfer the crumbs to a medium bowl, add the sugar, and melted butter, and stir to combine.

Pour the crust mixture into a 9-inch springform pan or pie dish and press evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake until just barely golden and puffed, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool completely before adding the filling.

Make The Filling:

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the egg yolks, sugar, and salt and whip on high speed until the mixture is light in color, 3 to 4 minutes. With the mixer running, slowly add the sweetened condensed milk, and then the lemon zest and juice.

Pour the filling into the prepared pan and freeze for at least 6 hours, or overnight.

If using a springform pan, unmold the pie. Slice into wedges and serve immediately with freshly whipped cream. Add a garnish of your choice of fruit, dried ginger, or dainty edible flowers.

If you are not serving the entire icebox pie at once, return the remaining pie to the freezer, otherwise it will melt. Enjoy!

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie

Tickets Are Going Fast!

The truly incredible Village Garden Club of La Jolla is bringing internationally renowned floral designer and floral farmer, Gabriela Salazar to San Diego for a very special luncheon event, speaking program, and floral demonstration all rolled into one. Tickets are still available, and are open to the public. Please see above for reservation details, and who to contact for more information. You won’t want to miss the magic of Gabriela Salazar!

Wonderful Ingredients for Truffle-Tomato Bisque

If you love “Simple French Comfort Food” and want to add some carefully curated recipes to your repertoire, please sign for the upcoming Saturday, March 2, 2024 culinary experience at Domaine de Manion. Spend a day in France, learn new tasty recipes, and enjoy a relaxing lunch. For more details please visit: Simple French Comfort Food Culinary Experience

Newly Planted Arugula, Carrots, Fava Beans, Lettuce, Kale, Onions, Peas, and Swiss Chard

January, and the new year 2024 has been very productive and busy for us at Domaine de Manion. I have had our massive pine trees trimmed, refreshed and mulched all of our pathways with the chipped trimmings, pruned all of the roses, redesigned a flowerbed, and started the winter potager. That is just the garden and landscape.

Inside the house, I have reorganized my closet, linen closet, and kitchen. Donated clothes, shoes, belts and odds ‘n ends. Refreshed this, and refreshed that. It is a great feeling to start the year off this way!

With that said, this year I am venturing on to new projects and places—which means I will still be writing my posts, but maybe not as regularly as every Friday. I am not going away, but devoting a little more time for travel, events, cooking classes, and surprises! Please keep your comments and interest coming. I always enjoy hearing from all of you. Please stay tuned, and please share this blog with friends and loved ones that you think might enjoy it for a “Taste of French Country Living.” One can sign up for this newsletter on my homepage at Bonnie Jo Manion.

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend….Bonnie

A Few Ingredients Ready for the Truffle-Tomato Bisque

Simple “French Comfort Food”

Hosted at Domaine de Manion, Encinitas, California

Saturday, March 2, 2024 at 11am to 2pm

$195.00 per person

Class Size is Limited to First 8 Guests

Le Menu

Pea Pesto with Cruditiés

Truffle-Tomato Bisque

Domaine de Manion Wine

Croque-Monsieur Tartines

Lemon Madeleines

Lemon Verbena Tea

Contact

To Sign Up, and for Further Details

Please contact Bonnie, bonnie@vintagegardengal.com, (tel) (760) 402-7600

This cooking class is “hands on,” followed by a sit down luncheon, à table, enjoying the recipes we have made together. A minimum of 6 guests is necessary for the cooking class to be held. Recipes are seasonal and may be subject to change.

A portion of your class fee will be donated to Curebound, which is dedicated to accelerating cures for cancer and funding new cancer research clinical trials. All dollars donated to this incredible organization stay in San Diego. We all have been affected by cancer in one way or another. We are very lucky to have Curebound in our community working hard to eradicate cancer.

Lemon Madeleines Out of the Oven