Vive La France

I just got back from 4 days in the South of France. We did a lot of cooking and a lot of eating.

To get in the right mood, if you want, you can play this while you look at all the yumminess below:

Edith Piaf, La Vie En Rose

Here is a classic ratatouille: Red pepper, fresh tomato, squash, garlic – all roasted until soft and yummi in olive oil – add salt and pepper to taste.

Here we have a healthy and delicious lentil salad: Puy lentils (trés important!) cooked in a herb broth, cooled and mixed with black olives, parsley and walnuts in a lemon/garlic/salt/olive oil/honey-dressing:

Baby greens, fresh figs, nectarine and goats cheese with a dressing made from chestnut cream (creme des marrons!) , garlic, balsamic vinegar and olive oil:

Fresh baguette with aioli (mayo with garlic and salt) and home-peeled prawns. Add lemon juice on top. Drink with cool white or rose wine. Heaven!

And while your fingers are in use with the prawn peeling, you might as well continue eating with your fingers – it is a sensual experience. Artichoke with melted butter:

Lapin wrapped with bacon before charcoal grilled. Here served with a classic tomato, mozzarella, basil, olive-salad. Lapin means rabbit. Tastes like chicken. Don’t think too much about it!

This has to be one of the best salads I’ve ever made. Yes, I just followed my usual standard: A green, a berry, a nut, a cheese and a dressing. Turned out fantastique, none the less. This is baby greens with raspberries, goat cheese, walnuts and a balsamic/garlic/olive-oil-dressing. Mon Dieu!

Room with a view! The Pyrenees.

Regardé la lune. Elle est trés belle.

Bon appetit!