I don’t usually post on Sunday nor do I do two foodie stories in the same week…but then again…this isn’t any ordinary Sunday. So while I prepare the long wait until 8pm when the election results start rolling in, I am taking comfort in comfort, wherever I can.
My grocery store roses help, even if they are bruised and fading fast. I still love their leathery petals and spindly form that pulls me into the gateway of a labyrinth with a simple gaze.
And of course, there is food. I have been cooking even more than usual, if that is possible. Actually, it isn’t, so I will add that I have been putting a little more thought into what goes in the pan and onto the plate as I need an extra outlet for the brimming anxiety within.
First up, for those of you that might be pondering your Sunday brunch, a funky mixture that worked well. I have the fantastic Deb Perleman at Smitten Kitchen to thank for both the “just put it in a bowl” and the “everything tastes better with a fried egg on top” concepts which are fun to play around with. Here, the bottom layer is shredded zucchini sauteed in cumin and crushed cherry tomatoes, then perfectly ripe Haas avocados were spliced around the sides, topped with eggy and crumbled feta and there you go. I will be making this again.
Have you already eaten? Europe just finally swung around to the time change last night (I know, I don’t understand why we can’t just do it all on the same day either), so depending where you are, that is entirely possible. All right then, well, if comfort is what is called for, there is nothing that fits the bill better than this dish, a riff from the most amazing Patricia Well’s “The Provence Cookbook” which has been sleeping up on the top shelf for far too long.
Get out your trusty Creuset (or any deep iron casserole dish) then brown chicken legs on each side and remove with thongs so as not to pierce the skin (p.s. France, you may be in crazy politics mode, but I love you for providing chicken fermier or straight from the producer so readily). As they are in season, sauté some sliced spring onions until tender and then replace the chicken, add two cups of white wine (or less if you are not as greedy about sauce as I am), add olives (I happened to have some that are stuffed with chorizo on hand and I have to say that it added mucho gusto), more of those perky cherry tomatoes, additional spring onions and sliced lemons on top. Cover and cook over lowish heat for about an hour until done. This has to be the easiest and yet most rewarding dish I have made in forever. Don’t go by the mi-cooked crappy iphone photo, just trust me.
And since we know by now that roasted cabbage is actually vegetable bacon, why not make some? Along with eggplants roasted with a little olive oil and a delightfully wacky product that is a mashup of Tabasco and teriyaki sauces plus some strips of whatever fish you have on hand (I used leftovers of Remi’s excellent trout), voila, another healthy stack in a bowl idea. P.s. I also made a lemon tahini vinaigrette for this but it doesn’t really need it so if you are feeling lazy, like a true Food E, then skip it.
So there we are. I am currently roasting asparagus (two huge bunches for only 4.50€ at the market yesterday) to surprise Remi with a salmon benedict for when he comes back from voting…
…for something tells me that I am not the only one that is going to need to take comfort in comfort today.
So I will leave you with this absolutely gorgeous version of one of my very favorite songs in the whole wide world…turn it up and calm down…
…and sigh it with me now, “Ommm“…
…”Shanti, shanti, peace, peace, peace.”
heeheehee…or that I didn't invite myself to the LPV to have YOU cook for ME! 🙂
Looking at those photos of deliciousness, I'm more than a little peeved that I never invited myself down to Arles to have you cook for me! Gosh darnit! xx
Before we adopted Kipling, our second dog, we used to go up to this tiny but wonderful cabanon in the Luberon to get away: http://lostinarles.blogspot.fr/2012/09/charming-cabanon-rental-in-luberon.html
The family that owns it have been lavender producers for generations and they were the first to explain to me all of the incredible properties that real lavender essence holds. No wonder that it was originally cultivated for medicinal and household purposes as much as it was for the scent!!
Patrica Wells is a legendary figure. The first book that I ever read about France was my parents copy of her original "Food Lover's Guide to Paris" – this was before we talked about being a "foodie"… 🙂
Pascale Molland, the florist shop owner, suggested the lavender oil. Her family has used it after bringing home animal carcasses from hunting and I guess for removing any nasty odor…I guess we are talking about generations of family here, too. Her parents go to Manosque to get the stuff from the producteurs and they got some for me when they were there this winter. I'm grateful.
My aunt and uncle who had (but sold when the grandkids started being produced) a 30 M2 apartment in Paris 7th arrondissement and that are my closest family laughed hard when I told them of the problem ( I probably would have never ventured into a property overseas had they not done so) and she suggested the Woody Allen similarity. I havent seen Blue Jasmine and actually wonder about the accusations made again recently against WA by Mia's daughter. My Aunt then told me about a night at the opera in Chicago when an audience member keeled over and died. They thought it was the way to go….They are still reasonably healthy but are reasonable when it comes to the fact that life (as we know it ) ends for everyone.
I'll put Plenty on the list to view eventually. I saw Streep's last film (August Osage County) and even though she is always good, that film didn't do it for me. I am often disappointed by movies.
There should be some work starting on the apartment so you may see some windows open.
Thanks to you both about the blogging advice. This is totally new for me. I am learning a lot , for example I have never heard of Patricia Wells but spent some time looking at her books and history and (expensive) classes she holds….quite a "gig". I will get some of her books for sure.
Have to get back to work.
Take care,
Mike
Oh, Heather?????????? You don't find "any moment" in "Plenty" amusing?
I'm sorry, but one of my favorite comic lines of-all-time occurs when she's spent an entire year trying to play the respectfully dutiful "Assistant" (this is, after all, 1950's England) for that smarmy producer with whom she's rather obviously also sleeping (mistake then, just as it is now).
Don't you recall when the scene in which about fifty frantic people are circling around a set, trying to get some damn dog to actually EAT some of the dog food for which they're shooting an expensively-produced commercial? Some underling on the set wails (as the actess playing the happy housewife scowls) "We've tried everything…I even put steak in the bowl….the dog WON'T EAT!"
Streep's character (who isn't known for subtlety or dpilomacy, despite being married to a diplomat) just exhales a mighty cloud of cigerette smoke, and she disgustedly/exasperatedly delccles "Well….the dog has TASTE!"
She stomps out,as the smarmy producer clutches her wrist, announcing "I have spent over a YEAR trying to sink to the level of this enterprise. I QUIT." (there are a lot of shift-caps in this dialogue, as you'll know).
Sorry to argue with you, Heather, but It's a terribly funny scene…..particularly in that nearly everyone has, at one point or another in his/her life, tried to hold down a job that's both utterly boring and absurdly demanding.
Advisedly yours as ever,
Uncle David
Même les enfants! Even though I do find the French New Yorkers to be more chic than their Arlesienne counter-parts – national pride goes a long way…
Hopefully not "Blue Jasmine"!! 😮
Mike, David is right. When writing a long tome, it is good to back up or feel free to publish in shorter bits too. And nope, I didn't get anything beyond what you see here. I only start to moderate comments after having a post has been published for two days, otherwise I don't interfere.
And David, you have really been making me laugh. I loved your comments at Sharon's yesterday…
David! Only you would find any moment in "Plenty" amusing! I am shaking my head in wonder over that one…
And Mike, oh goodness, I do know well how frustrating it is to type out long, carefully considered words only for them to disappear into the ether. I apologize for being the source of such frustration but must add that even from what you wrote here, it is clear that it was a complex situation all around.
I looked up at your place as I placed with the dogs this morning. You would never be able to imagine such a thing. And I never heard about it in the local gossip either. As for the neighbors, I know their son Alex, who is lovely. Yes, in France it can be tricky for someone to take action. I definitely have seen that here and in a way, am glad that you have learned the looseness of "amis" already. There is a saying that is current here, that people open their arms to embrace you but never close them. If that makes sense.
That doesn't surprise me about the lavender as it is known for its anti-septic properties as well. Who suggested that to you? Fascinating.
And I am relieved to hear that, while alone, your friend passed being exactly where he wanted to be. That is quite unique, I think.
P.S. Mke?…..explanation: I'm American (born and raised in East Tennessee, to be exact); my longtime partner is French (from Tours). So we go back and forth regularly. Folks always seem to make a big fuss over this, but It seems perfectly unremarkable to me; as I regularly tell them, "Well, when you're French, France is the sort of place you just kind of go to a lot?"
English is Herve's third language, and he doesn't really have an indentifiable accent when he's speaking English. It's always amusing when folks ask him (as they have on many occasions) a variation on "Oh!…so you and David went to France! Did you like it? What'd you think of it????"
—-david terry
Dear Mike,
You (and everyone else, I suppose) should see the Meryl Streep movie "Plenty". I love this movie (it really is one of my all-time-favorites….for several reasons); it's by NO means a comedy, but there are, indeed, several piercingly (if somewhat "Dark") comedic scenes in it……..including an early scene at the British embassy in Brussels, circa 1947 or so. John Gielgud (sp?) plays the inpenetrably stuffy (is he thick-headed, stunned-by-privilege, or does he just not give a damn anymore?) ambassador. Charles Dance plays the hapless, sub-attache…..and they have to deal with an obviously lying Meryl Streep who is, in fact, NOT actually married to the man who's just up&suddenly kicked the bucket in the lobby of a luxurious hotel. It's all very funny, as the three characters maintain a veneer of oh-so-proper British-ness. The final fact is that they've got a dead body on their hands (figuratively speaking), there's a an actual wife back in England who's wondering why her husband hasn't telephoned to say how his road-trip is going.
As I said, it's sort of wince-making, but very amusing.
—david terry
Dear Mike, some advice from all-too-wordy-me:
1. always save what you've written in the comment-box before you hit "publish"; there are any number of reasons that the comment can go missing (particularly if, like me, you're working on/from AOL, have a very quirky&old computer, and are pretty tech-ignernt to being with. It's a triple-threat. So, I always save the comment. Often, I just put it in an email tomyself and re-send it later when the dust has settled.
2. I live mostly in North Carolina (Hillsborough, to be exact….a tiny, colonial town that's chock-a-block with justly renowned Southern writers. It's seriously difficult to throw a dinner party in this town, since a large number of the guests are invariably off on a book tour, a speaking engagement, etcetera. The bonus, as I've delightedly learned, is that you get CREDIT for so-generously inviting people without ever having to actually feed them). I'm not kidding…..I threw a lunch for 92 year old ElizabethSpencer (google her; she just coughed up a new collection of fine short stories) last week….to which I invited about twenty people. Only nine could come, but I got thank you/you're-SO-wonderful-to-do-this (!) notes from everyone.
—-david terry
like a Woody Allen film
you took us back to walking round the corner off fifth avenue and seeing a long, long (polite), line of navy blue blazers and children with blousy-bows-in-neat-hair a few years ago and realizing it was the presidential elections for France.
it could only have been French Expats. unmistakeable (and oui, tres chic).
I am a PC person using a new mac; I didn't see how to copy and paste my deleted portion of the new reply….i'm learning….
there is a limit to number of characters one can write here…i'm learning.
So I wrote a long response but it is lost. It was enjoyable, but lost. I didn't preview and clicked publish but it disappeared. I can't resist to write again but it won't be as good or detailed. A lot more about the story in the original. So just some answers and abbreviated details.
The man had a "Belle Mort". He was a playwright and wanted to resume where he had left off around 10 years ago, his work prior had only been performed in local theatre communities in Southern California. I left a few days after he arrived in Arles, by design, so I could show him the ins and outs of the apartment. I was thrilled to have this meticulous loner who I had met through the father of my business partner who was one of the muckily mucks at the UNLV program for continuing education for seniors. The latter was visiting a creative energy unleashing class where Stephen was talking about going to France again to write. Emails led to breakfast, to other get togethers and even a trip to Utah mountains. When I got home I had scheduled back surgery and read his plays while convalescing and communicated by emails. The emails stopped and we considered the worst but convinced ourselves that he was deeply into his work or on a voyage….He had written that he wanted to die in France. I never imagined I would have to learn so much about France this way. Shame I lost my first reply….
I brought an industrial ozone generator over in October, but the lavender extract I put on the grout end of the february seemed to make the biggest impact on the odor. I used a syringe to apply it until 4 am one evening; the rubber stopper slipped and I was greasy with the substance….if there is lavender poisoning I had it. The original cleaning service was arranged before I arrived as soon as the police cleared the scene. I was literally taken to the cleaners and then had to find a real disinfection service. Insurance in France did not cover any of this. Policies are very precise. An attorney in Arles looked at this for me. Have had the entire place repainted as well. Stephen's sister, his sole surviving relative, wouldn't talk to me after several days when I told her how much the clean up cost. She didn't come over to France either and his body stayed in a funeral home for three weeks until she finally sent funds for cremation. I met the American counsul from Marseille; she came to pick up his affaires after I got there in June.
We stayed in a hotel and no friends or family have visited since!
Heather you probably know the neighbors with the terrace kitty corner, the Paccaras. Jacqueline flagged me down when we reentered and began cleaning this summer. I did not know her before and havent spoken with her since. I guess her son is a co-owner of Cuisine de Comptoir. She was on her terrace and I was in my bedroom. She felt the need to tell me that she had seen him lying on the couch, not moving for over a week and thought to herself "cet homme, il dort beaucoup". Denial?, indifference? The folks downstairs didn't smell it either. This event also sifted the good time company from the serious ones we have met thus far. Friends is a much looser term than "amis", don't you think?
Yes the apartment was purchased.
I wrote a lot but it was too long…explaining loss of the response. i just cut off more. I have more to express and it is lost again. I can't believe I can't remember seeing a Redhead with two beautiful dogs. I have dogs too.
It was a thrill seeing all your comments this morning.
I stopped by hoping you had some election news (to your liking). Then I fond myself copying down a recipe and drooling over a white rose….I. Never expected to be entertained by the comments section. Let me rephrase that. Someone dying is not entertaining….but Dr. Mike is so cute…and a newbie at blogging…Oh to have an apt in Provence …Then David and his client who has an aversion to unsettled spirits…..
Love your blog,
David, I'm still trying to figure out how this blog works. I wonder if my response to all the comments was lost? Do you live in France or North Carolina?
Not at all about the insensitivity. Humor always helps too.
Hey Mike….I hope my comment about the dead dogsitter didn't seem insensitive.
Not entirely incidentally? I live in a 220 year old house. A client was here yesterday (and at this point I should emphasize that, MOST of the time, my clients are surprisingly bright and interesting folks), and, at one point when we were standing in the front hall, she said "Do you think anyone ever died here? I couldn't live anywhere somebody had died…."
All I had to say was that, given the odds over 220 years, the number of folks who had died in the house and the number who'd been born in it were probably about equal…..and that she probably wouldn't like living in Europe. This didn't allay her misgivings.
—david terry
I replied under your, David's and Joan's comment, clicked Publish but don't see anything. Not sure how it works…was a long reply! Did you receive it?
You know Judith, I actually think that it could have been much, much worse. Certainly here in our region (which is an Fn stronghold). I am personally quite relieved that Arles, Avignon, Tarascon and even St Gilles didn't fall. Yes, a lot of bigger towns did but as Remi pointed out, they are often ones that don't have the balance of tourism to keep their downtown centers alive. All of this is linked to a poor economy and a hatred against "immigrants" (including ones born in France of an Arabic background). That is one of the reasons why it scares me so much. This is just one election and the problems that have created this wave of popularity of the FN aren't going anywhere, unfortunately. However, there are several towns that swung FN in the previous elections that have swung back as the towns were so badly run. (Extremist) ideology can only get you so far, apparently.
When is it not the right time to make guacamole? Just go easy on the spices if you do, Mr. Laoch…
Oh thank you Sister! I have been so busy reading the local press that I haven't had time to get an important, outside perspective.
Love you…
I really meant that I need to take comfort where I can literally, Edgar. And if I have been indulging a bit, so be it!
That rose has been keeping me sane, Wyn! 😉 And yes, these were the municipal elections…but not only in Arles, all over France. I wrote about why it is scary in my other two previous posts…
I did. Thank you friend. And I will trade you your dish for mine, what do you say? 😉 And the roasted cabbage and eggplant is a great base for a vegetarian dish. I have done the same plus added roasted fennel instead of the fish and it was just as good.
Bisous…
Lovely to hear from you, Karena. And all of this is healthy so go to town!
Mike, I am so very sorry to hear about your friend's passing…especially alone. Wow. And yet somehow it is less surprising in Arles – it seems that you have already hooked into the unusual aspects of this old town. Native son Christian Lacroix calls it "Farouche Baroque" and I think that sums it up nicely.
I live right down the street from you. I know your apartment and truly hope that you bought it instead of renting as the value is going to double in the next ten years. Not before then but it will. Your timing is impeccable, it truly is.
And Joan is right. If you can at all arrange it to stay for the Fete du Guardians, it is something to see…quite the paegant. I have written about it a few times here if you are interested, just type in the search box on the right side.
Yes, Arles tends to work that way, reaching out and grabbing certain visitors, not at all randomly…you see it was exactly the same for Remi (my companion) and I too. Like a lightning bolt. If so inclined you can read about it here:
http://lostinarles.blogspot.fr/2012/05/on-warm-september-evening.html
The best visit I had to your fine town was in staying with a family in the burbs, we only went in town once and it was great to discover it through their eyes. It sounds to me as if you have a great gig going on, even if the commute is a bit long… 😉
And finally, welcome! Not to worry, I can't say that I am quite the social-networker either. This blog would be more widely read if I was! But I do have wonderful people that do stop by, so I am not complaining…
I will definitely be looking up both of those David, thank you. And I have the 2004 edition so your comment made me laugh – it is so spot on!
Thank you for that and for the absolutely sweet compliment. 🙂
Oh no, Loree, none of this is fancy at ALL. I am an ok cook but a really, really good eater. 🙂 And thank goodness I don't bake! I'll leave that to you. It would be the end of me!
Oh, it was a stressful one but it is over! 🙂 And while we always roast whole chickens, I actually prefer the legs cooked in the Creuset to seal in the flavor of the sauce…
Absolutely and what a beautiful post it was Judith, thank you…
Condolences to us all. The new mayor of Paris is a bright spot, though.
Nice post. When you mentioned avocados I desperately wanted to make guacamole!
Dear Mike,
Eeek……Twenty-some years ago,One of my friends (her house is fairly far out in the country) had to deal with the complexities (and the simple, immediate facts) of coming back from a 2-week trip to the beach to find that the 50-something year -old house&pet-sitter had DIED sometime around the middle of her absence. She didn't actually know the house/pet-sitter that well, and certainly wasn't "friends" with the person (who happened to be dead in my friend's bed). My friend was very glad to see that dogs (big ones) had learned to drink out of the toilets.
It was all very weird (to say the least). As my friend said "This is so NOT something Emily Post tells you how to deal with…."
I agreed with her that Miss Emily doesn't offer much advice on how to gracefully manage someone's kicking the bucket while he/she is visiting or staying at your house. It's just not in the index….look as you may.
By the way?…I know that actual families live in Las Vegas. I once (long ago) dated a very nice felllow
who'd actually&really been born and raised in Las Vegas. His mother had been a nurse at the county hospital,and his father taught(was the principal, as I recall) at one of the high schools…..just "normal" as can be in the USA……and the fellow made it very clear that he'd grown up quite happily and, to be honest, knew next to nothing about casinos, mob-controlled restaurants where Frank Sinatra used to eat, and the stereotypical glitz and pricey , neon-lit squalor that folks like me see in the movies.
I was born and raised in an East Tennessee….a mountain county crossed by three large rivers and a thousand creeks…..so I did have to ask him what it was like to grow up in a place where, if the artifical water-supply were suddenly cut-off, you'd immediately realize that you might as well be living in a colony on the moon. He told me that they tried not to think about that issue too often.
—-david terry
http://www.davidterryart.com
P.S. you'll love Heather's blog….glad you found it.
I got comfort from looking at your photos (but then I always do!) – thank you for the yummy, peaceful Sunday post! Just went to NY Times to see if I could get a feel for how the elections went – doesn't look good! : ( Be strong and, yes, ommm really will help!! The link to the article I saw is below. I love you!
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/31/world/europe/french-voters-shift-to-the-right-in-mayoral-elections.html?ref=world
It's an inviting proposition to cook the chicken and vegetables you suggested. I love to put fried eggs over everything especially over pizza, steamed white rice or over your roasted eggplants.
It's comforting to think that during political turmoil one can still cook delicious meals.
Hopefully – your nerves have settled Heather – was it a local election?? Your foodie blog is most welcome any time you know – you inspire and tantalise!!! Love your rose!!
Breath deep, friend. Crossing fingers that the results of today's elections are as you hope. In the mean time, I think you took the right approach to finding comfort. The chicken from Patricia Wells has me wishing I could turn Mr. H from his vegetarian ways… but that cabbage is reminding me I have to try what you say is veggie bacon! Roasting garlic for our humble feast tonight – a white bean, rosemary and sun dried tomato concoction. The scent is filling the kitchen (AKA my office).
Hope in spite of any clouds overhead, you enjoyed the weekend! XO
Heather this all looks so delish. I am writing my grocery list right now!!
xoxo
Karena
The Arts by Karena
PS re your April visit, I love May 1st in Arles. Would be a shame to leave the night before. joan
Well, that must cut down on too many friends wanting to visit you. My rule of thumb when I lived in Paris was first dibs to people who had visited me in Madagascar or sent me care packages when I was a Peace Corps volunteer. Hope you enjoy Arles, one of my favorite places too.
Hi Heather, found your blog while looking for election results. Signed up and joined….I guess. I'm not a social networker. Anyway I visit Arles regularly and have an apartment there since late 2011. Lots of stories there already, especially after a friend died in my apartment and wasn't found for several weeks….Place du Forum, right on top of Agence du Pays d'Arles and MonBar. It is finally coming together again and will be better than before. I'm still in my working years as a pediatrician in Las Vegas (yes, families live here). I say I work here and live in Arles ever since. Hopefully can settle down one day there if the magic persists.
Will be back in Arles mid April for a couple of weeks. had the coup de coeur my first time there and with the philosophy of life is short….well.
Hope to meet you.
Mike Levin
mllevin@aol.com
P.S. thats' supposed two bee "Avignonnaise" (Eye still havent' figured out how to edit things on this sight).
—–david
Well, I'm glad to see (having just followed your link to Patricia's "The Provence Cookbook") that somebody's finally gotten the good sense to change the 2004 first-edition cover of the book. I never could figure out why the first edition's cover featured an enterprisingly amateurish/anodyne watercolor of a lavender field (I suppose it'd serve just fine if it were shrunk-down and plastered over a coffee mug) rather than the photograph of Patricia in her blue smock that's on the back cover (it's a lovely. charmingly casual photograph of her).
Oh (and yes, the book's in front of me as I pound away at this, My Engine of Truth), I hope the illustrator isn't reading this, and/or doesn't turn out to be Patricia's previously-unknown stepdaughter, cherished neighbor, or longtime pal. I do see (now that I've checked) that the photographer is Steven Rothfeld.
That boy (I should have guessed this photograph was by him; he's awfully good) gets around. He also photographgs Frances's annual "Under the Tuscan Sun" calendars.
In any case, I'm glad the thing's got itself a new cover. It's a wonderful and very useful book. It (along with Richard Olney's "Provence: The Beautiful Cookbook" and Anne Willan's "The Country Cooking of France" are the three books I invariably give as presents to folks/friends who want to "learn" about French cooking (sorry, Julia…..).
Two of this household's staples are from "The Provence Cookbook" . Try the lentil/walnuts/walnut oil/caper/mint salad; people love this. THEN……try Patricia's White Wine Daube ("Daube Aignonnaise").. I love this recipe (so the folks I serve it to). Basically, it's a "quick" daube…..perfect for warmer months in that it's not overly heavy/hearty (there's a more refined, mustard-y version in her later, "Patricia Wells At Home in Provence").
Unexpectedly enough?…..her sister lives only about twelve miles way, in Durham, NC. I discovered this basic fact after I'd wondered why in the world her website was issuing out of iddy-biddy Carrboro, NC (twelve miles away in the other direction). Turns out that Patricia's techie nephew manages the thing.
Small world after all…..
—-david terry
http://www.davidterryart.com
Lovely food, lovely woman. I, too, am anxious about this possible political travesty, but let's see how it goes. Be well.
You must be a wonderful cook Heather. I love to cook anything that is unhealthy (read desserts) but find real food a bit more boring to make. The truth is that I'm probably rather lazy and there are some thing which I do not like the taste of so which I will never cook.
The man I love….an ageless song and so emotional. Try the chicken in the oven (roasted) not cooked on a flame , think it's more tasty. We always eat it with white bread (yes, I know…) and white wine. ..and relax till you know the
result of the votings…then relax again. Have a lovely Sunday evening.
You had me at eggs, feta and avocado (which puts to shame the poor excuse for 'huevos rancheros' I ate in a local restaurant yesterday. As you know from my post of yesterday that I agree with Tip O'Neill that all politics is local and that what happens in France matters here too.