Wednesday, November 23, 2016

A Taste of Telline - - Unforgettable.

One of the most emblematic foods of the Camargue ( south of Avignon in Provence) is the telline, a small, flat, pearly shellfish, pale yellow and violet inside, found in estuaries providing a mix of salt and fresh water. According to tradition, these delicious mollusks were first fished and eaten right here, so long ago that no one remembers when. They were traditionally found buried two to three inches down in the sand and gathered by workers walking backwards, dragging baskets with built-in rakes. It’s a pleasure to eat these delicate shellfish. They can be found in regional markets, washed and cleaned of sand, and on the menus of many restaurants. They’re often served as a nibble with aperitifs, or as a starter, with an olive-oil mayonnaise thinned with a little of the cooking water. 

Monday, November 21, 2016

Cassoulet -a gift from the French gods...

Cassoulet is a rich, slow-cooked casserole originating in the south of France,, the home is in Carcassonne ( the largest medieval city in Europe) containing meat (typically pork sausages, goose, duck pork skin and white beans 
The dish is named after its traditional cooking vessel, the cassole, a deep, round, earthenware pot with slanting sides. The best place in France to try this classic dish in at Auberge des Lices ( in Carcassonne).