I had planned a rant this week and I think it was about knowing where your food comes from, for example a shank of meat. But I’ve forgotten what I wanted to say and you’ll be sorry when all of us baby boomers are dead and you’ll never learn anything. You’re asking yourself now, “What’s a baby boomer?” Case closed 😀
Anyway. I love shelling fresh beans. It makes me feel so old school. To be honest, I didn’t grow up shelling beans; we bought them dried at the supermarket in bags like everybody else. My mother probably grew up shelling beans but was ashamed to talk about it 🙂 She came from the South and moved to the West where supermarkets were cool, sophisticated and, at that time, still sold real food. No way was she going to be labeled “country” by her peers who were all, in reality, country. Ubiquitous Texas potato salad was only one manifestation.
I love my kitchen in France! The kitchen in Pennsylvania, while larger and brighter, doesn’t have the same ambiance or maybe feng sui. It must be situated on the dragon’s eye or somewhere uncomfortable.
In preparation for a small Sunday lunch, I bought some lamb shanks from the butcher Deneaux. This is the first time I’ve visited his shop because it’s on the outskirts of town and I’ve been satisfied with the butchers in town. However, my friend Babou showed me a pamphlet that listed Deneaux as a source for Mont St Michel salt marsh lamb. Of course I had to go!
Deneaux has lovely meat! I did buy a leg and a rack of the Mont St. Michel lamb for later revels, but for Sunday I chose the lamb shanks of normal French lamb because, panicking, I wanted to be sure to make fresh beans again before the season ends.
I cooked the beans in a traditional French method with rustically smoked bacon and bay leaf, added some brown sugar and mustard and briefly heated them in the oven a l’American.
I tajine-ed the shanks with onion, shallots, tomatoes and random herbs. Melt in the mouth perfection!
We began with a Champagne apertif and a shrimp, avocado and mango cocktail. I must spend more time at the fishmonger’s! I’m sure I must be deficient in vitamin B, D or both 😉 This cocktail or salad would be great with some spicy Mexican food.
Thierry and Arielle brought a 40 year old bottle of Pomerol and we all prayed as Thierry painstakingly pried out the cork. Not vinegar! In fact, enjoyably drinkable!
We took our time as usual, talking politics, children and of course food. Catherine Marceau, a good neighbor, is going to guide me through the mushroom and truffle season. So excited! Here in Bourgogne we are lucky to have a “gray” truffle, less expensive at 300-400 euros per kilo than the black truffle at 600-1200 euros per kilo. The Bourgogne truffle is known to be the only truffle present on French royal tables from before the Middle ages, up until the Renaissance.
I teasingly threatened not to serve the cheese course and wiped that happy look off Le Parret’s face 😀
M. Parret’s vine peaches are so beautiful. I love that layer of cherry color just underneath the skin.
Rich, blushing peach ice cream for desert. I imagine I’ll continue to make ice cream, no matter the weather, until there’s no more fresh fruit to put inside 😉
Shrimp, Avocado and Mango Cocktail
1 lb shrimp, shelled, headed and deveined
1 mango, peeled and cut into cubes
1 avocado, peeled and cut into cubes
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
1/4 tsp piment d’espelette
3 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp olive oil
Place the shrimp, mango, avocado, scallions, cilantro and piment in a large bowl. Whisk the lime juice, sugar and olive oil together. Pour over the shrimp mixture and blend well. Refrigerate for an hour and serve.
A perfect meal – wish I’d been there!
I wish you and Big Man had also. I am so lucky to have good neighbors 🙂
We used to shell fresh butterbeans in NC. Some neighbors had machines to do it and advertised from their front porches. Those peaches look luscious. We can’t get good peaches here in Mexico.
I loved to have some fresh butterbeans to shell! I can imagine their taste.
How you have the nerve to even think of ‘going off on one’ when you are surrounded with such a wealth of fine food and friends. Count your blessings. Leave the ranting to me.
I am in France Conor, ranting long distance about the U.S. I am American and wish that we would wake up and smell the fake food 🙂
What a feast! I do hope your salt marsh lamb is excellent. I would love to have tried the Pomerol and I look forward to hearing about the mushrooms and truffles 🙂
Maybe I’ll have the lamb with truffles 😉
Sounds like a great idea!
I enjoy your beautiful photographs as much as your recipes. As a devoted Francophile I can vicariously enjoy the obvious conviviality in your gathering. What a wonderful feast! I hope all enjoyed a nice promenade after the meal!
Thank you Judith. No, we just sat around lazily, talking until 5:00.
Some very nice shots and some very, very nice cooking. Wonderful shot of the dusty Pomerol and also of the peches de vigne…you’ve found some very good friends:)
Thank you Roger. I like that picture of the peches de vigne myself 🙂
Everything looks delicious, but I’ll definitely have to try the Shrimp, Avocado and Mango Cocktail! Three of my favorite foods in one dish 🙂
Thank you Tarryl.
Oh bravo! And how wonderful the wine was good. Lovely all round.
Thank you Virginia. The wine was a very nice addition.
Wonderful menu and great images. Have you been on a photography course or are you just a natural
Thank you Sally. I took a one week photography class in 2011 from a wonderful, retired photographer, Roger Stowell, https://stowell.wordpress.com/ who lives in the Vendee region of France. He taught me everything I know and I still stay in touch for questions that I continue to have.
That explains why your photos are all stunning I think I might need to invest in a few lessons for my website. What kind of camera and lens do you use?
Canon Rebel t3i, 50mm 1.4 lens.
Might as well go to Roger. He’s English, a great teacher and will cook for you 🙂
What a gorgeous looking meal – I just know that it tasted divine!!
It did 🙂
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