If you’ve never visited the southern area of France known as Provence, put it on your list. The area is unbelievably picturesque with medieval villages perched upon mountaintops and bluffs of solid stone surrounded by gently sloping hills of lush vineyards and orchards. Nearly all the homes are made of the pale gold limestone from the region, and with pale blue or green shutters to keep out the sometimes intense heat.
Oh, Hello! Yes, it has been rather quiet here, but only because I couldn’t manage to get my act together to put a few posts in the queue before my family and I left for a two and a half week holiday in Europe.
You’re probably expecting some amazing recipes of the culinary delights we experienced while in France–a few pictures at the very least since this is a “food” blog! However, two things that do not go together are eating out in France with young children, and taking careful photos of food as soon as it is served fresh from the kitchen. This failing was furthered by the fact that my husband absolutely hates it when I photograph food in restaurants. So there you have it!
And to be quite honest, the food we ate in Provence wasn’t always spectacular, as I find it usually is in Paris. The two delicious dishes I wish I’d photographed were a monkfish tail cooked in a sauce Provencal and some deliciously sweet red mullet also cooked in a sauce Provencal and served in a small tureen. We also had the distinct pleasure of eating the most delicious baguette we’ve ever tasted–think crunchy, slightly salty crust and tender, perfectly textured inside, fresh from the oven of a tiny bakery in the 14th Arrondissement in Paris. The baguettes from this little bakery in a very modest area of the city are called “le meilleur de Paris” (the best of Paris) and are delivered to the palace of the President of France each morning.
So while you’ll have to rely upon your imagination or experience to savor the food of Provence, I did manage to capture some of the incredible beauty of the two countries we visited, the Netherlands and France. And since I am as passionate about travel as much as I am about food, I hope you’ll indulge my wanderlust feelings by looking over this not too terribly long collection of images from my holiday abroad.
We first visited Amsterdam and then worked out way to the south of Holland, passing through the lovely little town of Wijk bij Duurstede…
After Holland, we traveled on to Provence, visiting the medieval towns of Gordes, Venasque, Les Baux and Chateauneuf-du-Pape among others. During our time in Provence we also kayaked 8 kilometers down a clear, lazy river between the towns of Fontaine le Vaucluse and Isle Sur La Sorgue and visited the stunningly beautiful Les Calanques near Cassis on the Mediterranean. (Les Calanques are narrow “fingers” of water surrounded by white limestone only accessible by boat or on foot.)
My love affair with France continues, although it’s tempered at present by my children waking at 3:00am (local time)–due to their jet lag, only to inform me that they’re no longer sleepy and are, in fact, hungry and wanting breakfast.
Eat Well, Be Well, Live Well 