JOËL DURAND SENDS US CHOCOLATES

Posted on January 29, 2012December 30, 2015 by Susan Manfull

Second of a two-part article.These chocolates are so delicious that most people say, 'They are to die for.' I would say, 'They are to live for.' Hope for a good long life, so you can try every one. --My mother, 80-somethingC'est arrivé. The chocolates arrived just in time for my mother's birthday. They were carefully packed with the knowledge that they would be traveling far from Saint-Remy-de-Provence and they arrived in perfect condition.Regular readers of The Modern Trobadors may r...

MY FAVORITE CHOCOLATIER IN PROVENCE

Posted on January 22, 2012December 28, 2015 by Susan Manfull

First of two-part articleL'Alphabet des Saveurs chocolates Photo: 1j2MSome of the best chocolates in the world hail from France. In Paris, I think of La Maison de Chocolat, JP Hévin, La Durée, Michel Chaudun. But it is to Provence that I would head for my favorite: the best chocolate in the region is made by Joël Durand in the small village of Saint-Remy-de-Provence.We visited this alluring chocolate shop this past August. The number of times we have been drawn to Monsieur Durand's chocola...

LONGING FOR BLACK TRUFFLES, CONSOLED BY FRAGRANT MEMORIES AND PATRICIA WELLS’ “SIMPLY TRUFFLES”

Posted on January 15, 2012January 3, 2016 by Susan Manfull

Today is the third Sunday in January, otherwise known as “The Mass for the Truffles” in Richerenches: the annual blessing, auction, and feast of the black truffle. We’ve been there, huddled among the masses in the tiny church to witness baskets of black diamonds offered up to be blessed, walked with the parade of people to the Hôtel de Ville where our successful bids put several truffles in our pockets, and relished in the glory of a lavish meal devoted to the beloved Tuber melanosporum. I wish...

NINE NEW BELLS TO BE INSTALLED IN NOTRE-DAME DE PARIS: WHAT WOULD QUASIMODO SAY?

Posted on January 9, 2012November 24, 2015 by Susan Manfull

Paris’ famous Cathedral of Notre-Dame is about to celebrate its 850th anniversary. In anticipation of this major event, and amidst some controversy, the four bells located at the top of the North Tower—christened, as is the custom for all sacred objects, Angélique-Françoise, Antoinette-Charlotte, Hyacinthe-Jeanne, and Denise-David—will soon be removed, melted down and replaced. These four bells were cast in 1856, per the request of Napoleon III who wanted them to mark the occasion of his son’...

ADAM GOPNIK IS RIGHT: THE TABLE COMES FIRST

Posted on January 1, 2012December 31, 2015 by Susan Manfull

As I write this week’s post, 2011 is about to roll into 2012 and I am reflecting on all the wonderful times I have had around the table this year and in years past. Adam Gopnik’s book does this to you. I highly recommend “The Table Comes First: Family, France, and the Meaning of Food.” I might add that I “listened” to much of the book, which I particularly enjoyed because Mr. Gopnik narrates the audio book himself. Until you can get your hands on the book, I leave you with some of my favorit...

LA POSTE: MEDIEVAL PRACTICES STILL LURK IN THE FRENCH POSTAL SYSTEM

Posted on December 18, 2011December 30, 2015 by Susan Manfull

By Louis J. Salome Author of “Violence, Veils, and Bloodlines: Reporting from War Zones.” As Christmas and Hanukah approach, many of us find ourselves madly wrapping packages to be shipped off to family and friends around the globe. Will we entrust our treasures to the oft-maligned but still remarkably reliable U.S. Postal System or to one of its chief competitors, FedEx, DHL, or United Parcel Service? After that decision, the rest is straightforward and familiar. Not so in France. Guest wr...

‘TIS THE SEASON FOR VERRINES DE NOËL!

Posted on December 11, 2011December 29, 2015 by Susan Manfull

Having entered the season in which we all eat, drink and endeavor to be merry, I would like to introduce you to verrines, a culinary concept that, in its own right is simply captivating but one that may be especially welcome during our annual holidays of overindulgence. (Forgive me, those of you who already know verrines!)I made my first acquaintance with verrines in the summer of 2008. At least, I think I did, but Towny insists we enjoyed them as early as 2001 in Édouard Loubet’s Michelin...

4 DECEMBER STARTS CHRISTMAS SEASON IN PROVENCE: PLANT YOUR WHEAT SEEDS AND GET OUT YOUR SANTONS!

Posted on December 5, 2011November 27, 2015 by Susan Manfull

Department stores in the United States ring in the Christmas season the day after Halloween—with the possible exception of those states that mark the Day of the Dead—and the rest of us fall into place when we toss out the turkey carcass at the end of November, depending on where Thanksgiving lands.In Provence, December 4th marks the start of the Christmas season. It’s a long season—we all know the French like their holidays and I say that in the most commendable even covetous manner. ...

MEET ME AT LES DEUX GARÇONS: A SEQUEL TO “MIDNIGHT IN PARIS”?

Posted on November 28, 2011December 30, 2015 by Susan Manfull

Should Woody Allen and Owen Wilson decide to follow Picasso to the South of France, surely Les Deux Garçons would feature prominently. Like Les Deux Magots, the famous café hang-out of Gertrude Stein’s Lost Generation in 1920s, Les Deux Garçons has long been a magnet for artists and writers in Aix-en-Provence. Les Deux Garçons’ roots reach back to 1792, but 53 cours Mirabeau had a long history before it became a café. The 17th century mansion is first mentioned in ...

“JE NE TE FAIT PAS DES BISES CAR JE SUIS ENRHUMÉ” * and other reasons to visit a French pharmacy

Posted on November 19, 2011May 8, 2016 by Susan Manfull

Ah, two weeks in Provence. Heavenly. I arrived in Marseille, feeling bushy-tailed if not quite bright-eyed. My delightful seat mates, two long-time female friends on their way to Moscow, included me in their constant flow of mini-bottles of wine across the Atlantic—of course I didn’t decline—and that camaraderie, coupled with the usual sleeplessness of such a flight, led to a noticeable red-eye effect when I landed. But nothing could dampen my enthusiasm about the adventures in store for me i...