Food

McDo McBAGUETTE! McMON DIEU!

Posted on by Susan Manfull
McDonald's in France Photo: McDonald'sThe big news out of France this week is that America’s most famous (or infamous, depending on your point of view) fast food joint will start rolling out its burgers on baguettes in France come April. But, hold on to your berets before you roll your eyes and start waxing sentimental and barking sanctimonious: France is McDonald’s second largest market (of course, the U.S. is its number one market) with over 1200 restaurants in the country long recognized as ...
More

JOËL DURAND SENDS US CHOCOLATES

Posted on 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...
More

MY FAVORITE CHOCOLATIER IN PROVENCE

Posted on 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...
More

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

Posted on 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...
More

‘TIS THE SEASON FOR VERRINES DE NOËL!

Posted on 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...
More

NEED SOMETHING FOR MONDAY NIGHT’S DINNER? GO TO THE MARKET AT CADENET…AND, WHILE YOU’RE THERE, POKE AROUND!

Posted on by Susan Manfull
Mondays are the best day to visit Cadenet. Okay, some people will say that Monday is the only day to visit Cadenet. Oh heck, some people will wonder why Cadenet is even on our list of “Ten Markets We Always Visit in Provence.” If you are a tourist planning your trip to Provence with the usual laundry list of places to go and things to see in a nano-second, neither Cadenet nor its market should be near the top—or even in the middle—of your list. But, if Monday has rolled around after a busy week...
More

SATURDAY MORNINGS IN PROVENCE: WE’RE APT TO BE IN APT

Posted on by Susan Manfull
The heart of Apt, where the market unfolds every Saturday, is a labyrinth of narrow streets dating back to its Roman period. Julius Caesar is said to have christened the town Apta Julia in 125 BCE. Then, it was an important town on the Via Domitia, the main passage between Italy and Spain. Later, in the Middle Ages, Apt was a principal religious center. Little evidence of Apt’s Roman days remain but the lovely 11th/12th century Sainte Anne Cathedral--actually, it was relegated to a basilica i...
More

LA FERME DE CHEVRE – RESERVATIONS FOR FIVE….AND A FEW GOATS

Posted on by Susan Manfull
Note: This is not an experience for everyone--those with an aversion to narrow winding roads, a preference for vegetarian meals, and disinclination to dining with farm animals would want to skip this excursion. Fans of David Sedaris’ most recent book, “Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary,” will no doubt be inspired. Tired of white linens, sommeliers, and Michelin stars? Consider lunch at Le Castelas, a working goat farm, for another kind of Provençal dining experience. Susan and David Fro...
More

14th OF JULY — LE QUARTORZE JUILLET — LET’S CELEBRATE WITH A BASTILLE DAY DINNER PARTY

Posted on by Susan Manfull
We are grateful to David Scott Allen of Cocoa & Lavender for developing an original menu and to Win Rhoades (proprietor of South Street and Vine) for his knowledgeable recommendations on wine and cheese.  We are indebted to Mark Sammons for his erudite synopsis of the history of Bastille Day.I was lucky enough to be in Paris on Bastille Day in 1974.  I saw tanks and military troops parade down the Avenue des Champs-Elysées, hundreds of French flags flying everywher...
More

10 MARKETS IN PROVENCE: PLAN TO SPEND THE DAY AT L’ISLE-SUR-LA-SORGUE

Posted on by Susan Manfull
This post is the third in a series that will feature each of the ten markets that The Modern Trobadors always visit when in Provence. The markets were selected primarily on the basis of the quality of the offerings of the vendors and the ambiance of the venue although practicality was also considered to some extent (e.g., distance from our home in Lourmarin, market options on that day of the week, convenience of parking, etc.). Bottom line is that these are the markets we visit when we are in Pr...
More