16 June 2019

Vaches et pommiers

I took these photos of cows grazing in an apple orchard in the Perche area of Lower Normandy in May 2005. We were trying to find the farm of an apple brandy producer near the town of La Ferté-Macé.


Cows and apples are two of the greatest symbols of the province of Normandy in France.


The cows produce milk, which is turned into cream, butter, and cheeses including Camembert, Livarot, and Pont-l'Éveque.


The apples are baked into pies, of course, but they are also turned into hard cider and the apple brandy called calvados.

11 comments:

  1. Those are some well fed cows!

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    1. When I lived in North Carolina, Illinois, Paris, or California, I don't remember ever seeing cows up close. But in Normandy...

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  2. It must be nice to graze under a grove of blooming apple trees. I've never tasted calvados and didn't know what it was. After your stories the last couple days it's on my radar to try.

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    1. Calvados is served with an after-dinner espresso coffee _ un café-calva. Or as a palate and digestive refreshment between courses during a long, copious meal. Then it's called un trou normand.

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    2. Café-calva, that sounds really good.

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  3. By the way, Ken, do we pronounce the final S on Calvados, or not?

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  4. I'd say you don't, but Ken (and Walt) are the experts. :))

    Nice pictures, Ken! I like cows. They have beautiful eyes and eyelashes,ánd they're very nosy. ;)

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  5. At a lunch in Calvados last year, the nonegenarian host pulled out a bottle of what was labeled as Scotch but turned out to be homemade Calvados. Whoo-eeee, it sure clears out your sinuses.
    Yes, they pronounce the final S.

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  6. You're absolutely right, Emm, and I was wrong. :( Sorry for misinforming you Judy. Just found this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKItDJ9WV4c

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  7. That's one of the very few things about French pronunciation where I can say I know the answer, because I got it from the locals. :-)

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