tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post375530561541582658..comments2024-03-28T14:32:46.209+01:00Comments on Living the life in Saint-Aignan: Summery days about to endKen Broadhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04430899802705818716noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-92196147675409780552009-04-25T20:43:00.000+02:002009-04-25T20:43:00.000+02:00Ken, I think most customers were probably so engro...Ken, I think most customers were probably so engrossed in their cheese that they wouldn't have noticed. We were presented with a huge half wheel, and despite the fact that I felt like I had a lead weight in my stomach by the end, we didn't come close to finishing it. Yet at a nearby table, 2 people finished the entire interior of their half wheel, then one of them started eating the rind!Bob Rossihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08349830722788278723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-37564086744612589402009-04-25T20:18:00.000+02:002009-04-25T20:18:00.000+02:00Hello Bob R., that's interesting about the unpeele...Hello Bob R., that's interesting about the unpeeled potatoes with raclette cheese. I wonder how many French customers thought it was strange. Or maybe things are just more rustic up there in the Alps.Ken Broadhursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04430899802705818716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-40834269447213103012009-04-24T22:32:00.000+02:002009-04-24T22:32:00.000+02:00I never knew anything about the French practice of...I never knew anything about the French practice of peeling potatoes. I guess I never paid attention. And we did just eat at a Savoyard restaurant in Annecy, and a big bowl of boiled potatoes, with skins intact, were served with our raclette. Maybe that's a Savoi thing, or a standard thing with raclette.Bob Rossihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08349830722788278723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-91840311848015894862009-04-24T20:27:00.000+02:002009-04-24T20:27:00.000+02:00Hi Leslie, well, what I think about the potato-pee...Hi Leslie, well, what I think about the potato-peel issue is just that I have seen French people peeling cooked potatoes at the table. I wouldn't bother; I would just eat the skin, on tender new potatoes especially. In a French restaurant, I don't think you'd ever be served unpeeled potatoes, except maybe baked potatoes (en robe des champs). And I don't think people would eat the skin.Ken Broadhursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04430899802705818716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-39560577220620373362009-04-24T20:22:00.000+02:002009-04-24T20:22:00.000+02:00Whoops--I am NOT anonymous (the potato peel commen...Whoops--I am NOT anonymous (the potato peel comment; I am Leslie!Leslie Karsthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15779717365273916569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-15835361033563522922009-04-24T20:20:00.000+02:002009-04-24T20:20:00.000+02:00So what do you think about the French custom of al...So what do you think about the French custom of always peeling potatoes? I find it odd that they insist on peeling even the tiny red and white ones. Last time I was there I cooked an "American" meal for a bunch of French friends--fried chicken, corn, and smashed (i.e., with the skins) potatoes. They kept commenting on how strange it was to actually eat potato skins.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-59717959073459654572009-04-24T20:05:00.000+02:002009-04-24T20:05:00.000+02:00Hello Bob R., that white wine is a vin de pays fro...Hello Bob R., that white wine is a vin de pays from the co-op in Saint-Romain-sur-Cher. It's about my favorite value white around here. I like it better than most of the AOC Sauvignons. The vin de pays in largely Chardonnay, they've told me at the co-op.<br /><br />Sue Sims, I hope you get my e-mail.<br /><br />CHM, I don't know if the crottin (a.k.a. fumier) comes from Chavignol. Actually, it doesn't smell as strong as Crottin de Chavignol. And the soil -- well, maybe it's just my excellent photography that makes it look so good!Ken Broadhursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04430899802705818716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-31050973055179313172009-04-24T14:43:00.000+02:002009-04-24T14:43:00.000+02:00Maybe it's my eyes, but the dirt looks so much mor...Maybe it's my eyes, but the dirt looks so much more healthy than in the years past. Your amending with leaves, ashes and crottin* de cheval seems to have done wonders. Now, the weather has to cooperate! Looking forward to taste your home grown vegetables.<br /><br />*Is it imported from Chavignolchmnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-49595791705137535502009-04-24T14:17:00.000+02:002009-04-24T14:17:00.000+02:00I guess we lucked out on the weather. We just got...I guess we lucked out on the weather. We just got back to the US after almost 4 weeks in France (mostly Ardeche and Savoie regions), and had almost no rain and mild to warm temperatures.<br /> The lunch looks great. What Loire white wine is that on the table? We to had asparagus many, many times on our trip, generally from the Ardeche or Provence. Then we got back to the US (Maine), and one farmer told me that his asparagus aren't even poking out of the ground yet.Bob Rossihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08349830722788278723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-80532374057455182472009-04-24T13:12:00.000+02:002009-04-24T13:12:00.000+02:00I have been a regular reader of your site for a ye...I have been a regular reader of your site for a year or more, following a few helpful comments to me through the slowtravel site. Thankyou. We will be staying in Thenay for a week early in May,(I know it's a boring town, but it's flat!) and plan to visit the St Aignan market. I feel like I know your mushroom lady et al. As we are from Australia, I think I have the autumn and spring stuff a bit mixed, no mushrooms and such, but I'm sure it's all good.<br />Please understand, that if an unknown person comes up to you and says "gedday Ken", it's probably me. If so I hope I can buy you a drink. Thankyou for your everyday aspect on your part of France.<br />Sue SimsLeon Simshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17609891995057827081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-75825537985289302962009-04-24T12:56:00.000+02:002009-04-24T12:56:00.000+02:00I think that our weather is pushing toward you-- w...I think that our weather is pushing toward you-- we just finished several days of all-day rains and chilly temps. Since then, the sun, humidity, and warmth have pushed in, though, so just hang on another week! It was 70F Wednesday, 79F Thursday, and we're expecting 83F today.<br /><br />Lunch looked great :)<br />JudySeine Judeet (Judith)https://www.blogger.com/profile/07407353544376132484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-64258713058786850692009-04-24T11:07:00.000+02:002009-04-24T11:07:00.000+02:00Anonymous, I have decided to delete your comments ...Anonymous, I have decided to delete your comments because I don't want advertising on my blog. Please do read the blog and comment, but no advertising. Sorry.Ken Broadhursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04430899802705818716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-39242588419033331542009-04-24T10:30:00.000+02:002009-04-24T10:30:00.000+02:00Susan, I should have recognized the cognassier... ...Susan, I should have recognized the cognassier... Our neighbors have several of them and I love quince jelly. I guess I never paid attention to the leaves or flowers, just the fruit.<br /><br />Jean, you are right about bad-weather weekends when you work. It used to happen to us that way all the time in Washington and then in San Francisco — chilly rain on Sat. and Sun., and then Monday would dawn bright, sunny, and warm. Arrrgh.Ken Broadhursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04430899802705818716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-8750472191483186112009-04-24T09:28:00.000+02:002009-04-24T09:28:00.000+02:00When I retire, one of the things I look forward to...When I retire, one of the things I look forward to most is doing what suits the weather each day. All too often it's warm and sunny when I'm at work and really grotty at the weekends. Can't wait !!Jeannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-91462443786845689942009-04-24T09:20:00.000+02:002009-04-24T09:20:00.000+02:00Your blossom is a quince (I happened to see somebo...Your blossom is a quince (I happened to see somebody else's yesterday, so I am +/- certain). Had my first asparagus yesterday for dinner while Simon was out :-)Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06472449597146519943noreply@blogger.com