tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post4314111507350561288..comments2024-03-28T18:57:20.920+01:00Comments on Living the life in Saint-Aignan: Tasting the wines, smelling the flowersKen Broadhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04430899802705818716noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-75677446949799734772009-04-06T15:11:00.000+02:002009-04-06T15:11:00.000+02:00Hmmmm. A charcuterie and goat cheese place in a s...Hmmmm. A charcuterie and goat cheese place in a small town near Loches? Can you tell us the name of the shop or at least of the town? <BR/><BR/>Autolycus's method sounds the best--diagrams--because everyone has a regional accent, so to say "a as in apple" is going to cause confusion among speakers from Chicago, Georgia, or New York. PA has a lot of regional accents, many of which sound odd to residents of the other areas. Phila itself has neighborhood-based accents.<BR/><BR/>It's funny that everybody but me has an accent.<BR/><BR/>Recently I switched from listening to France Bleue Basse-Normandie to FB Touraine and I can understand the Touraine accent much better.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-57795257934754713642009-04-06T08:58:00.000+02:002009-04-06T08:58:00.000+02:00Quand je m'approche de Loches avec une brioche dan...Quand je m'approche de Loches avec une brioche dans ma poche, j'entends ses cloches.<BR/><BR/>All those words should rhyme, no?wcshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00551283829616757577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-53769877316457813662009-04-06T08:05:00.000+02:002009-04-06T08:05:00.000+02:00Emm, those red flowers that are getting ready to o...Emm, those red flowers that are getting ready to open are on a prunus tree in our garden. It produces many pink flowers -- photos to come as it blooms -- but no fruit.Ken Broadhursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04430899802705818716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-76198666335578698482009-04-06T04:54:00.000+02:002009-04-06T04:54:00.000+02:00Wonderful post, thanks.What is the flamboyant red ...Wonderful post, thanks.<BR/><BR/>What is the flamboyant red flower, fourth from the bottom?Emmnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-54703451016535784302009-04-06T03:08:00.000+02:002009-04-06T03:08:00.000+02:00I would pronounce Loches with an O as in Oshkosh. ...I would pronounce Loches with an O as in Oshkosh. Maybe they pronounce it differently in your area as the oeuf (Loeuches). It isn't the O as in "eau" but a softer O as in poche, moche, roche. Lache is with the A of an apple.<BR/>I just love those red coucous. I will inquire about that new color when I go to France. They probably could come up with the same colors as the "primeveres'.Nadegenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-10195715012831220502009-04-05T23:30:00.000+02:002009-04-05T23:30:00.000+02:00Thanks Ken for the pronunciation. Actually I spea...Thanks Ken for the pronunciation. Actually I speak french quite fluently. My mother was french, I lived in France and I studied french in high school and university. I was curious of the local pronunciation. My mother would speak to me in her local patois and it was a complete difference from Parisian french. I was pretty sure about my pronunciation and you verified it for me. I don't have much of a chance to speak french in my area since my mother passed away and that is why I love the french blogs.TryingHardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11598084690617343428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-89127154353293640772009-04-05T22:49:00.000+02:002009-04-05T22:49:00.000+02:00I did wonder if it was a case of our various Engli...I did wonder if it was a case of our various English accents confusing the issue. How would you pronounce 'lâche' then, because I would pronounce it 'lush' :-))<BR/><BR/>I've played around with Acapela, and compared American voices saying 'lush' with French voices saying 'Loches' and I can see where you are coming from, but it was a bit weird realising just how differently 'lush' can be pronounced and still be recognisably the same word. Trouble is, my English accent is Australian, and I would write what the French person saying 'Loches' sounds like as 'losh'. (Likewise, the town of la Roche Posay sounds like 'luh Rosh Pozzeh' to me). The French person saying 'lâche' sounds like 'lush' to me. <BR/><BR/>The good news is that I am presumably not too far off track with my pronunciation.Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06472449597146519943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-47151568261529179722009-04-05T21:56:00.000+02:002009-04-05T21:56:00.000+02:00Judy, the labels on any wine from Argentina should...Judy, the labels on any wine from Argentina should tell you if the grape is Malbec.<BR/><BR/>Nadège, I think spitting out the wine you taste is a fancy thing, and not something many people do in places like Saint-Aignan.Ken Broadhursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04430899802705818716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-68626539962175946812009-04-05T21:48:00.000+02:002009-04-05T21:48:00.000+02:00Hi Cheryl, just awaiting your next visit for a lon...Hi Cheryl, just awaiting your next visit for a long wine tasting with Jean-Noël and Chantal. They would be <I>ravis</I> to meet you and to get you tipsy! K.Ken Broadhursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04430899802705818716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-68885832431565414152009-04-05T21:46:00.000+02:002009-04-05T21:46:00.000+02:00Hello Nadège, I don't know about those coucous/cow...Hello Nadège, I don't know about those coucous/cowslips being wild. They are growing pretty far out in the vineyard, not near anybody's yard. But then hybrids can travel.<BR/><BR/>How would you say Loches?Ken Broadhursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04430899802705818716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-13430518673607623952009-04-05T21:43:00.000+02:002009-04-05T21:43:00.000+02:00Ken, what a fabulous post! Your details about win...Ken, what a fabulous post! Your details about wine tasting and the customers are extraordinary as are the photos.<BR/><BR/>I kept thinking to myself, "What a great life!" You do pay for it on the dreary winter days, but when you can get out and taste the wine and see the flowers and soak in the rural setting with chickens and goats and various critters ... well it's hard to top that!Cherylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15170098781777190491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-65343316363487348642009-04-05T21:40:00.000+02:002009-04-05T21:40:00.000+02:00Judy, if there is a shop where you can get Cahors ...Judy, if there is a shop where you can get Cahors wine, that would be the Côt/Malbec/Auxerrois grape. It might not be that hard to find. But Gamay -- I'm not sure how easy that would be. You'll just have to come to Saint-Aignan to try it. K.Ken Broadhursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04430899802705818716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-81504588466078647522009-04-05T21:25:00.000+02:002009-04-05T21:25:00.000+02:00Linda, if you mean how is Saint-Aignan pronounced,...Linda, if you mean how is Saint-Aignan pronounced, that's a hard question. Not because it's hard to pronounce, it's just hard to transcribe in English. It's something like:<BR/><BR/>san-tay-nyan<BR/><BR/>The last sound is the French nasal [ã]. We don't have that sound in English.<BR/><BR/>The village where Jean-Noël and Chantal have their wine business is Mareuil-sur-Cher. That's also hard to transcribe into anything resembling English sounds:<BR/><BR/>ma-'reuh-yuh-suyr-'chehr<BR/><BR/>Judy, you know you are invited and welcome anytime you want to come see us. It would be fun, and we could taste all those wines as well as goat cheese and rillettes and rillons etc.Ken Broadhursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04430899802705818716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-48900024315656264322009-04-05T21:02:00.000+02:002009-04-05T21:02:00.000+02:00Judy, Susan, and all, I just found this web site:A...Judy, Susan, and all, I just found this web site:<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.acapela-group.com/text-to-speech-interactive-demo.html" REL="nofollow">Acapela</A> where you can hear the pronunciation of words in English, French, and other languages. Choose a language and a speaker, and then enter the word you want to hear: Loches, for example. CHM has a point: the French vowel is never exactly the same as the English vowel, but there are definitely similarities that can't be ignored. To my ear, anyway, the vowel of Loches is much closer to the vowel in lush (American English) than to the vowel in posh, gosh, or Oshkosh. It is important to distinguish between lâche and Loches.Ken Broadhursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04430899802705818716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-11917748526765799442009-04-05T17:54:00.000+02:002009-04-05T17:54:00.000+02:00KenGreat post. My husband and I drink only French...Ken<BR/>Great post. My husband and I drink only French and Italian wines. While we like the California my husband has a terrible allergic reaction to them. I think it's the sulfites. I just bought a Sancerre at Whole Foods yesterday and it was $25. Too much to pay for this wine but I have a source that I think I can get a case of it cheaper. It's very difficult to get good french/italian wines here in the St. Louis area as most of the good wines go to Chicago. I have had Malbec but I didn't know it was known as a vin noire. My favorite is Cotes du Rhone bottled by JL Chavre. I also love the Bordeaux but only with food and it is EXPENSIVE here. I too am jealous you have such great access to what sounds like some pretty good french wines.<BR/><BR/>While we are at pronunciations how is your town's name pronounced.<BR/><BR/>Judy, Randalls liquor off 44 has a great selection of french wines at good prices. Whole Foods is decent enough in it's selections but too stupid expensive for what they are. Also World Market has some decent selections. I have a private source that supplies french and italian wines for me but since he supplies restaurants he not supposed to be selling to me. I buy by the case but I would be willing to sell you a few bottles if you are interested. You can email me at lindah0816@gmail.com if you are interested.<BR/><BR/>I love this blog!TryingHardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11598084690617343428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-15340033298978636202009-04-05T17:31:00.000+02:002009-04-05T17:31:00.000+02:00These red coucous are not wild. Pretty though!Aren...These red coucous are not wild. Pretty though!<BR/>Aren't you supposed to spit the wine you taste?<BR/>You've got a good bargain. Thank you for sharing another great french experience.Nadegenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-70222760310448938562009-04-05T17:23:00.000+02:002009-04-05T17:23:00.000+02:00Well, the flower pictures are also loches (heh heh...Well, the flower pictures are also loches (heh heh:))!<BR/><BR/>For what it's worth, I would pronounce Loches like "lush", not like the American pronunciation of "cosh, dosh, posh". Ken, what is the phonetic description of that o sound?<BR/><BR/>CHM, may I ask what your language background is? Are you un Français expat in the U.S. (that's what I've kind of discerned from your posts)? I know that you've mentioned having relatives in France, and I think you've referred to living in France-- I hope I'm not being too personal! I've wondered about this when I read your posts :)) Now, I would not pronounce moche or roche like cosh, posh-- I'd pronounce moche and roche like Loches! :)) So, CHM, maybe your cosh and posh don't sound like Ken's cosh and posh! <BR/><BR/>As for the wine post, Ken, you really made this wine post interesting for me. I am not a drinker-- I'll have half a glass of a dry red or a Pinot Grigio now and then-- so I can't really usually appreciate the excitement about different kinds of wine. I used to work at a posh restaurant (right after Paris year)--I was the only person who could pronounce the food and wine correctly, but I didn't know much about any of it! I learned alot about food there, but all I could do for the wine was recite what was in the stock descriptions in our little "book". All of this to say that I get lost in wine talk... but your post was very interesting. If I ever come to France and visit (which I will!!) I'd like to taste the Gamay vs the Côt'/Malbec/Auxerrois, to see if I can discern the difference. The description of "dark, luscious red wine" and vin noir is very intriguing to me.<BR/><BR/>Do you think that I could find the Côt'/Malbec/Auxerrois around here? It's ironic that you mentioned wines from Argentina, because I just saw a travel show yesterday where they were visiting vineyards in Argentina. Do you know if how I would ask for Malbec or Auxerrois if I were shopping in the Argentine wine aisle here? Would they use one of those names, even though it's grown in Argentina? I'm thinking of bringing this for Easter.<BR/><BR/>Great post, Ken. I loved hearing about the folks from "the 37" coming to Jean Noël's vineyard to stock up!<BR/><BR/>JudySeine Judeet (Judith)https://www.blogger.com/profile/07407353544376132484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-88179878813435751502009-04-05T16:06:00.000+02:002009-04-05T16:06:00.000+02:00you guys got it made - what a nice way to taste an...you guys got it made - what a nice way to taste and buy wine and quite inexpensively!!! I don't know if my liver would take it however!! nice report!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00843738559482363099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-52503378953986984532009-04-05T15:21:00.000+02:002009-04-05T15:21:00.000+02:00Fascinating...and so inexpensive!Fascinating...and so inexpensive!Dreaming of Francehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11841925366144425639noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-65690857858878823692009-04-05T15:09:00.000+02:002009-04-05T15:09:00.000+02:00Thanks for sharing your wine tasting/buying experi...Thanks for sharing your wine tasting/buying experience.<BR/><BR/>When I drove through Loches last year, I wondered how it was pronounced. Thanks for that too!<BR/><BR/>BettyAnnAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-7342316465596144592009-04-05T15:05:00.000+02:002009-04-05T15:05:00.000+02:00Des coucous rouges! First time I've seen them. In ...Des coucous rouges! First time I've seen them. In my days they were all yellow.<BR/><BR/>Here, in Virginia, all the fruit trees are in flower. Some dramatic change from the California desert!<BR/><BR/>Interesting pronunciation of Loches. I think Ken's pronunciation is probably the way the locals do. My pronunciation in Parisian French would be closer to Susan's "cosh" or "posh." Like "roche" et "moche" with a circonflex accent on the O. But, of course, I pronounce English with a heavy French accent! <BR/><BR/>"In medio stat virtus" and "In vino veritas." After a few drinks of the local vintage your pronunciation will be perfect!chmnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-89826635677597704632009-04-05T13:45:00.000+02:002009-04-05T13:45:00.000+02:00Susan, Loches sounds like "lush", and "bonne" soun...Susan, Loches sounds like "lush", and "bonne" sounds like "bun" but with a stronger N sound. Yes, this is very close to the vowel sound in crust, must, and gush.Ken Broadhursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04430899802705818716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18071407.post-43301474547648868662009-04-05T12:28:00.000+02:002009-04-05T12:28:00.000+02:00Loches is pronounced like 'lush'?! As in with a vo...Loches is pronounced like 'lush'?! As in with a vowel sound like in 'crust', 'must', 'gush'? I thought the vowel sound was pronounced as in 'cosh', 'dosh', 'posh' (which I think is the closed 'o' sound in French, like in 'bonne'). Am I completely off track? (Wouldn't surprise me!)Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06472449597146519943noreply@blogger.com