COOKING WITH FRIENDS September 2012

The weekend after I returned from France in September was the weekend that we hosted our "gourmet" cooking group at our house.

Of course, I had to try out some recipes from my recent cooking tour in Provence.

Since the meal was at our house, Jim and I were responsible for the main course. I also made a few things to munch on while we enjoyed drinks before dinner.

It was a warm late Summer night and we were able to have drinks on our patio.

I made Cheese Sablés (crackers) and served them with Black Olive Tapenade, Tomato and Mozzarella Tapenade, and Breakfast Radishes, fresh from Farmer's Market.





The six of us laugh a lot when we are together, and this evening was no exception.







Arlene and Jim were just back from a road trip to Oregon. Their first course was a Green Salad with Oregon Blue Cheese ("imported" by them), fresh Pears, Candied Walnuts, and Red Grapes.

The perfect first course for our dinner!!!

Next was the main course: A Compote of Chicken and Duck, White Bean Gratin, and Provencal Roast Red Peppers stuffed with tomatoes, olives. 

While the first two courses were enjoyed by all, the real fun did not begin until Colesie and Frank served their homemade Candy Apples! They made six different-flavored apples so that each of us could have a different taste.

Rather than going with the "program," we decided to share and to let Colesie, with the help of Jim, do the slicing. The slicing turned out to be more of a challenge than expected because the caramel shell was not cooperative to being cut through.

Even funnier was the eating of the apples because our teeth got stuck in the caramel. I will spare you the video that Jim shot of me trying to open my mouth and being unable to.

 As always, it was a wonderful evening with longtime special friends...can't wait to the next one which is not scheduled until early 2013.

Grand Mollaise final Results

After the day of cooking, we returned to Maison Mollans to enjoy the results. It was once to relax together for one final meal

And, finally, au revoir, Mollans.

The Grand Mollanaise

It started here at the big supermarket in Vaisons.

Then we started a day of cooking the seven dishes that made up our "graduation" dinner.

This was our day of cooking Veau aux Beaumes de Venise, Soupe au Pistou,
Cheese Gougeres, Pilaf of Epeautre, Lavender Ice Cream, Flourless Walnut Cake, and Apple and Camembert skewers.

Of course we had a lunch break where we ate choux pastry snacks, mini pizzas, salad, radishes, tapenade, and marinated feta cubes.

At 7 pm, we returned to Maison Mollans for the Grand Mollanaise.

Mollans Musings

As I wait to go shopping for the last meal that I'll be preparing in Mollans, I'm gathering my thoughts about this village of 900 which has been my home for 8 days.

Small as it may be, it has two bakeries, two bars ( in France, bars are places for all and not just for alcoholic drinks; they are gathering places for a coffee, a citron presse, maybe a snack. Some sell newspapers and magazines, etc), at least three restaurants, a lavender factory, a hotel, a butcher shop that attracts customers from all over the region, a wine shop, some wineries, a small supermarket, an organic market, artisan studios, and, I'm sure more that I don't remember or know about..

During the French Revolution, the only church built in France was the one here in Mollans...it is still functioning.

The village's many fountains give clean fresh water. This a popular village with cyclists and a special stop for them to fill up their water bottles. Saturday morning at the big fountain pictured above, there were so many cyclists that I could barely walk by.

Every few years, the Tour de France travels through the nearby Mt. Ventoux area.

When I walk by the lavender factory, I am engulfed in fragrance.

In recognition of this being the lavender region, most houses have lavender shutters, lavender doors, lavender fences,...

So, the rest of this blog will be pictures of Mollans. When you get to the pizzeria, of course I'll have a few food photos. I went there two nights in a row. One night with a few of my classmates and last night, despite the copious Sunday lunch, by myself for. A chicken Caesar salad and a glass of wine.

While I usually do not go on organized tours, the Maison Mollans tour with Hallie and Mary has been a wonderful way to see a region new to me through an insider's eyes and learn to prepare and enjoy the cuisine of the region.

I'm sad to leave...but, Paris beckons me for a few more days.

And, finally, the pizzeria...

The night I went with Jane, Rosie, and Nancy, we ordered salads to start and shared their Provençal pizza which was topped with artichokes, bell pepper, onions, and Nyons olives.