Vive la cuisine francaise!

I love French food! This may not come as a surprise if you look at some of the recipes I have included on this blog. For the majority of my life, I have been a serious Francophile. I love the language, food, culture, wine, fashion... In short if it is French I love it!

I took a year off university in the middle of my degree - to go and study, work and live in the French Alps. I always loved French (as interpreted by Australian restaurants!) cuisine - but it wasn't until I got over there that I disovered the full range and diversity of French cuisine.
Being based in the Alps, I learnt about cheese, saucisson and of course, more cheese! I fell in love with reblechon, ate more than my body weight in raclette and learnt a very important lesson - never drink with water with fondue, wine only of course!

During that year in France, I ventured further afield to sample the delights of freshly ground north african spices and freshly marinated olives in Antibes, oysters straight out of the water shucked by own hands, les rattes - the most delicious potato - dug from the ground minutes before being washed of and sauted in a hot pan. I enjoyed the sights, sounds and tastes of Paris on as many occaisons as I could and ventured into the southwest for my first ever taste of luscious foie gras in the Perigeux , sweet as can be fraises des boises and liquid gold in the form of Sauternes et Monbazilliac.

I could go on an on - but some of most vivid memories of food revolve around the French countryside in all it's forms. Mid- last year I returned with my boyfriend to explore the wonders of the Cote du Rhone valley and the island of Corsica... I managed to find some old favourites and some new inspiration on the way...Chestnuts, honey, herbs.... I can't wait to show how I used these once I came back to Australia. In the meantime, I will leave you with some of the great meals I had on my trip...

In Provence, we indulged in many a glass of Cote du Rhone - red, white and rose! We thouroughly enjoyed a visit to the beautifl Domaine Saint Nabor, found a beautiful farmstyle restaurant in Godargues!Simplicty at it's best!!! Fresh river trout - grilled whole with lemon, fries and mayonnaise and more of that delivious Cote du Rhone!

French champagne, a market pot-luck lunch, goats cheese and jamon fume... summer on a plate!
I can't wait to go back!!!!!