I went to Provence and it was wonderful! Some dear friends invited us to a lovely retreat spot near Nice, France, and my word to you, if that opportunity ever comes, say yes!!
So, if you have to know, what we did most was eat. I know, you are shocked. But we didn’t just eat, we ate wonderful food. Oh, the croissants and the baguettes were as wonderful as I hoped. And they probably taste even better when eaten at a corner café in open air on cobblestone streets in Paris.
We traveled with my sister, Connie and her husband, Craig; Paul and Suzy Cossette, our hosts; and Greg and Sue Ebert. They are a bunch of foodies and the sum of their experience is extraordinaire. So when Paul found a cooking school for us to try while in France, we were all in!
The cooking school was Notes de Cuisine https://www.notesdecuisine.fr with chef Laurence Duperthuy. She come from a long line of people of Nice and began blogging https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=https://variations-gourmandes.blogspot.com/&prev=search the traditional recipes. She hopes to preserve her family’s way of cooking (Nicoise) especially for their children. Her business has the guarantee of authenticity, has been inspected and awarded the label “Cuisine Nissarde, in the respect of tradition”. info@otcnice.com; nicetourisme.com
Her blog has been successful and has branched into a full time work for her. And this is no wonder, because she was warm, yet unassuming, confident but not bossy, quietly directive and informative. She is a master of Nicoise and eager to pass on her expertise. Her knowledge comes from her heart and shows the love of generations passed onto her.
She shared with us the jar of famous pissala started by her grandfather that is anchovy heads and entrails stored in a jar with salt. After several weeks this mashed flavorful delight is used to enhance the flavor of dishes. She spread a thin layer over the crust of her La pissaladière before adding the onions. You gotta believe me, it was so delicious!
The menu included:
La pissaladière
Roasted Cod filet with thyme and olive oil, creamy polenta, crumble garlic and parmesan sheese, basil coulis
And for dessert-Panna cotta au mascarpone et cardamome, minestrone de fraises
What a delightful day for me! Here is the recipe for the la pissaladière (onion tart).
Do go to her website (variations-gourmandes-blogspot.com). Her pictures are beautiful and the French language looks so pretty. Please ask me any questions you have. This is so much fun to talk about!