They Call Me “Bon Papa”

Finished Product

Bon Papa Brand Confiture

The wonderful cherry harvest was finally drawing to a close, and we had stuffed ourselves with as much of the fruit as possible before the rain the birds got to it. There still clung a few precious bundles of sweet fruit, and after three weeks of nearly daily visits to the cherry grove, I still wasn’t ready to surrender back to nature what remained of the year’s bounty.

After a few too many cherries eaten by the handful, eaten in pies, and in Clafoutis all over the village, there was still one rock left to uncover… Confiture.

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Clafoutis!

Finished Product

'Traditional' Cherry Clafoutis

Yes, there’s an exclamation mark in the title, that’s the way it needs to be.

Since late March when the cherry trees started blooming, I have been hearing about Clafoutis. Seems like every time the subject of cherries happens to come up (and often it is when the villages are all eying the multitude of cherry trees waiting for the fruit to ripen), a long conversation inevitably follows about how insanely delicious it is, how tasty it is, how fluffy it is, etc., etc., usually followed by a lot of lip smacking and drooling on the part of those in the know.

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Cherry Pickin’

I said to the [cherry] tree,
Sister, speak to me of Beauty.
And the [cherry] tree blossomed.

–Nikos Kazantzakis

Cherry Blossoms, Early March
Cherry Blossoms, Early March

Since late March when the cherry trees around the village bust into an amazing display of white or pink blossoms, we have been waiting and watching for the payoff.

Well, the time has finally come and we’ve been stuffed with cherries, filled buckets, pie pans, and jam jars and there’s no end in sight.

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French Gotic

French Gotic

Courtesy of Juli.

I think the photo says it all this time. Plenty of Kitch, Plenty of Class, Plenty of Le Vignaud Blue. Just wish the number 11 was more visible… With love, from Le Vignaud.

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Bastille Day and the Tour de France

Happy Bastille Day everyone!

Don't ask where these came from...
Don’t ask where these came from…

Caught the Tour De France today- What better way to spend the French national holiday? But, who knew the Tour de France had more cars than bicycles? Three hours of waiting and then all the bikes had passed in a matter of seconds. Had I blinked, I would have missed it. A little disappointing it was…

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Le Creusois

For weeks after my first arrival to Le Creuse, way back in February, I had been hearing about the fabled Creusois cake (which shares its name with the region). The flour used is made of ground hazelnuts and the concoction is advertised with the momentous “Once upon a time, there was a cake…” The recipe was developed by monks and is kept secret, known only to about 30 local bakers.

Un petit gateau

Un petit gateau

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Jeneane, Odette, and a Polaroid Camera

Jeneane and OdetteAfter lunch one day, Odette pulls out her old Polaroid camera… I just happen to have a pack of trusty 600 on hand. It was great teaching Jeneane, a 74 year-old Creusois, how to look through the fuzzy viewfinder and snap her first Polaroid photo. And- most importantly, what to do after you take one: Shake it like a Polaroid! (Or according to the instructions on the package: Keep it in a warm place for 3-4 minutes.)

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Cutting Hay

20090703_5815Anyone who happened through Le Vignaud or rode with me through the country roads during hay season probably knows I have a strange love of the ubiquitous bales dotting the countryside. I couldn’t help but pointing them out nearly every time we passed by a newly cut field, or a nicely arranged pile of hay. I find something compellingly aesthetic and interesting about the bales: Their arrangement across the landscape- a sort of foreign ‘sculpture’ scattered about the fields, the evidence of the touch of man, etc.

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Mushroom Hunting

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Fresh Girolles

When spring arrives in the Creuse the rain falls often, the weather begins to warm, and most importantly- the mushrooms begin popping up everywhere.

The Creuse is well known for it’s wild mushrooms, and there is a wide variety of species which are commonly harvested. From tiny white agaric growing in the meadows, to oyster mushrooms growing from dead trees, the land provides seemingly endless supplies of fresh mushrooms for anyone who cares to spend a few minutes looking. Two of the most common and sought after varieties in the area include Cèpes and Girolles (Chantrelles). It’s the delicious and plentiful Girolles that we are hunting today.

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You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere

Strap yourself
To the tree with roots
You ain’t goin’ nowhere…

Gigi’s gone. She left La Creuse this afternoon bound for the sunny south and Dirty Darren and I were left at the train station in Gueret alone… It has become a strangely familiar feeling being left at that platform and wondering where to turn next. Many have come and gone before and I hope many will come and go yet. Still, parting is the bitter fruit of friendship sometimes. If we become accustomed to one’s companionship it is sure to leave a hole when it’s gone…

On to greener Minnasota grass. Bon voyage. We’ll miss you.

We took one last trip to Le Vignaud to say au revoir to Jeanine. Her grandson Damien was there, and he took over my camera for a while. Everyone had to try on my casquette at least once (I think Jeanine looks best in it) and Damien forced Gigi and I to pose and jump for him. Quite the photographer, he filled the memory card in about a half hour and we were left with a few gems.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Just for kicks (since that’s been the theme of the year so far), a short stop motion film for your enjoyment:

[qt:http://www.seekingfocus.com/levignaud/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/gigis-goodbye.m4v 480 360]

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