Thoughts

Pleasure

pear%20tart_resize.jpgSo,food.

I love good food and wine and have always enjoyed it,but my experience in France was a whole new ball game.

There were so many things that I had tasted and just couldn't believe how delicious they were. And it's not just the tastebuds which are involved! It's actually a feeling that you get from it - which I've never experienced with food before.

Gallette_resize.jpgAnd it wasn't even food specially prepared in fancy restaurants! It could be simply the fresh croissants /baguettes in the morning ,the pates from the butcher or the fruit from the market. My stomach would never give me the signal that I was full as it seemed that the pleasure I'd be getting from my tastebuds would totally overtake my brain! A very dangerous situation to be in! That's why I now understand why gluttony can become a sin!

Rose%20and%20Raspberry%20meringue_resize.jpgThere are so many delicious things that I remember from this trip. The chicken and lemon terrine from the butchers,eggs poached in red wine, the pear tart that I had on my birthday,the salmon mousse appetizer (which had a poached egg in it) from Fauchon, the super thin and light gallette at a tiny restaurant in Paris and of course all the beautiful wines to go with it!

There are two things that I will never forget though,because of the feeling that I had got from them.
One was a "rose and raspberry meringue gateau" which I had at the cafe of the Musee Jacquemart-Andres in Paris. The beautiful surroundings played a big part too but there was something so exquisite about the taste that it just felt like it had taken over all my senses. It was the perfect combination of the perfume of the rose, the tartness of the rasberries,the richness of the cream and the sweetness and texture of the meringue. Pure heaven!!

The other one reminds me of a scene in the film "Ratatouille". In the film this really mean restaurant critic asks for the speciality of this French restaurant and the chef brings out,what seems to be an arrangement of a simple wholesome "ratatouille" . The critic takes a bite and it immediately takes him back to his childhood and fills him with the warmth of his mother's love and his heart just melts.

Morgon%20Cheese_resize.jpgThis happened to me on the first night that I had arrived in Morgon. The owners of the Chateau, James&Sarah,had prepared us a wonderful dinner with the beautiful wines that they make,and at the end of it,they presented us with a cheese board. It was one of these cheeses that had blew me away. I really can't describe why it was so special. It was just a creamy,not so salty cheese,but for some reason it reminded me of my mother. Not of my mother's cooking but of my mother! It was just a really gentle but soothing taste.

So,I'm hooked. This trip has been a real eye opener in so many ways!
I am so glad that I don't live in France though. If I did,I would be in big trouble as I would become so big that I don't think I'd fit in front of the piano anymore!