A Wistful Autumn in Burgundy

PHOTO:  Vigne Vierge (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) is a popular vine for walls in Burgundy.  This is the plant that got me in trouble with the agricultural beagle at the airport one time.  But that's another story.

 

One of the highlights of living in Burgundy, with it's rolling hills and verdant pastures, is the grand and glorious fall.  It almost makes up for the long-ish winter that follows.  

This week was sunny and it was almost warm  so out came the camera.  Fellow gardeners, hope you'll find a couple of plant ideas here.  Burgundy is roughly equivalent to hardiness zone 7a in the states.

Mahonia Japonica is a favorite plant of mine.  It's evergreen, elegant, easy, and great for fall color.

After a foggy couple of weeks, the moss, ever present on shady stone walls, is glowing green.

I hope some gardener can explain this to me:  in temperate Charleston, grass turns brown in winter.  In Burgundy (with a climate similar to the Washington DC area), the grass looks just like this, flourescent green, all year---even in the dead of winter.   The tree is a cutleaf Japanese maple called 'Seirku'.

 

A fading fall rose.  This rose is one of the all-time greats in my book:  'Michka', by Meilland, un rosier grimpant (a climber).  In my garden it doesn't just bloom, it goes through full flushes, virtually all the time.  It's flushing right now as if it were spring.  My other roses are nearly leafless (OK I didn't get around to spraying much this year), but this rose, a disease-buster, has foliage that looks fresh and green.  Golden yellow in fall, it takes on a much peachier tone in spring.  It gets big--mine is eight feet tall and nearly that wide.

Pots of strawberries in my neighbor's garden 

My Japanese Maple "Bloodgood" is red all year, but this tree is the basic species variety, with green leaves except in fall.

Saying a sad good-by to autumn: fallen leaves from a Kwanzan cherry.

A very happy Thanksgiving to all!  Now here's a recipe for the week after, that could feed a crowd of lingering, turkey-fatiqued guests.

 

RECIPE:  Butternut Pecan Lasagne

Though they have many other pumpkins and squash varieties, butternut squash is a fairly new arrival in France.  In fact, at the market the other day, A French woman, who saw me buying one, asked me what one does with it.  (A first for me---usually I'm asking about THEIR new and different veggies).  This rich, vegetarian main dish is perfect for fall.  Butternut squash is fairly mild, so I like to add some assertive flavors and contrasting textures to it. (Not my best photo, by the way, but we were in a hurry to dig in!).

• 1 cup pecans, toasted 
• One butternut squash, about 2.5 lbs., peeled and sliced then cut into pieces
• olive oil
• ½ teaspoon red chile flakes
• 2 onions, chopped
• ¼ cup fresh sage, chopped
• ¾ lb. ricotta cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• pinch of nutmeg 
• 1 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese, divided 
• no-cook lasagna noodles, about 12
• 2 balls fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
• ½ cup crème fraîche or sour cream  plus 2 tablespoons

Toast pecans in 300 degree oven for 7 minutes and set aside.

Raise oven temperature to 400.  Toss squash with chile flakes, salt and pepper, and a little olive oil.  Roast until tender, 20 to 30 minutes.  Reduce heat to 375. 

Meanwhile, cook onions in a little olive oil on low heat until caramelized, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add sage and stir for 2 more minutes.

Toss squash with onion mixture in a bowl.

In another bowl, mix ricotta with egg and ½ cup parmesan, plus nutmeg, salt and pepper.

To assemble, spread a tablespoon or two of crème fraîche in bottom of an  8” (20cm) square pan.  Cover bottom with lasagne noodles, breaking one in half if needed to fit. Spread with half of ricotta mixture, then half of squash.  Place half of mozzarella over all then top with  half of pecans.  Top with another layer of noodles.  Repeat (ricotta, squash, cheese pecans). Top with a layer of noodles.

Spread crème fraîche evenly over noodles. Sprinkle with ground pepper and top with remaining half cup parmesan.

Bake until bubbly, about 35 minutes; check periodically, if it browns up too much, tent with foil.  Let sit a few minutes before serving.  Serves 6.

 

In the COMMENTS:  Well we certainly have some strong opinions on tea, y’all!  Everything from buying it ready-made by the gallon (that would be my mother),  to special chinese kettles that bring the water to the perfect temperature (Suzanne).  A professional weighs in, and if you’re visiting Napa you must stop by Tillerman Tea to say hello to David.  Linda has two recipes for us, including homemade decaf.  Jan, please tell us the name of that wonderful tea you’ve been searching for!  Frank and Herm are going solar, Libby of Libby Wilkie Designs is horrified by tea bags, and Debbie, thanks for reminding me about Luzianne!  Natalia talks about Tea Forte, Diane (Under an Olive Tree) is making tea in Italy..well  there’s lots more, to further your tea education!

Favorite Reads: Great news for book lovers, we LOVE the new book site for women, Shelf Pleasure. You'll be hearing more about them from us soon. Also one of our readers, Paula Hogan, has written many children's books, including The Life Cycle of the Honeybee which was the featured book on the PBS series Reading Rainbow.  Find it  here ,then click on her author page to see other works.

 

Comments

[Jan]

Lynn, that lasagne sounds amazing! I must try it. The wonderful tea I referred to previously is a brand called "Le Temp des Cerises". I have sent you an email with complete information. I am certain it still exists and I plan to purchase several bags of it when I visit France again in April. Try it if you get a chance.

[Julie Farrar]

I love Burgundy in the fall. It pained me so that I had no time to get out to the country on a long drive with my camera. I could see the city colors changing in the ivy climbing up the side of ancient buildings in Dijon. The chrysanthemum sculptures filled every public square. The window boxes were making their transition from red geraniums to purple heather. I planted some before I left, even though it might expire before I return later in the winter. Now it's time to put my garden to sleep in St. Louis.

[Natalia]

Lynn, if that heavenly Lasagne recipe wasn't wonderful all by itself,these pictures are absolutely gorgeous. You've privileged us to see Mother Nature in all her Fall glory. We just celebrated Thanksgiving, and here is yet another reason to give thanks.
Firstly (always) to God, and then to you for such a gift.

[Sandy Vann]

Gorgeous photos of Autumn in your beautiful region. Profite bien!
Am longing to rent another gite or apartment to try out some of
the many wonderful recipes you post.

[Susan]

Lynn, The grass color is dependent on the variety of grass, as well as the season. In the hot and muggy SE US, the variety may be something like zoysia or centipede - green in the many months of heat, but brown all winter. Sometimes those brown lawns are overseeded with another annual variety to enjoy some green in the winter. That variety will burn off when the heat returns. Just try to grow fescue in the south! It will be green in the fall and winter, but look patchy and dead in the summer. How lovely to have green all year in Burgundy!
Susan

[Ido]

Isn't autumn beautiful? Lovely photos Lynn. We are in full winter here, no more yellow or orange leaves. Those yellow roses are beautiful, my favorite!
Have a great weekend!
XXXX
Ido

[Jetagain]

I'm sooo jealous of your roses. At one time I had as many as 20 healthy bushes--and then, 10 years ago or so, the Japaneese beetles invaded our region. I had to remove all but a cherished few. Those few will be replaced next spring by "Knock out" and "Carefree Delight"--two varieties that appear to be unattractive to those demon beetles.

[Liza in Ann Arbor]

I make a version of the this for Christmas dinner. With my dad being a vegetarian, it serves as a hearty main for him and a side for the rest of us. It is delicious and my favorite part of the meal!