Southern Fried French

A French Movie Star, on a Bicycle

Photo taken in northen Burgundy, on a canal-side rue.

When a friend said he was coming by with a French movie star named Fabrice Luchini, I gave it a mental shrug. Fabrice who?  Must be some minor player.

Then I mentioned it to a couple of French friends. One got all dreamy. “Oh but he’s my FAVORITE actor!”, she gushed. The other woman’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. “Can I hide in the bushes?” she pleaded. “I just want to catch a glimpse of him!”

Then, as Ron and I were were walking in town, my sharp-eyed husband spotted a current movie poster:  “Alceste à Bicylette”, starring Fabrice Luchini. So of course I immediately bought a ticket.

It turned out to be a little jewel of a film. Need to practice your French? It’s just out on DVD. It’s a charming movie with two famous actors who play two famous actors who are thinking of doing a French Moliére play together. It’s funny and light, a commentary on the shallowness of the film industry and celebrity, plus a lesson in betrayal. By the way, before I see a French movie, I find it helps to read up on the story ahead of time, to give me some context for the French. In this case, reading a summary of the Moliere play would not be bad idea either, as the play parallels the story in the movie. The Molière dialog in the movie rolls along at a  pretty fast clip. When I told Fabrice I had a bit of trouble with that part, he laughed. "Don't worry, many of the French have a hard time understanding the Molière!" he said.

Fabrice was wonderful in the movie. The middle-aged actor turns out to be extremely well-known in France (though not beyond, as he claims not to speak a word of English). He’s a guy with an interesting backstory--the son of Italian immigrants who was discovered while working in a hair salon. The French love him because he’s a quirky comedian with a love of the classics and the French language. In person he is as intense and lively as one might expect, and I can see that his everyman appearance has probably served him well.

So that’s my brush with French fame. Now if you'll excuse me I’d better go see if I can extract my friend from the hedge.

 

You can order Alceste à bicyclette on Amazon.com in the states. The Anglo release is called Cycling with Molière and is sold, at a better price, at this site (neither specifies, however, if it's a zone 1 or 2 DVD, however, so unless you have a dual player, ask them before buying).

 

RECIPE:  Arugula Pesto Pasta with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

At the end of tomato season, I tend to run out of ideas faster than tomatoes.  So I was happy to find this arugula pasta recipe, topped with tomatoes. I now can't find where I got the recipe, though I think it was in Better Homes & Gardens (which also has a great on-line recipe site at bhg.com, by the way).

I love the peppery arugula, called roquette in French and "rocket" in the UK. I can buy bunches of it either sauvage or cultivée from our local farmer at the market. You can add basil or other herbs to the pesto if you like. I tweaked the pesto by adding toasted pecans in place of pine nuts, and it was quite tasty.

For the pesto, enough for four servings:

• 4 cups (packed) arugula leaves 
• 1/4 cup pecans, toasted
• 1/4  to 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Put everything in the blender except the oil and the salt and pepper, and pulse it.  Then add the oil in a slow steady stream with blender running. Taste and add seasonings.

Toss the pesto with hot linguine, drained (save a little pasta liquid to thin it) or  any other skinny pasta. Top with chopped tomatoes (roasted, lightly sauteed in olive oil, or just as they are) and chunks of fresh mozzarella.

In the COMMENTS:  Our readers recommend some good books on art for us this week. Linda loved Strapless, by Deborah Davis, which tells the story of Madame X in the famous Sargent painting. Mark recommends A Bright Oasis: The Paintings of Richard E. Miller.

 

 

An American Artist Takes on Paris

In the late 1800’s, the impressionist movement was in full flower in France, and American painters were drawn to its light.  The influence  French painters had on visiting American artists was something these painters would take back to the states, and in turn it would change the face of American art. Cassat, Whistler, Robinson, Breck, Sargent, and many more:  they all moved in the impressionists’ circles, absorbing their new techniques in Paris or at Monet’s Givervny estate. Female artists here in particular felt unleashed  from the bonds of both American and French society, free to experiment.

Fast forward from old century to new, and American artists are still making the pilgrimage to France, to paint in that beautiful French light. Which, though I'm not an artist, I know all about---there IS a special, gentle quality to the light here, and a certain soft shade of blue sky and white cloud that intriques and soothes.  Painting, above: "Mur" by Rhett Thurman.

So what better subject for an art show in Paris, than to bring together American painters of our time, painting in France?  

My friend Rhett Thurman is a South Carolina girl and a favorite artist of mine in Charleston. She has a way of taking the traditional and making it beautiful and fresh. Rhett is one of ten artists who has been invited to join the show, “Paris Welcomes American Artists”. All of the artists in the show have painted in France and their work has been influenced by France.   Painting, right:  "Courtyard, St. Remy", by Rhett Thurman.

If you happen to be lucky enough to be headed to Paris, next month, you can catch the show, all the details are here.  If not, you can virtually visit the ten artists and their work here.  

And to be dazzled by Rhett Thurman’s lovely paintings of Charleston and of her travels, visit this gallery.

Felicitations, Rhett!

 

Favorite Reads: To learn more about 19th century American artists in Paris, here’s are two book to try: Americans in Paris 1860-1900 (National Gallery London)  and The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris.

And if you haven't read Micheala Rodeno's great new book on wine, women, and leadership, From Bubbles to Boardrooms: Act 1: Startups Are Such Fun (or even if you have), you might want to go over to my author interview with her this week at The Daily Basics.

In the COMMENTS: Thanks, y'all, for the nice comments about my book, and especially for the ideas for the next one!  Keith, nice to hear from you and I hadn't heard that ghost story of the château, but I have some of my own!

Do check out our reader Jo Anne's books, Falling in Love with France and My Trip Around the Hexagon: Meandering In France. And felicitations to our reader Herm, who just crossed the 10,000 mark for hits on his blog, Poems, Photos and Stuff. 

Other news: Y'all know I'm a fan of Ultralingua dictionaries, and I'm thrilled that they're featuring an article I wrote this week, on using dictionary apps for language studies.  You can read it at the Ultralingua blog.

 

Au Château, An International Salon

A tiny hamlet in the rural wine country of Burgundy seems an unlikely place for an international salon.  Nevertheless, that’s what we have at Château de Balleure. 

Take this week, for example.  There is an artist visiting from Australia, Nelly Crawford. That’s her work you see in the photo above.  Isn’t it lovely? (click here to see more of her paintings).   Then there is an American named Iz who read about the château in this blog, and turned up for a couple of weeks of language immersion with Nicole and Pierre.  Iz started learning French just a few years ago, on a lark, and now she’s a serious student (and she speaks very well, by the way.  That's Iz on the right, with Nicole and me).

Since Nicole and Pierre started renting out guest rooms in the château a few years ago, there always seems to be someone fascinating around.  They come for language classes, or to use it for a home base for travel, or sometimes they come just for the soothing balm of life in the French countryside.  But even prior to taking visitors, there was always someone interesting about. Before retiring, Nicole worked with a language exchange program with students in Australia, the US, the UK, and Malta, so their friends hail from all over.

And then there is "Ecole Nicole"!  Every week all the local expats gather. I counted seven nationalities at this week’s French conversation group.  The global discussions are never dull, and hopefully, we learn a little French along the way! (At left, Nicole leads the conversation group in the salon at the château.)

So maybe there's a bit of irony in my writing a book on language learning, since my French is far from perfect.  But write it I did with help from friends and readers, inspired by my own language journey, and now I'm releasing it in PAPERBACK.  

Many thanks to all of my friends and readers who supported the eBook, How to Learn a New Language with a Used Brain. And to those who asked for a print copy, it's here! You can purchase either the ebook or the paperback at Amazon.com, Amazon.fr, Amazon.co.uk, or any of the other Amazon sites. Pick one up for yourself, and don't forget your friends who are language students too. The eBook is $2.99, the paperback is $7.99 (6.25€ at Amazon.fr or £5.20 pounds at Amazon.co.uk).  

And now I have a question for you, my dear readers and fellow Francophiles: Time for me to start the next book---any ideas for me?  What sort of book  would YOU be interested in?

OUR READER'S BLOGS:  Our new friends Tracy and Ron, who found us by way of the blog and visited the château, have a great blog about their new life in Basel, Switzerland called Suddenly Swiss.  Tracy wrote a post about their visit here, called "In Love with La Bourgogne", with some great photos, don't miss it!

PS MERCI for all the kind comments about my grandkids, and Kelly's book. 

 

Around the World in 80 Ways

Around the World I’ve searched for you

I traveled on, when hope was gone, to make a rendezvous

I knew somewhere, sometime, somehow

You’d look at me, and I would see,

The smile you’re smiling now

                         --From the song, “Around the World”, by Victor Young

If you are a traveler, as I imagine most of you to be, you’ve probably dreamed of circling the globe. There as many ways to take that particular journey as there are countries to visit. I have friends who did it on their honeymoon, mostly by train and backpack; and other friends who jetted from country to country. Then there is my step-daughter, who made that voyage with her husband Paul on a sailing yacht called the Cherokee Rose. They had an unexpected rendezvous halfway around which stopped them, and the trip, in its tracks. The result of that rendezvous is that I now have a gorgeous Micronesian grand-daughter! Kelly tells their story in her book, Sailing to Jessica. Here is an exceprt, which is a window into her thoughts two weeks after adopting the baby Jessica (which all happened quickly), on the small island of Kirabati:

"For the baby songs, we watched “The Sound of Music” again, replaying a couple of songs over and over again until I had mastered them. Gazing at the beautiful baby in my arms, I didn't mourn – or even think about – Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So and La. I had Jessica.

One of our baby books said that it was common for a new mother to feel like her baby was a stranger, despite the baby having spent nine months in her womb.  This feeling was perfectly normal. I was a new mom, and admittedly my baby was a stranger. But sometime during our second week together, she ceased to be. I was cradling her in my arms in the salon, rocking her and gazing at her intelligent brown eyes when I was overcome, overwhelmed, struck by the enormity of what we had done. Of what I had become. 

I was Jessica's mom. Forever. I'd be there to clean her up when she fell off her bicycle and scraped her knee. I'd be there to wipe away her tears when her teenage boyfriend broke her heart. I'd be there when she graduated from university; when she won a heat at a swim meet; when she had her own baby. Throughout her life's ups and downs, I was going to be there, protecting her, encouraging her, loving her. It might take the courts months to decide upon our adoption petition, but my heart needed only two weeks to rule on the case. Jessica was my daughter; and I loved her unreservedly."

To learn the rest of the story, buy Sailing to Jessica by clicking  here for the paperback edition, or here for the ipad version (with photos and videos!). You can follow her adventures on her website/blog here. 

Photos above:  Jess on the boat with Kelly and Paul, just after the adoption. Above right:  The Cherokee Rose at anchor with another yacht in Moorea, Society Islands, French Polynesia.

A postscrict: Kelly and Paul adopted a second Micronesian baby later in the Marshall Islands: the charming Nick. Here are my adorable grandkids in a photo taken last Christmas.  Is this a happy ending or what?!  And tomorrow is Jess's birthday--Bonne Anniversaire, mon lapin!

Can you tell I’m proud of ma belle-fille? (beautiful-daughter, that lovely French term for step-daughter, and I’m the belle-mère). In her honor, here is a favorite recipe for fish, straight from the sea.

 

RECIPE:  Summer Swordfish, A Flash in the Pan

Swordfish is an easy fish to cook in on a hot day, as it just makes a quick pass through the pan and it’s done.  With its meaty texture and great flavor, it needs very little adornment.

We had swordfish in a fine French restaurant recently, and it was tasty. It was served with a very finely chopped salsa of raw courgettes (either zucchini or yellow squash will do), red peppers, and scallions, with a bit of lime juice and olive oil stirred in (The photo shows the restaurant version, not mine.The garnish of flash-fried kale and a carrot beignet is beyond my abilities.)

To make it, just sear two swordfish steaks, an inch or so thick, in a cast iron skillet heated with a tablespoon of oil, about 3 minutes on each side.  Serve immediately, topped with the above salsa.  

 In the COMMENTS:  I love the clever food quotes that readers sent in to add to our list on the placemats!  Jane, we've defintitely got to explore the appeal of this Morris dancing in a future blog. Colleen, we're looking forward to seeing your collages, keep us posted.

Amuse Bouche & Brain: Wisdom from a French Table

Photo: An amuse bouche, as you problably know, is a little appetizer to “amuse the mouth”. We’re amusing mouth and brain today with some fun quotes.

We ate in a new restaurant in Cluny the other day (Le Pont de Cotte), and they had a unique paper placemat. I don’t often find inspiration from a placemat, but this one had a list of famous quotes about food, done up in a pretty calligraphy font.  

So if you’re in the mood for a little French lesson today, put your mind to dechiphering these tasty morsels. And if you’re not learning French but just looking for a little enlightenment, go right to the translations below.  Bon appétit, y’all!

L’appétit vient en mangeant, la soif s’en va en buvant.  --François Rabelais.

Le Créateur, en obligeant l'homme à manger pour vivre, l'y invite par appétit et l'en récompense par le plaisir. --Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

La gourmandise commence quand on n’a plus faim. --Alphonse Daudet.

Si vous n'êtes pas capables d'un peu de sorcellerie, ce n'est pas la peine de vous mêler de cuisine.          --Colette 

Bien manger, c'est atteindre le ciel. --Proverbe Chinois

Cochon. Animal étonnamment proche de la race humaine par la vivacité et la splendeur de son appétit. --Ambrose Bierce 

La faim est le meilleur assaisonnement. --Proverbe brézilien

TRANSLATIONS:

Appetite comes with eating, and thirst departs with drinking. (Obviously they're not talking about wine here.)

The creator, in obliging man to eat in order to live, invited him there with appetite and rewarded him with pleasure.

If you’re not capable of a little magic, it’s not worth the trouble to interfere in the kitchen.

Gluttony begins when hunger is satisfied.

To eat well is to reach the sky.

The Pig.  An animal astonishingly close to the human race by his vivacity and the splendor of his appetite.

Hunger is the best seasoning. 

 

If you’ve got a favorite food quote, or other wisdom to share, please leave it  in the COMMENTS section. 

In the Comments, about our year-round Saturday market at Cluny: Colleen, you sound like a fellow hat chick. Maureen and Michaela, this is not the first time I've seen Morris dancers, I think there are more around here than in England, and this could be the subject of a future post!  Kathy,  our summer tomatoes are just arriving this week too, a result of our weird spring weather this year. So I'll soon be looking for more recipes. And merci to veterans of the Cluny market who checked in, we miss you all! 

Photo above: We fully support gluttony, Monsieur Daudet. Which brings to mind this beautiful chocolate pound cake made by my great friend Belinda, who used this recipe, and topped it off with a chocolate ganache.