In my Taste & Travel Blog, I share with you my passion for food & travel, including recipes and food-oriented trips to (mostly) France, the gastronomic capital of the world. The key to good food starts with good ingredients. The highest quality, and best-tasting, ingredients are those that are locally grown and produced.
An abundant array of vegetables produced from my husband’s organic farm in Northwest Arkansas, Foundation Farm
The bay of Mont St. Michel & its treasures
The picturesque rural setting of the Mont St. Michel Bay consists of meadows, poppy fields, windmills and one-lane country roads meandering toward the coastline, where the Mont St. Michel abbey rises proudly from a wide expanse of sand.
At left: The Moidrey windmill (Le Moulin à Vent Moidrey en Normandie) seen when approaching Mont St. Michel
The route to the Mont St. Michel is every bit as serene and quaint as other parts of Normandy.
Poppy fields stretch nearly to the coast in the bay of Mont St. Michel.
Poppies of Mont St. Michel bay
Approaching the Mont St. Michel, we see “salt meadow lamb” (agneau de pré-salé) grazing in the fields. We lunch at an auberge in the bay to sample this local specialty.
Ragoût d’agneau pré-salé (Braised salt meadow lamb with white beans and crispy potatoes) ~ truly outstanding!
The marvel of the Mont St. Michel Abbey
The Gothic-style Benedictine Abbey dedicated to Archangel Saint Michael, and the village that grew up in the shadow of its great walls stand perched on a rocky islet in the midst of vast sandbanks exposed to powerful tides between Normandy and Brittany.
Designated a world heritage site by UNESCO, the remarkable abbey is one of the most extraordinary examples of medieval religious and military architecture, and was one of Christianity’s most important pilgrimage sites from the 8th to the 18th century. Still drawing a crowd, today over 3 million visitors annually come to the mount (of the 3 million that visit the mount, only 1 million actually make the vigorous climb to the abbey).
In an unimaginable turn of fate, we actually had the abbey ALL to OURSELVES. Due to the fact that the workers at the Mont St. Michel abbey were on strike* and the abbey therefore closed, our privately guided 2-hour VIP tour became a private tour in every sense of the word (private tour usually refers to tours arranged for only our group, versus a public tour. Today it meant that we had the abbey to ourselves!) It’s rare indeed for a strike to actually work in one’s favor.
Comprising a superb ensemble of clerical buildings, the abbey is a technical and artistic tour de force, having had to adapt to the problems posed by this unique natural site.
The famous cloister has been referred to as the “Merveille” (the marvel) since the 12th century.
The cloister is surrounded by a double row of delicately carved arches resting on granite pillars. There are traces of color on the arches, revealing that the cloister and church had been formerly painted with vibrant pigments.
Our outstanding guide, Isabelle, discusses the dining habits of the monks (such as eating in silence) in the barrel-roofed refectory. The large room is illuminated by a wall of recessed windows ~ astonishing, given that the sheer drop precluded the use of flying buttresses.
From the entry, the recessed windows of the refectory are not visible.
The monks’ ambulatory features one of the oldest ribbed vaulted ceilings in Europe.
Tombelaine island (Île de Tombelaine) and the Normandy coastline beyond, seen from the abbey terrace; shallow waters disguise the presence of quicksand, strong currents, and the fastest rising tide in Europe.
The underground chapel, Notre Dame-sous-Terre (Our Lady underground) is one of the abbey’s oldest rooms. The Carolingian church was built around 966 by the first Benedictine monks at the very place that Saint Aubert erected the oratory in the early 8th century.
Today, one mass per year is held in this sacred chapel to celebrate the consecration of the man-made grotto (the 1st oratory of St. Michel) in 709 AD.
What was the perfect way to wrap up our visit? We lingered on the mount to attend a classical concert held in the abbey church featuring Water Music by Haendel performed by the Stradivaria Ensemble from Nantes. Did I mention that this fell on my birthday?
We leave the mount filled with awe, and turn for one last look at the abbey silhouetted against the night sky.
* Mont St. Michel strike: Employees are currently protesting the increased parking rates (up from 8.5€ to 12€, as well as the elimination of the employee and handicapped shuttle accessing the island, forcing them (and the disabled) to take the normal tourist shuttle, thereby increasing their commute time to the island by 30 minutes each way)
Along the Cider Route in Normandy
I welcome my travelers at the St. Lazare train station in Paris, the gateway to Normandy painted a number of times by Impressionist Claude Monet. From there, we head out to Caen, the prefecture of the Calvados department, and the capital of the Lower Normandy region. We collect our rental van, and set out to discover the quaint Norman countryside along the Route du Cidre.
Our first stop is lunch at an authentic Norman restaurant, Au P’tit Normand, in the picturesque village of Cambremer, situated in the heart of Calvados. Read more about this delightful lunch of exceptional local cuisine.
Top quality Norman food products, such as Norman cheese (Camembert de Normandie, Pont l’Évêque, Livarot, to name a few), various terrines, charcuterie, andouille sausage, cider, Calvados, and more can be found at the corner market on the church square, L’Epicerie Produits Normandie.
A cruise along the Route du Cidre would not be complete without a tour and tasting at a local ciderie. The ideal spot is the elegant Louis Dupont Family estate in the heart of the Pays d’Auge region. Domaine Dupont produces traditional effervescent cider (5% alcohol), pure apple juice (no alcohol), Calvados liquor aged in oak for several years (42% alcohol), and Pommeau, known as “L’Aperitif Normand,” a blend of Calvados with freshly pressed apple juice, and aged 18 months in oak (17% alcohol).
Domaine Dupont consists of 74 acres of orchards in Normandy
Mr. Etienne Dupont in his tasting shop
Meandering through the scenic Normandy countryside, we pass through many charming villages, the star of which is the picturesque beauty, Beauvron-en-Auge, classified as one of the “Most Beautiful Villages of France”.
Charming village square, Beauvron-en-Auge
Medieval timber framed home accented with colorful shutters and flowers, Beauvron-en-Auge
Two words recap our day: Charming and quaint. Normandy is more beautiful than one could imagine, also quite friendly and serene.
Norman lunch in the heart of Calvados
I have to say that this outstanding little restaurant, Au P’tit Normand, was one of many highlights of my Normandy Brittany tour, and an excellent introduction to Norman cuisine and culture. Delicious ‘cuisine du terroir’* prepared from scratch by “mom”, Madame Huguette Besnard, in a warm and inviting space. Memorable dishes served with a smile and ample patience by her charming daughter (8 Americans trying to decide what to order can be a disarming task for some), the restaurant has a cheerful, genuine family-style feel.
* terroir: A combination of land specificity and human savoir-faire. Source: French Ministry of Agriculture
Chef and owner Madame Besnard with her amiable daughter
The warm, convivial atmosphere makes Bruce feel at home
Mom’s specialties includes such savory local dishes as homemade country paté and veal chop from the Auge valley & oyster mushrooms served with Norman cream fraîche sauce and sautéed potatoes.
Terrine de campagne maison aux 3 arômes (homemade country paté with three herbs)
Côte de veau vallée d’auge aux pleurotes et crème fraîche (veal chop from the Auge valley & oyster mushrooms served with Norman cream fraîche sauce and sautéed potatoes)
The savory dishes were so unbelievable, I could not imagine dessert could be a match, but I was wrong. Being in the land of apples, I thought it apropos to order the apple tart, which did not disappoint.
Tarte fine aux pommes maison (homemade thinly sliced apple tart)
This was an original, and very good; thinly sliced apples were arranged atop a thick applesauce and homemade crust, served with a drizzle of homemade salty butter caramel sauce.
The apple sorbet also sounded interesting and unique. The sorbet was excellent, but one dare not light a match around this dessert.
Apple sorbet bathed in Calvados and apples sautéed in butter
As good as the tart and sorbet was, the real show stopper was the house specialty, a unique melt-in-your-mouth dessert that left our palate enthralled. At first glance, it did not sound appealing to me (translated as “gingerbread”, of which I’m not a big fan), but our charming server enthusiastically recommended it, so I ordered one for the table. She insisted we would love it. “Oh, happy day!”
Pain d’épices poêlé au beurre d’Isigny et sa boule de glace à la vanilla (spice bread sautéed in Isigny butter served with vanilla ice cream and homemade salty butter caramel sauce topped with slivered almonds)
Thank you Madame Besnard and lovely daughter for this memorable experience. We will be back.
The search for the perfect Greek isle
I am prospecting in Greece for a future tour – an adventure considering that I don’t speak the language. After much research, found the ideal island tucked away in the Cyclades, far less obvious than the three most visited (Mykonos, Santorini, Ios), but every bit the paradise. There are literally thousands of islands to choose from, but since I was searching for an island with the typical white-washed villages, I chose among the Cyclades. The island of Sifnos offers picturesque white villages of varying sorts – a quaint harbor, charming perched village above the sea, remote fishing village, hill towns and beach hamlets.
The capital of Sifnos island, Apollonia, a small town spread over 3 hills.
The town of Artemonas as seen from the windmill on high, islands of Paros and Anti-Paros in the distance.
One of 365 churches on the island ~ a one for every day of the year. Each church maintained by a different family native to the island.
Exclusive dinner in Parisian home with a French chef
The icing on the cake, so to speak, the grand finale on my Paris tour is a private dinner party in the home of native Parisians with a French chef preparing our dinner.
Our hostess, born and raised in the neighborhood of Saint Germain des Près, opens her door to welcome us into her chic home in the elegant 7th arrondissement. She shares with us her talent for table decoration and provides insight into the Parisian lifestyle.
Our hostess Véronique in her home with guests Carolyn and Fran
Pat, Dana, and Cindy ~ life-long friends create beautiful memories in Paris
Chef Laurent dressing the salad which accompanies warm crispy Camembert cheese with caramel ~ a salute to Normandy and Claude Monet
A beautiful starter course of grison (thinly sliced raw cured beef, similar to prosciutto), arugula with balsamic citrus vinaigrette and ratatouille confit
For dessert? Saint Honoré: Le carrément chocolat by Pierre Hermé. A Saint Honoré is choux pastry filled with ethereal chocolate cream, studded with morsels of crispy praline and held together with caramel. Though no longer hungry, I ate every bite (with no regret). The perfect end to the perfect evening.
Privately guided tour at the Impressionist Museum, Musée d’Orsay
In addition to my emphasis on food, I also weave in cultural outings based on a central theme. My current theme for Paris is the Impressionists; we thus not only enjoy a day trip to Monet’s House & Gardens in Giverny, we also delight in a privately guided tour with Paris Walks at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris.
Our guide, British lecturer James, shares perspective on the influences leading to the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist movements.
James discusses The Floor Scrapers by Gustave Caillebotte (1848-1894)
Caillebotte, from an upper-class Parisian family, is known for painting in a much more realistic manner than many other artists in the Impressionist group.
Poppy fields (Les Coquelicots), Claude Monet, 1873
Woman with umbrella turned toward the left (Femme à l’ombrelle tournée vers la gauche), Claude Monet, 1886
Dance at Le moulin de la Galette (Bal du moulin de la Galette), Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1876
This painting is doubtless Renoir’s most important work and is considered one of Impressionism’s most celebrated masterpieces.
Thank you, James, for an interesting and informative visit!
My favorite chocolate in Paris?
Want to know my favorite chocolatier in Paris? That’s a loaded question, and a difficult one for me to answer, since I like several and they sometimes change.
But I can easily tell you about my favorite Chocolate Tour & Tasting which we do with my group each year when visiting Paris. Chocolate connoisseur and certified guide Iris from Paris Walks guides us on a 2-hour walking tour ~ a journey of historical anecdotes centered around chocolate peppered with architectural marvels, including an enchanting “covered passage” in Paris (les passages couverts are the stylish covered walkways that were THE place to shop and socialize prior to the 1840s when the grands magasins, such as Galeries Layfayette, were constructed)
One of my favorite chocolatiers, Côte de France, on the Avenue de l’Opéra
Tasting the house chocolate, 1936, at Côte de France
Delicious array of chocolates ~ endless possibilities
Pure dark chocolate bars – nothing but pure chocolate and cocoa butter chez Jean Paul Hevin. We could call this liquid gold.
Tired of chocolate? Try pâte de fruit, real fruit cooked down to a paste and cut into squares.
The quest for Paris’ perfect Mont Blanc
I used to be known for my sweet tooth, and though I eat far less sweets than in the past, I have my favorites in Paris: chocolate, macarons, and mont blanc. My friend Véronique and I make it a point to get over to Angelina tea salon at least once during my stay, we order the mont blanc to take out, and enjoy it in the park. Mont blanc is crème de marrons (chestnut cream) with chantilly (whipped cream) and meringue.
So far, I have sampled three different ones ~ Restaurant La Fontaine de Mars near the Eiffel Tower (very good, even had bits of marron glacé, candied chestnuts, in the chestnut crème), Bread & Roses bakery on rue Fleurus, and Angelina Tea Salon on rue du Rivoli. Each is unique and delicious; but I especially like the one at Angelina, as it is the least sweet. Below find photos of the luscious dessert from Angelina and Bread & Roses.
Mont Blanc from Angelina: lightly whipped cream is elegantly wrapped in chestnut cream “vermicelli” and set upon a meringue base. The park in nearby Palais Royal provides a lovely atmosphere in which to savor the delight.
At Bread & Roses bakery, the chestnut cream is decoratively cradled with whipped cream,
set on a meringue base and topped with a candied chestnut.
Magical day in Champagne
The weather turned beautiful just in time for our day long outing in Champagne. We started with a private tour at the prestigious world-renowned Champagne House of Moët et Chandon, dating from 1743. Moët et Chandon is one of the world’s largest champagne producers and a prominent champagne house. The company is co-owner of the largest luxury goods group in the world, Moët-Hennessy • Louis Vuitton (LVMH), and holds a Royal Warrant to supply champagne to Queen Elizabeth II of England.
Inside the cellars of Moët et Chandon
The network of cellars at Moët et Chandon span 15+ miles and are listed on the historical registry, as many of the cellars were excavated by the Romans. A couple of months ago, a stone wall collapsed inside cellars at Moët et Chandon, revealing a new gallery (cellar room) ~ filled with bottles of champagne dating from 1878. This is the oldest champagne that the house has on record. They spent several months determining whether the champagne was still drinkable, and yes, it was not only drinkable but still in it’s prime. This is very big news for the champagne house, and the day that we visited, they had not yet publicized the finding, so it was still secret information.
A bottle of champagne dating from 1878, just put on display the very morning of our tour
Following the tour, we enjoyed a tasting of the house’s prestige vintage champagne, Dom Pérignon, named after the Benedictine monk and cellar master, Dom Pierre Pérignon who, by perfecting double-fermentation, set the stage for the creation of sparkling wine. Produced from the finest grapes of a single year, Dom Pérignon is a vintage-only champagne (non-vintage champagne is made from wine fermented over the period of more than one year).
The Sommelier pour with one hand.
To complete our visit, we made a pilgrimage to the tomb of Dom Pierre Pérignon, housed in the abbey church of the nearby quaint village of Hautvillers.
Saint-Sindulphe abbey church in Hautvillers
The tomb of monk and cellar master, Dom Pierre Pérignon
We had an exceptional lunch at a renovated magnificent neo-classical mansion on the Jacques Selosse estate in Champagne. The charming village, Avize, lies at the heart of the “Côte des Blancs” area and has been renowned since the 18th century for its balanced Blanc de Blancs wines, classified Grand Cru.
The exquisite Hôtel Restaurant Les Avisés
Chef Stéphane prepares a special menu each day depending on what is available regionally. His lovely wife, Nathalie, ensures the comfort of the guests. The menu was spectacular and deserves its own post.
Our table in the chic dining room at Hôtel Restaurant Les Avisés
Following lunch, we made a stop at Tribaut-Schloesser, a small family estate in the tiny village of Romery, established in 1929. I came to know about Tribaut through my father-in-law who orders their non-vintage Brut Rosé by the case; it flows generously at every family gathering, not just celebratory events, such as weddings, but also at birthdays, holiday dinners, and average run-of-the-mill dinner parties with friends
A tasting of Brut Rosé at Tribaut-Schloesser
We concluded our outing to Champagne with a stop in Reims, capital of the Champagne region, to behold the impressive Reims cathedral, the gothic splendor where many French kings have been crowned.
Cathédrale de Reims
A full, yet lovely, day.
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