Provence from Fayence outwards

Best Baguette

I am truly encouraged to discover that there is in fact an official best baguette. Apparently there's an annual competition: "Best Baguette in Paris Award 2008". 14 of the entrants 143 14 were automatically eliminated for not complying with the criteria of size and weight peculiar to the “baguette tradition” (70 cm long, between 250 and 300 g) - only in France. Or maybe that's the EU?

Well - the baguette tournament was a cliffhanger, coming down to a nerve-wracking run-in between "two baguettes – numbers 132 and 97 – which were tied. The jury therefore carefully re-examined them, still tasting “blind”, in order to decide between them. Number 132 was unanimously found to be richer in aroma and taste, whilst number 97 appealed perhaps more for its attractively browned appearance and voluptuous, gourmet aspect."

Here's the winner brandishing the victorious baguette: Anis Bouabsa,28. Apart from the glory, he will be supplying the Élysée palace for a year so will have to hire someone to deliver the President’s baguettes every morning.

Truffles make the FT

Truffles have become such an important global commodity, up there with oil, gold and pork bellies, that the FT is covering them.

The writer negotiates Richerenches with michelin-starred chef Michel Rostang. His advice about picking them: it's about the dealer (so they don't mix the smart stuff with fakes), the smell and the appearance. And cooking them: "I don't mix truffles with other flavours, it's all about the truffle." He recommends starchy foods that absorb flavour, such as potatoes, pasta or Jerusalem artichokes.

Truffle shortage

Truffles in France might be dying out. Or rather, after a very dry summer, there's a huge shortage that has got everyone talking.

Prices for the best quality large truffles in the bulk market have reached an eye-popping €900 a kilo. And climate change could benefit the Brits: "If it carries on like this, we are all dead," said one truffle producer. "You may find you have truffles in England in 10 years' time...Truffles need moisture in the summer or they die or never develop."

Unfortunately, it's a black art. trufficulteurs may meet, but no one really understands why and how truffles grow. A series of dry summers, and dry winters, especially the blazing summer of 2003, has had a devastating effect on even the cultivated truffles. The legally recorded harvest in France will struggle to reach 15 tonnes this year, compared to 50 tonnes a few years ago (and 1,200 tonnes in the 19th century).

For more, here's a nice piece in the Independent.

Lobsters and prawns feel pain

Well, it's official. Lobsters ("homard") and prawns ("crevette) feel pain. Scientists poured vinegar on their antennae and they tried to rub it off anxiously. No surprises there, then. If somebody poured vinegar on my tender extremities, I am not sure I would like it.

Funny how we chastise ourselves horribly for cooking these gorgeous creatures, especially when they are known to practise cannibalism. Bet that doesn't trouble them as much as it does us. Boil them, I say.

Nothing quite like a "plat de fruits de mer", washed down by an exceptionally dry Sancerre.

French Riviera in Milwaukee - yeah, right.

So here we are in the west side of Milwaukee (beer country). And two cooks start a restaurant which combines a New York deli with French Riviera nuances. What a bizarre concept, especially when it's based on romaine lettuce which one rarely sees in Provence.

"The French Rivera influence comes from the time Schultz spent traveling in France and is primarily represented at Laissez Faire in salad form....the goat cheese with bacon is spring mix with bacon, sunflower seeds and goat cheese with a sherry vinaigrette. The lunch salad starts with romaine and adds blue cheese, cucumber, scallions and hard-boiled egg with a cobb dressing. The Duck Confit tops them all with duck, romaine, spring mix, walnuts and dried apricots with a balsamic reduction."

Food marketing!

Japanese French

Chez Keisuke Matsushima is not an immediately obvious French restaurant. In fact, I am wondering how French people would get by. Chez is straightforward, the rest would challenge all of us.

Nonetheless, food looks good.

Aioli

I am prompted by the Jerusalem Post - an authority on Provencale Cuisine - to cover aioli, the disctinctive garlicky mayonaise sauce. It's a well-researched and engaging piece about a man who purchases too much wild-caught sushi-quality ahi tuna and can't find anything that goes really well with it. Enter Aioli... And "if Monsieur has some aioli, Madame must also eat some; this will prevent a scene on Friday evening!"

Here's the Wikipedia entry for Aioli. And that reminds me of the annual Grand Aioli in Mons, set in the Place St, Sebastian under the big chestnut tree, For 15 euros, you can sit in sweltering August heat, battling your way through 2-3 cooked vegetables and a piece of fish washed down with entry-level local plonk. Well, there's a hunk of bread and a Pastis to start with. It's good for the community. C'est bon pour la morale.

Seillans restaurant reviews

Seiilans has finally been visited restaurant-wise and we have added two reviews under "Seillans Restaurants."

Restaurants in South of France

I am indebted to Doug for spotting Suzanne's File on Provence Restaurants. Top picks are:

• Luc Salsedo, Nice
• Le Clos St Pierre, Le Rouret
• La Bastide de Moustiers Chemin de Quinson, Moustiers Sainte-Marie
• Kei’s Passion, Nice
• La Bastide Saint Antoine, Grasse
• Le Padouk, Nice

Suzanne likes nice things and tracks them down around the world.

Le Castelleras, Michelin-starred restaurant

Le Castelleras, between Fayence and Seillans, was the location of our annual early summer gastronomic indulgence. Run by Chef Alain Carro, Le Castelleras is the closest Michelin-starred restaurant to chez nous. Certainly our favourite.

At 45 euros for the 5-course menu gastronimique, it's excellent value. You can push the boat out for another 10 eruros and get the menu gourmand. Moi had the foie gras and grilled prawn salad thingumme, followed by veal on artichokes (OK, it sounds better in French), creme brulee to finish. Some fine Bandol to go with it.

The best thing is the setting: on a hillside overlooking Fayence. You pick at the exqusite things in front of you and bask in the views across Fayence and towards Cannes. Trigger-happy photographers are tempted beyond reason. (Le Castelleras' business cards are fronted by a painting of the view below and I can never resist pocketing one or two as bookmarkers).

Here's another photo of the Castelleras view.

Even little M (three years old) had a whale of a time watching the giant carp in the pod, playing catch with the little french boy she met there: together they ate noodles - with a fine tomato sauce - and doodled.