Posted on by Myfrenchkitchen

Desserts and moments from Provence.

I’ve been back from Provence for some time,  but very busy at my gallery(which I’ll talk about in a next post).

I’ve suddenly come down with a terrible gastro and I’ve been like a limp fish the last two days. but I need to get up an just move a little, so I thought it good to recall some moments from my painting trip.

I can’t face food at the  moment, but I can show you the lovely desserts we had at Le vieux Four, in Crillon le Brave.

…apricot soup…

…French cheesecake with red berry coulis…

…red fruit sorbets…

More photos can be seen here in my gallery, Beauty of la France and  Paintings can be found  on Africantapestry…posts More paintings from Provence, Paintings from Provence and Two oil paintings and a gouache.

Our home away from home…the lovely home of artist, Julian Merrow Smith from Postcard from Provence.

…the view on Mont Ventoux  from my room…

...early mornings in pj’s around painting, coffee and croissants…

…my afternoon painting in progress…

…Sarah’s early morning oil painting in progress…

…Robyn’s watercolor in progress…

…Katherine’s pencils…

..a gathering of Provenceaux in Bédoin…

…when the market is quiet…

…Pizza anyone?…

…The closest I got to lavender…

…au revoir et à bientôt!…


Posted on by Myfrenchkitchen

Stuffed courgette flowers..and painting in Provence.

My courgette is taking over my potager here at Coin Perdu…beautiful and healthy with enormous bright green leaves and underneath those cheeky yellow flowers peeking through. The male flowers are starting to fall of and I’m picking them up and drying them to use as dried flowers for sprinkling over my salads…my latest craze; if you keep still long enough, I sprinkle you with dried flowers

The female courgettes are the only ones carrying fruit and I’ve picked some of both to stuff with a crab filling. Both male and female flowers are edible. If ever you can get hold of some courgette flowers…they are absolutely divine, from another world and savored slowly and deliberately…well, I’m a lady, I can’t say what I really think, but you’ll know what I mean when once you’ve enjoyed one!


Suggestions:

  • Serve the flowers stuffed, without steaming.
  • OR make a batter of some flour and add some fizzy water, mix until a thick cream . Dip the courgette flowers wth filling into the batter until coated and deep fry quickly, one by one, turning each once once. Remove, drain and serve sprinkled with fleur de sel and a few drops of lemon juice, or a light yoghurt/mint sauce (natural yoghurt, chopped mint, seasoning, lemon juice..)Make your own filling by choosing ingredients you like and by mixing flavor which compliment each other. Keep it light.
  • Serve on a bed of mixed salad leaves with a vinaigrette.

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Myfenchkitchen is off to Provence for a week of painting with 3 artist buddies. We’ll be staying in the Vaucluse home of well known painter of Postcards from Provence, Julian Merrow Smith and his wife Ruth Philips, while they will be in England where Ruth will be playing cello at the Garsington festival. We even have our own blog, Four go painting in Provence and you’re invited to follow us every step of the way on this trip if you’re interested in seeing all our adventures…which of course will be mostly painting…and eating…and painting again…and then visiting the markets and painting them …and eating…and having some wine perhaps and eating again… or is it painting…in any case, a lot of everything! you can read a little more on my art blog too: Africantapestry is off to Provence for a crazy painting experience!

I’m leaving on Sunday for a week..the other three artist buddies, Katherine, Sarah and Robyn will be there for 3 weeks. unfortunately I have some exciting obligations to tend to here at Coin Perdu, which I’ll share with you once I’m back! So don’t go away…keep well and in the meantime…keep those pots sizzling!

à bientôt!

Ronelle