France – Page 88 – Myfrenchkitchen

September is the peak of the tomato season in Europe. At the chateau de la Bourdaisiere, where le festival de la tomate is held every year, tomatoes are found that is hardly ever seen on the street with names as cute and funny and original as you can get them; bloody butcher, daxacan jewel, burrackers’ favorite, little monk, black zebra, black prince, banana legs….

…chateau de la bourdaisiére à Montlouis sur Loire…

This sunny weekend in September had everybody out and about, dogs with their owners, mothers with daughters, grandparents, babies, toddlers, fathers carrying tired litle feet on their necks, tired pets carried in backpacks, photographers, writers, dreamers, painters. Le festival de tomate is an occasion to revel in the colours of the September garden. Having just entered la rentreé, where everybody is back to school and work, la festival de tomate provided that last occasion for us to soak up the warmth of the mellow September sun. A last outing before we slowly but surely creep into winter disguise and start our hybernation cycle with our red wines in front of the fireplace.

…walking – but not in the beds, please!…

fete de tomate 30

…children, dogs..backpacks, sunglasses…

The late summer colours of the September garden, already whisper of autumn with reds and yellows, dark purples, greens and oranges, burgundies. The herb gardens are full, the basils are setting seeds, the fennels are standing high and whispy. Pumkins abound in their plump autumn attires and burgundy cock’s combs take the lead to yet another bed, another colour, another discovery, another feast for the eye. Lavenders still stand high and full with flavours whifting through the air.

…reds, oranges, purple, green, yellows…

No festival can be really successful without eat and drink, with Le festival de tomate no exsception. From traditionally baked breads to confitures, to jus de tomates, freshly squeezed, to small tomato appetizers, a variety of fleur de sels, to contemporary creations from l’ecole de la cuisine and last but not least in the eyes of la population Francaise – lunch at set tables under la grande tente marquise – booking essential!

…la dégustation…

Even when experiencing this year after year, it is always fun. Maybe because it is tradition. Maybe because of the ambiance. Maybe because everybody does it. Maybe because we meet friends there. Maybe because the days are so beautiful. Maybe because…well, maybe just because.

… à l’année prochaine!…

We are leaving for Hawaii tomorrow for ten days. I’m looking forward to this break – I am really a bit tired and fatigued! Maybe summer was just too much fun!

I didn’t want to buy extra food for dinner tonight. The point is after all to clean the fridge when leaving. I had broccoli in the fridge. And it is cold and raining. And I still have to pack and clean up. So dinner was to be a broccoli soup. Or rather…a velouté. I always have a problem with broccoli soup. I can never get it to be tasty. It always tastes like over cooked broccoli. Awful.

…velouté de brocoli et fleur de sel à la vanille…

I sautéed two shalots in olive oil. Then added a big broccoli head with enough vegetable stock to cover the broccoli completely. I let it simmer until the broccoli stems were tender. Removed from the heat and with a hand blender, blended until smooth. I added some milk and a swirl of cream for thickness and mixed through, placed back on the heat and slowly brought back to boil and removed from the heat. I Seasoned with some vanilla salt(fleur de sel with scraped seeds from a vanilla seedpod) and a turn of the pepper mill. Still tasted bland. So I added a handful of chopped fresh tarragon, the grated skin of a lime, some lime juice to taste, and a drizzle of white balsamic vinegar. After mixing the soup again with the handmixer, I strained it through a fine sieve to get a velouté. Tasted again. Not too bad, but still not what I’m looking for in a broccoli velouté. I served it warm in bowls with a dollop of mayonnaise and a last sprinkling of the vanilla fleur de sel. The maynnaise adds a nice touch to the soup I thought.

I’d love to try a nice broccoli soup recipe, because I DO love broccoli! So, If you’re reading here and you have a nice broccoli soup recipe, please leave a link to your recipe in the comment section, so we can all delight in what’s good! If you don’t have a link, you can shortly describe your recipe in the comments.

I’m off packing now and will be back beginning of October. Until then: Try, Test and Taste…always!

…trying to get to Hawaii…