My only regret was not having a computer to hand to blog whenever the whim took me, so I resumed a pen and paper (from whence this habit came) and wrote down my best food moments. Some highlights:
In Beaune we ate like kings - the coq au vin was a revelation: did you know it is really dark and meaty? The gent thought they had brought me beef by accident, but it was just proper cockerel which looks nothing like chicken. And I think I had a ham hock. The gent translated it as 'shin of pig' and then, before it arrived, said 'I hope it didn't mean trotter...' but it was delicious. Unctuous. Dark and sticky.
In Dijon, most unexpectedly, there was a bi-valve epiphany. Oysters! I finally understood the fuss and ordered half a dozen. As I will do any time I see them on a menu and suspect the purveyor of extreme freshness and quick turnover.
Best dish award goes to the antipasti we had four or five times from 'Caracale' on the island of Procida: saute vongole and mussels in butter, garlic and a bit of wine. I can be a bit creepy about shellfish but this was wonderful: it must have been super-fresh and perfectly timed. Also, one dish was big enough to satisfy the two of us: I love a generous portion.
To come:
- recipes to research then cook repeatedly, until excellent
- when not to do as the Romans do (being superior about carbonara)
- enoteca
- and of course, photographs
In the meantime the British weather is doing admirably well at matching that on the continent. It makes me want to settle into a plate of oysters and open a crisp white wine...
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