COOKERY COURSE WITH MARK GREENAWAY

As we approach Christmas, I thought I would seize the opportunity to look back at the wonderful sunny weekend we had with chef Mark Greenaway in September. We had been building up to this course since the previous autumn and to see it come to fruition so successfully fills us with a great deal of pride here at Big in France.

After months of care and thought over every detail and  after countless emails discussing equipment and produce, we were thrilled to finally meet the man himself at Poitiers airport: nothing quite like a little French airport to welcome you!

Mark was happy to spend a couple of nights prior to the start of the course at our house, getting to know the family - children, dogs and all. One of our daughters, a keen chef herself had donned her chef's whites in anticipation of his arrival and prepared a chocolate torte. She also proceeded to call him not ‘Mark’ but Mark Greenaway’ for his entire stay! ‘Good morning Mark Greenaway’ ‘Good night Mark Greenaway’ ‘Thank you Mark Greenaway!’ She was in awe to have such an inspiration sitting in her very own kitchen!

An entertaining night unfolded, the beginning of a weekend of gluttony: start as you mean to go on after all! Up bright and early, as is the life of a chef, we set off to the venue via a farm shop to discover the beauty of local, organic produce. A good friend of ours has recently opened a shop selling all his own vegetables and it’s such a little gem! The produce is out of this world. You can see the care that has gone into the growing and the taste is divine, such a massive difference to the supermarket. One vegetable, previously unknown to me, had pride of place. When asked for advice on what to do with it, I got a typically French answer: steam it, then fry it with dried ‘herbes de provence’. This was not quite what you would hope for as an end to such a beautiful specimen. This turned out to be called a chayote, a variety of squash.

A good day's prepping ensued, giving us a chance to get the fires going in the outdoor kitchen where Mark cooked some delicious scallops with herbs and butter followed by hanger steak, all on the plancha, what a great piece of kit! Seeing a chef of his calibre at work was fascinating and eye opening. We really learnt a lot.

Friday was arrival day for the guests and we were thrilled to welcome a dynamic, vibrant, group of people - this weekend was looking to be a lot of fun.

After settling in and soaking up the sun, the guests were served a four course dinner from Restaurant Mark Greenaway, winner of Best Restaurant in Scotland.

Menu

Amuse Bouche
Smoked Salmon Espuma

Starter
Roasted leg and breast of quail
hazelnuts, beetroot parfait, golden raisins

Main
Pan roasted hake fillet
Scallop cannelloni, celeriac, burnt leek, chive veloute

Dessert
Great British Menu Eton Mess
Toasted marshmallow, caramel, strawberry meringue

The delicacy, skill and thoughtfulness that went into each course was mesmerising. Mark prepared an incredible feast for this opening dinner and we had a fantastic evening.

Day two of the course kicked off with a fresh continental breakfast from the local boulangerie - an array of pastries, homemade jams and honey.

The menu for lunch was as follows:

Whole roast rib of beef
Homemade focaccia
Homemade mustard mayonnaise
Crispy beef fat potato salad
Asian style slaw
Green bean salad
Mixed berry and vanilla bean pavlova

The outdoor kitchen was bright with the enthusiasm pouring from the budding chefs and the warm French sunshine. The atmosphere was relaxed and jovial. People undertook their separate tasks eagerly, with Mark giving one-to-one tutoring to help and support each individual as he took the time to move around the group. After several hours of dicing, kneading, baking and griddling, the aroma of our lunchtime banquet had everyone's taste buds dancing. People took their seats and relaxed around the handmade oak table, ready to enjoy their morning's hard work with a glass of wine or two and delightful company.

A lazy few hours lying by the pool, enjoying the wonderful weather, or even indulging in a siesta was the programme.

With newfound energy, we regrouped and began preparing for the evening meal.

Menu

Beef tartare, confit egg yolk, parmesan snow, capers, gherkins, parsley, shallots, ketchup, tabasco and Worcestershire sauce
Homemade olive focaccia
Whole haunch of venison baked on hay
Baked dauphinoise potatoes
Roasted market vegetables with red pepper pesto
Oven baked salted caramel apples with whipped mascarpone cream

The evening masterclass started with a vengeance at 4.00. People split into groups to undertake yet another feast. Mark divided people up to make sure everyone had a chance to practise difference skills to what they had been doing in the morning. Because of this hands-on approach, the guests tackled a dish from start to finish, thus being empowered with the confidence to take these skills home and to recreate the dishes for their friends and family. It was lovely to see how Mark used his knowledge and his naturally friendly approach to break the recipes down, explaining each stage and showing the group how to successfully cook a wonderful three course meal. We do welcome non-participants and, with this group, we had one gentleman who was perfectly happy to top up his ‘golf-tan’ by the pool, reading and snoozing, before joining in with all the laughter and eating at meal-times. It's nice for couples to be able to travel together and we are happy to make everyone feel at home.

All of my favourite desserts feature caramel, but I am always a little nervous about when to melt the sugar, when to add the cream and how long to keep it boiling. So, I would have to say that the salted caramel being drizzled over the softened apples was a delight to behold!

The old farmhouse is a beautiful setting during the day with the backdrop of the river running along the boundary and the tree filled garden. At night the place comes alive, the perfect venue for an informal gathering. Picture pretty tea lights lining the pathway, fairy lights twinkling around the seating area, gentle summer beats in the background, the comforting smell of lavender, the hustle and bustle from the kitchen, chatting and chuckling over an Aperol spritz while people unwind, ready for dinner. As the guests sauntered to their seats, we served the tartare, soft and tangy, partnered with the olive focaccia - a triumph! The haunch of venison was like velvet, melting in the mouth, accompanied by the creamy garlicky potatoes and the colourful vegetables smothered in the red pepper pesto - divine! We had invited Beth Sandland, a successful blogger, and we were thrilled to see her get stuck in! She took control of the pesto making, and it was absolutely delicious - definitely a recipe we will be doing at home! To round off the perfect evening, the salted caramel apples went down a treat, a sugary, tasty finale!

As the sun set, people talked with full bellies, listening to each other's stories and learning about their lives. Guests came from all over so we had an eclectic mix of cultures. At one point, our Italian guest burst into opera, singing an array of passionate pieces, thoroughly entertaining! Eyelids began to droop as the night enveloped us and, gradually, the enticing idea of a warm bed won us over.

Day three was upon us: scrambled egg on toast welcomed people as they descended to the kitchen after a nourishing nights’ sleep.

A market trip was on the agenda in the local historical town of Niort. A beautiful array of local produce spoiled us, allowing the imagination to run wild with recipe ideas. Mark wanted to give the guests the opportunity to make the stripy pasta that we had eaten on the opening night for themselves, to be accompanied by clams which we bought from the market.

After returning to the villa, a light lunch of pates and cheeses with French bread was served. This was followed by a calm afternoon by the pool to digest the food and allow time for the appetite to kick in again!

The evening masterclass was all about butchery. We had an array of birds, including pheasant, quail, poussin and duck. As Mark pointed out, although the cooking and flavour may be very different for each bird, the butchery is very similar. Everyone set themselves up with a bird, a board and a knife and Mark expertly guided the guests through the process of preparation: such a useful skill to possess and something people are often unsure of. The guests learnt how to confit the duck legs and cook the rest of the birds on the wood fires in the outdoor kitchen. The carcasses were used to make a stock which was then turned into the most amazing sauce with whole grain mustard, white wine and cream, out of this world!

The pasta making was a challenge and kept everyone busy, focused and entertained for a while! It certainly was a little tricky, but we all had a go and it was a fabulous starter of pappardelle with clams, chilli and garlic. Mark wanted to show us how you really only need a few excellent ingredients to make a show stopper!

To satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth, a beautiful sweet pastry chocolate tart with a vanilla mascarpone accompaniment was gorgeous! A delicious treat to finish what had been a wonderful weekend I will never forget.

Mark worked so hard to make sure the weekend was interesting and adapted the menu to cater for people who wanted to learn particular things. The variety of skills that were covered guaranteed there was plenty of knowledge people could take home and use again. We were spoiled with the food and the company. I would say it stands out in my memory as a really magical experience!

Mervent

Mervent is a beautiful forest nearby. We have a villa that was designed and built by my husband right in the center of the area, a short walk from the river and bars. It's such a great spot with plenty to do for the whole family. If you are interested in outdoor activities, this is the perfect destination for you. There is a sailing school to hire boats of different sizes. There are walks and cycle paths through the forest as well as pony treks if this appeals to you. There is an adventure park that all ages can enjoy, and finally a zoo that has been recently improved.

A welcoming French couple run one restaurant by the bridge and offer a reasonable menu du jour as well as a good range of snacks, happy to cater for large groups too.

It has been frustrating as it is such a stunning environment, but has needed someone with vision (and money) to update the other two bars. An Irish lady has bought one of the bars recently so we are waiting to see what she does with this. It is the most perfect setting, breath-taking!

It is with great anticipation that the spacious venue set right on the rivers edge, next to our villa is reopening! It is a quiet life we lead out here, especially through the winter months, so this is the talk of the commune and we have high expectations! The complete overhaul has taken sometime, but it is looking very smart, the work was well-needed and has made a huge difference.

We had a lovely sunny lunch there not long ago. The menu is quite simple, classically French, and a little expensive, you do pay for the right to sit beside the river which is wonderful and worth it! I think we need to allow them time to get settled into the business and the area, which I'm sure will help them to iron out the teething problems that are apparent with any new business.

As a final thought, the staff were friendly, the setting is incredible and the food was pretty good. For tourists and locals this is the perfect spot for a relaxed lunch or an aperitif, definitely worth a visit!

Our villa in Mervent

Spring Lunch at Le Mazeau

With the changing weather and the welcome warmth that seems to be gradually pushing itself back into our cold wintery days, the available produce feels suddenly brighter and inspiring. The mood is lifted by the lighter evenings, bringing memories of balmy summer nights and anticipation of many more to come. Jumping out of bed with the sun shining is fabulous after a long cold February, asking oneself, 'could I wear shorts today?' 'Definitely maybe' would be the answer, although temperatures have been hitting early twenties, fantastic!

So we decided an early spring lunch was how to spend our sunny Friday. The market in Niort is really fantastic. It's open most days which is a luxury, and has such an interesting range of produce. A bussling hive of activity as people saunter through the aisles ready for inspiration. Always a three course lunch at midday here, and make sure at 12 on the dot it's ready...

This took a lot of getting used to when we arrived. By the time we got up and ready and drove to the shops, everything would shut for a two hour lunch break...literally everything except of course the restaurants. 

From fairly early you will be able to find a few locals at the bar drinking a cold glass of muscadet. In Niort there is a busy bar set in the middle of the indoor market, at first it looks inviting, but if you even think about sitting down, the looks of horror from the regulars is enough to rapidly convince you otherwise! As we continue through the market, the colorful array of vegetables is simply beautiful. We bought a range of fresh produce for our delicious spring lunch and hurried back to the house to get stuck in.

After lighting the fires and enjoying the morning sunshine, the vegetables strewn over the limestone island gently seducing us and silently screaming 'throw us in the fire', so we did. The raw reality of cooking over wood taking us back to our cave man instincts, is great fun. You get to enjoy the whole process, knowing you have achieved it with your own bare hands. The impact of the theatre makes the meal more exciting, and the flavor makes the food more delicious!

Succulent lamb chops left to marinate with cumin and olive oil whilst tomatoes, aubergines, courgettes, a whole head of garlic and shallots, cook over the hot coals until softened and slightly charred, then roughly chopped. Mix all these little beauties with the mashed garlic, a little seasoning and fresh herbs from the garden, et voilà - scrummy ratatouille! We quickly rustled up some flatbreads which were also cooked directly on the hot coals - fantastic!

The lamb chops then cooked on the plancha and brushed with the marinade via a rosemary sprig - the perfect centerpiece! Bon appétit et bienvenue printemps!

Thanks Roger Stowell for filming the video, check out the link below...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pD4AN_9NOX0

Spring has sprung a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow

The translation of idioms and sayings can be tricky and has always been an interesting topic. We were inspired this week when our daughter (little chip off the old block) came home from school and asked me what a 'bobbly' was. It turns out that in her English lesson, she had been taught that a policeman is also known as a 'bobbly'! If children went to England and said some of the things that they have learnt at school, they would not get very far!

Spring is definitely on it's way and our first sunny, happy daffodil appeared this week. This time of year is preparation time for the holiday and activity season. There is always a lot to do, we are as busy as a bee, constantly adding to and improving the properties. There is a charity run organisation nearby where all profits go to helping get people back on their feet. It is located in a few old barns with a large courtyard, literally full of odds and sods (translate that one...!). The mirrors from reclaimed wardrobes are such a little pot of gold. They work well in our holiday villas when repaired and painted and this week we got 12 mirrors, 2 chairs and 2 tables for €35!

It has been raining cats and dogs all week, making it perfect to do some of the internal work. A beautiful his and hers wardrobe has been the project to get stuck into and so far so good, it's looking great! My husband makes it look like a piece of cake! Next week, touch wood, the sun is returning so we can get going in the gardens.

After a busy week, we had a visit to the market, bought some grumpy John Dory for dinner and had a cheeky lunch in a fabulous little bistro in Fontenay-le-Comte called 'le Cap'tain'. They do a tasty steak and roblochon burger, and lovely fish too.  I enjoyed a wok of spiced prawns and chicken - delicious! I use the term 'spiced' loosely as the French definition of this is very different to the English. It doesn't really cut the mustard for us spice-lovers! In for a penny in for a pound, we decided to finish with a cafe gourmand. It's perfect for us as they are happy to cater for families and dogs are welcome, even our silly Rhodesian. The owner is real salt of the earth and makes the place what it is, a dynamic, friendly hang-out that we love to support. He's a good egg, or should I say un bon œuf!

A walk through the Vendee

Dis-moi la Vendee

This is brilliant walking country. As well as the many kilometres of trails in attractions such as the Mervent Forest, there are designated walking trails in every commune, highlighted by arrows painted on trees in different colours to indicate shorter or longer routes. Here, the terrain includes open fields, small woodlands, streams and tracks that pass through tiny hamlets. A cart track up behind the local chateau reveals itself as an ancient road that crosses a Roman bridge. Beside an old mill is a monument to the Maquis (the local war-time French resistance).

The French love of walking includes a passion for organised events. My neighbour invited me to join her family on a walk in a nearby commune organised by a group call Dis-moi la Vendee (roughly translated as Tell me of the Vendee), which I understood combined a walk, a picnic and information about local history. So it was that I set out at eight-o’clock on the last and very stormy day of February to join a group of over 100 walkers setting off from St Maurice le Girard, all, unlike me, equipped with proper wet weather gear. 

Preceded by energetic marshals, we set off on the 10k route through wind, rain and the occasional outburst of sun. More used to solitary and meditative rambles, walking in a large group was a challenge. They walked very fast, for one thing. It was also important not to follow blindly as those just ahead might have stepped off the track to satisfy what the marshals called out as a “problème urinaire”. You could also hear an occasional warning chorus of “pi pi”.

You don’t get to admire the country so well when it’s raining and your vision is curtailed by a hood, but the walk involved some lovely woodland tracks, an extremely soggy muddy cross-field trek and an interesting break. Half-way through our 10k, we marched (or rather straggled) into what appeared to be an ordinary farmyard. Here, in a basic farm shed, we were treated to a demonstration by the Rolf Circus, a duo combining motorbike acrobatic stunts with modern dance. 

After an allegedly brilliant talk about one Jean-Gabriel Gallot, a local hero from the French Revolution, we continued on our circular walk back to St Maurice for a picnic in the local hall. When all the now wet walkers returned to their cars to collect their picnics and put on clean shoes, I realised I was about to commit a crime of heinous proportions by having to enter the hall with muddy feet. No-one warned me to bring clean shoes!

The picnic was preceded by too many speeches, but accompanied with gusto and a fair few bottles of wine. The day was not, however, over at this point. After lunch, we had a Q&A session with the fabulous Rudolphe and Leslie of the aforementioned Rolfe Circus. From what I understood they want to widen what is largely a very macho Mad Max genre into something with wider family appeal. Even their dog joins in. And they have just moved to the Vendee.

And then we were off again to visit La Corbière where retired famer Jean Brémaud has a collection of ancient farm machinery and where brioche is still baked in an eighteenth century four à bois or bread oven. Whatever one’s own sore feet felt at the forensic description of every single blessed exhibit in the museum, the French could only rave about the use of patois in M Brémaud’s delivery, his authentic dress of tunic and flat hat and the wonder of all the machinery they or their parents could still remember using. This enthusiasm is in part what makes me love this part of France.

Maeve Good

Sunday Lunch at Jousselin

Having arrived here 12 years ago with two small children, we have been lucky enough to have two more children born in France. Having a young family in a rural area and a foreign country can be lonely, but we have always tried to integrate and enjoy socializing. 

My husband is a keen cook and very talented in my opinion! It is often easier to entertain at home, allowing the children to play and the adults to indulge.... which is what we decided to do last weekend.

The produce that is available is certainly seasonal and took a little getting used.... a roasted crispy whole pork leg was the center piece for our Sunday roast with a few friends. Undeniably delicious, I must admit, it's my favorite! Accompanied by cauliflower cheese with a mixture of beautiful French offerings on the cheese front, dreamy Yorkshire puddings, honey roasted carrots and roast potatoes of course, all coated with a glossy red wine gravy to take it to another level. That is one thing that we have learnt, everyone loves a roast!

Being big foodies has rubbed off on our children and my daughter is a natural. She willingly whipped up a crowd-pleaser for pudding, walnut and chocolate brownies, perfect for a wet windy February Sunday!

We had a mixture of English and French as guests. For the children, who all speak both languages like a native, it makes no difference, but for us adults, some speak only French, some speak only English, some speak both - badly, it's always a little more of a challenge! It came to light that a few phrases in English are most amusing to the French, for example, 'oops a daisy' thought to be charming and suitably polite and 'stop dilly dallying!' no explanation for this one, just very sweet when said with a French accent!

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Lunch at the local.

Life in France is not all about food. It’s also about sport. Cue the Six Nations.

Our local bar, La Coussotte, celebrated England v France (22:16) by introducing a new Six Nations burger. Last Saturday they served England on a roll (21:16). Can’t last!

Presided over by the jovial Loic Beaurain and his wife Cindy, the bar offers an essential safety valve for life in the French countryside, somewhere local to escape to. Granted there may be only three or four regulars on a quiet winter’s evening (each has his own brass name plate at the bar), weekends are lively enough.

There is a three-course weekday lunch menu at €12.50 including wine. Weekends offer home-cooked steak with frites, a range of tasty pizzas to eat in or take way and the new burger maison. The bar also hosts special events for Beaujolais Day etc. as well as the odd comedy night (and no, my French is no way good enough for that). On Sundays, you can have an apéro of oysters with a glass of Muscadet for €7.

In the summer, there’s a sunny outdoor area. In winter, the rustic interior welcomes you with its red-checked table cloths, wooden beams and fireplace. There is snooker, darts, table football. And plenty of craic. Just watch out when France plays Ireland on the 25th.