I wasn’t really looking for a cooking school when the phone rang yesterday, but after a conversation with one of the directors of Flavours Holidays, the seed of an idea was planted. Now that Flavours have added painting class holidays and pilates weeks, their range of appealing themes has expanded. In fact, painting with well known artist, Penelope Anstice in Sicily tempts the Vagabond to dream of being there. But the core of their well organized programs lies in Tuscany, enticingly near Lucca to be specific, where cooking classes roll with the spring and summer season’s market-fresh produce. That means learning to make not only ravioli filled with Tuscan greens and Pisan pine nuts, but stuffed zucchini blossoms as well – after a round in the market to find the ingredients; very Tuscan, very local.  So, if you are searching among the confusing lists of on-site cooking classes in Italy,  narrow down your options for a culinary getaway quickly.  For details about Flavours, run by an experienced team, see:  www.flavoursholidays.co.uk and www.flavoursofitaly.blogspot.com

Your vacation plans might focus on hiking, diving, fishing or…why not cooking?  Next month’s Go Cooking will be in the Périgord and a wine school in Puglia…stay tuned.

Where will your dreams drive you in this new decade – don’t stop to say “this year”, but allow a greater frame.  Still, there is an immediacy connected to travel:  to return to places just tasted once (say, hiking in Thessaly in the spring), let curiosity coax you to explore unknown or rather more remote (maybe Moldova at Grape Harvest fest time), or venture way off the map in Turkestan tracking down native textile traditions.  All of the above hold great appeal, as do the cuisines of these diverse parts of Europe and the Asian hinterlands – but hold the ghee, in tea or otherwise, please. What would you like to taste again, where would you listen to the sea again, or to survey a Piedmont vineyard-scape that lingers in your memory ?  Consider which season, think about what will be primo in local markets – and be ready for surprises – wherever you roam.

The vagabond invites you to share your travel dreams, with  food and wine as part and parcel of your Voyages Extraordinaires !

What might the new year hold?  A minute to pause and look at both plans and habits brings up:  more slow travel, not to mention lingering over slow food, and on every market day, slow shopping.  What…slow shopping?  It has been almost a month since I pushed a cart around in a super market, rushing around to find things in aisles lined with hundreds of cereal boxes and buying temptations I don’t really need; then waiting in line. Not only was the experience (and the musak) exasperating, it drove me away.

During the last half of December, I found whatever we needed in the village where we live, with two of each…bakeries, groceries, butcher shops, and a drugstore for toiletries.  No need to back the car out of the garage and drive (count time and gas).  Shopping locally is not only an opportunity for contact with neighbors, but I can find whatever I need here, and be back at our gate more quickly than the drive to Carrefour or LeClerc supermarkets would allow.  So, to continue my “new habits” and do what I can to shop locally, 2010 is the year of no supermarket madness.  It will just take a little timing, going to the butcher when they open at 3:00 there’s no one else around when I try to pronounce Herring (my bête noire!), and to the grocer on Wednesday afternoon when fresh produce is in place. Thursday morning market day means fresh eggs, maybe a chicken and a cyclamen for the windowsill, fresh fish and…oh, the cheese. Actually, this also fits into a fitness plan for aerobics when I haul the bag and basket back up the hill. The only real slow aspect about village shopping is running into friends, but that makes shopping a pleasure!

Bubbles to bring in a New Year

As festivities continue, and as the wallet is a little thin, I look beyond Champagne to find other bubblies to ring out the old year. A first choice is my old standby, a sparkling Vouvray – one of many delectable vins mousseux from the Loire valley. Along with Saumur, this sparkler fits into a holiday menu ranging from savory tapenade-toasts to creamy fish or chicken entrées, roast pork… and all the way to flaky tourtières or galette des rois pastries…the truly versatile sip. Crémants de Bourgogne or de Bordeaux, Blanquettes de Limoux, all would fit the bill for a festive toast on New Year’s Eve.  So what, I wondered, is the difference? Each region’s wine varieties are part of the equation, and of course – terroir – that hard-to-pin-down element embracing soil, exposure and daylight hours, mist and altitude – are involved in making up a crémant’s character. Crémant is also used to describe certain Champagnes, Crémant de Champagne, with a light foam.  Crémant d’Alsace is made from pinot blanc grapes, while Crémant Blanc de Bourgogne’s aromatic, floral nose issues from a Chardonnay and Pinot Noir blend – and toss in the difference in terroir to accentuate the style.  Crémant de Loire can be a blend, mostly Chenin grapes but Chardonnay, Cabernt Franc and Pineau d’Aunis can be part of the composition. Across the globe, from Devonshire to the tip of Argentina, and from southern Russia to Rutherglen Australia, sparkling wines are made to both quench thirst and accent celebrations. And whether your taste is for sec or brut (dry) or demi-sec (sweet), wherever you lift a glass of bubbly, it holds its own as an expression of its winemaker – and of the moment:  Happy New Year….Happy New Decade!

Grand Théatre de Bordeaux, in profile

Events during this festive month have led the vagabond to Bordeaux and Paris, where shoppers are in last-minute rush mode.  Bordeaux’s long Allées de Tourny boulevard is transformed into a Marché de Noël with wooden cabins to shelter vendors of giftie temptations from around the world. Kids peer from strollers and ride high on Papas’ shoulders, bight-eyed and munching on Chi-chi beignets and Barbe à Papa (cotton candy).  The toasty aromas of roasting chestnuts fill the air as it does in Paris along my (current) favorite shopping street in the 14th arrondissement, Rue Daguerre, near the Denfert Rochereau RER station. In fact, the neighborhood watering hole, Café Daguerre is a treat for a morning café machiato before perusing the cheese vendors, pastry and fruit shops.  A stop in Cave des Papilles, the specialist in natural-wines, is always fascinating, as is a browse through the diverse fish choices in poissonnieres (how many ways can salmon be cured, smoked or sliced?) and great range of breads at Richesses de la Nature (around the corner). Winter’s primo cheeses are up for selection on this street-shoppers’ buffet – French or Italian, Dutch or Swiss.  All this leads me to the Savoy specialist, Le Brasier Daguerre, for Raclette: melted cheese and potatoes – hefty fare for a winter night in a neighborhood for lingering.

As all the overhead sparkle fades into memory, we return to the country and tranquil evenings at home. A candle and Santon – from a memorable provençal Christmas past in Apt -  grace our table, as the vagabond wishes you all a peaceful, delicious Christmas!

Santon, vin de Cahors, a bougie for Christmas

Favorite basic whisks

How do you whip up a quick mayonnaise, a meringue or sweet sabayon? The essential, basic whisk comes in all sorts of sizes, some with stiff handles, others shaped more ergonomically.  And each chef fancies a particular variation on the bundle of looped wires that blend eggs into a mousse or add air to egg whites.  To whip eggs, most chefs join Michel Roux in choosing a large balloon whisk as the wonder tool to incorporate maximum air volume.  His clear instructions about Eggs steer me clear of disasters in the seemingly simple process of whipping this most basic – but fragile – ingredient.  So the balloon is the wunderkind, most useful member of the whisk family, but other whisks are better suited to specific preparations.  Whenever I use my Mom’s old spring whisk, I remember her smooth béchamel for green beans and cream soups.  A vinaigrette needs another type of whip to bring oil and vinegar into an emulsion, so to sum it up:

*A flat or roux whisk with horizontally arranged loops is suited to cream sauces in shallow pans, de-lumping gravy and delicate operations.

*A vinaigrette whisk is a single loop with wires wound around it to blend oil and vinegar for sauces and dressings – also my standby for making yogurt.

*A ball whisk has beads on the end of each wire to swirl into corners and incorporate flour with butter in a roux, and is good for frothing milk- but don’t use it in cephalon or coated pans.

* A spring whisk, also called a spiral or twirl whisk with its conical shape, does wonders for béchamel, reduces lumps in gravy, and works well blending quick sauces in shallow pans.

* A jug whisk is a very long and narrow balloon type tool, suited for odd jobs like mixing settled sugar back into lemonade.

* A silicone wrapped balloon whisk is designed for use on fragile surfaces and delicate operations like a buerre-blanc sauce.

* A mini whisk comes in handy for blending small quantities of chocolate sauces, and is perfect for mixing up cocktails (if you go with the stirred, not shaken formula!)

As you tick off your list of gifts for a favorite cook, why not pop a whisk into his or her stocking – or tie it onto the top of a larger, wrapped culinary surprise?

Happy whisking!

Eggs, by Michel Roux, published in 2005 by John Wiley in the US, makes a super gift on any occasion.  ‘Tis the season for his Truffled Eggs en Cocotte (page 111) and the ‘pickled’ Pear & Cinnamon Omelet (p. 134) can be served as an appetizer….some welcome winter inspiration!

Click on lamp post to view Versailles market gallery

Versailles in winter is truly overflowing with treasures, royal and otherwise.  It’s just a ten minute ride on the Transilienne train from Paris Montparnasse (lowest level) station. A bus from Versailles “Chantiers” station takes you to Notre Dame market, its square framed by a halle on each corner.  On a recent Friday, we were plunged into a hubub of activity:  vendors of cheese, fruit and flowers, salt and sausages fill the marketplace center, an intersection traversed by buses and bicycles dodging shoppers.  From clementines to fancy terrines, there are more upscale victuals to the square foot than any market I have ever seen. The vagabond was astonished by the cheeses alone, stall after richly appointed stall of fromages from across France and beyond.  Hankering for a wedge of gorgonzola , mimolette or spiced gouda, herbed chèvre from Provence, or curls of parmigiano-reggiano? This is your hunting ground.  Inside the halls, fish from all waters, glistening eyes a sign they are fresh today, are spread in a seemingly endless array. Sole, rouget or barbet/red mullet, rosy rascasse/red scorpion fish, and even slabs of dried morue/cod appeal to a variety of shoppers. With over thirty permanent stalls inside the halls open daily, and seventy vendors outside on Tuesdays and Saturdays, Versailles draws Ile-de-France shoppers to the best selection west of Paris.

And when it is time for a short break, step up to a plate of oysters and a glass of Muscadet – the only on-the-spot eating option I noted in Versailles halls. In the mood for something salty? Greek olives, capers, all sorts of pickled veg are ready to be scooped up. Almond-studded cornes de gazelle, among many honey-glazed Middle Eastern sweets tempted the vagabond during this market romp. Of course the market answers gift-shoppers’ quandries, too:  a little oval salt cellar with a wooden scoop, colorful packets of sugar-dusted fruit paste tied with a ribbon, even a chocolate Santa Claus will win up in someone’s stocking.

Try just a slice, or buy an entire terrine for a “festive first”
All of these market aromas and visual delights can trigger appetites, so shoppers need not look beyond the halls’ periphery – take a few steps and you are sitting in the sun with a coffee or a tall Belgian beer. We joined the locals at a corner café bar, the Franco-Belge on rue du Baillage for hearty traditional fare. When the vagabond tucked into a mound of choux-farci, she thought it would easily serve four…an hour later, the waiter removed the empty plate. Markets do stimulate appetites!  After lunch, a stroll through eighteenth century ruelles of the Bailliage antique dealers’ quarter led past fifty shops filled with everything from arm chair frames (which Louis ?…. don’t ask) to lamps, statuettes and paintings. In fact, this first visit to Versailles was an appetizer, with a follow-up planned for April…to find signs of spring in the Potager du Roi.

Getting to Versailles: Trains to Versailles Rive Droit station run regularly from Gare St.Lazare and take about 30 minutes (closest to center). From Gare Montparnasse, it takes about 10 minutes, but is a 20 minute walk from Gare Versailles Chantier on the outskirts.  Or take the RER from St.Michel metro stop or Quai d’Orsay stop, about a 40 minute ride to V. Rive Gauche stop.

Inside tips: Tempted to linger for more than one day, especially when the Versailles center for Baroque music has a full concert schedule? Watch the concert listings on www.versailles-tourisme.com . Even on a slim budget, Versailles for a weekend is a treat:  Hôtel Cheval Rouge faces the market place, and has 38 reasonably priced rooms (less than 90 Euros for a double room) – simple, and recently renovated.  Located near the Rive Droit station for trains from Paris, it is five minutes’ walk to the château and gardens. Visit: www.chevalrouge.fr.st for map and information in English.  Or, rent a car in Versailles for a few days and venture another 10 kilometers on the route to Dreux to stay in a dreamy B&B, www.clos-saint-nicolas.com.  For 90 Euros a double room is yours, with breakfast in the conservatory….and do visit the Grand Marnier distillery in the village of Neauphle-le-Château. The 1810 mansion has just three guest rooms, so reserve in advance for a remarkable base to explore the historic region.

Gingerbread or chocolate, still Santa

Oh, jolly old St. Nick  – the emblematic figure has gone through many transformations.  St. Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors, school children, and pawn brokers is honored with December feasts and festivals across northern Europe. Long before he began sliding down chimneys on Christmas Eve, St. Nicholas (spellings also evolve) was a bearded saint who left treats in childrens’ shoes on December sixth.  Last weekend, folks in the French city of  Nancy were nibbling on gingerbread figures of St. Nicolas as they celebrated with their annual festival and parades.  But it was in the Versailles market that a chocolatier’s display caught my eye, the first time I had ever seen the saintly figure side-by-side with more rotund Santas.  So here they are, the bearded men, all rolling their eyes, back again for our gift-giving season. Maybe they know whether we’ve been naughty or nice?

Daubos Chocolatier is in Versailles market hall, and the shop in Versailles’ Saint Louis district is jam-packed with temptations, worth a stop. For their Chocolate Crème Brulée recipe (in French), see recipes on www.chocolatsdaubos.com

A daily energy dose

The pace picks up when Thanksgiving’s menus are (recent!) history, errand lists grow longer as daylight hours shorten and what-to-give-whom questions swirl in my head.  Needed:  a good dose of energy. Answer: a daily almond + chocolate pause. After lunch, about 2:30 every day I sit for a minute to collect my ideas for what’s on the afternoon list. Besides being relaxing, I remind myself that calcium-packed almonds and chocolate’s magnesium zap are so good for the nerves.  Almonds for protein and immune-system boosting zinc, chocolate for added energy in the afternoon – just when it might flag.  What are your favorite energy boosters?

As turkey day approaches, put a few new salad ideas on the list….all the shopping, chopping, roasting, saucing and baking takes time and planning, but what about the salad? For the vagabond, a simple and savory salad offers a refreshing pause between the turkey, roast beef, pork or pheasant and the oncoming pies – a natural palate-cleanser. For special holiday meals, a salad need not be dull during a greens season of  ruby radiccio, ivory endive, fennel and curly green frisée. Talk color, talk about Trevisa and Chioggia, two towns in eastern Italy where winter lettuce is a market draw.

Our local growers bring the round, firm Chioggia variety to November markets. Best after the first frost, Trevisa radiccio is elongated with deep red veins and a tangy, slight bitterness in the bite. Radiccios add snap to a tossed salad, color when shredded and stirred into a risotto, and perk up appetites as a grilled and oil-drizzled first course.  For a dramatic dish on the holiday table, mix them with chunks of white Belgian endive dressed with a classic, herbed vinaigrette.

Winter salads, toss as you please

Recipe: MC, our “Maître de Salade”, does a basic vinaigrette – whisked together in a minute:  2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, 1 teaspoon (or tablespoon if you wish!) French Dijon mustard, a pinch of salt, then whisk in 3 tablespoons of your best olive oil. Mix it up an hour ahead, let the flavors mellow and re-stir before tossing the salad. Variations on this theme run from adding peeled and deveined shrimp, a little dill or thyme and some pomegranate seeds to shredded Belgian endive, or add strips of cooked beets (add a pinch of sugar, ginger and black pepper to the dressing) and arugula leaves for diverse textures. Bring on the winter greens, whether before or after the turkey – that is your call.