Here’s a French-inspired dish for you, but first let me write an important reminder to myself: there are no outdoor food markets in Paris on Mondays. Not anywhere, ever.

Back to the gambas and the restaurant that inspired me to cook these large prawns in a creamy saffron sauce with onions and garlic. Chez Bruno (Place Michel Debré, Amboise 37400) is one of my favorite wine-bar bistros in the Loire Valley – actually, in all of France. It’s a tiny place located just at the foot of the Amboise Castle, and in the summer and early fall you can sit out on their terrace under dreamy umbrellas. The first reason to go the Chez Bruno is for the view of the castle and the pleasant atmosphere. The second reason is for the wine (try La Closerie de Chanteloup’s chenin or sauvignon-blanc, for example). The third reason is for the satisfying, no nonsense French cuisine. We went there for the first time about a year ago, and that’s when I ordered prawns in a cream sauce over rice. Ever since then, it’s been in the back of my head to recreate a similar dish.

Here’s what I came up with (for 4 people):

Shopping List

24 large prawns (cooked)

½ onion (chopped0

1 close garlic (minced)

1 cup (20 cl) light cream

Several pinches ground saffron

Olive oil

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 cups uncooked rice

Recipe:

1. Peel and prepare the prawns. Set aside.

2. Brown the onion and garlic in olive oil.

3. Add the light cream, saffron, salt and pepper to taste. Let simmer over low heat, stirring regularly.

4. Add the prawns and continue simmering until they are fully heated; stir regularly.

5. Cook the rice and continue simmering the sauce to bring out flavor. If it becomes too thick, add a little milk until the sauce is the consistency you want.

6. Add a little butter/salt to the rice if desired. Dish onto plates and pour the prawn sauce over it. Bon ap’!

In Bracieux, France, the same small village that inspired Alexandre Dumas to write about the fictive musketeer, Porthos, you’ll find a chocolate factory.

Not far from Blois in the Loire Valley, chocolate-maker Max Vauché, has set up a chocolatier worth visiting. We took a tour of the contemporary facilities (where dried cacao beans stuffed into canvas sacks are rather mesmerizing transformed into fine, high-quality chocolates). The tour will take you through the entire chocolate-making process, from the harvesting of the beans abroad to the final artistic touches in France.

The tour was especially interesting for its focus on the company’s solidarity-based collaboration with the African Island Sao Tomé and Principe (nicknamed “Chocolate Island” and located just off the Gabon coast).

We visited the factory on a Sunday, so no one was actually making chocolate, but we were able to peek into the large “kitchens” and peer at the numerous machines used throughout the process. A weekday visit might be worth it in order to see (and smell) the grinding, churning and oozing chocolate.

At the end of the visit, we tasted chocolates from all over the world- and learned that, like wine, chocolate really does have a different taste depending on where it’s from. Although cacao trees originated in Brazil, they are now abundant in tropical climates around the globe. Among the nearly endless samples, was some rather bitter 100% pure cacao.

There were lots of helpful hints and tidbits to pick up. Some of them were about properly storing chocolate: keep in an airtight container (in a cool, dark place) and avoid putting in the refrigerator- faux pas I have to admit to. The reason: chocolate is very fragile and will take on the odor of the foods around it. Also, (like wine) cold temperatures will inhibit its aromas.

To learn more, visit the Max Vauché website.

Amboise, a small town in the Loire Valley, is known primarily for its overbearing medieval castle- once home to some of France’s most famous rulers, as well as to Catherine of Medici’s ten children!

Amboise is also renowned for Clos-Lucé, the stately home where Leonardo da Vinci (invited by the French King Francois I) spent the last years of his life.  We recently discovered that Amboise is also noted for it’s Sunday morning open-air market- for us, this meant the discovery of some new cheeses and cheese desserts.

At first I thought it was a mistake- that the unidentified food item sitting on the vendor’s booth was burnt, really burnt. Turns out, that’s the way a tourteau au fromage is supposed to be. Made from thick, creamy fromage blanc this cake is originally from the Poitou-Charentes region of France. Outside, it’s round and looks like a turtle shell, or rather a crab shell (in French, a tourteau is a large crab). Did I mention it looks like a burnt crab shell? Inside, it’s light, airy and slightly sweet. We were told we could eat this delight either with an aperitif or for breakfast- it didn’t actually make it that far.

The next foodie adventure was camembert au Calvados- basically soft cheese soaked in alcohol and then covered in bread crumbs. Calvados is a brandy made of distilled apple or pear from Normandy. I had trouble deciding if I actually liked this cheese or not- it was smooth and creamy like ordinary camembert, yet had a very strong kick, thanks to the Calvados. We ended up saying, “It’s different.” Definitely worth trying, but might not make regular appearances on the cheese platter.

Next post: Still in the Loire, but this time…chocolate in Bracieux.

It all started with the bourru wine I talked about in this post.

Thanks to my sister, last weekend we got the chance to visit a seventh-generation, family-owned vineyard in Cour-Cheverny, a small rural town near Blois in the Loire Valley.  After writing about bourru, Sébastien and I were wondering if it was only a tradition in Bordeaux to drink the fermented grape juice that hasn’t yet been turned into “real” wine.  On our visit to the Domaine de la Marigonnerie, we had the chance to taste the Loire Valley equivalent, bernache, right out of the fermenting vat.

Drinking this sweet, cloudy, fizzy grape juice wasn’t only special because we were able to see first-hand how wine is made, but also because we tried a couple different kinds.  My favorite was the one made from the rare cépage “romorantin.” Also the name of a nearby town, this is a grape variety that was originally brought to the Loire Valley from Burgundy by Francois I in the 16^th century.  Today it is only cultivated in this region.

Of course, “bernache” wasn’t the only wine we tasted.  We especially enjoyed the AOC Cour-Cheverny, Cuvée “vieilles vignes”- a full-fledged dry white wine made from 100% “romorantin” grapes. We were told it would pair especially well with spicy foods- of course, the adventurous New Mexican in me liked that idea.

We also enjoyed the AOC Cour-Cerverny, “Cuvée tardive”- a vin moelleux. “Cuvée tardive” means that the grapes were picked later than for a dry wine and, therefore, have a higher sugar content.  It was interesting to taste the difference between the dry and sweet wines of the same grape variety.  Mr. Daridan, who runs the vineyard, joked that this wine would go well with Maroilles, a semi-soft cows-milk cheese made in the north of France and known for it’s very strong smell!  I’ll keep you posted as soon as we try that one.

For anyone who might be in the Blois area this December 5-6, the Daridan vineyard will be hosting an open house with tasting and sales of their wine and other local products.  Check their website for more details and directions- they may come in handy on the small dirt roads!

Next post: roasted chestnuts and white wine.

We didn’t really know if we were supposed to eat the heads or not!

Looking back at our most-recent two days in the Loire Valley, I’m still proud of myself for trying the tiny fish you see in the photo.  Friture de petits poissons was listed as an appetizer on La Croisette’s menu.  We were sitting out on the restaurant’s terrasse in a very small town called Béhuard, looking over the River Loire and enjoying one of the last warm evenings of late summer.  I was in the mood for culinary adventure and began setting up my rules for the evening: (1) I wanted to eat something I’d never tried before and (2) I wanted it to be something typique de la région.  Our waiter told us these little guys had been fished right out of the River Loire.  They were then battered up, fried and served to us with fresh lemon juice and tartar sauce.  Of course, the first thing I noticed were the beady eyes and I was slightly hesitant at first, but once I got cracking, I was having fun.  When the waiter came to clear the plate, all was gone- except for a few (yep, only a few) conspicuous-looking heads.

After this came the filet de sandre au beurre blanc, a white fish in a thick butter sauce.  According to the dictionary, sandre is “pikeperch” in English (I’d definitely never heard of that one before).  We’d been told it was not only native to the River Loire, but also the best thing on the menu.  We’d also been warned not to drink water with it- because the sauce was so rich (remember oil and water don’t mix!).  Instead, one was to drink wine.  When it comes to dining, we like to follow local advice.

Since we were trying everything else local, we went for two (well, four in the end) different glasses of dry white wine from the region.  According to this site, the Loire Valley is France’s leading producer of white wines.  Here’s what we ordered: a Savennières (Domaine des Forges, Clos du Papillon) and an Anjou blanc (Domaine Mosse). Unlike many other French wines, those of the Loire Valley tend to be made from a single cépage (grape variety).  Both of these were of the variety Chenin and, served chilled, went extremely well with the sandre.  As usual, I was on the lookout for a candidate for my “extra kudos for sustainability.” This trip’s winner: Domaine Mosse, since they practice organic farming techniques in their vineyards.

Our meal came between a visit to the Chateau de Serrant and a night in the bed and breakfast La Tour Girault.  This lesser-known castle was especially impressive for two reasons: the 135-square-meter kitchen (with its eight-oven kitchen range and 900 pieces of copper cookware) and the equally large library (with its 8,000 leather-bound books, including an original copy of Jean de la Fontaine’s Fables).  Apparently, this collection is one of the largest in France and actually counts 12,000 books total.

We have yet to be disappointed with a bed and breakfast in the Loire Valley and now have another favorite to add to our list.  Ask for the room “Sampan” for the very original charpente (the A-frame woodwork coming down from the ceiling).  Our hostess was especially welcoming and even made our dinner reservations for us- knowing the only restaurant open on a Monday evening!  And, as usual, I paid special attention to the homemade green plum jam at breakfast.

Two days was way to short, but that’s probably why we keep going back to the Loire Valley…

Here’s one last post in my series on the Loire Valley.

Now that we’ve seen where we stayed and what we saw, this one’s about what we ate.

Part 4: Asparagus Invasion

A primeur is a young fruit or vegetable that starts off the season. This is what we were eating during our trip in April. March through June is asparagus season in France and the Loire Valley is known for its production of this favorite.

In France, you find asparagus in three different colors: green, purple or white. I grew up eating the green ones and was taught to search out the skinny tender stalks. I’ve noticed, however, that the fat white ones seem to be the most common here in Paris- I’ve actually been on many an excursion around town trying to find slender green asparagus without any luck. The white stalks are white because they have never been exposed to sunlight and are picked as soon as they start popping out of the ground. They are tougher than the green sprigs we tend to eat in the States and need to be peeled before cooking. Though I’ve tried, I still have a preference for the stronger taste of the green ones.

Thus my excitement when I saw slender green twigs continually coming out of the restaurant kitchens on our trip. Even without trying, I had fresh asparagus at almost every meal: on top of pizza, as a side dish, in sauces…

Our most memorable meal was in Langeais at a restaurant called Au Coin des Halles (9, rue Gambetta). Here, I had bar (European sea bass) with seared asparagus and asparagus/lime sauce. At first I was a bit skeptical when I saw the color of the sauce: bright green like sherbet; but I was in asparagus heaven as soon as I started eating.

Over the last couple of months, I’ve noticed that even Parisian grocers have been subject to the asparagus invasion.

Looking in the grocery store today though, I sadly had to admit that the season has come to an end- all I could find where bunches of white stumps from Belgium. Guess I’ll have to wait for the next primeurs in March.

This is the third post in my series on the Loire Valley.

Like this one, the last post was on a castle and the first one about a bed & breakfast.

Part 3: Warning: Medieval Obsession!

As many of my friends know, I’m slightly obsessed (no, much more than slightly) with medieval history. That’s surely one of the reasons I enjoy living in France so much- almost everywhere you turn, there are remnants of the architecture from this fascinating period. Of course, the Chateaux de la Loire, are among the edifices that get me the most- for their imposing structure, as well as for their intriguing history.

A mere 6 miles from Azay-le-Rideau is Langeais, an historic city sporting a lesser-known castle that is certainly worth visiting. The Chateau de Langeais was originally built in 1465, near the end of the medieval period. Although its looks like a fortified castle, our guide told us the chateau was purely residential and not used for defense. Unlike many others, it was not built on a hilltop, but directly in the city. What struck me were the large windows and sunlight that poured through them. Our customary image of a medieval castle is one with tiny windows and very little light. It was also interesting to observe the use of space in the Middle Ages. A single room would have had many functions and the notion of privacy wasn’t the same as today. For example, the royal “bedroom” also served as a room to receive guests. Today, we usually don’t dare ask to go into our hosts’ bedrooms! During the visit, I learned that it wasn’t until the 15th century that we began moving toward the specialization of space.

We visited a number of rooms, restored and refurnished, including the Hall where one of the most important marriages in France took place. Anne de Bretagne (Duchess of Brittany) and Charles VIII (King of France) were (secretly) married on December 6, 1491. What impresses me about this ceremony is the numbers and their auspiciousness- Charles was 21 years old, Anne was 14, and the ceremony took place at 7 o’clock in the morning! The story’s a bit complicated: Apparently, Anne was already married (by procreation) to Maximilian I of Austria. They had never consummated the marriage and it was annulled by the Pope. If I understood correctly, this didn’t actually happen until after she and Charles were married. The wedding ceremony turned out to be a significant event in French history because the union played a crucial role in reuniting the still independent Brittany with France. The walls of the insignia room at the Chateau de Langeais have been decorated with their initials and emblems (a fleur de lys for the king and an ermine tail for the duchess). The marriage, however, didn’t last long. Only seven years later, Charles died. The story goes that he hit his head on a low doorway. Interestingly, the marriage contract had stipulated that Anne marry Charles’ cousin, Louis XII (next in line for the throne), if anything should happen to him. I could go on and on, but…

Back to architecture: Next to the castle, you can still see the remains of the “oldest donjon in France” which dates back to 994 when the ferocious Foulque Nerra, Count of Anjou, took possession of Langeais. Don’t get confused: the French word donjon is best translated to the English “keep” or “strong hold.” In other words, it’s the large round tower in a fortified castle. Our common English use of the word “dungeon” refers to the cachot or oubliette- the dark underground prison. The word oubliette comes from the French oublier which means “to forget.” I wouldn’t have wanted to be one of these unlucky prisoners!

Next and last post on the Loire Valley: what we ate.

The first one was about the cave we slept in. In the next two posts, I’ll be talking about castles.

Part 2: Leave your guidebook at home

Our travel guides on France have started getting tattered- we tend to use them faithfully as we gallivant through new regions. On our last trip to the Loire Valley, however, we discovered there are quite a few “hidden secrets” waiting to be unearthed- and our guidebooks hadn’t even mentioned our favorite one. With so many remarkable chateaux decorating the countryside, it’s easy for many of the lesser-known sites to fall under the shadows of the most celebrated. If you’re like us, you’d enjoy visiting the renowned Azay-le-Rideau, Chambord, and Villandry, but you may also want to get away from the crowds and discover the other, equally fascinating, treasures that lay just off the customary itinerary.

Chateau de la Chatonnière is in Azay-le-Rideau, a very short drive from the town center. Why visit this medieval manor? Its gardens. I was impressed with the gardens at Villandry, and was equally enchanted by these. (You won’t be surprised why after you look at their website to find the connection between the two!). At first, we thought the site was closed since no one else was around. As soon as we arrived at the front gate we were greeted by the head gardener- telling us straight away that we needn’t pay attention to the closing time listed on the sign. We could stay as long as we wanted and, of course, watch the sunset.

Once inside the iron gate, we were free to wander around the twelve different gardens- each with its own name and theme. Among the most impressive were the vegetable garden (Jardin de l’Abondance), which took the form of a gigantic leaf, and the Jardin des Romances, which was an interlaced series of life-size “rooms” made of willow branches. We also enjoyed getting lost in the labyrinth and gaping at the seemingly endless field of white narcissus, in bloom only from March to May. The chateau itself is not open to visitors, but this was not a disappointment. The gardens, with the manor towers idling in the background, stood completely on their own.

Part 3: Chateau de Langeais

This is the first in a series of posts on our recent trip to the Loire Valley.

We never stick to the beaten track when we travel and always try to find some of the “hidden secrets” of the place we’re visiting. Read along to see some of what we discovered: where we stayed, what we saw and what we ate.

Part 1: Forget the hotel; stay in a cave.

We spent our first night in Azay-le-Rideau, a small town located along the Indre River and known for its 16th century chateau. What I remember most from our visit isn’t only the picturesque castle and its collection of remarkable tapestries, but the cave we slept in!

The bed & breakfast, TrogloDélice is situated a mere five minutes from the chateau and is etched into the rocky hillside. The owners have transformed a former troglodytic dwelling into a unique accommodation in the heart of the Parc naturel régional Loire-Anjou-Touraine.

The Loire Valley has been classed a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000, for its historical monuments and villages as well as for its natural landscape. The Parc naturel régional spans 270,858 hectares (669,019 acres) and regroups 141 different communes, including Azay-le-Rideau. One of the park’s primary goals is to preserve the area’s natural, historic and cultural patrimony through different partnerships, including those with local hotels and restaurants.

TrogoDélice gets extra kudos for their commitment to sustainability and their involvement with the park’s program Hébergements nature et patrimoine. Participating bed & breakfasts, rural gites and hotels encourage visitors to respect and enjoy the surrounding environment. They propose, for example, hiking itineraries and promise to use eco-friendly cleaning products.

Now for a little history. The caves (grottes troglodytiques) scattered throughout the Loire Valley date back to the Medieval and Renaissance periods. Limestone, or more specifically tuffeau, was extracted from the masses of rock covering the hillsides in order to build many of the monuments still standing today. As an indirect result, caves were created where poor rural families took up residence. These people are referred to as troglodytes (cave dwellers) and their “houses” are commonly called habitations troglodytiques. These dwellings were inhabited for many centuries, some until the early 1900s.

Today, these grottes are considered highly original and sought after for a variety of purposes. Some have been turned anew into homes (with contemporary heating systems, of course), while others serve as museums, restaurants, mushroom nurseries or wine cellars. Their stable temperature and humidity levels make them especially suitable for the latter.

We found TrogloDélice on one of my favorite websites: Gite de France. This is an excellent resource for finding rural, off-the-beaten-track accommodations. Instead of using stars, the site classes its recommendations with ears of corn. In addition to the unique setting, this bed & breakfast (classed “3 ears of corn”) proposes a very satisfying breakfast, including brioches (fresh from the local bakery) and fig and current jams. You just have to choose whether you want to take it on the terrace or in your cave!