eWire
December 14, 2004
Walking and Cooking in Provence France
From Exhaustion to Exuberance in one amazing week
"Seating themselves on the greensward, they eat while the corks fly. There is talk, laughter, merriment, perfect freedom. The universe is their drawing room, the sun their lamp."----Jean Anthelme Brillat Savarin, French Gastronome, 1755-1826
-----Cavaillon, Provence
"Sharon taste this donkey sausage!" insists Eric Bonal, our guide. "Then you must try our lavender honey. And if you get lost in the market, then delight in being lost!"
On a sunny Monday morning, Cavaillon's market bustles with housewives shopping for fresh oysters, spicy olives, golden mushrooms, and flaky croissants oozing butter. A giant wok of bouillabaisse overflows with giant prawns and saffron rice. Cavaillon melons, tiny lime trees, and fragrant rosemary bushes perfume the air. Where is Matisse? Where is Monet? They should be here, painting emerald green beans, deep purple artichokes, tiny wheels of fresh goat cheese.
"I haven't met a French cheese I didn't like yet," says Pat Barker, one of the women on our tour. She bites into a rosemary crusted wedge. "Ummm, heaven."
Warren and I are on a week long gastronomic visit of Provence France, with The Wayfayers, a company specializing in walking and cooking tours. We'll shop farmer's markets in centuries old stone villages and hike forest trails past Roman ruins and imposing castles. We'll learn about French history and culture while ambling through vineyards and wild rosemary. Best of all, we're guests in the kitchens of Provence's most creative chefs, to cook and dine on astonishing French cuisine.
Our group includes an emergency room doctor, a pharmaceutical marketing director, an obstetrician, several college professors, and an English couple who recently sold their bed and breakfast. Exhausted from demanding work schedules, everyone welcomes a week of laughter, long walks, and convivial company.
Eric, our Walk Leader, exudes French enthusiasm and charm. Having served twenty seven years in the French Army, seventeen years as a helicopter pilot, he " yearned to be back on the ground, working outside, not at a desk. Now I show my country to new friends, it is perfect, yes? I love talking about French art, culture, food, women. Our women delight in life, you know? And the rest...well that is private!"
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The French obsession with food lasts all year. Every July, Cavaillon hosts a "Melon Festival," in honor of the fragrant fruit. Cavaillon Chef Jean Jacques Prevot has a popular cookbook, "Le Melon:A Small Anthology of Provence Gastronomy", featuring recipes for melon soup, melon salads, melon entrees, even a melon aperitif, "Melanesia."
In fall, villages surrounding the town of Vaison-la-Romanine host The Soup Festival: twelve evenings where a different soup is served, followed by a five day festival, "Les Journees Gourmandes,"- The Delicious Days.
In January, truffles are celebrated in Richerenches village at the feast of St. Anthony, patron saint of truffles. (Who knew?) During Mass, devout parishioners place their prized truffles in the collection basket as a special offering. Truffles are served throughout the festival in stews and with foie gras.
And Provence hosts wine tastings and festivals every month, to present its renowned red, white, and rose Cotes du Rhone wines. Described as "supple, elegant, with a rich bouquet," these regional wines complement local specialties perfectly.
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"In France, we enjoy so many kinds of bread," explains Gerard Auzet, owner of La Banette, a boulangerie in Cavaillon . "Garlic, olive, pine nut, whole wheat, apricot....We taste a bite of each. Chewy sweet apricot is a delight. Warren loves the soft pungent garlic bread. Monsieur Auzet puts us to work baking navettes: crispy cookies made with sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla and lemon zest; perfect for dunking into his aromatic coffee. His bakery logo attests to the family's devotion to bread and pastries: "20 Ans de Passion"- 20 Years of Passion. At lunch, hungry locals buy most of the mushroom quiche, raisin brioche, peach tart, chocolate éclairs, and baguettes stuffed with meat and goat cheese.
Over a fresh herbs and pine nut salad, with warm goat cheese on toasted walnut bread, I ask Eric how the French stay so slim. "Walking, Madam! After lunch, I will take our group on a beautiful walk."
Soon we're on a sun dappled woods trail, following miles of ancient stone walls. Who stacked these thousands of stones so artistically? Cone shaped cypress trees march for miles, to a perfect blue sky.
"Here, smell this wild rosemary," Eric calls. "I love what Chef Alain Ducasse says about Mediterranean food: 'Chefs must be very humble because we take second place behind the produce of this region. We must be alchemists in charge to give back to the sun and the wind what they have given to us.' "
In the fragrant rosemary, I smell the sun and wind.
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By midweek, we are different people. Laughter, long country walks, and sumptuous French meals have transformed us from exhausted to exuberant. Pat's our Alpha Hiker, always out front. "My legs are walking," she smiles dreamily, "but I forget where I am. I'm in some other wonderful place." Woody has forgotten about the Emergency Room back home and is telling his favorite jokes.
Judy and Vince, celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary, are singing songs. A busy obstetrician, Judy has delivered some 3,000 babies. "At work, I'm serious of course," she says. "But Vince loves Vacation Judy! I do too..." Walking hand in hand, they sing a rhyme that amused their daughter Stephanie when she was eight weeks old.
"When this game's over, there better be something new! When this game's over, there better be something new. Oh we can talk, and we can walk, and we can rockaroo...But when this game's over, there better be something new."
Each day there's something wonderfully new. On a magnificent walk through Bonnieux, we admire stone lions adorning ancient houses in the shadow of purple Luberon mountains. The village cat escorts us to another beautiful town, La Coste. Today, Madame Lilian Segura will teach us her legendary "La Soupe au Pestou."
A dark haired woman adorned with gold bracelets and earrings, she shows us how to shell huge bean pods, chop massive carrots, slice crunchy zucchini. We pound garlic cloves with fresh basil, grated parmesan, tomatoes and olive oil.
"This is a country soup," she advises. "Eat it with your eyes. When you taste La Soupe au Pestou, think of Provence. Send me postcard if your soup is a success."
Under grape vines, we slowly savor our beautiful soup in silence. After the final spoonful, we raise our wine glasses, toasting Madame Segura. We toast garlic. We toast togetherness. We toast the sun and the wind of Provence.
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In five short days, we've cooked guinea fowl with Chef Jean Jacques Prevot, who told us "The claws of the feet have the most flavor!" We've learned that rosemary has kept people healthy since Roman times and sage gives you energy. Chef Bernard Auzet has given us skills for smoking salmon, baking Grandmother's chicken pie, and secrets of killer raspberry tart. (Pounds of butter and raspberries no older than one hour.)
We've eaten far too much goat cheese and drunk uncountable bottles of Cote du Rhone wine. We've taken new names. Warren is "Smoked Salmon." I am "Lady Muscat" for the sweet aperitif wine I adore. Pat is "La Chocolat". Woody, ready for any Emergency, is christened "Lambkins." Judy is "Mousse au Chocolat" and Vince- "Old Goat Cheese." Eric, our energetic leader, is our "Papa Canard."
For the final hike, Papa Canard suggests, "Let us now listen to the silence. Perhaps we will see a rhinoceros." Walking softly on pine needles, the sunny forest becomes our magic kingdom. We examine prickly chestnuts, discover palm sized mushrooms, receive kisses from silky butterflies. And there, among a field of purple heather, The Wayfayers see him. A very French rhinoceros. He is dining happily on wild rosemary and truffles.
IF YOU GO
The Wayfayers specializes in walking vacations to France, England, Scotland,
Ireland, Wales, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Czech Republic, New Zealand and the United States. Reservations: 800-249-4620.