I have changed blogs. Please go to http://theamericanfroginfrance.blogspot.com/
thanks
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Burnt out in France - The Village People
The Village People
And, I am not talking about from the YMCA but from Ligny le Ribault.
I was across the street, in the café, watching the flames eat up my life and spit it out in ashes. I was in my stocking feet. But at least I had time to grab a pair jeans. This was just plain luck. The fact that I was even dressed at all was chance. If it hadn’t been so cold….well, just to say I don’t own a pair of pjs. But Saturday was cold, cold enough that I kept on my socks when I went to take a nap.
Within an half hour I had a pair of boots and a coat. My new belongings given with such heart from people I don’t even know! It was like that all afternoon into the night, food, clothing and so many offers of help. One man from the village, who I didn’t know at all even offered his second house for as long I wished! And the number of beds to lay down my head….too many to count. And the best, I now six tubes of toothpaste with brushes to go with, four deodorants, four shampoos and two shower soaps. NOW, who says that the French don’t bath!
The result
Just a few of the Angels and Devils who stopped by.
And, of course, every French village has a few of these....
The Christines with whom I was doing the dinner have also organized a thé dansant (an afternoon tea dance) without my knowledge and the benefits are for me. With all this generosity has come the discovery just how much I have been accepted by this village. In spite of my horrible no-good accent and strange ways they somehow still love me!!
But I can't accept the tea dance money. Yes, my life will never be as it was before; I will never have what I had before. But what I will have will still be so much more than so many others. I will be giving many thanks to those who will be dancing Sunday afternoon and I will giving the money to the woman who helped clean my house something I will no longer need and to a couple that I know are struggling to pay their rent.
But did I have a good time at that Tea Dance!! It was karoke and the music I love. I took great advantage of the fact that absolutely no one was going to tell me to stop singing because of my horrible, terrible, no good voice; they wouldn’t have the heart to say that to someone whose house just burned down. SOooooooooooooooooo I sang my heart out much to the chagrin of the listeners.
After the kids left...
At the end there a few of us still hanging on.
Kristi Anderson is the orignal owner of Tea & Tattered Pages and until February 6, 2010 ran a bed and breakfast near Orléans.
kristi anderson
le saint jacques le coin perdu
15, place de l'église
45240 Ligny le Ribault
TheAmericanFrog@aol.com
And, I am not talking about from the YMCA but from Ligny le Ribault.
I was across the street, in the café, watching the flames eat up my life and spit it out in ashes. I was in my stocking feet. But at least I had time to grab a pair jeans. This was just plain luck. The fact that I was even dressed at all was chance. If it hadn’t been so cold….well, just to say I don’t own a pair of pjs. But Saturday was cold, cold enough that I kept on my socks when I went to take a nap.
Within an half hour I had a pair of boots and a coat. My new belongings given with such heart from people I don’t even know! It was like that all afternoon into the night, food, clothing and so many offers of help. One man from the village, who I didn’t know at all even offered his second house for as long I wished! And the number of beds to lay down my head….too many to count. And the best, I now six tubes of toothpaste with brushes to go with, four deodorants, four shampoos and two shower soaps. NOW, who says that the French don’t bath!
With the Coin Perdu lost in the fire I thought I would have to cancel the Saint Valentine's dinner that was organised for Saturday Feburary 13, but, no. Jean-Luc and Sylvie have graciously "loaned" me
their restaurant Auberge Sainte Anne and have even offered pro bona their services.
Here are the Christines decorating the Sainte Anne.
The dinner was a success but I have to admit it was hard for me. Not to be in my own kitchen I was looking all over for everything.
The Christines with whom I was doing the dinner have also organized a thé dansant (an afternoon tea dance) without my knowledge and the benefits are for me. With all this generosity has come the discovery just how much I have been accepted by this village. In spite of my horrible no-good accent and strange ways they somehow still love me!!
But I can't accept the tea dance money. Yes, my life will never be as it was before; I will never have what I had before. But what I will have will still be so much more than so many others. I will be giving many thanks to those who will be dancing Sunday afternoon and I will giving the money to the woman who helped clean my house something I will no longer need and to a couple that I know are struggling to pay their rent.
But did I have a good time at that Tea Dance!! It was karoke and the music I love. I took great advantage of the fact that absolutely no one was going to tell me to stop singing because of my horrible, terrible, no good voice; they wouldn’t have the heart to say that to someone whose house just burned down. SOooooooooooooooooo I sang my heart out much to the chagrin of the listeners.
After the kids left...
Kristi Anderson is the orignal owner of Tea & Tattered Pages and until February 6, 2010 ran a bed and breakfast near Orléans.
kristi anderson
le saint jacques le coin perdu
15, place de l'église
45240 Ligny le Ribault
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Monday, February 1, 2010
A pheasant in the pot....
After feeding the four footed zoo (they are easy, it is "croquettes" otherwise known in English as kibble) I am thinking what I should do about the two footed beasts in the house (Samantha Laurent and I) as we usually desire something more than kibble.
Sologne,just next to the Loire Valley is the hearting center of France. We have thousands of forested acres where the deer and, not buffalo, but "sanglier" (boar) roam as well as pheasants and partridges.
Here I am with one. Now that is about 130kg of BEAST!
Yesterday was the last day of the season, at least for the pheasants and a neighbor was nice enough to give me one.
A beauty he is.
Because hunting is so important here in Sologne, game cooking is one of the regional delights. In fact, I give a cooking course in it at my B&B www.TheAmericanFrog.com.
The name of the course? "Eat Like a Wild Man - The Art of Elegant Game Cooking"
The "Eat like a Wild Man" is also the title of a very good game cookbook by Rebecca Grey that I use quite often. I will be doing a variation of her Etruscan Pheasant
1 whole pheasant
1 lemon
l large red onion
4 tbsps butter (I use "escargot" butter, garlic and parsley mixed into the butter)
2 cups chopped veggies (I used carrots and onions)
1/2 cup wine (I replaced it with my smoked chicken stock
1 tbsp your choice of herbs (I used sage and thyme)
Soak a terra-cotta pot for 30 minutes. Rinse, pat dry, then rub the pheasant with lemon salt and pepper it. Put 2 tbsps butter along with a quartered onion into the cavity. Put the pheasant into the rinsed pot, add the veggies, herbs and the wine or stock. Cover pot and put it into a cold oven for 90 minutes at 450°F, 230°, 8 gas mark.
But to go with the pheasant...yes, of course, Brussels sprouts!
This is easy too, but it does take some time. I slice the carrots then grill them just a bit, with a little butter. When they start to brown I add the brussels sprouts, then about 1/2 smoked chicken stock. I let it reduce, stirring occassionally. I "braise" the vegtables by continuing to add a little of the stock at a time until tender. I add about 1/2 cooked bacon and crumble chestnuts just add the end of the cooking.
I served it with, what I think, is the best Cherveny wine, Domaine des Huards. It is a local Loire Valley wine, their winery is just 20 minutes from our B&B.
The poor Loire Valley wines get lost among the Grand Crus from Bordeaux. Since living here I have happily tried most of them and find many very very good. The Domaine des Huards I serve at my "table d'hôtes" (dinner for my B&B guests). And, the best thing, is since they don't keep as well as a Bordeaux you can drink them sooner!
Kristi Anderson, the original owner of Tea & Tattered Paris, now runs Saint Jacques, le coin perdu. A B&B located just 1 1/2 south of Paris near Orléans.
Saint Jacques le Coin Perdu
15, place de l'église
45240 Ligny le Ribault
TheAmericanFrog@aol.com
Sologne,just next to the Loire Valley is the hearting center of France. We have thousands of forested acres where the deer and, not buffalo, but "sanglier" (boar) roam as well as pheasants and partridges.
Here I am with one. Now that is about 130kg of BEAST!
Yesterday was the last day of the season, at least for the pheasants and a neighbor was nice enough to give me one.
A beauty he is.
Because hunting is so important here in Sologne, game cooking is one of the regional delights. In fact, I give a cooking course in it at my B&B www.TheAmericanFrog.com.
The name of the course? "Eat Like a Wild Man - The Art of Elegant Game Cooking"
The "Eat like a Wild Man" is also the title of a very good game cookbook by Rebecca Grey that I use quite often. I will be doing a variation of her Etruscan Pheasant
1 whole pheasant
1 lemon
l large red onion
4 tbsps butter (I use "escargot" butter, garlic and parsley mixed into the butter)
2 cups chopped veggies (I used carrots and onions)
1/2 cup wine (I replaced it with my smoked chicken stock
1 tbsp your choice of herbs (I used sage and thyme)
Soak a terra-cotta pot for 30 minutes. Rinse, pat dry, then rub the pheasant with lemon salt and pepper it. Put 2 tbsps butter along with a quartered onion into the cavity. Put the pheasant into the rinsed pot, add the veggies, herbs and the wine or stock. Cover pot and put it into a cold oven for 90 minutes at 450°F, 230°, 8 gas mark.
But to go with the pheasant...yes, of course, Brussels sprouts!
This is easy too, but it does take some time. I slice the carrots then grill them just a bit, with a little butter. When they start to brown I add the brussels sprouts, then about 1/2 smoked chicken stock. I let it reduce, stirring occassionally. I "braise" the vegtables by continuing to add a little of the stock at a time until tender. I add about 1/2 cooked bacon and crumble chestnuts just add the end of the cooking.
I served it with, what I think, is the best Cherveny wine, Domaine des Huards. It is a local Loire Valley wine, their winery is just 20 minutes from our B&B.
The poor Loire Valley wines get lost among the Grand Crus from Bordeaux. Since living here I have happily tried most of them and find many very very good. The Domaine des Huards I serve at my "table d'hôtes" (dinner for my B&B guests). And, the best thing, is since they don't keep as well as a Bordeaux you can drink them sooner!
Kristi Anderson, the original owner of Tea & Tattered Paris, now runs Saint Jacques, le coin perdu. A B&B located just 1 1/2 south of Paris near Orléans.
Saint Jacques le Coin Perdu
15, place de l'église
45240 Ligny le Ribault
TheAmericanFrog@aol.com
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Feeding time at a tiny zoo in Sologne Loire Valley
Someone told me it's all happening at the zoo
Paul Simon
I missed my calling. I should have been a zookeeper, but then again, I am. I am also an Inn keeper, but then again, maybe inn keeper and zoo keeper are the same (just kidding) But I do have a zoo and I do have a Bed & Breakfast in Loire Valley, Sologne. To be a zoo keeper and a inn keeper at the same time isn’t always easy.
Some people don’t like animals or they like just dogs or just cats (I haven’t yet met a person who doesn’t like just goldfish…but who knows?) There are some that love animals but not exactly drooling in their laps. And, THAT I perfectly understand. Nor do people want their black woollen pants
So I give a subtle hint to potential guests with this front page on my web site
This is Laurent (my off again on again French boyfriend), me, his two dogs, Pearl and Aya, and my two dogs, Sushi and Raggy.
But we have never had a problem and we even had one young girl who lost her fear of dogs with Sushi.
And, on several occasions, Sushi has been invited into the guest’s room for the night!
But we are talking about “feeding time at the zoo” so let’s go….
…but first I have to explain that we have become a Parisian Pet Refuge. If you don’t know the quai de la mégisserie à Paris, it is the longest pet store I have ever seen. Animal boutiques line the street and not so long ago they were still selling spider monkys. But they have been forced to clean up. They do still, however, still sell rabbits at 100€ and ferrets at 800€!
Here is Bunny, She was bought by a young Aussie who discovered that rabbits like to eat curtains and electrical cords! She is happier here with corn, cabbage and carrots.
Stinky arrived with the illustrious name of “Fleur” (flower). Sophie was lovingly given her by her children who did not realise that the name Stinky was more appropriate than Fleur. We love her and bath her once a week. Stinky likes to share her dinner with Pookie.
Stinky and Bunny are Parisian Refugees, Pookie the cat came from the local pet refuge.
We are not yet finished, here are Franklin and Caroline. I have not yet mastered the technique of photographing them but I shall persevere
Caroline likes to hide in the floating log
and Franklin, under it..
Franklin and Caroline are two South American aquatic turtles who were born in captivity. I love watching them. They are “apaisant” (calming) and peaceful.
These are the only pets I have not named, they move too fast. When I have guests I don’t have to feed them as they are given croissant and bread crumbs and swim with delight afterwards.
It is 18h (6pm) and Pavlov’s reflex is right on. The church bell is ringing and the dogs are drooling. Time for the “gamelle” (mess kit).
Even Pookie is hoping.
The oldest first, Pearl, (ask Laurent why he named a male “Pearl”, I haven’t the faintest) The biggest
and
the smallest are the oldest… Sushi,
wife of Pearl, mother of Aya and Aya
Of course, in France, an after dinner conversation
Then a “petite sieste” (little nap)Of course I talk to them in French because they never « se moquer de mon accent » (make fun of my accent)
www.TheAmericanFrog.com
Kristi Anderson
Bed & Breakfast
Saint Jacques
Le Coin Perdu
15, place de l'église
45240 ligny le ribault
Sologne Loire Valley
France
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Ok, Yesterday I promised to translate my Valentine's poster. Well, I was on strike. (it's France!) and with good reason. What would you do if your desk looked like this. 
I couldn't find the computer!
After organising at least two files I located the computer and am back on track! For those of you who are faithful enough to have come back today I will. For those of you more gifted for the French language than me can correct, but, please, with love and tenderness. It is the le fléau de mon existence (the bane of my life) that I continue, after 22 years here, to speak French like a vache espagnole (Spanish cow but more apt would be worse than Jane Birkin!)
For the Saint Valentine's menu I tried to have an aphrodisiac ingredient in each dish or drink. We will be starting with a Valentine's Kir,
It is actually my Thanksgiving Kir with a little Kirsch added. The recipe: l tsp Cranberry (or Raspberry) liqueur, 1 tsp Kirsch add 3 or 4 dried cranberries then fill the glass with sparkling wine. (for those who do not drink the Devil's drink may use Perrier)
I tried desperately to upload a video of the Kir. Because, I promise you, the cranberries dance!! It is magic! If any of you can and would explain how to upload so can you enjoy the dance!
As a starter, oeuf poché (poached egg) red & black
Ok, so this wasn't hard to translate; in fact this whole menu is easy! The red and black will be salmon and lump eggs. The recipe is one of the Christine's who has promised to give it to me afterwards.
The plat de resistence (main dish) will be roasted chicken marinated in a ginger, honey and mustard sauce. Recipe later as I haven't yet made it!
Safran rice (the safran comes from local producer just 6 kms from us!)
Endive salad with walnuts
Chocolate tart (see the posting "Chocolate for Lauren" to have the recipe)
wine and coffee
ALL THAT FOR ONLY 25 EUROS!!
You should think about coming over for the week end! The fire in chimney will be ablaze the whole week end long!
kristi anderson
bed & breakfast
15 place de l'église
45240 ligny le ribault
I couldn't find the computer! After organising at least two files I located the computer and am back on track! For those of you who are faithful enough to have come back today I will. For those of you more gifted for the French language than me can correct, but, please, with love and tenderness. It is the le fléau de mon existence (the bane of my life) that I continue, after 22 years here, to speak French like a vache espagnole (Spanish cow but more apt would be worse than Jane Birkin!)
For the Saint Valentine's menu I tried to have an aphrodisiac ingredient in each dish or drink. We will be starting with a Valentine's Kir,
It is actually my Thanksgiving Kir with a little Kirsch added. The recipe: l tsp Cranberry (or Raspberry) liqueur, 1 tsp Kirsch add 3 or 4 dried cranberries then fill the glass with sparkling wine. (for those who do not drink the Devil's drink may use Perrier)
I tried desperately to upload a video of the Kir. Because, I promise you, the cranberries dance!! It is magic! If any of you can and would explain how to upload so can you enjoy the dance!
As a starter, oeuf poché (poached egg) red & black
Ok, so this wasn't hard to translate; in fact this whole menu is easy! The red and black will be salmon and lump eggs. The recipe is one of the Christine's who has promised to give it to me afterwards.
The plat de resistence (main dish) will be roasted chicken marinated in a ginger, honey and mustard sauce. Recipe later as I haven't yet made it!
Safran rice (the safran comes from local producer just 6 kms from us!)
Endive salad with walnuts
Chocolate tart (see the posting "Chocolate for Lauren" to have the recipe)
wine and coffee
ALL THAT FOR ONLY 25 EUROS!!
You should think about coming over for the week end! The fire in chimney will be ablaze the whole week end long!
kristi anderson
bed & breakfast
15 place de l'église
45240 ligny le ribault
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Snow, rain and she devils
The lovely snow is gone. The rains came and washed it all away.
I haven't even had the courage to go outside and play!Sunday was beautiful and I did get out to the terrace. Then back in to organise the upcoming Saint Valentine's dinner. The Christine's came over and we decided on the theme "angels or demons". We are encouraging everyone to dress for the occasion.
I think it would be more fun if the guys dressed as angels.
I mean, really, does anyone know a male friend that could look this angelique? Not me, in any case.
All my male friends, when they decide to put wings on their backs look more like this guy.....
Then to be equal I needed to look for a she-devil.
I searched high and low, and, above all, on internet for a she-devil and, guess what, couldn't find one.. What do you think this means....?! We are not, after all, the DEVIL
However I did find a photo of my daughter's favorite and, I hope, beloved, she-devil.
This was taken two years ago, I am sure that I look much younger now!
Now that you have seen a preview of just a few of the demons and angels that are coming here is poster that I sent out today to my "Coin Perdu" list. I will be translating it tomorrow. So come again!
kristi anderson
saint jacques le coin perdu
bed and breakfast
15 place de l'église
45240 ligny le ribault
06.83.18.42.31
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