Chez Loulou

Settling In

2012-01-22T16:20:00.001+01:00

Domino, a photo by chez loulou on Flickr.

Loving our new place, just wishing Orange would hurry up and connect us to the Internet!

Until then, we've found ourselves a fantastic little café with free wi-fi in Bayeux to keep us sane.

A bientôt!

Les Chaises

2012-01-18T13:36:00.000+01:00

Along with antiquated doors, weathered shutters, outdoor markets, old stone houses and French windows, I am totally infatuated with empty chairs as a photography subject.

Does anyone else share my fascination?

Just One More Reason I Love France

2012-01-14T13:32:00.001+01:00

This is butter.
But it isn't just any old butter.

It is golden beurre de baratte* from Normandy, impregnated with crunchy bits of sea salt and hand molded. Don't you love the cow?
It is rich and rustic, with flavors of caramel and cream.
And it is heaven.

*butter that is churned rather than blended

Moving to France Tutorial - Part Six

2012-01-10T10:30:00.000+01:00

Today's topic, the 10 Year Carte de Résident.

A daunting subject, I know.

Translated from the www.service-public.fr website:
"A carte de résident bearing the words "résident de longue durée - CE" may be issued to any foreigner who has resided legally and continuously for at least 5 years in France.
This card is valid for 10 years.
The applicant must meet several conditions."

Sounds pretty straightforward, doesn't it?
I'm afraid it isn't.

French bureaucracy never is.

I've been struggling to write this post for what seems like forever now. More specifically, for about a year and a half. I thought it would be the perfect final chapter of my Moving to France Tutorial, but could never seem to finish it.

The first problem: the laws keep changing.
The second problem: each préfecture/sous-préfecture is its own little fiefdom. So while some friends have applied for the card and unfortunately been denied for no legitimate reason, others just have merely asked and received, without any hassle.

We were two of the lucky ones.
A few years ago a letter came in the mail stating that we were to appear at the sous-préfecture on a given day, at the ridiculously early hour of 8am.
That was it. No more information given.
Which kind of freaked us out.
On the day of our appointment we arrived with our bulky dossiers and stood outside in the dark with the others, waiting for the doors to open. When it was finally our turn to be seen, the man behind the desk explained why we were there and proceeded with the interview, which included a series of questions and a basic test of our French conversational abilities.
That was it. The cards arrived a few months later.

So it seems to me that there is no rhyme or reason when it comes to this card, and after 18 months of on again, off again research, I've decided that I just don't feel confident enough to offer sound advice on how to tackle the elusive 10 year carte de résident. Because it is just that: ELUSIVE.

The best I can do is share a link to this French government website.
It is in French of course, which shouldn't be a problem because I assume that if you're reading this and are ready to apply for your carte de résident, you can speak French. (I hope you can, because they'll be testing you!)
The site is updated frequently and lists all the papers you'll need and all the fees associated with the card. After that it's all down to finding a sympathetic fonctionnaire to help you through the process.

If you're in the midst of applying, or are about to apply for the carte de résident, I hope it goes as smoothly for you as it did for us.
Good luck!

As always, I love to hear other French bureaucracy stories, so if you have one to share, please do!

The first five parts of the Moving to France Tutorial.

Part 1 - Why Do You Want to Live in France?
Part 2 - Finding Your French Consulate
Part 3 - Finding a Place to Live in France
Part 4 - The Carte de Séjour
Part 5 - Joining the French Health System

Photo du Jour - Hand in Hand

2012-01-08T12:55:00.002+01:00

Grandmother and grandchild, on their way to the Sunday morning market.

A Cheese That Will Convert Even the Most Adamant Cheese-o-Phobe

2012-01-03T17:53:00.000+01:00

2012 was ushered in with a last minute, overnight trip to Paris followed by a teary goodbye to our friend from New Orleans on New Year's Day. I returned home with a head cold and a craving for some sleep and some cheese.

Our house had been a virtual cheese-free zone for nine days due to said house guest. He can't stand the aroma (or stench as he likes to call it), so before each of his visits I have to clear the fridge of any wayward fromage.

This time though, I think I may have converted him.

On a trip to the market one morning, I slipped a ripe local cheese into our shopping basket and hoped he wouldn't notice. By the time we finished lunch it was at the perfect temperature and had gone undetected by his olfactory receptors, so I served it with a fresh baguette and hoped for the best.

He ate more than half of it.

I have Le Pavé d'Auge to thank for this amazing conversion.

Le Pavé is an unpasteurized (sometimes lait thermisé) cow's milk cheese that is produced here in Calvados.
Its medium strong flavor, which gets stronger if it is aged more than 2-3 months, is rich with yeast and mushrooms and is mildly salty. It has a full, buttery texture and a fairly heady, meaty aroma.
It reminded me of Pônt l'Evêque, though I prefer le Pavé. I think it can perform miracles.

Enjoy with Normandy cider, some Champagne or a Bourgueil.

Scenes from Normandy

2011-12-29T10:16:00.000+01:00

We've been in Normandy for 11 days now and we haven't wasted a minute!

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-24T19:45:00.000+01:00

Wishing you the Happiest of Holidays!

Photo du Jour - Along the Quai

2011-12-19T20:42:00.001+01:00

Crates of Coquilles St. Jacques along the quai in Port-en-Bessin. Straight from the sea, heading to tables all over France.

(a bit blurry as it was raining...it is Normandy after all!)

Taking the Plunge

2011-12-16T15:19:00.002+01:00

Tomorrow we're moving to Normandy.
Please don't think we're crazy.

We've discovered that when you tell people in the south of France that you're moving to the north of France, they tend to think that you've lost it. Completely.

Well, we haven't.

We know about the rain and the cold, the drizzle and the damp. We understand that moving from the south of France to the north of France is unconventional.
We've also discovered that most of our friends and acquaintances who think that we've totally gone off the deep end have never actually been to Normandy. And we're surprised and delighted by how many of our friends have already planned trips to come visit, the first one arriving Christmas day.

We also know about the delicious cheese and fresh seafood, the friendly people, the stunning beaches and the gorgeous green landscape.

So it does make me wonder...does Normandy get a bad rap?

Savory Mini Muffins

2011-12-13T20:47:00.000+01:00

When it comes to apéro nibbles I have but one requirement - they should not be fussy.

Actually, now that I think about it, I might have a few more...
Nibbles shouldn't require utensils, they can be eaten in only one or two bites, and of course they should be delicious.
Oh, and one last thing...they shouldn't take hours and hours to make.

Luckily there are a myriad of recipes out there that meet my strict requirements, and these mini muffins are one of them.

I have British chef, Delia Smith to thank for this recipe. These savory little muffins are bursting with a sweet onion and rich chèvre flavor.

This is my adapted recipe.

Savory Mini Muffins
Makes 24 muffins

For the muffins:

10 ounces (275 g) all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 large eggs
8 ounces (225 ml) milk
a little butter for greasing the muffin pan
1 teaspoon sea salt

For the filling:

4 ounces (100 grams) fresh goat's cheese, broken into little pieces
4 ounces (100 grams) red onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, plus 24 small sprigs for garnishing
1 ounce butter

Begin by melting the butter in a small saucepan and softening the onion in it for about 5 minutes. Allow onions to cool.
Pre-heat the oven to 400°F (200°C)
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt on to a large plate, then take a large mixing bowl and sift the mixture again, this time into the bowl. You want to give the flour a good airing.
Beat one egg together with the milk.
Next, fold the egg and milk mixture into the flour, using the minimum number of folding movements. (ignore the lumpy look of the mixture at this stage and don't over mix.)
Gently mix the onion along with the goats' cheese and chopped rosemary into the muffin mixture, folding in, as before, with as few strokes as possible.
Spoon the mixture straight into greased mini muffin tins. You can pile the mixture quite high.
Beat the second egg and brush the muffin surfaces with it, then top with a sprig of rosemary.
Bake them for about 20 minutes, or until well risen and golden.
Remove the muffins from the tins to a rack.
Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Previous recipes: Spiced Party Pecans, Smoked Salmon in Endive Leaves and Herbed Chèvre
Bonus recipes: Puffy Cheese Straws and a Savory Cake aux Olives

Herbed Chèvre

2011-12-12T18:05:00.000+01:00

You didn't think that I would share a bunch of fabulous nibbles and snacks recipes without including at least one that was made almost entirely of cheese, now did you?

About 15 years ago I tried this recipe from The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins (I love these ladies!), and it became an instant favorite.
It is super rich and flavorful, and is always one of the first things to disappear when served at a party or an apéro dînatoire.

Herbed Chèvre
makes 2 cups

1 log (12 ounces) Montrachet or other soft mild chèvre
1/4 cup heavy or whipping cream
3 bunches (about 12 stems each) chives, finely snipped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Break the log of Montrachet into 4 pieces and process in a food processor fitted with a steel blade while slowly adding the cream. Process until smooth. Scrape into a mixing bowl. Whisk in the chives, thyme, pepper, lemon juice and zest. Refrigerate several hours to allow flavors to blend.
Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with crusty bread...

I've also tried it using my homemade chèvre, but without the cream and by simply mixing it in a bowl with a spoon, instead of in a food processor. The flavor is more tangy and the texture is much lighter, but it is just as delicious.

Previous recipes: Spiced Party Pecans and Smoked Salmon in Endive Leaves
Bonus recipe: Savory Palmiers

Smoked Salmon in Endive Leaves

2011-12-11T17:14:00.000+01:00

My second simple nibbles and snacks recipe comes from Cooking Light magazine. I just don't think you can go wrong with this one.
It's both elegant and packed with flavor - and low calorie as well!

Smoked Salmon in Endive Leaves
yields 2 dozen

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon capers
1 teaspoon minced onion
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 ounces smoked salmon, chopped
24 Belgian endive leaves
Parsley sprigs (optional)

Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl; stir well.
Spoon 1½ teaspoons salmon mixture onto each endive leaf.
Garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired.

Yesterday's recipe: Spiced Party Pecans

Spiced Party Pecans

2011-12-10T18:21:00.000+01:00

Moving is always stressful. Moving during the holidays...doubly so!
I still don't know what we were thinking when we decided to move only one week before Christmas. (and I'm sure our friends and family are wondering the same thing)

But that doesn't mean that we won't be celebrating! We have a friend arriving from the States on Christmas day and although we'll be keeping this year's cooking and festivities fairly simple, they will be festive indeed!

Over the next few days I thought I would share some of my simple, tried and true nibbles and snacks recipes that can either be made in advance or only take a few minutes to assemble right before serving.
Just in case you too are experiencing that overwhelmed-by-the-holidays feeling, either from moving or from life in general.

Santé!

First up is a recipe for Spiced Party Pecans from the New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins.
I whipped up a batch of these this morning to bring to friends with whom we're having dinner tonight. These spicy, salty nuts make a wonderful host or hostess gift, but I warn you, they're incredibly addictive!
I highly recommend that you make some extra to keep for yourself.

Spiced Party Nuts
makes 2 cups

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups shelled whole almonds or pecan halves
1 tablespoon coarse (kosher) salt (optional)
Garlic salt (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Mix the cumin, chili powder, curry powder, garlic salt, cayenne, ginger, and cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over low heat. Add the spice mixture and stir well. Simmer to mellow the flavors, 3 or 4 minutes.
Place the nuts in a mixing bowl, add the spice mixture, and toss well. Spread the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and using a rubber spatula, toss the nuts with any spices and oil that have accumulated on the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with the coarse salt, and a bit more garlic salt if desired. Let rest for 2 hours in a cool place. Store in airtight jars.

France Roundtable - Favorite Art in France

2011-12-09T08:38:00.000+01:00

In general I'm not much of a joiner.

But when Christine of Why Go France invited me to be a part of the France Roundtable, a group of five bloggers who write about France, I thought it would be an exciting collaboration. Every month a theme will be chosen and we'll each share our thoughts, advice and experiences.

The first topic, our Favorite Art in France, was an easy one, though I did find it difficult to choose just one favorite!

Living in France means being surrounded by art, whether it be a modern sculpture garden that suddenly appears in a field of poppies, the amusing Space Invader mosaics in Paris or the serene statuary that adorn the churches.

Ultimately I decided that if I had to choose my favorite art in France, it would be my favorite museum in Paris.

At the far end of the Jardin des Tuileries stands a small museum that houses a unique treasure - two large, oval shaped rooms encircled in breathtaking, colorful canvases of waterlilies.

More specifically, Les Nymphéas, by Claude Monet at the Musée de l'Orangerie.

I think this is a truly special place, a place of simple beauty and tranquility, and a place I visit again and again.

Musée de l’Orangerie
Jardin des Tuileries
75001 Paris
Open everyday, except on Tuesdays, May 1st and December 25th from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

To see what the four other members of the France Roundtable had to say about their favorite art in France, just click on the links below:

Why Go France
Life's A Feast (link coming later today!)
Food Lover's Odyssey
EuroCheapo

Photo du Jour - Divine Light

2011-12-06T18:35:00.000+01:00

Getting a shot that captures the soft light and atmosphere of a church's interior has never been my forté.

This time though, I think I got a good one.

Paris Eats

2011-12-04T15:49:00.000+01:00

The Paris dining scene. I find it a bit daunting.

First you've got your très branché type places that get the anglophone message boards all in a buzz and are the "must go" restaurants for seemingly every American foodie coming to Paris.They're usually impossible to get in to and I'm just not that interested in eating at the trendy places. But that's just me.
Then you've got your (misguided in my opinion) chefs who love to dollop savory foam on everything. Non, merci.
And we can't forget to mention the classic, old world restaurants like La Tour d'Argent and Taillevent. I would love to try these places, but I simply can't afford them.

What I really want when I visit is delicious, honest food at a correct price. Nothing makes me happier than a great meal at a lively neighborhood bistro or finding a little restaurant to satisfy my Chinese and Mexican food cravings.

However, you could spend a fortnight researching where to eat in the French capital, a city famous (and sometimes infamous) for its cuisine, and there are dozens of websites dedicated to the Parisian resto scene.

When I need advice I go to Paris By Mouth, my current favorite. I also trust and recommend Resto-de-Paris (in French), David Lebovitz's My Paris page, which offers an extensive list of his favorites places, and love Camille's Google map of her recommended Paris spots for food lovers. Another good one is Barbra Austin's personal website.

My most recent visit was a delicious success!

I noshed on tacos at Candelaria, had tea and pastries in the Marais at the charming Le Loir dans la Théière, was blown away by our Chinese meal at l'Orient d'Or, enjoyed both the food and the ambiance at le Colibri in Montmartre, had a sizzling bowl of bibimbap at Guibine, indulged in tartelettes from Coquelicot, and, thanks to Camille, purchased some heavenly Selles-sur-Cher from the UCG (ultimate cheese guy) at the Sunday La Motte-Picquet Grenelle market.

I highly recommend all of these places.

Especially if you're sharing a meal with old friends, dining with new ones, or introducing your mom to Paris, one of your most favorite cities.

Candelaria
52 rue de Saintonge
75003
01 42 74 41 28

Le Loir dans la Théière
3, rue des Rosiers
75004
01 42 72 90 61

L'Orient d'Or
22 rue de Trevise
75009
01 48 00 07 73

Le Colibri
35, rue Véron
75018
01 46 06 07 90

Guibine
44 rue Sainte Anne
75002
01 40 20 45 83

Coquelicot
24 rue des Abesses
75018
01 46 06 18 77

La Cité de Carcassonne

2011-11-30T10:43:00.000+01:00

In the height of summer, La Cité de Carcassonne oozes a plastic, Disneyland-esque quality, but on a quiet November day it still offers a bit of magic.

Postcard from Paris

2011-11-26T16:41:00.001+01:00

Paris windows in bloom.

Postcard from Paris

2011-11-25T18:38:00.001+01:00

La Tour Eiffel, a photo by chez loulou on Flickr.

La Tour Eiffel in the fog.

Postcard from Paris

2011-11-24T21:58:00.001+01:00

Paris Bistro, a photo by chez loulou on Flickr.

A wonderful little bistro in the 18th.

Postcard from Paris

2011-11-24T08:41:00.001+01:00

Paris, a photo by chez loulou on Flickr.

Reading in le Jardin des Tuileries.

Postcard from Paris

2011-11-23T19:15:00.001+01:00

le loir dans la théière, a photo by chez loulou on Flickr.

Pastries at Le Loir dans la Théière.

Postcard from Paris

2011-11-22T21:25:00.001+01:00

Paris Place, a photo by chez loulou on Flickr.

A "Place" I'll never get tired of.

Postcard From Paris

2011-11-21T20:55:00.001+01:00

Paris in November, a photo by chez loulou on Flickr.

As the sun sets over the Seine...