5.27.2013

Lunch at Le Cintra




19.90 euros for entree + main dish or main dish + dessert
I was kind of disappointed that the salmon tartare is smoked salmon and not raw salmon
Chicken supreme with morels, château Potatos and vegetables. And what a generous serving of morels. 
Strawberry charlotte

We walked past Le Cintra in Lyon on a sunny morning
and saw that the restaurant set up some tables in the square across from their restaurant.
On our way back, we decided to have lunch there
just because it looked so good to sit in the sunny square to eat.

The food was good.
It was what we wanted- sun and food.
We are lucky and thankful to enjoy these good things.

Birthday DInner Chez Albert

Interior of Chez Albert
Deep fried duck skin and pickled veg appetitzer

Terrine of shrimp & chicken, with salad entree

Foie Gras, smoked duck wuth salad and chutney entree

Our table
Roasted duck with raspberry sauce and pan-fried artichoke
Cross-section of roasted duck

Grilled Tuna and Potatoes (sauce unknown)
Pan-fried swordfish with squid ink risotto

Birthday tiramisu
Strawberries & raspberries with creme anglais
Chocolate brownie with creme anglais & chantilly


We went to Chez Albert for our sister's 30th birthday.
Good food and family time.

5.26.2013

Plat du Jour a la maison


The butcher gave directions on how to cook this piece of meat. Yes, in France the butcher will tell you how to cook the product if you ask.


Déglacer the pot to make sauce for the meat.



For dessert, some stawberries in season and pistachio ice cream

We enjoy making our own plat du jour at home for either lunch or dinner.
Papa bought a lovely piece of beef and vegetables from the farmers' market.
The green peas were awesome!

5.15.2013

What We Ate on the Train



Not cheap!


Mon mari's lunch of ham & cheese sandwich and a slice of flan for dessert

These were what we brought with us to eat on the train from Lyon to Brussels.
I hardly ever buy chinese food in Europe
because it's too expensive for something that I can easy make at home at a fraction of the price.
But I was super craving for chinese food before we get on the train
and I really didn't feel like having a sandwich.
 

5.12.2013

Bed & Breakfast

Fresh bake goods

Homemade cherry & apple jams

After breakfast, the proprietors invited us to visit their wine cellar.

A barrel of white wine.

Breakfast in a Bed & Breakfast in Saint Amour
when we were there for the cousins get-together party.

It's a slightly more elaborate french breakfast
because there were a fruit salad, yoghurt, tea and orange juice
with the more typical croissants, pain chocolat, baguette for tartine & coffee. 

Cousinade

mousse de courgettes (zucchini) & mousse de betterave rouge (beetroot)

Sangria


Candy feeding frenzy that lasted 10 mins, at most. I had small pairs of eyes glaring at me when I took a tiny alligator gummy.


Little savoury pastries that Aunt Monique made.

A few varieties of rice salads, some charcuterie, pâté en croûte, terrine de courgette, tabouleh, lamb meat etc. 


Who made this flat quiche-like tart? Taste better than it looks.

Doesn't make a french meal with no cheese. Bring out the cheeses! All sorts!

And bread...

Finally, the dessert! The little plastic cups with white stuff in there are mousse de marrons. These little babies are yummy.


Our cousin, Arthur who is a pastry chef in a fancy Lyonnaise restaurant made these meringues- chocolate, lemon-orange and coconuts. I am not a big fan of meringues but Arthur's meringues are gooood.

Somebody's fruit cake. Pass. Desole, no fruit cake for me.

Arthur's cakes.

My selection of dessert

Cousinade or cousin reunion was a get-together of cousins on Papa's maternal side of the family.
All the sisters (including Papa's mother) have all passed away
but the children of these sisters, their children and children's children came together for the weekend.

It was a potluck party so there was quite a spread of food,
especially for dessert.

Because I can't speak french very well yet
and am no big conversationalist,
I spent quite a bit of time walking to and fro the buffet table.

5.11.2013

Fete des Fours

Feeding the village oven with firewood. (Side note: I want a black Labrador puppy just like that one there.)
Sugar tart with praline fresh out of the oven.



 

Some snacks while working at the oven.

Kind of pricey.


Bake goods sale tent




Fete des fours or Ovens Festival is when all the villagers come together and do a bake sale.
So, bright and early in the morning,
the village firewood oven is already producing sweet tarts, breads and pizzas.

Papa bought 3 sweet tarts to bring to cousins' party.

 
Hamburgar