Truffade

I have been amazed by the countries that people view my blog from: France to Latvija to the US, Mauritania to Suriname, I’ve had to refer to an atlas one or two times for a quick geography lesson. The world seems so small at times! However, a few days ago I had an unexpected visitor to Femme au Foyer, brought to my blog by google.co.uk and the funniest search keywords (in my opinion) to date….

“Is truffade safe in pregnancy?” the reader wished to know.

Uh oh, if it isn’t, I’m in trouble! Just like my cravings for cheesy-fries-with-bacon during my 1^st pregnancy, I’ve finally been hit with the potato-cheese-bacon cravings in the 2^nd. And truffade fits the bill perfectly! A traditional Auvergne dish, truffade ranges from a casserole to a thick pancake made with potatoes that are first fried, then mixed with thin strips of tomme cheese and lardons, or bacon. Although the version I make at home is more of a casserole and less the cake you’ll see in a restaurant, a cook really can’t go wrong with tons of cheese, bacon, butter and potatoes!

I first discovered truffade shortly after our move to France, and it has been a favorite ever since. When asked, most expats will give an immediate response to “best truffade in Clermont-Ferrand?”, and I have set out on a quest to find my favorite as well. So far I have not met one that I didn’t like, and thus far my favorite is at Le Dôme, a brasserie in Centre Jaude (right next to the movie theatre). Served with ham, sausage or steak, a giant pan is delivered straight to your table, along with two wooden spoons to serve the molten cheese and potatoes. I’ve also eaten at several of the “traditional Auvergne food” restaurants and enjoyed myself immensely each time, although a common refrain seems to be “I should have brought a tupperware” due to the enormous helpings. But there are still dozens of restaurants to visit!

So to the pregnant reader I must reply, “everything in moderation.” But if it weren’t for truffade, this pregnant woman would be eating a ton more chocolate!

A victory all the same!

Sunday was a big day in France... The French rugby team, Les Bleus, played the New Zealand All Blacks in the Rugby World Cup final. Some predicted a blowout, but it turned out we were in for a great game. The final score was 8-7, and in my opinion France should take great pride in the team that was not expected by most to go this far in the tournament.  Up to the last minutes, there was a chance at victory.

We managed to squeeze in a breakfast of plānās pankūkas during halftime, eating quickly in order to get back to the game. After lunch we headed into town, where the mood was definitely subdued, despite the gorgeous fall weather. Should France have won, the streets that day and evening would have been full with revelers and cars honking horns in victory, but fans now must wait four years for another opportunity at the next Webb Ellis Cup.

Stylish Blogger Award

Thanks to Aiden at Conjugating Irregular Verbs for passing on this award! It feels like a kind of bloggers' chain letter, but at least in the place of 'threats of terrible things to come if I don't pass it on', I've been called stylish :)

Being 27 weeks pregnant and surrounded by très chic French women doesn't help one feel super-stylish. Especially being surrounded by très chic pregnant women who wear their bump like a fashion accessory. Which is why I have little tricks of my own to make me feel like a fashionista, if not exactly look like one...

1. The hair band. I take that extra roomy pair of cute jeans I bought after Lauris was born, then wrap a hair band around the button to close the top. Putting off wearing pregnancy jeans for another three weeks, worth it!

2. The BellaBand. Guaranteeing the nice folks at the local Carrefour won't have to see the undercurve of my bump or my bare back while I'm packing the stroller or picking up after Lauris. Because I don't always realize that my clothes are fitting funny, and I do want to wear my stretchy shirts for a few more weeks.

Source: Target.com

3. Lots of walking. Lauris and I go out every day: to the store, to the park, to playgroup or just around the block, but we walk everywhere. The fresh autumn air (even if getting a tad chilly) helps clear the head, and I believe this lifestyle agrees with pregnancy.

4. Fresh flowers. Who doesn't feel like their home is straight out of Real Simple with a bouquet of dahlias from the marché on their dining room table?

5. Comfy shoes. OK, this one is actually anti-style, especially if comparing my gym shoes to the gorgeous boots coming out of the afore-mentioned French women’s closets. But come on, cut the pregnant woman some slack!

6. One or two more-expensive pregnancy outfits. On those days I really feel clumsy and hormonal, I put on that soft woolen sweater my sister helped me pick out (insisting that it's ok to buy a few articles of clothing that cost too much, even when you will only wear them a few months, because by gosh, you're worth it!) or that bump-hugging trendy black top. It boosts self-esteem and reminds me that pregnancy is a wonderful time to be enjoyed... because in three more months when that screaming bundle of joy is around there'll be even fewer days of feeling stylish.

7. Roberts. Makes me feel like the most beautiful woman on earth... Even if he does sometimes bump into my belly as if he wasn't expecting it to be there. <Smile> 

I would like to pass the award on to these lovely ladies:

Stylin’ Mrs. B at crankymonkeys in london for her recent post "Things NOT to say about somone who's pregnant"

Barefoot Roses at A Barefoot Rose By Any Other Name for her unique barefoot style

Mamma M at Mamma 'Round the World for her parenting style

San at Life of a West Coast Latvian for her stylish Etsy finds

La-La-Liene at Never a Dull Moment in LA-LA-Land for her honest, positive blogging style

And Barbara at Footprints in the Sand for her two-weeks-more-pregnant-than-me style!

(Step 1: Your list of 7 things. Step 2: Pass it on!)

Bordeaux, part trois

A trip to the region wouldn’t have been complete without a stop in Bordeaux itself. Due to our late arrival on Friday however, this visit was delayed to Sunday, and had to be cut much shorter than I would have liked, to complete the 4 hour drive back to Clermont-Ferrand. My parents-in-law had an early flight back to Latvija the next morning, Roberts had to prepare for work, and Lauris’s naptime was best utilized in the car, not while sightseeing.

I had not found parking information in any of the maps I had looked at, so it was with some trepidation that I directed Roberts into the downtown area. Luckily there were quite a few parking areas available (although finding them is another matter!) and we managed to make our way to one within a block of Église Notre-Dame, built between 1684 and 1707. A service was taking place, so I only peeked in, but the interior stonework was as impressive as promised by tMg. Although awarded one star, I felt that a visit to Cathédrale St-André would have been a better use of the limited time we had, from the quick glimpse I caught driving past it on the way into the city center. The same was with the Grand Théâtre (awarded two stars by tMg), it wasn’t as impressive from the outside as I suspect it would have been from a tour of the interior; I read that there is a chandelier with 14,000 drops of Bohemian crystal hanging in the auditorium.

Our luck turned with our arrival in Place de la Bourse. The beautiful Three Graces Fountain in the middle of the square was gushing pink water and sporting pink ribbons in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but this didn’t diminish the view of the grand Stock Exchange (after which the square is named) and National Customs Museum. We crossed the street to the miroir d’eau, a giant reflecting pool right next to the Garonne river that alternates between 2cm of water and a fog effect. With the warm sun on our backs Lauris and I shed our shoes and spent the next hour walking and splashing in the water.

Lunch was quick and informal at a nearby crêperie, and then we returned to the car to begin our trip home. The crêpes were delicious, the ice cream and crêpe chocolat a perfect dessert, and I was already planning our next trip to the area to sample more of the wonderful cuisine and wines. When planning this trip, I was challenged with picking restaurants without knowing exactly where we would be for dinner both nights. I had plenty of advice from friends who live in the area and who had visited before, and this came in handy Friday night when we ended up very late in our arrival. Instead of eating dinner in Bordeaux as I originally planned, we ended up at a restaurant I had originally heard about from Kim, but that numerous expats have visited since, Le Baron Gourmand.

Arriving after dusk our ride through the dark country roads was harrowing (and I surprised myself by navigating right to the gate without a single wrong turn!) and upon our arrival I might have assumed the restaurant was closed if not for the reservations I had made 2 hours previously. We parked and walked down to the restaurant which turned out to be full of diners, wonderful smells and delicious food! I was a little disappointed in the size of my plat, but then again I suppose I should have ordered a viande dish instead of seafood. My father-in-law and Roberts ordered beef that was grilled on an open fire right in the middle of the dining room in a big fireplace that also took the October chill out of the stone walls. My mother-in-law wasn’t as impressed with the restaurant as I was; she felt that the service was rather informal compared to the prices (an entrée, le plat and dessert was 32 euro), but we had a lovely dinner with a couple of bottles of a local red (Château Haut-Gayat), and left for the château Langoiran feeling full and happy.

Bordeaux, part deux

The most spectacular portion of our recent trip with the in-laws to the Bordeaux region was our lodgings. I found the Château de Langoiran in the book Chambres d’hôtes au Château. It is the first of the châteaux from this book we’ve stayed in, and after our experience I hope it won’t be the last!

We arrived late – at 10pm - but the owners were waiting for us to show us to our rooms. The approach to the castle was something else, the pictures in the book (although fabulous) do not do it justice! Spotlights illuminated the walls towering over the surrounding homes and vineyards, and as we wound our way up the driveway I felt as if we were entering a movie. We parked and then crossed what used to be the moat over an old stone bridge, passed through the giant wooden doors, then crossed through the courtyard. When we booked we had been warned about the stairs, and now we understood what the warning was about! A long, stone staircase led up to the second courtyard, and from there another steep stone staircase before we were at the door to our rooms; this château is not wheelchair accessible, and I would advise arriving earlier for your first check-in time, but provides an adventure to those willing and able.

The château has one room and one suite; we had booked the suite for four people at 100 euro/night. It looked exactly as in the book, with antique furniture including a four-poster bed with canopy, a beautiful china cabinet and candelabrums on the walls. We had a separate room from the grandparents, a bed for Lauris, and in addition there was the shower/toilet room and a tiny kitchenette complete with mini-fridge, stove and cupboards. We could have stayed a week!

The first thing I saw in the morning when I woke up was the most picturesque view; fog from the Garonne river was slowly lifting to reveal rows of grapes, stone outbuildings and poplar trees laden with yellow leaves. Fresh croissants and baguettes awaited us each morning on the doorstep to enjoy with jams and coffee. The mini-fridge was also pre-stocked with milk and juice, and the owners presented us with a local bottle of Bordeaux red to enjoy with lunch/dinner/at Christmas the next day.

I recommend this château highly, not only for the view, price and very warm, pleasant customer service (French, some English, some German spoken), but also for the adventure. The location is ideal as well, perfectly situated 30 minutes from downtown Bordeaux, 45 from St-Émilion, and surrounded by world-famous vineyards, I certainly couldn’t ask for more. 

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A quick history of the château according to a leaflet put out by the owners (translated by moi and Google translate) (more information is available on the website):

The Langoiran château was built in the 13^th century by the powerful family of Escossan. The tower remains a testament to the past prestige of the lords of Langoiran, who were loyal vassals to the Duke of Aquitaine, King of England.

During the wars of religion, the family of Montferrand owned the château. At the time, the brothers Montferrand, Charles (Catholic) and Guy (Protestant) played a role in the political and religious life of Guyenne. In 1650 the château was destroyed. Abandoned, it was not until 1972 that restoration began.

For over 20 years, the Association “Les Amis du Château” worked to restore the château for cultural, touristic, social and educational purposes. The château now offers a range of services:

·                     A location for weddings, anniversaries or other events.

·                     A gîte in a pleasant environment with exceptional panoramic views over the Garonne.

·                     Different cultural events: dinner-concerts (traditional Gascon, Celtic and jazz music), historic days.

·                     Workshops and interactive learning for schools, universities and recreation centers.

At this point I add that it is possible to visit the château without renting a room for 3 euro/person. Also, the château is a separate business from the winery, which operates next door, the driveway to the château is just beyond the entrance gate to the winery. The owners of the château were enthusiastic to arrange the degustation of wines for us at another local winery and can suggest local restaurants and wineries to visit if you desire.