Week-end œnologique à Bordeaux : A Weekend of Learning all about Bordeaux Wines!

Ceux qui sont las de passer pour des ignorants lors des dîners en ville et qui confondent facilement Sauternes, Pomerol et picrate peuvent déjà préparer leur vengeance. En organisant des week-ends d'oenologie accessibles à tous, l'École du vin de Bordeaux a décidé de mettre fin à tous les complexes.
Durant deux ou trois jours, vous voici au coeur du secret des grands sommeliers. Le matin, des cours de dégustation réveillent progressivement vos papilles gustatives, dans le cadre d'un hôtel particulier bordelais du XVIIIe.

De la couleur de la robe à la palette des arômes, vous saurez tout sur les grands cépages bordelais. L'après-midi, place à la pratique : c'est au milieu des grappes et des pieds de vigne que l'histoire du goût vous est contée. Les châteaux producteurs du Médoc et de Saint-Émilion vous ouvrent leurs portes. A la pointe de la technologie ou dans la plus pure des traditions, les propriétaires enfilent leurs bottes pour vous faire visiter leur domaine et vous initier à la fabrication du précieux breuvage. Avant d'aller déguster les spécialités de la région dans l'un des repaires gastronomiques des vignerons... En buvant du petit lait.

Adresse
L'École du vin ;
1, cours du XXX juillet,
33075 Bordeaux.
Tél. : 05 56 00 22 66,
Fax : 05 56 00 22 82.
l'Ecole du vin de Bordeaux
Train : 3 heures en TGV depuis Paris; 2 heures de Lalinde en Train d'Esperance Route : 565 km depuis Paris. Empruntez l'A6 puis l'A10.
Horaires
Week-ends oenologiques organisés en juin-juillet et septembre-octobre, ou sur demande, à partir de 10 personnes.
Tarif : 342,50 € pour 2 jours et 534,30 € pour 3 jours en pension complète, visites et formation incluses.

And it is not only in French! You can also take courses in English or German!

This is what they say:

To enter the magic kingdom of wine, you first need to learn something about it. Many people are both attracted and intimidated by its mystique. The Bordeaux Wine School was set up a few years ago, offering ambitious, yet unpretentious courses for everyone. In short, the keys to the kingdom ! It is difficult to talk about as subjective an experience as wine tasting, where emotion is a key factor. The School does not try to set hard-and-fast rules, but rather to lay the groundwork so that people can find their own way around the vast universe of the world’s wines, as well as identifying and expressing their own tastes and sensations.
The ambition of the School is to share in the pleasure of quality and taste !

L’Ecole du vin offers several courses :
INTENSIVE COURSES:

* Level 1: "Learning how to taste and discovering Bordeaux wines". Discover the diversity and the quality of the world's largest fine wine region imparting the basic knowledge enabling participants to taste, describe and appreciate wines.
* Level 2: "The essence of Bordeaux - proficiency course". Improve your knowledge about wine by setting it in the right atmosphere.
* Level 3: "The legendary Chateaux of Bordeaux : the classifications and the wines". Why do some appellations have classifications and others not? Why are some wines classified and not the neighbouring estate? What are the links between terroir, classification and price? Discover the answers to all your questions during a course including 1 day of lessons and 3 days of visits in the Medoc, Pessac-Leognan, Sauternes and Saint-Emilion appellations, where you will be able to put your knowledge into practice with comparative tastings.

WINE WEEKENDS: Discover, during a week-end, the Bordeaux vineyards and the pleasures of tasting.
The 2 HOUR COURSES and the SATURDAY AT SCHOOL: Are you coming to Bordeaux this summer, or planning to spend your holiday at the Chateau Lalinde? Seize the opportunity to discover wine tasting at the "Maison du Vin de Bordeaux". There is a direct train from Lalinde to the centre of Bordeaux!The "A LA CARTE" COURSES" : Do you desire an adapted program, a specific session for a group? Tell them your wishes.



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The September Sunday soiree : A birthday party!

Another wonderful evening where everyone brought a little surprise gift and we celebrated all the Interesting Women's birthdays! -- and a warm welcome to first timer Pia!

Kathy's Blackberry Buckle
Recipe coming soon!

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The Dordogne in full flood after the storms

Only a little while back I reported on the all-time low of the Dordogne River.
Today, not even two months later, the river is raging past the chateau, lapping at its walls, carrying big logs and small boats, making swimming impossible for the swans - an awesome sight!

Then.......and Now






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Ramadan in France

Yesterday Ramadan, one of the five pillars of Islam, started for the Muslims in France, as it did for Muslims across the globe --- one month during which certain customs are kept, the month which commemorates the revelation of the Qoran, the ninth month of the Muslim lunar calendar.
Last Friday, Dalil Boubakeur, the rector of the big mosque of Paris and president of the French Muslim Council (CFCM) announced that Ramadan would start on 24 September this year -- the year 1427 AH, according to the Muslim reckoning. The exact date is calculated according to the positioning of the stars and planets.

"Nous souhaitons aux croyants un heureux Ramadan -qui est un mois de bénédiction et de patience-, dans l'espoir de la miséricorde divine et de la paix.
Nous implorons Allah pour qu'il accepte notre jeûne et qu'il nous comble de Sa Clémence et de Sa Miséricorde durant ce mois béni du Ramadan", écrit le docteur Boubakeur dans son communiqué", was Dr. Boubakeur's wish for all Muslims in France at the onset of Ramadan.

What then is the current situation of Muslims in France?
In an article in Le Figaro on 20 September 2006, entitled "European Islam: Democracy and the 11 September earthquake", Laure Mandeville writes:
.........."And yet it is four decades since Islam "came to the West" and immigrant Muslim populations set down roots throughout Europe. But until 11 September 2001 nobody was interested in their degree of integration. Apart from the far right, which was already capitalizing on this theme, the Europe that had lapsed into "neglect of God," to quote Benedict XVI, naively thought that the West's consumerist and libertarian model would prevail over religious and cultural tensions.
But that was before the rude awakening of 11 September. This, because the revelation of the West's vulnerability to the threat from political Islam sparked a debate that is repeated in all European countries, whatever their model of integration. The Netherlands, which seemed like a "multicultural paradise", has been undergoing an outright intellectual revolution since the emergence of the Pim Fortuyn phenomenon, the libertarian homosexual politician who launched the debate on the "invasion of Islam" and its compatibility with Western values, before being assassinated in 2002. Britain, which shares with the Netherlands a very liberal community model, is also wondering about the limitations of a multiculturalism that leads to the segregation of communities. Even the earthquakes shaking these countries' intellectual landscape interact. In France, as in Britain or the Netherlands, the Jewish and secular left is shifting to the right, where it is forming alliances with Christian parties, as in the case of editorialist Melanie Phillips, who has switched from The Guardian to the Daily News [as published], and who is now accused of Islamophobia. Division along community lines is now becoming established both on the Internet and in people's minds.
In this connection France seems to enjoy a small advantage, on account of its secular and republican model, which gives citizenship priority over ethnic or religious origins. From the Dutch or British vantage point, it is even regarded with envy. A recent survey published by the Pew Institute also lends support to France's position: whereas 88 per cent of Britain's Muslims feel more Muslim than British, the figure is 48 per cent in France.
Though this is a much better result than Britain's, the survey nevertheless reveals that half our Muslims have an Islamic rather than French identity. "The urban riots showed that you are by no means immune, even if you have had no attacks," according to Sadiq Khan, a British deputy or Pakistani origin. "You are indeed in the Middle Ages compared to us, in terms of Muslims' representation. Where are your Muslim deputies, senators, business chiefs and intellectuals?"
Far from denying this, France acknowledges that there are "things to be taken" from its neighbours, in connection with positive discrimination, for instance. One sign of the times is the fact that the debate on "the need to Europeanize Islam" is emerging in France, as it is elsewhere. Institutions intended to train European imams are being founded. Everywhere the watchword is the same: to ensure that the vast majority of Europe's 32m Muslims show solidarity with our national communities.


The five pillars of Islam are The Testimony of Faith (Shahadah) - the declaration that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His last messenger;
Ritual Prayer (Salat) - establishing of the five daily Prayers; Obligatory almsgiving (Zakat); Fasting Sawm; and The Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj)

The name Ramadan derives from the Arabic word for intense heat and sun-scorched ground --- probably as it refers to the hot, dry sensation of thirst during this month of fasting, Ramadan scorches out evil like the sun scorches the earth and just as heat shapes and influences all matter — organic and inorganic — so does Ramadan shape and influence the believer.
All devout Muslims who observe Ramadan fast from sun rise to sunset every day during this month, as the Qoran mandates this. Fasting aims to develop patience and self-control, learn sympathy for the deprived, cleanse the body and mind, gain appreciation for Allah's bounty, demonstrate the depth of one's commitment and protect against sin.
A hadith states: "Satan runs in the circulatory system of the son of Adam in the same way blood circulates in our system; so tighten his passages with hunger."

We wish all our Muslim readers well over this period : Ramadan mubarak!

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A banana a day...........

I know -- this has nothing to do with living in Le Belle France, or the View from my Chateau window....... and bananas do not even grow in France -- but if you are planning to visit the Perigord and in particular the Dordogne and Chateau Lalinde, and you may just find that you suffer from one of the ailments listed below, you will not have to worry about how to describe to the chemist, in French, what your symptoms are and what medication you need -- you can simply go to the local little grocery store, point to the bananas, and voila! all your problems will be solved!

Bananas Contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression:
According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.
PMS:
Forget the pills -- eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.
Anemia:
High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.
Blood Pressure:
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect way to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.
Brain Power:
200 students at a Twickenham school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.
Constipation:
High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.
Hangovers:
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system!
Heartburn:
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
Morning Sickness:
Pregnant? Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.
Mosquito bites:
Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation!
Nerves:
Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.
Overweight and at work?
Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady -- and a banana will do the trick!
Ulcers:
This all ulceer sufferers probably know already : The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach. Throw out the anti-acid pills and peel a banana!
Temperature control:
Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):
Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan. Sure so much better than all the psychiatrists and special expensive lamps and medication?
Smoking:
Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal. No more excuses about withdrawal symptoms, all you smokers out there!
Stress:
Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack. Who needs Prozac?
Strokes:
According to research in "The New England Journal of Medicine," eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

And -- if you wonder what to do with all those banana peels : cut them up - or put them into the food processor, and sprinkle liberally around the stems of all your pot plants and even outside in the garden -- the plants just love the phosphorus, potassium and many other minerals the skins contain!

So, bananas do not only look good on a skirt for Josephine Baker! A Banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

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An apple a day............

I do not quite believe in the truth of the old saying "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" -- if our forefathers had any sense they would rather have said "A banana a day will help you survive any eventuality" -- but then, they were not so into the current buzz words --- and definitely had not discovered the 1001 different uses of bananas.......

But that is another story. What is important today is what to do with the millions of apples that are dragging the apple tree branches to the ground at the moment?
A few days ago I gave you a recipe for 'canned' apples and promised to share with you one of my very favourite recipes for a baked apples dessert. And true to my promise, here it is: One of the most delicious, easy and successful desserts you will ever make!

Danelle's Baked Apple and Cream Dessert:
4 oz butter/120 grms
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
¼ cup milk
1tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup flour
1 large tin apples (500gr) – or steamed apple halves (see my canned apple recipe)

Cream the butter and sugar well
While continuing in the mixer:
Add the eggs, vanilla and salt
Sieve the flour and baking powder and add
Add milk
Pour into a large flat greased oven proof dish

Arrange the apples (upside down, if in halves) evenly on the batter.
Bake for 30 minutes at 190’-200’C – or until the centre is cooked -- when a knife comes out dry when inserted

When the cake is almost baked, and while still in oven, bring to boil for ten minutes:

1 cup sugar
1 cup fresh cream

The moment the dessert comes out of the oven pour the boiling sauce over the dessert.

Serve warm with ice cream, or cold

Delicious!

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The Climate in France : Is it changing?

An all-too-often scene this summer

I recently commented on the strange phenomenon of the swans not breeding this summer, so when Michael Streeter, Editor of FrenchEntrée Property, asks: "Is the French climate changing?", I went to have a closer look. This is what he had to say on the subject:

Visitors to France in the summer of 2006 could have been forgiven for being a little confused. Parts of June and much of July saw one of the hottest spells in recent years as temperatures soared into the mid-30’s Celsius and beyond for days on end.
Yet for anyone who ventured out for a holiday in August the weather could hardly have been more different.
Tourists were forced to reach for their sweaters and cardigans as an unsettled spell descended on the country and produced some of the coolest weather for many decades. The temperature reached just 16 degrees C one day in Paris, the coldest August day in the capital for 60 years.
The result was that though the south and especially the Mediterranean coast fared rather better, much of France shivered rather than sunbathed its way through the month.
Such extremes came on top of a string of very dry winters and the notorious heat wave or ‘canicule’ of 2003 which was held responsible for the deaths of many thousands of people - most of them elderly or infirm.
All of this naturally raises the question: is France’s climate changing?
According to Serge Planton, head of the climatic research group for Météo France, it is not possible to blame the recent extreme variations on global warming. But he added: ‘There is evidence that it has been getting warmer in recent years. We know that the climate is warming.’
Studies show that the overall temperature in France has risen by about one degree C in the last century.
Planton also says that by studying the number of ‘summer days’ – that is days where the temperature is 25 degrees C or more – researchers have shown that there have been more warm spells in the last decade than, for example, the 1970s. And that trend is likely to continue.
‘We also know that extreme hot spells are more numerous now compared with what we have experienced before. And it is very likely that they will increase in the future,’ he says.
Planton also says that we can expect fewer frosts in future winters.
He cites a recent health study that suggests that the current mortality rates for winter and summer could change dramatically. At the moment most deaths associated with so-called extreme weather in France still occur in winter, with fewer happening in summer. But a move towards milder winters and hotter summers with more heat waves would reverse those figures.
However, the biggest challenge facing the country, says Serge Planton, could be the provision of water supplies.
Météo France predictions suggest that winters will get milder and wetter across the country - especially in the north and west - but that summers will get drier and overall rainfall could fall by ten per cent.
The good news is such predictions could mean even sunnier springs and autumns in many regions of France.
The scenarios also suggest that while the whole of France will get warmer, it will be the south and especially the Mediterranean area that will get relatively hotter still. ‘We could be talking about a climate that is more like the south of Spain is now,’ says Serge Planton.
All of this means, of course, that for those Britons who like their summers hot and dry, the long-range forecast in France looks good despite those unwelcome August shivers.




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Canoe Marathon World Championships at Tremolat - 23,24 September - and - The Braying of Red Deer Stags

Great excitement in the Dordogne Valley! Now that I have tried it myself, I can finally go look and see how it really should be done! On Saturday and Sunday, 23 and 24 September, 2006, the World Championships of Canoe Marathons are being held on the stretch of the Dordogne that flows past Trémolat. The opening ceremony takes place tonight, 19 September, and the actual championships will take place over two days, the 23rd and 24th September 2006.
The person in charge of the organising committee Philippe Said stressed the already considerable number of countries involved. “At this moment 34 countries have entered with a total of 700 athletes of which 400 are for the masters events. Everything is in place for these championships to be a great success from a sporting point of view and for the general public.”
Michel Clanet, the sporting director of the event emphasised for his part “ a course which we have made spectacular. The quality, one could even say the beauty, of this water sports centre make the condition of the course almost perfect.”


Trémolat is anticipating a huge influx of people from all over the world and the villagers are all working hard to get everything ready for them and ensure that they have an unforgettable stay in Trémolat. One of the special events they organise is a walk into the forest to go listen to the braying of the stags.
This is something that I did last year -- also towards the end of September, and an outing that is not to be missed. There are still large numbers of deer in the forests of Perigord -- the exact numbers are known and a strict record is kept of these magnificent animals. In the area where I went to listen to the braying of the stags last year, there were four stags and 24 does. During this time of the year, the stags reaffirm their dominance and territory in a specific area and call the does to them, each trying to get the best and the most does to come into his territory.

The listening to the braying of the stags involves walking deep into the forest without making the slightest noise -- not an easy task when one walks over a carpet of 30cm of dead dry leaves! Once you reach a spot that seems to be a good one (?), you stand dead still. And I mean dead stock still. No movement. You hardly dare breathe. And you stay like that until you hear the braying........... We stayed in this position, like statues, for an hour and fifteen minutes, when suddenly, out of the forest, appeared the most magnificent animal -- a tall, strong rust red beast with antlers that seemed to stretch into the tops of the trees. He was glorious! But it was all over in a second, for he dashed through the trees and bushes like a hot knife through butter, and as quickly as he had appeared, he disappeared again and the forest was once again deathly quite and still.....
We then moved on to another spot -- more out in the open, but now even more demanding -- as the dead leaves here almost came up to our knees and we still had to be completely quiet. Here we stayed for just over 40 minutes when, suddenly, the braying started! -- a sound that is difficult to describe,-- for it is a sound that one does not hear so much as experience -- it sends a shiver down your spine -- it crawls into your marrow -- it is a sound so primitive and so powerful that time becomes insignificant and you feel transported back into the skin of Cromagnon Man himself...........

If ever you have the opportunity to go listen to the braying of the stags, drop everything else and go -- it will be an experience you will take with you for the rest of your days. ----BUT -- be warned! At this time of the year there are harvest mites around! They are in the dead leaves that lie on the floor of the forest. You cannot see them – tiny tiny little reddish spiderish devils that bite and make you its for days on end until you fear that you will go completely out of your mind --- and I am not exaggerating! The only thing that slightly relieves the itch --- for a short time only -- is to cover the bites with a balm or salve and thus keep air away from it -- it is the exposure to air that aggravates the itch -- so you dare not touch the bites -- an utter nightmare of the very worst kind! SO -- go into the forest completely covered with tightly bound wrists, neck and ankles, thick socks and boots, and if you are wearing a hat, do not take it off --- in our group there was a little boy who dropped his cap, put it back on, and had the bites all over his head as well! ------- sounds like something you would rather skip then? No! Not at all! Go prepared for the harvest mites -- but do go! This is definitely one of those 100 things you HAVE to do before you die!

To find out about the walk on Saturday 23 September, starting at 15h30, call Janine at 05.53.22.89.33

More about the French Red Deer

They are one of the largest mammals found, and most of their historical predators, such as wolves and bears, are now only found in isolated pockets. Hence availability of natural habitat, and man, are now the main restrictions on their population growth. There is a large infant mortality rate, however, as the fawns are prey to foxes and even birds of prey.
The male red deer in France weighs 150-200kg and shoulder height is 150cm. The female -- known as a 'biche' in France, is a little more than 100kg. The coat of the red deer is red-brown although it becomes more grey during the winter. There is a lighter strip along the underside of the animal.
It feeds from usually from dusk to dawn, and is therefore less commonly seen during the height of the day. The females usually live in small herds, whereas the males often live alone or in pairs - in any event the deer live in single-sex groups, except during the mating season, late August-early September to mid-October, when the individual stags gather a group of females around him.
The red deer is herbivorous, with a diet depending on the region. Pine trees, brambles, fruit, grass, and young tree shoots are commonly eaten, as are fruit and sometimes sweetcorn in cultivated regions.
Only the male red deer has antlers, which are lost and regrown each year, in time for the autumn mating season. The mating season is from August to October, during which time the males contest for the females, often extremely noisily, with a mix of roaring, grunting and braying noises a sound quite frightening in the middle of the night if you are not familiar with it!
Red deer are hunted in France, but thanks to strict number control, their population is still on the increase in many areas.

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La Journée du Patrimoine continued: Dancing in the City and Kite flying in Dieppe

And while it was raining........ and while I was cooking up a storm in the kitchen on the weekend.... the rest of France was still celebrating their journées du patrimoine -- and what a feast they offered right across the country for everyone-- young and old, to ensure that every soul appreciates their rich and colourful heritage! I cannot imagine that anywhere in the world is a country that offers more culturally to their citizens than this country. And not just a plethora of art exhibitions of every style, music performances of every kind, book launches --and readings and discussions and literary festivals, traditional events where ancient arts and crafts are not only kept alive, but celebrated, but events that are innovative and different, fascinating and fun, educational and informative ---------
Ah! Am I gushing? But how can I not? Where else in the world are people so justifiably proud of such a rich heritage?

Two of the events that happened this weekend have become part and parcel of the French culture. The first is a biennial event and is modern, -- very avant-garde and quirky in fact, whilst the second event is a tradition as old as time itself.

The "Danse la Ville" was founded in Lyon in 1984 -- in an attempt to support choreographic art, to use venues other than the 'normal' - and of course to stage more dance. The event has through the years been through major phases to educate people in contemporary dance while showcasing all genres and so building a strong bond with the public. The idea has been so successful in Lyon, that it has been taken up in other centres as well, and on the weekend thousands 'participated' in the performances. The 'dancing' takes place everywhere in the city -- in shop windows, on building ledges, under bridges, in the windows of office blocks, on islands in the streets, in water fountains, in squares and shopping plaza's -- in fact, anywhere where someone can move, they do!
More than 50% of the world's population is now urban, says Guy Darmet, the founder of this brilliant idea. It therefore makes sense to bring this joyful activity into the cities -- everywhere into the cities! This year the four main themes of Danse la Villeare urban dance, cities where dance is all-pervasive, the relationship between contemporary choreography and architecture, and dance in the public space. Through dance the spectator can regain a spontaneity, vitality and generosity that old Europe lacks, continues Guy Darmet. The spectator comes in search of humanity embodied by dance, whatever its origins.

Should you be in any of the French cities during this month, do not be perturbed when you see someone doing strange rhythmic things in a window or on a balcony --- stop and look -and enjoy; you are experiencing the magic of Dancing in the French City!

The second special event this past weekend was the Dieppe International Kite Festival -- an event that I have already booked for next year -- as I want to be there in person to experience this for myself!

Spread over eight hectares of lawns and flat white sandy beaches between the town and the sea, the kites' village is a wonderful setting and forms a kind of natural amphitheatre. On these green and white spaces, one finds the colourful and amazing creations of 37 different countries.
Two sections of this area are devoted to the flights of the official delegations. The other ones are devoted to sport kites, giant kites, to the participant kite flyers for free flights and then there is also a section which is devoted to activities for children.

One of the main characteristics of Dieppe International Kite Festival is its international character. During 9 days of the festival, each delegation appropriates a reserved area and presents its kites, its cultural and culinary specialities and many others interests.
The guest of honour this year was New Zealand and the Maori kites were spectacular, fitting in very well with the theme this year, which was "Our Planet: Stroll Between Flora and Fauna." Maori kite traditions are thoroughly linked to “Matariki” (small beam of stars, also called the Pleiades). They are historically synonymous. In the Maori culture, kites are considered as the link between earth and sky. From the thousands of kites decorated with shells, feathers, leaves, handmade objects and sculptures, which were flying at the beginning of the colonialist area, there is almost nothing left nowadays, and the wonderful collections of kites from the tribes disappeared and – with them – the most important time of their year -- the time that was dedicated to kite making and kite technology. But, more recently, the expertise of kite making was found to be still alive in different tribes, amongst the written and oral recollections and in traditional writings, and the return of traditional Maori kites had an additional impulse when the Maori New Years' Day and the Matariki celebrations also recovered a place of honour. The sky of New Zealand welcomes again the colour and splendour of traditional Maori kite flying.
Kite flying is a sound, environment friendly activity. At the Kite festival, guest kite flyers from all over the world explain how they make kites and demonstrate their respect for the environment -- and thus use kite festivals as educational workshops.

Between the 9th to the 17th of September this year in Dieppe, the demonstrations included flights of the official delegations with commentary from 37 countries, demonstrations of the guests of honour, ----taking flights of giant kites, taking flight of Maoris traditional kites, Kapa Haka and Waiata shows.
There was also the creators' workshops, demonstration and creation of artistic kites, spectacular stunt kites ballets and demonstrations by the international teams.
To add some more fun there were demonstrations of Buggy and Kite Jumping, Kite Fights with international champions, the official kite schools in stunt kite, fighting kite, photography and aerial video; as well as wind corridors: Aeolian music and structures, discovery of the kite world for the disabled people, the Challenge for the Earth, supported by the Hulot Foundation for Nature and Mankind, the Fighting kite World Cup, the Creative Kite Contest and of course the spectacular Night flight -- the sound and light show.
And if that did not satisfy you, there were exhibitions of Kites of the world, the “Kite Wind Generator”, the Kite in India , the Philately of Kites, and continuous entertainment for everyone -- on stilts, jugglers, theatre, parade, concerts.

Most definitely not to be missed next year! See you there!

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My own Heritage Day whilst it still rains over the Dordogne

Rain Rain Rain! It has not stopped for almost 36 hours now! - and instead of venturing out to visit one of the Journée du Patrimoine events or activities, I decided to stay put at the chateau today and do something patrimoin-esque of my own -- doing what my ancestors probably also would have been doing at this time of the year, as the leaves start to change colour and the temperatures start dropping and the first autumnal rains set in -- I spent the day making jams and preserves and chutney!

Green Fig Jam: I searched everywhere in all my recipe books and files for a good Green Fig Preserve -- the kind that my mother always had in her pantry and which is so delicious when served with strong cheeses! - but could not find a recipe anywhere. If anyone out there has a good old South African Green Fig Preserve recipe, please share it with us! So the fig jam was made roughly (boil the figs in a syrup) according to my No-Recipe Cherry Jam --(I used whole unpeeled small green figs, and tried to keep them as whole as possible, so only a few of the much riper ones disintegrated into the jam. This can be done when the figs are small enough -- otherwise it will become too difficult to serve the jam!) -- it turned out delicious, but not as clear as I would have liked. I am not sure why the syrup is slightly murky and not clear -- any suggestions?

"Canned" Apples:
I have a wonderful recipe for a baked apple pudding, but need tinned apples for it and there does not seem to be any such thing in France. So -- when Kathy and JF presented me with a large case of apples from their copious trees, I had to make sure I prepared enough apples to last me for many delicious desserts -- breakfast fruit, tart fillings -- wherever apples are called for! I simply followed this simply recipe:

Syrup: One part sugar for three parts water. Boil until sugar is well dissolved.

Peel and core and halve the apples and keep them in a container of water with 2 table spoons of salt and 1/2 cup of white vinegar, to prevent them from turning brown.
When all the apples are peeled, rinse the apples and boil them in the syrup until the apples are tender but not soft.
Pack the apples tightly in boiled/sterilised jars, fill up with syrup -- making sure that all the air bubbles are out by gently putting a flat knife down the sides of the jar and gently pressing inwards - and seal.

Store in a dark cool place. (once again - I store the jars upside down to prevent mould - just make sure they are well sealed!)


Onion Chutney:
No pantry should ever be without this chutney! I serve it with roasts - especially pork and beef roast -- and it always elicits a chorus of oohs and ahs and very generous compliments!
Unfortunately I cannot give measurements of any of the ingredients -- I tend to taste as I go along and also use different quantities of onions every time. But here goes for the basics!:

2kg Small baby onions, peeled and quartered (try to get the smallest available - if they are really small, you can use them whole)
1kg echalottes, peeled and sliced lengthwise
Sprinkle two tbls salt over the onions and cover them with boiling water. Let stand for about three hours.
Boil:
4 cups sugar
7 cups white vinegar
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup black pepper corns
1/2 cup coriander seed
1 tbsp ground cloves
2 cups sultanas
1 tbl mustard powder
1 tbl ground ginger
1/2 tbsp turmeric
2 tbls medium curry powder
1 (360gr) tin of tomato pulp

The syrup will thicken to a degree, but if not enough, add 2 tbls cornflower dissolved in 1 cup of cold water, add and allow to boil, while stirring, until the syrup thickens and is clear.
Drain the onions and add to the syrup. Allow to simmer gently for at least an hour. The chutney will darken and thicken.
When the onions are translucent and soft, pour into sterilised jars and seal.

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Heritage Day - La Journée du Patrimoine

Saturday 16 September -- The day everyone has been preparing for and waiting for in anticipation, finally dawn -- and it is WET! It has been raining on and off for a few days, but today is really WET! Having rained all night and still pouring down, even umbrellas are simply tucked away as they serve no purpose to this drenching rain.
What a pity! But no doubt even the rain will not dampen the spirits when the French celebrate their Day of Heritage!
For the past year every little town and village has been preparing for this day -- the day when they open their doors to everyone. Every public building, every chateau, every historic place, place of interest, place of hardly any interest is opened, free of charge to the public. The day you can be a nosey snoop and unashamedly cross the thresholds of each and every building you have passed a million times throughout the year!
It reminds me of the Open House system of the real estate business in some parts of the world. Some people spend a leisurely Sunday going from one house to the next that is on the market -- not because they are interested in buying a new house, but simply to see what is behind those closed doors of people's homes. And today it is the same in France -- across the whole country, this is the day the plebs can wander through privately owned castles, historians can study to their heart's content those historic and listed sites normally not open to the public, and nosey people can see what lies beyond those otherwise-locked doors! And everything is free! But there is much more as well -- there is a vast array of cultural events -- from dancing in the streets, jolly traditional suppers, colourful and educational events for children, talks on history and heritage, archaeology and ancient crafts, demonstrations and exhibitions, tours and lectures, music and art.
And the rain? No doubt it will dampen a few spirits, muddy a few portals, and boost the umbrella trade, but it definitely will not stop the French from enjoying their heritage. The only thing that will keep some indoors is the difficulty of choosing which places to go, where to see and learn the most, what programme to follow to benefit the most from this wonderful experience!

Just a very few things of what is on in the area of the Chateau Lalinde:
Septembre le 16/9
PEZULS Repas et soirée animée 20h salle des fêtes 05 53 22 72 36
MONPAZIER Journée du Patrimoine Découverte des mégalithes et sites archéologiques 9h/17h Groupe archéologique
MONPAZIER Journée du Patrimoine Visite libre des églises du canton de Monpazier Office de tourisme

LALINDE Journée du patrimoine Visites commentées de la bastide Office de Tourisme 05 53 61 08 55
MOLIÈRES Exposition de photos
BEAUMONT DU PÉRIGORD Expostion de photos Expostion de photos à la salle du Retable.
BANNES Journées du Patrimoine Visite du château de Bannes et exposition d'artisans d'art au château.
EYMET Journée du Patrimoine Samedi 16 et Dimanche 17 septembre 2006 Visite de la Bastide en Français et en Anglais à 15h.Point fort : Samedi 16 septembre à 21h00, balade nocturne dans la bastide - Musique - Saynètes - Fambeaux à 2€ - Expo photos à la bibliothèque OFFICE DE TOURISME 05 53 2
PONT ROUTIER Les cent ans du pont Pic-nic géant chacun amène son panier et pour l'ambiance musique d'époque à l'accordéon Syndicat de Trémolat

MONPAZIER 4è journée des Métiers d'Art en Bastide
MONPAZIER Visite guidée (gratuite) de la bastide à 15h
MONPAZIER Journée du Patrimoine Visite guidée des églises romanes du Monpaziérois Groupe archéologique
PARC PANORAMIQUE DE LIMEUIL "Terroir et artisanat" Entrée gratuite au parc panoramique.
MAUZAC ET GRAND CASTANG Fête des vendanges
VERGT DE BIRON Marche du brame en nocturne Comité des fêtes
LALINDE Les journées de la Rivière 15h : radonnée - 16h : concours de pêche - 18h : visite guidée de la bastide (départ à l'office de tourisme) - 19h : marché nocturne artisanal
BASSIN NAUTIQUE Championnat du monde de canoës Syndicat de Trémolat
ST AVIT SENIEUR Fête votive
LE BUISSON DE CADOUIN Salon d’antiquaires
PRATS DU PÉRIGORD Vide grenier
MONPAZIER Concert : Brother Jack Combo (rock'n'roll boogies) Pizzéria Chez Minou
VERGT DE BIRON Bal Salle des fêtes



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The Lazy Tour of two Idle Apprentices......

Every now and then I have a look at who it is out there that reads my blog, which countries they come from and what it was that they looked for when they stumbled across my blog -- and time and again I come across the most fascinating referring urls or search words used by the readers.
Such was the case this afternoon. I noticed that a reader in Tianjin, China

City : Tianjin
Lat/Long : 39.1422, 117.1767 (Map)
Distance : 5,179 miles
Language Chinese (China)
zh-cn

This reader had spent an exceptionally long time reading the blog. This caught my eye -- and I found myself wondering what someone in China found so interesting on my blog and that kept him or her occupied for such a long time. The search engine used was google and the search words were mair furniture viaduct. The plot thickens!
The referring URL was of course also the entry into the blog:

Visit Entry Page http://chateaulalind...lalinde_archive.html, the Visit Exit Page http://chateaulalind...me-for-jams-and.html and the Out Click French Entree site http://www.frenchent....com/france-dordogne........

All this I found intriguing, and I do not know about you, but would LOVE to know why those specific three search words and ........

Well, unless my friend in Tianjin Lat/Long:39.1422,117.1767,Distance:5,179 miles sends me the answer to all those questions, I doubt that I shall ever know!

BUT -- go back a step and have a look at the referring URL! There I came across the following: the World Book Library , and of course had to go have a look -- and what a title for a book! The Lazy Tour of two idle Apprentices. I have to humbly admit that I had never heard of this Dickens' story before. Where has it been hidden all these years? And a great story it is too!

"..........Between Francis and Thomas, however, there was this difference of character: Goodchild was laboriously idle, and would take upon himself any amount of pains and labour to assure himself that he was idle; in short, had no better idea of idleness than that it was useless industry. Thomas Idle, on the other hand, was an idler of the unmixed Irish or Neapolitan type; a passive idler, a born-and- bred idler, a consistent idler, who practised what he would have preached if he had not been too idle to preach; a one entire and perfect chrysolite of idleness......."
But no more! Go treat yourself and open the link and read for yourself! A delightful tale of idleness for an idle late summer afternoon.........



谢谢百万次! Mr/Mrs Reader in Tianjin, China! And please do let us know the these questions!




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