~Bonnieux and Lacoste~A GREAT appetizer,and a fail:)

Before I dart forward to  Christmas mode..which I love.....

Let me take you to Bonnieux and give you a  glimpse of Lacoste..
.. and show you a great little lunch I had that could very well be a nice appetizer .. see below below....
which it will be ..for Christmas eve :)But larger for our family.I know Max will love the charcuterie part..

Pardon the pics..I just ..am not competent at all..indoors..and point and shoot..Shoot!:(
It just was so darn delicious.Loved the spray bottles.The US and UK carry them on Amazon..
You need the charcuterie around and baguette slices..in little pails:)

I mean..look..scoop some of that pistou w/ the cheese and the crunch and spread on the best baguette you can find♥My mouth waters looking at these pics not for their quality but the sheer memory of the lunch..(déjeuner in France).Petit déjeuner is breakfast.

Enchanted w/ it in 2008..we returned..

In Roussillon..the girl that sold me my artists supplies..lived in Bonnieux..Bonnieux is one of those places..there are many though..where the views are outstanding.
While in this area..we also visited Ménerbes,Gordes,Roussillon  and Lacoste.

I love doors and views and stone and charm..

There is no getting around any of all that in Bonnieux..it was one of those drizzle days..we didn't have many but this was one of them..still the town held it's charm for us..

the park at the top..the homes..

the lunch I had..
Yes..I ate almost all that..

I's a baked Camembert..but first..a flour/egg wash/then bread crumbs..and pan crisped..then baked in the oven ..make sure you place it in a snug baking dish to oven bake..it just keeps everything perfect!..On top..un pistou..(pesto)..served w/ baguette slices..charcuteries..and salad.
I recreated it at home and I will be serving this Christmas eve.
Larger lol..
A nice change from all our usual baked cheeses..It was my first prepared in this manner.

Bonnieux is a medieval village and you climb here..up and up and up..

We visited Lacoste the very same day..

I loved my Keens for all the walking we did..

You need comfortable shoes..as the streets of these medieval towns are uneven..some ..cobblestones..uphill down hill so you need some grip too..

In Venice Italy you will see gorgeous girls in Stiletto heels..in Cannes along the boardwalk too..but in these villages..
COMFORT footwear only.A must.

So if you are not too bored yet..we went to Lacoste the same day~

I had ordered a blue sky..   no one listened.

The thing about foggy..cloudy ,drizzle days in Sept..in Provence..NO ONE..
We saw 24 villages/towns..most in sunshine..I didn't mind at all..

Lacoste to me is mystery:)
Perhaps the Marquis de Sade stories..and then Pierre Cardin..just an air of mystery..as if every era still exists there!

I'll take you along to a few other towns..but after Christmas..I just feel I am overloading you with photos that may not mean a thing to you:)

At least they are not on my phone and I am  not showing you      one            by          one:)
Lol?:)

I am going to put my Christmas stockings and hat on and get ready

 for a holiday we both love..

I'll share some recipes I hope.. and some ideas..

I have my Christmas desserts in my head..

I have  Isabelle Lambert's new cookbook to review:)

Surely a Christmas post where a book of cookies is involved!

Our tree will be up early December and come down quite a bit after New Year..too pretty to get rid of fairy lights too early ,especially with our Québec long winters..

and maybe.. after..no..who am I kidding..not maybe..

I'll continue w/ our love affair w/ Provence~

I have to recommend another book..

WONDER  it's on my sidebar at the right..

If you have a child that can read..the book takes place around a grade 5 classroom..and is about that age..this is a must read  for the child..his school..his classroom..

A book for everyone.

My eyes swelled with tears a few times during the book ..and at the end..the tears fell.

It's about being different..bullying..love..great parents..friends..teachers..and Star Wars:)

What a great Christmas gift..stocking stuffer.

I think this is a keeper book..

It's in French also.

BTW..an EPIC  fail for me..  were these..this week..LOL try sticking the skewer in without banging it on the counter..try spiralizing a potato by hand w/ a wannabe knife..FAIL.

Marie's New Book!~

For 100 years I have been touting many of Marie's recipes..

At long last.. after completing chef's school..and being a personal chef for years..  blogging..winning awards..she has her first cookbook published!

The English Kitchen: An Anglophone's Love Note To The English Kitchen~


It is available at Amazon United States..
Amazon Canada
Amazon UK

This is a wonderful ..big cookbook with so many tried and true recipes..I have already bookmarked many many recipes..
It's about 700 pages..  and walks you through breakfasts..mains..desserts..Menus..tips and tricks..essentials..methods..

A treasure trove ..of years of experience.

This would make a great gift..for anyone..

I call it The Art Of Mastering English Cooking:)

Because it's not all fluff w/ maybe a few  good recipes..you can learn the basics here and have a repertoire..that you build on..w/ all her sauces..potato dishes..puddings etc..

The kid knows what she's doing:)

If you have been following me for any amount of time..you will have seen things I have made from Marie's recipes..

TONS:)

And some have been remade soo many times!
Many recipes I make once..but even if they are really good..I move on..
but some recipes you make again and again and again..

some of mine are from Marie.That's saying A lot:)

Her custard creams are in the book:)
So cute so good!

Her Omelet:)

Her Chocolate Bourbons~

Not only sweets in this book..everything..she has everything covered!

This is a totally unbiased review..well.. perhaps biased because I have so many tried and trues of Marie's recipes..I AM quite frankly biased♥

Above..small small samplings of what I have made.
...her Korean Beef..my daughters even make now.


..her sponge cake:)

Some days just making one of her recipes got me going..giving me incentive to try and learn..and make and bake.


W/all the printed out sheets I have of her recipes..it's nice to have many more..all in one.
Marie ,thanks for everything you have shared..share and contine to share.

I am sure your book will do so well.

Congratulations.



You nailed it.