Schwarzwald, Germany

The Black Forest ~ A week in one of Germany's most beautiful panoramic areas and we are reduced to mush. Fresh air, pleasant walks through the woods, incredible scenery, and GREAT FOOD did wonders. Stress levels went down to zero and appetites increased noticeably (meal portions were hearty!). Maddie, of course, just loved every minute of sniffing new scents and meeting some forest friends. We found Schwarzwald to be very dog-friendly and the next posts will detail more on what there is to see and do in this southwestern corner of Germany.

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Rowena, I'm glad you had a great time - I've been to the black forest, it is a beautiful place. Looking forward to the next posts...
keiko | Homepage | 09.01.05 - 7:47 am

What a trip you must have had. Looking forward to more as always.

I think you are truly blessed to be where you are! I recall wandering through the great forests of Austria above Vienna. Hiking along all morning and then when you least expect it, a small gasthaus appears overlooking the valley below where I could buy an ice cold beer and something to eat, enjoying it while I took in the magnificent, unspoiled vista.
Stephen Newton | Homepage | 08.30.05 - 6:10 pm

Fasolari

Shellfish farming is a big industry in these Mediterranean waters and the ready availability of fresh clams, mussels, oysters, and other types is just one of the culinary pluses that I appreciate here without measure — we are spoiled for the want of them. They arrive prepacked at 1 to 2 pounds in wooden crates or netting and just seeing them gurgle and shift about in the netted sacks is enough to tell me that they are indeed live, although strict regulations already require purveyors to have the date of harvest stamped onto the label.

These pics are of some fasolari that we picked up the other day (I have no idea what the proper english name might be). Of course the dog had to investigate during the photo session and in the end, one of the shells just opened up as if to say hello... sort of made me feel terrible when I threw them into the pot! Cooking them was easy — just some minced garlic, chopped onions, tomatoes, italian parsely, a glass of white wine, and chile pepper for a hint of spiciness. Served with spaghetti and a big loaf of crusty bread to mop up all of the flavorful broth.

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i loveeee seafood... 'n looking at the picture, now i really wanna have some niceee seafood dinner... :-) and look at your baby... sniffing on the clams :-D
'ka | Homepage | 08.27.05 - 5:59 am

Wow..it's quite long not visiting this home :-) Maddie looks like a professor examining shellfish :-D she's so cute even looking for behind. How's the new house and the kitchennnnn ? ...cant't wait to see them :-)
dewi | Homepage | 08.24.05 - 9:22 am

Rowena,
Looks wonderful. Our Gulf of Mexico seafood has been ruined by a massive Red Tide that is killing everything from sea turtles to shellfish. The beaches here are covered with dead fish. I'm sure you experienced Red Tide in Hawaii? It makes you cough, kills tons of fish and turns the water red.

Thanks for your interest in reading some excerpts from my novel. I'm planning to post the first three chapters on another "private blog" and will send you an invitation to take a look when you have time.

I've decided not to post the whole book at this time until I hear from a literary agent.
Stephen Newton | Homepage | 08.18.05 - 6:04 pm

Rowena...your descriptions of your travels and the fantastic food you enjoy along the way make me jade green with envy. Life is good here in 'God's Little Acre', but I guess the salads always look just a little greener on the other side of the globe :>)
Celeste | Homepage | 08.18.05 - 5:48 pm

Rowena - you made me hungry again! I love vongole and made the pasta dish countless times when I was in Japan (but never here). What does fasolari taste like? Very similar to the normal clams? Was Maddie really interested in them?
keiko | Homepage | 08.18.05 - 1:26 pm

Some things never change

According to our recent issue of the biannual community news bulletin (all of 16 pages!), there are 47 straniere residente, or foreign residents, amongst the total population of 1476 in this town. I can count myself as one of those strangers, but other than the french woman on the bus, I wouldn't know where the others come from.

In our two years of living here, nothing has changed much, except for the addition of a small library next to the post office. Recently though, progress arrived on a much larger scale with the completion of a new section of paved highway which connects more directly to the next town over. An area of mountainside was excavated to accomplish this, and when I take Maddie for walks along this wider strip of asphalt, it just seems so... out of place. This little comune is growing, as it is an ideal location for a summer getaway and with more and more people from the big cities looking for a second home to invest in, it leaves me wondering if the even smaller frazione (fraction of a comune) that we're moving to in a few months will grow to become a town with its own mayor one day.

Growth brings change, and of course, with all of this progress one might think that a simple thing like a street lamp could be added to illuminate a dark passageway through town. Apparently not so, as I caught part of an indignant conversation between some rather feisty elderly italians the other night. A group of one man and two women were making their way through an unlit section of covered walkway when one of the women suddenly blurted, "I've come to this place for 30 YEARS and still they don't have any light in this area! They must all be stupid {and here she used the word deficiente} in this town! Idiots!!"

Hope I don't turn out to be an ornery granny in my later years! :-P

Selecting an italian kitchen

"Estetico, estetico, estetico..." - Aesthetics. This word was repeated often when we met with the kitchen representative. To bring events up-to-date, in between cooking and holidays, we actually found a home that suits us fine. The only catch is that the property is brand new, the tiles and bath fixtures have yet to be installed, and there's no kitchen.

A thing about newly-built italian homes and perhaps elsewhere in Europe - the kitchen is often left bare and it's up to the buyer to install one. I casually told my husband that in the States, the kitchen is usually in place when the property is shown. Not so true in Italy as he then informs me that the kitchen is probably the most important, if not lived in, part of the house. To have one that meets our needs and requirements is elementary but there's also the question of aesthetics. This fact is no more confirmed than by looking at the great amount of designer cucina specialists: Scavolini, Snaidero, Veneta, Salvarini, just for starters. Thick catalogs began arriving in our mailbox, flaunting kitchens so aesthetically pleasing that I simply could not imagine ever wanting to muck it up with sticky chocolate batter, bolognese sauce, or greasy oil splatters. Acchhh!


What style to consider? Classic? Modern? Traditional? Rustic? Trendy? Consultations took us on a tour of the most beautiful counter tops in stainless steel, italian stone, quartz, crystal, and precious marble. Top-of-the-line appliances were many to select from. Function blended into form as drawers extended out effortlessly from beneath sinks to reveal organized spaces for cleaning supplies and separating recyclables, while a dishrack strategically sat above, hidden from view behind opaque glass panels. Even the dining sets coordinated with the theme. Stainless steel ventilation hoods lent an almost prestigious feel and I'm thinking, wow!, back in the islands I'd just leave the windows open to expel the stench of frying fish. How much does that air sucker cost? All I really need is a large oven - there's the 20# Thanksgiving turkey to cook each year. ;-)


Since my husband's work deals in form and function, I let him be with the aesthetics part, as long as I could put the kitchen to good use. But style is not the only factor here; there's also a need for space. While on a recent visit to finalize the proposal, a couple entered the shop. They wanted to renovate their kitchen to meet the demands of a growing family. "We have american-style refrigerators..." I hear the saleswoman say to them. I guess my face must have registered a look of disbelief because our representative quickly added, "That's what everyone is asking for these days, american-style refrigerators. Side-by-side. You know, you see these big sales at the supermarket and you want to buy a lot but when you bring it all home... (and her hands wildly mimic a rearranging movement) you must find the space to fit it all in!"

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Wow, Rowena! The gorgeousness of these kitchen photos is just mind-boggling. I consider myself lucky in an NYC apartment to have a 12 x 12 kitchen with standard, non-deluxe appliances. But the pictures you show make me dream big...ever since we got back from our vacation a few days ago, I've been thinking about the double Jacuzzi we had in our room in Calistoga. My dream house is only in the dream stage, not even the planning stage...but it's good to have goals, LOL!
Julie | Homepage | 08.16.05 - 10:19 pm

Wow! Those gorgeous Italian kitchen designs! I love them. Though for me as a wife with 3 kids, a big thing to consider is - ease of cleaning. :-)
celiaK | Homepage | 08.15.05 - 12:29 pm

Hi Rowena! Haven't bloghopped in a while, just dropped by to see how you are doing. Can't wait to see what you decide for your new kitchen. How exciting! Make sure you share photos :-)
JMom | Homepage | 08.15.05 - 7:49 am

Rowena...dear, we have the same trouble with the kitchen! i have to choose one for my future home, and i'm now watching every single kitchen store or magazine to choose the best one! the one i like the most is the Rustic style, but it's too expensive! and think that i'm going to live in a "mansarda" so i have to consider the height of the wall...go tothis site: www.kitchens.it
hugs,kisses&cookies
Gaia | 08.12.05 - 9:04 am

Rowena,
I went through the same mess with my kitchen. I am actually happy with the design which I am fine to say was from IKEA, they did a great job coming in and installing all the stuff we designed and since we are renting it was very affordable. I got a Whirlpool dishwasher, over and range (a 5 burner that fits my giant wok). We bought a separate fridge, medium-big and two consoles/work surfaces. The best buy was the bakers rack. Combining all the cookware was a problem and the bakers rack was awesome! I hope you end up with a functional and aesthestically pleasing kitchen. If I had more room I would have done differently but knocking out a wall was not an option.
Gia | 08.11.05 - 12:57 am

Looking forward see your new kitchen. Weeks ago, i watch Oprah show, while Nate restructuring somebody's kitchen, and of course with US-style fridge. that was so cool, i wonder what would my next kitchen look like :-)
dewi | Homepage | 08.10.05 - 11:00 am

Hi Rowena - I thought you got THAT kitchen already! You obviously can afford things we couldn't (I'm too embarrassed to say that we had to get ours from Ikea...), I love Boffi stuff.
http://www.boffisoho.com/
keiko | Homepage | 08.10.05 - 4:06 am

hi rowena, ur post abt the italian kitchen reminded me of when my Husband & I were shopping for kitchens in Singapore. It's really a whole new world of terms - corain marble tops, tiles, post-form membrane etc., AIGH. I still remember... :P Anyway, re. the refrigerator - we ended up buying one of the biggest fridges we saw - a sturdy mitsubishi... and altho we thot we'd never hv enuf food to fill it up wit, it has served us really well, esp when it comes to big parties/dinners that we throw. So, yea, I"d recommend buying a BEEEG fridge, even if it's just for 2 pp... :-)
spots | Homepage | 08.10.05 - 2:34 am

That makes perfect sense to me, letting the new owner install a kitchen to suit. Like you, we spend most of our free time during the day in the kitchen. If we ever get a new one, we want a gas stove, and miles of counter space.

Congratulations on your new home. Looking forward to pics of the final kitchen installation.
Stephen Newton | Homepage | 08.09.05 - 5:19 pm

Hi Rowena,
we are going through exactly the same process of choosing a kitchen and the Snaidero was at one point a candidate. Currently it seems we are heading for a design of Valcucina. Have fun with your quest :-)
Ronald | Homepage | 08.09.05 - 4:32 pm

Into the land of the Cathars

Templar knights, hidden treasure, dark secrets, and formidable castles - All of these beckoned us into the region of Languedoc-Roussillon, specifically to the departément of Aude, the land of the Cathars. A pity it was also the most loosely planned and least researched part of our final days in France. My husband had wanted to revisit the medieval city of Carcassonne to see if it had changed much since a previous trip years ago. Back then, Carcassonne still exuded all of the nobility and charm of a great city from the Middle Ages. Suffice to say that this time, the place seemed more of a squeeze through too many souvenir shops, with only a short distance away from the almighty McDo.

Remnants from the past

Intrigued by an article on Rennes-le-Chateau, we were expecting something special but found that the mystery behind the town is much more interesting. A mention made by one of the other guests at the b&b tipped us off to Chateau Peyrepertuse — and if not for the extreme heat, we would have trekked right up there with the dog. The sheer size of it is IMPRESSIVE, and the winding road that leads up offers glimpses of the ruins perched high in an impregnable position on the rocks.

Info and links

Finding all of these informational links after we got home enlightened me on the incredible history of the Cathars, and I'm wondering if there's not a novel already published that weaves all of this into one, fabulous, read. Visiting the region was a wonderful opportunity, but eh, something about billboard advertisements and road signs along the path of the Cathars just doesn't fit. I kept expecting to see a watering hole by the name of The Black Knight, Toadstop, or something to that effect. :-P
Cathar Castles
The Cathars
Definition of the Cathars
Le Chateau de Peyrepertuse (french only, great photos)

Bulot

You take the toothpick, then pull the flesh out like this... And {tock!} with the cluck of her tongue, our waitress demonstrated how to remove the cooked morsel within a bulot and dip it into aïoli. These sea snails were among the offerings in a self-service cold buffet. Who would've thought that we'd discover a new edible at a french truckstop diner?

Bulot (whelk in english and buccina in italian) is akin to eating escargot. Heck, it's a snail — you either love it or leave it. We picked up a kilo of these from the supermarket just before returning to Italy. Cooking them wasn't much different than for other shellfish; briefly in salted water and seasonings. They tasted better when cold though, along with a dipping bowl of garlicky mayo and cold beer.

Note: The bulot pictured above is about 1½ times the original.

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Hi, I'm a French woman living in the US and I regularly have Bulot withdrawals. Cold bulots dipped in mayonnaise or aioli are one of my favorite foods and of course I can't find them in the US and I sometimes have really bad cravings for them. My friends always go blank when I am talking about Bulots because they have no idea what it is, so I googled Bulots to find the english translation and found your blog.
I finally have something to show my friends! Now of course the probelm is, I wish I could have that for lunch!
Marie-Cecile | 10.21.05 - 7:50 pm

Rowena,
My wife loves to snorkle for shells in the Gulf of Mexico, so we have a large collection of great Whelk shells and lots of others...but it never occurred to us that we could eat them like escargot. The indigenous peoples who lived here a couple centuries ago, left huge hills made of shellfish shells. They're called Middens, not to be confused with Maddie.

We aren't supposed to collect live shellfish, just the empty shells. But when the economy finally collaspes, we'll have plenty to eat over here.

Thanks for another great post. I see the book cover now for "Rubber Slippers in Italy" I hope you have your author's photo ready.
Stephen Newton | Homepage | 08.03.05 - 5:21 pm

Oh Seestah! I saw da' title "Bulot" an t'ought you wuz talkin' about da' egg t'ing from da' PI !!! (Nah..onee joking!)

I've never eaten anything like Bulot..... but I'm game!!

You amaze me...you are so worldly when it comes to foods, cooking, etc!!!
KatalinaB | Homepage | 08.03.05 - 1:30 pm

Nice! I'm surprised they are tastier when cold. (Although I'd enjoy them at any temperature!)
kitchen hand | Homepage | 08.02.05 - 2:02 pm

Dining in Dordogne

I don't know if it was just plain luck or because of the dog, looking so cute that she could melt the stoniest of hearts, but we were always able to get into a recommended restaurant sans reservation. From what I've read, these 'dinner appointments' are nearly mandatory during July/Aug. Strangely, our b&b host had nothing by the way of suggestions, but to have a bad meal in Dordogne is improbable, certainly more so if a bottle of bordeaux, bergerac, or pécharmant wine is on the table.

Photo: Escargot stuffed with duck confit.

We consulted mainly with Le Guide Routard of south France (2005) which listed a few restaurants in the more popular towns. For an entirely different setting, we also picked up the current copy of Les Routiers. Essentially what started out as a guide for truckers on the road, these places are boldly advertised with a large blue & red circle with the words Les Routiers in white. Other not-so-obvious eateries include inns and diners which serve generous meals at reasonable prices. Note: Some of these truck stops are not so easy on the eyes. The word 'dump' comes to mind? Of the two that we lunched at, service was courteous, and the food, although simple, more than we could finish. Typically, a complete menu is offered at a set price: starter (usually a self-service cold buffet), entree, cheese, dessert, wine, and coffee for 10-14 euros. These routiers are definitely for hungry appetites! Finding one is a no miss, just keep an eye open for large parking lots filled with semis.

What and where to eat

If I WERE to complain about the food it would be solely for the fact that one can eat only so much foie gras. This delicacy is certainly everywhere in France, but it's king of the menu in Dordogne! Confit de canard was also at the top, along with truffles, escargot, scallops, lamb, duck, and cabécou (goat cheese). Walnuts and walnut oil feature prominently. Not to pass up on is the salad with gésiers - cooked goose gizzards (I swear it is really good) in a walnut oil-n-raspberry vinegar dressing over fresh greens. As they say in Hawaii, it's 'broke-da-mouth' ONO.

Restaurant le Vieux Moulin (les Eyzies-de-Tayac)
The perfectly done foie gras was exquisite. Expensive, but the food was top-notch.
Le Présidial (Sarlat), 6 rue Landry - phone: 05.53.28.92.47
Excellent food, great service, beautiful garden setting and where we had those escargots stuffed with duck confit. Considered the best in Sarlat.
Le Bouffon (Sarlat), 11 rue Albéric-Cahuet - phone: 05.53.31.03.36
Complete menus, good food, quick service. Suited for young families.
L'Esterel (Marquay) phone: 05.53.29.67.10
Out in the countryside reached by zigzag lanes. Service that night was a little unorganized but the food was enjoyable. Fish entrees in addition to regional cuisine. The warm mussel salad was delicious.
Other mentioned restaurants (dining suggestions in Dordogne)* * *

For lighter meals we opted to eat at one of the many creperies in Sarlat. Sweet or savory versions, one that comes to mind was a crepe filled with ratatouille and a soft-cooked egg. Fancy flambéd dessert crepes made it hard to choose!