Visits with friends & food

Oyster Paella in Ola Restaurant Orange, CT

Red Snapper with Goat cheese, peppers, salad and corn at Ola Restaurant

Our friend Carol's home in Westport, CT

Us with Peter & Carol in Westport, CT

Us with Bill. Mary & Christopher Janocha

Gisele's cousins Jackie & Terry Munk with their son Christopher

Bill's nieces Rachel & Jessa and nephew Brad with their 92 year old grandfather Al.

Bill's sister Linda with her husband Larry

Back in the USA

Chers amis
Un bonjour de New York ou il fait froid et sec! Nous compatissons en voyant la photo du midi sous la neige!
Desoles pour la galette manquee, vous pouvez attendre quand on rentre...
Nous sommes partis de Marignane sans probleme, bien a l'heure et avec le soleil...puis depart de Munich avec 1 heure de retard due aux fouilles precautionneuses de nos bagages et nos corps...
Il y avait un pilote dans l'avion mais pas de bombe...
Arrivee a l'heure, miracle. Bagages OK, quelques problemes avec les zeles de l'immigration, finalement ils m'ont laissee passer, ainsi que les vieux chevres que personne ne voulait garder et que je ne me suis pas resolue a jeter...
Nous sommes maintenant confortablement installes chez la soeur de Bill a Bayonne, New Jersey , a quelques km. de Manhattan. il est tombe 2 cm. de neige cette nuit et c'est en train de fondre: on nous prevoit grand vent glacial pour les jours a venir...Nous qui aimons la neige, on aurait du rester a Uzes... non je plaisante!
Voila l'aventure est en route, lundi nous migrons vers le Connecticut pour 10 jours.

Happy New Year from our Family to Yours

A few good meals

This is the season to eat; to store fat for survival through the upcoming winter as did our ancestors starting with prehistoric man. Well, anyway that's one excuse for the Thanksgiving and chili fests we organized. We hosted 80 friends and prepared 2 - 8 pound turkeys and almost 50 pounds of chili over 3 days, not to mention 2 gallons of margaritas. It was a great time and perhaps we'll start preparing next year's event in January!

Chef Bill

(Jacques Nicolini)

I've decided to try to learn the basics of French cooking and signed up for a 3 month class with the Universite Populaire here in Uzes. The location alternates between the classroom, where chef Jacques Nicolini presents the theory behind classic French cuisine as well as history, regulations and anecdotes, and Jacques' home in nearby Aubussargues where we do the "hands on". Our first recipe was a "Tarte au Pomme", which was delicious. Future classes will feature "Canard a l'Orange" and "Foie Gras". It's a class where I look forward to the homework.

(Bill's Tarte au Pomme)

Visit to the Chateau in Uzes

Gisele and the Duke de Crussol d'Uzes

Chateau d'Uzes

Sunday Sept. 20 was this year's "Journee du Patrimoine" in France which is when most public monuments have free admission, and many private chateaux and domains can only be visited on this one day a year. We took the opportunity to view the Chateau d'Uzes in the center of our town. It's very impressive with structural parts dating back 1000 years and still occupied by descendants of the original family.

On the grounds of the Chateau d'Uzes

After the visit to the chateau we went to the "Jardin Medieval" in Uzes which is a garden containing plants which existed in homes during the Middle Ages.

10th Anniversary in Uzes

10 years ago today we were in the notaire's office with Mr. Feignier, the previous owner of our Mas, signing the paperwork to complete the purchase. It was scary then and at times it still is but we don't feel that we could've found a better property nor village or region. It's been a great ride and let's hope for many more years together.

Summer in Carry-le-Rouet

We're very fortunate to have Gisele's family summer home outside of Marseille in Carry-le-Rouet. It's our go-to place when Uzes is rented in the summer. Carry is a beautiful small town on the Mediterranean with mostly rocky beaches and picture postcard scenic views. Most of our meals consist of the daily catch and so are quite different from Uzes. This could be swordfish, tuna, makerel or sardines, usually on the grill. Also Gisele & her mom pool their talents for a delicious bouillabaise made from the rockfish found only along the coast near Marseille. It's delicious!