Gastronomic Gascony - Part un (aka 1)

So, I have decided to skip over the three days in the UK. Mostly because the weather was fantastic and all I did was wander around, shop and go to the theater. All in all a good few days. Worth a mention though is the new M&M World in London.

Following that little interlude, I headed to Toulouse in southern France with Miss Cleo. We are currently residing in a tiny village of 15 permanent residences on top of a hill, named Gramont. So small it took us about a minute to walk to the end of town.

This part of France is famous for foie gras. Which made me rather happy. Gotta love having three types of foie gras each day as a standard course at lunch and/or dinner.

We have a charming chateau next to us that dates back to the 1400s. That pretty much sums up the highlights in town.

Oh, and they have a new disabled parking space (required by law). Just not sure where the car occupants are headed...

We have gone for little field trip to the farmers market, and another to a local town. Named Condom (nope, actual name and not auto correct!).

In Condom there is a statue for the three musketeers. Haven't worked that one out just yet...maybe a Trojan horse might have been more appropriate...

On Saturday night was the village annual festival. We got to listen to people from all around the village telling a story in a theme. A man with an accordion then led us around the village to the next story. There were ogres, postmen, ghosts and even ponies...Given it was all in French that pretty much sums up how much of it I understood!

This was followed by a massive dinner. Only problem was dinner started with us all in paper hats, rubber gloves and aprons, all concerned we had to cook our own dinner. Turns out it was just a little bit of fun in the restaurant. Though this was a sight that frightened a few...

We also went to a small village that basically worship cats. See there was a cat lady who hundreds of years ago refused to let the villagers eat her cats. They were the only cats left in the village. When the plague came they were one of the few villages left with cats and they were able to run the rats out of town and all subsequently survived. The cat lady saved them all. There is even a statue in her honour.

You can also go on a little scavenger hunt through town looking for all the cats hidden on the buildings. Like this one.

We have also done some cooking. Everything from apple tart (yes, this is mine!)

to potatoes that look like swans.

Have spent the day making creme brûlée, chicken ballottine and duck fat roasted potatoes. Off to muster the crepe suzette before dinner tonight!

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A trip to Harrods

I had a plan for today. I was going to walk through Hyde Park, go see Kensington Palace, maybe a quick stop at the Harrods food hall, then off to do other things in the afternoon. All started well, I made it through Hyde Park

However as I was nearing the Kensington High Street the weather took a nasty turn. Being the strategic thinker that I am, I figured I would just move Harrods up the program and hang there for a half hour or so til the shower passed. It was almost 4 hours later when I finally emerged back on the street.

Harrods is, in short, awesome. Well, once you get past the fact that some of the Egyptian decor is reminiscent of a Vegas casino. They sell gold bullion. They have a writing room where there are pens that retail for £4,000. They have an art gallery. They have a "luxury gift and object room". They have a pet spa. They have a room that sells nothing but old maps. They have a food hall. I'm not sure if it is a result of six years of Melanesian exile or not, but I'm in love with the food hall.

So, what would you like to eat? A chocolate pizza?

No? Maybe some foie gras?

Or sushi?

I know, you want a terrine...

Everyone knows I like cheese...

What my good friends know is that I really love goat cheese.

Cheese goes well with bread...

Do we need some veg? There have round zucchinis!

They also have beets. Real ones. Not in a tin. Thought it might be handy to remind Jo and Sid what those look like (hehe).

Is it time for dessert yet? Cupcake?

What would you like to wash it down with? I had a quick look in the wine and cigar room and spotted this lovely 70 year old vintage whiskey. It is a bargain at £19,995 a bottle.

I was tempted by the caviar and vodka bar for lunch. But instead decided to go to the dim sum bar. I mean really, how often do you get to say that your steamed BBQ pork buns were made by a "Hong Kong dim sum master"?

I needed dessert too. Turns out they have a Laduree on site...

I had to get one of each...

Two other cool things to note (from the rooms where pictures are allowed). Sam, if you ever feel the need to replace that giant bear that met an untimely fate on the roundabout, they are only £1,700

And I think this might be the best board game table ever. The sides you can't see in the picture are Cludo and Monopoly (it is a full sized table).

Tonight I am going here

To be followed by "West End does Eurovision". Not bad for a Thursday...

Rain, Hail or Shine

I think I am going to need to go back on my promise of not using this as a forum to complain about the weather. It's London, so I didn't exactly have high expectations for the weather, but why did the hail have to hammer down just as I was wandering along the Thames, right where there was zero in the way of shelter?

I woke up this morning and decided that I was going to go sightseeing, rain, hail or shine. I didn't realise I would see all three! Despite the weather (and with the help of some directionally challenged behavior on my part) I managed to cover off most of the Monopoly board. To give you an idea of the kind of day it was, this pic of the London Eye was taken about 6.2 seconds before the first hail of the day decided to hammer down.

I powered on in the rain...

And then I got to St James's Park. By this stage I was a little on the lost side (it is hard to juggle an umbrella and a soggy map at the same time). I stood there having a bit of a ponder as to why all these people were standing at the gate of the building I was now in front of... Turns out I had found Buckingham Palace by accident...

When the pirate stripper boots decided to finally succumb to the puddles in Trafalgar Square I decided it was time to give up. So, it was back to the hotel, where I changed into dry clothes and decided to partake in high tea. There was all sorts of yummy things, including a foie gras sandwich, salmon mousse, caviar, macaroons, and even a choc chip scone!

Quite fittingly, tonight, I am off to see this...

Hoping for some sunshine tomorrow!