“Everything’s the same, back in my little town.”
I have to admit—I admire bloggers who can blog while on vacation. When I’m immersed strangeness and sparkle of where I am, the spell gets broken when I turn to the impersonal feel of the iPad screen.
Alas, it’s time. We’re having a heatwave here in Collioure. The temperature is 89°F, but according to weather.com, it feels like 96°F. It’s humid. And because les vacances scholaires have begun, there are many, many more people here than just last week.
Not that I’m complaining! Fortunately, we have a fabulous studio climatisé (air conditioned–and believe me, climatisé is a word you’ll want to know if you you travel in the south in summer).
And so, chers amis, as the heat of the day intensifies, now’s a good time to stay inside, drink Badoit (a softly sparking mineral water I love) and tell you about a few random things I’m finding.
1. Typical lunch chez moi during the heat wave when I don’t want to cook.
Top plate: Pâté de compagne and mousse de canard. Bottom plate: Jambon de Paris, rosette de Lyon, oeufs-mayo, roasted beet salad, couscous salad, carottes râpées, and (in the center) celeris remoulades. All from the deli (or supermaket).
2. Every day, an afternoon coffee or an evening apéritif at Les Templiers, a bar filled with paintings from early 20th-century artists who loved Collioure for its light, and paid the hotel owner in paintings. Picasso stayed here (though these days, they don’t exhibit the Picassos, after one was stolen a while back). Still, the other paintings are engaging testaments to the enduring light and color of this great town.
Mr. Sportcoat (sans sportcoat) at my favorite bar in the world: Les Templiers.
3. My little secret: J’adore French supermarket desserts.
Some are better than others, but the caramel pot-de-crème is divine!
4. Strangest thing I’ve seen at the market:
Seriously? Chery Love Show? Please, leave the U.S. out of it! And is it really for kids? I don’t get it–at all!
5. And finally!
A bientôt, my friends. Tomorrow, it’s off to the mountains (Prades) to cool off (hopefully!).
You have inspired me to make some caramel pot-de-crème since we don’t have access to “really good” supermarket desserts. I think I can do this before the day heats up.
I hope you will be bringing back good recipes to share with all of us.
Thanks! I know it sounds strange for a cookbook author to actually like “industrial” desserts, but the French supermarket desserts are surprisingly good….and inexpensive!
Oh–and let us know about the caramel pot-de-creme if you make one! I’d love recipe.
One of my favorite things in the world is French yogurt! I can honestly say that i don’t eat yogurt here in the States, but choose to wait until I can buy lots and lots of those fabulous containers in France! There is nothing like it. And yes, I like all the supermarket desserts!! Enjoy, and stay cool!
Agree about the yogurt–it’s a different thing here! I love the “fromage blanc” too–and they sell it topped with a little whipped cream. It’s killer-good!
I think I need to go make chocolate pot de creme now. Thanks for taking me back! It hasn’t even been a year and these pictures are killing me. And yes, on the yogurt, particularly the vanilla custard kind. Yum!