Salon literaire tea-party

The tea-party guests de-invited themselves at the last moment, but Rachel was already in baking mood so we carried on regardless. All quite different - all very scrummy.

Sun-dried Tomato, Olive and Basil Bread
(source - the lady, July 2009 from Lazy Days and Beach Blankets, Ryland Peters and Small)

SUN-DRIED TOMATO, OLIVE AND BASIL BREAD

SERVES 6

6oz (175g) plain flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

3 large eggs

31½ floz (100ml) olive oil

31½ oz (100ml) milk

31½ oz (100g) mature Gruyere cheese, grated

31½ oz (100g) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and roughly chopped

21/2oz (60g) stoned black olives marinated with herbs, roughly chopped

a small handful of basil leaves, roughly sliced

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

You will also need:

a 8¼ inch (21cm) x 4¼ inch (11cm) non-stick loaf tin, lightly greased and floured



1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350˚F or Gas 4.

2. Sift the flour with the baking powder and season well with salt and black pepper. Whisk the eggs and whisk in the milk and oil. Tip two-thirds of the liquid into the flour, beat well then add remaining liquid.

3. Mix in the Gruyère, tomatoes, olives and basil, then tip into the loaf tin. Bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

4. Leave to cool, remove from the tin and wrap in aluminium foil. Keep in the fridge.

5. Serve at room temperature, sliced and cut into halves or squares. You could also serve a plate of chunky, handcut slices of salami to eat with your fingers.


Lavender Shortbread
(source - the Lady, July 2009)

75g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
175 g butter
1 tblspoon fresh chopped lavender flowers
175g plain flor
75g cornflour, ground rice or fine semolina
shallow backing tin 27 x 18 cm

Preheat oven to 150C/300F/gas 2
Food process sugar and butter till light and fluffy
Add lavender flowers and whizz again
Add half flour and pulse to incorporate, then add rest of flour and pulse again
Add cornflour and pulse (cornflour = smoother; groun rice or semolina = more crumbly and rustic)
Bring together with hands
Sparek onto baking tin, mark it with shortknife into 18 squares and prick lightly with fork
Bake 40 to 45 mins till pale gold; sprinkle with caster sugar, and cooke for another 5 mins
Remove from oven, cool for 10 mins in tin; cut into pieces, remove from tin with palette knife onto rack to cool.
Store in air-tight tin

Rich Fruit Loaf

This recipe comes from my classic Cooking in Colour by Marguerite Pattern. First published 1960 - my copy is the fourth edition published 1974. Recipe number 811

The published recipe calls for candied peel - we used chopped dried prunes (we had them in the cave). I'm never afraid to substitute ingredients (within reason). And on second or third baking will start to play around with spices and flavourings.

100g butter
1kg plain flour (we used an organic wheat flour type 110 - it was almost a very fine brown flour)
pinch salt
125 g currants
125 g sultanas
75 g prunes (we probably used more)
50 - 75 g sugar
really good 25g of fresh yeast (and yes, we found fresh yeast at the boulangerie)
2 eggs
425 ml tepid milk or milk and water
2 tablespoons sugar and water to glaze

Rub butter into sieved flour and salt. Add fruit and all but 1 teaspoon sugar.
Cream yeast with teaspoon of sugar, add to the beaten egs and warm milk and leave for 10 minutes in warm place till frothy
Add to the rest of the ingredients and mix to a dough
Knead on floured board
Leave to rise till doubled in size
Put into 2 large load tins (actually we used 2 x sprung bottom round cake tins)
Leave to prove 20 mins
Bake in centre of hot oven 425 - 450 F, 220 - 230 C, gas 6 - 7, reducing the heat after first 10 mins to 375F/190C/Gas 5, for 40 - 50 mins.
Brush with glaze made with sugar and water as soon as the loaves come of the oven.
Cool on wire tray.

Summer Sun and Autumn Leaves - Special Offers

If you've been in cooped up in sun-starved Northern Europe, why not make the most of a break to sun-drenched Provence.

Don't take a rain-check - book your last-minute bargain break today.

From 22 August - 15th September come and stay at Chateau Colombier at the fantastic low rate of 1,200 euros per week for up to 6 people. Each further guest 120 euros per head. Self-catering.

Or come anytime from 22nd August - 15th September for a mini-break at just 60 euros per ensuite double room, with breakfast; table d'hote available as required.

Do a mix and match. We're as flexible as you need us to be.

Or 20% OFF WEBSITE PRICES 26th September - 31st October. Quoete "Autumn Leaves"

Bring your hiking boots and get out walking; hire a bike and follow the route of the Tour de France. Explore the markets ... visit the vineyards ... relax by the pool.

The crowds have gone. But we invite you to share one of the best seasons in our little corner of Paradise.

The Mont Ventoux attraction

I have to confess. I've never been to the summit of Mont Ventoux. I have been to the ski station there one VERY cold New Year's Eve - where I also smugly confess to sitting in the bar drinking hot chocolate while the family and friends threw themselves down the luge slopes on a variety of plastic trays.

And I watched the pen-ultimate stage of the Tour de France this year with awe as the guys I'd seen with my own eyes sprinting past the house 4 hours earlier reached the finish line.

But it's with equal pride that I am thinking of keeping a tally of the Mont Ventoux ascents achieved by my cycling house guests.

The early arrivers of my June group of house guests did all three routes to the top (starting and finishing at Le Colombier).



I'm listening in to the plans. It seems that there will be at least one or two breakaways from choir practice who also have the Mont in their sites. Rachel - my sous-chatelaine for the month with a fitness to die for - is tempted to join them.

Of course I'm encouraging her. What a personal souvenir to take back the other side of the world.

And talking of Rachel - look out for her guest blogs coming soon.

Alberto Contador en route to victory

It was Tour de France fever last Saturday as the Tour cycled past us en route to Mont Ventoux.

As well as many shots of headless riders, and tarmac (why do cyclists go so fast? - I guess it was a sprint stage) guess who I managed to snap cycling past Chateau Colombier?

Ouch - the cost of a motorised pool cover

The pool cover is great - it's safe, it keeps the pool clean, and - most importantly - the greenhouse effect helps heat the water up, and stops it cooling down at night.

OK - swimming for 15 minutes at 15 degrees on the 15 of March this year was a bit excessive. But the temperature of the water has been well into the 20s since early April. Actually, during the recent heat wave (temperatures in the 30s for a week) the water has been too warm.

However, the cover also has its disadvantages. Mainly that it's heavy, and needs 2 people to push it open and shut. And that's not that easy an job even with 2. For 1 person it's almost impossible.

So - it's got to be motorised. But you could almost buy a small car for the cost.

Do you think I can start to charge visitors a pool cover motor service charge?

the theme of 26

Sometimes you can land yourself in it following on from conversations with friends.

Random exchanges and chats with Anne (during her recent wet and cold trip wine tasting to the Languedoc) means that I have set myself a challenge for food and wine weekends here at Chateau Colombier.

My plan is to create 26 "amuses bouches" (little tasters - think tapas) to go with 26 different regional wines and drinks.

Why 26? Because that's the number of the department of the Drome.

I'm very happy for visitors to help - in ideas, in preparation, in sourcing products and wines, in wine and food tasting, and for the photos and tasting notes.

Happy in Provence

A blog Happy faces, Happy places by Matthew Taylor reminded me of a conversation with Josef Gehrmann from Muenster - he and his family were house guests here at Le Colombier this easter.

On the dining room wall I have a picture of Van Gogh's The Potato Eaters. It's a dark and sombre picture - and I just liked the contrast with my environment here in Provence.

It's a reminder that I'm here, not there.

It was Josef who pointed out how much the darkness - and depression - of this Van Gogh painting contrasts with the brighness of, for example, his famous sunflowers, painted, of course, in the light of Provence.



The light of Provence is almost a cliche - it is amazing, and undescribable. But the effect it has on your emotions - and your happiness - is very real.