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.

Parcours de Sante (fitness circuits)

They've been doing a make-over at the lakes at Cornillon. More trees, parking bays, and more picnic benches. And a great adult outdoor fitness circuit, complete with little signs showing you how to use the equipment.

Personally, I'll stick to the swimming and the picnics. But it adds to the multi-generational activities that the lakes offer.

Any volunteers to construct a fitness circuit on the terraces and in the wood at Le Colombier?

First swim of the season

Pool at 15 degrees. So with a wetsuit, and upbeat music, I officially opened the swimming season. Managed 15 minutes. Can't be bad.

Green Gym

I read an article a while ago about a new credit crunch way to get fit. It seems you dump your expensive gym membership, and head out to your local potato farm. There you get to spend the morning picking potatoes; you get a healthy workout in the open air; and the farmer gives you a healthy lunch of soup and home made bread.

Somehow I'm not sure that you'll be back everyweek. However, start a vegetable patch to grow your own potates - and the rest - and you'll soon discover muscles you didn't know you had.

So if you fancy a workout - of the muscles during the day, and the tastebuds in the evening - come and try your hand at gardening in my green and blue gym!

Classical and ancient heritage

Vaison is your first stop for things Roman: its ampitheatre and its museums. Further afield you have Orange, Nimes, the Pont du Gard and Arles.

Going further back, how about visiting Le Pegue, the archeological museum dedicated to the celts and the greeks in Valreas. See http://museearcheoloepegue.com.

The collection comes from an archeological dig at Saint-Marcel from 1956 - 1985. The dig found the traces from 6000 years ago, and an abundance of remains from the Iron Age (725 bc). The museum is open saturday and sunday 14.00 - 18.00 the first weekend of each month in the winter; and everyday 14.00 - 18.00 except Wednesday June - September.

Markets

The Saturday Times last year declared Nyons market to be the best in France. Every Thursday morning. And there are often specialist Sunday markets - crafts, brocantes, books etc.

Look out also for the evening markets in the summer time in the villages around. And you'll find an abundance of "Vide-Grenier" (literally, empty the attics - what we'd call a car boot sale) village sales over the summer. It's worth getting there early for the bargains.

If you can't make the Thursday market, here are some of the other ones around.

Monday
La Motte Chalancon (july and august)

Tuesday
Crest, Grignan, Vaison

Wednesday
Buis les Baronnies, Remuzat

Friday
Dieulefit, Taulignan, Visan

Saturday
Buis les Baronnies, Montbrun les Bains

Flea Markets and Brocantes:
Art market 1st Sunday of the month (Vaison)
Brocantes 3rd Sunday of the month (Vaison)

And Isle Sur la Sorgue is well known for its 160+ antique shops and regular markets; plus an extended easter antiques market

Artisanat and local industrial heritage

This area of Provence has always had its local industries - as well as its food, wine and olives. It has become home to many individual artists and craftspeople. And over the summer months you'll find lots of them selling their crafts on the local markets. Look out for pottery, mohair, jewellery, wood working, soaps and lavender products, jams, honey and chutneys, leather goods and the rest.

There are also plenty of small museums that attest to the industrial heritage of the area - for example the Silk museum at Taulignan (www.musee-soie.fr), and the botanical museum at Buis les Baronnies which has an informative chronology of the developments of lavender and tilleul (linden flower) production (www.maisondesplantes.com).

Nyons has its own working lavender distillerie and shop (Distillerie Bleu Provence). And also in Nyons you can visit La Scourtinerie - hand crafted provencal rugs and baskets made from sisal / coir,

If you've got a sweet tooth - check out the Nougat at Montelimar - and its museum www.nougatsoubeyran.com. And Haribo has its factory - with visits - close to the Pont due Gard

Activities - useful information

It's raining, so rather than gardening I thought I'd prune the mountains of paperwork that accumulate over the months and years. So as I find useful information, I'll now put it on the blog and tag it ... and bin the paper.

Perhaps 2009 can be the year of the paperless chateau?

Quad bikes - from age 16; for hire at Aubres for 1, 2 or 3 hours. Costs (2008) 35 euros, 60 euros, 80 euros. Also day and overnight trips.

Reserve: tel 04 75 26 60; 06 88 86 31 58

Kayaks and canoeing; at Saillans on the river Drome (90 minutes drive from Le Colombier); see EVA www.eauxvivesaventure.com tel 04 75 21 55 71 or CapPlein Air www.cappleinair.com tel 04 75 40 60 60

Bring swim wear, sports shoes, hats, drinking water, picnic, sun screen and sun glasses. Age 7 and over; Open March to October

There's also great kayaking on the Ardeche.

Rock climbing (escalades); lots all around. Also Via Ferrata - the rock climbing routes

Hang gliding instruction at Mevouillon www.provence-parapente.com

it's november!

and we get to experience the elements. We've had sunshine, frost, snow and rain. Hey - at least we have variety. So I've managed to get the necessary gardening in during the week: planting 500+ bulbs for spring colour (and yes, the back does hurt!). Plus I've started digging over the veggie plot - about a tenth ... better than nothing.

You have to adapt to the seasons, here. Not that I'm ever a morning person, but there is no point in trying to get out, at this time of the year, before the sun has burnt off the morning mists and ground frosts. But 13.00 - 15.00, if the sun is shining is wonderful. And if the sun isn't there - well, do some digging and you'll soon warm up.

But the rain is something different. That's why you have to seize the moment when it's there. If I hadn't switched off the computer at lunchtime on Thursday, 250 bulbs would have lost their chance to strut their stuff in spring.

Now it's been raining for a couple of days (and rain here = snow higher up). So though there were a couple of hours today when I did geranium cuttings (no cost - used the compost heap's potting compost), I couldn't have continued planting bulbs or digging the veggie plot (ground too waterlogged).

You'll have to wait till spring for the pictures!

Lightning Process Retreats at Chateau Colombier

I'm delighted that Michelle Clemons has chosen Chateau Colombier as the venue for her original Lightning Process Retreats.

They'll be held monthly through the year (apart from high season). The chill-out room at the top of the tower might finally come into its own. I'll be offering business coaching to "top and tail" the programme if required. Plus, of course, being the the perfect hostess / Chatelaine. You'll find the dates and prices on the Lightning Process website
-----------------------------------

The Lightning Process™ is a three day training program designed by Phil Parker, an osteopath and personal development expert in London. Your Lightning Process trainer in Provence is Michelle Clemons, who has been personally trained by Phil Parker.

This training is derived from osteopathy, neuro-linguistic programming, hypnotherapy, self hypnosis and life coaching. The program teaches, step by step, how to influence key body systems such as the immunological, neurological and musculoskeletal systems. It actually teaches your brain and body to work together to powerfully and positively influence your health and your life.

The Lightning Process has had spectacular success with stress management, anxiety, depression, ME and chronic fatigue syndrome, fear of public speaking, panic attacks, low self esteem and many, many other issues.

More photos of the pool and garden

Having failed to upload these to the zen photo gallery, here are some more up to date photos of the pool and the gardens.

It's amazing how the cover warms up - and keeps the pool. From 10 degrees when it was filled end of March, the water was in the low 30's in July. It was still mid 20's mid September. I'll post the water temperature each month as we go through autumn.

The Swimming Pool

A long time coming - and of course not without its traumas of planning permissions, heavy rain, etc etc.

But here it is - and it's wonderful. Should be able to swim 9 months a year, thanks to its "greenhouse" cover.

Come and try it!

Art and Music and Culture in Provence 2008

Why not combine a trip to Le Colombier with some of the best cultural events of Southern France? Highlights - within an easy 2 hour drive - include:

Aix-en-Provence Festival: classical opera and concerts, 27 June - 23 July 2008. Operas include work by Wagner, Mozart and Handel. Bookings open 3rd July - so get out your diary and start planning now.

The annual Avignon festival even has its own fringe. Running in July, you'll find all the details posted in the new year.

The Jazz festival at Crest (vocals) will be held between the 3rd and the 9th August 2008.

5 years on: and new for 2008

You read it here first! It's time to get your bookings in for next summer as we are planning - finally - to get a swimming pool installed. It will have a sliding mini-greenhouse style cover (to conform to security requirements, but with the added bonus of water that's at least 6 degrees warmer than with just an ordinary cover). It might even have a jacuzzi! So watch this space for news of progress.

Also, Sebastian is powering ahead and converting the final outhouse into a fully wheelchair / disabled friendly studio gite.