Goodbye Snow... Hello Sunshine! (10/04)

This was the snow dusted scene we woke up to as we were leaving the Alps. Coming from Florida, it was amazing to see snow. I was however glad not to be getting in too deep...



I was even happier when we arrived in Roussillon and I saw that view from where I would be calling home for the next week:

Our Last Day in Annecy (10/03)

Our last full day together in Annecy was spent with an indulgent lunch celebrating J and his sister's birthdays. We had a fantastic meal at Brasserie Saint Maurice. My first course was one of the most amazing, indulgent dishes of my life...
Yes, it is just carpaccio of beef (or boeuf) but it was the best I've ever had. The beef was so tender and the taste was amazing. In addition to the salad and Parmesan, it was drizzled in a beautiful olive oil, sprinkled with course sea salt, and chives. The flavors were all so distinct and pure - and went so perfectly together. If I had to come up with my final menu, this would absolutely be the starting point!

Afterwards we had a walk around Annecy to settle out stomachs (and to somewhat sober up).

If you order flowers in Annecy from FTD.com - this is where they just might come from...

If you are in Annecy and looking for something for a very pampered pooch, Au Chien Elegant is the place for you! They had designer everything for the most discerning pup.

We then went for a walk in the park where we experienced two seasons in under five minutes. Let's start with Autumn: the leaves are just starting to change color.

Next enters Winter: the mountain tops were starting to get their first dusting of snow...

Brasserie Saint Maurice

7, Rue Collège Chapuisien

74000 Annecy, France
+33 4 50 51 24 49‎

Lunch at Châlet Rosiers (10-01)

My sister-in-law joined us on Wednesday morning. We popped into Doussard to the Shopi and une boulangerie to pick up some essentials, then went back to Châlet Rosiers for lunch.
As figs were in the height of season, my sister-in-law taught me how to choose the perfect fig: they should be soft (like a peach), but not too mushy.

We also had some ham that my mother-in-law cooked and some French salami.

My sister-in-law made her speciality: tomatoes with a sprinkling of sea salt, chopped garlic and a drizzle of salad dressing.

I was tasked with making the salad dressing for the two weeks, which was a big honor as my father-in-law is the master and had originally taught me how to make it years ago. Following the ratio of three parts olive oil to one part vinegar, I add a sprinkle of sea salt and sugar, one tbsp of Dijon mustard. This particular time I also added one clove of chopped garlic and a couple pinches of herbes de Provence.

This was also the first time I had tried a fresh fig, so I'm glad she was an expert at selecting them. She also showed me how to prepare and eat them. I was a little apprehensive of eating the skins, but they are very soft, not unlike peach skin. Not a huge fan of the Newton, I was pleasantly surprised by the taste. The taste was similar to a peach mixes with strawberries.

It was a very simple lunch, easy to prepare, but J and I agree that it was easily one of the most memorable meals of our trip. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, we were sitting outside on the balcony and it was so nice to catch up with my sister-in-law. We don't get to see her nearly as often as we like, so we always enjoy each minute we get to spend with her.

Annecy - Lunch at L'Auberge du Lyonnais (9/30)

After a busy morning shopping at Annecy's lovely market, we were ready for lunch! At the recommendation of my in-laws, we chose L'Auberge du Lyonnaise. Located in the Old Town of Annecy on the bank of the Thiou Canal, it was an ideal spot to have lunch during the week when we normally would have been at work. We reserved a lovely table in the shade on the pavement at 12:45 for lunch.

The sun had broken through the haze and it was turning into a very warm day, so we chose a cold bottle of Apremont. It couldn't come quickly enough and it was accompanied by a plate of jambon pastry pinwheels.

We opted for the week menu which offered two starters, two main courses (one fish and one beef), and two deserts to chose from.

J and I chose the Tomato and Feta Cheese in Filo Pastry Shell. Drizzled with a little olive oil, it was sublime! With dishes like this, it can be so tempting to add too much to it, a drizzle of Balsamic Reduction - or other sauce, I was so happy that they didn't. The sweet, rich flavor of the lightly roasted tomatoes went so well with the salty, creamy feta. This was proving to be a very good choice for lunch...

... then came the main course: Faux Filet, à point. Now if I could scream it from the roof tops: I LOVE FRENCH BEEF!!! This was just a simple steak: good quality beef, cooked well, seasoned with a little sea salt. So simple, so perfect. America is known for it's steak houses, but the best steaks I've ever had have mostly been in France. Even my favorite local steak is at a French restaurant. I LOVE FRENCH STEAK!!! Ok, regroup... The steak was joined by:

...creamy, smooth mashed potatoes drizzled with a little jus, and my favorite, haricot vert.

Dessert was something chocolaty that didn't impress me enough to take a photo, and didn't really leave much of a memory. To be fair though, I was a state of food bliss from the preceding courses, not to mention also very full, it would have taken something insanely amazing to live up to all of that.

~ L'auberge du Lyonnais ~

9 rue de la République

74000 Annecy

contact@auberge-du-lyonnais.com

Tél. 04 50 51 26 10 Fax. 04 50 51 05 04

For more info on the restaurant and hotel, along with beautiful photos and their menus, please click the following link: http://www.auberge-du-lyonnais.com/

Annecy - Traiteur Pauvert (9/30)

In the heart of Annecy, Traiteur Pauvert has been around for six generations, providing high quality, reliable products in their boutique and through catering. They have a fantastic selection of prepared salads, sweets, and meets, which completely made me miss having Morton's Gourmet Market in Lakewood Ranch.

The Galette aux Courgette looked divine. Sadly, we passed, but this is yet another recipe I'm going to try to concur in the upcoming months.

Boudin a la creme is a creamy pig's blood sausage. We decided to also pass on this, but for different reasons. The residue on the knife just didn't do it for me. But to be fair, with the exception of Toulouse, I'm not really a sausage fan.

They had a lovely selection of prepared dishes, quiches, and tarts.

Colorful, gelatinous fish dishes.

Le salades

Le sweets

TRAITEUR PAUVERT

4, rue Grenette 74000 ANNECY

Tél. : +33 (0)4 50 45 01 56 - Fax : +33 (0)4 50 45 64 50

For more info, please click the following link: www.traiteur-annecy.com/

Annecy - Better Safe Than Sorry (9/30)

This was the fist of many we spotted in France. In addition to public restrooms, the French take the very responsible attitude of placing condom machines throughout their villages, towns, and cities. Yes, this is outside... in public on a busy walkway... attached to the outside of a Medieval building. There are many bars & cafes in the area, so how thoughtful of the government (or whomever) to place these in easy access areas in which people pass on the way back to their cars with their dish du jour!

Annecy - The Market (9/30)

Wishful thinking pup!!!

Heaven!

Je T'aime Les Légumes

...and I was horrified when I bought my first chicken in England and the scaly bit of the legs were left on...

You can't really tell in this photo, but the beet root in the right hand corner is the size of a brain!

Purple beans? C'est bon!

Richard Belzer (Law & Order SVU) in disguise?

Annecy (9/30)

Located 22 miles south of Geneva, Annecy is a well preserved, gorgeous Medieval city.

The Palais de l'Isle (old prison), was built in the 12th century. It is the symbol of the town and is most photographed image of Annecy.

Annecy is twinned with:
* Bayreuth, Bavaria, Germany

* Cheltenham, United Kingdom

* Liptovský Mikuláš, Slovakia

* Venice, Italy
It is a very stylish city with many fashionable shops and restaurants. We spotted a Subway in Annecy. We had a few when I lived in England, but I wouldn't have expected to find them in France. I was curious to know if they used the same bread as in the US (they do in the UK), or if the French would demand firmer baguettes in which they were more accustomed to. However, I was not curious enough to actually find out. We also spotted a McDonalds. Not pictured - for obvious reasons.

I couldn't resist stuffing my pockets with left over bread from lunch to take back to the moorhen that I had made friends with earlier that morning. In the process, attracted two swans and some ducks. Hey, when away from home, do as the tourists will do!

For more information on Annecy, please click the following link: http://www.annecy.fr/

Je T'aime: My First Macaron (9/29)

This was my very first macaron, and if I'm honest, the iridescent lavender flecks on the top also added to appeal of a blue colored bite sized treat. The blue macaron, as I had hoped, turned out to be violet... and violet perfection it was: not too perfumey, yet not too sweet. It was absolutely divine. The meringue part was nice and light - crunchy on the outside and chewy in the inside, and the filling more like a mousse texture. It has almost been a month now since I put that little blue dream of a confection in my mouth, and I remember it like it was 5 minutes ago. It was a perfect introduction to the macaron, and set the bar high. I am only wishing that I could have one right now... sigh...

Je T'aime: Perrier Menthe (9/29)

Perrier Menthe is a brilliantly colored, very refreshing drink that is popular in cafes and bars across France. It is a mixture of Perrier (or any sparkling water / soda water) mixed with Mint Syrup. I would guess the ratio is about 7 (water) to 1 (syrup).

Yes, I was apprehensive at first to try something that had the potential of tasting like chilled carbonated mouthwash, but first sip aside, it was actually very enjoyable. I've been to France several times before, but this was a first for me. Served with a stirrer, you get to mix it up a bit again before drinking. This is a good idea as I found the syrup to settle, and the bottom did taste a bit like mouthwash. Next time I would probably have a few intermittent stirs.

We had originally stopped for a thé citron - but with the sun shining so warmly, I am glad to have opted for a more refreshing, quintessentially French drink.

Talloires: Heaven in the Alps (9/29)

After lunch we headed off to Talloires, a small town and commune of the Haute-Savoie département. A popular tourist spot, it has also been referred to as "most romantic village" in France. It is a beautiful town, and was sunny and warm that afternoon - which sent us quickly looking for liquid refreshments. We found a quaint little bar in which J was excited to discover offered Wi-Fi (pronounced Wee-Fee, of course).
Enter the Perrier Menthe, which completely quenched my thirst.

Afterwards we had a look around the boutique of L'Auberge du Pere Bise. This is a very well known, very upscale Hotel and Restaurant. Much to the dismay of the boutique girl (and much to the amusement of my sister-in-law), I opted to buy one Macaron. This was an extreme faux pas, but at 60 cents euro a piece, I was only curious enough to try one of the blue ones in case they tasted of lake scum. I can happily report that they did not, and I returned to buy an entire bag.

This was a narrow house that took my fancy. Not only did it have fantastic views in all direction, but porches on each floor! Now I have to admit, I have sort of an obsession with porches and my knees go weak at the thought of Charleston's historic section. On a hot day, this house would be a dream. Just open the windows and I would imagine that you'd have a fantastic breeze.

The entire area was full of hang gliders. We noticed about 10 in one area, all with different color gliders. It looked like the sky was raining Crayola drops!

With the Alpine mountains in the backdrop, and the town sitting on a lake, you can see why this is THE ideal tourist spot.

The water was so blue and clear, it looked as though the boats were floating on air.

For more information on L'Auberge du Pere Bise, please click the link to their website: http://www.perebise.com/

AUBERGE DU PERE BISE

303 ROUTE DU PORT - LAC D'ANNECY - 74290 TALLOIRES

Tél. : +33 (0)4 50 60 72 01 - Fax : +33 (0)4 50 60 73 05

eMail : reception@perebise.com

Je T'aime: French Lizard (9/29)

The first full morning we were in France, we stopped to have a coffee and were joined by this interesting lizard. Poor thing had lost it's tail pretty high up, then it looks like it wasn't healing properly and it sprouted two. Needless to say, I found it way more fascinating than I should have...