The Joint is Jumping

9 o’clock and the joint is jumping. Music is thumping, and the chatter and the laughter that drifts from the windows is just about as exhilarating outside as in. One voice yaks over another and over yet another in rapid fire streams, followed by bursts of laughter in a variety of melodies. It takes a big gulp of courage to enter into this place the first few times. A foreigner walking into the room will shut down the conversation and laughter. But just for a brief moment. All eyes turned on the new comer. Only the radio is oblivious to the new client.

In the blink of an eye the noise starts back up, hands get back in motion and here inside  the click click of scissors can be heard in rhythm with the sing song french.

Take a seat and soon you’ll find yourself with a new look.

..... shampoo, cut and dry. Maybe a new color.......

Yep you got it - this is not the local bar, this is the hair salon on the corner.

There are many things to love about this place. 

Here in this little burg we are in the foamy end of a great fashion wave. Everyone left the salon with very bright, very loud, very small town chic, purplish red hair. Purple or blue streaks were not unheard of either. The ‘girls’ used to try to tempt me into giving my graying hair a bit of spark (more like a bolt of lightning), but, they have long since given up on that and now try to liven up my full head of gray hair with a spunky cut. 

And oh, the gossip that is tossed from one side of the room to the other. The stories I could know about Bourdeilles and my neighbors. But these are French women speaking to French women and when they get going it sounds more like a a wind storm than any language I have ever heard. So, for now, the village is safe from my revealing it’s intimate secrets to you. I will know I have broken the language barrier when I can get up from my haircut and come home to tell Tom some juicy tidbits. 

The salon is on the ground floor of a building dating from the 1700’s. The room is organized around the carved stone fireplace and the beautiful old beams that cross the ceiling. The room is warm and steamy in winter. Cool in the summer because of the stone walls. The space is a marvelous example of how one has to be flexible in respecting the heritage of these old buildings. 

Back out on the street my brain is spinning from the tumult of over-stimulation. But my hair sure does look great. 

Hmmm, I wonder if it’s too early to wander up the road to the bar?  (Don’t tell Tom I said that.)

Friday's Petite Aquarelle

Five Ducks
12" x 16"
$120 including shipping
available at www.tomviethsketches.com

www.oohlalafrance.com

Big Bear

Somehow Big Bear found out about the Berry Festival.

www.tomviethsketches.com

www.oohlalafrance.com

Strawberries

Local strawberries, freshly sliced, lightly sprinkled with maple sugar (the one item I tuck into my suitcase whenever I am in Vermont) and, if guest are around the table, a bowl of freshly whipped cream to scoop on to ones taste. That is my idea of heaven.

This year I’ve noticed recipes that use strawberries in a savory way and I would like to share a few of these recipes. Here are interesting flavor combinations that give ones taste buds a delicious surprise.

Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Strawberries

6-8 servings

Southern Living Magazine

1 (3lb.) package of pork tenderloins

fresh pepper and kosher salt

10 bacon slices

olive oil

garlic to taste 

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup strawberry preserves

1/2 cup quartered fresh strawberries

Preheat oven to 400F

Wrap 5 slices of bacon around each tenderloin

Salt and pepper the meat

Place meat in a pyrex cooking dish

Cook 25 to 30 minutes

Meanwhile mince garlic and sauté in olive oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add vinegar: bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in preserves. Reserve half of mixture for basting. Stir fresh strawberries into remaining mixture.

Remove pork from oven to baste with basting strawberry mixture. Cook 5 minutes more.

Slice tenderloin and serve with fresh strawberry mixture.

**make a packet of green beans to place in the oven at the same time as tenderloin. Green beans, chopped garlic, and olive oil - tossed to coat and sealed in aluminum foil.

Strawberry, Radish and Feta Salad

(sorry no measurements as all in grams and French measurements, like petite botte, so just go mix and match to your own taste)

Femina Magazine

Strawberries

Bunch of radishes

feta

fresh basil - choose small leaves

chives - cut finely

parsley - remove small sprigs from larger sprigs

lemon juice, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper

Slice strawberries

grate radish

crumble feta

Put all in a salad bowl 

Mix and pour the vinaigrette onto the salad

Add herbs to salad

Carpaccio of Strawberries and Fennel

(again trust your taste buds)

Femina Magazine

strawberries

2 fennel bulbs

juice of one orange

olive oil

2 sprigs of dill greens

salt and pepper

reserve some strawberries for the vinaigrette

Slice the fennel bulb very finely and place on a large plate

Slice strawberries from top to bottom and place on the fennel

Prepare the vinaigrette. 

Pass the orange juice through a sieve to remove any pulp. 

Mash strawberries and also pass through a sieve.

Place orange juice and strawberries in a bowl, add olive oil and the chopped dill. Salt and pepper and mix.

Sprinkle the carpaccio with vinaigrette and place in the refrigerator of at least one hour.

Serve this with several fine slice of prosciutto or other finely slice country ham.

Here is my source for Maple Sugar   www.nebraskaknoll.com

Bon Appetit!

Spring Patio

Spring Patio
12" x 16"
$120 including shipping
available at www.tomviethsketches.com