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Archive for 2013

A Movable Feast Jun 20
Serve It Up A member of one team carefully portions out the soup as others do the same with their items.
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A Movable Feast
Food & wine were all carried next door to the adjacent bistro,  owned & operated by our culinary host, Chef Julien. A cute little place to have lunch. What do you think?
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We enjoyed a private happy hour – with more wine  -before strolling back through town to our ship at our leisure.

For more delicious details, contact:
Jacintha Perera, culinary escape artist
Gourmet Getaways, a division of
www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com
916.897.9597

Category: Europe, Food & Wine, France, General Travel, Gourmet Getaway  | Comments off
Let’s Get Cooking Jun 19

Mis en Place
We are at Le Studio de Cabestan, a cooking school, in Avignon. Everything stands ready for our small group visit this afternoon.

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Let’s Get Cooking
Chef Julien Cabestan quickly assigned tasks to participants in this hands on experience, beginning with some basic prep work for our menu of Provencal appetizers.

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Collaboration
Here, he discusses the ingredients while demonstrating technique for a smooth brondade. Would YOU rather participate or spectate?
Notice that glasses of local rose has been offered to everyone during the cooking process What’s in your kitchen?

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Cuisinart
Chef Julien checks the ingredients & the equipment for our fresh gazpacho before he rotates through the culinary teams again to discuss plating & finishing touches.

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For more delicious details, contact:
Jacintha Perera, culinary escape artist
Gourmet Getaways, a division of
www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com
916.897.9597

Category: Europe, Food & Wine, France, General Travel, Gourmet Getaway  | Comments off
Vin et Chocolat Jun 17

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Vin et Chocolat
An onboard tasting event. Luxurious French Valrhona chocolates with different wines. Consider the following pairings.
1) Sauvignon Blanc w/ milk chocolate. A surprise to us all. Yum!
2) Merlot w/ Caraibe dark chocolate 60% cacao
3) Cab/Cab Franc/Merlot blend w/ Guanaja 70% cacao
4) Chateau Vignot / St Emilion Grand Cru w/ Guanaja 70% cacao

Which do you think you would like?

For more delicious details, contact:
Jacintha Perera, culinary escape artist
Gourmet Getaways, a division of
www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com
916.897.9597

Category: Europe, Food & Wine, France, General Travel, Gourmet Getaway  | Comments off
Market Fresh Jun 14

Market Fresh
On the walk into the village, we discovered it was market day.

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Pecheur
I was surprised to see a fresh fish vendor at the farmers market. She had a specialized vehicle for transporting & displaying her perishable goods. Note the pop up side panel on her truck transforms into an awning.

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Local Flavors
Question: Does anyone know/recognize what these edible slabs are?
Hint: it is a regional specialty available in different flavors.

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Cash & Carry
Answer: Nougat
Made in the area & sold by the gram. Yes, measured in metric & very popular. I noticed this young man was doing a brisk business.

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For more delicious details, contact:
Jacintha Perera, culinary escape artist
Gourmet Getaways, a division of
www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com
916.897.9597

Category: Europe, Food & Wine, France, General Travel, Gourmet Getaway  | Comments off
Chateau de Grignan Jun 13

Chateau de Grignan
It’s a short drive to the village of Grignan. Built during the 15th & 16th centuries, the hilltop castle is an excellent example of Renaissance architecture. It contains a collection of Louis XII furniture & Aubusson tapestries.

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Follow the Trail
Our guide walked us through the maze of narrow streets toward the castle.

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Uphill!
The steep route to the top can be an imposing sight. It’s going to be a workout in both directions.
Several people chose to explore the village or shop in the market instead.

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View from the Terrace
If you continue to the top, you’ll be rewarded with great views. On a clear day, you can see the Vivarais mountains in the the Ardeche from the castle terrace. I noticed a life size garden maze (see the swirled hedges?) in the foreground & full size modern soccer field in the midground.

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For more delicious details, contact:
Jacintha Perera, culinary escape artist
Gourmet Getaways, a division of
www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com
916.897.9597

Category: Europe, France  | Comments off
Going to the Dogs Jun 12

Going to the Dogs
Let me introduce Ariel & Belle, a couple of specially trained, hard-working canines. Let’s see what they do so well . . .

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Truffle Hunters
These beauties work with their handler, at the Ayme Truffle Farm in Grignan, to detect the prized black & white truffles, hidden just below the surface.

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Buried Treasure
VIDEO: Truffle hunters, Ariel & Belle on the job, in their orchards in Provence, actively searching for the valuable nuggets. They are French so they naturally respond to commands en francais 🙂

Gourmet Gold
The fruit of their labor: a fresh seasonal black truffle, which we are about to sample, after the live demonstration, inside the farmhouse.

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Taste Treat
Thinly shaved black truffle drizzled with white truffle oil & extra virgin olive oil on toast points. The hors d’oeuvres literally flew off the plates. Served with glasses of local wine, of course.

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For more delicious details, contact:
Jacintha Perera, culinary escape artist
Gourmet Getaways, a division of
www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com
916.897.9597

Category: Europe, Food & Wine, France, General Travel, Gourmet Getaway  | Comments off
Steel, Oak & Glass Jun 11

Steel, Oak & Glass
Viticulturist Alberic Mazoyer spoke to us about their production using modern stainless steel tanks & old-fashioned oak barrels. You can see pallets of bottled wine behind him, wrapped & ready to ship locally.

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Wine Cellar
Monsieur Mazoyer escorted us through the private reserve room on the way to the tasting room to sample their regional wines.

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For more delicious details, contact:
Jacintha Perera, culinary escape artist
Gourmet Getaways, a division of
www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com
916.897.9597

Category: Europe, Food & Wine, France, General Travel, Gourmet Getaway  | Comments off
Cotes du Rhone Jun 10

Cotes du Rhone
Continuing to sail south, a drive through the country & we are now in the village of Cornas, home to small wineries such as this one owned by Alain Voge. It’s tucked away down a narrow side street so you would need directions or  a guide to show you the way there.

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Walk in the Vines
We were led around the back in to the vineyards where the village of Cornas, with its prominent church steeple, served as a beautiful backdrop for our discussion.

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New Crop
We were seeing spring’s first green growth on the bottom of these antique vines that have grown here for generations.

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Young Buds
The promise of things to come. By summer, there would be full lush foliage & finally a harvest of fruit in the fall. All of this before the wine making process can even begin.

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For more delicious details, contact:
Jacintha Perera, culinary escape artist
Gourmet Getaways, a division of
www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com
916.897.9597

Category: Europe, Food & Wine, France, General Travel, Gourmet Getaway  | Comments off
Romancing the Stone Jun 07

Romancing the Stone
Back down at ground level in the Old Quarter of Vienne, we walked over to the Abbey St Pierre, now a small archaeological museum which houses a surprising collection of local Roman artifacts.

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Pottery Barn
Amphorae are containers of a distinct size & shape, used in ancient times, to store & transport both liquids & dry goods, commonly used for wine.

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For more delicious details, contact:
Jacintha Perera, culinary escape artist
Gourmet Getaways, a division of
www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com
916.897.9597

Category: Europe, France  | Comments off
Bird’s Eye View Jun 06

Toy Train to the Top
You can take a tiny train from the center to the top of the town for a bird’s eye view.

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Jazz Festival
The view from the top down. There is an annual music festival held her in Vienne in July in the Roman amphitheater. Imagine it filled with music & music lovers!

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Bird’s Eye View
The panoramic view from the top of Vienne overlooking the Rhone River Valley.

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For more delicious details, contact:
Jacintha Perera, culinary escape artist
Gourmet Getaways, a division of
www.IslandGetawaysTravel.com
916.897.9597

Category: Europe, France  | Comments off