Author Archives: My French Heaven

About My French Heaven

I blog about food, France and Design and own a B&B in St Emilion near Bordeaux in France

Two weeks in My French Heaven with Melanie – Deux semaines de rêve avec Mélanie

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(En Français plus bas)

I must apologize for the past two weeks during which I did not write for you my dear friends. I also want to thank the dozens of readers and fellow bloggers who sent me e-mails wondering what had become of me: “Is everything OK Stephane? I hope you’re not sick! I miss your posts”… You guys are the best!!

I must say that I had a good reason for not posting. I have spent the past two weeks taking care of a full B&B and spending the better part of each day with my new friend Melanie. Melanie is a lovely lady from Florida who had asked me to teach her the basics of French cuisine and show her my favorite spots in the South West of France. She stayed with me for 12 days during which we cooked, went on several wonderful excursions, had passionate discussions about food and life, and laughed to tears many times a day.

We went to the market almost daily and we tackled a few of our favorite recipes: sole meuniere, roasted chicken with green olives, quiche Lorraine, salads, crumbles, coq au vin, cold and hot soups…

My blogger friends Steve (Kafeneio) and Paige (Cupcaketravels) also visited, and that was VERY special to me…

Two beautiful weeks filled with sun, happiness, friendship and laughter. Here are some pictures:

Dessert with a view
50 shades of orange :0)
Saint Emilion
Saint Emilion
Arcachon – La corniche
Best lamb I ever had
Dune du Pyla
Arcachon – Le Mouleau
Gouffre de Padirac – 300 feet underground
View of the Dordogne from the village of Domme
Market day in Sarlat
Château de Commarque
Commarque
Château de la Filolie
Best Rossini I ever had at l’Esplanade in Domme
Our wonderful little lunchons on the terrace
My first Ronsards of the year
Coq au vin in its marinade
Sarlat
Melanie’s favorite shop!
View of the Dordogne from Beynac castle
Valley of the doll
Château de Beynac
Hôtel de la Treyne near Souillac
Rocamadour
The French White House near Perigueux
Saint Emilion
Beynac
Relais Château de la Treyne
On the underground river in Padirac

Je me dois de m’excuser pour ces deux semaines passées durant lesquelles je ne vous ai rien écrit. Je remercie les dizaines de lecteurs qui m’ont envoyé ces e-mails affolées qui m’ont fait chaud au coeur. “Ça va Stéphane? Vous n’êtes pas malade? Vos articles nous manquent…”

Je dois dire que j’avais une bonne raison de ne rien écrire. Le temps m’a en effet manqué  allors que mes chambres d’hôtes étaient complètes et que j’ai passé le plus clair de mon temps avec ma nouvelle amie Mélanie. Mélanie est une Américaine adorable qui m’a demandé de lui apprendre les bases de la cuisine Française et de lui faire découvrir mes lieux favoris en Aquitaine. Elle est restée avec moi pendant 12 jours durant lesquels nous avons cuisiné, visité, discuté et ri à en pleurer.

Nous sommes allé au marché presque tous les jours et nous nous sommes attaqués aux bases: persillade, vinaigrette, sole meunière, poulet aux olives, quiche Lorraine, salades, crumbles, coq au vin, soupes et crèmes de légumes…

Deux belles semaines ensoleillées et pleines de bonheur!

 

My Salmon Tartare: ALWAYS a great success – Tartare de saumon: Toujours un GRAND succès!

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(En Français plus bas)

I prepare this quite often when I have a dinner party at home or at friends’. This is the one dish they all ask me to prepare for them! You can prepare this a day or two before serving so it is the perfect dip or appetizer if you are hosting a party. You won’t have to worry about it the day of, when you are running around doing other things… It is both extremely easy to make and everybody absolutely loves it (especially men I find…):IMG_8148 _Snapseed

Ingredients (serves 8 to 10 as an apéritif dip – 6 as an appetizer):

  • 1 red onion
  • 3 big table spoons of heavy cream
  • 6 medium slices of smoked salmon (preferably Scottish)
  • 2 or 3 salmon steaks raw (sushi grade!)
  • 1 fist full of chopped chives
  • 1 teaspoon tabasco (My friends in New Orleans can get as creative as they want with their own choice of hot sauce :0)
  • 2 big table spoons of trout eggs (NOT SALMON. THEY BREAK TOO EASY, don’t pop as much in your mouth and they are too fatty)
  • Salt and pepper to tasteimg_17091 _Snapseed

Steps:

  1. Chop both types of salmon in quarter inch cubes or even a little smaller (DO NOT mix in a blender!!!)
  2. Chop-up every other ingredients
  3. Mix everything up with the cream (reserve eggs)
  4. Add trout eggs at the end and mix carefully one more time (they are supposed to pop in people’s mouth not in the bowl!!!) – Save some for presentation. ET VOILA!

Stéphane’s tips:

  • Do not use caviar either. If the eggs pop in the mix it will give an awful grey color to the dish. You may use Beluga as decoration if you really want to spend extra money for nothing:0)
  • If you can keep the preparation in the fridge overnight, the flavors will really come out more
  • I have eaten this up to 3 days after I made the original batch. Just keep it cool
  • You can add a shot of vodka to the mix. It brings out all the other flavors even more
  • 1 teaspoon of lemon or lime juice is also an option
  • Once again, salmon eggs are too fat, to fragile and 2 to 3 times more expensive that trout eggsIMG_8152 _Snapseed

Simplissime et délicieux, mes amis ne s’en lassent jamais!

Ingrédients pour 8 à10 à l’apéritif – 6 en entrée:

  • 1 oignon rouge
  • 3 grosses cuillères à soupe de crème épaisse
  • 6 tranches de saumon fumé (de préférence écossais)
  • 2 ou 3 steaks de saumon cru (qualité sushi!)
  • 1 poignée de ciboulette hachée
  • 1 cuillère à café de Tabasco
  • 2 grosses cuillères à soupe d’œufs de truite (PAS de saumon. Ils cassent trop facilement, n’éclatent pas autant dans votre bouche et ils sont trop gras)
  • Sel et poivre selon votre goût

Les étapes:

  1. Hacher les deux types de saumon en tout petits cubes (ne pas utiliser un mixeur!)
  2. Hachez tous les autres ingrédients
  3. Mélanger le tout avec la crème et le tabasco (sans les oeufs)
  4. Ajouter les œufs de truite à la fin et mélanger soigneusement une fois de plus (ils sont censés éclater dans la bouche, pas dans le bol!) – Gardez en un peu pour la présentation. ET VOILA!

Seafood Heaven: The French Basque Country – Notre beau Pays Basque: Au royaume de la mer

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Je me fais parfois le plaisir de passer par le pays Basque, histoire de varier les plaisirs. Quelques langoustines au marché de St Jean de Luz, des crevettes fraiches et des St Jacques. Un peu de beurre, ail persil et le tour est joué :0)

The French Basque Country is located at the extreme South West of France right before the Spanish border. It is a two hour drive to Biarritz and then picturesque Saint Jean de Luz. I will take you there when you come visit! The area looks a lot like Northern California with the hills and the ocean. The seafood, of course, is exceptional…

I went to the wharf, got a few shrimps, langoustines and scallops. I cooked everything in butter, put a little parsley and garlic in the pan… THIS is my French Heaven :0)IMG_0204 _SnapseedIMG_6745 _SnapseedIMG_6832 _SnapseedIMG_1516 _SnapseedIMG_7206 _SnapseedIMG_6951 _SnapseedIMG_6739 _SnapseedP1010034 _SnapseedIMG_8992 _Snapseed

Food & Lifestyle Photography Workshop in the South of France

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I have been waiting so long to announce this! I am hosting a food and lifestyle photography workshop here in my native Saint Emilion in October 2013.

The workshop will be 5 days/6 nights during which we will document our cooking and daily adventures in my French heaven.

I want this workshop to feel intimate, so I will limit it to 6 participants. This way, you can all stay with me at the château!

WHAT IS THE WORKSHOP ABOUT?

This an opportunity for me to share my home and passions with you. My homeland that I picture here so often and which is full of incredible wineries and authentic Farmers’ Markets. This small part of the world that sits between the sandy beaches of the Atlantic ocean, the deep forests of the Landes and the mysterious and green Dordogne.ff

But the Bordeaux region is not only about the stunning vistas and legendary wines. It is also about architecture, amazing fresh ingredients, some of the best chefs in France and mostly, about the people.

I am so excited I will have the chance to take some of you with me and show you the vineyards where I grew up, the meadows where we picked blackberries and where we ate fresh walnuts directly from the tree. A few days to visit markets and brocantes, prepare and photograph our meals, learn about food photography and food styling, shoot on location and so much more. We will of course test wine at my favorite châteaux. The harvest should be going on too that week. Imagine the pictures you’ll take…

I thought that the best place for you to stay would be my own home. It is located near Saint-Emilion and it is the perfect HQ for our adventures…ssssthsfgh

WHAT WILL WE DO?

I am here to share my technique with you. My approach to natural light, food styling and much more. As the title says, it’s not just about food photography. Rather it’s about learning how to put your soul and the uniqueness of your own personal vision into every photograph you take.

This workshop should never feel like a school outing. It’s all about taking time for yourself to discover and/or nurture your distinct talent as a photographer and/or blogger…

In my French heaven, I will show you how to slow down, play with your food, put more of you into each photo you create.

In other words, it’s about living in my French heaven so you can create your own. A moveable feast he said…hh

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

1850€. This includes your room at the château (I have 4 double rooms and 1 with two beds. So if you are one of the first to sign-up, it means you can bring someone along. If they don’t attend the workshop, their stay here will be free!), all your meals, the workshop itself, all planned activities and transportation once you are on site. Your travel expenses between your home and mine are not included in this package.

Full payment must be made for your registration to be confirmed. There will be no refunds for this workshop. Please know you can make it before you register.gggg

HOW DO I SIGN UP?

Simply call or email me:

(0033) 671 562 927

stephanegabart@gmail.com_MG_7932 _Snapseed

SAMPLE PROGRAM

Day 0, Thursday

  • Welcome Cocktail at the château
  • Presentation of the workshop

Day 1, Friday

  • Visit and tasting at château Cardinal Villemaurine
  • Lunch in St Emilion on the main terrace
  • Walking tour of Saint Emilion and the underground caves
  • Cheese and wine dinner by the pool

 Day 2, Saturday

  • Sainte Foy la Grande Farmers’s Market
  • Picnic by the river
  • Visit of my favorite brocante
  • Dinner at clos Mirande

Day 3, Sunday

  • Libourne Farmers’ market
  • Cooking together and lunch at the townhouse
  • Location shoot in the vineyard
  • Dinner at Le Tertre

Day 4, Monday

  • Visit of château in Lynch Bages in Pauillac
  • Lunch at restaurant Le Lion d’Or or Relais de Margaux
  • Abbey of la Sauve Majeure
  • Dinner at home (Stéphane’s coq au vin maybe?)

Day 5: Tuesday

  • Oyster shacks of Arcachon
  • Lunch at the Corniche overlooking the ocean
  • Walk along the beach to the Pyla dune (highest dune in Europe)
  • Dinner in Bordeaux city

Day 6: Wednesday

  • Breakfast and fond farewell
  • gggd

Essential herbs – Herbes essentielles

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Voici certaine des herbes que je cultive dans mon jardin. Elles sont toutes essentielles à ma cuisine!

Here are some of the fresh herbs I keep in my garden. Each and every one of them is essential to French cooking except for basil, chamomile and mint!

Be careful if you plant mint, sage or rosemary. They grow A LOT!! Mint is impossible to get rid of…

Chives and parsley for my saladsIMG_6646 _Snapseed

Rosemary for potatoes and stewsIMG_4309

Basil for those amazing tomato mozza I’ll prepare for my friends this summerIMG_7873 _Snapseed

Tarragon for my tomato sauce and vinaigrettesIMG_7875 _Snapseed

Serpolet (Thyme). It’s called “herb for peas” in France as it is fantastic with peas and green beans

IMG_7878 _Snapseed

Mint for fresh infusions, my famous mint custard and fruit saladsIMG_5287 _Snapseed

Lemon chamomile for infusions as well as some of my beef dishesIMG_8042 _Snapseed

Pineapple Sage for fruit salads or in my “crème Anglaise”IMG_8026 _Snapseed

Proper sage for pizza and home made ravioliIMG_8028 _Snapseed

Oregano on my Italian dishesIMG_8031 _Snapseed

Lemon Thyme for teaIMG_8033 _Snapseed

Regular thyme for EVERYTHING :0) Here you can see my friends the “gendarmes” harvesting. We call these little guys “gendarmes” because the design on their back looks like a mask with mustaches. In the old days, all gendarmes (cops) in France had a big thick mustache. I also call them my friends, because I used to play with them for hours when I was a kid and the grown ups didn’t pay attention to me…IMG_8036 _Snapseed

Bay leaves in most soups and stews! Not too much though as it can make you sick…IMG_8010 _Snapseed

20 tips for stunning food photography

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My French onion soup :0)

My French onion soup :0)

  1. Shoot hungry. I know it will sound strange, but food photography is like fashion photography. You have to like/want/DESIRE your subject in order to take great sensual shots! They talk about “food porn” don’t they?
  2. Shoot at an angle (about 45°). It’s nice to have at least a few tri-dimentional shots in a series
  3. Tilt your camera for a more interesting shot
  4. Colors: after composition and light, probably the most important aspect of food photography
  5. Don’t stage too much: props are here to make the food look more appetizing. I should care more about the chicken than the chair or the cat passing by. Focus on the food! It’s called “food photography” not napkin or furniture photography
  6. Don’t style the food too much. A good barber makes you look like you didn’t just have a haircut
  7. Use people if you can. It helps your viewer relate to the shot. Children and pets are best. Show hands holding stuff or pouring stuff on stuff :0)
  8. Natural, soft light from North is best. Shoot inside by a window or outside in the shade.
  9. A 50mm lens gives you great flexibility and great depth of field. It is by far my favorite lens to use for food (and everything else actually)
  10. In situation (like models)
  11. Translate senses like smell, texture, taste… YES you can taste with your eyes! Your food should not look like it could be made out of plastic (butter melted, croissants with crumbs, steam, oil spray…)
  12. Compose your picture well. Let people imagine/guess what’s outside of the shot…
  13. No tripod. Use your breathing, your body, elbows on a chair or table, a glass to rest the camera on… This way you’ll have more freedom and flexibility to play with the angles and the light
  14. Don’t shoot auto. Use AV or M and just pick the right aperture (the camera will choose the speed). You want to avoid using your flash! Choose your point of focus and exposure (lighting, composition and focus) remember it’s still photography: you can afford to take time to a certain extent
  15. Take lots of pictures. Then be ruthless in your selection process
  16. No shame in touching up your shots with a photo app. What counts is the end result. Just make sure it all looks very natural. It’s like makeup: apply lightly!!
  17. Find the face of your food by rotating the plate and moving around your subject
  18. Use backdrop and support materials like wood, natural slate, craft paper, newspaper or cloth. I like darker, earthier shades: grays, darker blue, silver, dark tin, natural deep red, brown and green like in old still paintings. Softer lights and earthy colors in the background help bring up the unprocessed, organic quality of a produce
  19. Use supports (table, plates, bowl…) that reflect the personality of your dish. Like stew in cast iron or French fries on a newspaper…
  20. Use Pinterest for great inspiration

Top 10 reasons to come to Bordeaux

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There are many amazing places to visit in France. So here are a few reasons why you should come to Bordeaux first :0)

  1. The wines are legendary: Petrus, Margaux, Belair, Cheval Blanc, Latour, Yquem… With literally thousands of châteaux and vineyards, you could participate in several tastings every day for the rest of your natural life
  2. The food is simple, light and tasty. Next to Provence, certainly the healthiest culinary traditions in France
  3. The Bordeaux region is nested between the Dordogne and the Atlantic Ocean (Arcachon Bay and Cap Ferret). Easy day trips to completely different worlds
  4. The region hasn’t known war in over a thousand years. Strange statement to make here I know. But this means that all the original villages, castles, churches and other architectural treasures were never bombarded and still stand tall. Hitler liked Bordeaux wines so much that he actually ordered that the soldiers based in the area would tend the vineyards to keep the production going
  5. There are countless Farmers’ Markets you can visit. They are traditional markets with local producers who present the best organic foods you’ve ever tasted
  6. The village of Saint Emilion is incredibly beautiful and authentic
  7. The city of bordeaux itself is a jewel of French architecture (mostly 17th and 18th century). Bordeaux is great for shopping and full of traditional bistros and cafés
  8. Incredible bakeries and pastry shops are everywhere. You can buy warm baguettes and mouth watering pastries any time you want 
  9. Some of the best brocantes in France are located in the area. I know all the best ones and will be happy to share my secret list with you
  10. I live here and my house has many bedrooms and a really cool kitchen, which means that you already have a friend to stay with :0) Oh, and I make a mean French onion soup!
    Château Figeac
    Market in Ste Foy
    Bordeaux from the roof
    Fresh seafood every day
    Best organic produce
    My favorite lamb dish :0)
    Churches everywhere
    Local fruits and vegetables
    Ahh France and garlic…
    Friendly market in Libourne
    Château Soutard
    Cap Ferret
    Saint Emilion Cloister
    Château Yquem
    Cheeeeese!!!
    Duck is a local specialty
    Flower market in Libourne
    Château Cheval Blanc
    Saint Emilion
    Pomerol
    Fresh fish from the market
    The harvest
    At the brocante
    At the brocante
    In the vineyard
    Sweet sweet grapes
    Blessed
    Bordeau opera
    Limestone art
    Bordeaux cafés
    Cognac
    Château des tours
    Ahhh Petrus…
    Warm bread all day
    Foie gras delight
    Fairytale land
    Morning dew
    Château Margaux
    Château Latour
    Oysters from Arcachon
    Yquem sweeeet!
    Bordeaux Bistros
    Bordeaux opera house
    Château St Georges
    Saint Emilion
    In the cellar
    Old Stéphane
    My French onion soup :0)
    My “secret” chocolate cake
    Château Lusseau

My Great Grand-mother’s clams – Palourdes et praires à la Manée

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(In English below)IMG_7993 _Snapseed

Manée était mon arrière grand-mère (à gauche sur la photo avec ma grand mère et mon père aujourd’hui âgé de 82 ans). Sans aucun doute la meilleure cuisinière et la personne la plus gourmande que notre famille ait jamais compté (et ce n’est pas peu dire!).Numériser 87 13-56-26 _Snapseed

La recette d’aujourd’hui me vient d’elle. Elle est simple, audacieuse et délicieuse:

Pour 2 en entrée:

  1. Faites bien dégorger 20 praires et 20 palourdes dans de l’eau salée. Un seul grain de sable peut ruiner tout un plat
  2. Coupez du pain, l’équivalent d’une baguette (rassi si possible) en tranches d’un centimètre d’épaisseur
  3. Faites dorer les tranches de pain dans du beurre à la poêle
  4. Ajoutez une poignée de persillade fraiche et 2 cuillère à soupe de vinaigre de vin rouge
  5. Ajoutez les coquillages. Salez très peu et poivrez
  6. Couvrez et faites cuire à feu moyen jusqu’à une minute après l’ouverture des coquillages. Le pain va absorber le bouillon naturel et délicieux un peu acidulé par le vinaigre…
  7. Je rajoute toujours un peu de persillade fraiche à la fin de la cuisson pour un goût plus franc et une couleur plus vive

Mangez avec les doigts!! Un pur délice!!IMG_7892 _Snapseed11 mais on trouve aussi des palourdes!! _SnapseedIMG_7042 _SnapseedIMG_8581 _Snapseed _Snapseed

Manée (on the left in the picture with my grand mother and my dad who is now 82) was my great grandmother. Undoubtedly the best cook and the biggest foody that our family has ever know (and that’s saying something!)

Today’s recipe was one of her favorites. It is simple, bold and absolutely delicious:

For an appetizer for 2:

  1. Clean 40 clams in cold salted water. One grain of sand can ruin the whole dish!!
  2. Slice some bread, a baguette worth (stale if possible)
  3. Brown the bread slices in butter in a frying pan over medium heat
  4. Add a handful of freshly chopped persillade and 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
  5. Add the clams, salt (not too much at all) and pepper
  6. Cover and cook over medium heat until one minute after the opening of the shells. The bread will absorb most of the natural and delicious broth. You will obviously eat some of each with each clam
  7. I always add a little fresh persillade at the very end for a sharper taste and more colorful dish

Eat with your fingers! A pure delight!IMG_7900 _Snapseed

Roses are red… – La renaissance

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(In English below)

Papa Meillan
Dernières pensées
VW pleine à craquer
Bernadette Lafont
Impatiens
Wild Strawberries

C’est la semaine des plantations pour moi. 150 pieds d’impatiens doubles, toutes les variétés d’herbes aromatiques que j’ai pu trouver et les roses qui sortent 2 semaines plus tôt qu’à l’habitude…

Je suis allé acheter tout ça directement chez le producteur samedi. D’abord avec la petite voiture puis avec la grosse… Et oui, c’est comme chez IKEA. On y va pour 30€ de marchandise et on en ressort avec un trou dans son découvert :0)

Mais c’est bien la dépense la plus importante de l’année pour moi. Un investissement pour tout l’été qui me fait du bien à la tête quand j’ai les idées noires…

Mes roses préférées sont les “Papa Meillan”. Énormes, rouge foncé, veloutées et très très odorantes. Mes “Pierre de Ronsard” ne seront vraiment ouvertes que dans 1 ou 2 semaines. Il y à aussi les fraises des bois, les dernières pensées couvertes de rosée et mes “Bernadettes Lafont”…

This is gardening week for me. 150 pods of impatiens (busy Lizzie), all the varieties of herbs that I could find and my roses are coming out two weeks earlier than usual…

I went to buy it all directly from the producer Saturday. First with the small car and then with the big one… Yes, it is like IKEA.You go and expect to spend 30€ and you come out with a deep hole in your wallet :0)

I couldn’t care less about this once in a year self indulgence. It is the largest expense of the year for me. An investment for the whole summer that will make me feel better when I’ll be down. Flowers have that effect on me. French living is all about smelling the roses…

My favorite roses are the “Papa Meillan” variety. Huge, dark red, velvety and very fragrant. My “Pierre de Ronsard” (light rose and green) will really be blooming in a week or two…